Making a lightweight production sports car is becoming increasingly difficult in modern days. With the ever-increasing safety and emissions requirements, cars are becoming more tech-heavy, as they feature more advanced and complex systems than their predecessors. Then, there is the electrification trends in the automotive industry, which even Porsche couldn’t evade. That said, the German autormaker still has a few tricks up its sleeve that ensure its sports car models remain relatively lightweight to most of their competitors.

The Porsche 911 continues to adhere to the philosophy “evolution, not revolution” despite the 992 having grown significantly in size compared to the 991. For obvious reasons, you won’t see a Porsche 992 on this list of lightweight Porsche models. The company’s sedans and SUVs also couldn’t make it here for obvious reasons. That said, there are still plenty of Porsche models from the company’s recent past and present that won’t break the scales. Here are the five most lightweight Porsche models from the last decade.

5. 2016 Porsche 911 (991) R: 3,020 Pounds

The 2016 Porsche 911 (991) R is one of the purest, most driver-focused Porsches made in recent times. A modern homage to the original, 1967 Porsche 911 R rally car, the 991 interpretations of the car did not adhere to modern requirements. In essence, it was the 911 GT3 unleashed and wingless. Its naturally-aspirated MA1.76 flat-six engine revs to 9,000 RPM and features a single-mass flywheel.

This is also the most lightweight Porsche 911 since the 996 Carrera, which also tips the scales at 3,020 pounds. The 991 R also features a six-speed transmission, but with closer gear ratios compared to other 991 models, equipped with a stick. Despite that, the 991 R can easily top 200 mph, partially due to not having the GT3 rear wing. Production of the Porsche 991 R was limited to just 991 units. Classic.com shows the average price is rapidly approaching the $500,000 mark.

4. 2016-2020 Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman: 2,943 Pounds

This is one of the very rare cases where a coupe and convertible variant of the same car share the same curb weight figure. I am talking about the base models of the 718 Boxster and Cayman, produced between 2016 and 2020. Later models gain a few extra pounds due to some optional equipment becoming standard.

This variant of the 718 was especially controversial when it came out because it featured a flat-four engine instead of Porsche’s traditional boxer engine with six cylinders. Despite not sounding great, even the base Porsche 718 proved quick enough for most, with some models achieving 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Due to its minimalistic design, Porsche managed to keep the 718’s weight well under 3,000 pounds. PDK-equipped cars are 66 pounds heavier. According to Classic.com, the average price for a base Porsche 718 is around $50,000, which is still relatively affordable.

3. 2013-2016 Porsche Cayman (981): 2,932 Pounds

The combination of a balanced chassis, mid-engine layout, and potent six-cylinder boxer engines make the Porsche 981 one of the most desired Porsche sports cars on the used market. There is a comprehensive, Porsche 981 buyer’s guide here. Part of why the 981 is so good is the fact it shares much of its hardware with the Porsche 991.

The second-lightest Porsche 981 is the base Cayman, equipped with a manual transmission. The PDK automatic increases the weight to 2,998 pounds. The S model adds just 22 pounds to the weight. We are seeing average prices of around $39,000 for the Porsche 981 Cayman base model.

2. 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport: 2,910 Pounds

Including the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport may be a bit of a cheating since it isn’t a road-legal model. In fact, authorized Porsche dealers in the US did not offer the Cayman GT4 Clubsport for sale. If you still want that mid-engine track toy, you can still import one, but really, there are more capable Porsche offerings these days.

Still, this is the second-lightest mid-engine Porsche to come out in the last decade, tipping the scales at 2,910 pounds, unladen. This is, essentially, a GT4 race car that was offered to customers (in most markets), for use on track days. Just 421 examples of the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport were produced. This somewhat justifies the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport’s average price of $201,000.

1. 2015 Porsche Boxster (981) Spyder: 2,899 Pounds

If you are looking for the most driver-centric, lightweight, open-top, mid-engine Porsche from the last decade, look no further than the 981-generation Boxster Spyder. The open-top Porsche shares some design traits with the 911 Speedster models and is as close to a modern-day 550 Spyder as it can get.

Unless we count the recently introduced homage in the form of the 718 Boxster Spyder RS Panamericana Special. Despite being a one-off, it is heavier and does not offer a manual transmission. It is safe to say, the 981 Boxster Spyder marked the end of a glorious era of mid-engine Porsche sports cars, and it did so with a bang. Only 2,000 examples were built, and with an average price of around $92,000, the Boxster Spyder is one of the more affordable limited-edition Porsche sports cars.

Lightest Porsches Ever Made

As a bonus, we’ve also include some of the lightest Porsche’s made up of both road-going and race cars that Porsche has made in the table below.

GALLERY