With its joyful handling and hungry turbocharged powertrains, the 2022 Porsche 718 Boxster goes beyond the romanticism of most convertibles as a way to enjoy the open road. The similarly sporty 718 Cayman coupe shares its chassis and technical components with the Boxster, but the cloth top of the Boxster lets in more fresh air and the liberating sensation of the wind in your hair. Speed enthusiasts will choose the optional flat-six over the turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder found in base versions. Although Porsche’s historic 911 sports car may have more cachet, the 718 Boxster is still one of the best-driving sports cars on the road thanks to its focused chassis and energetic temperament, earning it a 10Best award and a spot on our Editors’ Choice list.
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SERPRESULT
This is a top-of-the-line sports car with a mid-engine setup, excellent handling, and distinctive Porsche appearance.
The Porsche Cayman is terrific in all the ways we’ve come to expect it, even in its cheapest form.
How is driving like?
Even though our car has the aftermarket sports exhaust (PS1328) installed, the idling sound is clattery and unappealing. Similar to the Boxster, the engine is actually relatively tuneless across the rpm range, although the Cayman’s solid roof successfully muffles noise compared to its cousin’s cloth top.
The new engine is actually more enjoyable in the Cayman than it is in the Boxster because the soundtrack is more essential in a drop-top than it is in a coupe.
But there are still good reasons to miss the excellent old normally aspirated flat-six in addition to the soundscape. The new engine lacks a little bit of spirit compared to the previous one, which was thrilling and tuneful in its delivery and responded with a razor’s edge. The two-seat Porsche coupe’s heart is no longer its engine. The Cayman loses its five-star rating as a result, much as the Boxster.
In spite of this, this 2.5-litre engine stands out among the sea of identical turbocharged four-cylinders. Most engines begin to pull strongly at 2000 rpm and lose steam at 6000 rpm, but this one needs 2800 rpm before it really gets moving. But what it loses in low-level reaction, it more than makes up for in higher levels. It picks up where most comparable engines begin to sag again and continues to pull strongly all the way to 7000 rpm. Energy at the top end is far more crucial than response at low engine rpm in a true sports car like this one.
The 718 Cayman S is extremely quick and pulls through the mid-range significantly harder than the previous Cayman S. Additionally, the new Cayman has a tractability that eliminates the need to constantly chase the lowest gear and maximum engine speeds, which was essentially the only way to move really quickly in the old Cayman. The gearing isn’t nearly as irritating as it once was despite the fact that the gear ratios are still long (second will reach 80 mph).
The chassis is still a diamond, and Porsche’s six-speed manual shifting is still delightful. In fact, it’s one of the package’s genuine highlights. The quality of the damping is excellent, and the car seems perfectly balanced with just a hint of understeer at the limit to let you know how hard it’s working.
The Cayman’s new steering system, on the other hand, is a significant advancement over the rack found in the outgoing model. The quicker ratio and more immediate response give the car a considerably more positive and alert feeling throughout the entrance phase. Although the steering isn’t the most communicative, the entire car is so dependable and readable that you never want for feedback.
Traction is never an issue, despite the significant increases in torque production. In actuality, the new Cayman is a more agile and throttle-adjustable vehicle than ever when the Sport stability control mode is used.
Compared to the Boxster, the 718 Cayman has made the switch to turbocharging more smoothly. The mid-engined chassis of the Cayman has been even more brilliantly polished by Porsche. But the engine of a car plays a crucial role in the overall experience, and just like the Boxster, the new Cayman has lost some of its enchantment since switching to a four-cylinder engine and turbocharging, which is why it was downgraded from a five to a 4.5 star vehicle.
It might be argued that the Porsche 718 Cayman is more exploitable than the company’s quicker versions, therefore it is not a poor man’s option.
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A driving enthusiast’s fantasy, the Porsche 718 Cayman is more than capable of lining up boldly next to its 911 sibling. It lacks the exhilarating noise of the previous generation due to the switch to turbocharged four-cylinder engines, and as a result, feels a little less thrilling. Porsche, on the other hand, has reacted and added a six-cylinder engine to the GTS 4.0-liter model.
Even so, it continues to be a joy to drive and is currently more affordable than the 718 Boxster with a hardtop. The purest driving joys are provided by an entry-level Cayman with small wheels and a manual transmission, which also gives a ton of performance and elegance.
It is what?
It used to be quite simple to write a review like this. This car, which was first imagined in 2005, is arguably the most comprehensive one that Porsche produces. The 911 line has a wider range, perhaps too wide, but the Cayman has always provided much of its speed and noise with an added dash of mid-engined composure.
What has thus changed? What are they? Blooming emissions regulations. So instead of sonorous flat-six engines, the Cayman series is now nearly entirely powered by 4cyl turbo engines. On paper, there have been general advances; yet, in practice, things may differ.
And the badge is brand-new. I guess new-ish. A number of mid-engined, flat-four racecars that participated in the late 1950s and early 1960s were known by the codename Porsche 718. The marketing team in Stuttgart can arguably be excused for seizing the chance to associate it with the recently flat-four Boxster and Cayman; however, when you find that the 6cyl Cayman GTS and GT4 are now also branded with the 718, the situation becomes a little murkier.
