Motor Australia – May 2019

d motorofficial f motor_mag^35

DRIVINGPLEASUREin itspurestform

• orTouring– is whattheT moniker
  is supposedtobeallaboutwhen
  attachedtoa Porsche.Soit makes
  sensethattheCayman(andBoxster),
  theannoyinglycompetentyounger
  siblingtotheall-conquering911,gains
  a paredback,yetmorefocused
  variant.Although,it seemsmorea
  marketingploythananythingwhen
  emblazonedontherumpofaniconic
  911 – youmightaswelljustspeca
  Carrerahowyouwantit.SoPRjargon
  aside,is theCaymanbetterwitha T?
  Fora startyougetthe‘lesser’2.0-
  litreflatfourturbo,andnotthebigger
  2.5-litre.Still,althoughit sitsonthe
  bottomrungoftheimageladder,
  thewater-cooled1988ccflatfouris
  actuallya decentunit.It’shappier
  torevandwith220kWand380Nm
  pushingaround1350kg,theboosted
  fouris notslow.A 0-100km/htimeof
  5.1sec(withthepreferredsix-speed
  manual)anda 275km/htopspeedis
  theproofin thepudding.Selectthe
  rapid-fireseven-speedPDKandthe
  0-100km/hclaimdropsto4.7secwith
  SportPlus.Thankstotheimpressive
  real-lifeperformanceofthedownsized
  engine,the 718 CaymanT doesn’t,
  unlikethe 911 T,feellikeanotherwise
  completeathletewitha weakheart.
  TheT packcombinesSportChrono
  andPSMwithanin-betweensemi-
  hooligan-likeSportPlusmode,
  boasting PTV torque vectoring and a
  mechanical diff lock. The steering rack,
  borrowed from the 911 Turbo, is 10 per
  cent faster and the sports exhaust is
  bimodal. Launch control and the Sport
  Response turbo boost button is fitted
  with the PDK ’box. Handfuls of extra
  money buy carbon-ceramic brakes,
  which this Cayman requires about as
  urgently as Clive Palmer needs another
  ‘Make Australia Great’ billboard.
  Visually the sexy stance is
  emphasised by dark 20-inch alloys

thatalmostrequireflaredwheelarches

andbytheadjustablePASMsports

suspension,whichlowerstheride

heightby20mm.Withtheexception

ofthetackyfull-lengthstickersthat

runalongthebottomofthedoors,

theblacked-outbodydetailingand

theavailablesmokedtail-lightlenses,

the 718 CaymanT lookseverybitas

desirableasa GTS.

Insidethere’ssportseats(anything

fromthestandardpewstothe

expensive918-stylelightweightcarbon-

fibrebuckets),Sport-Texupholstery

andfabricloopsfordoorhandles.

PCMis a no-costoption.However,

youpayextraforair-conditioning,

sat-nav,PowerSteeringPlus,dynamic

LEDheadlights,anAlcantara-trimmed

steeringwheelanda shortenedshifter.

There’ssomethingaboutPorsche

sportscarsthatnoothermanufacturer

canmatch.It doesn’treallymatter

whetheryouaredrivinga 718Cayman

T,a 911GT3RS,a CaymanGT4ora

911 TurboS – theyallhandle,respond

andcommunicatein a totallyinvolving

fashion.Yes,thesteeringmightbe

a littlequickerin theGTcars,the

suspensionsofterin othersandthe

handlingmoreneutralin themid-

enginedmodels.However,thereisn’t

muchvariationin yourinputs;theratio

betweencorneringgripandentry

speed,orthelift-offattitude,remain

largelythesame.Irrespectiveofengine

size and position, power and torque,

weight and performance, all two-door

Porsches are spun from the same

dynamic ilk.

When warm, the bigger tyres

(235/35 ZR20 front and 265/35 ZR20

rear) instil more lateral grip as well as

fierce traction, but the price you pay

is a well-below par ride on country

roads. In crosswind conditions and

when following ruts, the directional

stability can be unsettling at times, and

those carbon-ceramic brakes don’t like

rain or sub-zero temperatures. Active

transmission mounts cushion abrupt

tip-in and tip-out manoeuvres.

The four-cylinder engine’s

soundtrack isn’t quite as throaty and

strong-voiced as the old six, but the

reality is that the acoustics aren’t

really an issue, nor is the somewhat

underwhelming on-paper performance.

Ultimately the Cayman T sounds

meaner and answers more promptly

to throttle inputs, but it is also harder

sprung and more firmly damped –

even before you dial in Sport. Still,

the T feels like a somewhat brawnier

and, subjectively, faster car. The do-it-

yourself manual ties in with the back-

to-basics nature over the ruthlessly

efficient PDK, because at the end of

the day, the Cayman T is all about a

pure, raw and involving experience.

OPPOSITE

The benefits of the

dynamic gearbox

mounts (PADM) are

felt through fast,

sweeping bends and

changes of load

ABOVE

Pricing for the

Cayman/Boxster T is

yet to be finalised...

because both variants

are yet to be given the

green light for Oz. We

say bring it, Porsche

➜

Performance witha pared-back ethos

PORSCHE

718 CAYMAN T

BY • GEORG KACHER

ENGINE 1988cc flat-4, DOHC, 16v, turbo

POWER 220kW @ 6500rpm

TORQUE 380Nm @ 2150rpm

0-100KM/H 5.1sec (claimed)

4.5 WEIGHT 1350kg • PRICE $120,000 (est)

Rating

LIKE: Flawless dynamic

ability; punchy 2.0-litre flat four;

involving driving experience

DISLIKE: Might not make it

Down Under; down on power

compared to 2.5; engine sound