Beijing show: Four-pot Porsche Cayman sprints in

PORSCHE has ripped the covers from its latest 718-series Cayman coupe at the Beijing motor show, and confirmed a starting price that makes it more affordable than its rag-top Boxster twin for the first time.

Pricing for the entry-level Cayman now starts from $110,300 plus on-road costs – a $4100 premium over the outgoing version – while the equivalent Boxster kicks off from $113,100.

The Cayman S will be the range-topper, until the expected arrival of the more potent GTS models, and carries a pricetag of $140,600, an increase of $1600 over the superseded version, or $2800 less than the Boxster S.

Porsche says the pricing strategy to make the convertible the more expensive variant matches that of the 911 coupe and cabriolet.

The powertrains mirror that of the Boxster, with Porsche dropping the straight six engines for a pair of turbo four-pots. The Cayman uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit delivering 221kW of power and 380Nm of torque available between 1950rpm and 4500rpm, representing a 25kW/90Nm lift over the old model.

Under the bonnet of the Cayman S is a 2.5-litre four-pot turbo pumping out 257kW and 420Nm between 1900rpm and 4500rpm, an increase of 25kW/50Nm compared with the outgoing model.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but buyers can stump up an extra $4990 for the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.

When paired with PDK and optional Sport Chrono Package, the Cayman can race from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, on to a top speed of 275km/h, while the Cayman S canhit the same speed from a standing start in 4.2s before hitting 285km/h.

The smaller engines have netted fuel-efficiency gains, with the Cayman sipping between 6.9 and 7.4 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, depending on transmission choice, down from 7.7-8.2L/100km.

The more powerful Cayman S is also more frugal, consuming 7.3-8.1L/100km, a drop from 8.0-8.8L/100km of the old model.

Porsche says the chassis has been “completely retuned”, helping lateral rigidity and wheel tracking, while redesigned springs and stabiliser bars make for added firmness and the shock absorber tune has also been revised.

Steering is now 10 per cent more direct, according to Porsche, and the half-inch wider rear wheels and redeveloped tyres make for “increased lateral force and hence greater cornering stability”.

Dynamic options include the Porsche Torque Vectoring and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which lowers the ride height by 100mm, or in the S model by 20mm with the PASM sport suspension.

The optional Sport Chrono Package is accessed via a switch on the steering wheel and a new Individual setting supplements the previous modes of Normal, Sport and Sport Plus.

Braking has been boosted with 330mm discs at the front and 299mm at the rear. The new Cayman takes the brake system from the old Cayman S, while the new Cayman S uses the four-piston callipers from the 911 Carrera matched with 6mm-thicker brake discs.

The Cayman takes most of its design cues from its drop-top sibling, featuring bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRL), although LED headlights with the now-familiar four-point DRLs are offered as an option.

Inside, the changes match those of the Boxster's, with the upper dash and airvents all new, a new 918 Spyder-inspired steering wheel and a revised Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system.

Australian-spec models with PCM get as standard, Bluetooth connectivity, audio interfaces, satellite navigation, voice control and the 150-watt Sound Package Plus. More features can be added to PCM, including Apple CarPlay.

Porsche says that if the optional PDK transmission is chosen with the base Cayman, “customers benefit from a change to the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold for ‘fuel-efficient vehicles’ below 7.0L / 100kms. As a result, the option price of PDK on the base model 718 Cayman is effectively $1,333.” Keen buyers can place orders now at their nearest Porsche dealership and deliveries are expected to start in late 2016.

2016 Porsche 718 Cayman pricing*

Cayman (a)	$110,300
Cayman S (a)	$140,600

*Excludes on-road costs