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I've owned 3 981's, so I think I know the car. The 718 has an entirely new powertrain, new suspension options, all new wheels, new steering rack, an entirely new body and a number of key new interior touches that make it look different. And it's model code was new, not a . update. The internal model code has nothing to do with marketing; most buyers don't even know what it is.
All that said, the main reason they are so different, is obviously the shift to a turbo 4. That's a much bigger change than the 991's move to a turbo 6. And it has a huge impact on why some people prefer one car vs. the other. Personally, I think I could probably get over the turbo 4/sound issue, but I could never get over the new styling of the new car. I love the 981 styling and I hate the 718 styling. They're not the same except in general shape and, with styling, the devils in the details. I hate those on the 718, while I'm sure others prefer them. Styling is personal opinion, but saying they're the same car is a joke.
Then the blood content of your PAG Marketing Kool-Aid circulatory system is too low
The 718 has an entirely new powertrain,
So what? A new powertrain is exactly what we expect from PAG in a mid-cycle refresh. This was true with the 996, 997, and 991. (Edit: and 986,987,981...)
new suspension options,
The 981 had PASM and S/PASM. What new suspension options does the 718 have??? PDCC? Nope. FAL? Nope. RAS? Nope. What???? Tell us.
all new wheels,
Nope. There a a couple of different wheels and a couple that are the same. Most of the 20"s are the same. And again, slap some different wheels on a car and call it a new model? Seriously. Nope. Revised wheel options happen with both total and mid-cycle refreshes. Means naught.
new steering rack,
Yup. Same steering rack in the 718 as the 991.2. Different from the 981. But the same as the 991.2. Same part number. Again, expected in a mid-cycle refresh that some refreshed 911 parts get 'tossed' to the mid-engine platform for its refresh.
an entirely new body
Same platform (crush zones, suspension mounting points, etc.) different body panels and bumper covers. Exactly what one expects in a mid-cycle refresh: very minimal platform changes with new body panels and caps to change the look.
and a number of key new interior touches that make it look different.
Mildly different. With the exception of the dash cap and it's attached components all the rest of the parts in the interior are either 981, 991, or 991.2. This is easily verifiable by looking at part numbers across the three models and again, exactly what one expects from a mid-cycle refresh from Porsche: 911 gets a refresh first, most parts for the 'lesser' platform's refresh trickle down. The 718's placement of the sport chrono clock make it look more 911 than the 981, I'll give you that.
And it's model code was new, not a . update.
So was the 991.2. There's no internal 'point' designation. That's the creation of the rest-of-the-world.
The internal model code has nothing to do with marketing; most buyers don't even know what it is.
Correct. And the point is?
All that said, the main reason they are so different, is obviously the shift to a turbo 4. That's a much bigger change than the 991's move to a turbo 6. And it has a huge impact on why some people prefer one car vs. the other.
Yup. The 718 is still a mid-cycle refresh though. It follows the same pattern we've seen since the 996. 996 was a new platform with a new powertrain. Mid-cycle the 996 got a revised powertrain. 997 featured a revised platform and a revised interior along with a tweaking of the powertrain. 997.2 got a new powertrain and devil-in-the-detail changes everywhere else etc. The pattern was the same for the 986, 987, and 981. Lather, rinse, repeat to the 992. Body panels and bumpers change the outward appearance at every refresh major or mid-cycle. Major powertrain changes at the mid-cycle. Platform and major interior changes with the model designation change.
Beyond the powertrain, the main reason they are perceived to be so different by some is, apparently, the model designation change at the mid-cycle confused some folks.
Styling is personal opinion, but saying they're the same car is a joke.
Who said it was the same car?
You wrote - and continue to expound - that the 718 is an entirely new car.
I wrote it was a mid-cycle refresh with the magnitude of differences between it and the 981 on a similar order to that of the 991.1 to 991.2. To be clear that means: new bumper covers and new body panels on the same platform. Some slightly revised components e.g. slightly bigger brakes, slightly revised rates for springs, sway bars, a little torque here and a little horsepower there etc. Objectively minor interior changes. And most of all: a new power train. Both the 718 and 991.2 reflect exactly this evolution. Oh, and throw in a couple of new wheel options and remove a couple of the old ones.
All this can be easily supported by looking at 1) PAG's history for platforms and powertrains since the 996 and 2) part numbers for the various components.
If you want to continue to OD on PAG's marketing Kool-Aid and rationalize your obvious hatred/disappointment for/in the 718 by continuing to think the 718 a completely new butt-ugly farting-unicorn of a mid-engine Porsche that has absolutely nothing to do with your three 981s...that's fine.
I will continue to refer to the 718 as the mid-cycle refresh that it, objectively, is.
If in fact the 718 is the last of the cayman/Boxster, which is unfortunate, when will the last MY be?
2020?
So we can keep ordering until late 2019 or early 2020?
And how about the Cayman T?
