is the Porsche 718 Cayman the world's finest all-round driver's sportscar? 2017 Review...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ค. 2024
- is the Porsche 718 Cayman the world's finest all-round driver's sportscar? 2017 Review...
overview 00:00
background 01:01
driving experience 03:51
design and build 13:25
market and model range 22:40
cost of ownership 36:26
summary 41:53
Jonathan Crouch writes an in-depth Porsche 718 Cayman 2017 review. If you want to watch more reviews on vehicles like this Porsche 718 Cayman 2017, make sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and comment what YOU want us to review next.
Poor man's Porsche or the world's finest all-round driver's sportscar? Jonathan Crouch checks out the Porsche 718 Cayman coupe.
Ten Second Review
This 718 Cayman ditches the old flat six engine of its predecessors in favour of a more efficient turbocharged four cylinder powerplant for mainstream varaints, yet still offers more power. As for the name, well in case you were wondering, the '718' reference refers not to the engine but a series of classic Porsche mid-engined models that won numerous races in the 1950s and '60s. Enough with the briefing; what's this car like?
Background
As ever, Porsche determinedly refutes suggestions that what we have here is simply 'a Boxster with a roof' but that's essentially what it boils down to. Not that there's much wrong with that, the exemplary handling balance of the brand's entry-level model enhanced by a body almost twice as stiff, enough to make this car the darling of the red mist brigade in the motoring press, if not as strong a seller as its maker would have liked.
So what to do? Porsche could certainly make this car quicker, even sharper to drive, more efficient to run and higher tech to use - and sure enough, all of that was done for the launch of the original version of this third generation model, back in 2013. It wasn't quite enough, even with the subsequent launch of more focused GTS and GT4 versions. Will this 718 version fare any better? It'll be interesting to see...
Writer - Jonathan Crouch
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#porsche #porsche718 #porsche718cayman - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
2021 718 Cayman T owner here. First Porsche and first brand new car purchase of my life. Base price was $68,700, with carbon ceramics and other light-weight go fast options and the 7year/75K miles factory warranty…it was $86K out the door. I would do it all over again. What a car!!
The words “poor man’s” are ill advised. The fact it is a $40k discount from the 911 does not in any way whatsoever make it for “poor men”.
I have to say though, I really admire what Porsche is doing with this car, and that is, finding a platform to use different styling. The 911 platform is ridiculously resistant to change. So, here we go with a new look for Porsche. That’s a great idea.
I have a base 718 but manual and fully loaded interior, sports Chrono, PASM, PDLS+, PTV, Bose etc. it’s an unbelievable car.
Dream car! Mind if I ask, is it playful? Eg how easy is it to slide/get the back end to come round?
The test drive overall was a great experience. But I was honestly disappointed with the power. Felt very sluggish in my opinion, but the drive was still truly amazing. Everything was smooth and well refined.
I belive you
@@UTubeSL Inhabent really got the back out on the road. I’m sure you could if you wanted to. It’s not short of grunt.
@@Koopa33 It’s not sluggish in the right gear. You’ll hear people talk about ‘turbo lag’. There isn’t any. What there IS is a boost threshold. That is, you really need to be above 2-2500 RPM. Which I always am as I’m choosing my own gears. I don’t find that sluggish at all. It’s the perfect amount of power for the road. Power you can really exploit. You might want more on the track or if you just like to drag race.
The new engine is great and I loved it until I drove a 981 with the 3.4 flat 6. The sound and way it builds power with revs more than compensates for the lessor performance model for model from my point of view. Had I not driven the flat 6, I would have bought a 718 Boxter S and loved it. Sadly I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that Porsche wanted to differentiate the Boxter / Cayman from the much more expensive 911 rather than make the Boxter Cayman more desirable. It appears many agreed which is why the GTS with the 4.0l flat 6 was introduced.
