The big news is that the 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman is adding two trims to the lineup, both of which ought to interest performance enthusiasts.

The first is the Cayman T, which is a stripped-down version of the base trim with a few extra performance goodies. It’s lighter than the standard car, and it’s designed for pure driving pleasure.

Even more exciting is the Cayman GT4, which features a roaring, naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine. Recalling classic Porsche flat-six engines, the new Cayman GT4 is a return to form that purists will appreciate.

The 718 Cayman is available in five trims: 718 Cayman, T, S, GTS, and GT4. Starting prices range from $58,850 including destination for a base 718 Cayman to $100,550 for a GT4.

The five trims of the Cayman use four distinct engines, with only the base and T trims sharing one.

All start with a six-speed manual transmission, but all except the GT4 offer Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic for between $3,210 and $3,730, depending on the trim. Power goes to the rear wheels, of course.

Above fuel economy estimates are for automatic transmissions – sticking with the manual will ding mileage a notch or two. In any case, the engines are efficient for how quick the Cayman is. Any trim can do the 0-60 mph sprint in under five seconds, and the GT4 manages in under four.

The 718 Cayman only seats two people, but those two will be comfortable. The interior is plush, and buyers can choose from different seat shapes and upholstery materials.

The Cayman’s mid-engine layout complicates cargo capacity, splitting storage between a small rear trunk and a separate front trunk, or “frunk.” The frunk can hold 5.2 cubic feet and the trunk 9.7, for a grand total of 14.9 cubic feet. The rear compartment drops to 9.5 cubes in the GT4 for a total of 14.7.

The Cayman doesn’t have as many active safety features as more mainstream consumer vehicles, but it’s fairly good for a sports car. Front and rear parking sensors are standard, except on the GT4 which only gets rear ones.

Blind-spot monitoring and lane change assist are bundled for $700. With the automatic transmission selection, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking can be had for $1,670. None of these features are available on the GT4.

All 718 Cayman models come with a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen running Porsche’s Connect software. It gets two USB ports, Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD radio, a CD player, and 11 gigabytes of internal storage that owners can upload music into.

Disappointingly, Apple CarPlay is a $360 option. Android Auto isn't available, though there is an Android version of the Porsche Connect app. Navigation is a $2,320 option, as is a smartphone compartment that boosts the signal and wirelessly charges for $560.

The 718 Cayman is the entry-level trim to the entry-level Porsche, but it’s still reasonably equipped. The exterior has 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport exhaust system, and an automatically extending spoiler. The interior has manual-adjust sport seats with leather accents and an eight-speaker audio system.

Fourteen-way power seats with memory are a $2,330 upgrade, while 18-way versions are $3,830. Buyers need to tick the box for them in order to unlock any of the packages on the Cayman.

Dual-zone automatic climate control comes in the Premium Package ($1,370) along with bi-xenon headlights, heated seats, and auto-dimming mirrors. The Premium Package Plus ($3,180) tacks on adaptive headlights, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, and remote start.

The Premium Package Plus ($3,180) additionally includes ventilated front seats, keyless entry, push-button start, ambient interior lighting, and an adaptive headlight system.

Racers will want the Sport Chrono Package ($2,090) which adds launch control, configurable drive modes, active driveline mounts, and more. For even more handling ability, an adaptive sport suspension ($1,790) lowers the ride by 10 millimeters, while a mechanically locking rear differential ($1,320) shuttles torque between the wheels.

This is just the beginning of the Cayman’s customizability, as both the interior and exterior can be spec’d out infinitely to the buyer’s preference. For example, leather upholstery starts at $850 for the seats, a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system is $990, or there’s an even fancier 12-speaker Burmester system for $4,690.

The Cayman T is available for preorder at launch and will hit dealers in the summer of 2020. It saves weight with door pulls and simpler two-way power seats. The Cayman T is available with either the manual or automatic transmission, but the manual gets a stubbier knob for quick throws.

The Cayman T comes with most of the performance upgrades available on the base trim. That includes the active sport suspension and all the features of the Sport Chrono Package.

On this trim, what Porsche calls Full Bucket Seats are available for $5,900. These use carbon fiber reinforced plastic, have a carbon-weave finish, and feature electric height adjustment.

The Cayman S comes with 19-inch wheels, but that’s the only significant upgrade over the base model. Most of the money goes to the 2.5-liter turbo engine, which brings an extra 50 hp with it. To handle the extra performance, the car gets a sport mode controlled by a button on the wheel.

Loosely speaking, the GTS is to the S what the T is to the base model. It’s no lighter, but it does wring 15 more hp out of the engine. The GTS also comes with 20-inch wheels, the Sport Chrono Package, and the upgraded differential.

The active suspension costs extra, but it’s only $290 to add. Synthetic suede upholstery is standard, but leather is a no-cost option. Bi-xenon headlights are also standard, which means that the Premium Package costs just $970 here.

The Cayman GT4 is armed with the six-cylinder engine derived from the latest Porsche 911. To go with all that power, Porsche has added serious downforce – an estimated 50% more than the last generation of GT4.

Like the Cayman T, the GT4 gets minimalist pull-handles for the doors and starts with rigid two-way racing buckets. On the inside, the GT4 uses a chunky steering wheel, the shorter shift knob, aluminum trim, and synthetic suede upholstery.

All the performance features are included except for ceramic brakes ($8,000), which might make sense at this level. An optional Chrono Package ($550) adds a lap timing system with a separate trigger for extra-precise timing.

Compare 718 Cayman Trims Side-By-Side