Cayman 981s vs. 718
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2017
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I don’t recall the 718 Cayman S that I drove having turbo lag, per se, but different style of power delivery, like all turbo charged cars have, vs NA.
I didn’t feel any handling improvements on the new 718 Cayman S that I drove (again: manual, Sport suspension, Sport Chrono) vs my past 981-based cars (981 Boxster S with base suspension, GT4), nor vs the 981 Spyder I drove immediately afterwards and bought the same day. But then again, except for the 981 Boxster S, those other two 981-based cars one would expect to outperform a 718 Cayman S in the handling Dept. Also note that the 718 Cayman S had its standard tires vs nearly new Trofeo R tires on the 981 Spyder that I drove and bought and Michelin Cup 2 on GT4. The tires probably have a bigger impact on handling feel than whatever improvements the 718 may have in the suspension Dept.
To me, the biggest difference by far is the feel and sound of the engine. Of course it’s subjective whether one prefers NA 6 over turbo 4 in this regard. Having become accustomed to my previous flat 6 NA P-cars, and frankly having enjoyed the sound and feel of those cars’ engines and power delivery style as one of the best things about those cars, I’m in the flat 6 NA camp.
That’s not to say I’m against turbos in principle. They’re great in my daily driver cars. And they’re undisputed when it comes to flat out performance and probably efficiency potential too. But that’s not what a small sports car is about, IMO. It’s about feeling.
To to sum it up, after driving the new 718 Cayman S, which in most ways except for engine is very similar to a 981 platform with comparable options, the first sound that came out of me when pulling away in the 981 Spyder was “Ahhh, thank God.”
8th Gear
Joined: Dec 2010
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Sound is a large emotive factor for many people buying a sports car, and although a 718 is faster than a 981, it will never be the fastest for the dollar spent - so if it's speed one is after, look elsewhere. With that in mind, the 718 never sounds as bad as any F80 series M3/4, and many still go gaga over that car. As they say, different strokes...
To me, what matters most is immediacy of throttle response - and that's where turbo ie. 718 till date will ALWAYS fall short.
To me, what matters most is immediacy of throttle response - and that's where turbo ie. 718 till date will ALWAYS fall short.
Intermediate
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From: Pac NW
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2014
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From: Honolulu
Great post, but I assume you accidentally transposed 718 and 981 in that particular sentence, right? It's always going to be a subjective thing, but IMO it's tough to make the case that the 718 rear-end treatment was an improvement in any respect. Like the rest of the car, it was an exercise in fixing things that weren't broken. (Of course, stalwart 987 devotees will say the same of the 981...)
8th Gear
Joined: Dec 2010
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Have driven both extensively, the 718S does have very good response for a turbo car, don't get me wrong - but there's nothing like the crispness of touching an NA pedal.
718S is a very fast car, but throttle sensitivity will never compare. That said, and as many have highlighted, it does alot of things better than 981; throttle response just isn't one of them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,208
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From: Honolulu
Nothing to do with which gear you're in.
Have driven both extensively, the 718S does have very good response for a turbo car, don't get me wrong - but there's nothing like the crispness of touching an NA pedal.
718S is a very fast car, but throttle sensitivity will never compare. That said, and as many have highlighted, it does alot of things better than 981; throttle response just isn't one of them.
Have driven both extensively, the 718S does have very good response for a turbo car, don't get me wrong - but there's nothing like the crispness of touching an NA pedal.
718S is a very fast car, but throttle sensitivity will never compare. That said, and as many have highlighted, it does alot of things better than 981; throttle response just isn't one of them.
Last edited by MidEngineRules; Jan 6, 2018 at 04:35 PM.
Race Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,899
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That's the biggest problem with the 718 from my perspective. A decently equipped 718 Boxster S will sticker in the low $80Ks, and that's a lot of money to spend for a 4 cyl engine. The 718's exhaust sound is also disappointing, but there's only so much that can be done with a turbo 4 cyl engine, I know that there are some who post that sound is unimportant to them, but I'd say they are in the minority for sports car buyers, given the significant dollars Porsche invests in its exhaust sound. Ferrari is another company that spends a lot of money on getting their unique exhaust sound. Getting a car to sound loud is quite easy; any old rusted out muffler will make that car loud. But getting that perfect exhaust pitch is rarely achieved.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,208
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From: Honolulu
Maybe because I'm becoming an old fart I do like a little bit of luxury/refinement even with this platform. I've had full leather interiors in all 3 of my Boxsters (2 red, 1 black). When I price out a 718S the way I'd want it it's over $100k, and that's not going crazy with it. That's more than I spent on my '16 Boxster Spyder, which is nuts. Pay more get less. Plus a 718 won't hold its value comparatively. But my ultimate beef with the 718 is no X73 sport suspension option. I've had 2 987s with X73 and the '16 Spyder of course. It makes such a huge difference in handling/cornering and road feel in general, which is a major reason to choose this platform. These cars are all about the driving dynamic. No X73 is no bueno. If Porsche is smart they'll offer a "sport" suspension option for the 718.2. And bring back Speed Yellow!
