My (982) 718 Porsche Cayman S PDK

[Highland Fling]

On the 21st December 2016, following an agonisingly long six months of waiting, at last I became the owner of an individually specced Graphite Blue metallic 718 Cayman S PDK. The DVLA V5c form shows the "Vehicle Type" as a 982, not a 718, as the marketing suits have designated the emissions driven flat 4 turbo model. Whatever moniker you choose to label this new Cayman with, one thing is certain from the outset. This car provides a very different driving experience from my previous 987.2 Cayman R manual. I shall be reporting more details on this topic later following conclusion of the running-in period.

 

The spec I have chosen is mainly driver focused with a few comfort and safety options attuned to the purposes for which I intend to use the car. The full option list is as follows;

 

PDK with Sport Chrono and mode switch and dynamic transmission mounts

Smaller diameter GT Alcantara steering wheel with mode switch

Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) mechanical rear differential lock

Porsche Sports Exhaust (PSE) with tail pipes in silver

-20mm lowered PASM sports suspension

20" Carrera Sports alloy wheels Front 8.5" wide, rear 10.5" wide

Sports seats plus

Side air intakes painted

Rear apron painted

PCM navigation module

Porsche Connect Plus

Alcantara gear selector and storage bin lid

Electrically folding door mirrors

Lane change assist

Power steering plus

Cruise control

Seatbelts in silver grey

Smokers pack

Aluminium fuel cap

Bi-Xenon headlights including Porsche dynamic light system

 

So far I have driven 214 miles with the car, including a trip to Cullen on the Moray Coast on a surprisingly mild Christmas Day, where the attached photo was taken. First impressions are good. Having jumped two generations of Cayman from my previous 987.2 CR to this, the 982, the upgrade in cabin quality and refinement is immediately apparent. Even allowing for my self imposed 4000 rpm rev limit during running-in, the early arrival of prodigious quantities of torque from 2000 rpm upwards means the considerable poke of the 2.5 litre turbo is all the more accessible and rewarding.

 

Now, I had better cover the engine in the room.............Firstly, I absolutely loved my CR and the glorious stepped urge as the revs soared through 4000, 5000, and again at 6000 and onwards to 7400 as the variable valve timing and lift kicked in. It was pure shock and awe. Regrettably, this joy could not often be experienced on the public roads as illegal speeds were attained just as things were becoming fun. The 982 offers a very different power delivery experience with this new flat 4 turbo. It's sound is more of a drone than a wail, with a pop, crackle, bang on downshifts and throttle lifts to break the monotony. Select Sport on the mode switch, and use the paddles to shift the cogs just as if you were driving a manual car. Approach a dual carriageway roundabout at say 70 mph in 6th, click down rapid fire style to 3rd or 2nd gear, throttle blipping all pre-programmed in Sport mode, tuck the nose around the roundabout with the new  delightfully quicker steering rack, squeeze the throttle on the exit and the car just flies. No lag, no emissions flat spot, just pure get-up-and-go. This new car is more easy to drive than any previous Cayman I have ever owned, and I speak as someone who has owned four Caymans over the last 8 years and driven more than 75,000 miles in total.

 

I shall leave it there for now as I am still digesting the owners manuals and trying to get the hang of the Apple Car Play stuff. Driving I can do reasonably well, with computer software and smart phone techniques I am still on a learning curve.

 

Further impressions on living with my new 982 PDK will follow in due course. Am I happy with the car so far? Yes, Yes, Yes!

 

Brian                      

 

 

 

 

                  

[Beanoir™]

Looking good Brian!  

 

Ill keep an an eye on further updates buddy.  

[dirtbiker]

That does look rather lovely - great choice on the wheels! Intrigued to hear how you get on with it once it's run in!

 

I'd definitely be in the market for a 718 after my Cayman R if they hadn't taken the hard points for roof bars away!

[magic8080]

Lovely looking car Brian, spec'd up a bit I see.

 

I drove a 782 S fairly recently and the torque is immense. 

 

However, not a fan of the constant drone from the turbo 4, sorry.

 

Enjoy

[Highland Fling]

I agree the engine does drone a bit. At the moment I am running-in the car and keeping revs below 4000 rpm so I'm getting drone fatigue too on some intercity routes.

 

However, as a former CR owner I'm a rev happy driver and will be exploring the upper reaches of the rev range in due course. 

 

Meanwhile I am short-shifting the PDK in manual mode, using Sport setting most of the time, so I'm breaking the drone monotony. Also no Motorways up here and precious few dual carriageways so my roads tend to follow the contours of the land resulting in a constant change of drone pitch albeit at a very brisk pace. 

 

The instantly accessible power delivery in PDK manual mode with torque dumped by the spadeful, even with my self-imposed 4k rev limit, is in a different league from my CR on cross country routes. This is a fast car.

 

Further impressions will follow the running-in process. I\ve only done 300 miles so far in the car so early days.

 

Brian          

[Highland Fling]

I had my first trip in my 718 CS PDK across the Cairngorm mountain route from Inverness to Corgarff and the Lecht ski centre earlier this week.

