Porsche have given us our first glance at the new 2017 Cayman, and from the outside at least it doesn’t look like much as changed. However, just like its Boxster stable-mate, the Cayman has received some substantial updates under the skin.
The biggest change perhaps is that the Cayman has gone four-cylinder for the first time ever. The flat-six engines from the previous car have been dumped and replaced with two turbocharged flat-four engines – a 224kW (300hp) 2.0L version and a 261kW (350hp) 2.5L – both with bumps of 19kW (25hp) over the old 6-cylinder engines. Being turbocharged, you might have guessed that the new engines produce more torque down low in the rev range, and as a result the new Cayman S with a PDK dual-clutch gearbox will go from 0-100km/h (60mph) in 4.0 seconds flat. You’ll also be able to opt for a manual gearbox, if you want to shift gears more slowly yourself.
Aside from a few cosmetic tweaks on the outside, the new Cayman has received a redesigned interior. The new centre stack appears to be slightly less button-heavy than the outgoing model, while the overall dashboard design has also been refined. Porsche have also tweaked the chassis setup of the Cayman, by fitting firmer springs and sway bars, retuned shock absorbers and a revised steering rack that’s 10% quicker on-centre. All of these changes should make the new Cayman handle even better than before.
While some purists might be mourning the loss of the old flat-six engine, it certainly sounds like the new Cayman is going to be a cracking car – and the added performance should more than make up for the slight reduction in cylinders. It’ll be on sale mid-to-late 2016.