2019 Porsche 718 Cayman Review
Performance is the name of the game with the 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman. It features a mid-engine design for balance handling, and its engine choices deliver impressive acceleration. As a Porsche, the 718 Cayman also shows off a long list of premium content. The 718 Cayman is a luxury sports car with seating for two. For 2019, the lineup starts with the entry-level 鈥淐ayman.鈥?The Cayman S and Cayman GTS carry increasingly high levels of power. All models are configured with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive as standard equipment. A seven-speed automatic transmission is available across the 718 Cayman lineup. For 2019, the 718 Cayman carries over with few changes. The sleek, curvy design of the 718 Cayman is a definite highlight. The overall look owes something to the Porsche 911, but the Cayman also wears its share of exclusive style elements. Perhaps most noticeable are the car鈥檚 sculpted flanks.
The lines then flow into large fender vents ahead of the rear wheels. A hidden detail that only comes out when you need it is the Cayman鈥檚 standard power-deploying rear spoiler. An assortment of LED lighting is standard for the 2019 Cayman. This includes LED accent lights in the front fascia, LED taillights at the rear and integrated LED daytime running lights to set off the standard bi-xenon headlights. The Cayman also has standard heated side mirrors and staggered-width 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. LED headlights with adaptive cornering lights are optional, as are power-folding mirrors, 19- and 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and a number of appearance packages. The Porsche 718 Cayman offers an upscale cabin with each side cleanly separated by a flowing center console. Add the popular Sport Chrono package and a dash-mounted stopwatch comes into the picture. Porsche further provides multiple wood, carbon-fiber and aluminum accents for the Cayman family.
The Cayman鈥檚 engine placement gives it a cargo advantage over typical sports cars as well. Since the powerplant is between the Porsche鈥檚 passenger space and rear wheels, the body has room for front and rear trunks. Together, they can hold 15 cubic feet of gear. Along with climate control and cruise control, standard content for the 718 Cayman includes partially power-adjustable sport seats with leather seating centers, bolsters and headrests. A leather-wrapped steering wheel is also standard. It鈥檚 mounted on a tilt-and-telescoping column for convenience. For more luxury, there are plenty of optional features for the cabin. Leading the way are heated and ventilated full-leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and two different heated multifunction steering wheels. Lightweight construction and powerful 鈥渇lat鈥?engines are among the keys to the 718 Cayman鈥檚 performance. With their pistons laying flat and moving horizontally, those engines have a lower center of gravity to improve handling.
The standard engine for the Cayman is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit. It produces 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The 718 Cayman S and GTS upsize to a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. In the S model, this engine makes 350 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque. The 718 Cayman GTS sees that output rise to 365 horsepower and up to 317 pound-feet of torque. Backed by that kind of power, and the upgrades from the Sport Chrono package, the Cayman GTS can sprint from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission are standard for all Caymans. A seven-speed 鈥淧DK鈥?dual-clutch automatic, an active sport suspension and ceramic-composite brakes are available for all models. Equipped with its automatic transmission, the base 718 Cayman earns EPA ratings of 22/29 mpg city//highway. The 2019 Porsche Cayman may be a performance leader, but some rivals provide more technology. For example, the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette offers standard mobile Wi-Fi, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Cayman has standard tech features that include front and rear parking sensors, as well as a rearview camera, a 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, a CD/DVD drive, USB/auxiliary connections, 11GB of hard-drive audio storage and an eight-speaker audio system. A few additional driver-assistance technologies are available. These include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and forward collision warning with automatic braking. The Cayman鈥檚 infotainment options extend to mobile Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay, a navigation system and a 12-speaker Burmester audio system with 821 watts of power.