Enjoy your videos-having owned a 991 911 and a 981 Cayman I hesitated and dismissed this car due to the sound--once I drove it, I completely changed by tune and went out and purchased a new 718 Cayman.....finest handling car I have ever owned, bar none.
One of the biggest difference in the sound quality, it seems to me, is that the 4 cylinder's pitch doesn't change very much as revs climb. It's all the same noise, but it just gets louder. The flat 6 (I used to own a 996 C4S) has an expensive sounding mechanical clattering at idle that turns into a smooth hum in the mid-range and a then high-pitch growl at the top end. It really is glorious.
I am not crying about the loss of 2 cylinders, nor the addition of a turbo, just the opposite, in fact. I admit the sound coming from the engine compartment is a bit more subdued than the outgoing 3.4, but I can adjust to that. What's far more important to me are the advancements in performance that Porsche managed to squeeze out of this impressive engine and chassis, while achieving less fuel burn. These are all very good things. Bottom line, I've always loved the Cayman and now I love it even more. The purists are out of their minds if they'd push this amazing car aside simply because of a more subdued engine sound.
There's a plethora of options for aftermarket exhaust,turbos tend to open the power band when fitted with a less restricted exhaust. 718 had more potential than the outgoing 981. Sure the GTS and Gt4 sound better. To me it comes down to power to weight figures as well as the engine. The engine aspect is important, sure I'd love the 4.0 RS engine but if I can't have that I'll take the 2.5 Turbo in the S all day long especially in a mid engine sports car.
Well I went for it...718 Cayman S with black metallic and black interior, in Manual with the Carrera S wheels - With the 4 point LED, ventilated sports plus seats, 10mm PASM, Chrono, NAV and a few other convenience options and worked out to 77k (no sports exhaust)...BUT completely agree no sunroof?! ...yes i know structural rigidity, 40,000 NM etc etc...options not ticked are the ceramic brakes, Burmester sound system, and the leather everywhere - the leather alone could take this car into the stratosphere... I'll report back and gladly answer any questions as soon as I get it...hopefully before Christmas...and long live 3 pedals!!
WOW - very interested to hear how the car turns out for you. Have to say, I take my hat off to you for exercising the patience to spec the car *exactly* the way you want . . .
I went for it too! White with full red interior, PDK, Sports exhaust, Sat nav, 4 point led lights, premium package, and a few touches here and there and it turned out to be around 75k.
Years ago I had an original Cayman S. Everyone got on me for not getting a 911 (sad that I couldn't afford a real Porsche they said) so I sold the 987 Cayman and bought a 997.2S with just about every option available. It was a nice car but the Cayman was more fun to drive and put a bigger smile on my face than the 911 ever did. Moral of the story, listen to yourself and not others.
Lava Orange, Black Carrera S 20" wheels, Black leather interior with carbon fiber package, PDLS lights in black, Sport Exhaust in black, PASM 20mm, Bose audio system, Sport seats plus 18 way, and Lava Orange deviated stitching and Seat belts from Porsche Exclusive.
The people who say you only buy a Cayman b/c you can't afford a 911 have never owned a Cayman. It's not even the same driving experience, it's just a personal choice. Nine elevens are great but so are Caymans.
Having a 981 Boxster Spyder, I can say I absolutely bought it for the sound, before buying a mid-engine Porsche with that sound was no longer an option. I'm also in the process of carefully and wisely removing some sound deadening to hear the induction noise more clearly (and save a few pounds).
MotoMan, before you decide on the sound, I urge you to take the 718S on the track. You will be having so much fun, you won't even pay attention to the engine!
I have a 2018 boxster GTS. I also have an aftermarket downpipe with my sports exhaust. The car sounds amazing. Still has the classic ticking sounds like 911’s do, still has different sounds at different rev ranges and screams toward redline. Also you get the amazing turbo spooling noise and Porsche anti lag on downshifts to keep the boost pressure high. I used to have a boxster 981 with the flat 6. That old flat six is trash and was slow and torqueless, I’ll keep my 390hp monster. Once I decide to tune it i’ll make close to 440hp. In a Boxster.