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,452
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What I have found with small displacement turbo cars (like my daily driver) is that I will drive them normally slightly faster than my NA Porsche because they require less throttle to maneuver city traffic and loops, etc. I find myself commuting at slightly higher speeds which isn't necessarily a good thing. I think this is what people like ... that feeling the turbo car is quicker because it's easier to accelerate with little effort. I have an Escort radar detector that I keep in the daily. I don't use one in the Porsche because either I'm more self-constrained or more in control of every mph. That's linear power versus boost. Neither car is necessarily any quicker to a single driver as the individual driver controls acceleration and speed and can decide to or not drive fast or slow. The only driver you're racing is yourself. It comes down to how you like power delivery. Turbos give you the ability to drive at very low rpms and still zip along quite nicely. With a NA motor, you're going to have to work a little harder, but that also gives you the chance to hear the motor which is rewarding. I'm an older driver and prefer to be in control of all that I'm doing and don't mind having to use a little more motor for the sake of driving enjoyment. Ultimately in the debate of the 981 versus 718 I think there's more reward and enjoyment with the 981. The only sense it doesn't tick as well is that effortless pull at low rpms. The 3.4 is a very rewarding motor to let rip a bit. Your fuel economy may suffer a tad but this is a toy, right?
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2017
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Exactly. I don't want to be going fast on public roads, I want to be exercising my motor, working to connect with the car, hearing it scream, while not being an absolute nuisance and having a huge smile across my face. The 3.4 is a marvel at achieving this. Going fast at low RPM's is a bore, and actually frustrating when you have a glorious soundtrack behind you that you aren't getting benefit out of. My preferred method of spirited driving is keeping RPM's up, ripping then rapid shifting, rinse, repeat. Like you said, that's what makes it feel like a "toy."
That said, there are times when hearing the engine scream is great fun, but sunny, traffic-free days on winding roads represents about 10% the time I get to use my car.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
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I don't agree. It isn't a question (and its not the reality in my case) of going fast on public roads, it's about having the instantaneous power to react to common traffic issues. I don't drive faster in my 718S than I did in my 981 GTS, but I really appreciate the ability to quickly accelerate if the situation requires it, without waiting for the engine to hit 4000 RPM. I think of torque as a safety feature here on the crazy roads in NJ.
That said, there are times when hearing the engine scream is great fun, but sunny, traffic-free days on winding roads represents about 10% the time I get to use my car.
That said, there are times when hearing the engine scream is great fun, but sunny, traffic-free days on winding roads represents about 10% the time I get to use my car.
What I really wish we had is closer gear ratios in the lower gears, as I find ultimate fun in revving it out then rapid-shifting, downshifting, rinsing, repeating.
Intermediate
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Rennlist Member
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From: New Jersey
No doubt. The 991 Turbo S is an amazing machine, capable of so much more than the common man should be able to harness. Although I enjoy driving my friends it is the least engaging Porsche I have ever driven. It is just too easy to drive fast and does everything so effortlessly. Unless you are breaking both the laws of physics and the speed limit three times + over they are not very engaging.The TTS is easy to go fast in but offers me no challenge or interaction with the road that my earlier air-cooled cars do. My 981GTS is fun and somewhat visceral but offers far less then the earlier cars do. So many accomplished drivers climb behind the wheel of an air-cooled 911 and realize how little they actually know about driving and the lack of nannies and old school suspension humbles them. Very few cars both old and new offer the level of engagement and excitement an early 911 does at speeds that aren't breaking the sound barrier.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,452
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And while I truly don’t like the exhaust note of the 718, turbo flat sixes tend to sound so bland (compared to N/A flat sixes) that even what I consider offensive about the turbo 4 lends it at least some emotion and character over the turbo flat six (which in comparison sounds too quiet and refined). N/A flat six vs turbo flat six are different realms of sound to me.