Touché!

have I started a storytelling structure meme like “Hitler reacts to...”?

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.”

- I very much want the 718 to be very successful for Porsche and I'm glad it's being purchased and looked upon enthusiastically by owners and others. I want the Boxster/Cayman platform to continue as its heritage is deep in Porsche's past when their mid-engine cars ruled endurance racing. Porsche took great risk by moving to a 4 cylinder engine so I hope it pans out. I don't like words like better or superior as they don't really say anything but most often come across as diatribe. Journalists seem to be the ones who usually try to express small incremental change as significant leaps and it usually falls very short of real world differences.
- I'm perplexed as to why there is no X73 suspension option for the 718. While Porsche and owners can claim the 718 suspension is improved (base to base), they aren't making that claim against X73 equipped 981s (or 987s for that matter). For those who love PASM and have never driven an X73 equipped 987 or 981, you have no idea what you're missing. The X73 option transforms the platform, far more so than differences a higher performing tire can make. Perfectly balanced setup with no ill manners, and no button to push. Best OEM suspension I've ever used in the real world. X73 was an option and can still be retrofitted to base 981 Boxsters/Caymans for not a lot of money. There's no wonder why Porsche made it the only suspension option (and a standard feature) for the most special Boxster/Cayman offerings to date such as the Boxster Spyders (987 and 981) and the Cayman R.
- The argument of wanting increased low end engine torque is not necessarily valid to me. If you think you don't have enough low end torque for a given situation you're probably driving in the wrong gear for the situation. Force is the measure of acceleration, which is gear multiplied engine torque transmitted to the ground, not engine torque alone. Driven correctly any NA Porsche has more than enough Force on tap to meet the demands in a speed constrained street environment. And during spirited driving, aside from initial inertia are you ever in the low range of rpms so the 718's "more low end torque" becomes relevant? Midrange and upper end power is the real heartbeat of the motor and where the reward lies. I've only owned 300+ hp Boxsters/Cayman but never once have I thought the low end torque was inadequate. Change those gears! In fact, it was my first drive in a friend's 987 base Boxster that made me rethink why I owned a 997 Carrera S. I was amazed at how well the 987 base cornered compared to my much more powerful 997S (with PASM!). And I thought the acceleration was impressive for a sub 300 hp car. Again, be in the right gear and you will be rewarded. If you feel you need to drive in high gears at low speeds and have hard acceleration on tap in gear, I question why you enjoy driving a sports car outside of the aesthetic.
- What I like most about the 718 is that Porsche opened up the color pallet a bit, and the rear end of the 718 is better looking than the 981 especially in terms of rear spoiler integration and taillights. Having LED headlights is also a plus and looks nice. What I find odd about the 718's exterior styling is why Porsche seems to be flattening the front deck by removing the fender curves which are almost non-existent now. The 987 curves headlight to taillight were perfection and with the 981, Porsche squared off the top of them which took me a while to come to grips with. The wonderful curves of the 987 are almost completely gone with the 718. I fear for the next generation in terms of styling. Hopefully they won't go near the look of the 911 slant nose.
- Enjoy what you like. All Boxsters/Caymans are superb to drive. Realize there's lot of options and differences within each generation and not all newer specifications are necessarily a step up comparatively. My beloved Cayman R was a very rewarding drive. It took the 2016 Spyder for me to let go of it. As a twice former 997 Carrera S owner, I always wondered what the 3.8 would be like in a Boxster/Cayman, not for additional low end torque but for the high end punch. Now I think I have the best of both worlds and have no plan to let go of my Spyder regardless of what Porsche comes out with next.
The engine noise argument is legit, at least for the Boxster/Cayman since the motor is inches from the occupants. Not sure I could knowingly give up that high rpm howl. Even my 2008 RS60 Spyder had an incredible engine noise at full throttle.
Cheers!