Porsche Panamera GTS 971 vs Porsche 718 Cayman S: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Panamera GTS hits 100 km/h in 3.93 s versus 4.17 s for the 718 Cayman S. At this point, the Panamera GTS leads by 0.24 s and sits roughly 6 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Panamera GTS is doing 151 km/h against 156 km/h for the 718 Cayman S. The gap is 0.14 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Panamera GTS crosses the line in 12.12 s versus 12.12 s. The 0.00 s gap represents roughly 0 m of track

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. Past 400 metres, both rivals hit the same electronic ceiling at 285 km/h. Neither can claw back ground through top speed — the outcome hinges on the acceleration curve between 100 and 285 km/h.

At 1,000 metres, the 718 Cayman S finishes in 21.89 s versus 22.14 s. The 0.25 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

The Panamera GTS features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the 718 Cayman S’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 Panamera GTS is capped at 291 km/h, the 718 Cayman S at 285 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 (4.49 kg/hp vs 3.87 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 6.06 seconds. The 0.24 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.