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To me, sound is too much of the top down driving experience to trade my high winding NA flat six for a laggy turbo flat four, even if the flat four is faster in a drag race. Put fabspeed race headers / COBB protune on my GTS and couldn't be happier. Louder and faster, @drbillyd you might want to give them a try.
I ended up driving and buying a 981 Spyder a few minutes later, which not only sounded perfect, but also was far easier to drive smoothly with supposedly same 6-speed manual transmission.
So I’ve driven the 981 Boxster GTS and 718 Boxster S and have fond feelings for both. I’m looking to replace my daily driver 6-speed 2011 997.2 with a recent Boxster. I really enjoy the ease of driving the 6-speed 718 Boxster S with it’s low RPM torque, but it’s missing the wonderful noises of the 6 cylinder 981 Boxster S and GTS. Why not just buy a 981 you ask? Because I want to custom order the car with “leather to sample”, sofa seats, blind spot detection, and manual transmission among other options.
My question is, what’s next for the 718 from Porsche? Is the 718 Boxster/Cayman selling well enough as is (and not threatening big brother 911), or does Porsche think that the sound of the 718 is hurting sales? Maybe Porsche is so happy with their huge number of SUV sales (and their current focus on the redesigned Panamera) that pefecting the 718 platform just isn’t that important right now. Are they going to try to make the 4 banger sound better? Since the 718 has only been around for 2 model years (introduced in 2016 as a 2017), does that mean we won’t see a GTS until model year 2019? I keep hearing rumors of a return of the NA 6 cylinder, but I can’t see Porsche going “backwards”. Maybe a 6-pot for an upcoming Boxster Spyder or GT4, but hard to imagine for the 718 Boxster S or GTS. The Spyder option doesn’t interest me as I prefer the easier roof operation and added sound insulation of the regular Boxster top rather than the Spyder.
So here’s the “first world” problem of the day, if you love the looks and sound of the 981 Boxster, but want the 718’s flat torque curve and ability to customize, what do you do?
are you sensitive to turbo lag? if you are, I wouldn't place too much value on the supposed low rpm torque of the 718
I am low torque fiend, ever since I got my first fox body 5.0 mustang back in the day, I love low rpm instant push, it's just fun.
thing is, despite all the reviews raving about the low rpm torque of turbos, the turbo lag gets in the way of the fun. Turbo lag means there is no instant push. This is why for me my NA 981S feels better than the m2 or m4 I recently drove, even though they produce much more torque.
The f type r awd on the other hand offered that instant low rpm thrust which made it loads of fun. The modern turbos, hampered by lag, don't for me offer that instant response.
The C718S is a fabulous car - one of the best drivers cars out there bar none.
“Marry this car. This is the kind of car you marry because it’s so fun to be around and it’s good-looking and shows you a good time and never tries to stab you in the back. And it might not have the extremes of the 600 horsepower sports car, but it is so rewarding to drive and hang around with and have with you for long periods of time.” Randy Pobst. Motor Trend, 2nd in Best Drivers Car 2017.
I guess its a case of those that know how to drive get the reward and those that don't talk about sound.
The C718S is a fabulous car - one of the best drivers cars out there bar none.
“Marry this car. This is the kind of car you marry because it’s so fun to be around and it’s good-looking and shows you a good time and never tries to stab you in the back. And it might not have the extremes of the 600 horsepower sports car, but it is so rewarding to drive and hang around with and have with you for long periods of time.” Randy Pobst. Motor Trend, 2nd in Best Drivers Car 2017.
I guess its a case of those that know how to drive get the reward and those that don't talk about sound.
randy also is a big fan of early 90s Hondas and Mazdas and many many other cars that I wouldn’t want to own or drive either. He has his reasons, as a seasoned race car driver.
Nevertheless, neither I (nor most of us here I suspect) buy a Boxster or Cayman as an academic exercise as a track weapon or track learning aid. We buy these cars for how they make us feel. And the NA 6 from the 981 Boxster And Cayman S/GTS/GT4/Spyder succeeds better on that count than the turbo 4-banger in the 718. I would bet even Randy Pobst, given the choice of one or the other, would have a 981 aside from setting the fastest lap time. Just listen to him talk about not wanting to shift as a motor goes toward a 9K redline in latest video of him posted to YouTube today about HP vs Torque
I guess its a case of those that know how to drive get the reward and those that don't talk about sound.
