Cayman GTS 4.0 Proves Less Can Be More

“Sports car” has become a catch-all label, stretched by battery packs, big horsepower, and even bigger curb weights. Yet one fundamental rule hasn’t changed: a sports car should thrill from the driver’s seat. In a market where physics is often bludgeoned into submission with tech and torque, the 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 feels like a time capsule—lighter on gimmicks, heavier on feel.

Within Porsche’s lineup, GTS models traditionally sit between the standard versions and the track-honed specials from the GT division. They adopt the go-faster hardware—stiffer suspension, stronger brakes, more power—without shedding their civility. The Cayman GTS 4.0 follows that blueprint with unflappable confidence.

Rewind to 2017, when the 718 badge arrived and Porsche swapped its revered naturally aspirated flat-six for turbocharged flat-fours. The output rose, efficiency improved, and the howls from the faithful were loud. The later arrival of the Cayman GT4 brought the flat-six soundtrack back, though with a narrower focus on lap times. The GTS 4.0, launched in 2021, made the six-cylinder accessible without veering into track-special territory, and it remains the sweet spot today.

The heart of the matter is a 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated flat-six that sings to a 7,800 rpm redline. It delivers 394 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque with the six-speed manual; the PDK dual-clutch automatic adds a whisper more torque. That’s only about 20 horsepower shy of the GT4, and the weight is essentially a wash: roughly 3,175 pounds with the manual, 3,241 with PDK. Numbers tell one story. The driving tells another.

Unlike the GT4, which is laser-focused on track performance, the GTS 4.0 is tuned for the road. Its chassis is confident but not punishing; the ride has tautness without the fidget. The clutch is light and intuitive with a neatly defined bite, and the active exhaust can fill the cabin with that old-school flat-six snarl—or slip into a subdued thrum when you’re just getting home late. It’s a car that asks to be driven hard, but never punishes you for taking the long way to the grocery store.

If the 718 is starting to show its age, it’s the aging of a classic. Where the latest 911 leans into digital sheen, the Cayman keeps faith with an analog heartbeat. The large central tachometer remains, a proper driver’s focal point. There’s a physical key-style starter twist on the left, a Porsche quirk that refuses to die. And the center stack still favors knobs and switches for climate, dampers, and audio. In a world of capacitive sliders and buried menus, the immediacy is refreshing. You don’t need to take your eyes off the road or your mind off the next corner to adjust the fan speed.

There are compromises. The infotainment system feels a step behind the times and lacks wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Yet the essentials are done right. The optional 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats strike an excellent balance between comfort and lateral support, anchoring you in place when the bend tightens and staying agreeable during long stints.

On a fast canyon road, the GTS 4.0 makes a compelling case for restraint. Sub-400 horsepower sounds modest in 2025, and its price doesn’t. The car starts at $99,700 and, as tested, can crest $125,000 with options and destination. But behind the wheel it feels close to flawless. Porsche’s manual transmissions have long set the standard, and this one is right on the money: perfectly weighted clutch, a short, precise throw, and a mechanical clarity that encourages you to find the rhythm of a good road. If there’s a gripe, it’s that the auto rev-matching function cannot be toggled independently of drive modes—a minor frustration in an otherwise superb setup.

What stands out most is not what the GTS adds, but what it refuses to add. No gizmo covers up for missteps, no algorithm rescues poor tuning. Instead, the car leans on fundamentals: low mass, mid-engine balance, faithful steering, strong and communicative brakes, and an engine whose response is linear and predictable. The limits are high but not inscrutable; the car communicates where you are and what comes next. A GT4 might edge it on a stopwatch with stickier tires and sharper calibration, but the GTS 4.0 feels more approachable more of the time, and just as alive when you wring it out.

The future of the 718 has been a moving target. Porsche once signaled an imminent all-electric replacement for the Cayman and Boxster, part of a broader push into EVs. Then the market cooled and the brand recalibrated. The upshot: internal combustion will remain in the 718’s orbit for the foreseeable future. For enthusiasts, that reprieve matters. It buys more time for cars like this—machines that prioritize the human connection over the headline number.

Progress will keep marching. Vehicles will grow safer, quieter, cleaner, and smarter. But the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 is a convincing argument that the purest thrills still come from simplicity done supremely well. In a world of heavy hitters, it wins by being light on its feet and heavy on feeling.

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