Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS 991.2 vs Porsche 718 Cayman: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 911 Targa 4 GTS hits 100 km/h in 4.27 s versus 4.56 s for the 718 Cayman. At this point, the 911 Targa 4 GTS leads by 0.29 s and sits roughly 4 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the 911 Targa 4 GTS is doing 155 km/h against 149 km/h for the 718 Cayman. The gap is 0.29 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the 911 Targa 4 GTS crosses the line in 12.12 s versus 12.65 s. The 0.53 s gap represents roughly 27 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the 911 Targa 4 GTS continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 221 km/h versus 206 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the 911 Targa 4 GTS finishes in 21.61 s versus 22.89 s, with a 1.28 s lead.

The 911 Targa 4 GTS features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the 718 Cayman’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 911 Targa 4 GTS is capped at 302 km/h, the 718 Cayman at 274 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (3.59 kg/hp vs 4.45 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 6.70 seconds. The 0.29 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.