PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN

The fourth, redeveloped generation of the mid-engine sport coupé has a more striking, athletic and efficient appearance. Just a few weeks after the debut of the new 718 Boxster, the new Porsche 718 Cayman is extending the new model series.

The same new four-cylinder flat engines with turbocharging as in the 718 Boxster are being deployed in the Porsche 718 Cayman. As a result, coupé and roadster have an identical engine output for the first time. The entry-level version is launching in China with an output of 184 kW (250 hp). In the other markets, the 718 Cayman produces 220 kW (300 hp) from two litres of displacement. There are no changes in the S model. Globally, the 718 Cayman S delivers 257 kW (350 hp) with a displacement of 2.5 litres.

The tremendous torque of the new engines in the Porsche 718 Cayman promises driving fun and agility even at low revs. Equipped with the two-litre version of the engine intended for China, the 718 Cayman delivers 310 Nm of torque at speeds ranging from 1,850 rpm to 5,000 rpm. The 220 kW (300 hp) version of the two-litre four-cylinder turbo for all other markets attains a torque of 380 Nm, which is available in a range between 1,950 and 4,500 rpm. The 2.5-litre engine of the 718 Cayman S features a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG), a technology hitherto used exclusively in the 911 Turbo. In the 718 Cayman S, the VTG charger additionally has a wastegate for the first time. It delivers up to 420 Nm (an extra 50 Nm) to the crankshaft at engine speeds ranging from 1,900 to 4,500 rpm. For the driver this means even better torque in all engine speed ranges. The 718 Cayman with PDK and optional Sport Chrono Package sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds (5.4 seconds in China). The 718 Cayman S completes this sprint in 4.2 seconds. The top speed of the 718 Cayman is 275 km/h (260 km/h in China) while the 718 Cayman S manages 285 km/h.

New chassis tuning for greater precision and more lateral stability

In terms of their driving dynamics, the new Porsche 718 Cayman models follow in the tracks of the classic 718 cars. Thanks to their outstanding agility, the historic mid-engine sports cars won numerous races in the 1950s and 1960s such as the Targa Florio and Le Mans. Lateral rigidity and wheel tracking have been improved in the completely retuned chassis of the 718 Cayman; springs and stabilisers have been designed to be firmer and the tuning of the shock absorbers has been revised. The steering, which has been configured to be ten per cent more direct, enhances agility and driving fun. The rear wheels, which are one-half of an inch wider, in combination with the redeveloped tyres result in an increased lateral force potential and hence in greater cornering stability.

Driving dynamics options such as the Sport Chrono Package and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) allow the sporty character of the Porsche 718 Cayman to be further customised. Another available option is PASM with a 10-millimetre lowering of the ride height and additionally in the S model PASM sport suspension with a 20-millimetre lowering of the ride height for the first time. As in the other Porsche sports cars, the Sport Chrono Package can be adjusted via the programme switch on the steering wheel. Supplementing the previous settings of "Normal", "Sport" and "Sport Plus" is the "Individual" programme, which is able to call up previously programmed individual settings for various systems.

On account of the car's greater driving performance capabilities, stronger brake systems are now in use with 330-millimetre brake discs in front and 299-millimetre discs at the rear. The 718 Cayman now has the brake system that was previously used in the Cayman S. The 718 Cayman S, on the other hand, uses the four-piston callipers of the 911 Carrera with 6-millimetre thicker brake discs on the front axle.