Future of the 718
01-29-2019, 11:00 PM
#31
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If Porsche exits the mid-price toy car market then someone at PAG is going to look very foolish for approving the multi-hundred-million-euro development cost of the F4 unless they get VAG to put it in something else.
Last edited by worf928; 01-31-2019 at 03:24 PM.
01-30-2019, 02:10 PM
#32
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Technically, you are both correct... The 982 (718) is a mid-cycle refresh (981.2 so to speak) and in about a year, it should be due for another mid-cycle refresh. Or the 982 is a third-cycle refresh and the 982.2 is a two-thirds-cycle refresh... 
What's in a name...
This said, the exterior of the 718 - 982 doesn't look dated compared to the 992. The interior more so.
No doubt Porsche wil stay in the Boxster/Cayman market! It created it almost by itself anyway. AFAIK, electric platforms are way easier to resize than combustion types. Batteries should be as low as possible and centered between the axles. Motor between the rear wheels, or add another one between the front wheels. The rest is mere sheet metal.
And it's definitely not a toy market. I am a building construction manager, which means I am behind my desk mostly. But I use my Cayman to do my on-site checkups, usually twice a week. It's fun, true, but it does the job!
What's in a name...
This said, the exterior of the 718 - 982 doesn't look dated compared to the 992. The interior more so.
No doubt Porsche wil stay in the Boxster/Cayman market! It created it almost by itself anyway. AFAIK, electric platforms are way easier to resize than combustion types. Batteries should be as low as possible and centered between the axles. Motor between the rear wheels, or add another one between the front wheels. The rest is mere sheet metal.
And it's definitely not a toy market. I am a building construction manager, which means I am behind my desk mostly. But I use my Cayman to do my on-site checkups, usually twice a week. It's fun, true, but it does the job!
01-30-2019, 03:30 PM
#33
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There are always exceptions to these kinds of ‘rules.’ Enough exceptions and you have a viable market segment. The point of my exposition was to illustrate why this segment is very small. For the ‘rest of the world’ (i.e. not us that own them) a two-seat car can only be a ‘toy’ because it can’t hold four or more people and thus cannot do the work of a ‘real’ car.
The family with a soccer mom car, a soccer pop car, and the wherewithal to buy a third mid-priced ‘occasional use’ car is an exception. A family with one ‘soccer spouse’ car where a second car is allowed to be a two-seater is an even rarer exception.
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k.alexander (11-01-2019)
01-30-2019, 03:59 PM
#34
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.
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.
01-30-2019, 04:58 PM
#35
Racer
Thread Starter
No worries, yet! My guess is 2022 or 2023 is the final MY.
I just read up on the VW ID which is the Golf (same price) for the electric age starting next year. Oh dear, they say it will spawn 27 (!) versions by 2022. Audi, Skoda, Seat too. Sedans, hatchbacks and a rather cute little bus...
I just read up on the VW ID which is the Golf (same price) for the electric age starting next year. Oh dear, they say it will spawn 27 (!) versions by 2022. Audi, Skoda, Seat too. Sedans, hatchbacks and a rather cute little bus...
01-30-2019, 09:39 PM
#36
Burning Brakes
01-30-2019, 09:52 PM
#37
Burning Brakes
There are several reasons why the Targa corners well. Rear axle steering and PDCC, as well as wider tires. As for 982 Spyder/Cayman future sales, I already stated being all manual gearboxed would limit desire, and they aren't as new conceptually as the 981 versions were. Therefore in Porsche terms a bit stale. Some will jump all over them. But both the current GT4 and Spyder were seeing demand drop well before the hype of the 718 GT4 and Spyder started up. For me it's been there done that. Of course you'll get some upgrades and there was definitely room for improvement with the 981 versions. But the concept has aged. PDK would open up the market. Still Porsche will purposefully limit production as they typically do with special models.
01-30-2019, 10:48 PM
#38
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As for 982 Spyder/Cayman future sales, I already stated being all manual gearboxed would limit desire,
and they aren't as new conceptually as the 981 versions were. Therefore in Porsche terms a bit stale. Some will jump all over them. But both the current GT4 and Spyder were seeing demand drop well before the hype of the 718 GT4 and Spyder started up. For me it's been there done that. Of course you'll get some upgrades and there was definitely room for improvement with the 981 versions. But the concept has aged. PDK would open up the market. Still Porsche will purposefully limit production as they typically do with special models.
Well. We'll see.
01-31-2019, 11:52 AM
#39
Not even close. Aside from new motor, new suspension, entirely new interior, new steering, new wheels, etc., the 718 only shares a couple of body panels with the 981. Front and rear quarters, lights, bumpers, hood, decklid - all new. Other than that its exactly the same...
01-31-2019, 12:24 PM
#40
The 718 is the mid-cycle refresh.... of the 981. The 718 is to the 981 as the 991.2 is to the 991.1: some body, different engine.
If Porsche exits the mid-price toy car market then someone at PAG is going to look very foolish for approving the multi-hundred-million-euro development cost of the F4 unless they get VAG to put it in something else.
If Porsche exits the mid-price toy car market then someone at PAG is going to look very foolish for approving the multi-hundred-million-euro development cost of the F4 unless they get VAG to put it in something else.
01-31-2019, 12:47 PM
#41
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You do realize that we have a ‘14 981 Cayman S right?
You must have missed the 981 (2013-2016) and are thinking of the 987.
It - the 718 - is the same platform as the 981. Just like the 991.2 is the same platform as the 991.1.
Aside from new motor, new suspension,
entirely new interior,
new steering,
new wheels,
And anyway, since when did new wheel options count as what makes a model “completely new”?
., the 718 only shares a couple of body panels with the 981. Front and rear quarters, lights, bumpers, hood, decklid - all new. Other than that its exactly the same...
If you think the 718 is a completely different car from the 981 then the 991.2 must also be a completely different car from the 991.1. If that’s the way you want to go ok.
01-31-2019, 12:54 PM
#42
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Yes, the 991.2 got a new generation engine just like the 718 (981.2) did as per standard PAG mid-cycle practice.
The 911 is in the high-price segement of the toy (pleasure) car market.
Yes they are turbo charged and yes most folks think the sound like a bag of old farts.
01-31-2019, 01:32 PM
#43
I do think the 991.2 was more than a simple refresh with the change in powerplants, but at least it kept the general body parts the same and didn't mess around with suspension, steering or much of the interior. There's a reason the 718 was not called the 981.2, because it's basically an entirely new car, with only a few interior bits and maybe the roof carried over. It shares very few parts with the 981. There is way more different about the 718 and the 981 than there is the same, and it shows with the way camps have largely split on preference for one or the other.
01-31-2019, 01:57 PM
#44
Are any of you guys 'insider" Porsche people? I like the discussion, but it seems there is a fair amount of "common sense" logic being applied- and common sense varies from person to person.
01-31-2019, 03:04 PM
#45
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with only a few interior bits and maybe the roof carried over. It shares very few parts with the 981.
The generational differences in the interior between 997/987 and 991/981 are stark and obvious. The 991.1 and .2 and the 981 and 718 are all four clearly of the same generation. The 992 is obviously a different generation and we would expect an actual 718 follow-on to have the interior from the 992.
There is way more different about the 718 and the 981 than there is the same,
The vast, vast majority of people, even Porsche people would have to stare at a 981 and 718 side-by-side for a few minutes to pick out the differences. The same for the interior except that it would take more time for the differences to register.
and it shows with the way camps have largely split on preference for one or the other.