Got offered to take a new gts 4.0 Cayman out on my recent service of my Turbo 4 Boxster. Couldn't wait to get back in my car, just too good. Running 430whp with straight pipes, thing is just on a whole new level, inc the sound. Took the saleman for a quick lap to show him what l mean. He has a whole new appreciation of these now. 😁
Randomly stumbled on the review. I’ve had a 718S for 6 months now. I was totally against them being a 6 cyl purist…. Until I drove it. Sound simply doesn’t ever come through well on RU-vid. It’s a quite a tuneful note and the pace that it picks up is so addictive. Not bored of mine at all, and if I do, there’s always the 400bhp+ with a remap, 450ish with a downpipe/filter and map!
I have a 2018 base Boxster completely original, untuned. I used to have a highly tuned late model GTI which had more horsepower than my Boxster but there’s no comparison in the fun and enjoyment of the Boxster. Being turbocharged, it would be very simple to boost the BHP but to be honest you don’t need it. I agree that there’s nothing wrong with the sound of these cars. But it’s all in the ear of the beholder.
Porsche builds cars for the driver to enjoy. That sounds obvious, but it seems like a lot of cars are built for comparing specs. Porsches rarely lead on the spec sheet, but always seem to do just fine where it counts. Cheers!
I’ve had my 2018 Boxster S for over 3 years and the sense of occasion when I drive it never wanes. Pick a twisty, hilly road, stick it in Sports Plus and leave it in auto. Heaps of engine braking, acceleration and pops and crackles. Porsche must have had a race driver tune the PDK transmission, you can’t better the up and down shifts, they’re spot on. No need to wring the engine’s neck to get performance, grunt from 2000 revs all the way to the red line.
A great 718 review. I recently traded a 981 Cayman S for a 718 Cayman GTS, to me it is a definite upgrade when you consider the complete package, but I know others may disagree due to sound. I think the F4 sounds better in person than on RU-vid, so should not be written off without trying
Just bought a 2018 718 Boxster GTS and I absolutely love it! Have owned 2 air cooled flat 6s in the past, and an 06 Cayman S, and to me the flat 4 sounds great, handles phenomenal, looks better than almost every car. The people that don't like the way the 718 sounds are boneheads, and I don't like the way there voices sound, and those people should just discontinue talking. Try telling the people own 356 that there cars sound like lawnmowers and that there not really a Porsche because it's got a VW flat 4 in it. What Porsche should do with flat 4 and the 718 chassis, is loan it out to Lamborghini. Imagine a flat 4 sub $100,000 Lamborghini? I'd buy one
Definitely disagree on the sound. The flat 4 is just unpleasant to most ears, including mine. Had a couple of 4 bangers as loaners, including a 2.5 GTS and I could not live with that rough noise. But, if you like it then that’s all that matters isn’t it?
I feel like I'm in a pretty unique situation here and I'm really considering a customized Boxster. I already have a Charger I daily drive, but want a convertible specifically for road trips and outings that also feels like a blast to drive. I'm not a huge car enthusiast (I really couldnt care less about sound for the most part or the number of cylinders, as long as the engine will be good to me), but I've been really feeling the 718 for a while now. It was between this and the Miata, but personally I just prefer this in just about every way and after customization its looking around the 95-100k mark, which is fine with me as long as it holds up great
I think people mix pears with apples to say Cayman is less than 911. Cayman 718 with model 918 those are two seaters with the engine in the middle. 911 is 4 seater with the engine behind the rear axle. It is totally different product line. It is about what do you prefere. It is not about what is better or worse. It is like to say apples are more tasty then pears or other way around.
Great review and I’m thinking of up grading my cayman 987 to either 981 or 718 or Porsche 911 997 as they are all similar prices but quite different cars. Just feels I’m compromising if I get the 718 where’s as the other two I do not get that feeling. Anyway as you say need to drive it before making a decision
Thanks Parvin! If you feel like you want that ‘feeling’ (I know what you mean by the way) I’d go for a 981, they are honestly brilliant and you’ll never be wishing you had the purist choice. My decision was made more on the drive than the ownership side of things if that makes sense.
I came out of an 06 Cayman S and into an 2018 718 Boxster GTS, there's no comparison, the 718 is way nicer in my opinion, you won't miss anything. I also test drove a 981 Cayman S back to back with the 718 GTS. To me, it was the steering feel and the tossable nature of the 718 that made me choose it over the 981. Plus the power is so abundant and this engine redlines about the same as my 987 did. Plus my 987 S was very low on options. It had only 2 options, 18 way leather sports seat, and a rear window wiper. That's it, no Bose, no PASM, 18 in wheels and standard black paint, candles for headlights. MSRP was $60k when new. My 718 GTS has a bunch options. Bose, same 18 way power seats, heated seats, pasm, sport crono, porsche torque vectoring, heated multifunction sport design steering wheel, porsche dynamic light Plus. MSRP when new was $101,320. And it feels and looks like a $100,000 car, my older Cayman didn't.
Cars became so powerful that, at times, average cars have the performances of sports car of 50 years ago and tuned average cars have the performance of super cars of 40 years ago. Thus I do not understand where exactly people buying a modern Porsche do drive their cars to, at the same time, enjoy the performances and not loosing their driving licence. If I had the reply to that question I would probably buy one as I think they are fantastic objects and I love to drive, meanwhile I stay on the side line. If a Porsche owner could kindly reply to this question it would ne much appreciated.
