As readers lucky enough to live in North Yorkshire will doubtless be aware, nothing can compete with pulling back the curtains on a sunny Sunday morning to be met with a stunning view of the moors. Except, of course, the feeling of knowing your diary is empty and there’s a Porsche patiently waiting outside, ready to tear into the jaw-dropping view with the thunder of exploding petrol.
I’d argue the Porsche in question should really be a 718 Cayman, a car which seems to have been built specifically for a blast on British back roads. This Porsche is compact enough to deal with narrow streets, supple enough to remain comfortable on scarred surfaces and an utter joy to drive in all environments. Even the basic, two-litre models are a hoot, but not all Caymans are created equal, and since the 718’s introduction in 2016, the range has grown significantly. Obviously, we’ve seen the four-litre models arrive, bringing back the soundtrack of a flat-six, but Porsche wasn’t finished there.
The GT4 was next, giving the six-pot Cayman a bit more bite. Then came the recently launched GT4 RS, supposedly the zenith of Cayman-ness. Unsurprisingly, one of these two range-topping models features on our hypothetical blast through the English countryside, but which 718 gets the nod? To find out, we turned dream into reality and put the two cars head-to-head in the more interesting parts of northern England.
The night before, over a pint of Black Sheep (brewed in Masham, North Yorkshire, no less), we discussed the relative merits of each Cayman. The GT4 was designed to bring racing pedigree to the road, but the RS version is more of a track
