New six-cylinder Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS 4.0 revealed

Porsche takes the fight to Alpine with a new 395bhp six-cylinder powerplant for Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS

This is the new Porsche 718 GTS 4.0, which, following in the footsteps of the 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder, sees Stuttgart’s entry-level sports car return to six-cylinder power.

The GTS uses a mildly detuned version of the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre boxer engine fitted to the Cayman GT4. Here, the engine makes 395bhp - 19bhp less than the GT4 - and revs up to a 7,800rpm red line, piped to the rear of the car via a sports exhaust system. Both coupe and roadster feature a manual six-speed transmission as standard.

The result is a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds for both the Cayman and Boxster GTS, and a 182mph top speed. That’s four tenths and 2mph quicker than the outgoing four-cylinder Cayman GTS.

The new six-cylinder motor is slightly thirstier with Porsche claiming fuel consumption has dropped from 28.5mpg to 25.9mpg, while CO2 emissions are up 36g/km, to 246g/km.

Engine aside, the rest of the GTS features are similar to those of the previous 718 Boxster and Cayman models. Porsche's PASM adaptive damping system controls a suspension set-up that sits 20mm closer to the road than lesser variants. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited slip differential, while active drivetrain mounts adjust their firmness to offer precision when cornering and comfort at a cruise.

The GTS models ride on a set of 20-inch alloy wheels with 235mm-section tyres at the front and 265mm items at the back. The wheels house cross drilled discs gripped by red Porsche calipers, with ceramic composite discs available as an option.

From the outside, GTS models are set apart from the rest of the Boxster and Cayman line-ups courtesy of black accents for the spoiler lip, air intake and rear diffuser, while the head and tail lamps gain a smoked finish.

The cabin features Alcantara upholstery in the seat centres, steering wheel rim, gear gaiter and centre armrest. Optional highlight packages allow buyers to finish the seat belts, rev counter, and decorative seams in either yellow or red.

Prices for the GTS models have increased slightly. The 718 Cayman GTS costs £64,088, and the Boxster is £65,949 - increases of £2,815 over the outgoing GTS.

Are you pleased to see the 718 Cayman and Boxster GTS models return to six-cylinder power? Let us know your thoughts below...

Chief reviewer

Alex joined Auto Express as staff writer in early 2018, helping out with news, drives, features, and the occasional sports report. His current role of Chief reviewer sees him head up our road test team, which gives readers the full lowdown on our comparison tests.

Recommended

New Porsche 718 Cayman Style Edition 2023 review
Porsche 718 Cayman Style Edition - front
Road tests

New Porsche 718 Cayman Style Edition 2023 review

The new Porsche 718 Cayman Style Edition stands out from the crowd with a series of bold cosmetic tweaks
20 Sep 2023
Porsche 718 Cayman review
Porsche 718 Cayman GTS - front action
In-depth reviews

Porsche 718 Cayman review

The Porsche 718 Cayman is a fantastically capable sports car, and arguably more exploitable than the firm's faster models
1 Sep 2023
BMW M2 vs Porsche 718 Cayman GTS: 2023 twin test review
BMW M2 and Porsche 718 Cayman GTS - front tracking
Car group tests

BMW M2 vs Porsche 718 Cayman GTS: 2023 twin test review

We’ve been impressed by the BMW M2 so far, but how does it fare against the performance-focused Porsche 718 Cayman GTS?
5 Aug 2023
Top 10 best performance cars to buy 2023
Best performance cars - header image
Best cars & vans

Top 10 best performance cars to buy 2023

Performance cars have reached new heights of speed and interaction - here’s a list of our ten favourites from the current crop
26 Jul 2023

Most Popular

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’
Opinion - Fiat Scudo
Opinion

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’

With some huge savings to be had, Mike Rutherford thinks a van could be the perfect vehicle
3 Dec 2023
New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates
Renault 5 EV concept at 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed
News

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates

Renault’s reborn Renault 5 will start from €25,000 in Europe, suggesting a circa-£30k price in the UK. It's due on sale in the summer of 2024. Here's …
1 Dec 2023
Deal of the Day: Spacious Skoda Superb is a peerless estate for £223 a month
Skoda Superb Estate - front tracking
News

Deal of the Day: Spacious Skoda Superb is a peerless estate for £223 a month

The Superb is one of our favourite estates and our Deal of the Day for Monday 4 December
4 Dec 2023