M3 CS cs Cayman 718 GTS

[freeguac]

I test drove a 2019 718 gts. I am a bit underwhelmed by the power. I put the car in sport+ but it feels like sport in my CS in terms of acceleration. This is weird since I heard it is as fast as an f80. What do you guys think? This might be a dealer beaker for me since i am considering switching flit a gts.

Sound wise it is pretty loud with gts exhaust open. Though the quality is subjective. I don't like it or hate it. But not so good as the prior gen flat 6 cayman.

Chassis is great and I prefer 718s lower center of gravity. The ride is much nicer than f80.

Steering somehow feels similar.

[paliknight]

https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/7...18-cayman-gt4/

[gatorfast]

Not sure what you were expecting. The 718 gts is down nearly 100hp from the CS yet acceleration and performance should be on par due to lighter weight and mid engine design. Also dont know what you mean about the sport + feeling like sport in one model vs the other. In either case, full throttle will get 100% power.

[elitex]

718 GTS is great car. Only wish it still had 6 cyl engine, they really screwed up with 4 cyl engine. Rumors are that they may be bringing back the 6 cyl for Cayman/Boxter.

[nicknaz]

It seems like it traps in the 115-119mph range, so that’s the same acceleration potential as f80

As you pointed out, the benefits are in the lower ride height, and tracking it

My $0.02 would be to get an older Porsche to mod and keep as a companion to your f80, rather than a straight replacement. There’s always room in the garage for a fast 5 seats sedan, IMHO.

[freeguac]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Not sure what you were expecting. The 718 gts is down nearly 100hp from the CS yet acceleration and performance should be on par due to lighter weight and mid engine design. Also dont know what you mean about the sport + feeling like sport in one model vs the other. In either case, full throttle will get 100% power.

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Not sure what you were expecting. The 718 gts is down nearly 100hp from the CS yet acceleration and performance should be on par due to lighter weight and mid engine design. Also dont know what you mean about the sport + feeling like sport in one model vs the other. In either case, full throttle will get 100% power.

I meant the gts doesn't feel as fast as the m3. Might be subjectively. The sport+ on the gts feels like sport on the m3. M3 on sport+ feels faster.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by freeguac

I meant the gts doesn't feel as fast as the m3. Might be subjectively. The sport+ on the gts feels like sport on the m3. M3 on sport+ feels faster.

Yea it's probably just a matter of perception as on paper they should be equally quick. The ~100hp/tq advantage of the M3 will make it feel faster while the GTS is deceptive as the power to weight ratio and mid engine traction makes up for the power deficit.

[CanAutM3]

At WOT, the M3/4 pretty much accelerates the same in Efficient, Sport or Sport+. So I am not sure what you are trying to compare here.

[///M///]

I was in a similar dilemma when comparing the Cayman GTS to the M3. My M3 was Stage 1 with BM3 and yet when I drove the 2016 Cayman GTS with the Flat 6 (not even the faster turbo) it felt a lot faster in the back roads thanks to the handling. I kept the GTS for a day and did back to back runs in the M3 and the GTS. But to my surprise the GTS totally blew my mind when it came to the backroads and the fun factor. In an ideal world I would keep both but I could choose only one so went with the GTS. It is so much fun in spite of being slower in a straight line. I was sure that I will miss the power of the M3 but I was wrong. It is definitely more fun to drive a less powerful mid-engine fast vs driving a faster M3 slow through the backroads This will only make sense to those who have driven the 2015/16 Cayman GTS.

I did drive the 718 S and GTS and it did nothing for me. That car lacks soul.

[freeguac]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Yea it's probably just a matter of perception as on paper they should be equally quick. The ~100hp/tq advantage of the M3 will make it feel faster while the GTS is deceptive as the power to weight ratio and mid engine traction makes up for the power deficit.

I completely agree. The m3 feels twitchy under heavy acceleration, while the cayman is smooth delivering power the the ground. Maybe I was attributing the difficulty in gaining proper traction on the m3 to a feel of fast

[freeguac]

Originally Posted by ///M///

I was in a similar dilemma when comparing the Cayman GTS to the M3. My M3 was Stage 1 with BM3 and yet when I drove the 2016 Cayman GTS with the Flat 6 (not even the faster turbo) it felt a lot faster in the back roads thanks to the handling. I kept the GTS for a day and did back to back runs in the M3 and the GTS. But to my surprise the GTS totally blew my mind when it came to the backroads and the fun factor. In an ideal world I would keep both but I could choose only one so went with the GTS. It is so much fun in spite of being slower in a straight line. I was sure that I will miss the power of the M3 but I was wrong. It is definitely more fun to drive a less powerful mid-engine fast vs driving a faster M3 slow through the backroads This will only make sense to those who have driven the 2015/16 Cayman GTS.

I did drive the 718 S and GTS and it did nothing for me. That car lacks soul.

Nice car! I like backroads better than highway. The 718 does sound a bit weird albeit very loud

[Racer20]

I've driven a number of Caymans, and yeah, they definitely don't feel as fast as my F80. I suspect the reason they can keep up in acceleration tests is that they have an advantage at launch due to the mid engine design and an advantage at high speeds due to aero. But the F80 has a big advantage in in-town, in-gear acceleration.

[Tanzif80]

I have a f80 zcp that I drive on the track quite a bit. My buddy has a 718 GTS that I had a chance to drive on the track back to back with my f80. When you turn off the aids, the f80 really comes alive on the track. It gets the power down well and it wants to oversteer a bit coming out of the corners but is easily controllable as long as you aren’t stupid with the throttle. The f80 walks away from the GTS on the straights but the GTS more than makes up for it in the corners.

