In Sport, Performance Counts
In sport, performance counts. It applies to the engine and it also applies to the brakes. The 718 models are therefore equipped with four-piston aluminum monobloc fixed calipers. On the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, the brake calipers come with a black finish - red on the S models. Brake disc diameters are 330 mm at the front and 299 mm at the rear. To make them tougher yet lighter and enable a more rapid response - even under extreme loads - the brake calipers have an enclosed monobloc construction. The pedal travel is short and the biting point precise. The brake discs are crossdrilled and internally vented, which helps to provide improved wet braking and optimum cooling. Proven in motorsport, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) is available as an option. On the 718 models, the cross-drilled ceramic brake discs of PCCB have a diameter of 350 mm at the front and rear - for even more formidable braking performance. PCCB features six-piston monobloc aluminum fixed brake calipers on the front axle and four-piston units at the rear - all painted in yellow - to provide braking forces that are considerably more powerful and, crucially, are exceptionally consistent. PCCB enables shorter braking distances in even the toughest road and race conditions. Safety under high-speed braking is also improved thanks to its excellent fade resistance. Another advantage of PCCB is the extremely low weight of the ceramic brake discs, which are approximately 50 % lighter than standard discs of a similar design and size. This results in better roadholding and increased comfort, particularly on uneven roads, as well as greater agility and a further improvement in handling.
Speeding up the ramp connecting Lakeshore Boulevard to Gardiner, the Porsche 718 Cayman S鈥檚 horizontally-opposed, force-fed four cylinders let out a hair-raising howl that is downright mesmerizing. The thick, small and leather-wrapped steering wheel acts like an extension of my own limbs. The two-seater follows my thoughts, reacts to tiniest inputs and communicates precisely as to what鈥檚 going on the road. All electronic steering systems should be this good. A WRX gets all hot and bothered and tries to match the Cayman S鈥檚 pace. 鈥淎re you kidding me? 鈥?I, too, step on it and the Porsche catapults away, leaving the Subaru eating its dusts. As a responsible middle-aged person who should know better, I鈥檓 mightily embarrassed to have engaged in such juvenile behaviour. No excuse, but the Cayman S is like a drink from the Fountain of Youth and one finds it hard to resist the temptation to act (at least once) like an adolescent imbecile.
New for the 2017 model-year, the 鈥?18鈥?Cayman and the Cayman S do not look much different from their previous versions. However, the hearts that beat within are all new and for some die-hard traditionalists, abomination almost equal to the switch to water-cooled engines that happened almost two decades ago. For the Cayman, 2 litre turbocharged flat four replaces the naturally aspirated 2.7 litre flat six. The normal-breathing 3.4 litre boxer six of the previous Cayman S is replaced by 2.5 litre force-fed four. The smaller power-plants are inevitable choice for many auto companies forced to comply with tightening fuel efficiency mandates of governments everywhere. Thankfully, in case of Cayman and Cayman S, the new turbo mills make more power and save fuel at the same time. Cayman now generates 300 horses and 280 lb-ft of torque, while the Cayman S blisters the tarmac with maximum 350 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of healthy twist.
Because the Cayman S weighs in at relatively svelte 1,385 kg, it accelerates fast enough to shrug off everyday worries aside and concentrate on just driving. To be honest, though, I do miss the soul-stirring melody of the flat six. However, the new turbo does have its own voice. There鈥檚 a hint of Subaru burble at idle, but as the revs rise, the pressurized boxer sings with distinct characteristics. If the old six was Luciano Pavarotti, the new four, at least, does a decent impression of Andrea Bocelli. By the way, what does the number 鈥?18鈥?has to do with anything? The new 718 is also a track-worthy vehicle. The basic transmission remains the six-speed manual, but the seven-speed dual-clutch unit - the PDK - is an option worth having. It is lightning fast and smooth. Such price is not an insignificant amount of coins, but the Cayman S is not an insignificant sports car. It has more than enough power, relatively fuel-efficient and more nimble than the 911. It is also less expensive and even has two trunks - front and back - for added practicality.