I am always amazed when a reviewer does such a detailed review but doesn't spend any time talking about ride quality. How hard is the suspension? How does it feel on rough roads? How comfortable would you be on a long trip? How are these not important questions to discuss in a review?
Well, it's a sportscar, not a grand tourer. You wouldn't really want to take it on long roadtrips or regularly drive on rough roads. You can, but it's not what this car is for.
It wasn't mentioned on the paper in the envelope Porsche handed this reviewer , only wads of cash and how its still a great car .JK
@Dragobrath It will most likely be the case that any commute will have roads in imperfect condition. Thus, how it rides on such roads is important, especially since he was making the daily driver argument.
@@coolaa7 It's fine in most of the cities. I just ride in sport setting (the stiffest one), you can set it to normal mode if you're driving on gravel and it does not fell terrible. It's not 90's sportscar stiff, but it's stiffer than BMW M4.
@@Dragobrath -Yes. It’s a firm ride and fairly comfortable for a true roadster type sports car. Indeed I owned one and it was better than my Miata a it was bigger, heavier with more room. But still stiffer than ordinary street cars. Not enough room for your passengers to stretch out and relax. Feels the road beneath your butt!
I have one and love it. Not the soundtrack of the flat 6 but NO issue with performance or handling. A step forward in sharpness and handling over the previous model - regardless, whatever puts a smile on your face. Much easier to tune and get another 100 bhp if you are that way inclined. Just find a good specialist.
I have had my 718 CS 2017 since new. I configurated mine for the most genuine lightweight Porsche sportscar experience. Manual, PTV, PASM with sport chassis. No shit like parking sensors, cameras, lane assist and 2017 is the year without particle filter. It is tuned to ~400hp... an amazing little rocket that can keep up with the big boys. 😀 Consistently 0-100kph in 3,6-3,8s Measured with GPS.
Have you also done a test driven in the base Cayman? How much better is the S to the base?
@@christmasisawesome9348 When i confugurated my 718 CS 2017 in 2016 the Porsche dealer had just received one base Boxster (300) and one Boxster S (350). I tested both back to back and my experience is that the 300hp was held back in comparison to the 350hp. Both cars give excellent driver experience. The S is of course faster and the difference are more noticeable at higher speeds. Original HP 100 - 200 kph --- 10,2 vs Base 13,1s. You can compare cars on "fastestlaps" & co... Look for a car with Sport chassis with PASM (-20mm) and PTV.
Love my 718T more than enough power and with pasm, sport chrono and porsche vectoring built in is the one to have
Mine is specced the same but it’s not the T. It’s incredible.
Thanks for a very in depth review.👍
Glad it was helpful!
Love my 2.5 GTS. Feels like a gokart on the street! I can’t imagine anyone getting in this car and driving it, and NOT enjoying it.
I drove the base 2.0 with the pdk and loved it, such a great convertible
Excellent review 👏
Thank you!
An excellent review ❤
Thank you!
I love the side profile of the 718, with a super short rear overhang.
Nice , unique colour.
You can fit a single golf club bag if you lay it under the back window in the Cayman. In the US models never came with a wireless charger with the smartphone compartment, it's a cell phone booster only.
Love my 2022 718S….no complaints
Me too the car is amazing
Excellent video.
Glad you liked it!
Everyone mentions the sound of the 6 cylinder when high revving being so much better than the 4 cylinder, but with a PDK and normal driving, the engine does not get to rev high. I have had my base 718 Cayman for over 3 years, coming from a 560hp 4.8 litre v8 twin turbo (M5 F10) and I find the Cayman wants for nothing in both sound and power. I almost didn't want to look at a 718 as so many people were complaining about the sound, but I am glad I did! I just thought to write this in case anyone is put off in even looking at a 178 due to the complains about the sound th-cam.com/video/w8VQg4tNe78/w-d-xo.html
Good review tks
Thanks for watching!
Amazing car 🚗
A Porsche is a Porsche
I have the 718 GT4. The BIGGEST negative with this platform is that is has struts in the rear as opposed to a multi-link.
