Comparison: Ground clearance Porsche Cayman vs. competitors 2025
When discussing the pantheon of automotive engineering where performance is tantamount to dominance, the Porsche Cayman is a subject that rightfully queues up for accolades - an exemplar of balance and precision. It's not just the horsepower or the 0-60 scramble that gets hearts aflutter, though. For the discerning purist, the minutiae like ground clearance play a crucial role in a car's bond with tarmac. The Cayman's stance is defiantly low-slung, its belly just enough inches from the ground to embrace the curves without becoming overly familiar with the pebbles.
Porsche Cayman - How has the ground clearance changed over the generations?
Trawling through the archives on the Cayman, one discerns that whilst evolution is inevitable, some things remain a comforting constant. From the nascent 987C where the ground clearance stood proud (or rather, hunkered down) at 121mm, to the sleek 981C whose 120mm seemed nearly identical to its ancestors, change wasn't rampant. However, the current 982C - like a bodybuilder on tip-toes - hoisted itself up to 133mm, giving it just a slightly loftier view over its predecessors. Perhaps not quite an SUV, but a welcome tweak for those who dread speed bumps like a visit to the in-laws.
Variants
The ground clearance compared to other Porsche models
In the family of Porsches, the Cayman doesn't sit at the big kids' table in terms of ground clearance. It glances up at the loftier Panamera Turbo and its 138mm of clearance, and can only dream of the heady heights of the Porsche Cayenne Coupé at 214mm. The Cayman is on par with the 718 Boxster and Taycan at 133mm, a communal elevation across diverse silhouettes. But place it alongside the race-bred Porsche 718 Spyder RS scraping by at a mere 79mm, and the Cayman suddenly seems suited and booted for a semi-off-road jaunt. Everything is relative, of course.
Porsche Cayman vs other current cars by Porsche
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Cayenne Coupé Turbo 243 mm
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Cayenne Turbo 243 mm
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Cayenne Coupé GTS 234 mm
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Cayenne GTS 234 mm
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Macan Turbo 224 mm
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Cayenne Coupé 214 mm
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Cayenne 212 mm
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Macan 184 mm
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Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo 178 mm
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Taycan Cross Turismo 176 mm
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911 Dakar 161 mm
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718 Cayman 133 mm
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718 Cayman GTS 133 mm
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718 Cayman T 133 mm
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Panamera 132 mm
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Panamera Turbo 132 mm
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718 Boxster 131 mm
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718 Boxster GTS 131 mm
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718 Boxster T 131 mm
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Taycan GTS 128 mm
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Taycan Sport Turismo GTS 128 mm
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Taycan Sport Turismo Turbo 128 mm
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Taycan Turbo 128 mm
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Taycan 127 mm
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Taycan Sport Turismo 127 mm
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Panamera GTS 124 mm
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911 Carrera Cabriolet 118 mm
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911 Carrera T Coupé 115 mm
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911 Sport Classic 115 mm
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911 Carrera T Cabriolet 114 mm
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718 Cayman GT4 RS 103 mm
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911 GT3 RS 100 mm
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718 Spyder RS 79 mm
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911 GT3 76 mm
How does the ground clearance of the Porsche Cayman compare to it's nearest competitors?
Now, let's venture beyond Stuttgart's roost to pit our mid-engine marvel against its adversaries. The Cayman often finds itself thrown in the same ring as Nissan's 370Z, which clears the road by 126mm. A close skirmish, but the Cayman stands (or crouches) just a tad taller in this measure. Stance aside, the Cayman's dimensions craftily negotiate the delicate balance between wheelbase and overall length, ensuring agility not evidenced in the 4120mm long, slightly more generous 161mm-ground-clearance Bugatti Divo, for instance. Amongst the echelon of agility and road hugging, the Cayman continues to be an acrobat, pirouetting with steel-toed precision, not far from peers like the Ferrari 550 Maranello at 135mm and decidedly more elevated than the McLaren Sports Series at a ground-grooming 93mm. When flanked by rivals, the Cayman holds its own: low enough to excite, high enough not to cringe at the sight of a wayward cobblestone.
Similar cars
2020
• F169
2023
• C118