It’s not even out yet. They have to at least produce this one for 2 years, right?
And then there’s the GT4...
Maybe they’ll continue making that one, since it’s a GT.
If Porsche (Volkswagen AG) is not set on a replacement yet, I would assume they would at least run the 718 through MY22. My hope would be that they release a 982.2, with some additional tweaks to the body, suspension, engine and interior, instead of just killing it off completely. This could buy them a few more years with this platform before the inevitable electrification or eventual discontinuation. On the bright side, at least we have the Supra to choose from now.
In any case, we will find out in June when they announce the MY20 Caymans. It would seem that with scant or no evidence of test cars for any improvements, nothing major is likey.
In any case, we will find out in June when they announce the MY20 Caymans. It would seem that with scant or no evidence of test cars for any improvements, nothing major is likey.
I just want to know what the heck those incredible-sounding 718 Boxsters caught lapping the Ring a while back were.
Whatever they were, please release them to the public!
In any case, we will find out in June when they announce the MY20 Caymans. It would seem that with scant or no evidence of test cars for any improvements, nothing major is likey.
If we assume that PAG will stick to the same 'formula' that it has adopted since the 996 then a trickle-down-from-the-992 full-makeover would be a MY'21. The 992 is a MY'20 hitting the streets ~6 months early as per the 991. Thus assuming the formula is the same a 718 follow-on would be a MY'21 maybe early in '20 or not.
992 mules were spotted roughly 18 months before PAG's official release. I would think that we'd see 982 (whatever you want to call it) mules in the next few months if a full-refresh is in the cards for MY'21. Logically, if we don't see mules within the next year then either PAG will have done a better-than-usual job of keeping it under wraps or there'll be no full-refresh for MY'21.
I would be shocked if a full refresh did not encompass a 992-like 'linear design language' digital interior as that would be a material break from the formula and would leave the 982 a generation behind all of the other Porsches in terms of 'techno-bling.'
The exterior of the 718 doesn't look dated compared to the 992 though. Even the way "PORSCHE" is done on the rear is the same now.
Big model changes towards EV's are due in the next few years. VW promises the ID (RWD!) EV's due in 2020 to be the same price as a Golf diesel, hence cheaper than a Nissan Leaf. If that is correct, this will be a watershed. IMO, hybrids make little sense as you get the worst from both worlds. To heavy, to complicated, poor packaging compared to a proper EV...
The exterior of the 718 doesn't look dated compared to the 992 though. Even the way "PORSCHE" is done on the rear is the same now.
Yep. Porsche has transitioned all their models to this ‘line’ on the rear. They did it with the mid-cycle refresh of the Macan too.
Big model changes towards EV's are due in the next few years. VW promises the ID (RWD!) EV's due in 2020 to be the same price as a Golf diesel, hence cheaper than a Nissan Leaf. If that is correct, this will be a watershed. IMO, hybrids make little sense as you get the worst from both worlds. To heavy, to complicated, poor packaging compared to a proper EV...
Yup. When everything’s EV everyone (here) will miss the guttural F4 along with all the rest of the ICE’s that made not-horrible noise.
I’m very iffy on a 992-style new mid-engine model. It’s a small market segment with lots of competition. ‘Car People’ seem to be a shrinking population. There are other factors I mentally speculate about on both the positive and negative side of the fence.
I personally would like to see the current generation 718 continue to MY’21 for my own reasons.
Ahum, it's not even a 718, but a 981 GT4 teaser car in the pictures. so it doesn't mean much
Porsche needs a few years to make a 718 type EV. And we haven't seen any 982.2 spy pics, true enough. But we haven't seen 718 EV's neither. The 992 prototypes appeared 21 months for the LA launch. My understanding is the current 718 will be made even as a 2023 model still (which ends June 2023 or so).
Wow! This would be amazing. I wonder if they will go with the 3.8ltr for the non GT cars and the 4.0ltr version in the GT4 and Spyder. I’m a little bummed that I made the jump to the GTS maybe a few months too early. Hopefully it’s not just replacing the GTS in the line up, and ends up another step above. Sort of like a GT4 light.
Turbo-F4s in the base and S and a F6 of some sort in the GTS? Or .... maybe a 718 Turbo(S) model with the 3.0 from the 992. That would be sweet if it also came with a manual.
I can fantasize while I figure out how to free up garage space.
I don't have acces to the website of Automobilemag. Can anyone copy paste the text here, please?
But I still get the message. That prototype with the rear diffuser and exhausts as on the 718 GT4 but without wing plus a front like the GTS? It has the smaller rear brakes from the S/GTS, not the big ones from the GT4...
01-31-2019, 04:10 PM
I've owned 3 981's, so I think I know the car. The 718 has an entirely new powertrain, new suspension options, all new wheels, new steering rack, an entirely new body and a number of key new interior touches that make it look different. And it's model code was new, not a . update. The internal model code has nothing to do with marketing; most buyers don't even know what it is.
