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13K views 47 replies 29 participants last post by  Baystater 
#1 ·
http://www.planet-9.com/gallery/files/3/718covers.jpg The legendary Porsche 718 is back

Mid-engine Sports Cars have a long tradition at Porsche. Starting with the Porsche 550 Spyder in 1953, a Sports Car that caused a sensation on both the race track and on the road with an empty weight of just around 550 kilograms (1,213 pounds). The Porsche 550 Spyder impressively demonstrated the superiority of the mid-engine concept in combination with a consistent lightweight construction when it crossed the finishing line of the Targa Florio with a lead of almost 15 minutes over the rest of the field in 1956.

The Porsche 718 was the logical development of the mid-engine Sports Car: lightweight, fast, and beautiful. In addition to winning numerous races, it also won the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts and even more those of its drivers. Due to its outstanding power-to-weight ratio, it had a top speed of up to 260 km/h (162 mph) and offered excellent maneuverability. This meant that it was able to surpass once again the racing successes of its predecessor: among other things, it won the Targa Florio in 1959 and 1960. With the development of the Boxster, Porsche continued the long tradition of mid-engine Sports Cars in the middle of the 1990s. The Boxster was joined by the Cayman around 10 years later, also a typical Porsche mid-engine Sports Car.

The new 718 models

We are committed to the tradition of Porsche – and so we take one step back in order to take a leap into the dynamic future of our mid-engine Sports Cars. The 718 set standards on the race track. The new 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will now follow in its footsteps from the start of 2016. And the Porsche maxim still holds as true today as it did then: Intelligent Performance.

The next 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman generation also shows its motor sport origins in the model range designation "718" and interprets this tradition with newly developed vehicles and highly efficient engines.

Newly developed flat-four turbo engines

Following on the tradition of the 1957 718 with its flat-four engine, the 718 model range builds on this heritage with new flat-four turbo engines developed by Porsche. These powerful engines open up the next, breathtaking chapter in terms of the performance of our mid-engine Sports Cars.

The most important difference is preserved by means of the "Boxster" and "Cayman" names: one of the 718 models is open, the other closed. Both fulfil Sports Car dreams, enhanced by the absolute desire for uncompromising sportiness.

You can find a long time on-going discussion at Planet-9 about these new models here:
http://www.planet-9.com/981-chat/94300-its-commmmmminnnngggg-400-hp-flat-4-boxster-cayman-98.html
 
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#4 ·
So marketing 718 ties it back to a legend that is a flat-4. Seems blatant unless one is unaware, in which case it works subliminally until it is brought to the fore. Pretty smooth.

And using 718 sets it below the 911 icon (unlike numbers like 987 and 981), AND still has a subliminal link to the 918. Very smooth.

And if they thought of the above way back when starting the Boxster and 986, then Porsche has genius level smoothness! ;)

Being this smooth, will the use of Cayman and Boxster drop away over time in favor of just 718?

Will all this lead to the Boxster/Cayman, 986/987/981 being an interesting side story in Porsche lore? It's a side story I'm happily living through. :)
 
#9 ·
What does this mean for the GT4? I just drove it last week and am putting a deposit down for the waiting list. This 718 news is highly damping my enthusiasm. (I looked on 718 thread and did not see this discussion)
 
#12 ·
I just can't work up much enthusiasm for a turbo flat 4. Once I drive a 718, perhaps it will change my mind, but at present I completely dislike the move to smaller displacement turbo engines. Maybe I'm wrong, but my take is that Porsche/Ferrari/et al have been pushed down this route not because it makes the best car/engine combo, but because it is a way to game the EPA MPG/emissions figures, even though real-world driving shows no real MPG benefits. And the idea that people still take the supposed CO2 reduction as anything other than meaningless PR is just baffling to me. Also, the smaller engines help Porsche in markets (e.g. Germany and China) where the government, in its infinite wisdom, taxes vehicles based on displacement. As I said, once I drive one I might be converted, but for now I am somewhat dispirited by a car that I see more as a result of poor structuring of incentives for industry than as a result of consumer preferences.
 
#14 ·
Well from my understanding, Porsche can't take the NA flat 6 engine further because it's reaching limits in performance, emissions, and MPG. They need to make faster boxsters/caymans every generation and adding a turbo will do it.

Turbos have always been a way to make engines faster and more efficient...it's actually a tag that people want when car shopping...years ago there was a big distinction and the word turbo next to a car model was a selling point. 911 turbo is from that time and still exists today, but the problem is almost every car sold today has a turbo.

I think the problem is downsizing to 4 cylinders. This is obviously just another way porsche want to keep the boxster/Cayman down and for you to buy their carerra to get the full experience...which many don't care for nor want to spend that kind of money. I think Porsche's claim is they can't fit 2 more cylinders, though you'll still be able to get their biggest NA engine in the higher trims (gt and spyder). You simply can't make a 4 banger sound good, especially after adding a turbo...VW GTI is an example of that and hey had to resort to fake sound.

