2017 Porsche 718 Cayman S: Better Than Ever, But What’s That Sound?
On this episode of Ignition presented by Tire Rack
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:08 Dude, thank you.
00:10 >> You're welcome.
00:11 >> This is such a treat.
00:12 I mean, I forgot how special the GT4 was.
00:17 And wow.
00:19 >> Yeah, it's why I bought it.
00:21 I mean, I bought it to drive this car.
00:23 >> Man, well bought.
00:25 It's just such a treat.
00:26 Thanks again.
00:27 But, as is my want, I'm gonna say something that is gonna upset you.
00:32 And that is- >> Boy.
00:33 >> I know, but look, I've been driving around in the new 718 Cayman S.
00:37 >> Uh-huh.
00:38 >> It's more capable.
00:40 >> What? No.
00:40 >> Yeah. >> There is no way the Cayman S is more
00:43 capable than this car.
00:44 >> Except that it is.
00:46 [MUSIC]
00:57 [MUSIC]
01:07 >> Let's talk about why the GT4 is so special.
01:10 >> Well, you know, it's finally the Cayman that people have been asking for
01:14 for ten years.
01:15 >> That's true, right?
01:17 There's always this kind of conspiracy theory like, man,
01:20 Porsche's keeping the Cayman down.
01:22 They wanna protect the 911.
01:23 >> Yeah, we don't want Porsche sales to be cannibalized by Porsche sales.
01:27 But anyway.
01:28 >> Right, right.
01:29 [SOUND]
01:31 >> This might not be a true GT car.
01:33 >> Sure. >> It's not from the racing division.
01:35 >> Sure. >> But it has the engine from a 911.
01:38 >> Yeah. >> It has the front suspension from a GT3.
01:40 >> Yeah.
01:41 >> It's got the massive wing out back that actually provides down force,
01:44 the R comp tires.
01:45 So this is a car that you actually wanna take to the track with all those bits.
01:48 It is the best franken-car that Porsche has made.
01:51 >> It's truly special.
01:53 And it was one year only, right?
01:54 >> Oh, yeah.
01:55 >> And they only built, what, like 4,000 or 5,000 of them?
01:57 >> Yep, it's a truly special car.
01:59 >> So it's increasing in value since you bought it.
02:02 It's only two years old.
02:03 >> Yep.
02:04 >> I know.
02:05 [SOUND]
02:07 >> For me, it's not an investment.
02:08 You know, I wouldn't have gotten the custom color.
02:10 I wouldn't have waited a year.
02:12 I would have gone out and just bought something.
02:14 This is a car, this is a keeper.
02:16 This car's a keeper.
02:17 >> But here's the thing, man.
02:18 Typical Porsche, right?
02:19 Now the new Cayman is here.
02:22 >> Yep.
02:23 >> And I'm telling you, in terms of performance, it's better.
02:27 >> I don't know if I can believe you.
02:29 >> Okay, well, luckily, it's right over there.
02:31 So let's stop this thing and have us a look.
02:34 [MUSIC]
02:50 There she is.
02:51 >> So this is the new tip of the spear, huh?
02:54 >> This is the 718, well, yeah, for the time being.
02:56 >> Yeah, so it's the same but different.
02:58 >> Yeah, they changed a few things, headlights being the most prominent one.
03:02 And I got to say, I actually like these headlights better.
03:05 >> You know, sometimes they do that styling refresh and it just takes the original shape and makes it worse.
03:10 >> Yeah, like the tail lights on this thing, it has the new, like, you know, four points thing that Porsche is pushing.
03:15 But I like those better.
03:16 >> I think Dodge Avenger Coupe when I see the back.
03:18 >> Oh, with the black bar across?
03:19 >> With the black bar, yeah.
03:20 >> And also, on other Porsches, the black bar means all-wheel drive.
03:23 And here it doesn't mean all-wheel drive.
03:24 >> No, it doesn't.
03:25 And this color, while I love this color on the 991, on this, it almost makes it look like a toy.
03:30 >> Well, actually, it's graphite blue, even though it looks gray.
