Echo in my head the words of my great friend Oscar Magro always repeats: “with turbo, everything is better”. Moments before putting the first foot into the new Cayman I do not remember them. What will be reason? Soon you will discover during the test of the Porsche 718 Cayman, but I don’t want to pass me to the events before you should know what to change in this small 911.
The Porsche 718 Cayman is a work of art in all of it. A worthy little brother of the 911
Porsche builds its present and its future from its past. The germans did not know how to do it any other way. That implica to speak briefly of the 550 and 718 of the decade of the 50. Two sports, although it’s hard to believe, are the basis of the new generation of the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman. Because it is them that started a legacy that today perpetuate the two models of access to the German house.
The Cayman has always been a reference in its segment, in fact it is the best of all of them, and although it would be easy to catch the earlier generation and change it slightly, Porsche has been rooted much in the philosophy of evolution. Although not aesthetically. Outwardly it is very similar to its predecessor, although there are noticeable changes with respect to this. New bumpers, lights, doors, rear spoiler, air intakes larger…but above all the aesthetic change main resides in the black band that joins the rear lamps that include the letters Porsche embossed.
And point. Those are all the changes of body that we can expect in the Porsche 718 Cayman with respect to its predecessor. Oh, and they say that the palette of colors has been extended with some shades certainly are amazing, such as the blue Miami, the orange Lava or red Check, that was precisely the color of the unit tests. But what was said, except these, there are more changes on the exterior.
Another sing is the interior, where it is not that we see many modifications, but as the saying goes: if any, haylas. The main one is the 7-inch screen of the PCM, which is now much better integrated and whose functioning has improved dramatically to mimic with a tablet conventional. Beyond that, we find new air intakes and new steering wheel. A beautiful steering wheel that takes its inspiration from the Porsche 918 Spyder, and that integrates the thumb wheel of the driving modes. A delicacy of which you now speak.
One of the new features are the headlights, like these, may have LED technology
AND if we talk about technology, there is mention that Porsche is still taking small steps in the integration of new systems. We are not faced with the new Porsche Panamera, everything is said of step, but the Cayman integrates a number of new features which although not spectacular yes that allow a better connectivity with mobile phones, as well as the downloading of applications and the use of WiFi within the car itself. As such, systems of last generation that the truth will hardly matter, because the technology that yes should we care it hides in the center of the car, right at the back of the occupants.
That is not other than the engine. The generation 718 we were surprised by to delete the block naturally aspirated six-cylinder to make way for a four-cylinder engine-opposed turbocharged. A propeller that is not suited to the lightweight and that it takes many hours of development and tuning. Two liters is capable of generating powers of 300 and 350 horsepower. Depending on if we talk about the Cayman or the Cayman S. With these data one can clearly observe that the 718 have won for losing.
Porsche has set in the 919 Hybrid WEC to design the engine. In fact they share some components
Because, if we take the blade of benefits of the new Cayman, we note that this is better in every way with respect to its predecessor. More powerful, 300 horsepower, as a minimum, the more rapid, up to 285 Km/h top speed, accelerates better from 0 to 100 Km/h in 4.2 seconds, and it is even more efficient with consumption approved for under seven liters per 100 kilometers. Who had told us years ago, and that those benefits and that performance could be combined with this consumption? As I say to myself: NO one.
The steering wheel takes its inspiration by the 918 Spyder and its touch is as good as it seems
But there is more, not only is the engine, and is that Porsche has also built a new chassis, redesigned suspension, improved brakes and included an address taken directly from the Porsche 911 Turbo. But the real secret lies in the turbo. Only one, that is the one that achieves the miracle of performance and consumption. In addition, it is the main difference between the Cayman S and the normal, because in the first one integrates a system VTG variable geometry in addition to a capacity of blowing harder to achieve greater power.
I know, What you look forward to, you want to know how is the new Cayman with respect to its predecessor in terms of sensations. To do this I will, but before I want to say that 718 is available from 58.148 euros. A price that makes it for the first time in the model, the most accessible of the brand, a fact which until now was owned by the Porsche 718 Boxster. Now yes, let’s get to the interesting.
Test Porsche 718 Cayman S
I Start by saying that everyone should drive a Porsche at least once in your life. If in that time you do not go in love with, is that either the cars are not your thing, or is it that you have a serious problem of empathy and emotions. Porsche defines the Cayman as the most fun of the sports, and those are big words having in your own home a myth of the caliber of the Porsche 911.
The cuentarevoluciones does not lie and the court is situated at 7,500 turns. All a blast
But I remember the words of my companion: “with turbo, everything is better”. The purists should not be at all in agreement with this statement, and in part I didn’t was when I knew that the 718 would eliminate the wonderful six-cylinder. However I do not consider myself a person closed-minded and therefore, being the brand that is Porsche, I gave them a vote of confidence, because they are able to work miracles. few months Ago I descorrí part of the headband that rested on my eyes in this topic, when put to the test the Porsche 718 Boxster, but after the day yesterday, that band is on the ground.
