718 Caymen with turbo four at the park - 2018 model

[kach22i]

My wife and I took a walk down a park trail Saturday and once in the park I spotted a car in the distance that got my attention. Turns out it was a new 718 Caymen S, the driver was taking photos of it with a camera on a tripod as I walked up to it. He freelances for Road & Track + Car and Driver, and used to work at Automobile way back when.

He had the car running, it sounded like any other 4-cylinder sort of Japanese or economy car-like. However I got a demonstration of three more sound modes, each one deeper, louder and throatier than the last that I would call Mustang-like verses Porsche-like.

The little bit of pressing of the gas pedal down with each mode was similar to the build up to the climax in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. In lieu of cannons going off at the end we got a loud backfire burble similar to an overly rich 911 out at the race track with sport exhaust.

I don't think anyone that loves his wife and neighbors would activate the last two modes of the four I heard. Number three would be fine out in the country on a winding road as long as it didn't alarm the milk cows too much.

I would not activate the last mode unless I knew the cops were not within earshot - it was a bit ridiculous and yet made me laugh and smile. It was way over the top, in a knuckle dragging boy racer style way.

I trust nobody minds dappled sunlight photos.













The two lower rectangles in the taillight assembly are red brake lights, they change over to white color and act as backup lights when put into reverse. The middle band are red running lights, the upper are also red brake lights if I recall correctly.

[kach22i]

Last two photos.




This is NOT the GT4, he's going to get one of those soon.

Maybe I'll be fortunate enough to bump into him again.

[HardDrive]

One of the advantages of growing up in Ann Arbor was seeing new models on the road, or cars in camo. Car and Driver is over on Eisenhower road, yes?

[wildthing]

I really like the look of the latest Caymans and Boxsters.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

One of the advantages of growing up in Ann Arbor was seeing new models on the road, or cars in camo. Car and Driver is over on Eisenhower road, yes?

Near Eisenhower and Industrial he said, I asked him if they were still on Hogback/Carpenter and he said they had not been there in about 13 years.

I visited their old offices before, even had an invite 2003-ish to see Automobile located downtown on 4th, up on the second floor, it was pretty cool.

I get nervous when rumors of closing the EPA engine testing facility in Ann Arbor arises. I see many cars in town while walking around because of that. I'm not out on the highway seeing vehicles coming to and from the Chrysler, GM and Ford testing grounds not far from here all that very often. I drive about 8,000 miles a year, been at that number for 25 years but still manage see my share on the road. Just gotta keep your eyes open.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by kach22i

He had the car running, it sounded like any other 4-cylinder sort of Japanese or economy car-like.

Just heard one. It sounds like a Subaru... not like other Japanese cars. IMO.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by tcar

Just heard one. It sounds like a Subaru... not like other Japanese cars. IMO.

I guess that's accurate.

He did not rev it up much in the most modest mode, nothing to write home about.

[Scott Douglas]

This one showed up at a 912 get together yesterday. Love the color.

[svandamme]

I don't like the angles in the nose , i mean, a 911/Cayman should have more curves.
the light/fender panels used to be very visible from the driving position.. you'de see those curves left and right, and you know it's a Porsche.

This just looks flat, angular.. don't like it.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by svandamme

I don't like the angles in the nose , i mean, a 911/Cayman should have more curves.
the light/fender panels used to be very visible from the driving position.. you'de see those curves left and right, and you know it's a Porsche.

This just looks flat, angular.. don't like it.

There certainly are more pointed edges, sharp angles and scallops fused into the traditional Porsche curves.

They struck a balance of aggressive masculine angles verses graceful effeminate curves.

It is a matter of subjective personal opinion whether they pulled it off.

In person the design looks balanced, in the photos I see the front is male, the rear female.

Judging on the borderline effeminate colors it appears Porsche is still marketing to women, or at least the fun side of things.

This car overall was youthful, and did not smell like an old man's car. There was no throat burning gas fumes to go with the loud exhaust, crackle and burble for instance.

Nice cars, very tempting if you have the coin.

[aigel]

Thanks for sharing. It looks a lot nicer than Gen1 for sure!

I find the exhaust engineering over the top. At a recent AX I instructed at, the newer boxster / caymen all did the backfiring trick on decel. This used to be a noise you hear on something fire breathing, raw, home built etc. Now it is engineered into the sound profile, triggered by electronics to impress. Is that still the same?

I think I'm getting old.

G

[LakeCleElum]

Love to listen to some sound clips of the exhaust notes if anyone can come up with that?

Thax much Kach

[HardDrive]

I think the backend has a bit too much bulk, but overall they look great.

I think they sound awful. Its a 4 banger. You can tune all day long. Still sounds like a 4.

"Ain't no substitute for cubic inches"-Cale Yarborough

[HardDrive]

WTF does it matter. Its all going to be near silent gear whine in 10 years anyway. The writing is on the wall.

[livi]

Originally Posted by aigel

Thanks for sharing. It looks a lot nicer than Gen1 for sure!

I find the exhaust engineering over the top. At a recent AX I instructed at, the newer boxster / caymen all did the backfiring trick on decel. This used to be a noise you hear on something fire breathing, raw, home built etc. Now it is engineered into the sound profile, triggered by electronics to impress. Is that still the same?

I think I'm getting old.

G

I agree. Sound engineering is like fake news. I guess it suits this day and age. I would take the authentic sound of a standard Chevrolet 350 engine any day. Not that I don´t think the Cayman is an awesome vehicle, mind you.

[ramonesfreak]

After a few years when these get close to the $35k range my SC will be sold and the money used as a down payment. Love these new ones. Hope my SC keeps is value

[wildthing]

Since there is only one, it should be Cayman, singular.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I think they are great looking cars, but the flat 6 sound is part of what I love most about Porsches. It's why I never really loved my 951s, great cars but they just don't sound the same. Even my wife comments that Porsches sound like no other car, which she was applying to both my 986 and 911SC. Sure it's faster in every possible way, but my 986 is already fast enough to send me to jail. At some point the experience comes into play.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I think they are great looking cars, but the flat 6 sound is part of what I love most about Porsches. It's why I never really loved my 951s, great cars but they just don't sound the same. Even my wife comments that Porsches sound like no other car, which she was applying to both my 986 and 911SC. Sure it's faster in every possible way, but my 986 is already fast enough to send me to jail. At some point the experience comes into play.

+1 - I could have said that verbatim... The counterpoint (in my head) is that the 718S finally has gobs of torque missing from the original and is now a true 911 rival in performance... I think it's faster that some old GT3 around the ring (not that I care about ring time, just as a benchmark, that's seriously impressive).

I can see one in my future (or ideally a 981S, almost same look but flat 6) when the kids leave the house and I can get by with a 2 seater, but by then we'll probably all be mandated to drive electric cars or pay hefty fines ;- (

[onewhippedpuppy]

It's like PDK, what you gain in performance you lose in experience. For a race car, I'm sure the turbo-4 with PDK is epic. For a street car no thanks, every Porsche produced over the last 25 years is more than fast enough for street use. For the hell of it, I used to build new Porsches on their vehicle configuration site. If I go there today, the only car I'm interested in building is a new GT3. Everything else is either turbocharged, 4 cylinder, or PDK only. A 911 GTS might be raw enough to pique my interest, and at least you can get a manual transmission.