I drove a 718 Cayman S at PEC Atlanta in July. It was very fast and handled beautifully. It had lots of low end power and just responded when I wanted it to. But, that 4-cyl turbo exhaust note was not what I wanted. So, I bought a practically brand new 981 Cayman S with a proper Porsche 3.4L 325HP flat 6. It is well optioned, had 6k on the odometer and came with the CPO warranty. When new, this car was more than $85k and that is definitely too much. Buying it slightly used, it was probably still too much and I could have bought a brand new Corvette Grand Sport for the same money. But, the build quality is excellent and it is a joy to drive.
limulus61 so you prefer engine note over quicker 0-60 (because of the low end torque)? Just curious. Also, I’m thinking of getting the 981 Cayman S as well. Is it worth it to get it without the Sport Chrono package?
I’m surprised that most enthusiasts haven’t noticed how much better the 718 drives and handles. It’s a much better car and I expect would be purchasers will eventually realise. I’ve just swapped my 987 for a 718 and I spent the last week charging up and down mountain passes in Northern Spain, so I really got to appreciate how much more predictable the new car is on fast, bumpy. Twisty, empty roads.
In response to your comment about the "confusing" array of buttons, I respectfully disagree. I have owned 2 Porsches (2014 Panamera and 2017 911). It takes perhaps a day to learn the buttons. Not confusing at all. In fact, the interface is better than most cars because all the functionality is readily discoverable rather than hidden somewhere in a menu.
Porsche Cayman is the best Porsche you can buy at the moment not the 911 anymore if you know Porsche the Cayman is the one great design still has the classic style buy one best 987 or 981 6 Cylinder engine they will go up in price I will tell you that 😉
Really wish at the beginning you would’ve explained the main points of how a Boxster and a Cayman differ! Not to mention you never really even explained how this compares to a 911 except for engine location 😕 still loved the video though- 2 Porsche videos in less than a week!😍
EddieX I'm young and definitely want to get an affordable Porsche (under 30K) so while I know most people go to RU-vid to see 918 spyders/GT3RS, maybe it wouldn't hurt to do a Boxster/Cayman comparison for us exotic broke folks 😝
I've never come across a bad review of the Porsche Cayman. I have owned a Cayman S for 3 years now and it's a great car, I initially wanted a late 911 996 but was disappointed by its dowdy interior. I went for the Cayman as it has the 997 style interior which is much more up to date and modern. What I didn't realise then was just how good the Cayman is compared to the 911, not just my view either, many owners say they prefer the Cayman to the 911. 👍
Nice vid You talk a lot of sense and really nice to see a 911 GT3 RS guy saying something nice about its little brother 😂 I have a Cayman S and love it
Why can’t all us Porsche sport car guys get on, the 911, Boxster and cayman are all great sports cars and all great platforms for what you want from your driving experience, I’ve owned a couple of Boxsters and a couple 911’s my latest being a 996 C4S cabriolet and they both have their charms, and when I drove my boxster I still always had passing 911 drivers give me the wave, and had a cayman driver compliment the Boxster in in a car park. I chose the 911 C4S cabriolet in the end because it offered the top down experience I fell in love with driving my Boxster, the occasional back seat use and the awd system just gives me a little more confidence driving it with the hard top in winter, but I’d say both cars were equally fun to drive for different roads and surfaces, the 911 feels powerful but the handling is a more unique experience being rear engined while the Boxster while less powerful, feels like a scalpel in the handling department, so precise, but then again the 911 is more forgiving if you do go beyond its limit, probably owing the the awd. All Porsches are great, expect those pesky SUV’s
Cayman is a great car. They are fun to drive. I personally chose the 911 platform since I wanted one as a kid. When u think of Porsche you think 911 or at least I do. Mid engine is 100% superior physics wise and the Cayman has shown that. The 4 cylinder turbo though kills me. Good video!
EddieX is the power of base adequate? I pick scoop one up in 2 years when my 340 lease is up. Do a review on 340 the b58 engine is a monster; about 80% what a m3 is.
The Cayman is the uncomfortable family member of Porsche: No matter if its performance is deliberately hindered to remain "behind" the 911... it remains so well behaved, so well balanced and the aesthetics overall are just so good, it naturally shines over any other member of the family!
Agree. Do what I did and get a second hand stock 981 Cayman S, then COBB Pro tuned to 364hp and 420Nm pulling all the way to redline.....a very economical way to achieve 911 performance in a brilliant mid-engined sports car... NA power and an utterly glorious driving experience. A sleeper which does 0-100km/h in 3.9sec..
I shopped 911’s... bought a 718 Cayman GTS instead. can’t beat the mid-engine layout, it doesn’t pretend to have back seats, looks awesome and wicked fast. 911’s have enormous tires out back to compensate for all that rear-engine weight going around corners. Cayman doesn’t need this compensation. Also, it sounds incredible. Mean, snarling, genuinely enjoyable.
