Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 2019: spy shots reveal sports car’s final design

Spy shots of Porsche’s new 718 Cayman GT4 have been coming in thick and fast in recent weeks, but the latest images give fans their best look yet at the new sports car.

Photographs snapped the model testing at the 12.9-mile Nurburgring race track in Germany, a circuit frequently used by manufacturers to develop their cars before they go on sale.

The track-honed sports car has often been covered in heavy camouflage when testing in public locations to help keep its design a mystery until its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.

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However, the latest batch of images, posted by Motor1, shows the car testing without “any sort of camouflage whatsoever”. The only notable difference between the car in the pictures and the final model is that the test vehicle has no Porsche badges.

At a glance, the sports car appears to be almost identical to the regular 718 Cayman coupe it’s based on.

But look a little closer and fans will spot that the GT4 has a more aggressive front-bumper design and the larger air intakes that are placed just in front of the rear wheels. The biggest giveaway, though, is the large wing at the rear of the car.

There are only a few months to go until the covers come off Porsche’s hardcore sports car.

For now, here’s everything you need to know about the 718 Cayman GT4:

Will there be a Touring version?

Probably. Most spy shots of the new GT4 show the car in its most aggressive track-focused form. Last month, however, images of the car testing in Sweden in a more subtle spec made the rounds online.

What sets this model apart from the regular GT4 is its subdued looks. Gone is the large rear wing and angular front bumper, which have been replaced by the regular 718 Cayman’s body panels.

This could mean that Porsche is developing a Touring version of the new sports car. Compared to the regular GT4-spec Cayman, the vehicle would have a more luxurious cabin and sleeker styling, says Car magazine.

If true, it would come as little surprise given the popularity of the 911 GT3 Touring, an offshoot of the supercar-rivalling 911 GT3. The driver-focused sports car, which launched in 2017, had no rear wing and could only be specced with a manual gearbox, the magazine adds.

When is it out?

The wraps are expected to come off the Cayman GT4 at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs from 4 to 7 July.

Sales are expected to kick off before the year is out.

How much will it cost?

Evo anticipates the price of the new Cayman GT4 wil be higher than the old model’s £64,000 tag.

What engine will it have?

Unlike the standard 718 Cayman, which is powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine, the Cayman GT4 will be equipped with a 3.8-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine.

Power figures won’t arrive until closer to the car’s release this summer, but Car magazine says that Porsche has upped the Cayman GT4’s performance from 375bhp to 420bhp.

The first batch of Cayman GT4s, which arrive later this year, will only be available with manual gearboxes, the magazine says. Buyers wanting an automatic car will have to wait for the second wave of production at the end of 2020.