With the better performance, I would take it because it still sounds good and I really don't care that it doesn't sound like a Porsche because I couldn't even tell the difference.
I've noticed the the flat six prices are going up a bit. The consensus seems to be that the Flat 6 noise is something that people still want, and the 2014 Cayman S with low miles is going up
The fastest Cayman and Cayman S yet, too bad about the sound (opinion) but not much Porsche could do with emissions regulations and so on. Your reviews are always great - your perspective always makes me take away something new from your videos.
To improve the aural linguistics and most importantly power, I installed a corsa high flow x pipe on my 2017 Grand Sport corvette and yes, orgasmic to the ears! Left the stock npp exhaust, when you step into it now the bark is just fantastic!
Late commentor here… I traded in a tuned GTI to purchase a base Boxster. I did not do anything to the exhaust of the GTI because I liked the way it sounded stock, and that was also a four-cylinder. I really liked my GTI, it was a great car. But, the Boxster is incredible. And, the sound is just what I want. I guess if I wanted a car with a lot of sound I would have purchased a Corvette but I didn’t. All a matter of taste.
I worked at Ford Motor Company. I worked in Powertrain Noise Vibration & Harshness Sound Quality. I drive a 2000 Acura Integra Type R. It sounds melodious. However, the sound that correlates to engine power and response is from the Induction not the exhaust - at least for interior sound. So... I would prefer a GT4 over this and a GT3 over a turbo S. My car? Cold Air Induction added which removes the resonators from the induction system. The car is LOUD inside. But it sounds great.
I've nothing against turbos. I just bought a 2016 Civic that has a 1.5L turbo. I got it as a grocery getter and it's awesome for what it is. Drive with a feather for a right foot and it gets crazy fuel economy. On the freeway or boulevard the torque is welcoming. There's just little sound. The Porsche will be similar but WITH sound though the turbine blades will break up the air induction to a very large degree so the exhaust will have to pick up the slack in the form of an active valve. Perhaps Porsche could have the air induction touching the cowl to enhance what gets to our ears. Of course, *I* would remove the resonators and drive it for a few weeks to see how well I liked it.
In my opinion, the turbos took away one of the integral parts of owning a porsche. the NA flat 6 has a visceral scream at high revs. I loved the linear feeling and distinct sound of my 997 911 S. many automakers can make great performance cars, but not many can make cars that tug at your heart and give you a feast for your senses.
To MotoMan on the 718 Cayman or S version. with all dialed to near perfect except sound. It's like an opportunity for aftermarket exhaust/intake suppliers/tuners. Will have to spend more money, but if done right and not losing. much if any and maybe gaining on HP, torque and mpg. Just waiting for their contributions. Doesn't have to beat what the flat six provided. just improve on the Turbo four. hopefully without blinking the warranty..!
Honestly I find it kind of hard to believe just how many people buy cars because of their sound.. it's completely an afterthought for me.. if it's there that's cool, but way down the line from performance characteristics. And I love turbos... They're so much more fun than NA motors imo.
I don't know how they pulled it off but without making any real drastic changes they have made each generation of the Cayman better looking... So much so that they turned it from pretty ugly to just downright pretty. Same thing with the Boxster. Hell they even managed to turn the new Panamera into something quite good looking now (although they had to do some more drastic work there). And my guess on the price would be something around 93,000 USD.
I always found the cayman the best looker of the current 3, and now as long as you don't go mad with options your getting close to a 911 performance, which the normal Joe wouldn't even notice the difference, with a good change of saving.
Kids buy cars for the sound, adults buy cars for the performance. The flat four beats the previous flat 6 in every way. There are a lot of mistakes in this review.
Have you gotten passed the "Sound" - otherwise this car is excellent.. I live in the Austin area and it was a nice touch going to Salt Lick...and I like you Madre de Santa Maria...original and fun... Enjoyed your review. I expect to buy an S in the next few weeks. Thanks for the review...
Cool review...kinda the Anthony Bourdain meets Seinfeld meets Dracula of Cayman reviews, but very informative and entertaining too...hey, can you dislike a guy who loves a Cayman, takes it to have some fabulous ribs, then drives it back? That's what I'D do...Santa Maria Madre De Dios!!
