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I drove a 6MT 718 GTS at the LA PEC. It felt incredibly balanced and was a joy to toss around.
I drove a 911 GTS and GT3 but they were PDK.
In two weeks I am going to drive the Carrera T in manual at the same track/experience.
Sadly many dealers do not have these cars in manual to test.
Not sure where you are located, but it is a great way to test things, might be worth a trip.
LA or Atlanta.
As for the 718 GTS. It was great! So balanced, so planted, the mid-engine feel is pretty special. It is quick - on the launch next to the freeway, I dropped the clutch and got up to 110mph and only shifted to 4th at ~ 92mph. It is fast, so different than the 981 generation. The manual was terrific. It had rev-matching which I did not use during certain parts of the day by going to normal mode I believe, but I did not hate it when using it on track in Sport+. It makes driving stick so easy, not sure why people get a PDK? After driving another 718 S this past summer, the 718 GTS sounds better. Different intake and more displacement, possibly, but it sounded great to me.
The 718 GTS being so expensive, I would probably go with a stripped down no-option T, because it is a 911.
911 pedigree and backseats are swaying me to get a T, but not sure it is better choice for your needs.
Saying that, reality is - for the average canyon cruiser / getaway car the base 718 with no options for ~ $50k is all you really need.....
Had previous gen Cayman GTS with MT and now have Carrera T also with MT. Cayman was great except that gearing was sooooo long legged that it took then fun out of shift it yourself. Shorter final drive in T solves that. Don’t know how gearing is on current gen Cayman but suggest you drive both before buying.
After driving another 718 S this past summer, the 718 GTS sounds better. Different intake and more displacement, possibly, but it sounded great to me.
The Base and S model 718s have the soundaktor module. An admittedly terrible explanation is this device attaches to the firewall and kinda tries to turn it into a speaker. The result is an awful, awful noise. Porsche does not put the soundaktor module on the 718 GTS models. On the 17 and 18 models it was super easy to disconnect. They moved the connector on the 2019 models so I don't know how easy it is to disable now.
The Base and S model 718s have the soundaktor module. An admittedly terrible explanation is this device attaches to the firewall and kinda tries to turn it into a speaker. The result is an awful, awful noise. Porsche does not put the soundaktor module on the 718 GTS models. On the 17 and 18 models it was super easy to disconnect. They moved the connector on the 2019 models so I don't know how easy it is to disable now.
Just incase anyone subscrbed to this thread, I feel the need to provide an update. Ordered a Carrera T today. So stoked. Thank you for everyone's insight and opinions along the way, I genuinely apprecite all of the persepctives that were presented.
Just incase anyone subscrbed to this thread, I feel the need to provide an update. Ordered a Carrera T today. So stoked. Thank you for everyone's insight and opinions along the way, I genuinely apprecite all of the persepctives that were presented.
I am surprised but glad to hear it. What is the expected production and delivery date?
March 11th build. Early May delivery. According to the SA and SM, it is the last build allocation in the U.S., and will be the final North American T to roll off the production line.
I live in AZ - I contacted 9 different dealerships from California, Texas, etc. At the end of the day, Porsche North Scottsdale ended up having the best path forward for me...and I even got a discount, on the final T build. Other dealers I spoke with wouldnt budge on cars they had sitting on their lot for three months already. As far as the Targa, they have a March build - not sure if it was spoken for or not yet.
After my last visit, now, I have driven both of these cars in manual transmission at PEC LA.
The 718GTS is possibly the better car, the lightweight mid-engine feel was pretty amazing on the corners. On the straight away, I was actually faster in the 718 GTS.
That being said, at this price, I personally would go with the 911 T. Something about owning a 911, but people should not dismiss the 718 GTS. It is a sweet machine.
They are both sweet, but 911 for me. Also, the backseat would be used by my kids..... Did I mention these are sweet machines, can't go wrong.
I own a Carrera T and a base 981 Cayman track car. I’ve also driven the T and 718 GTS back to back on a track. The Carrera T is nice and fun to drive. But I absolutely love my Cayman and will keep it forever.
Points of comparison:
—The T feels quite a bit bigger than the Cayman. The rear axel steering helps negate the sense of size difference. I’m not a fan of the electronic suspension on either the 718 or the Carrera T. My Cayman has the X73 sport suspension (analog), which is excellent.
—The 6-speed manual is far superior to the 7-speed. Everything about it is superior: the clutch weighting, the shift action, the ability to shift quickly without missing a gate. I’m very disappointed in the 7mt. Sorry 911 fans.
—The sound of the Carrera is interesting and appealing. The 718 sound much less so, but it could probably be improved with an aftermarket exhaust. My 981 Cayman has a loudish aftermarket exhaust and it sounds awesome. I’m not a fan of the button operated sport exhaust. It just adds to the artificiality of the driving experience.
Another thing that is regrettable about the T and the GTS is the auto blip programming that comes with sport chrono. If I was ordering a new car, the option of ordering an S model without sports exhaust and sport chrono would be given strong consideration.
One very unique thing about the T is the ability to order the lightweight bucket seats, which are track ready without worrying about airbag lights and other problems when you swap out OEM seats for racing seats. That was a big selling point for me. A downside to the T is the high cost of track insurance due to the high car value.
Have you thought about a 981 Cayman S or GTS?
I think this is a really good suggestion....if I was considering a Cayman, I'd look at the 981 GTS. I love the refreshed design of the 718, but I hate the fact it has a 4-banger now, no matter how powerful. If you're looking for the better drive, I'm guessing the Cayman GTS will deliver it. The 911 is 'the' Porsche sports car, heritage and all. When I was going through this, I knew when I saw a 911, having picked a Cayman, I've have a twinge of regret. I never look at a Cayman from my 911 and think 'yea, I should have bought that'.
10-31-2018, 01:40 AM
