Yahoo News Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster GTS review: greater agility allied to more power
More than any other, Porsche is noted for its incremental changes to its products. There are infrequent seismic shifts within its models, one, indeed, that can be applied to this 718 Cayman, but otherwise it’s all about finessing evolution.
That illustrates this new 718 Cayman GTS model perfectly. Representing a selection of cherry-picked options that elevate it above the 718 Cayman S, with Porsche adding a little bit more to the mix to distinguish it as a model in its own right.
With the emphasis on driving, the 718 Cayman GTS’s specification brings Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package, Sports Exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring, a mechanical limited slip differential and Porsche Active Suspension Management.
That suspension drops the ride by 10mm, the Sport Chrono Pack adding dynamic engine mounts that hold the engine firmly even under heavy loading, for sharper dynamics. It’s mounted in the middle as it has always been in the Cayman, though since the 718 badge arrived, the engine is no longer a flat-six, but a turbocharged flat four.
With the promise of greater agility comes more power to exploit it. There is now 360bhp, enough to put it within striking distance of an entry-level 911 Carrera, and, in manual form here, to get to 62mph in 4.6 seconds. Yes, the PDK seven-speed automatic is quicker to 62mph, by 0.5 seconds, but who’s counting?
For all its ease of use that PDK brings, not to mention the improved economy, too, the manual six-speed gearbox is such a joy that even such persuasive economy, laziness and emissions arguments can be ignored. This is a sports car after all, and the small effort required from you brings plenty of reward.
Always the talented younger sibling, the Cayman’s position under that 911 has long been a troublesome one. Not least, because, dynamically it’s superior. Sacrilegious as that might be, the mid-mounted engine makes the Cayman a sharper, more intuitive drive. And in GTS guise it’s at its best. The chassis is sublime, the steering’s accuracy never in question, this a car that pivots under you, reveals its huge balance, fine grip and plentiful traction, flatters, involves and engages. Sports car nirvana if you like, as it is across the entire 718 range, only here it’s elevated with those GTS enhancements that take it to another level again.
If you are sensing a ‘but’, then you’d be right. Dynamically this is a car that’s so ahead of the competition it’s almost embarrassing for them. Where it falls short is with the engine. Yes, we’ve all gotten dewy-eyed about the loss of the old, pre-718 badged Cayman’s 3.4-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six for the 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four. Here, though, it’s more obvious than ever.
That’s not because of the tweaked GTS chassis it’s mounted within, but simply the changes that have been made to the engine’s specification to liberate the extra power. There’s a new intake system and a standard Sports Exhaust, as well as a bigger diameter turbo. Those first two are the real issue, as they exacerbate the 718 GTS’s biggest failing. The sound. Or more correctly, the noise.
There’s little wrong with the pace the 2.5-litre turbo four brings. Indeed, it’s difficult to argue against the flatter, fatter torque thanks to that turbo. The loss of a frenetic, indulgent top-end, too; indeed everything relating to its performance can be justified.
It’s fast then, and the chassis exploits it beautifully. It’s simply that the racket over your shoulder does little to encourage, sounding like a cross between an old Beetle and a Subaru Impreza, and an unhappy one at that. Like a school band playing in the orchestra pit at Swan Lake, there’s plenty of riotous enthusiasm, but the notes lack the delicacy to match the front-of-house show. Switching off the Sports Exhaust helps, but you shouldn’t have to. An incredible, class leading and defining sports car, but there’s still room for improvement. Which, usefully, is something Porsche does very well indeed.
THE FACTS
Porsche 718 Cayman GTS
TESTED 2,497cc, turbocharged flat four petrol, six-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive
PRICE/ON SALE £59,866/now
POWER/TORQUE 360bhp @ 6,500rpm/309lb ft @ 1,900-5,500rpm
TOP SPEED 186mph
ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 4.6sec
FUEL ECONOMY 31.3mpg/ 22.9 mpg (EU Combined/Urban)
CO2 EMISSIONS 205g/km
VED £640 first year, then £290
VERDICT So much balance and sophistication in its chassis, plenty of accessible performance from its powerplant and a gearbox that’s as accurate and joyous as that engine’s note is cacophonous. Otherwise, it’s borderline perfection.
TELEGRAPH RATING Four stars out of five
THE RIVALS
Alpine A110, from £51,000 (approx)
We’ve yet to drive it, but resurrected French firm Alpine will fire the mid-engined A110 coupe right into the 718 Cayman GTS’s heartland very soon. It’s going to be an interesting fight.
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43, from £47,675
The old SLK with a different name does a decent job keeping up, but the Porsche is so much more engaging to drive. But the SLC offers the best of both worlds, thanks to a folding hard-top.
Audi TT RS, from £52,100
The Audi TT RS is a bombastic, sonorous, four-wheel drive that monsters the Cayman GTS in raw performance, but dynamically it’s a sledgehammer compared with the Porsche’s scalpel.
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