Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Breaks Cover
Prepared by Porsche Motorsports, the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is a track car that offers supreme performance chops. Porsche offers it in two forms: the 鈥淭rackday鈥?model for amateur racers and the 鈥淐ompetition鈥?model for national and international racing. The Cayman GT4 Clubsport features natural-fiber composite material. This is a first of any production race car ever to use natural-fiber. Porsche crafted the doors and rear wing from an organic fiber mix. The company makes this mix from a unique blend of agricultural products. This gives the composite similar characteristics to carbon fiber. Around the back of the vehicle is the 3.8-liter flat-six engine that powers the car. It makes 425 hp, which is a boost of 40 hp from previous models. The Trackday version of the car gets non-adjustable shock absorbers; ABS, ESC, and traction control settings that are more forgiving; air conditioning; and some additional safety features. Porsche equipped the Competition model with three-stage adjustable shocks, 115-liter safety fuel tank, adjustable brake balance, integrated air-jack system, automatic fire extinguisher system, and a quick release racing steering wheel. Both versions of the cars are available for order now and can be shipped anywhere in the world.
This means you can keep a more consistent high speed on a race track. If you are in a Porsche 718 Cayman it feels quite simple, because the car gives you the maximum 380 Nm already from 1,950 rpm. However if you instead are in the naturally aspirated Porsche 981 Cayman you will be a little more on your own. Before you can use all the power and torque on offer you have to get that rev needle past the magic 5. After that you are in a such a brilliant car. The challenge is to try to both stay in the high rpm:s where you get best performance, and at the same time slow down for a hairpin corner. With that said driving a 981 is a little more engaging in my personal opinion. Not necessarily always better, but because you need to push it hard it feels more exciting and also faster because of the sounds.
There is a big difference in how the torque and power is served to you, and it does make a difference on mountain passes where you want to get a fast exit from each corner. I can really appreciate the low-end torque of the Porsche 718 Cayman, because the type of driving I mostly enjoy is mountain passes. A lightweight Lotus would beat it, but in a Lotus you would not be able to turn on the radio when you want, and it would be a compromise when it comes to comfort. Unfortunately it sounds a little like a tractor when you start up the engine. You would have to drive it quite hard before you can enjoy turbo boost sounds, because at low speeds it is surprisingly silent. And even when driven hard the sound is still monotone. I do not want to say it sounds horrible either because it really is not that bad, but to put it in a better phrase: I expected more noise from a Porsche. It is acceptable, but acceptable is not really good enough for a sports car, is it? This is a Cayman that does not yet exist but I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day there will be one special model that has it all. Would I in the meanwhile consider buying a Porsche 718 Cayman? No I would not. You can not choose who you fall in love with. It either happens or it does not. Driving does not need to be perfect, but it needs to be inspiring. Some would say every car you look at will be some sort of compromise but I disagree. I believe every car you buy should feel 100% right and like a dream come true.
Porsche completely redesigned the Cayman for 2017 and now calls it the 718 Cayman. The mid-engined Cayman is Porsche鈥檚 entry-level two-door, two-seater that sits below the 911 in the company鈥檚 sports car lineup. The mechanically related convertible is called the 718 Boxster. Porsche鈥檚 fun to drive 718 Cayman is powered by a pair of turbocharged four-cylinder engines; the flat-sixes are gone from the Cayman and Boxster lineups. The more powerful 2.5-liter flat-4 produces 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. On the 718 Boxster S that also has that engine, 2017 EPA-rated fuel economy is 21/28 mpg city/highway with the seven-speed PDK automatic and 20/26 mpg city/highway with the six-speed manual transmission. The standard 2.0-liter flat-four engine, which is good for 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, delivers a respectable 22/29 mpg city/highway with the seven-speed PDK automatic in the Boxster and 21/28 mpg city/highway with a six-speed manual transmission.
The previous-generation Porsche Cayman was known for its handling prowess and the new 718 Cayman takes it to another level with firmer springs and sway bars, retuned shock absorbers, and wider rear tires to improve lateral grip and tracking stability. The steering rack has a 10-percent quicker on-center ratio adapted from the 911 Turbo, enhancing agility as well as driving pleasure. For additional driving pleasure, the Sport Chrono package and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) are also available. Significantly larger cooling air intakes and HID headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights complete the new front fascia. The redesigned rear fascia appears wider than before due to the high-gloss black accent strip with an integrated Porsche logo. Inside, Google Street View graphics and Apple CarPlay are both available. The 2017 718 Cayman standard safety features include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, driver and passenger front, side, head, and knee airbags, front and rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera. Porsche鈥檚 Side Impact Protection System is comprised of side impact protection elements in the doors, including the side and head airbags previously mentioned. The Porsche Car Connect option adds emergency telephone assistance when paired to a smartphone. Our first driving impressions of the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman were very positive. In the First Drive review of the 718 Cayman, we missed the signature sound of Porsche鈥檚 flat-six engine but was impressed with the power and speed the new and more efficient powertrains deliver. Unlike its competitors, the 718 Cayman offers a deep front luggage compartment. Porsche鈥檚 pricing on the 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster is finally a bit more conventional, with the Cayman coupe priced below the Boxster roadster.