Porsche wanted to make 718 a cheap entry model, but it's just plain irony how they tagged the existing model as this though we all know the price isn't going to be cheaper. Sounds like a win for clever porsche marketing.

As time passes, I become more motivated to get an all electric (sports) car. Probably what I'm getting next in 2020ish because the charm of gas cars is slowly going away anyway.
 
#18 ·
Ha. Or Planet 7-9?

I generally dislike turbos because there is some lag which has significantly improved over time and then some even have that dull drone. I assume overtime the evolution of forced induction as N/A goes away will change everyone's expectation of what a "good" engine should be. N/A may be a lore or relic of sorts that only old folks can have nostalgia about. It could be like the traditional manual vs. PDK/SMG/e-clutch debate: some will look back and others won't care about the past.
 
#19 ·
Doubt anyone will even care about internal combustion engines soon. Porsche themselves will be selling an all electric sports car in 2018...to compete will all major brands planning to do the same. Mainstream electric cars are in the near future. You can thank the EPA encourage it and Tesla for beta testing.

I personally like electric cars...just not the giant monstrosity the tesla model s. If someone makes a smaller lighter (or mini 918) roadster, I'd be all over it (hint Porsche).
 
#22 · (Edited)
I don't see why they could not go with a smaller 6 turbo such as a 2.5 or 2.7 since the Carrera starts with a 3.0.

The 4 banger part is urking me. Personally, I like turbos, just not crazy about 4 cylinder engines in general.

I don't buy the "not enough room" excuse as, as mentioned, it's already being done.

And the flipping of the prices between the Cayman and the Boxster. Is that "just because we can"?
 
#24 ·
I don't see why they could not go with a smaller 6 turbo such as a 2.5 or 2.7 since the Carrera starts with a 3.0.


And the flipping of the prices between the Cayman and the Boxster. Is that "just because we can"?
I think that they realized, "OOOPS we should have done this in the first place...Now is a great time to it"

Engineering costs and working components generally bring up production costs on any drop top nameplate on the planet.
 
#23 ·
Someone I am sure has heard the reality in the performance world...

No replacement for displacement.

I prefer spinning and rotating of as many pistons as I can get rather that BLOWING the daylights out of a few of them. Plus, IF shards of metal break loose from the Ol' turbo fins.....fill in the blank there.
 
#28 ·
Also, is it me, or they made the tail lights smaller? I'd like that.
 
#30 ·
I'm just glad these will be available with a manual transmission.

I've never owned a car with an automatic, and don't intend to start anytime soon; driving without a third pedal is just boring, and so if I have to have an auto or "sequential manual" it might as well be a minivan.
 
#39 ·
I would be very unhappy if the rear trunk was smaller or non existent.
The car has marginal space as it is (for the week-long road trips we do) and having no back trunk would push the car out of contention for us.

Rather, I suspect the bean counters and modern thinkers at Porsche are alive and well.
4 cyl turbo solves several problems, saves $, and is consistent with changes the whole car industry is making.

Product planners and marketing people are probably counting on the majority of Boxster buyers being impressed enough with the new found torque to accept the changes.

Those of us who are rabid flat-6 fans are probably in the minority, and we don't get to call the shots.
Plus, we can always pony up for the Spyder and GT4 models if we can't live with the turbo 4..... or so they imagine our thinking will be.
 
#41 · (Edited)
"I can't imagine that P didn't think about it, so there must be a reason. And unless someone here knows and is willing to share, let the speculation begin!!"

No speculation, it has been well documented, "MARKETING" wanted to put more distance between the 911 and the Cayman/Boxster. So they degraded it to 4 cyl. And, no, it will be either the same price or more expensive, with the 718 S convertible being the most expensive.That is why I say its dead. People, especially sport cars enthusiasts, are NOT dumb or stupid.

Cheers
 
#42 ·
Yes, it's possible. But then why did marketing allow the GT4 to happen? Did they think that was a mistake and so the 718 is the correction for the mistake?

And an extension of the "distance from the 911" suggests no future GTS or GT4 versions of the 718 with a flat 6 (turbo or not) because those might get close to some versions of the 911. I suppose time will tell.
 
#46 ·
I recently got my 981 Spyder and I really enjoy it for what it is. Raw with a manual box and all. I though that I might miss the PDK from my previous BS. But no, this is an utter joy to use. As this whole thread agrees to, the move to 4 cylinder turbo is not for the customers but to please government regulations. That is why my Spyder will eventually become a classic and a bit of an investment and I will keep it as long as I can, not even considering the new 911 turbos.
 
#48 · (Edited)
Some of the options will be available later this year. There is a German brochure out (someone here posted a link) that lists all the options (including the upcoming).
As per this brochure - sport exhaust will be available starting July 2016!

Edit: Here is the link to the thread: http://www.planet-9.com/718-chat/117266-718-ordering-thread.html
 
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