Struts are fine up front , but it makes for a car that moves around more than it should because of the toe changes in the rear as the suspension articulates
Nice colour.
My favourite car is the Audi R8 (V10). Small footprint, with all four corners visible from the driver's seat. Best of all, it can be driven like a common sedan, but runs with the 911s when you decide to go hooligan, with that glorious V10 sound! So, anything wrong with it? Yes - it's not involving like a 911. 😊
I love r8 v10 but its footprint is always larger than 911s, both width and length, also weight
@@Mark-rt6fy I have both an R8 as well as a 997 (OK, a Ruf Rt12). I feel that I'm in a bulkier car in 997. I'll have to measure the two cars to be properly informed. Thanks for alerting me of a probable error!
@@folagNever seen a ruf in person (apparently selling for more than gt2rs in the US) but stock 997 has slow steering ratio, which probably makes you feel the car being big
@@Mark-rt6fy Thanks, that makes sense. The steering ratio may be a differential factor in how large or small the car feels.
I’d buy an R8 but everyone says they’re not as good as a 911. So I have the 991.2 GT3
Cant wait
Nice video
Thanks!
Production 356s were rear-engined.
Nice review. You can also argue the best drivers model is the poor man’s underpowered 911 Carrera T. Not sure why Porsche does this after all the Cayman seems to be made up of much more 911 parts underneath than we all thought. Anyway must be good news for drivers and can only mean Cayman values should be solid
Umm. Wrong. The Cayman wasn't released until around 2003. The Boxster was released in 1996.
2005
2006 launch in the US as a Cayman S only. The 2.7 followed in 2007.
2005 in the UK@@JJL206
@@nigelsmith3144Sounds right. You get all the good stuff first over there!
2:40 History of 4 cylinders
4:30 How it sounds
9:40 Drive modes
13:25 981/2 > 911
16:40 Cabin space (dated)
27:00 Options
37:00 No weight loss going from 6 to 4 cylinders
39:50 Resale value; insurance
41:53 The one with the downsized engine
The self ad banner is really annoying
will be fixing that on our upcoming videos
These always look good on track as I overtake them in a Lotus
… of course you do TP 👍🏻
With your Toyota Camry engine?
Sorry only Porsche is Porsche - Lotus quick but.....
@@markjohnson1016 you keep telling yourself that!
You’re going to spend about $80,000 in USA for the entry level base Cayman with one or two options after taxes maybe more. This is NOT A CAR FOR THE AVERAGE WORKER! That’s a Mustang, Miata or BRZ/ GR86, Nissan Z or Supra; Not a Porsche which is priced us out!
It’s the same in europe don’t worry. I was hesitating between a supra and a cayman, the Porsche was 10k € more expensive, for less performance, and somewhat similar driving experience.
Great pre owned buy
be smart -- buy used. I got a cayman s for less than $40k.
Same in South Africa. Although prices of cars are ridiculous anyway.
Used
Nice enough but all the extras will add a ton of cash to the base price, and quite a lot of them appear to be for pretty standard stuff, like heated seats .I didn't think the standard interior trim had a wow factor and the design of the seats looked pretty dull.I love the exterior look , it would definitely get lots of appreciative looks ,but on balance i'll stick with my MX5RF .
I totally agree with you. I have a 23 MX-5 RF GT and love it. I would love a Cayman or Boxster but I don’t want to spend $80k for a new one and I don’t want a 10 yr old Cayman with no warranty for more $$$ than my Miata! It’s a 2 seater after all and the RF in Soul Red looks spectacular and is easily as much fun as the Cayman. So I’ll keep my $35k fun roadster!
Pretty car but you convinced me to keep my Golf R as it is just as quick to accelerate and has 5 seats and a hatchback. Oh and 4 wheel drive. Very nearly as quick as a 911 down the straights on track but loses out on the bends, I’ve never seen a cayman on track to compare.