And is that the new Cayman is good, really good. More than the previous one. Porsche should be careful in this aspect, because if it continues to improve the small two-seater of the way in which it is doing, you can put in more of a bind to the jewel in the crown, 911. Yes friends, yes. What I affirm and reaffirm it, the Cayman is an excellent car and can not remember any current car that I transmit the same. Well yes, the Porsche Cayman GT4, but of course that legend already occupies a place of honor in my heart.
I advise You as I have done, you take off the blindfold of the eyes with respect to the turbo. It is a necessary step so that we can continue to enjoy toys like this. It is impressive the capacity that Porsche is to develop and refine their sports. Exhibit a twofold behavior that few can even match. The Cayman, is extremely civilized when you want it to be, in fact I see it as a car for daily use. It is not uncomfortable and on top is refined, with quality finishes and above, thanks to its two trunks can reach to be practical.
The Cayman is so comfortable in everyday traffic as in the freedom of a stretch of curves
But friend, if you want to get tickle, you’ll find them with the same ease with which you can move around the large avenue most popular of your city. If it is good for the day-to-day, better, infinitely better, is for a stretch of curves. Because this car likes. it Is in this field, the twisty and complicated, where you feel like a fish in the water, where it actually demonstrates the reason for its existence. And that is nothing to gladden the lives and show why everyone should drive a Porsche at least once in your life.
let Me make a point and apart in this point, as I have, and I have to talk about that thumb wheel which I have before mentioned. The engineers have provided four modes of driving for us: Normal, Sport, Sport + and Individual. The more soltemos the beast more electronic controls will go off. And in the last of them we will be able to configure the car to our liking. However, there are a fifth mode that appears when you press the center button of the wheel. I call it the button of the glory, for he is going to get the car set up in the mode of maximum propulsion during 20 seconds.
Of series the 718 Cayman comes with the manual change of six speeds, although I personally recommend to opt for automatic PDK seven
A bauble that is so overwhelmingly simple to understand that one does not understand why no one had put up to now in a car. If the press, immediately the PDK reduces to the correct gear (up to 3 pull), the turbo is loaded, and the accelerator is prepared for that just stepped out shot forward, as soul that takes the devil. Is a system that also can be replicated with do kick-down on the throttle, but so is much faster. Porsche should warn you about the addiction that causes this button, because, although it is designed for specific situations, one does no more than look for any excuse to push it. It is a wonder. In truth I tell you.
it Seems an item with no more, but this wheel plastic hides many tricks behind
But it is not just the button, the turbo or the engine. Is the entire set. Note-every hour, every minute of development. The work is of such a balance is surprising. Well, not so much. Since one can already get an idea just by knowing that this small is able to take a trip to the Nürburgring in 7:46.7 minutes. The same time few years ago made the Ferrari 599 GTB with a V12. There you have it. It is a rocket on a small scale. A toy very seriously. Its cornering is absolutely insane, thanks to a mechanical grip remarkable, and a limited-slip differential that always keeps you in the drawn. But yeah, be careful not to remove all the controls, because the turbo has it, a power input more abrupt that you can turn the rear.
And it is that the Cayman, like all Porsches, has its limit very high. Much higher than that of a server, I must to recognize it. And although on roads open either one recognizes that it is a sport of pure-strain, is in the circuit where you really will discover how fast you can go. Even so, it is a true pleasure to deal with a stretch of mountain. Really the car makes you feel much better pilot than you really are and the speed you can achieve is extreme without you being aware of. Goes so thin that it scares the curb.
And that is if there is something that I have to criticize are the brakes. I don’t know if it is the test unit had some defect in the braking system (I guess yes), but is that the strength of the acceleration was not replicated at the time of stopping. The pedal was too soft and had to plunge the foot in excess to achieve a braking blunt. And if we add to that a high speed, the confidence to reach the curve is reduced dramatically.
The PDK continues to have behavior beyond reproach. The best automatic in the world
And if this defect can be attributed to an error in the unit tests, the greatest of all is the sound of the exhaust. Eye. Do not get me wrong. The 718 Cayman sounds good, but here I have to get nostalgic and remember how it sounded the previous generation. Porsche engineers have worked hard to simulate that sound glorious, but it has only been that, an attempt to, since unfortunately have not managed to reproduce. In some moments it escapes a backfiring exhaust, as a gas that is lost unintentionally, but it is so random that I don’t finish to convince. Yes, I know, it’s a minor complaint, but hey for a server what it is.
Conclusions
there is Only one, and is that Porsche has become to achieve it. Look at that, it was difficult to improve the previous Cayman, as they have done so. And what is more praiseworthy is that they have done so with different weapons and with a risk that, although it is calculated no longer. Losing sometimes means winning, and the generation 718 shows. I assure you that the two cylinders that are missing are not lacking at any time, except in the sound. However I can’t help thinking that the Cayman is as good as Porsche wants it to be, because I have no doubt that this small is able to put in more of an embarrassment to his older brother. But the jewel of the family not to touch.
To your behavior, aesthetics, and fun, we must add another factor really important. The price. I know that 58.148 euros is not a cost that can take over the whole world, myself included, but if you think about it is not so much for a Porsche of pure strain as what is this 718 Cayman. In the end, how one would be able to tell me a rival that this to the height of the German? To me it’s hard to find one. A purchase that is going to bring a smile to just see it in your garage.
you could say that the Cayman is good, nice and not overly expensive
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