Spoken like a true STI lover. Enjoy ... 4 cylinder turbos are just not my cup of tea nor most other folks if 718 sales are any indicator.
Won first place in a pro race 45 years ago in a 68 Camaro that I built ... raced and built some fast bikes along the years too ... still know how to drive.
From the few numbers I've been able to find, the 718 is selling okay outside the US and overall sales are slightly up globally over the 981. The performance is a step forward over the 981 and both base and S received generally great reviews. Why wouldn't Porsche be happy? Americans might not like it but we're too busy buying macans anyway....
It depends on what you are buying this car. For me, my base 718 is my daily car. I did test drive the base 981 Boxster with PDK and remember the need to accelerate a bit to get the torque to get it rolling but the NA6 sound is great. I can imagine it does get tiring for everyday though due to the low power the base 981 has. It would be a great weekend car.
With the 718, it's much easier and no need to push as much as the base 981 at the expense of the sound. It's a more relaxing car to drive fo everyday though. However, the Flat 4 does reminds me of a hint of V8.
However, listening from to 2 out of 4 981 GTS owners in my country, they prefer the 718 for everyday but their GTS for weekend. One of them admitted not mind buying the 718 for everyday use.
718 is receiving some pretty high praise in automotive press. Not sure why they would feel the need to work on it before a typical model refresh is due. The addition of a GTS will only increase it's performance and probably bring more kudos. The only real negative is the sound it makes, and that hasn't stopped people from buying lots of nice cars for the past 10 or 20 years, even the acclaimed Porsche turbo. IMO could be waiting a good while, if you plan to wait for a significant refresh of 718 before purchasing.
Originally Posted by olegd
The huge negative with 718 is the sales numbers. They are dismal. I think that people are just not accepting the 4-cyl turbo. They either have to drop the price to attract a wider audience or go back to more prestigious mechanics.
Bingo - The journalists love it but sales figures are the telling sign that consumers do not. It's not just the reduction in cylinders but also the forced induction. 911 sales are low also for this reason.
Spoken like a true STI lover. Enjoy ... 4 cylinder turbos are just not my cup of tea nor most other folks if 718 sales are any indicator.
Won first place in a pro race 45 years ago in a 68 Camaro that I built ... raced and built some fast bikes along the years too ... still know how to drive.
Yep still own several STIs including one with a Cosworth long block Still take it out for the occasional hill climb.
Take a 718S for a spin - seriously, its a great car and sales for many sports cars are down in the US (ranging from -5% to around -90%, July 2017).
Originally Posted by sapman
Wow. Charming. And clueless.
Nope, bang on accurate for Rennlist - perhaps take a drive in a 718S then get back to me.
If I was on the Hunt for another mid-engined car I'd happily take a 718 - most likely in GTS guise
Originally Posted by ajw45
From the few numbers I've been able to find, the 718 is selling okay outside the US and overall sales are slightly up globally over the 981. The performance is a step forward over the 981 and both base and S received generally great reviews. Why wouldn't Porsche be happy? Americans might not like it but we're too busy buying macans anyway....
Yep sales are up globally - I suspect you're correct WRT US market
"While there are still plenty of buyers who love the passing lane, auto makers face a pesky reality. Men born between 1946 and 1964, who buy most sports cars, are cruising past their peak spending years. And as age 70 beckons, folding up like an accordion to get into the front seat of a speedy roadster is hardly the prescription for an aching back. Some are even turning to high-powered versions of luxury SUVs."
PS: It would behoove you to understand the intricacies of the fundamental variance in subjective opinion. If you enjoy the 718 that's great, even if you love how it sounds and you appreciate the benefit of the added torque and power. However others enjoy the 981 more and fundamentally there is no wrong answer. Even though the 718 is a step up in performance (as it should be), read between the lines in all of the reviews, you will see a disconcerting amount of negative feedback regarding the sound and engine character.
10-12-2017, 09:47 PM
Still take it out for the occasional hill climb. 