Porsche 718 Cayman And Boxster T: S Kit, Regular Power
It seems that recently-resurrected T badge is spreading. The 鈥楾ouring鈥?versions of the baby Porsche models are designed to offer a purer driving experience, but the cynics in the CAR office team just think it鈥檚 the chance to charge Cayman/Boxster S money for the lesser-powered model. You see, the T models use the same 2.0-litre flat-four with 297bhp as the regular 718 models, but add some of the S version鈥檚 performance-enhancing kit. There's a mechanical rear differential and the Sport Chrono pack is standard, which includes launch control if you go for the optional PDK over the short-throw six-speed manual. But who would do that? Porsche鈥檚 PADM active drivetrain mounts are included, and the infotainment system is symbolically deleted by default (though you can add it back in at no cost) to help save weight. Total weight shed is 15kg, which isn鈥檛 exactly a lot. In fact, the 0-62mph sprint is dealt with in exactly the same claimed times as the regular 718 Boxster and Cayman: 5.1sec for the manual or 4.7sec for the PDK auto in Sport Plus mode. They鈥檙e available to order with the Cayman T coming in at 拢51,145 and the Boxster T costing 拢53,006.
The Audi smartphone interface links customers' iOS and Android cell phones and places their Apple Car Play or Android Auto environment on the MMI display. A digital radio tuner, a TV tuner and a DVD player round out the infotainment program. The optional Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound up front lends the Audi e-tron additional acoustic quality. A small speaker in each A-pillar reproduces the spatial dimension of height; the windshield reflects the sound they emit. The music unfolds exactly how it was recorded - without any artificial effects. Behind this technology is an algorithm that Audi developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen. It takes stereo or 5.1 recordings, computes the information for the third dimension and conditions it for the 3D loudspeakers. At the heart of the Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System is a highly efficient amplifier. It drives 16 loudspeakers with 705 watts. Some of them, for instance the 3D loudspeakers in the A-pillars and the surround loudspeakers in the D-pillars, feature neodymium magnets, which are very light and consequently produce minimal distortion.
All of which creates an airy, highly resolved sound. The bass loudspeakers in the front doors are located in a separate housing; the surrounding paneling is thus excited less which, in turn, reduces resonance. That improves the sound quality and reduces the sound propagation outside the vehicle. The decoupling of the loudspeaker also provides a precise, voluminous bass. Whether parking, in the city or on long journeys, the Audi e-tron makes life easier for its driver in many situations. Besides the turn assist and the collision avoidance assist, the Tour assist package includes the adaptive cruise assist as its central element. It manages longitudinal and lateral guidance across the entire speed range and supports the driver with accelerating, braking, maintaining speed, keeping distance and in traffic jam situations. The system detects lane markings, roadside structures, vehicles in adjacent lanes and vehicles driving ahead. In construction zones, the Audi e-tron automatically adapts its speed to the traffic situation, taking into account the speed limit.
If the lane is too narrow to allow side-by-side driving, adaptive cruise assist enables offset driving through narrow stretches. Adaptive cruise assist works closely together with the standard efficiency assist. Thanks to the interplay between these two systems, the Audi e-tron predictively slows down and accelerates based on its evaluation of sensor and navigation data. Car-to-X information. It considers road users ahead and reduces speed before curves and entering towns, while turning and in roundabouts. This helps to increase range. The driving style adopted by the electric SUV as a result of this interplay is based on the settings in the Audi drive select system, taking advantage of the potential offered by recuperation. The driver can intervene at any time by activating their preferred recuperation level via the shift paddles or overriding the systems by actively accelerating and braking. If the adaptive cruise assist is not active, the efficiency assist uses predictive tips and automatic recuperation to help drivers drive economically. The system uses radar sensors, camera images and navigation data to detect the traffic environment and the route.
The driver is shown corresponding information in the Audi virtual cockpit and the optional head-up display as soon as it would be sensible to take the foot off the right-hand pedal. If the driver has selected the automatic recuperation setting in the MMI, the information and automatic recuperation interact to form a convenient overall system. The system determines the ideal deceleration for the particular situation and recuperates energy in a way that is optimally adapted to the events. With the City assist package, features including the crossing assist, cross traffic assist rear as well as lane change and exit warning provide for safety. Audi pre sense 360掳 - the combination of Audi pre sense front, rear and side - is also on board. This system detects collision hazards within system limits and initiates targeted protective measures, from full braking to tensioning of the seat belts. Some assist systems are bundled in special packages, others are available separately. Among the latter are the night vision assist and the 360 degree cameras. These provide multiple views to facilitate centimeter-precision maneuvering, show crossing traffic and give a detailed view of the wheels. Its highlight is the 3D view with freely selectable perspective. Park assist eases the parking process. It steers the Audi e-tron independently into parallel parking and perpendicular parking spaces - forwards or backwards. The driver only has to accelerate and brake. Backing the assist systems in the Audi e-tron is the central driver assistance controller, which comes as standard and continuously computes an exact model of the environment. The required data is obtained - depending on the selected options - from up to five radar sensors, six cameras, twelve ultrasound sensors and the laser scanner.