Porsche Cayman GT4 gets fiestier powertrain, sexier styling [Gallery]

It seems that Porsche has always had an agenda when it came to making its smaller cars faster. To protect the 911’s legacy and selling prowess, the company never quite debuted any hot versions of the Boxster or Cayman roadsters lest they steal the flagship’s thunder. Well, that has swiftly come to an end and the motoring world is better for it.

The company’s new Porsche Cayman GT4 is not only the cutest Porsche we’ve seen for a good while, its the one that makes the most sense to the ordinary buyer, or hell, the real “driver’s driver” for that matter. It finally bridges the gap to the more performance orientated 911 GT3 but on a smaller scale.

Boasting a modest 380bhp from its in-line six-cylinder motor, it’s not the most powerful car on the road, but that doesn’t mean it takes off like a fully-laden donkey. 0 to 100km/h is completed in just 4.4 seconds and it can lap the fearsome Nurburgring Nordschliefe in 7:40 — quite a feat for such a small car.

Porsche has also graciously done away with the “flappy paddle” dual-clutch gearbox that always makes cars faster but takes away from the theatre of the drive. Instead, the Stuttgart marque shoved a good ol’ six-speed manual gearbox. It’s a real driver’s car this.

But beyond the driving experience (which we can imagine has amazing written all over it with awesome sauce), doesn’t this car just look incredible?

Seriously Porsche, it’s about time you upped the Cayman’s credentials, and the GT4 should go on to become one of the company’s best selling vehicles this year.