The S is the ticket with its 3.4L flat six....and is only slightly behind the 981 GTS or even the 911 Carerra in the curves. Gets beat in straight line but on the track or twisties...it really shines.
Going to say no. Tried a Cayman GTS at Speed Vegas this week and I'll keep my Turbo S, thanks. And not (just) because of the power. The Cayman was very easy to drive and quite compliant, with great brakes. The 911 is a refined machine that monsters the pavement and feels like you have to provoke under or oversteer. The grip in the 911 is almost painful.
The 82mm throttle body isn't a worthwhile mod. Get the COBB Accessport ecu tune and go through an authorised COBB Protune. With nothing else, the ecu remap will restore the horses Porsche stole from this 3.4l 981 engine. I get 364hp, 420Nm, 0-100km 3.89sec.... with no flat spot at 3400rpm, pulls hard to redline. Just makes the 981s a most exciting sports car..!
Eddie, awesome review as usual!Just wondering whether you will review more Japanese cars. Although, I love european cars, I'd like to see if you could mix things up!
*I honestly feel like if they stayed Flat6 any longer, it would cannibalism 911 sells at a significant level* a shame that the flat 6 had to go, and i don't mean it as a "wahh i whine all day with no feedback or opinion or reasoning", this is coming from someone who almost bought another 718S: i bought a GTS in 2016 fall, drove many models of porsche (even the SUVs, excluding the GT cars), up to 911S and eventually a Targa GTS. I honestly feel like theres no incentive to spend the extra money on 911 up to a heavy optioned S or GTS trim, if a Cayman GTS or a S model with some sporty options exists (unless you plan to track on a competitive level then incentives vary). The cayman just feels much more connected, and surprisingly sounds way better than even 911S in cabin, both with sport exhaust (the distance of the engine makes a big deal).... it just made me more happy and i kept laughing (which the S models did not, all i felt was G force, but no joy), with that sweet soundtrack so close to you, 911 can never sound like that in the cabin. Its simply got more emotions than the 911. Its slower, yet the sound just makes it sound so extreme and exhilarating and turns in a more confident manner. the 911 GTS i am soft for though, especially the Targa's looks...its still less exhilarating feeling than the cayman GTS/GT4 but its very very close and more power, Base 911 is completely ruled out, and 911S depends how you spec it, but i'd just get a GTS/GT4 instead.
essel23fly Except the Cayman/Boxster. The reason primarily because of the side air vent, it offers a good contrast. With black you cant see it as much. All subjective though.
Yes. The only car I would take over my 2019 718 Boxster GTS is a 991.2 GT3 manual. FWIW the 718 GTS is faster than any previous generation Boxster or Cayman.
We are in the midst of Porsche trying to make their entire lineup all electric (except for the 911). I dearly hope that the EV experience from Porsche will meet or exceed today’s Porsche ICE experience.
Just my opinion but why buy a Porsche with PDK/auto transmission instead of manual ? I understand if there's a disability but if not, enjoy the WHOLE EXPERIENCE. I drive a flat 6 Cayman manual and there's no way to describe the sound , feel and stability behind you. I've owned many other sport cars but there is no comparison.
Not too be rude, I'm just sharing my opinion. I don't really like Mike that much, he seems so awkward on camera. If he wants to improve, he should make his own channel first.
Because the 987.1 and 987.2 models in general were deliberately limited to prevent direct competition with the 911. Porsche even sells an "improved" ECU program to "produce" more hp for those models.
I have to disagree with the notion that forced induction ruins the sound. The 911 has gone to a 3.0 Litre Flat 6 with turbo and I cannot detect a discernible difference in the sound. The Cayman and Boxster with the Flat 4 and Turbo sounds like a lawn mower. JUST AWFUL! I do not care how many people claim it does not sound bad. You just cannot make a 4 banger sound good with the lone exception being the Subaru WRX STI which uses unequal length headers to enhance the sound. Prediction: If it has not happened already the NA Caymans and Boxsters are going to SOAR in value similar to the air cooled 911s. Buy them while they are still relatively affordable. :)
a car with backseats is no sports car in my book. it's a family car with sporting intentions. and ultimately it's been compromised. ...like owning a $5000 full carbon colnago bicycle with a baby seat strapped on the back.
I just got dumber reading this, thank you very much. Why would it be like a 911, where a Cayman is actually identical to a Boxster, only with a solid roof?!
You need to take a speech course or toast masters at your other job. Too much hand movements, no character like youre reading from a script, talk too fast when youre freestyling and you keep looking at your right when the camera is on your left as if youre embarrassed to be on camera. Theres a lack of connection with your audience, look at autovlog, his reviews are eh but he blew up when all he did was video shit on his amg. Dude you have an i8 and you could of wrapped it, put better wheels go to rallys or roadtrips and your channel would of grown over 200k subs by now