2019 Porsche 718 Cayman
When the Boxster-based Porsche Cayman hardtop launched for 2006, it was just what the doctor ordered for Porsche fans who felt the 911 had gotten too expensive, and too far away from its simplistic sports car roots. Well, now there is reformulated Cayman for 2017, and truth be told, it is not a simple concoction at all. Even its name is more complex. But, if the side effects are more fun, should it still be the Porschphile鈥檚 drug of choice? The 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman and Cayman S continue be developed with the Boxster roadster. Believe it or not, the mid-engine chassis they share has been around for 20 years and is now in its 3rd generation. So, why complicate things by adding 718 to the name? Well, Porsche fans are well aware that the 718 was a mid-engine 4-cylinder racecar that made its debut at Le Mans in 1957, and raced very successfully into the 60s. So, there is real heritage there. Plus, now you鈥檒l also have a cool number to casually drop just like your 911 buddies.
Here in the Cayman S, there鈥檚 a 2.5-liter flat-4 turbo with 350-horsepower and 309 lb-ft. That鈥檚 25-horsepower and 36 lb-ft. Base Caymans sport a 300-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo flat-4. Transmission choices remain 6-speed manual or 7-speed PDK auto. Beyond engines, most of the Cayman鈥檚 body panels are new; resulting in a wider, less bulbous look; that demands to be taken more seriously. Exterior door handles are more nicely integrated, with the usual larger air intakes and LED lighting upgrades. Cayman and Cayman S both have a fully re-tuned chassis that promises to offer both more comfort and more capability. Brake size has also increased, nestled behind the 20-inch wheels on our Cayman S test car. Thanks to primed and ready turbo, response from the Cayman S engine is immediate, whether you鈥檙e tooling around town, or sweeping through switchbacks. Of course now it sounds like a 4-cylinder and not the wonderful flat-6, but that鈥檚 progress, I guess. Despite the loss of 2-cylinders, weight is just about the same, and thus it still exudes the tremendously balanced feel that only a mid-engine sports car can.
Inside, there鈥檚 a mix of old and new; with the most obvious update a new dash design and improved connectivity with Porsche鈥檚 Communication Management interface. And as before, mid-ship engine placement leaves plenty of cargo room both up front and in the rear. To get a better sense of what it鈥檚 all about however, requires a lot more speed, and a place to do it safely. Of course for us, that means Savannah, Georgia鈥檚 Roebling Road Raceway. Where, just about every one of our driver鈥檚 comments revolve around how balanced this car feels through Roebling鈥檚 9 fast turns. Steering is more direct and accurate than before, a feat we wouldn鈥檛 have thought possible. In fact the whole car feels and is faster, both when getting through corners and propelling out of them. Power delivery is linear to the extreme. It鈥檚 just always there; never wavering, never peaking. The PDK transmission works as good as ever, as it always seems to have the car in the perfect gear. The redone suspension keeps this car glued to the track, particularly with our car鈥檚 PASM upgrade.
There鈥檚 no drama at all when it came to braking, as the binders worked with quiet precision lap after lap. Good initial bite, great feedback throughout. Sure, the turbo-4 feels great on the track and has better engine output numbers than the previous 6, but does that translate to straight line superiority as well? Of course it does, with our 718 Cayman S shooting to 60 in 3.8-seconds, with the 录-mile being annihilated in 12.2-seconds at 116 miles-per-hour. Both numbers about half a second quicker than the Cayman GT4 we drove here last year. Bottom line, this new Cayman outperforms its predecessor by almost every measurable mark. 54,950; but it is lower than the Boxster now, which wasn鈥檛 the case before. 67,350 and the sky is the limit from there. So, do we love the reformulated 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman more than the Cayman it replaces? Probably not, but we certainly love it just as much, despite the engine switch. And, sorry 911, we do believe it is now the best new car choice for the quintessential Porsche driving experience. So overall, consider this 718 a successful transition of power.