2016 Porsche 718 Cayman first drive review
It doesn't sound like a Porsche, but it sure drives like one.
Carving through a challenging series of corners in the Swedish farmland the new Porsche 718 Cayman feels just like its award-winning predecessor. The sound it makes though is a different matter, as the old model's naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engines have given way to a pair of new turbocharged four-cylinder boxers.
The most obvious comparison would be a Subaru WRX, which also features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine. But while there is faint hint of that, and even the flat-four in the BRZ, the Porsche's note is more refined. It is a much deeper note than the old screaming flat-six that gives the 718 Cayman a new character to match its new name.
There was an inevitability to Porsche's decision to downsize the 718 Cayman (and 718 Boxster), as ever stricter emissions standards in Europe and North America come into effect. But the German brand's efforts to try and retain as much of the same character in the 718 Cayman is obvious.
Like the new 991.2 series of its bigger brother, the 911 Carrera, which has a new 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six, the new 718 Cayman is more a mid-cycle upgrade than an all-new model.
And that's good, because the Cayman was already one of the best sports cars on the market, so there wasn't much need to mess with it.
While there have been updates to the styling, steering and new technology added, the heart of this change are the new engines. Porsche developed a 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre version of the four-cylinder boxer, alongside the 3.0-litre flat-six of the 911.
The 2.0-litre powers the base 718 Cayman and is good for 220kW of power and 380Nm of torque. That's a bump of 18kW and 90Nm over the old model, and importantly peak torque now kicks in from just 1950rpm, instead of 4500rpm in the old model; more on that later.
The 718 Cayman S gets the 2.5-litre four-cylinder which makes 257kW and 420Nm, an 18kW and 50Nm increase on the 3.4-litre six-cylinder it replaces.
Both engines are mated to upgraded transmissions from the old model - a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (known as PDK by Porsche).
When the new 2.0-litre four-pot and PDK are combined the fuel consumption rating is just 6.9-litres per 100km, down from 8.2L/100km in the old 2.7-litre six-cylinder model. Which is not only an impressive return for such a rapid sports car, but also justifies the decision to downsize the engines.
Not that you really need any justification once you start driving, because once you get used to the different soundtrack, the new engines elevate the 718 Cayman to a new level of on-road and on-track performance.
As mentioned earlier, peak torque is available between 1950-4500rpm for the 2.0-litre in the Cayman and 1900-4500rpm with the 2.5-litre in the Cayman S. That means, unlike the old six-cylinder Cayman that needed plenty of revs to get the best out of it, these new turbocharged versions have more bottom end punch and mid-range muscle to get you going harder faster and doing it easier.
In effect, the turbo engines have expanded the sweet spot for the Cayman engine, making it more flexible and responsive across the rev range. For example, we found ourselves leaving the 718 in third gear for long stretches on the road - and even our track test - because the engine was able to stay in third all the way from 60km/h up to 160km/h, at the nearly 8000rpm redline. Not that you need all those revs, because peak power hits at 6500rpm for both engines, but the noise the engine makes above 6500rpm is probably its best and most reminiscent of the flat-six.
Of course, one caveat we must make at this point is that all the test cars we drove were heavily optioned, including the sports exhaust which makes the engine louder.
They also featured Porsche's optional adaptive dampers and lowered suspension, so we can't make any judgement on the standard 718 specification ride and handling. But we can judge the cars we tested, and just like the old Cayman the new 718 models are some of the finest handling sports cars in the world.
While Porsche has refined the ride and handling set-up in subtle ways with the 718, the most notable change is the adoption of the steering settings from the 911 Turbo, that sharpens the response.
That only means the already excellent steering is now even more immediate when you turn the wheel, while still providing excellent feedback and feel.
The rest of the chassis is equally well balanced and responsive plus there is loads of grip from the tyres so you feel encouraged and reward when you push the 718 hard. And if you push too hard it is not vicious like some sports cars can be on the edge. All of which makes it a thoroughly enjoyable car to drive quickly, on either the road or track.
The ride was impressive too - although the Swedish roads were generally of a much higher standard than Australian surfaces - but given our test cars had 20-inch alloys instead of the standard 18s (Cayman) and 19s (Cayman S) it is fair to say it will ride well for a stiffly sprung sports coupe.
If there is a criticism of the 718 it is again the noise, but not the engine, rather the road noise. Like the car it replaces the 718 cabin can be noisy environment with the sound of the engine joined by noticeable tyre roar and some wind noise. While some improvements to the sound deadening would have been nice, ultimately the engineers opted for performance over pampering.
Pricing for the 718 Cayman has already been announced as part of the local launch of the 718 Boxster, with Porsche repositioning the pair so the convertible is the more expensive of the two - just like all of its competitors.
That means the 718 Cayman starts at $110,000 (plus on-road costs) for the manual variant while the Cayman with PDK is $111,572. It is only $1572 more expensive even though the PDK is a $4990 option because thanks to its fuel economy it makes it under the luxury car tax threshold for efficient vehicles. The 718 Cayman S range starts at $140,300 for the manual and $145,290 for the PDK.
All 718 Caymans comes equipped with bi-Xenon headlights, dual-zone air-conditioning, heated multi-function steering wheel, heated seats, front and rear parking sensors, navigation, cruise control, Bluetooth and six airbags.
The new 718 Cayman range arrives in Australia in November.
When it comes it will usher in a new era for the model. The new engines have given it a new noise and a different character. But different doesn't mean worse. In fact, the changes actually make it a better car; more responsive and with a broader power band it makes it an easier car to live with but also just as engaging to push to its limits
2016 Porsche 718 Cayman and Cayman S pricing and specifications
On sale: November 2016
Price: $110,000 (Cayman manual), $111,572 (Cayman PDK)/$140,300 (Cayman S manual), $145,290 (Cayman S PDK)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol/2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 220kW at 6500rpm/257kW at 6500rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 1950-4500rpm/420Nm at 1900-4500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 7.4 (man), 6.9 (auto)/8.1 (man), 7.3L/100km (auto)