Porsche introduced this mid-engine coupe for the 2017 model year as the updated successor to the Cayman line, bringing the 718 designation into the coupe range for the first time. The name tied the car to Porsche’s lightweight, four-cylinder 718 racing cars of the late 1950s, a heritage the company used to frame the modern model family’s return to a four-cylinder identity. In Porsche’s lineup, the 718 Cayman sits as the closed-roof counterpart to the 718 Boxster and represents the brand’s compact mid-engine sports car formula: a two-seat coupé built around balance, precision and everyday usability rather than outright excess.
The 718 Cayman marked a notable shift in the model’s history because it was not just a cosmetic refresh. It launched a new generation of the coupe with revised styling, updated chassis tuning and a broader performance ladder that would later expand into more focused variants. Over time, the nameplate became the foundation for the 718 family’s track-oriented derivatives, including GTS, GT4 and GT4 RS versions, which helped define the car’s reputation among enthusiasts as one of Porsche’s most engaging driver’s cars.
Although the model’s roots trace back to the earlier Cayman, the 718 Cayman name itself belongs to the current era that began in 2017 and continues in production today. It remains one of Porsche’s core sports-car offerings and an important bridge between the company’s modern product range and its historic 718 racing legacy.