Cayman 718 GTS 4.0 Owners

[Beanoir™]

Thought I'd start a thread for owners of the GTS 4.0

 

Any lucky owners here want to share their experiences so far...?

[Beanoir™]

I'm off to have a little test drive of a GTS4.0 today.  Quite looking forward to it, will report back with my thoughts later on! 😃

[sevenfourate]

Very nice.
 

Some nice pics or even a vid with accompanying soundtrack would be fabulous...

 

ENJOY !

[SarlechS]

1 hour ago, Beanoir™ said:

I'm off to have a little test drive of a GTS4.0 today.  Quite looking forward to it, will report back with my thoughts later on! 😃

can’t wait for your report later! 

[Andy]

Can't wait for you to buy one and let me have a go.... 

[Beanoir™]

Well, a few short comments on the 718 GTS4.0.  I made an appointment at OPC Silverstone to test drive their demonstrator.  It's a GT Silver car with satin black wheels.  It has the GTS interior pack and one or two other options, but not what I'd call 'heavily specced'. I had about 45 minutes in the car without a chaperone which was quite nice.  I won't go through the usual features, like PASM and SC etc because we all know how these features work and they were the same as any other 718.  

 

First impressions, I think the GT Silver looks much better in the flesh than in photos on most cars and this car was no exception.  The details of the design are very nice, visually it's much the same as any other 718 GTS except the rear diffuser and exhaust are borrowed from the GT4.  I'm still not a fan of the front bumper on the 718, I think it looks too soft and friendly, I much prefer the deeper and more aggressive styling of the 981, particularly the 981 GTS.  Overall though it's a nice looking car.  

 

 

Inside the car is beautiful, the GTS pack really lifts the interior finish and if you like Alcantara and contrasting stitching then this is a place you'll want to spend your time.  It really is a very high level of finish and I loved it.  The switchgear is obviously all very much standard 718 as you'd expect, but thats a good thing because it's functional, neat and ergonomically it's well designed.  The seats were the standard 2-way sport seats and I can't say they were anything but average in the comfort department, but one thing that I struggled with was my leg space against the centre console.  I don't ever remember having this issue in a 718 (or 981) before, although I suspect I should have adjusted the steering reach out to it's max and moved the seat back, so a fail on my part most likely rather than a fault with the car.  

 

 

 

Starting the car, flicking the PSE button and hearing the car jump into life is, at first impression just as you'd expect from a NA Porsche.  It barked into life and then growled meaningfully with gentle persuasion from throttle input.  

 

Heading out onto the road you immediately notice that the steering is perfectly weighted, the Alcantara wrapped wheel was beautifully tactile and the controls all feel really nicely calibrated, it felt perfectly engineered from the start.  No surprises really, but very noticeable.  Once out of the traffic and then having the opportunity to open it up a bit, the throttle response is noticeably sharper than a flat-4 718, the power delivery is familiar in it's linearity and the howl is definitely there above 4k revs.  Its a quick car, there is no doubt about that.  The engine invites you to rev it and it does so easily and freely, all the way to the limit.  Gear changes were sweet which again is no surprise because the 6 speed 'box is is the familiar unit which garners praise from pretty much all who have used it.  

 

I didn't push the car too much on the lanes, but you still get the sense of the balance and it's all present and correct, exactly as you'd expect from a Cayman.  The roads were cold and damp and whether this was the contributing factor or the Pirelli tyres, or the more powerful engine (or a combo) I don't know, but loss of traction happened a few too may times, particularly from a standstill where it happily span the wheels with a modest prod from my right foot.  

 

It was a very enjoyable car to drive, no doubt that with some more miles under the belt you could really exploit the 4.0 in this car and on a dry road or track it would could be a lot of fun.  

 

However, I wasn't left feeling like I really wanted it...something was missing.   

