Porsche Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981)
2015–2016 · Porsche Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981) — Sports Car, Flat-6, designed by Michael Mauer.
The Story
The 981 Cayman GT4 is the car that started it all — the first time Porsche’s vaunted GT department got its hands on the mid-engine Cayman, and the birth of the GT4 line. Launched in 2015, it dropped a 385-PS 3.8-litre flat-six (borrowed from the 991 Carrera S) into the brilliantly-balanced 981 chassis, added genuine GT3 suspension components, a fixed wing and a six-speed manual, and created an instant sensation — a junior GT3 for far less money. It was so good it won evo’s Car of the Year 2015, beating cars like the McLaren 675LT and Lamborghini Aventador SV. With its open Boxster Spyder sibling, it’s one of the most loved and collectible modern Porsches — and the foundation of every GT4 since.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Sports Car class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Michael Mauer
Mauer led design at Mercedes and Saab before succeeding Lagaaij at Porsche in 2004, where he has overseen every modern Porsche line. Since 2022 he has also directed design across the entire Volkswagen Group.
Studio Motors POV
The original Cayman GT4 — the first GT-department mid-engine car and an evo Car of the Year winner. A documented manual 981 GT4 (or Boxster Spyder) is an appreciating modern classic and the foundation of the GT4 legend; buy and hold.
The Engine
9A1 / 9A2 flat-six (DI)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981)
Worth Knowing About the Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981)
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) It was the FIRST Cayman touched by Porsche's GT department — the original GT4, and the start of the whole GT4 line. 2) It won evo Car of the Year 2015, beating the McLaren 675LT and Lamborghini Aventador SV — a mid-engine 'junior' Porsche over full-blown supercars. 3) Its 3.8-litre flat-six and key suspension parts came from the 991 GT3 / Carrera S — genuine GT hardware at a fraction of the price.
5 Fast Facts
- • 2015–2016; the FIRST Cayman GT4 (and Boxster Spyder). • 3.8L NA flat-six, 385 PS; six-speed manual, mid-engine. • GT3-derived suspension and brakes. • evo Car of the Year 2015. • An instant modern classic — values climbing.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: no documented/citable celebrity owner verified here. (Excluded rather than guessed.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Manual-only (no PDK was offered on the 981 GT4); the open Boxster Spyder shares the formula with a manual roof. Verify spec, history and any track use; as an appreciating modern classic — and the first GT4 — clean, documented, low-owner cars carry a premium. A well-kept 981 GT4 (or Boxster Spyder) is a future grail; buy the best you can.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Porsche Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981)
- Class
- Sports Car
- Production years
- 2015–2016
- Units built
- FLAG: GT4 total not officially published (~2,500 reported, unconfirmed); Boxster Spyder confirmed 2,486 (829 North America)
- Variants
- 981 Cayman GT4 (2015), 981 Boxster Spyder (2015)
- Engine layout
- Mid
- Engine
- Flat-6
- Engine family
- 9A1 / 9A2 flat-six (DI)
- Displacement
- 3.8L / 3800 cc
- Power
- 385 hp
- Torque
- 309 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.2 s
- Top speed
- 183 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 287 hp/tonne · 7.7 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 6-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2955 lb
Questions
Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981) FAQ
What engine does the 981 Cayman GT4 use?
The 981 Cayman GT4 uses a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six derived from the 991 Carrera S engine, producing 385 hp at 7,400 rpm. It is available only with a 6-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels.
Why is the 981 Cayman GT4 considered a modern classic?
The 981 Cayman GT4 was the first mid-engine Porsche to carry the GT4 designation, built by the Porsche GT division with suspension components from the 991 GT3. It established a template that the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre 718 GT4 later returned to (via the flat-six, after an interim 4-cylinder era), making the 981 a formative GT4 rather than the last of a line.
What is a 981 Cayman GT4 or Boxster Spyder worth today?
The 981 Cayman GT4 trades in the $90,000-$130,000 range in the current market, with low-mileage unmodified examples at the top. The 981 Boxster Spyder (2,486 built) trades in a similar range. Hagerty tracks both models by condition.
How does the 981 Cayman GT4 differ from the Boxster Spyder?
The Cayman GT4 is a fixed-roof coupe producing 385 hp, while the Boxster Spyder is an open roadster producing 375 hp from the same 3.8-litre engine. The GT4 is clearly Porsche GT-department; the 981 Spyder shares GT4 formula and many parts, though it isn’t badged as a GT model itself.
How do I source a 981 Cayman GT4 or Boxster Spyder through Studio Motors?
Contact the team to discuss current availability and inspection requirements.
The Porsche Lineup
Explore every Porsche
911 (Original) ’64904 Carrera GTS ’64914 ’69
911 Carrera RS 2.7 ’72911 (G-Series) ’74911 Carrera RS 3.0 ’74911 Turbo (930) ’75924 ’76928 ’77
911 Turbo (964) ’90911 Carrera RS (964) ’91968 ’92911 (993) ’94911 Carrera RS (993) ’95911 Turbo (993) ’95911 GT2 (993) ’95Boxster (986) ’96911 (996) ’97911 GT3 (996) ’99
911 Turbo (996) ’00911 GT2 (996) ’01Cayenne (955) ’02911 (997) ’04Boxster / Cayman (987) ’04Carrera GT ’04911 Turbo (997) ’06911 GT3 (997) ’06911 GT3 RS (997) ’06911 GT2 (997) ’07911 Sport Classic (997) ’09Panamera (970) ’09
911 GT2 RS (997) ’10911 Speedster (997) ’10Cayenne (958) ’10911 (991.1) ’11Boxster / Cayman (981) ’12911 Turbo (991) ’13911 GT3 (991) ’13918 Spyder ’13Macan (95B) ’14911 GT3 RS (991) ’15Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981) ’15911 (991.2) ’16911 R (991) ’16718 Cayman / Boxster (982) ’16911 GT2 RS (991) ’17Panamera (971) ’17Cayenne (9Y0) ’17911 Speedster (991) ’19911 (992.1) ’19718 Cayman GT4 / Spyder (982) ’19Taycan ’19
911 Turbo (992) ’20911 GT3 (992) ’21Cayenne Turbo GT (9Y0) ’21911 Dakar (992) ’22911 GT3 RS (992) ’22911 Sport Classic (992) ’22718 Cayman GT4 RS / Spyder RS (982) ’22911 S/T (992) ’23911 (992.2) ’24911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid (992.2) ’24Panamera (972) ’24Macan Electric ’24
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