 

The power delivery of the flat 4 turbo is admirably suited to empty, flowing mountain roads as I experienced on my trip. Even while still running-in the car and short-shifting the gear changes, progress is prodigiously quick on such roads. The revised PDK gear shift mapping is ideally suited to the wide torque band of the new engine. I used the paddles and Sport mode throughout this 130 mile trip. The ease with which the accessibly of such smooth power was delivered was a joy to experience. I've done this same route many times in my CR manual and it is much more frantic. The n/a engine has an emissions flat spot between 3000 and 4000 revs which can only be overcome but down changing to a lower gear. No so with the 982 CS. Above 2500 revs the car pulls like a train and makes short work of the gradients and hairpin bends. Fuel consumption on this particular trip was 24 mpg. Not bad considering the mountain terrain and rapid progress.

 

One thing especially impressed. The new -20mm Sport PASM is very good. On the normal setting it is surprisingly compliant, and on Sport mode it is much more comfortable than the CR ever was. The grip levels, even at public road speeds, are very high indeed on the chassis spec I have chosen. I'll have to wait until my first track day to find out more.

 

I love the new quicker steering ratio and the smaller diameter GT Alacatara steering wheel. The road feel of the electric steering however, is way short of the tactile "fizz" of the CR's hydraulic set up. I guess I'll get used to it, but I miss the sublime steering feel of the CR.

 

The cabin comfort is good. and the Sports Plus seats provide excellent lateral and lumbar support. Although I miss the little cubby hole the CR had in front of the gear stick.

 

Porsche Connect Plus also takes a bit of practice.....let's just say I am still on a learning curve.

 

More impressions will follow after the running-in has been completed.

 

Brian

   

[987Monkey]

You seem very pleased with it! Glad to hear

 

Do you miss the CR?

[Highland Fling]

Of course I miss my CR. This car is for a different purpose and was specced accordingly. I chose all the keen driver options, apart from the bucket seats.

 

This new 718 CS PDK with the spec I have chosen, is proving to be a very fast and formidable cross-country machine.

 

Still running-in.

 

Brian

 

 

 

           

 

 

[el_rapido]

Thanks for the write-up Brian, enjoyed reading it and seeing the pics.  New car is looking good.   Quite a change going from a manual CR 6cyl to a PDK CS turbo 4.  Will be interested to hear the comparison on track.  Cheers.

[Tom]

Looks like you have some great roads up your way Brian

[Highland Fling]

Thanks guys. So far, my 982 CS PDK is proving to be better than expected. I always considered this move a step backwards from the CR manual in many respects. I'm now getting to quite like it.     

 

The wonderful empty roads in the Highlands, away from the tourist season that is, makes Porsche driving all the more rewarding. No motorways exist up here, and very few miles of dual carriageways north of Aberdeen. Great for the keen driver, not so good for moving goods and services. The north of Scotland was left out of road infrastructure improvements for decades.

 

My next door neighbour has a car valeting business and I had the paintwork treated this week with Geyol ceramic hydrocarbon solution. The result is absolutely superb with a silky smooth finish. It also seems to have enhanced the depth of colour and sparkle of the metallic paint. Carpets, Glass, Dash Top, Leather Seats, Wheels and Tyres also treated. I'll report on the durability of the treatment in due course. It's supposed to last up to 2 years. I suspect that is with topping up the treatment periodically. I have no intention of wrapping the paintwork.

 

More miles to do .........more comments to make.

 

Brian

 

          

[Langlord]

Lovely car and nice little write up.

[Highland Fling]

Following on from the fitting of Michelin PS4S N0 tyres last December, I had my local Michelin retailer tweak the wheel alignment geo settings to my preferences on the Hunter 4 wheel laser rig.

 

I have gone for an extreme negative camber set up, maximising the front top mount slots, and also the rear camber eccentrics. I cannot get any more negative camber on either axle while retaining the necessary toe adjustment.

 

From past experience, I think these settings will work very well with the PS4S N0 on my spec 718CS suspension and wheel set up.

 

The print out of the geo settings is attached for interest.

 

Brian

 

   

[Highland Fling]

So far this year my 718 CS has done  4 track days, and now with 15k miles up is going great. I can't fault it really. 

 

Fuel mpg is averaging 28.8 overall including track day consumption of 10.0 mpg which very much as I expected. I knew from the start that a 350bhp 2.5 turbo engine would not be strong on fuel economy. I use Shell V-Power as my default fuel, and dial in Sport mode all the time as it opens up all the oil gallery valves and keeps the oil temperature down. Sport mode also deactivates the annoying Stop/Start. 

 

In four weeks I am off to Germany for a 14 day car tour. No track days are involved, just touring. As you'd expect, I've booked a Porsche factory tour and museum visit, which should be very interesting bearing in mind the current developments on emission controls and the forthcoming 982/718 GT4. I'll be asking plenty of questions at the factory.......... Whether or not I receive any meaningful answers remains to be seen. I can at least ask.

 

My tour starts from the Highlands to the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry, then first stop is with friends near Frankfurt. Next is the Stuttgart area and the factory tour, then onward to Baiersbronn where a classic motor rally is taking place. I then head south to Freiburg in the Black Forest where I have a few interesting excursions planned. The Mosel wine valley is next on my schedule where the annual wine festival will be in full swing. Then it's back to the Netherlands for a final overnight stop at Nijmegen before boarding the ferry for Newcastle and home.

 

It's an ambitious and packed schedule I've set myself, particularly  on my own, but one which I am looking forward to with both excitement and a touch of trepidation.

 

I'll report back on my experiences in due course.

 

Brian                              

Edited August 23, 2018 by Highland Fling

[Jonnyb]

Good luck 2 track days but only 3500 miles down in mine. Good to know it's still holding up well and the trip sounds epic! Enjoy