GregWormald

I would be more concerned about performance (whatever matters to you) rather than the number of cylinders.

After all my Moto Guzzi 1100 goes like stink and sounds divine--all with only two cylinders in V configuration.

Greg

niche

Performance is important, absolutely. So is the joy the car brings. Once you're driving a 718 it's a great car. That initial startup and anything at idle, it's a bummer... I can lease one at a huge discount, yet a chose to buy a much slower base 981 cayman.

Noah Fect

You might miss the 718 every time you nail the gas pedal at 1500 RPM... but you'd miss the 981 every time you turn the key.

SDPorschelover

The MT on the 2017 Cayman rocks. I agree that the PDK is not exciting. Get the MT!

ZCPSnob

I actually prefer the 2.0 718 over the 2.5. It seems more predictable and linear.

skiahh

Have a loaner 718 base today. I don't think I'd buy one for myself.

I admit it's probably faster, quicker, better handling and everything else mechanical. Although, there is a noticeable turbo lag, at least in this one. I didn't think I'd notice it, so I was surprised when I realized what was going on. The display/nav is much better, too.

Oh, and the Sport button seems to have a PSE connected, even though there's no PSE button. Putting it in sport very noticeably changes the sound of the exhaust at both idle and under acceleration, complete with burbles and pops when coming off the throttle. But... it also seems like it's trying too hard to overcome the lack of "proper" sound.

That said, I don't like the interior or the sight picture down the hood. The egg vents are always noticeable. They never fade into the background, like the contoured vents in my 981. That bugs me. Also, the new fender line running down to the headlights is about twice as tall as the one on the 981 and is very prominent. Another thing that doesn't fade away; it's always there. And it's loud! That surprised me, because when deciding between the Cayman and Boxster, the Boxster was the quieter of the two (top up), with the engine noise a nice rumble in the background. In the 718, it's kind of in your face; again, it seems to be trying too hard.

Now the vents and hoodline might just be so noticeable because of the 981 familiarity, but I was surprised at how prominent they are and are always there.

spyderphile

Higher hood-line is probably due to regulations, such as pedestrian safety. We got to live with it. Well, if one chooses to buy! As for the sound, yeah, louder isn't better! Just how faster isn't better either. But, everyone has different expectations. We just need to know what floats our boat and sail on!

Phil G.

Agreed - and those squarish headlights.

Suicide Jockey

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2017-...62D44024F5475A

Milehigh981

It's funny - I had the same thought reading the Boxster sound top down. Part of the reason I love a drop top is that you experience the sights and sounds.

Damn thing is fast though.

skiahh

Interesting review. Can't really disagree with much, there, except I think the previous Boxters are every bit as capable on twisty roads where you're not on the edge of the vehicle's performance limits.

On the track, sure, the new improvements are better in pretty much every way, as I said. But on the back roads at legal (more or less) speeds, I don't think there's that much difference. At least I didn't see/feel much (in my limited time with the loaner).

One other thing I noticed was the steering felt... lighter. But not in a good way. I like the firm steering feel in my BS. I'm never afraid I'm going to twitch and move the wheel, but in the 718, it felt like I could do just that. Don't know if it was equipped with Power Steering Plus, and never really got to thrash it at high speed to see if the feel firmed up, but on the twisty roads around here where ~55 might be the top you can get away with, it was pretty light.

JCtx

I didn't know that. It'd bug the hell out of me too, making this car a cuadruple deal-breaker (H4 engine/sound, turbo, and ugly vents/chrono wart are the first 3).

PS+ has no effect above 30 mph at the most, so not a factor. I much prefer PS+ on the Cayman GTS, by the way. It's not light at all, and feels more natural than the regular (relatively heavy) steering on the Boxster GTS. But both cars feel the same (which is great) at anything above tight twisties. Yet another detraction from the 781. And I agree any improvement of the 781 over a 981 is probably felt near the limits of the car. I'm not a professional race car driver, but like to drive aggressively, and don't find any fault with the GTSs driven outside a track (I don't and won't track them).

K-A

Which car feels faster on general roads between the 718 S and Spyder?

Plavan

If you look back at threads from when Porsche releases a new model, everything said here is the same, yet Porsche still sells them, and people end up buying the newer faster cars.

Archimedes

And someone in the GT3 forum who just took a factory tour said they were told that demand for the Cayman is through the roof now and they're struggling to keep up. So somebody must like the new car.