03:33 But by PlastiDip, what you mean is it looks wrapped.
03:36 In other words, there's no chrome bits or even like a black strip on your car to set it off.
03:40 >> There's no relief.
03:41 It just looks like a big, gray, graphite blue blob.
03:44 >> Yeah.
03:45 I mean, you're totally right there.
03:46 Actually, speaking of color, your car is pretty cool looking.
03:48 >> Yeah, thanks.
03:50 No.
03:51 This color is Brewster Green.
03:53 It is a Porsche family color.
03:55 It's never been on a production Porsche other than 11 club coupes in 2013.
04:00 And it's one of one in the world.
04:03 >> So you had this car customized?
04:06 >> It's paint to sample.
04:07 >> Really?
04:08 This is it.
04:09 This is the only Brewster Green GT4 on planet Earth?
04:11 >> The only one in the world.
04:12 >> Wow, that's really cool.
04:14 You want to drive something faster?
04:16 >> Oh.
04:17 >> Come on.
04:18 You can't stop progress.
04:20 [ Music ]
04:34 >> First, we have to talk about the name.
04:35 >> Right.
04:36 >> Porsche has been selling the Cayman for what?
04:38 Since 2006.
04:39 >> Yeah.
04:40 >> And it's like, oh, let's throw away all of that brand equity and call it the 718.
04:44 >> I guess they felt so guilty about hacking off two of the cylinders.
04:49 >> I don't know if you can hear it, but there's an engine behind us that does not sound very good.
04:54 [ Engine revving ]
04:57 >> I actually don't think it sounds that bad.
04:59 >> Why not?
05:00 >> Oh, you did not.
05:02 I've been living with this thing for a while.
05:04 This does help.
05:05 >> Hearing protection.
05:07 >> No, I'm serious, man.
05:08 This actually helps with the noise.
05:11 But for the sake of this video, I'll take one for the team.
05:14 >> So I'm curious.
05:15 Is that an official Porsche option?
05:17 [ Engine revving ]
05:26 >> Can I show you something funny?
05:27 >> Yeah.
05:28 >> Put it back into normal mode.
05:29 Take it out of sport plus.
05:30 >> All right.
05:31 >> Set the cruise control at, like, 50 miles an hour.
05:33 >> 50?
05:34 >> 50.
05:35 >> Oh, well, here we are.
05:36 We're at 50.
05:37 >> Okay.
05:38 Push that BMW mode button.
05:39 >> Yeah, all right.
05:40 >> Yeah.
05:41 [ Engine revving ]
05:43 >> Why?
05:44 Why would you do that to me?
05:45 >> It activates the sport exhaust for 20 seconds.
05:48 >> Why would you do that to anyone?
05:50 >> No.
05:51 >> No.
05:52 [ Engine revving ]
05:56 >> However, what you get out of it is 350 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque.
06:03 And where are those numbers?
06:04 Where have we heard those numbers before?
06:05 >> Wait.
06:06 Okay.
06:07 So the GT4 puts out 385 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque.
06:12 >> Right.
06:13 >> If you look at the 0-to-60 time of the GT4...
06:15 >> I don't even want to talk about this.
06:17 [ Engine revving ]
06:19 >> 4.1 seconds.
06:20 >> Yeah.
06:21 >> That's quick.
06:22 >> It's decent, yep.
06:23 >> If you look at the 0-to-60 time of a, I don't know, a Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE.
06:27 >> You talking about Camaros?
06:29 Surprising.
06:30 >> 3.6 seconds.
06:31 >> Okay.
06:32 >> And if you look at the 0-to-60 time of this car, it's 3.6 seconds.
06:35 >> It's 3.6 seconds from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder.
06:38 >> So in other words, this is 350 horsepower, the Camaro is 650 horsepower.
06:44 >> Yeah.
06:45 >> And more than twice the torque, and this is the same as 60.
06:49 >> The Porsche DNA, at least in the 718 Cayman and Boxster and the 911, you know, it's an intact DNA that works all the way up the scale.
06:58 >> Sure.
