After much wailing and gnashing of teeth from Porsche fans and purists, the German sports car maker has decided to bring back six-cylinder power to their entry-level cars in the form of new GTS 4.0 variants. The Cayman and Boxster are priced from $172,400 and $175,200 plus on-road costs respectively.
The four-litre block under the, well, boot, will be a slightly detuned unit as found in the upcoming 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman GT4 track weapon. The GTS duo are slated to land on Australian shores sometimes in June this year.
The naturally-aspirated flat-sixer is mated to a six-speed stick shifter which fires 294kW and 418Nm of twist to the rear wheels. Porsche claims both manual versions of the GTS 4.0 can do the century sprint from rest in just 4.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 293km/h. The four-litre mill effortlessly revs to 7,800 rpm. On the other hand, it also gets Adaptive cylinder control which alternatively switches off one or two cylinder banks at low loads. The combined fuel consumption is rated at 10.8l/100km when measured against WLTP rules.
But the mid-engine sports coupes have always been known for their superior handling and control, the 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS 4.0 is no different. Stuttgart has given the duo tech such as Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) which lowers the car by 10mm on top of the 20mm of height it lost over standard form.
Furthermore, the duo gets Porsche Stability Management, Sport Chrono pack, Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical limited slip rear differential as standard.
Both models will also receive 20-inch light alloy wheels in satin gloss black and wrapped with sticky rubber measuring 235/35 ZR20 at the front and 265/35 ZR20 at the rear. Bringing the duo to a halt is an enhanced braking system featuring cross-drilled rotors and red-painted callipers. PCCB or Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake are optionally available.
Inside, the 718 GTS 4.0 models get Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with a high-resolution seven-inch touchscreen and the Sport Chrono pack, including the enhanced Track Precision App. This smartphone app - which originates from motorsport - shows performance-related data on the PCM display and records it for later analysis.
Further, dark Alcantara is used for the centre console, gear lever and armrests on both doors. In the Cayman, it covers the A-pillars and roof lining as well. The brand is also offering these up with Porsche Connect which gets you satellite navigation with real-time traffic information and voice control.
Premium audio from Bose or Burmester remain options, but in Australia standard equipment includes cruise control, heated seats and steering wheel, multifunction steering wheel, two-zone HVAC, an alarm system, rear camera and parking sensors, directional headlights, built-in navigation, digital radio and Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto).
- 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 - $172,400
- 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 - $175,200
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