Porsche 982
The Porsche 982 is the internal designation of the fourth generation Boxster and third generation Cayman made by German automobile manufacturer 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 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 outmaneuvered competitors with larger and more powerful engines.
718 Boxster and 718 Cayman
The 718 Boxster was introduced in January 2016, and premiered at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The 718 Cayman joined the range in April at the Beijing Motor Show. The 718 featured two new horizontally-opposed flat-4 turbocharged engines at 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre displacement with increased torque and horsepower with lower fuel consumption. The S model turbocharger utilizes Variable Turbine Geometry technology.Later in October 2017, the GTS models were announced with their 2.5-litre engines rated at. The Boxster could accelerate to 97 km/h from a standstill in 4.1 seconds, and the Cayman in 3.9 seconds.
Since 2020, the GTS 4.0 model has been offered for both 718 models. The new model features the 4.0-litre flat-6 from the Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder, however de-tuned to. Both GTS 4.0 models can accelerate to 97 km/h from a standstill in 4.3 seconds.
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. 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 aluminium piece used for adding oil and coolant in the trunk.
Reception
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, while the new 4 cylinder engine "cheapens the experience". The 718 Cayman was declared Motor TrendBy 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." Top Gear noted that the sound, "fundamentally cheapens the Porsche experience," and makes the car, "less upmarket, less cultured and sophisticated than it did before." However, Motor Trend
The 718 GTS variant of the Cayman and Boxster received generally positive reviews. Visually, the front headlight and rear taillights 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.
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.
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".
718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder
The 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder were revealed in June 2019. Both are differentiated from less powerful models by more aggressive bodywork, including a lower stance, new front bumper, a large new diffuser, and exhaust pipes that are spaced farther apart. The GT4 also features larger side intakes and an adjustable wing, the latter of which helps it generate up to of downforce, 50 percent more than its predecessor. Both have a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-6 derived from the 992's 3.0-litre 9A2EVO engine, which is rated at at 7,600 rpm and of torque at 5,000–6,800 rpm. The engine has cylinder deactivation, a first for Porsche, and is exclusively paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Porsche claims a top speed of for the GT4, and for the Spyder. The front suspension and brakes are borrowed from the 911 GT3, and the adaptive dampers, ABS and stability-control programming are borrowed from the 911 GT3 RS. The anti-roll bar end links, camber and toe can be manually adjusted, but the ride height–3 cm lower than a standard 718–is fixed. Both are around 90.7 kg heavier than the GTS models. Sales commenced in the spring of 2020. For the 2021 model year, the GT4 and Spyder became available with the 7-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission as an option.Specifications
| Year | Models | Engine | Power | Torque | Transmission | 0–100 km/h | 0–60 mph | Top speed | |
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster | PDK | 5.6 seconds | 174 g/km | |||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster | PDK Sport Chrono | 5.4 seconds | 174 g/km | |||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster and T | Manual | 5.1 seconds | 4.9 seconds | 168 g/km | ||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster and T | PDK | 4.9 seconds | 4.7 seconds | 158 g/km | ||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster and T | PDK Sport Chrono | 4.7 seconds | 4.5 seconds | 158 g/km | ||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster S | Manual | 4.6 seconds | 4.4 seconds | 184 g/km | ||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster S | PDK | 4.4 seconds | 4.2 seconds | 167 g/km | ||||
| 2016–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster S | PDK Sport Chrono | 4.2 seconds | 4.0 seconds | 167 g/km | ||||
| 2017–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster GTS | Manual | 4.6 seconds | 4.4 seconds | 205 g/km | ||||
| 2017–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster GTS | PDK | 4.3 seconds | TBA | 186 g/km | ||||
| 2017–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster GTS | PDK Sport Chrono | 4.1 seconds | 3.9 seconds | 186 g/km | ||||
| 2020–Present | 718 Cayman/Boxster GTS 4.0 | Manual | 4.5 seconds | 246 g/km | |||||
| 2019–Present | 718 Cayman GT4/Spyder | Manual | 4.4 seconds | 251 g/km |
Gallery
Motorsport
718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
On 3 January 2019 the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was unveiled in two variants, Competition and Trackday, with first customer cars delivered to customer teams ahead of the 2019 Roar Before the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International Speedway. The race car is powered by a 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine producing at 7,500 rpm and at 6,600 rpm connected to a 6-speed PDK gearbox. The kerb weight is. Both variants feature a welded-in roll cage, a six-point harness and race bucket seat, a selection of body parts made of natural-fibre composite materials, the front suspension from the 911 GT3 Cup, racing brakes, lightweight forged wheels and slick tyres. Aerodynamics are improved over the previous generation GT4 Clubsport, including a swan neck mount rear wing. The Competition variant features 3-way adjustable shock absorbers, a 115-litre fuel cell, brake balance adjustment, a lightweight battery, a fire extinguishing system, a quick release steering wheel from the 911 GT3 R and a three-piston air jack system while the Trackday variant features fixed shock absorbers, an 80-litre fuel cell and a handheld fire extinguisher instead.The new Porsche Sprint Challenge GB, which is made up of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport cars, was supposed start at Silverstone Circuit on 25 April 2020, but will now start on 6 June 2020 at the same circuit.