Chris Harris takes to the track in the new Porsche Cayman GT4, the fastest and most track-focused Cayman to date.

We’re only three months in, but this is possibly the most hotly anticipated car of 2015. It’s the Porsche Cayman GT4, the car that finally takes the Cayman – regarded by some as Porsche’s sweetest steering model – and turns up the volume to eleven.

Since the mid-engine coupe was introduced some ten years ago there has been a suspicion that Porsche was deliberately holding back its performance to protect the more iconic and expensive 911. Not anymore, because Porsche has given the Cayman to its motorsport division – the people responsible for the 911 GT3, the GT3 cup car and the slightly mental GT2 RS from the 997 generation 911. The GT car engineers know how to make a car go, steer and stop better than anyone else in the business, so the Cayman GT4 should be pretty good.

In terms of its power and straight line performance it seems just a rung above the lesser Cayman GTS, but actually this is more or less a whole different animal. It’s got the larger 3.8-litre flat six engine from the 911 Carrera S producing 375hp in this application instead of the standard 3.4-litre. Suspension has been changed completely, the entire front axle is borrowed from the bigger 911 GT3 and the rear suspension has been re-designed and re-engineered. The carbon ceramic brakes are also taken from the GT3.

The only thing that hasn’t been dramatically changed from the Cayman GTS is the gearbox. Ah yes, the most appealing thing about the new GT4 for some will be the fact that it’s only available with a six-speed manual gearbox. The GT4’s ‘box features shorter throws and a more precise feeling, say Porsche.

So what does all this machinery look like in action? We’ll let Chris Harris show you…

BONUS CLIP: What’s the third pedal for?