 

I really wanted to love this car, on paper and from Youtube videos it appears to be perfect, the recipe of a modern Cayman chassis with a flat-6 heart transplant and 400hp, what could possibly be missing!?  I'm not sure exactly, but the first thing that soon became apparent was the noise.  Now don't get me wrong, it's a definite upgrade on the flat-4 turbo engines, by a country mile in fact, but it lacks something which I think can only be the consequence of the particulate filter, that pesky regulatory burden that most modern sports cars are suffering from now.  The sharp edge has been taken off, it's softened the howl and it doesn't lift the hairs on the back of you neck at 7,500k revs, its theme tune has been dulled.  As I arrive back at the end of the drive I found myself feeling a bit gutted, am I being picky?...maybe yes, but then a car is not just about driving dynamics and performance, the theatre and the drama and how it makes you feel is important.  

 

By comparison, the previous 718 GTS with the flat-4 unit is as quick a car and is easier to drive fast, if thats your thing, but the GTS 4.0 feels far more special though, its certainly an upgrade - beside if you want speed by a 991.2.  If you don't mind a slightly used car then a 981 GTS invokes more emotion, has pretty much the same interior with a few less infotainment features.  Yes it lacks 65bhp compared to the GTS4.0 but, it's also about £30k less, I would say is worth considering depending on your requirements.   

 

Maybe you can call me old fashioned, call me a romantic, who knows but I need some more convincing before parting with £75k.  Yes it's a NA flat-6 which we should celebrate with what little time we have left with cars like this, but it's not a 'return' to what once was, and that for me was the minor blemish on an otherwise perfect machine.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Windymiller]

Nice review Nick, so where has that left you in the ‘what next’ arena... 🤔
 

a 4-6 yr old 981 GTS, or a 991.1 3.8 Carrera? 🤷‍♂️

[SarlechS]

great write up there! always been a big fan of the GT Silver! it's shows of the curves off much better than more vibrant colours because of the shadows on the undulations of the bodywork. One of the main reasons why cars are still showcased in silver...

 

i know what you mean its a lot of money to throw into a car if its not perfect. I know if i was laying that sort of cash down it would have to be something I'm entirely happy with!

 

Is the 981 GT4 out the question?

[sevenfourate]

On 15/12/2020 at 22:44, Beanoir™ said:

......a car is not just about driving dynamics and performance for me, the theatre and the drama and how it makes me feel is important.  

  

I couldn’t agree more Nick. And if any certain car truly evokes good sensations - it’s possible to overlook other small inherent faults / traits / foibles; as a driving machine.
 

**As opposed to an Audi R8 perhaps ? (Never driven one) - which many reports / owners say are wholly capable in every single respect. But are also completely soulless.....

 

Pardon the pun. But as good is the review; your small insight has left me feeling flat. Like you think it’s a little clinical and lacks character ?

Edited December 17, 2020 by sevenfourate

[Beanoir™]

Perhaps I was being overly critical, and maybe I went with high expectations, but it is a Porsche you should by default I think..? 

 

Let me be clear, it's a wonderful machine and the package is probably one of the best ion offer from Porsche right now.  Yes I was disappointed by the engine note, but could I live with that and compared to what's on offer elsewhere from other manufactures, it's still a damn site better.  

 

And for the record, I wouldn't take an M2 of any flavour over this car - how EVO magazine came to that conclusion I will never know, I can only assume My Gallagher and team all came down with the same bug. 

[SarlechS]

how did you leave it with Porsche, I always feel OPC's have their hand in their arse when you turn around and say no for whatever reason.

Can't say I've ever left an OPC without them feeling frustrated, they always look at you like you were never serious or a test driver/tyre kicker if you don't commit 🤣

[Beanoir™]

On 17/12/2020 at 17:05, SarlechS said:

how did you leave it with Porsche, I always feel OPC's have their hand in their arse when you turn around and say no for whatever reason.

Can't say I've ever left an OPC without them feeling frustrated, they always look at you like you were never serious or a test driver/tyre kicker if you don't commit 🤣

I didn’t leave completely empty handed 😉

[Beanoir™]

Interesting review this...