The 718 Boxster range, which has taken the same 4cyl route but is now more expensive than its coupe sibling, echoes the Cayman’s many ownership tiers and does a better job of reflecting how competitors price their hard- and soft-top model lines. Naturally, the Boxster’s price outpaced the Cayman’s instead than the reverse, which would be more kind.
There are regular, S, and GTS models once more, and a Cayman T is also available for the first time. The 2.0-liter 4cyl turbo used in the Cayman and Cayman T produces 296 bhp and can accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour in between 5.3 and 4.7 seconds, depending on whether you selected the Sport Chrono option and the six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK gearbox. All of these vehicles have a top speed of 170 mph. (You want the manual, despite the fact that PDK is fantastic.)
The T is the more lightweight, slightly harder cored version, but instead of a fire extinguisher, rollcage, and single-mass flywheel, consider cloth door straps and the option to pointlessly turn off the air conditioning. Instead, consider it a good-value raid on the best Cayman options, with the suspension, wheels, and locking differential all added for around $7,000.
The larger Cayman S engine, which uses a 2.5-litre 4cyl turbo with 345bhp and reduces the 0-62 mph sprint to 4.6 seconds while increasing the top speed to 177 mph, is found by moving up a tier.
The 718 GTS formerly had a 361bhp version of the same engine, but Porsche has now once again given it flat-six power in a surprising but welcome U-turn. The Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 receives a 394 horsepower version of the Cayman GT4’s engine, as well as a few extra options, a meaner and more aggressive exterior, and more. Remember that the GTS costs more than PS60,000, whereas the standard Cayman starts at PS44,000. Eek.
Will the Porsche 718 hold up?
The Porsche 718 Cayman has an inherent advantage in terms of safety despite not being likely to undergo Euro NCAP crash testing due to its mid-engined architecture. Similar to the Cayman, which was too specialized to be included in our 2020 Driver Power customer happiness study, Porsche has a sterling record for fostering owner satisfaction.
Porsche 911 or 718, which is superior?
A 4.4 second track time and 350 horsepower are produced by the 718 Cayman S, while 420 horsepower and a 4.1 second time are produced by the 911 Carrera S. There is a separate T trim available for the 911 Carrera. Between the Carrera and the Carrera S, the 2019 911 Carrera sits in the center.
A supercar, is the Porsche 718?
The Porsche 718 Cayman of 2021 has every attribute a top-notch sports car should have. It produces the same physical and psychological driving thrill as a supercar, but at a much lower cost.
Porsche provides a variety of engine choices for the Cayman. The standard T model comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four that makes 300 horsepower, and the S grade has a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 350 horsepower. The six-cylinder engines in the GTS 4.0 and GT4 RS each produce 394 and 414 horsepower, respectively. The six-speed manual transmission that comes with all versions is undoubtedly the best one on the market.
Performance features on the GT versions include Sport Seats Plus that can be adjusted and an exhaust system that has been precisely tuned. A limited-slip differential and brake-based torque vectoring are further features of the Sport Chrono package.
The Cayman’s excellent balance and stability on winding two-lane roads are made possible by its mid-engine configuration, an adaptive sport-tuned suspension, and sticky tires.
from Car and Driver “An open channel of communication exists between the driver, the Cayman, and the road thanks to its otherworldly chassis. Porsche combines powerful brakes, a rigid suspension, and a steering system with lots of sensation to create the 718.”
The 718 Cayman and its convertible sister, the Boxster, both made the list of the 10 Best cars for 2020.
A Porsche Cayman: Is it pricey?
The Porsche Cayman is a very popular way to get started with Porsche coupe ownership. It’s a fantastic little two-seat coupe that looks like a Porsche and handles superbly. All Cayman generations are simple to use, park, and enjoy.
Is the Porsche 911 superior to the Cayman?
We would advise you to purchase the Porsche 911 even though it is not very fuel-efficient in cities. It’s because the MPG doesn’t differ all that much. The largest advantage of all is the greater MPG the Porsche 911 offers on highways.
In addition, the Porsche 911 has superior and more modern features than the Cayman, as well as a more potent engine that offers quicker acceleration. Additionally, the 911’s interior is superior to the Cayman’s.
A brief comparison of the Porsche Cayman and Porsche 911 is shown above.
100k mile Porsches: Still reliable?
The lifespan of a Porsche 911 engine is rated at 100,000 kilometers and 10 years. Porsche 911s, like any other vehicle, live longer with good, regular maintenance and care. The majority of Porsche vehicles have a lifespan of at least 150,000 miles.
How far will a Porsche 718 travel?
Porsches are praised by auto aficionados for their superb German engineering prowess and are renowned for their durability, dependability, and performance throughout time. Porsches typically have a lifespan of at least 100,000 kilometers and nine years.
Which Porsche is the most trustworthy?
One of the most dependable vehicles in the whole Porsche series, according to PCarwise, is the 911 Carrera. One of the few Porsche models with comparatively few performance and reliability complaints from customers is this one. The Porsche 911 Carrera has consistently received accolades for being the most dependable vehicle the automaker has ever made throughout its long and illustrious history.