06:59 >> So you can start with base and go all the way up to some Turbo S, and you will still have that inherent DNA, and you can rely on that.
07:05 >> So here I am with the Cayman S, which is the top-of-the-line Cayman right now, and it's dialed in, it's buttoned down.
07:11 It's very responsive.
07:12 It's what I expect from a Porsche.
07:15 >> Caymans and Boxsters have always been, I don't mean to say the best handling, but the most fun-to-drive Porsches.
07:21 >> Yeah.
07:22 >> They've long been that way.
07:23 Now you've got the power and you've got that handling.
07:26 >> Yeah.
07:27 >> And it's a wonderful mix.
07:28 So this is a serious driver's car suddenly.
07:31 >> Yep, yeah, finally.
07:32 Especially the Cayman.
07:33 The Cayman has always been a large momentum car.
07:36 You dive-bomb those turns because you want to carry that speed coming out of the corner.
07:40 >> Right.
07:41 >> And now you've got that torque to really carry you through, and the mid-engine balance is just perfect for rotation.
07:48 >> So we agree.
07:49 This car, a 718, is great on a back road.
07:52 >> Yeah.
07:53 >> But how do you think it would do on a racetrack?
07:55 >> Ooh, that's interesting.
07:57 I guess there's only one way to find out.
07:59 >> That's right.
08:00 But what I say we do is we take this car and your car and go meet up with Randy.
08:06 [ Music ]
08:32 Before we turned Randy loose in the two Caymans, we decided to have a talk with him about the cars.
08:37 Proud Papa, or as that nervous Nelly, Derek, went first.
08:41 >> That engine.
08:43 >> That engine.
08:44 >> So beautiful.
08:45 I think in some ways it sounds better than the 911.
08:48 And I think that's because the engine is right here two feet from us instead of four feet from us out back.
08:53 [ Music ]
08:56 >> Derek, what impressed me was your car understeers far less than the other GT4s I've driven.
09:02 >> Really?
09:03 >> I think it's going to make it a lot faster than it would have been otherwise.
09:07 And it makes it more fun to drive.
09:09 [ Music ]
09:14 And boy, does it stop.
09:15 Those big honking brakes.
09:17 [ Music ]
09:26 In sport mode on the street, the car feels really stiff and it's kind of uncomfortable.
09:31 But on track, no, it doesn't feel stiff.
09:33 It feels right.
09:34 [ Music ]
09:36 >> It's got a suppleness even in sport mode that just kind of inspires with you to get you around the track in the most, I want to say dignified manner possible.
09:46 But the quickest manner possible.
09:49 >> Well, Derek, I've always found that tires have the best traction when they're actually touching the ground.
09:54 And Porsche does a good job on its shock damping and keeping tires on the ground.
10:00 [ Music ]
10:10 Cayman's never had a fat, delicious torque curve like this car does.
10:14 >> That's always been the thing with the Cayman, right?
10:16 So they never gave you the power it should have.
10:18 And now with like, you know, it's not the base car but the S model, I mean, you're getting the power.
10:23 Even the base car has plenty of power now, you know.
10:26 >> And you get it right now.
10:27 >> Oh, yeah.
10:28 >> I have no sense that this is a turbo engine.
10:31 [ Engine Revving ]
10:35 Just such a wonderful handling car.
10:38 I mean, that's why we love them, right?
10:40 >> The handling.
10:41 >> The handling is the world for the Cayman and the Boxster.
10:44 [ Engine Revving ]
10:48 >> What do you think?
10:49 You've driven them both a little bit here.
10:50 Which one's going to turn the faster lap?
10:52 >> Very likely that the GT4 will.
10:54 It's so racy and it's got R compound tires.
10:57 >> Yeah.
10:58 >> But the Boxster was so quick here that I'm not sure.
11:03 718S feels good.