I also have a Golf R (Wagon) with stage 1 gearbox and engine. I've had it going on 6 years now, since new. Im looking at upgrading to the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. If you havn't driven one, i suggest you give it a try as you simply cant compare the Cayman to the Golf. It may not be much quicker in a straight line but you just feel so much more connected to the car, it really is a fantastic car to drive and makes the Golf feel rather boring in comparison, and even though my Golf has a Milltek cat back exhaust, the sound of that flat 6 engine is far better.
Never understood the poor mans Porsche thing, is the Fiesta known as the poor mans ford, or the Audi A3 the poor mans Audi? Not at all, just different models within the range.
A 3 litre Audi is called a big Audi, but a 3.4 litre Porsche is considered small 🤔 😅.
Porsche Boxsters/ Cayman/ Spyders are fantastic fun cars, never claiming to be the fastest, just an all round great sports car with enough variations to suit most.
Let’s be honest. The Boxster/Cayman is a better car than the 911 if you don’t care about back seats you can’t really use other than to throw stuff into. The 981/982 chassis use mostly the same parts from the 911 and are built on the same assembly line. I have a 981 Boxster S and the yes the flat six is amazing, also as much power as you can safely use on the street. It’s a bulletproof car and Porsches are designed for ease of maintenance and repair unlike almost all other manufacturers. I do all my own maintenance and there reallly isn’t that much for 40,000 mile intervals. I’d recommend Pasm or the X73 suspension upgrades as the handling is phenomenal! I love top down driving and wouldn’t trade it for a Cayman. Top up driving is nearly identical to the Cayman and a cat back exhaust and tune will net you 350hp.
There term "Pòor mans Porsche" is a bit silly. When I was in my early twenties the Dino 246 was the "poor mans Ferrari". You could get one for about 15k about 10 years old. Second hand prices are just about supply and demand. Thety are not directly related to beauty , quality , reliability, handling or anything useful or ornamental. Personally I would rather have a Cayman than anything else, except for a 904 and I cant afford one of those.
Loads of people who watch this wont be able to get one on the drive due to other "priorities" - don't despair theres the 987 etc out there for sub £10k that will provide the thrills and Porsche kudos - out in mine yesterday it was so much fun trying to catch an M3 - made his day 😂
Silly Headline probably the RS Cayman is one of the best Porsche cars.
The nickel and diming to simply use CarPlay, which is already there but needs to be activated, is a deal breaker.
I think this is an old review. It doesn’t need activating. It’s just there.
Nope it’s boxster all the way for me I had an early one very tempted to get another before I kick the bucket. Never ever thought about the cayman .
I have a 2007 Boxster S with the 3.4 engine. Wonderful car to drive and a minimum of tech. Has to be a flat six in my opinion.
Not exactly poor man’s car,, £60,000 plus
Poor man’s Porsche! Not car. Big difference there.
@@gaara4667 I hate that phrase. I can afford a 911 but chose a cayman because I like its handling characteristics and size.
@@romulus_ but it’s still a poor man’s Porsche. Cheaper Porsche sports car to get into the brand than a base 911. Not that the individual buying isn’t wealthy.
@@gaara4667 it's cheaper but not cheap. it's not a poor man's anything.
@@romulus_ poor man’s anything means something is cheap or cheaper. So it’s a cheap or cheaper Porsche.
Ha ha ha !!!! The Cayman and boxster might started out as a poor man's Porsche BUT it quickly became EXPENSIVE!!!! By the time you had enough to put a down payment on a Cayman; its price was already in the stratosphere!!!!
Poor mans Porsche is an MX-5.
That's what I've got I'm proud to say, and I'm very happy with it ,but the Porsche does look tasty, I won't deny !
Kind of a vw sound at idle but better once it gets going. I tell my kids a Cayman will make me look like I am successful but failed to make it to the top. My S4 is a monster at 455hp low end torque of 390 while a 911 has to be pushed harder with much more throttle to get the revs up before it comes alive.
