On The New 718 Models
In sport, performance counts. It applies to the engine and it also applies to the brakes. The new 718 models are therefore equipped with four-piston aluminium monobloc fixed calipers. On the new 718 Cayman, the brake calipers come with a black finish - red on the S model. 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 new 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 aluminium 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 fading stability. 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.
With 365hp on tap, the Cayman GTS is very fast, but more importantly, the 309 lb-ft of torque comes in at 1,900rpm, which makes the Cayman GTS pull hard off the line and out of corners. The Sport exhaust may be a bit too loud for some as a daily driver, but it certainly raises the sport quotient. One wish is that the car sounded better at idle and low revs. Even with the Sport exhaust it鈥檚 a bit uninspiring until you get the revs up. The overall balance of the Cayman GTS (all Cayman鈥檚 really) is superb with the mid-engine layout, and Porsche has done a fantastic job with the PASM suspension. The relative compliance of the ride was especially impressive on our test car considering it had 20鈥?wheels and the optional PASM Sport suspension. I spent a morning at Monticello Motor Club with the Cayman GTS as well, and it was very impressive on the track for a road car on street tires. Cars that feel well-balanced and predictable on the road often can鈥檛 hack it once they鈥檙e exposed to the more extreme requirements of the track, but the Cayman GTS felt like it was made for it. The car displayed the same balance it has on the road, was very stable at high speed and the brakes were strong and held up well to a few track sessions. 69,300 Cayman S. If you want the ultimate performance in a Cayman, the GTS is the one to choose, but you can鈥檛 lose with either. DH) has been an automotive writer and photographer for the past 20 years.
With the 718 T, Porsche has transferred the puristic design of the 1968 911 T to its range of two-seater sports cars. The new model in the Boxster and Cayman ranges combines the 220 kW (300 PS) turbo four-cylinder flat engine with a particularly emotional Porsche driving experience. Traditionally, "T" stands for "Touring" in Porsche models, and is synonymous with driving pleasure in its purest form. The 718 T will be most at home on winding country roads, offering the joy of dynamic driving as its ultimate goal. The two-seater accommodates this philosophy through a pared down range of features. These include black door pulls in the door panels and sports seats with electric two-way adjustment, black Sport-Tex centre sections and the "718" logo embroidered on the headrests. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) module has also been replaced by a large storage compartment, though buyers who do not wish to forego the entertainment system may order it at no extra charge. Put together, these measures balance out the additional weight created by the installation of the gasoline particulate filter (GPF).
In the interior, the character of the 718 T is highlighted through a number of emphatically sporty touches: luxurious padding and leather covering means the convenient, 360-millimetre GT sports steering wheel with Mode switch offers a particularly secure grip. Other "Boxster T" or "Cayman T" logos adorn the black instrument dials. The decorative trims of the instrument panel and central console gleam in a glossy black finish. The exterior of the Porsche 718 T is characterised by its powerful appearance. With 20-inch alloy wheels painted in high-gloss titanium grey, combined with the PASM sports chassis with 20-millimetre lowered body, it simply looks outstanding on the road. Agate grey mirror shells and "718 Boxster T" or "718 Cayman T" logos on the sides declare the model variant, which can also be identified from the rear, by the centrally positioned sports exhaust with black, chrome-plated twin tailpipes. In terms of exterior colours, buyers can choose from black, Indian Red, Racing Yellow and white as well as Carrara White, Deep Black and GT Silver metallic colours. Porsche is also offering Lava Orange and Miami Blue as special colours.
Adjusted for equipment, 718 T buyers can enjoy a price advantage of 5 - 10% compared to a similarly equipped basic model. The 220 kW (300 PS) turbocharged flat engine accelerates the Porsche 718 T powerfully and boasts up to 7,500 revolutions. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine reaches its maximum torque of 380 Nm at 2,150/min and has an unladen weight of 1,350 (PDK: 1,380) kilograms. Thanks to a weight-to-power ratio of 4.5 (4.6) kg/PS, it can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 5.1 (4.7) seconds. The vehicle's top speed is 275 km/h. The Sport Chrono package, included as standard for the 718 T, offers Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual driving modes, which can be selected using the Mode switch on the steering wheel. Sport and Sport Plus activate sportier characteristics in both the engine management system and the accelerator, with the automatic dual-clutch function supporting you as you move down the gears in the manual transmission.