Porsche 982

Porsche 982
Overview
Also called	Porsche 718 Boxster Porsche 718 Cayman
Production	2016–present
Designer	Peter Varga (2015)[1]
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door roadster 2-door fastback coupé
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L turbocharged flat-4 2.5 L turbocharged flat-4
Transmission	7-speed PDK 6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	Boxster: 2,475 mm (97.4 in) Cayman: 2,475 mm (97.4 in)
Length	Boxster: 4,379 mm (172.4 in) Cayman: 4,379 mm (172 in)
Width	Boxster: 1,801 mm (70.9 in) Cayman: 1,801 mm (70.9 in)
Height	Boxster: 1,281 mm (50.4 in) Cayman: 1,295 mm (51 in)
Curb weight	Boxster/Cayman: 2,944 lb (1,335 kg) (manual), 3,010 lb (1,370 kg) (PDK)[2][3] Boxster S/Cayman S: 2,988 lb (1,355 kg) (manual), 3,054 lb (1,385 kg) (PDK)[4][5] Boxster GTS/Cayman GTS: 1,375 kg (3,031 lb) (manual), 1,405 kg (3,097 lb) (PDK)[6][7]
Chronology
Predecessor	Porsche 981

The Porsche 982 is the internal designation of the fourth generation Boxster/Cayman made by Porsche. With the switch to a new turbocharged flat-four engine the marketing name for the models was changed to Porsche 718, in reference to the Porsche 718, which won the Targa Florio race in 1959 and 1960. The name is meant to evoke Porsche's past racing successes with light cars like the 718 that outmanoeuvred competitors with larger and more powerful engines.^[8][9]

Models

The 718 was introduced in June 2016. The 718 base featured two new horizontally-opposed flat-4 turbocharged engines at 2.0L and 2.5L displacement with increased torque and horsepower with lower fuel consumption. The S model turbocharger utilizes Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) technology.^[10][11]

Later, In October 2017 the GTS models were announced with their 2.5l engines upgraded to produce 361 bhp. The Boxster could reach 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, and the Cayman in 3.9 seconds.^[12]

Styling

The exterior of the 718 Boxster and Cayman is very similar to the third generation, more of an evolution than a redesign. The most notable changes are to the rear of the car, which now has a long black-trim bar across the rear connecting the two taillights. The headlights and bumper are also heavily reworked. On the sides, the mirrors have been redesigned, taking hue from the SportDesign mirrors on the GT3.

The interior remains very similar to the 981 Cayman / Boxster and the 991.2 generation of the Porsche 911. The main change is the new PCM 4.0 infotainment system, which replaces the PCM 3.1.^[13] The steering wheel comes with a mode selector switch that includes a selection of Sports and Sports Plus driving modes, resulting in snappier throttle response at the cost of fuel efficiency. Overall, the most prominent design features of the 981 Cayman / Boxster remain, including large air induction ports on the side, and the prominent horizontal aluminum piece used for adding oil and coolant in the trunk.^[14]

Reviews

Despite the loss of two cylinders, the 718 Cayman / Boxster was assessed to be mechanically superior to the 981 model with improved acceleration and steering.^[15] The 718 Cayman was declared Motor Trend's 2nd best Drivers car in 2017, which praised the car's handling and throttle response. Giving the award, Miguel Cortina noted, "The suspension is just what you want to feel in a car like this—stiff, sporty, rigid. You get a very good sense of what is happening on the road."^[16]

By far, the most contentious reaction to the 718 Cayman was the sound of the engine - which received nearly universal criticism by the automotive press. Car and Driver called it a, "raspy, uncouth sound that strikes some drivers as unpleasant and grating."^[17] Top Gear noted that the sound, "fundamentally cheapens the Porsche experience," and make the car, "less upmarket, less cultured and sophisticated than it did before."^[18] However, Motor Trend's Ignition tested the 718 Cayman against the 981 Cayman GT4, and found that the performance gains were so strong the car had the capability to outmanoeuvre the GT4 at a much lower price. They concluded that the tradeoff was probably worth it.^[19]

The updated cockpit of the 718 has the 4th generation of the Porsche PCM system, indicated by the display without bezels. This model has multifunction steering wheel controls.

The 718 GTS variant of the Cayman and Boxster was released to generally positive reviews. Visually, the front headlight and rear tailights were smokey black, and an aggressive front sports fascia was added. Performance upgrades included Porsche Sports Exhaust, a Sports Chrono Package, Porsche Stability Management were all added as standard features. By expanding the air intake, the 718 GTS has an additional 15 horsepower and even more torque than the 718 S. In addition, carmine red was added as a color as a $2580 option. Used in most of Porsche advertising with the GTS, the color is darker than Porsche Guards Red, and very similar to the Italian racing color used by Ferrari, Rosso Corsa.^[20]

Many reviewers, including New York Times contributor Tom Voelk, noted that the 718 GTS had a much more pleasing sound than the base 718 and the 718 S. “One of the biggest complaints of the 718 is that its turbo 4 engine doesn’t have the distinctive sound that the outgoing 6 cylinder had,” said Voelk. “But the 718 GTS sounds much better. It has different intakes and a larger turbo.” The sound of the 718 GTS engine has much more prominent bass frequencies, which contrast with a strong treble pitch of the turbocharger.^[21]

However, Evo magazine argues that, while "capable of challenging the 911 as a true sports car", the "718 version of the GTS doesn't really achieve anything more than the Cayman GTS it replaces" and "with its more desirable engine, it's the previous model that feels more exotic and like a much higher quality product." It describes the GTS' engine as "a nasty sounding motor", the noise from the turbo four-cylinder in the cabin as "dreadful" and "tuneless drivel" and contests that "the only redeeming feature of the 718 GTS sonically is that this is probably the quietest iteration of this motor".^[22]

References

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