The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engine two-seater fastback coupé, the closed brother of the Boxster roadster. The first Cayman was launched in 2005 for the 2006 model year, derived from the second-generation Boxster, and from 2016 the car was sold as the 718 Cayman.
Porsche Cayman at a glance
| Maker | Porsche |
|---|---|
| First launched | 2005, for the 2006 model year |
| Body | three-door, two-seat fastback coupé |
| Layout | mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Based on | the second-generation Boxster |
| First styling | Pinky Lai |
| Built in Finland | by Valmet Automotive, all cars up to 2012 |
| From 2012 | built in the former Karmann plant, Osnabrück |
| Name | an alternative spelling of caiman |
| Renamed | 718 Cayman in 2016, with turbocharged flat-fours |
| Production ended | October 2025 |
History of the Porsche Cayman
The Cayman arrived in late 2005, alongside the second-generation Boxster, as a coupé derived from the roadster. Its first styling was by Pinky Lai, and it is named after the caiman, a member of the alligator family, as are the Cayman Islands. When the car reached dealers Porsche adopted four caimans at Stuttgart’s Wilhelma Zoo.
The name also caused a legal fight. In 2009 Porsche sued Crocs, the maker of the rubber shoes, over a clog also called Cayman, and an injunction was granted against Crocs Europe preventing use of the name in Germany.
All Caymans up to 2012 were built in Finland by Valmet Automotive. When Volkswagen took control of Porsche AG, production of the Cayman and Boxster after 2012 moved to the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück, Germany, at the time owned by Volkswagen and also used for the Volkswagen Golf Mk6 convertible.
The Cayman has always shared its engines with the Boxster, and in 2007 the roadster received the engines of the corresponding Cayman variants, confirming the order in which the two were developed. The third-generation cars of 2012 grew out of the same programme.
In 2016, for the 2017 model year, the Boxster and Cayman type 982 were renamed the Porsche 718 Boxster and Porsche 718 Cayman, reviving the historic 718 name while switching from naturally aspirated flat-sixes to small turbocharged flat-fours. The new 718 Cayman was also given an entry price below that of the 718 Boxster, in keeping with Porsche’s higher prices for roadster models. Production of all 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman variants, including the RS models, ended in October 2025, and Porsche’s chief executive Oliver Blume said fully electric replacements would arrive in the medium term.
Design and features
- Coupé version of the Boxster: the same mid-engine layout under a fastback roof.
- Shared engines: the Cayman’s units were later fitted to the Boxster, not the other way round.
- Finnish production: every Cayman up to 2012 was built by Valmet.
- 718 generation: turbocharged flat-fours from 2016, with a lower entry price than the roadster.
Porsche Cayman versions
- Cayman (2005): the first fastback coupé, from the 987 Boxster.
- Cayman S and later derivatives: more powerful versions sharing the Boxster range.
- 981 Cayman (2012): third-generation car.
- 718 Cayman (2016–2025): turbocharged flat-four generation.
The Cayman is the coupé version of the Porsche Boxster, and its engine family is shared with the Porsche 996. More cars are in the Porsche collection.
Sources
- Porsche Boxster and Cayman, English Wikipedia: launch, production, naming, 718 generation
