What is it?
It’s the Porsche 718 Cayman which, I assume, you take as read as being still the best sports car in the world. The best sub-supercar sports car, at least. And you’ll know the Porsche 718 Cayman is the best sports car in the world because you remember the 718 Boxster reviews from a few months ago.
To recap, then. Bad 718 Boxster points: the new engine has two cylinders fewer and one turbocharger more than it used to have, so it now sounds a bit like a Subaru. Good points: everything else.
The 718 Cayman, as you would expect, has now been through the same mill as its sister model, only this time it has emerged as the cheaper of the two. Which, actually, makes an awful lot of sense, given that it doesn’t have the cost and complexity of a folding roof to contend with.
Generally, though, changes to the Boxster have now been conducted on the Cayman. The monocoque’s construction is largely the same as it was before ‘718’ was added to the description, but every body panel bar some elements of the roof are changed. So is the suspension which, at the front, is derived from the 911 Turbo's, including a steering rack that is 10% faster than it previously had. At the rear there are elements of Cayman GT4, particularly when it comes to lateral stiffness.
Spring and damper rates and tuning are all new, though, not least because the 718 Cayman has a lower centre of gravity – marginally – than the six-cylinder car, although the addition of the turbo has left it – similarly marginally, at 1430kg versus 1415kg – heavier.
That engine, that aural downgrade, if you like, is a 2.5-litre horizontally opposed four instead of a 3.4-litre six, in as-tested S trim. (The standard 718 Cayman has a 2.0-litre donkey instead of a 2.7.)
Because it’s boosted, and despite a 0.9-litre decrease in capacity, power is up by 25bhp to 345bhp, but it’s torque that gets the big boost, here lifted from 273lb ft at 4500rpm to a wholesome 310lb ft developed from just 1900rpm all the way to 4500rpm.
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"Poor Mans"
911 R.
I cry alone the end of the NA
You can't criticize too much It's your livelihood.
But if the NA flat 6 comes back (in antoher life), you will be the first to write it's wonderfull.
david RS wrote: I cry alone
You're not alone, I'm with you there. I just can't get past that turbo four-pot where there should be a tuneful flat-six! Not in a Cayman anyway...and turbo-lag below 2500RPM, disappointing for a forced induction engine in 2016.
Underrated
xxxx wrote: By some distance
Underrated? I can barely think any other small coupe that has won as many tests/accolades/awards in past few years.
It's still better than that
That's still no enough. And it's not all about awards that you can barely think of
Are they really dropping in value?
I often look on Autotrader for an early Cayman and the prices seem pretty strong to me, especially when compared to an equivalent Boxster... Not great for the current owners but I can't wait to start seeing a decent selection of low miles, sub £10k Caymans.