11:06 [ Engine Revving ]
11:13 [ Music ]
11:18 [ Engine Revving ]
11:23 [ Music ]
11:28 [ Engine Revving ]
11:33 [ Music ]
11:38 [ Engine Revving ]
11:43 [ Music ]
11:48 [ Engine Revving ]
11:53 [ Music ]
11:58 [ Engine Revving ]
12:03 [ Music ]
12:08 [ Engine Revving ]
12:13 [ Music ]
12:18 [ Engine Revving ]
12:23 [ Music ]
12:28 [ Engine Revving ]
12:33 [ Music ]
12:38 [ Engine Revving ]
12:43 >> After driving both contenders around streets of Willow,
12:46 I was pretty certain the GT4 had the edge.
12:49 Still, I played it cool.
12:51 >> Hello, the windstorm you found here, Randy.
12:53 >> Well, fortunately, if I turn sideways, I'm low aerodynamic drag.
12:57 >> Okay, okay, okay.
12:58 Enough small talk.
12:59 Let's get to the numbers.
13:00 >> I got the times this time.
13:01 >> All right.
13:02 >> Okay.
13:03 What do you want first?
13:04 >> Green car, the old car.
13:05 >> Green car, Derek's car.
13:06 >> Yeah.
13:07 >> Thanks.
13:08 >> Turned a very respectable 121.47.
13:12 >> Wow.
13:13 >> That's one of the best times ever.
13:14 >> Yeah.
13:15 >> I mean, that's right up there.
13:16 >> Two seconds off the record, yeah.
13:18 Okay, okay, okay, great.
13:19 >> Okay, the 718 Cayman S.
13:20 >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:21 >> Turbocharged.
13:22 >> Uh-huh.
13:23 >> New.
13:24 >> Uh-huh.
13:25 Much cheaper.
13:26 >> 123.05.
13:29 >> Oh, yes!
13:30 >> 123.05.
13:31 >> Yes!
13:32 >> I'd have sworn.
13:33 >> Okay.
13:34 >> I couldn't have told you which one was faster.
13:37 >> Okay, okay.
13:38 Derek.
13:39 >> Yes.
13:40 >> What did you pay for that thing?
13:41 >> Why don't we say a nice round figure of $100,000.
13:43 >> $100,000.
13:44 Okay, and you're claiming that this car can be had for $67,000.
13:48 >> Yep.
13:49 >> Okay, and you're claiming that with our compound tires, this car would be as quick,
13:53 if not quicker, than the green car.
13:55 >> Yeah, yeah, it would.
13:57 >> Okay, and instead of our compound tires, Mr. Potts, 4 Corp 2s, $2,000?
14:00 >> $2,000.
14:01 >> Okay, so for $69,000, you could have a Porsche that's quicker than that Porsche.
14:08 >> So there you go, Derek.
14:11 People are jerks.
14:12 For a solid decade, car enthusiasts of all stripes have been harping on Porsche to give
14:16 the Cayman the power it deserves.
14:19 And Porsche delivered.
14:21 Twice.
14:22 First, with the limited edition GT4, and now with the 718S.
14:28 Problem is, sound is part of the sports car experience.
14:32 Yet somehow, Porsche, of all manufacturers, forgot.
14:37 So, despite everything else the car does so well, the haters now have a specific target
14:43 to hate.
14:44 Which, of course, the haters love.
14:47 Ugly turbo noises notwithstanding, Zuffenhausen has achieved something pretty special.
14:52 The 718 retains all of the sweet, nimble, effortlessly athletic handling Caymans have
14:58 always possessed.
14:59 And, mates it to more than adequate power.
15:02 Finally, we have a potent, mid-engine Porsche at a price that's within the realm of what's
15:09 possible.
15:10 Talk about an everyday sports car.
15:12 Bang up job, Porsche.
15:14 Though, you might want to make ear protection a factory option.
15:18 Hey man, I'm just saying.
15:22 But in 20 years, yours will be worth way more money.
15:25 Oh, yours will be worth, yeah, yeah, 300,000 bucks.
15:27 Oh, that'd be great.
15:28 Yeah, I'll pay up my house.
15:29 And this'll be like 37,000 bucks.
15:30 Used car.
15:31 Yeah, totally.
15:32 [ENGINE REVVING]
15:33 (explosion)