It’s more of a sports car than the current 911. TBH.
Startingprice in The Netherlands: 115000 euro's. Not realy a poor man's car...
I just got a new shirt made that reads " PORSCHE, MORE THAN JUST GETTING THERE "😊😊😊😊 thoughts????
bit of snobbery can exist with porsche -- whatever you have somebody will have a better one /// interested start with a good history 5 6 year old boxster // then work your way up // they in reality are all good - certainly some better but all better than most cars // drove everyhting subaru audi bmw merc - once you get used to porsche difficult to change and you will find what suits --- top end turbo 911s fast like daft but seriously if you want to keep your license - start sensible gradually trade up // if later you want a new one and you drive one dealers will take you more seriously - if away would drop in and test models oh you drive porsche no problem ... this is good etc // when arriving on foot oh another tire kicker guy if you want to call back bit busy etc ... !!! also you learn there is a network for parts advice servicing clubs with a starter car ... you learn a lot .. and its a great deal cheaper ... for mere mortals ..
Poor mans porsche.. id be happy to be called a tramp and have this!
As much as I love the 718, there is no such thing as a "poor man's Porsche." That's a ridiculous claim. People who want to have fun behind the wheel at an affordable price should start their search with the Mazda Miata.
I`ll take a used cayman or boxster over a miata any time...and I did. it`s like comparing a decent white wine with a top-of-the-line champagne.
@@donkeyshot8472 I disagree. Of course, most people want to justify the choice they made, but it's just their opinion, nothing more. In my opinion, the Miata is every bit as 'fun' as a base 718, but badge snobbery is a powerful thing. I desperately wanted a Porsche for decades and I test drove several used examples, but I ultimately decided I didn't want to deal with the absurd maint costs that come with owning a Porsche, especially preowned with no warranty, which is what I can afford. I brand new Miata is FAR more appealing to me.
@@dlg5485that`s fine by me too, of course. a few years ago, I drove a miata and a 987 boxster back-to-back. I decided to go with the porsche.
There is NO Poor Mans Porsche, they are all expensive as shit now!
1996 ? you mean 2006 550 Coupe ? You mean Spyder
The two Caymans to have are the 981 GTS 3.4L NA with PTV and PSE its a sublime drive with a sublime sound track and 718 GTS 4L NA (excluding GT products) - slightly more power and torque than the 981 GTS with less sound track.
Not once they go EV
In the states … same price …corvette or a 4 cylinder go kart .. hmm 🤔 le me see…
As long as you buy one because you like how it drives that is fine. If you buy to "show off" you are out of your depth.
I would be impressed if someone rolled up in this blue car. I am not impressed by rolexes and 911’s.
Oh come on, Audi and BMW just don't get close in terms of kerb appeal or drive.
I can't get my head round the appeal of a Cayman, as a boxster driver why wouldn't you want the option to go topless when the sun's out, that's what it's all about surely?
Still not sure about the sound of the 718's, the raspy growl of the aspirated 6 is so much sweeter.
I hate the flat 4, spoils it so much, they are selling secondhand for less than the 918 now
@@acooper1037 918 sells for well over 1 million, of course everything porsche is cheaper
the porsche 718 series was the moment that both cayman and boxster took a turn for the worse: less appealing looks, less appealing sound. sales of the 718 series have also been comparatively low. finally, current preparations for the introduction of an exclusively all-electric (!) boxster and cayman platform in 2025 will sound the death knell for both models.
That's the real shame about the 718 - it looks so dated compared to the 992. But yeah, I agree that Porsche likely did that move to keep the Cayman/Boxster going, while internally focusing on the next EV generation of the series.
