One Week With: 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman
The previous-generation Porsche Cayman was one of this magazine鈥檚 very favorite sports cars鈥攕o near-perfect, as I slid behind the wheel for my very first drive of the all-new 2017 718 edition, I mentally prepared myself to be disappointed. After all, when a machine is already 鈥渘ear-perfect,鈥?changing things carries the risk of making a great thing, well, less great. I needn鈥檛 have worried. This is a vastly revised machine compared with its predecessor鈥攖ighter styling, reworked chassis, bigger brakes, more standard equipment. But the big news is the arrival of turbocharged flat-fours to replace the outgoing boxer sixes. Those sixes were simply divine, but the realities of meeting emissions and efficiency standards mean turbos are the way of the future. And Porsche has risen to the challenge, producing a new 2.0-liter turbo boxer for the base car that delivers 25 more horsepower and 67 more pound-feet of torque more than the previous 2.7-liter six. This is a gutsy little mill, wringing out all 280 pound-feet at just 1,950 rpm, an impressive 300 horses at 6,500 rpm, and winding smoothly all the way to a 7,500-rpm redline.
A unique 鈥減reconditioning鈥?feature keeps the turbo on the boil under partial loads, helping to deliver the near-instant throttle response of a naturally aspirated mill. Does the new turbo four sound as lovely as the old six? Nope. Does it sound bad? Nope. It just sounds different, less silky, more mechanized. I鈥檓 happy to report that the single blower doesn鈥檛 overly mute the exhaust note. There鈥檚 still a very satisfying wail behind your ears as you wind the tach needle upward. And, importantly, the new 718 is quicker than the previous Cayman. Porsche claims a half-second reduction in 0-to-60-mph time, to just 4.9 seconds, and a 5-mph increase in top speed, to 170 mph. I was delighted to find that my test car was equipped with the standard six-speed manual transmission (a shift-it-yourself box being more and more of a rarity). Yes, Porsche鈥檚 fabulous 7-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic is optional, but the company says around 20 percent of buyers still opt for the manual.
After trying the 6-speed myself, I have to say I鈥檇 be one of them, were I lucky enough to be able to purchase a 718 for myself. In typical Porsche fashion, gearbox response is superb, with a quick, nimble lever feel, excellent pedal placement (heel and toe downshifts are effortless), and zero fussiness in finding your desired cog. Blasting through a twisting two-lane with this box is driver鈥檚-car heaven, the kind of immersive, rewarding, 鈥渓ive-wire鈥?motoring experience enthusiasts dream about. You are connected to this Porsche. The outstanding chassis only enhances that rapture. At the limit, there鈥檚 a whiff of understeer鈥攎aybe鈥攂ut mostly the 718 just does exactly what you ask of it. No undue body motions, no wasted effort, just a joyous feeling of being 鈥渙ne鈥?with a fine machine. And the peace of mind of being completely in control. 1,790). Boasting a 0.39-inch lower ride height than the standard setup, the new PASM chassis offers a greater-than-ever spread between Normal and Sport modes. In Sport, the ride can get really firm鈥攖hough on Southern California鈥檚 mostly unblemished tarmac, the added control felt worth the comfort tradeoff. 1,320), and new, quicker electromechanical steering borrowed from the 911 Turbo鈥攈elped deliver a sporting-car experience you鈥檇 be hard-pressed to top anywhere. Inside, the new Cayman is all business. A new steering wheel design, based on the 918 Spyder鈥檚, feels meaty and looks fantastic. Big analog gauges transmit essential info with ease. 800) are as comfortable as they are form-fitting. The view to the front is Cinerama-worthy. There鈥檚 a ton of value here, too. Yes, the new 718 is鈥攄are I say it鈥攅ven better than the near-perfect old Cayman. It鈥檚 just that much quicker, that much more agile, that much better-looking and more refined. Absolute perfection being elusive, I鈥檇 still have to call the 718 Cayman 鈥渘ear-perfect.鈥?But it鈥檚 鈥渘earer-perfect鈥?than ever.
Porsche released the 4th generation of the Cayman back in 2016 and since then the car managed to sell quite well. Despite sporting a smaller engine than its predecessor, the new model is faster and better to drive. It also has a far better design and its lightweight chassis only made things better for the driver. However, the car is still lacking the brutality of its predecessor. Luckily it looks like Porsche is well aware of that. Even though not official just yet, the company is likely going to release a new model with the 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS. While the details are still scarce, as the name suggests, this would be the car鈥檚 high performance version. It will provide more power than any other model as well as a far more capable running gear. The end result should be a mid-engine Porsche with enough grunt to take cars like a Ferrari head-on. Despite what some said, the platform of the GT4 RS will be the same as that of a regular 718 Porsche.