You used to work at the Salt Lick? Man, that place is amazing. Attended a friend's wedding there and we had the full spread. And had one last hurrah at the airport restaurant before flying back to the BBQ desert of SoCal.
Well, let's just say that was a stretch. I have been to The Salt Lick MANY times before and in one instance (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-G1hIYXxkQ-0.htmlm56s) they let me work the grill . . . Jaime showed me the ropes and away we went . . . LOVE that place!
987 is the internal numbering for the first generation of the Cayman (which is the second generation of the Boxster). The first generation of Boxster (97-03) was the 986, and the 987 was the second generation (04-12).
My 2015 Golf R I have a turbo back exhaust. APR downpipe & AWE SPORTS exhaust. Short shifter by diesel Geek weighted shift knob BC coilovers, stage 2 Unitronic putting out 400 hp & 350 tq
A new 2018 Porsche 911 S will cost over $135,000 with all the performance options. The Cayman S with the same options will be around $87,000. Both cars can accelerate from 0 - 60 mph in 3.9 sec. The 911 S might sound better when you lower the window but for $48,000 more, I will take the Cayman S. I am currently driving a 2015 911 and just ordered a 2018 Cayman S as its replacement. BTW, the Cayman S also has much more luggage space!! Unless you can afford the 500 hp 911 GT3, I highly recommend the Cayman S. I did have a 2008 Cayman S and a 2012 Cayman R. After I upgraded to the 2015 911, now I will downgrade back to a Cayman S with same acceleration but substantially lower price.
It sounds like a Porsche because it is a Porsche, that it do not sound like earlier models with 6 cylinder engine is a given, the 4 cylinder boxer engine has it`s own sound and I like it. But it is great that most people MUST have the 6 cylinder, keeps the prices on the 4 cylinder from going crazy....
The sound is good, even if it is not as good as it used to be. Lotsa torque available all the time will satisfy the savvy driver looking for a drivers' car.
I have a 918 cayman s with almost all possible options and i wouldn't trade anything for it ,let alone the 718..the howling motorsport like sound that flat 6 in the 918 is something exquisite. Price guess for the 918 u reviewed i guess 92-95?
I have an 09 Boxster S with 90,000 km on the odometer. I was planning on replacing it next spring. After watching your reviews and others I may just keep my car. There is no sense in replacing it with new when Porsche took away a third of the engine and all of the exhaust sound. Anyway............
The T4 is so superior in so many ways. Theres nothing l miss about my 981cs. I was chasing performance though so appreciate ppl want cars for different reasons. With a stage 2tune its ridiculous how much bang for buck you get with these!!!
What have I done to improve the aural linguistics of my car. Why, the only thing you can do to a 5.9L Dakota R/T. Straight pipe. It's still muffled quite adequately by the cat, but it is now downright thunderous. Pedestrians simply do not waddle out in front of me anymore.
My dream car is Cayman in manual and straight 6! Would never put that much money on a turbo 4!!! I already has a turbo 4 Mazdaspeed 3 and could keep up with nay Cayman on the streets.
Answer to your question: Yes, and I bought a used 981 Cayman S with PSE. I don't care if this car is faster. I want all the sound and feels. This car has the same problem as the new M3: it's fast but has no soul.
Were you in Williamson County when you filmed this? Everybody from Central Texas knows not to screw around with Wilco cops. You pass through on vacation and leave on probation.
To each their own, but for me, you simply do not take a flat six and replace it with a 4 cylinder and expect to attract the same crowd. The "howl" is gone and the few tenths of a second it picks up in quickness means nothing to me. If it did, I would grab a 2017 Grand Sport Corvette and destroy the 718 Porsche in every category except maybe quality. The previous model was very special, and quick enough. It was a finely tuned instrument with a 911 engine. Mine ran a 12.60 quarter on 95 degree day right off the highway.....and sounded great doing it. This could be the kiss of death for this model if it doesnt catch on. They did not sell many Cayman's with the flat 6 here in the US as it stands...like 3500-5000 units..Will the 4 pot attract more buyers? Kind of doubt it. If sales slip, it would be foolish to keep building them. That being said, this car may be discontinued in a few years,,,,and if so,,,,which do you think will be the most sought after model? The classic flat 6, or the Subaru,,esque 4 cylinder Turbo? I know which one will be the keeper.....and it is normally aspirated.
