Iconic, Fast And Fun! All For Less Than Rs 1 Crore
When one thinks about sports cars, it a certainty that the Porsche 911 will be at the top of the thoughts of most people around the world. It's because the 911 pretty much defines what an ideal sports car should be like and is one of the most iconic sports cars of all times. That said, the 911 is not a car that's easy to buy and also needs more than average driving skills. The most inexpensive Porsche sports car then in India is the 718 Cayman. Now just because it's the lowest-priced Porsche car, it doesn't compromise on the traits one expects from a Porsche. It's a proper sports car, it goes fast, sounds nice, feels comfortable and in the end is a true Porsche! We spent a day recently with the Porsche 718 Cayman and here's why we were smitten by this little Porsche. The Porsche 718 Cayman despite being in its third-generation maintains the trademark Porsche silhouette.
A sloping roofline and pronounced wheel arches give it a proper Porsche look from every angle. The sloping hood along with LED headlamps and a low-set grille give it the look that Porsche has had since almost everyone reading this article was alive. The tapering roofline, pronounced side air intakes and short overhangs are again elements that make the 718 Cayman an absolute visual delight. Some might argue that there isn't much of a design change in this model compared to the one before this or the one before that or the ones even earlier. Well, that's right and precisely the reason what makes Porsche sport cars so special. Very few carmakers across the world today can boast of timeless design like Porsche can! How good to drive? The powertrain is the biggest change in the new 718 Cayman as the present model ditches the flat-six engine in favour of a four-cylinder turbocharged (of course!) unit that displaces just 2 litres!
Just a 2-litre engine in a Porsche sports car! How can that be fun, you'd be asking right now but this is where Porsche's engineering prowess comes in to play. Making use of turbocharging, a powerful injection system and optimised friction and combustion, the engine produces 300 hp and 380 Nm of torque, both figures being higher than the older and larger motor. Our test car came equipped with Porsche's dual-clutch PDK automatic transmission, which meant shifts were lightning fast. The motor itself starts with a moderately loud roar, settling into a pleasing burble. Off the line, the engine's turbo lag is minimal and masked well by the gearbox too but try getting off to a blistering start and a moment's lag is noticeable. Thereon, it's all uphill as the engine revs cleanly to about 7,000 rpm, which is the best point to shift if you're using pedals. I haven't experienced the old flat-six motor so can't comment on its sound but I can tell you that the four-cylinder motor is an aural treat.
Once the Sports mode is active, the optional sports exhaust system is also activated, which creates bliss for an enthusiast. The motor doesn't sound angry but it does sound purposeful and makes enough impact to make it clear that this car was made to have fun. We did our 0-100 kmph run in a respectable 4.9 seconds, measured on a handheld GPS device. Acceleration through the gears is brisk and makes mashing the throttle genuinely fun as long as the tacho needle stays above 2,200 rpm. Cabin experience - Sporty, comfortable or both? Step inside the Porsche 718 Cayman and there are sporty-looking seats finished in Black and Red leather to help you rest your bottom. The seats offer excellent all-round support, which comes in handy when pushing the machine around corners. Black is the colour that dominates the cabin but intelligently placed metal accents break the monotony and make the cabin look premium.