The 718 Cayman comes standard with anti-lock brakes, stability control, front knee airbags, seat-mounted side body airbags, door-mounted side head airbags, a rearview camera, and parking sensors. The optional adaptive cruise control system includes a forward-collision warning and automatic braking system. There's also a blind spot monitoring system available called Lane Change Assist. The optional Porsche Connect provides automatic emergency assistance and remote services like a stolen vehicle locator and remote door locking/unlocking. As of this writing, the 718 Cayman has not been crash tested by the NHTSA nor the IIHS. The 718 Cayman is one of the best cars to drive, period. With its midengine, RWD layout and the added rigidity of its hardtop body, few cars (if any) can match its balance, athleticism, poise and engagement. Plus, impressively quick steering only enhances the 718 Cayman's razor-sharp reflexes. Now, those observations apply to every Cayman, but your driving experience will greatly depend upon the options you select. The base 2.0-liter engine offers impressive power, but its responsiveness leaves a bit to be desired. You also might find the exhaust note lacking if you're a Porsche purist. Opting for the 2.5-liter is quite pricey, but it's ultimately a more thrilling and suitable choice for many drivers. We would also recommend sticking with the manual transmission, despite the PDK arguably being a better transmission since it delivers quicker shifts and slightly better fuel economy. However, the manual is easy to drive and adds back a layer of engagement that's been stripped away by the turbo engines' deeper well of low-end power.
The rear windscreen and rear side windows are made of lightweight glass. Granted, the latter doesn鈥檛 change the way this 911 looks, but makes quite a different in the power-to-weight department. But more on that in the "Drivetrain" section below. Paint options for the 911 Carrera T are as varied as they get and include Lava Orange, Black, Guards Red, Racing Yellow, White and Miami Blue. Metallic colors like Carrera White, Jet Black, and GT Silver are optional. It鈥檚 pretty cool that Porsche is offering Lava Orange, a color first launched with the GT3 RS, for 911 Carrera model. The interior of the 911 Carrera T is actually a bit more exciting than the exterior, combining a range of race-inspired features that you can鈥檛 get on the standard Carrera. The coupe comes equipped with Sport Seats Plus as standard. These four-way electrically adjustable seats are finished in black, have "911" logos embossed on the headrests, and center sections made of Sport-Tex. But the big news lies in the fact that you can order the Full Bucket Seats package, a first for the 911 Carrera designation.
The option also comes with a rear-seat delete to save even more weight. Speaking of weight-saving measures, the standard door handles have been replaced with fabric loops. The cool thing about these is that they also give the door panels a race-inspired look. Further weight is saved by use of thinner sound insulation under the skin. This is Similar to the 911 GTS and yes, it makes the cabin a bit louder. But hey, it鈥檚 a sacrifice you have to make if you want a quicker Carrera without the GTS premium. Porsche also added a GT Sport steering wheel with leather rim and a switch for driving mode selection, as well as a shorter gear lever with embossed shift pattern in red. The trim on the dashboard and doors is black, which isn鈥檛 particularly exciting, but the Carrera T Interior Package adds contrasting colors in Racing Yellow, Guards Red or GT Silver.
The latter add colored accents to the seat belts, the "911" logo on the headrests, the door opener loops, and the Sport-Tex seat surfaces. The Carrera T draws its juice from the same 3.0-liter flat-six unit as the base 911 model. The turbocharged engine cranks out 370 and 332 pound-feet of torque, which is again identical to the entry-level model. Well, comparing specs on Porsche鈥檚 American website actually revealed there鈥檚 an extra pound-foot for the Carrera T, but that鈥檚 either a typo or it doesn鈥檛 make a difference in terms of performance. However, the standard manual transmission has a shorter constant transaxle ratio, while the mechanical rear differential lock is included at no extra cost. What鈥檚 more, the Carrera T tips the scales at 3,142 pounds due to the weight-saving measures, which makes it 11 pounds lighter than the base Carrera and the lightest non GT 911 model available. Combined with the revised transmission, the PASM sport suspension, and the slightly lighter curb weight, the Carrera T needs only 4.3 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start, a tenth-second quicker than the base Carrera. Top speed is rated at an exciting 182 mph.