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New Porsche Cayman GTS resets sports coupe benchmark

20th March 2014 Print
Porsche Cayman GTS

The new Porsche Cayman GTS is the most powerful and fastest edition of the mid-engined coupe from the German sports car manufacturer to date. With an uprated engine and sharpened chassis responses, the Cayman GTS sets a new benchmark for sporting performance in its market.
 
Since its debut in 2005, the Cayman has earned a particular reputation as a driver’s car. At the heart of the two-seater beats a charismatic flat-six engine, positioned deep in the middle of the chassis to offer a low centre of gravity for a balanced and precise driving experience. Furthermore, the distinctive coupe styling confers a high level of torsional rigidity which further enhances the dynamic virtuosity.
 
The six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine in the Cayman GTS is based on the 3.4-litre engine of the Cayman S. Specific fine tuning has delivered an additional 15 hp (11 kW), with the result that the Cayman GTS offers 340 hp (250 kW). The torque has also increased by ten newton metres to 380 Nm.
 
Further emphasising the distinctive character of the GTS is the Sport Chrono package and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), fitted as standard. These offer the driver the opportunity to not only modify the damper stiffness, but also subtly change the throttle characteristics of the engine. In conjunction with the optional Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) seven-speed double-clutch transmission, the Launch Control function accessed via the Sport Plus button enables the Cayman GTS to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, 0.3 secs quicker than a standard Cayman S with PDK.
 
With the standard manual six-speed transmission, a top speed of 177 mph is possible. The new GTS is also the first mid-engined Porsche coupe to be certified according to the Euro 6 emissions standard, and achieves an overall fuel consumption with PDK of 34.4 mpg Combined (31.4 mpg with manual transmission).
 
The dynamic engine mounts also offered as part of the Sport Chrono package enables the Cayman GTS to offer an impressive breadth of chassis responsiveness. Under acceleration, cornering or braking, the mountings between the body shell and engine stiffen automatically to reduce the effects of mass transfer during dynamic manoeuvres, further increasing agility.
 
Furthermore, the standard fit Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) enables the driver to switch between progressive sporting behaviour and long-distance comfort at the press of a button. Stylish black painted 20-inch diameter Carrera S alloy wheels riding on 235/35 tyres at the front and 265/35 tyres at the rear complete the chassis set-up.
 
The Cayman GTS can also be specified with a new, optional sports chassis configuration that lowers the ride height by 20 mm, underlying the fact that at the heart of every Porsche is a race car suitable for both the circuit and everyday use.
 
The strong, individual character of the Cayman gains further independence with the GTS model. A distinctively styled front spoiler and black-finish Bi-Xenon headlights – with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) as standard – are a subtle clue to the new model’s identity, which is confirmed from behind with exterior lettering in silky black gloss finish, and a re-styled lower rear apron.
 
Inside, bolstered sports seats and leather trim are standard. Like other Porsche GTS models, the sporting ambience of the interior is refined with Alcantara elements.
 
The GTS lineage
 
The Porsche Cayman can trace its roots back to the legendary 904 Carrera GTS of the 1960s, which likewise was a mid-engined two-seater coupe. Since those days, the letters ‘GTS’  have stood for ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ and a promise of outstanding levels of Porsche performance.
 
With the new model, Porsche is extending the GTS principle to the Cayman. Like the Cayenne GTS and Panamera GTS already, this is a car that stands for superior driving dynamics in its market.
 
The combination of letters originates from the 904 Carrera GTS, a race car launched in 1963 that could also be registered for use on public roads. In the 1980s and 1990s, the 924 GTS and 928 GTS cultivated this principle. It was reborn in 2007 in the form of the Cayenne GTS, and was subsequently also implemented in the ‘Type 997’ 911 and most recently the Panamera.
 
Cayman GTS in the UK
 
The new Cayman GTS is available to order now priced from £55,397, and will be arriving in Porsche Centres in the UK and Ireland in May.
 
Standard equipment on the Cayman GTS includes Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Sport Chrono package with dynamic engine mounts, black finish 20-inch diameter Carrera S alloy wheels, black finish Bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System, leather/Alcantara interior, Sports seats Plus with electric adjustment, air conditioning, CD audio system with seven-inch touch-screen, universal audio interface offering MP3 connectivity, automatic headlight activation, auto stop-start function, ‘Sport’ button, front electric windows, floor mats, top-tinted windscreen and a three-year warranty.
 
Customers will also be able to explore the potential of their new car, and further develop their own skills behind the wheel, by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

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