2019 Porsche 718 Cayman Touring Spy Shots
Porsche booted the flat-6 engine from the Boxster and Cayman when it updated the cars for 2017, and added a 718 to their names in the process. However, the automaker will add back a flat-6 for upcoming 718 Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4 models due later this year, and our latest spy shots suggest the regular 718 Boxster and Cayman may feature the option as well. Our latest shots show a regular Cayman with the same exhaust tips featured on prototypes for the Cayman GT4, suggesting the same engine resides within. The engine is thought to be an uprated version of the 3.8-liter flat-6 fitted to the previous Cayman GT4. We hear it could deliver as much as 400 horsepower in uprated form, up from 375 hp in the previous Cayman GT4. The mystery Cayman is also devoid of the larger front intakes found on the Cayman GT4 prototypes, as well as the latter's rear spoiler. This suggests Porsche might be cooking up a slightly tamer version of the Cayman GT4 based on the regular Cayman, i.e. something to fill the wide gap between the Cayman GTS and Cayman GT4. The Boxster is expected to receive the same treatment as similar testers based on the open-top car have also been spied. It isn't clear what Porsche is planning but it is possible we're looking at something similar to the 911 GT3's Touring Package being developed. It essentially packed all of the goodness of the 911 GT3 in a more discrete wrapper. With rumors Porsche is considering replacing the 718 with an electric sports car, cars like the Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4鈥攁nd their potential Touring Package siblings鈥攎ay be the last chance to snag an entry-level Porsche sports car with a flat-6.
In the optional advanced line with 20-inch tires, the attachments are either finished in a contrasting gray or the body color. The underbody projection and diffuser sport a matt silver tone. The black styling package is also available as an option. With an electric car, weight influences energy consumption far less than in the case of a car with a combustion engine. In town it is generally efficient because it can recover a large part of the energy, which it uses to accelerate, when rolling up to the next red light. With conventional exterior mirrors, the Audi e-tron achieves a drag coefficient of 0.28. With the optional virtual exterior mirrors this value is 0.27 - a top mark in the SUV segment. Compared to the standard mirrors, the camera mirrors reduce the vehicle width by 15 centimeters (5.9 in) and, thanks to their new shape, not only reduce drag, but also noticeably cut the already low wind noise.
Another key aerodynamic factor is the fully lined underbody of the Audi e-tron. Its primary component is the aluminum plate beneath the high-voltage battery. Its bolting points come with bowl-shaped indentations, similar to the dimples on a golf ball. They make the air flow much better than a totally flat surface. The electric motors on the axles and the wheel suspension are covered with paneling made from pressed fiber-fleece material, which at the same time absorbs noise. Ahead of the front wheels, wheel spoilers mounted on the underbody use air baffles to reduce irritating swirl in the wheel arches. These baffles specifically channel the airflow past the wheels. The transverse links on the rear axle of the Audi e-tron are located under separate paneling. A variable diffuser below the rear skirt ensures that the accelerated air returns to ambient speed and creates as little swirl as possible. The standard adaptive air suspension also contributes to the low drag coefficient. From speeds of 120 km/h (74.6 mph), it lowers the body of the Audi e-tron by as much as 26 millimeters (1.0 in) from the normal height of 172 millimeters (6.8 in).
As a result, the rectangle that the tires represent for the airflow and opposes the slipstream partially disappears into the wheel arch. This measure also improves handling. Helping to lower drag at the front of the car is the controllable cool-air intake - a frame behind the Singleframe with two electrically operated louvers. When shut, the air in this area flows with virtually no swirl. As soon as the drivetrain components need cooling or the air conditioning condenser requires ventilation, the top louver opens first and then both louvers. When the hydraulic wheel brakes are subject to high loads, the controllable cool-air intake opens and releases two ducts which channel the cooling air into the front wheel arches to the brakes. The side air inlets at the front of the Audi e-tron incorporate additional ducts, which are clearly visible from outside, to the wheel arches. They channel the airstream so that it flows past the outside of the standard aerodynamically optimized 19-inch wheels. Their design is flatter than with conventional wheels, thus reducing the aerodynamic drag. The 255/55 tires are optimized for low rolling resistance, and their flanks are aerodynamically designed - the lettering is recessed rather than raised.