Re: Driving impressions update for 2021 718 Cayman T

It's been a long time but enough has transpired that an update is in order. I'm not sure how to change my author name, but I used to post under SteveJ. Anyway, I have no complaints with the Cayman so I will summarize a couple of things. The test in the latest Panorama is accurate but I do dsagree with one point of their evaluation. they complain that the gearing is too tall and makes smooth starts from rest difficult. The gearing is just right as far as I am concerned. The car is set up so that it is autobahn ready which can be useful in the right circumstances. The car reaches 170 which is the top speed at engine rev line. I can't detect significant turbo lag above about 3000 RPM. Maybe it's the variable vane technology which they introduced with the 718. I won't be doing any work on the car myself since we have a good Porsche dealership in town.

Hey Steve, where do you get to test 170 - aside from a race track?

Any other impressions on the car? Always nice to get thoughts.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Glad to hear you are enjoying your car. In the end that is all that matters.

But I am particularly happy to know about the 150-170 driving band which is so important to all Americans.

To change your user name, go to the "Main Forum" page (NOT the Home Page) and click on "Control Center" in the upper-right corner of the page. There you should see an "edit profile" link on the right side of the page, amongst other options, and edit away after clicking. Good luck with the edit, and the new ride.

Was talking with a person in a parking lot about my car (2009) and discussed a bit about new Porsches. While tempted, as of now, going to keep mine. Like that it was from when Porsche was still independent, but closely tied to VW, and that it is naturally aspirated. Never been much of a fan of smaller displaced turbo-charged engines. What's the lag like below 3000 RPMs? Is it noticable?

While I was waiting for my car to be delivered I had some time to look at videos on the internet and there are a few taken from the passenger seat of a 718 Boxster on the autobahn which actually show the 170 claimed by Porsche. When I drove my 210 Boxster home from Arizona I found several roads that were suitable. One that was my favorite was a 2 lane road on an indian reservation.

There is a 2000 mile break-in requirement recommended by Porsche so I really have not spent much time at high speed. The best example that I can think of was with my wife driving on a 2 lane road in northern Minnesota where she was in 3rd gear and was surprised to look down and see 95 mph after a passing maneuver. The problem with the Cayman at RPMs below 3000 is the sound of the engine - not good. This is a very subjective thing, but the shifting is so effortless that I tend to keep it above 3000 because the car seems happiest there. It's simply a re-education process to convince myself that certain things in my past are so out of date since most of my driving with a stick when I was learning with my MGTD have to change.

Living life above 3000 RPMs! Sad to say, but I live most of my life below 3000 RPMs. Daily driving. Still more enjoyable in a Porsche than a mass-produced vehicle. Funny thing is, Porsche went with the smaller displacement and turbos to help improve MPG. Maybe for Gov't tests, but real life, we are probably defeating that goal. Enjoy.

Nice write up--please post further impressions after you're past the break in period.

Regarding the gearing, our 981BS might have benefited from shorter gearing for driving around town but it's not the end of the world.
Having said that, few if any of us will get that chance to get close to the red line in 6th gear anywhere in this country.

I had a chance to drive PDK equipped 718 at the launch as well as the 6spd 718 BS.
On a very hot day, the 718BS was a hoot to drive. The additional TQ and HP was noticeable, but not some quantum leap of any sort. So was the quicker steering.

The PDK equipped 718 was another matter. Again, on a hot day with the car being driven by a lot of people, getting off the line was "sluggish" to put it diplomatically. I thought the PDK might cover any low end power issues but it didn't happen that day with that car.

Best of luck with it