Thanks for the review Spydert. This gives me the sads, as I've been telling myself that a Cayman GTS 4.0 is the only car that I would leave my OG M2 for. I used to own a 987 Cayman S and loved it, although not enough to trade it in and get myself installed in a manual M2.
I went to the local Porsche dealer for the launch of the 4 cyl 718 and just could not get past the gorgeous lines of the car....only to hear that nauseating drone from the exhaust. The 4.0 will fix that! (I thought).
The long gearing always concerned me, and the thought of needing to take a brand new Porsche to Sharkwerks to resolve that problem seemed ludicrous.
I'd still like to drive one myself to confirm my fears, but yeah, I think 911 has replaced the Cayman in my brain-garage. My wallet doesn't approve of this change!.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spydert
Do not meet your heroes.
I got a chance to take the Boxster GTS4.0 on a bit of an extended test drive today and I’ll get straight to the point - I was kind of disappointed.
Looks: I’m not really a big fan of the boxster design (love the Spyder) but I thought the python green color would rock and it did. Love it. Would def buy in this color.
Cabin/Seats: Typical Porsche - solid. Otherwise same as all 718s. The seats felt tight though, and I couldn’t get the side bolsters to expand enough. I am by no means portly (more on the slim side) so I found this a bit weird.
Chassis/Suspension: This is by far the trump card of the 718 generation. It’s just superb and leagues better than the M2’s. The chassis can handle even more power. However, you can tell that it’s heavier than the 4 cylinder variants. It’s not bad, and the firmness is reassuring, but you do feel that it’s not as sprightly. It’s a more ‘serious’ 718.
Sound: The exhaust can get loud. Really loud. It’s a good noise - better than the 4 cylinder turbos and there wasn’t the high speed drone those ones have, but it’s not a really great noise either. I first noticed this when I started a 718GT4 a while back but thought then it must have been me, the sound features of the dealership floor etc, - but I confirmed it today. It’s a good but not great sound. The M2 makes a more melodious, sonorous tone and it’s not as loud. There was a 991.2 Carrera driving by the other day and that had a much better sound. I had to switch off sports+ in some neighborhoods cos I just felt it was too obnoxious. I’ve never had that problem in the M2.
Engine - I know it’ll sound odd but this is actually where I was disappointed - mainly with the throttle response. I get that its NA and all that, but this car feels almost lethargic in the low revs. And because the noise factor is up, it’s like drama without any substance until you get up in the rev range, and then it moves. It’s just today I understood the frustration with the long gearing that folks have been talking about (I had the pdk by the way). There isn’t much else but noise in the low revs and then when you to where the excitement starts, you’re already past the speed limit and have to slow back down. It’s like power that you just can’t use and it was frustrating. I don’t know why it has to be this way. The Miata is just a 4 pot NA and is very peppy in the low revs and I think more fun than this as a result. Also, the pdk in the 718 is nowhere near as good as in the new 992s. For the 911, I would be torn between the pdk and manual, but here, definitely the manual.
All in all, this is the third time I really went into the 718 with a view to seeing if I had found the car to replace or perhaps add to the M2. And each time I’ve come away with a clear sense that the M2 is the better car - at least for me. Weirdly, the GTS4.0 is to me, the biggest conundrum of the lot. The only thing I didn’t like about the 4 cylinder GTS was the sound and the drone. In the 4.0, the chassis feels like it wants to be on the road, but the engine feels like it wants to be on a track, or be a GT car which I know sounds weird - but that’s how it felt. There was something unresolved about it. One thing I will say though is that with the exhaust left in normal, it’ll be a way better daily driver than the M2.
As it stands now then, the 911 is the only car that really appeals to me in the Porsche line up (the 992 Carrera S is the best car I have ever driven in my life). It’s kinda sad cos I’ve always loved and looked up to the Cayman/Boxster series.
Maybe, really, do not meet your heroes.
NB: FWIW to anyone here, I was flabbergasted by the Cayene GTS. It's an absolute stonker of a car.
|