The 718 on the other hand, is so stable and balanced and able to put the power down with such little drama into and out of the corners. The 718 chassis is so balanced that you can brake much deeper into corners and put the power down much sooner. It is such a great chassis that has to be experienced to be believed. I also had a chance to drive a 981 GTS with the Porsche driving experience. That flat 6 is a total gem that sounds amazing but has nowhere near the power of the 718 4 banger. The 718 chassis is also so much better than the 981 chassis at the limits. The old flat 6 was symphonic whereas That 718 sound tho leaves something to be desired.

IMO in real world driving the 718 GTS is spectacular through the canyons, comfort and everyday drivability. The f80 is spectacular also because of more utility. If you didn’t need all the space and don’t mind 2 seats, I would go GTS all day long. The new GTS would smoke the 981gts all day.

[freeguac]

Originally Posted by Tanzif80

I have a f80 zcp that I drive on the track quite a bit. My buddy has a 718 GTS that I had a chance to drive on the track back to back with my f80. When you turn off the aids, the f80 really comes alive on the track. It gets the power down well and it wants to oversteer a bit coming out of the corners but is easily controllable as long as you aren't stupid with the throttle. The f80 walks away from the GTS on the straights but the GTS more than makes up for it in the corners.

The 718 on the other hand, is so stable and balanced and able to put the power down with such little drama into and out of the corners. The 718 chassis is so balanced that you can brake much deeper into corners and put the power down much sooner. It is such a great chassis that has to be experienced to be believed. I also had a chance to drive a 981 GTS with the Porsche driving experience. That flat 6 is a total gem that sounds amazing but has nowhere near the power of the 718 4 banger. The 718 chassis is also so much better than the 981 chassis at the limits. The old flat 6 was symphonic whereas That 718 sound tho leaves something to be desired.

IMO in real world driving the 718 GTS is spectacular through the canyons, comfort and everyday drivability. The f80 is spectacular also because of more utility. If you didn't need all the space and don't mind 2 seats, I would go GTS all day long. The new GTS would smoke the 981gts all day.

Wow such a great write up. I will probably Turo a 718 for a couple days and see how it handles in the canyons.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by ///M///

I was in a similar dilemma when comparing the Cayman GTS to the M3. My M3 was Stage 1 with BM3 and yet when I drove the 2016 Cayman GTS with the Flat 6 (not even the faster turbo) it felt a lot faster in the back roads thanks to the handling. I kept the GTS for a day and did back to back runs in the M3 and the GTS. But to my surprise the GTS totally blew my mind when it came to the backroads and the fun factor. In an ideal world I would keep both but I could choose only one so went with the GTS. It is so much fun in spite of being slower in a straight line. I was sure that I will miss the power of the M3 but I was wrong. It is definitely more fun to drive a less powerful mid-engine fast vs driving a faster M3 slow through the backroads This will only make sense to those who have driven the 2015/16 Cayman GTS.

I did drive the 718 S and GTS and it did nothing for me. That car lacks soul.

Nice purchase, 981 GTS seem to be holding their value quite nicley. One of best sounding stock cars I've heard. No aftermarket exhaust needed.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by hellrotm

Nice purchase, 981 GTS seem to be holding their value quite nicley. One of best sounding stock cars I've heard. No aftermarket exhaust needed.

Yes it sounds good primarily because the Porsche PSE is standard on it. The sound inside the cabin and outside sound is 50% of the reason I bought it Nothing compares to it in the same price range.

I'd like to add.....For those with M3/4's who have driven just the Cayman or Cayman S it will feel really slow because it is. I was not totally in love with the Cayman S because it felt lacking in power and on the interior as well but the GTS had it all.....the extra 15 HP on paper is more than just 15 HP. It seems to be tuned very differently and feels a lot more powerful than the S. Add the standard stuff it comes with, its a huge step up from the S, the interior, the alcantara, the steering, the front bumper the exhaust, etc. Try it before you buy it, you will not be disappointed.

[tropicalypso]

It seems appropriate to leave this link here

4.0 liter flat six in the Cayman GTS for 2020.

Let’s rejoice.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...-gts-flat-six/

[elitex]

Originally Posted by tropicalypso

It seems appropriate to leave this link here

4.0 liter flat six in the Cayman GTS for 2020.

Let’s rejoice.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...-gts-flat-six/

Awesome! Finally.

[gatorfast]

Poorly kept secret but nice to see the official announcement. Although if that pricing is accurate it sounds like kind of a hard sell at only $10k less than the gt4.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Poorly kept secret but nice to see the official announcement. Although if that pricing is accurate it sounds like kind of a hard sell at only $10k less than the gt4.

I think GT4's will go for over sticker

[JTO24]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

I think GT4's will go for over sticker

Hoping it softens the 981 GT4 a bit more than it is today... if the 4.0 GTS starts at $87k USD with the possibility of PTS, it might lure some folks to opt for that instead of compromising on a 981 build that isn't one's ideal spec.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Poorly kept secret but nice to see the official announcement. Although if that pricing is accurate it sounds like kind of a hard sell at only $10k less than the gt4.

Article’s pricing guess is surely wrong. Pricing is out for other markets. Using UK pricing, Cayman models average another +30%. UK price is $64k, should put the US Cayman GTS 4.0L msrp between $83k-$84k. Some of these article are forgetting this is a replacement for an $80k GTS.