 

https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/40386/2021-porsche-cayman-gts-4-0-review-perfect-but-also-a-little-too-perfect

 

 

[Windymiller]

20 minutes ago, Beanoir™ said:

Interesting review this...

 

https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/40386/2021-porsche-cayman-gts-4-0-review-perfect-but-also-a-little-too-perfect

 

 

Thanks Nick, always good to keep gathering further insights, and interesting that this one is of a PDK version, which I didn’t realise had slightly more torque than the manual. 
 

it somewhat echoes your own review further up. An utterly capable car, and one to be celebrated in its ‘traditionalness’ (ie NA F6), but lacking some element of visceral character in comparison to older models (eg 981 GTS, 987R...) 🤔

 

i really must go and test drive one myself (just to check...) 😉

[Beanoir™]

12 minutes ago, Windymiller said:

Thanks Nick, always good to keep gathering further insights, and interesting that this one is of a PDK version, which I didn’t realise had slightly more torque than the manual. 
 

it somewhat echoes your own review further up. An utterly capable car, and one to be celebrated in its ‘traditionalness’ (ie NA F6), but lacking some element of visceral character in comparison to older models (eg 981 GTS, 987R...) 🤔

 

i really must go and test drive one myself (just to check...) 😉

 

I'd be interested in your thoughts, no excuse not to arrange a test drive now surely....??  

[PorscheGT4]

I drove one also and think it could be the modern Cayman R with a few tweaks.

 

same things

 

front spacers, A Geo, Valve controler, and if you have a spare £6k a new gear box rebuilt with some workable ratio's

 

the engines a great unit the chassis is class beating, the inside is old but better than 992's imho.

 

But you feel right at home from a Cayman flat 6 jumping into this 4.0 Flat six vs any 911 model.

 

Be a lovely car for Euro trips with and it's more exciting to drive than a GT4 imo car just more nimble and less rubber on the road. only issue for me is that gearbox !!!! SO Have not pulled the trigger yet but yes the M2 with some Schimer racing bits is some car at £50k inc the Nitrons and sus upgrades.

 

the Cayman Torque limited 4.0 software and that gearbox really at £80k is an issue for me at this money.

bar that the cars pretty perfect.

 

I cannot help thinking a 2.5GTS would make a better road car !!! at £50k forget the 4 pot noise (it's not that bad imo), it feels good value now and  usable fast with that turbo torque.

Edited May 4, 2021 by PorscheGT4

[CaymanCup_Chris]

Incredibly capable car, and if it’s performance you want then I struggle to think of another new car at this price point that would beat it.  Unfortunately, if you’re not buying it to do endless laps of the ‘ring everyday then I do agree with the lack of ‘edginess’ or however it was described above.  Unfortunately most new non-GT Porsches have the same affliction, in fact even the GT4 sounds woefully dull compared to its predecessor.  
 

 

[Nail it]

Just come over and take mine, nicely run in with just under 5k miles, much better idea. 

[Windymiller]

Here’s mine (at looooong last) - order placed December 2021, collected last Friday 🤩🥰

 

from factory line to in the garage 😁👍🏻

[Windymiller]

Recent geo alignment done by the ever friendly and approachable (and hugely knowledgeable) Matt at Porschacare, Stevenage. 
 

Matt uses the same hunter Hawkeye rig as centre gravity and I’d say he took just as much time and care on the settings as CG. 

 

Having used both now I’d say they’re as good as each other, Matt is just nearer to me, had availability (CG had a 3-month wait list!), and was better priced. 
 

I’ve had the car on track at Silverstone last week since the geo and (possibly ‘buyers placebo bias’) I honestly think the car is more settled, with sharper turn-in (near to no understeer), and less ‘tail-whip’ happy than she was at Bedford in March and Donny in April. 
 

Of course I am Also gaining more familiarity and confidence in her, which no doubt affects how I drive her on track.