As the months, and now years, go on, we wait to see if the prices of 981 Porsche Cayman GT4 will finally start dropping. The 718 GT4 has been out for about six months now and judging by how many are sitting at dealers, both new and used, finding one is not difficult. So what gives? Inventory goes up, prices go down. That’s the law of supply and demand, right? Apparently Porsche GT prices apparently didn’t take that class in school.
Usually when manufacturers start pumping out ‘special editions’ it is either at the beginning of the generation or knocking on death’s door as a last grasp to get people to buy the aging model before retooling for the next model. Today, we have the former. This Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is already a huge hit for Porsche fans as everyone guessed, and the European-market already has a ‘special edition’ to go with it. What is it? The Sports Cup Edition. You might be looking at that photo and thinking it is a track-focused model with a bunch of lightweight parts and more hardcore suspension. That would make total sense, right? Nope. Just some stickers.
Everyone wants options. Not the options in terms of life, I’m talking about optional equipment for cars. “Fully loaded!” “Every option!” I’m sure you’ve seen those phrases throw around a million times when looking at cars when the reality of it is it’s configured like the majority of them for sale. Naturally, Porsche takes this to another level by offering a boat load of options that you didn’t even know were possible and then ever went a step further by offering their special customers whatever they wanted, as long as they paid an eye-watering amount of money.
But what if you ordered a car with no options? Crazy. Who would go into a Porsche dealer and specifically order a car with nothing? Just standard equipment and that’s it. Well, that seems to be what happened with this new 718 Cayman GT4.
With the launch of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, we were also offered a topless version with the 718 Spyder. We’ve seen the Boxster Spyder before, but never like this. This Spyder was developed under the guidance of Porsche GT boss Andy Preuninger from the GT department, thus making it a real “GT car,” just not badged as such. It literally is just a Spyder version of the 718 GT4 with the same suspension, engine, and tuning, just with the little folding top similar to that of the GT3-based 991.2 Speedster. So if you want a GT4, but also want the open-air feeling, here you go.
Well, that didn’t take long. A few weeks ago I took a look at the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 in England in anticipation of them finally hitting US dealers, and it looks like they are here. Production is in full swing and it even looks like Porsche added the paint to sample option to the configurator (a $12,830 option!), so it won’t be long until we start seeing some wild colors. However, we knew these cars were due soon. What I didn’t expect were dealers already playing their games and getting off on technicalities to skirt to rules. Let me explain.
Well, they are here. Sort of. The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is on public roads and do they look appetizing. There are a handful of them already in the hands of US buyers and even more in Europe as 2019 model years. The US production was halted for reasons we all need not be reminded of, but word is customers who put in orders for them should start seeing them on dealer lots in the next month or two. For those lucky Europeans, you can have your pick if you have the money. This 2019 up for sale in North Yorkshire, England is finished in with always classic Black with the new Satin Aurum wheels and just 950 miles. Worth it over the 981 GT4?
One of the most anticipated Porsches in awhile, the 718 Cayman GT4, is finally starting hit dealer lots. Also it seems like owners already want to get rid of them. Naturally, that leaves us all wondering what will happen to the prices of the 981 GT4s. Some say prices will drop as current GT4 owners dump them for the new one, while others think prices will hold steady given their low production and specialness of them. Personally, I think it will be a combination of the two, with prices softening a tad, but not necessarily the huge drop that potential buyers are looking for. As of today, 981 GT4s seem to be as steady as ever. Yes, the higher mileage ones with modifications and track time have taken a little bit of a hit. But the totally stock ones with low miles are holding very strong. Case in point, this example in Sapphire Blue up for sale in Florida.
Very rarely can you buy a new car and not lose a dime on depreciation. Granted, this isn’t going to happen on something you can drive on down to local dealer and pick one out of a row covered in dust that has been sitting for six weeks. These cars are usually low production and thus very high demand. Some recent examples were the BMW 1M and the Porsche 911R just to give you an idea. Again, these are super specific examples, but at the same time you can find them for sale fairly easily, you just need to pay. Another one of those cars is the Cayman GT4. This isn’t the first time Porsche really went all in on the Cayman, as the Cayman R was nice package to say the least, but the GT4 just feels a little more polished. I’m certainly not the only one that feels this way, and prices surely reflect that. However, a new 718 Cayman GT4 is coming in 2020. What does that mean for current prices?
While I haven’t featured them quite as frequently of late I’ve still had an eye on the Cayman GT4. It’s probably my favorite modern Porsche and as we’ve moved ever so slowly past their days of production prices have just as slowly started to come down. I don’t expect those prices to drop precipitously or anything of that sort. A performance-oriented Porsche model like the GT4 simply isn’t going to lose much value unless it’s wrecked. But the days when prices remained above MSRP seem to be behind us. So, still not cheap by any means, but a little bit better.
As with most cars I post I’m most interested in those that come in a nice color, which usually means a bright color. This Carmine Red example fits that bill quite well. Red is one of the few shades that I actually prefer when it is not as bright as possible. This is in distinction to yellow, green, and orange all of which I typically prefer to be of the blinding variety. But with Red I like a hint of subtlety. Just a hint though and that’s why I’ve always liked Carmine Red. Guards Red is a very nice color, but Carmine is a little richer compared to Guards Red’s brightness. It looks great on the GT4 and I very much like this one here.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Cayman lately. As a long-time fan of the 911 it’s always been difficult to wrap my head around precisely what I think of the Cayman. It’s a Porsche so I have little doubt about its capabilities and overall quality as a sports car. The pedigree certainly is there. Yet, as has been noted ad nauseam, it always has seemed tamed, or held back, so as to insulate it from direct competition with the 911. While slightly unfair it’s almost seemed the car you settle for if you cannot afford a proper Porsche – a 911. And then, of course, there is the simple fact of the 911 being something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid. It’s hard to displace something that has been so long a part of your imagination.
I don’t know that I’d say the Cayman GT4 has changed all of that, but it has certainly played a role and forced me to rethink some of those issues. I’m not in the market for one, let’s be clear on that – it’s out of my price range and I’m still not in the position of having a decent place to park it – but I do wonder if the time came to choose between a GT4 and a GT3 where I’d end up. I think I know what my wallet would say. I’m less certain about my heart.
This one really is drawing my eye: a White 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4, located in California, with 5,100 miles on it. It has a few modifications and for those looking for one that’s reasonably track ready I think it should be a definite contender.
