First it was the new 718 Boxster, now Porsche has inevitably downsized and turbocharged the Cayman, giving it the new denomination Porsche 718 Cayman. As with the 718 Boxster, the numerical prefix harks back to the mid-engined Porsche 718 race car from 1957.
Whereas previously the Cayman was more expensive than its open-topped sibling, the Porsche 718 Cayman is now the new entry-level to the Porsche brand, costing less than the 718 Boxster on a like-for-like basis.
Exterior Design:
Although receiving new engines and a new name, the Porsche 718 Cayman is actually an extensive facelift of the third generation (981) Cayman. Visual upgrades are numerous though, giving the Porsche 718 Cayman a sharper profile. Among the changes are a new front fascia with slim indicators above the front air intakes and newly designed bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights (LED headlights are optional with 4-point LED daytime running lights).
New side sills and side air intakes have also been designed for the Porsche 718 Cayman, whilst the redesigned rear end now features a high-gloss black accent strip running between new 3-dimensional taillights.
Revised Interior:
Minor revisions have also been incorporated into the cabin of the Porsche 718 Cayman. The upper dash panel features a new design, including integrated air vents, while the steering wheel has been adopted from the 918 Spyder. Porsche’s Communication Management is a standard feature, as well as mobile phone integration and the 150-watt Sound Package Plus.
Engines and Technical Details:
The Porsche 718 Cayman adopts the same turbocharged 4-cylinder flat engines from the 718 Boxster. Available in two displacements and power outputs, the Porsche 718 Cayman boasts 221kW with a torque figure of 380Nm between 1950-4500rpm from its 2.0-litre turbocharged displacement. The Porsche 718 Cayman S gets an additional 0.5-litre displacement advantage, with 257kW and peak torque of 420Nm between 1950-4500rpm thanks to the turbocharger equipped with Variable Turbine Geometry.
When equipped with Porsche’s PDK and Sport Chrono Package, the Porsche 718 Cayman will make the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.7 seconds; the Porsche 718 Cayman S makes the same sprint in 4.2 seconds. The Cayman will top out at 275km/h, while the Cayman S can reach 285km/h.
Beneath the surface, Porsche has made several revisions to the chassis of the Porsche 718 Cayman. Springs and stabilisers have been designed to be firmer than before, with revised tuning of the shock absorbers. The steering system has been revised to be 10% sharper, and to aid handling, the rear tyres have been widened by half an inch.
Braking in the Porsche 718 Cayman is dealt with by 330- and 299-mm brake discs front and rear – previously found on the Cayman S, while the new 718 Cayman S uses the 4-piston calipers from the Porsche 911 Carrera with 6mm thicker brake discs.
Pricing and Availability:
The Porsche 718 Cayman is available to order now, with deliveries expected to start in early October. In South Africa, the Porsche 718 Cayman will set you back R854 000, while the 718 Cayman S will cost R934 000.