*constructed OPINION on why this DOES NOT sound like a Subaru....*. Let's talk about three common music/sound elements. Pitch. Rhythm (which in this case we will use the exhaust patterns instead) and tempo (which in this case we will use show fast it goes to higher revs) . Literally same Porsche patterns. However, lower pitch (unless u hate lower pitch, then u also much hate muscle and AMG cars), and lastly the tempo is still Porsche. The ONLY possibly STI sounding part is the first few few rpms where there's some air blow sounding revs. But barely game breaking...I am NOT saying it's better than flat 6. Hells no. But y'all need to stop riding this hype hate train and maybe use your ears instead of bandwagon opinions :) it ISNT as good as flat 6. But it is NOT a Subaru. Also keep in mind videos barely do this car justice and many do not have sports exhaust. Again..not better than flat 6. But u guys are incredibly harsh for absolutely no reason.
This Porsche is said to sound like a Subaru, which is funny to me as I drive a Subaru Legacy that sounds like a Porsche - 3.0 litre flat-6 with sports exhaust :)
$85K. If you get close without going over do you win the car? 😍 Also why isn't this nicknamed "The Brooklyn"? 718, just saying.... And as a Product Manager myself, Porsche would never have a fully optioned 718 priced higher than a base 911... Or would they!? 🤔
I pu tout a Tweet (@MotoManTV twitter.com/MotoManTV/status/778753193916325892) before putting out this episode but LOVE the nickname 'The Brooklyn' . . . I myself was going to go with 'Astoria'.
Porsche is one of those high end companies that charge absolutely crazy amounts for optional extras. In fact, if you go into the 911 configurator online, I'm sure you can get it optioned to a state where the options cost more than the base car itself.
Yes, I see you commented about the option of sports suspension. I'd expect a Porsche to have a sporty set up to begin with. It's like the Jeep needed to as the 4x4 suspension. Tbh I wouldn't be surprised jeep did lol.
***** Ehh. I could see good reason not to put in a sports suspension... I personally probably wouldn't do it. The base suspension is probably firm enough to go canyon carving, the sports suspension would only give a noticeable difference on the track...which most owners never go to.
I tested the 718 Boxster S with sports exhaust just a few days ago. It sounds bassy, boomy and not sexy IMHO. I couldn't live with the sound coming into the cabin everytime I am driving it. It's just not sexy. Sound is an important package when buying a sports car. And the 718 Boxster/Cayman S just doesn't cut it for me. It like a industrial....grass cutting machine chugging sound. It just doesn't sing, doesn't howl like the 6 cylinders NA 981 Boxster/Cayman S. I am sorry. I cannot be neutral/diplomatic/politically correct with this comment. So, forgive me. But here it goes!
depends ... if you look other car manufacturer you may not find the same handling potential anywhere else. I tried SLC, TTs, Z4, 3 series and none matched the orgasmic joy of the 718's handling. Hence I got the boxster 718 because I wanted a real sunroof :D but this is just my personal opinion :p
I spec'd a Cayman S, which came to around $73,000 I believe - manual + the various performance options. If you skip things like heated power seats, the premium (not in my opinion) Bose stereo, AppleLink - basically, all the "Toyota Comfort" items - the price drops quite a bit.
Still think manual is a necessity. This thing has more in common with the spirit of the 911er than the current 911 which has become kinda fat. Im a sucker for pure 2-seat roadsters - I know - but the 718s are marvellous in my opinion. As long as they can produce clutches and gearboxes that withstand those crazy turbo motors these dass there is no reason to go for a PDK. Besides a Porsche is not a status symbol. It is a really great toy to have fun with on sunny Saturdays. So convenience is kind of a sin. You do not need all those things. It does not make you have more fun driving. My 2cents
