2017 Porsche 718 Cayman Review | Turbo Engine Makes The ‘Baby 911’ Even More Enticing
Depending on the perspective, the introduction of the Porsche 718 Cayman is either tantalising or try-hard.
Tantalising, because a turbocharged four-cylinder engine brings more power, extra torque, greater performance and lower consumption into this fabulous mid-engined rear-wheel-drive generation of chassis introduced in 2012. The numbers claimed here also banish any residual negativity some associate with the ‘entry Porsche’ tag.
Try-hard, perhaps, because adding ‘718’ to a model long called Cayman attempts to rekindle distant memories of the 550 Spyder that took honours racing at Sebring, Targa Florio and Le Mans in the 1960s. It used four cylinders, y’know? And the message is we shouldn’t be afraid of them being reintroduced into Porsches.
Either way, the question ahead of this slinky, latest two-seater is clear: by replacing the long-used, long-loved, high-revving, naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine with a heavily-boosted four-cylinder, is the 718 now a better Porsche Cayman?
Vehicle Style: Sports coupe
Price: $117,172 plus on-road costs
Engine/trans: 220kW/380Nm 2.0 turbo petrol four-cylinder | seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel Economy Claimed: 7.4 l/100km | Tested: 11.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
With this mid-life update of Porsche’s entry Boxster and Cayman, the former roadster bodystyle for the first time becomes pricier than the latter coupe as tested here. The 718 Cayman costs $115,600 plus on-road costs – $2800 less than 718 Boxster.
Compared with the outgoing 2.7-litre boxer six-cylinder, the new 2.0-litre boxer turbo four-cylinder moves up 18kW to 220kW at 6500rpm, and up 90Nm to 380Nm from 1950rpm until 4500rpm. Weight remains about the same, at 1365kg, but the increases are enough to lower the 0-100km/h claim from 5.7 seconds to 5.1sec.