Lotus Evora 400 vs Porsche Cayman GT4

It’s no secret Porsche tend to make fairly good cars. When it comes to the GT department, they tend to make spectacular cars. But of late, there have been a few changes made at Stuttgart that have upset some of their loyal customers. The switch to turbocharging on almost every non-GT model hasn’t been universally popular and the 4-cylinder units now used in the Boxster and Cayman are attracting the majority of the negative comments. The decision to make the 991 GT3 a PDK-only car a few years ago was also not taken kindly by those who prefer the “purity” of driving over improving lap times.

The 911R proved quite clearly there was a massive demand for a high-performance car with a manual box still, certainly among enthusiasts. But before that there was this - the Cayman GT4. It was a car that many people thought Porsche would never build. The Boxster/Cayman has often been labelled as the car one bought if a 911 was beyond your financial grasp. Those who drove them though often preferred them to the rear-engined icon. In fact, for a very long time journalists have been saying the only reason Porsche didn’t give the Cayman the same power as the 911 is because they knew it would be faster.

The Cayman GT4 went much further than just plonking the 3.8L Carrera S motor in the Cayman though. It took the suspension almost wholesale from the 911 GT3 too - giving it serious credit. It launched to rave reviews from everyone who drove it. Everyone wanted one, including me. Unfortunately, I found out very soon that having the asking price was not enough. Porsche decided to limit this car’s availability and they were sold out before they were released. So if you wanted one you weren’t paying the roughly £70,000 that they were new (£65k plus options)…. you were paying over £100,000 in some cases. Yikes.

So, if you want a serious driver’s car that gives you analogue thrills but can still be bought with a warranty, where do you go? Well, a small but familiar outfit based in Hethel, Norfolk, may be able to help. The venerable Lotus Evora has always been “Hethel’s best kept secret” but last year it got a radical makeover to become the Evora 400. It gained a new interior, new sharper exterior and a healthy power bump. The steering and suspension were tweaked to become a little bit more track-friendly. Prices were around the £75,000 mark. Conveniently close to what you should have paid for an optioned-up Cayman GT4. If ever there were a car to take the fight to Porsche, this would be it.

On paper, they are neck-and-neck. Curiously the Lotus is actually the heavier car here - 1395kg playing the Cayman’s 1340. However the Cayman’s weight was probably taken without A/C or a stereo - both of which have been optioned back in here. The Lotus is the more powerful car, at 400bhp, the Cayman being about 20bhp shy. Despite the presence of a supercharger, the Lotus is slightly down on torque - 302lb-ft is the official figure but it produces it earlier. The Cayman is a few lb-feet up but also higher up the rev range. The Porsche also goes to 7,800rpm, the Lotus being done at 7,000. The Caymans’ official 0-60 time is slower but Motor Trend tested it and it matched the Evora’s claimed 4.1 seconds. Top Speed of both is over 180mph.

On the interior front, Lotus are still some way behind Porsche but they have made significant improvements in detail and quality of late. The 400 is more logically laid out than the original car, mine having leather all over the place. There are parts clearly sourced from GM and Ford vehicles of old, but overall they integrate well. The Porsche is a very nice place to be, the 918 seats in particular are heavenly (albeit difficult to get into and out of). However, if you already own a Porsche product of this era you’re going to find it looks just the same as every other Cayman, Boxster, 911 or Cayenne out there. If you’ve just paid £60k to upgrade from one of those, you might not be best pleased.

The Lotus has small back seats, roughly 911 sized, so if you need those then that might be a deal-breaker. If you’re using them as storage like many owners then the two cars are roughly even. Golfers might prefer the Lotus because it’s rear boot is a better shape for taking clubs. The Lotus’ infotainment system is an aftermarket affair from Alpine and it does work, but it’s not very intuitive. This does make it easy to upgrade should you feel inclined. The Porsche is also missing parking sensors or a reversing camera - standard fitment on the Lotus. You really would want them too.

I’m hoping that some some difference is going to become evident on the road. In the interest of fairness, I let the owner of the Cayman take my Evora out first. He’s never driven a Lotus. He likes it. He thinks it rides better, but is possibly a touch slower than the Evora. Otherwise he doesn’t find fault with it - including the interior. He says he likes it more than the thought he would. High praise, I think.

I get in the Cayman. Honestly, I’m nervous. This thing is supposed to be the answer to all questions. It’s won several Car of the Year awards and most journalists seem to refer to it as the second coming. I know Porsches always tend to feel a bit faster than their numbers suggest to. Let’s go.

First impressions - the long gears I hear so much about don’t come across as much of an issue. Maybe that’s because the Lotus also does 77 in second and 105 in third. The Cayman has the grunt to pull them, although like the Lotus it doesn’t quite pin you back in your seat after first is done. Which is a shame. Both could benefit from shorter ratios in 2/3 I think. The steering in the Cayman is great. It’s electric, unlike the 400’s traditional hydraulic setup. It weights up nicely in the corners and gives good feedback. On the straight-ahead, it’s missing the last bit of detail and texture you get through the Evora’s helm, but it certainly doesn’t get in the way.

You could say the same about the Evora’s gearshift. The original car’s gearshift was a real letdown, but it’s been totally redesigned in the 400 and is now a very mechanical and pleasurable thing. Is it quite as smooth and quick as the Cayman’s? No. But it isn’t the huge letdown you might expect either.

The Evora wins back a tiny bit of ground on the suspension front. As a road car at least, it’s a bit more supple and insulates you a little bit more from the lumps and bumps. Both cars ride firm at low speeds, with the Evora softening a touch more as you up the pace. Both would work as daily drivers.

The engine in the GT4 is the only piece of the puzzle that stops it from being a full GT car. It’s a great powerplant, but it’s not one of THE greats. It has a nice second wind at 5,000 rpm and it sounds good, but otherwise it is functional. The Evora’s sounds like a bat out of hell and despite revving lower, the increased torque at low RPM, in my mind, leaves them almost neck-and-neck there too.

I park the car relieved. I was genuinely worried the Evora was going to get well and truly shown up by the German car. After all, half of its innards are taken from 911s costing well into six figures. It would not have been that shameful for the Lotus to admit defeat. Instead, the 400 came out fighting and could match the Cayman blow-for-blow. In every area the Porsche won, there was another the Lotus had the edge. But there wasn’t a single area where really one or the other became obviously better.

The great shame is nowhere near as many people are going to drive either of these cars and even fewer will get to drive both. Prejudices about both brands run high and each one has very passionate supporters. If you were seriously considering a Cayman, but can’t afford or find one - please do try a 400. You might just change your mind about Lotus. The few I have spoken to that have driven both came to similar conclusions to myself. The great news here is that if you prefer one car or the other, you aren’t wrong - if you just NEED to have that great big wing, go for the Cayman. If you want something a little bit rarer go for the Lotus - I see a lot more GT4s than 400s, despite the GT4 being the “sold out limited edition”. Both are superb.

On track, the Porsche’s extra downforce and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres should make it the quicker car. But, Lotus are doing a version of the Evora called the Sport 410 which should be a match for that and at last check, it was still going to come in at cheaper than the majority of GT4s on the market.

In any case it is at least good to know that you can still buy a new (or nearly new) car that gives you all of the thrills of driving. How long Porsche are able to keep the manual gearbox and NA engine alive for, I don’t know, but I hope they try.

Thanks for reading.