2019 Porsche 718 Cayman T 2019 Review Review

So it’s stripped out and lighter than a regular Cayman?

Actually no. There are fabric door pulls like you get in a GT4, the sports seats have fabric centres and the infotainment is a no-cost option. Surely everyone will order the infotainment, but it’s surprising how effective the door pulls and seat fabric are at making the T seem a special, driver-focussed cabin.

Weight increases by 15kg versus the entry-level car, but you do get extra equipment, including 20-inch alloys, 20mm lower sports suspension and a limited-slip differential. Distinctive if subtle exterior door graphics top off the package. That helps justify a £6k premium over a base Cayman, though Porsche argues it actually equates to a minimum 5% saving if you specify those same parts as options on a Cayman.

Perhaps the biggest mental stumbling block relates to the engine, because the S model is just over £2.5k pricier than a T, and gets the 2.5-litre flat-four engine with 345bhp. The T, meanwhile, sticks with the basic turbocharged 2.0-litre flat four from the entry-level model, with 296bhp. But with the T weighing only 1350kg, that’s still plenty of performance – enough for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and a 170mph top end, in fact.

Do you really want a four-cylinder engine in a Cayman?

Good point. The engine is the biggest disappointment of the otherwise excellent Cayman T, mostly because this flat four is so… flat below 2500rpm. Adding to the case against, there’s barely any noise on a steady throttle and an unpleasant thrum when you work it harder. This is no substitute for the flat six in the previous-generation Cayman, but at least there’s genuinely impressive performance and response above 2500rpm.

How about the chassis?

It always seemed like Porsche was over-compensating for the 718 Cayman’s flat-four engine with this model’s chassis – it’s sharp and sensationally agile, and a clear step beyond even its excellent predecessor, whichever variant you choose.

The T takes this to another level with its lowered and stiffened sports suspension to create a beautifully balanced and highly responsive mid-engined sports car, one that doesn’t allow its high limits to sacrifice tactility whatever your speed. There’s exceptional clarity of response from the front end, the standard six-speed manual gearbox has a tight, mechanical action, and the pedals have a perfect, highly natural weighting – it all contributes to a sensational driving experience. This is also the ideal sports driving position – low set, easily adjusted, and with great visibility.

And yet despite its driver focus, the Cayman T proves highly useable as a daily driver – the suspension is far from brittle at low speeds, the seats are long-distance comfortable, the infotainment is easy to use (if far from state-of-the-art), and there’s plenty of storage thanks to luggage compartments front and rear.

In a nutshell

The Cayman T is a fabulous driver’s car hamstrung by a disappointing flat-four engine. If you’re planning to throw a few options at an entry-level model, the T is probably the better buy. But the Cayman S gets the more powerful and responsive 2.5-litre engine and costs very little more. While even this preferable engine remains Cayman’s Achilles’ heel, a used Porsche 718 Cayman T would be our Cayman of choice in this price range. View the full range of used Porsche cars available on finance with ChooseMyCar.

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Then there is the Toyota GR Supra Pro. It’s essentially a BMW Z4, but with the Japanese classic sports car design.

If you’re interested in something classically British, and a little more ‘extreme’, then the McLaren 600LT is McLarens most extreme sports series yet.

We’ve also been lucky enough to drive and review the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the mid-engined V8 supercar which has the discontinued GTB chassis with the Pista’s engine along with updated interiors, as well as a review of the Ferrari 488 Pista, which is a more powerful, lighter, sharper version of the 448 GTB.