@@everpuremusicI prefer to compare boxster/cayman models to other boxster caymans: whether the 911/992 looks dated or ages well will only
become apparent in a few years time. meanwhile, we can safely say that both the 987, as well as the 981 series cars are aging well, with timeless
design...while the 718 design modifications were largely changes "for changes` sake", with singularly ugly, angular front air intakes, more sharp edges,
a silly "porsche" badge along the rear, etc.
historically, cars probably age best with more rounded bodywork, later regarded as "classic design"...but maybe that`s just me. fact is, I enjoy the design
of the 987 series more as the the cars get older. as for the boxster/cayman move to EV-exclusivity, it`s all about making porsche an exclusively premier-
segment car manufacturer: a production strategy that porsche had already increasingly reverted to with the introduction of the 718 series.
BTW for some fun facts about how the 986/996 and 987/997 porsches all shared almost 90% of parts, while prices for the 911 were almost double
for a largely identical car - with even better mid-engined handling, I suggest watching the excellent youtube video by jeff richardson entitled "Porsche
DO NOT want you to know this!!!".
@@donkeyshot8472 Yeah, I watched that video - and it's very interesting! I would certainly feel bad if I had bought a 911 for double the price of a Cayman knowing that it's 90% the same car...
But that's not the case with the latest 911 and the 718. Anyway, I don't think that the 718 looks bad from the outside. Quite the contrary - I really like the 718 most of all Caymans. But the interiour is still the same since 2016 - and that's what I really don't like, and I don't think it has aged well.
But as mentioned - I am quite sure that Porsche did that on purpose, knowing that they're coming with an EV Cayman in the foreseeable future. And personally, I am extremely looking forward to that one! :)
Just like the 6 cylinder was the death knell for Porsche when the 911 was introduces way back when. How soon people forget.
Can only sit 2 and 4 cylinder…hmm
That's like calling millionaires poor because they're are billionaires.
90k$ supercar with a 4-cylinder lmao
The poor man’s Porsche is a non-turbo Cayenne from twenty years ago or maybe a Boxster. The idiots’ choice is anything made in the last decade or so, anything on finance deals and anything that at any stage was sold over the list price. Give me a 996 or 997 instead or even better, a classic 911 or 928!
Tough sell for a four cylinder. If it’s going to sound like a Subaru had a baby with a GTI, it better not cost as much as a street MX-5 *and* an MX-5 Cup car
Poor man's Porsche is an oxymoron. Porsches are expensive,very expensive,and obscenely overpriced.
Today, a S 2.5 cost as much as a previous 718 sypder, a GTS 4.0 as much as a 911.
Unattainable for Average Working class people now.
Wow, I just checked Porsche site and you're right. 2.5S is over $105K. Similiarily configured 2021 Spyder was around 110K.
@@akajimbo1 own all .. 2018 2.5 cayman gts, ... still own 2017 911 c2s and 2020 718 spyder.
I got news for you - Porsches have never been intended for the average working class buyer. They’ve always been expensive.
Average working class is not Porsche's target customer.
The 718 is like the annoying little brother that wants to be like the older brother. It's loud, and under-powered. The more 'affordable' sibling, an entry point for your first Porsche without putting yourself into bankruptcy attempting to play with the big boys. Later, after growing up a bit, you'll go in 1 of two directions (both if your wealthy) the Panamera, or the 911, not looking back at the Cayman
I love how everyone tries to excuse away the horrible sound it makes.
I own a base Cayman 987.2, it is marginally cheaper to service by a bees dick margin at Porsche Indy, one still need a slush fund to keep it going, still work every penny when that flat six BoxEngine sings above 4k rpm propelling you to license losing territory. I paid £23,000 two years ago more expensive than many Porsche 997 on sale at the time. I have no regrets on my choice and I enjoy meeting 911 on the twisty.
The saying is The Cayman is a poor man’s 911
4 pot sucks. 4.0 GT4 rules.
You mean poor mans 911
Those who know, know!
A $80 plus dollar car with an underpowered 4cyl engine 😂😂😂 no thanks👎
Awful sounding four cylinder engine. 981 anyday.
CORVETTE C8
Can't stand the ugly.