Porsche 718

Porsche 718 Overview

The 718 moniker is derived from Porsche’s open-wheel single seater race cars developed for Formula racing back in the 1960s. Officially codenamed the 982, the fourth generation Porsche Boxster and Cayman are renamed Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman in 2016, paying homage to Porsche’s racing heritage.

The mid-engine two-seater sports car hailed from Stuttgart needs no further introduction as they set the benchmark for sportscars driving dynamics in its class. The 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and the Porsche 718 Spyder is Porsche’s latest iteration to join the sportscar lineup in Malaysia.

The 718 Cayman GT4 features performance-oriented aerodynamics dominated by the fixed single-piece rear wing. The 718 Spyder on the other hand elevates the Boxster’s drop top roadster experience, distinguished by its ‘double-bubble’ rear lid and a more aggressive weight saving measures.

Powered by a naturally aspirated flat-six engine paired to a manual gearbox with near perfect weight distribution, it is a recipe straight out from driving enthusiasts’ cookbook. These big boy’s toy will set you back RM 958,632 for the hardtop version and RM 930,825 for the soft top (OTR without options and insurance).

Porsche 718 Exterior

Staying true to Porsche’s design philosophy of ‘optimize function’, the exterior design of the Porsche 718 has seen a subtle evolution throughout the four generations since its inception 25 years ago. A distinctive Porsche sweepback silhouette combined with the fenders that blend seamlessly into the doors makes it instantly recognizable as the entry level Porsche.

The Porsche 718 Cayman in the GT4 trim showcases its aerodynamic enhancement with an optimised front spoiler lip with revised underside aero, a large central air intake and air curtain on the front apron with honeycomb finish, side air intake behind the doors featuring side blades embossed with GT4 logo and a massive rear mounted single-piece aluminium spoiler.

The 718 Spyder shares a largely similar front end with the same optimized aerodynamic bits. It also comes equipped with a movable rear wing that deploys at 120 km/h and a manual soft top cover tucked-in under the double bubble rear lid. Porsche claims that the aerodynamics revisions on the GT4 sees an increase in downforce of up to 50%, 20% of which comes from the rear wing alone.

Both models benefit from a new single-chamber arch rear exhaust silencer design, allowing space for a functional rear diffuser. That makes the Spyder the first Boxster to generate downforce at the rear axle. The Porsche 718 is the smallest car in Porsche’s vehicle line up. The overall dimension is comparable to that of the Jaguar F Type, only marginally shorter and narrower than its rival from Britain.

Porsche 718 Interior

What immediately stands out is the 718’s signature three-dial instrument cluster featuring a central rev counter. Step in and you will find that the seating position is spot on. You sit nice and low with all the driver controls ergonomically positioned in what Porsche calls a ‘streamlined purism’.

In the GT4, GT-specific sports steering wheel features top centre marking and black spokes. The steering wheel is wrapped in racing spec Race-Tex material which can also be found on the gear lever, door pulls, A-pillars as well as on the roof lining.

All seat options come with black leather and Race-Tex combination material, with silver contrast stitching and GT4 logos embroidered onto the headrest. The dashboard trim strips and the centre console in highlighted with brushed aluminium inserts.

If you are feeling brave, you may also opt for the Club Sport Package that throws in, among other things a steel roll cage, six-point racing harness and a fire extinguisher with bracket. The interior of the Spyder is largely similar to the GT4 except for a few key differences, the soft top roof and the roll over bars for starters. The former is electrically released, manually operated while the latter can be optionally painted in matching exterior colour.

The centre rev counter features the ‘Spyder’ logo with black dial face and white needle. The dashboard trim strips and the centre console are painted in matching exterior colour and the ‘Spyder’ logo is also embroidered on the head rests. With the optional Spyder Classic interior package, the interior is finished in Bordeaux Red and black for the classic two-tone look,

Porsche 718 Features

Standard equipment includes 20-inch alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon main headlight with integrated LED daytime running light, 380 mm front and rear composite brake discs derived from the Porsche 911 GT3 and dual black sports tailpipe. Also included is Porsche Connect and Porsche Communication Management 4.0 (PCM) featuring high resolution 7-inch touch screen display with Apple CarPlay as optional extra.

Both models also come equipped with Adaptive GT sports suspension and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with variable damping that offers continuous damping on all four corners based on the prevailing driving condition. Normal mode for sporty drive and Sport mode for maximum lateral acceleration and traction.

In addition to the analogue and digital stopwatch on the dashboard, the optional Chrono Package includes upgraded PCM with special performance display (recorded lap times). The available Porsche Track Precision app enables you to measure and evaluate your performance vis GPS signal from PCM or using the switch in the chrono package.

Key standard safety features include a full-size driver and passenger airbags which inflates in two stages depending on the severity of the accident and Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP) which consists of impact protection elements in the doors. Porsche Stability Management (PSM) utilises sensors in the ABS, ESC and the traction control system to maintain stability when driving at the limits.

Porsche 718 Powertrain Performance

Powering the Porsche 718 is a mid-mounted 4.0-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed naturally aspirated engine, developing 420PS (35 PS more than previous model) at 7,600 RPM (8,000 RPM red line) and 420 Nm of torque from 5,000 RPM.

0-100 km/h sprint is completed in 4.4 seconds (3.9 s with PDK launch control) with a top speed of 304 km/h (301 km/h for the Spyder). The completely redeveloped six-cylinder boxer engine features lightweight aluminium construction with direct fuel injection technology, integrated dry-sump lubrication and adaptive cylinder control, delivering linear power delivery and snappy throttle response.

Despite the naturally aspirated engine and the sport exhaust, there is no escaping the fact that the Porsche 718 does not sound as good as it should be. But then again, Porsches rarely do. Much to the delight of the purist, power is sent to the rear wheels via Porsche’s 6-speed manual transmission. It comes with dual-mass flywheel and the available dynamic throttle-blip function renders your perfected heel and toe technique obsolete.

Porsche 718 Fuel Consumption

Rated combined fuel economy is at 10.9 L/100 km with a 249 g/km of Co2 emission.

Porsche 718 Ride Comfort

The Porsche 718’s features electrically regulated dynamic transmission mounts which minimizes perceptible oscillation and vibration of the entire drivetrain particularly the engine, which in turn greatly enhances the vehicle’s NVH level. The system adjusts the damping and stiffness according to the prevailing driving condition which also enhsnces handling precision while providing an increased level of comfort.

The adaptive GT sports suspension feature lightweight spring-strut axle and the front and the rear. The height, camber, toe angle and the anti-roll bars of the chassis can be adjusted individually for the racetrack when so desired. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) offers continuous adjustment of the damping force on each wheel. Porsche Torque vectoring with rear differential lock offers increased traction and stability in high speed corners by applying brake pressure to the inside rear wheel.

Porsche 718 Conclusion

It is quite hard to fault the Porsche 718 be it in the GT4 trim or the drop top Spyder. Dynamically, the steering is as sweet as it gets, the manual gearbox cannot get any more satisfying and the handling is quite simply the benchmark of the segment. If one were to knit pick, perhaps the exhaust note could have sounded better (I blame the ever-stringent emission regulation). Whether you are a beginner or an expert driver, the Porsche 718’s capable yet forgiving nature will certainly put a smile on your face.