First launched for the 2006 model year, the Porsche Cayman is a coupé derived from the second and third generation Boxster roadster. The Porsche Cayman exists to bridge what had been a fairly big price gap between the Porsche Boxster and 997-series Porsche 911 Carrera that was introduced for 2005. The Porsche Cayman was initially available during three distinct generations: the 987.1 Cayman (2006-2008), the 987.2 Cayman (2009-2012), and the 981 Cayman (2013-2016). For the 2017 model year, the Cayman and Boxster models were merged under the Porsche 718 model designation.