Finally, a new Porsche for the purists
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Porsche purists upset by the maker's shift to turbocharged engines for its sports cars and greater focus on easy-to-drive SUVs should be happy about its latest model.
The company has released new flagship versions of its mid-engined 718, featuring a new naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine. That's right: no turbos.
No automatic transmission either: the 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder are manual-only.
Porsche says the new cars' 'pure character will appeal to sports car enthusiasts who delight in unadulterated driving pleasure'.
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The new engine is a development of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo powerplant used in the latest 992-series 911 models, but with no blowers and more capacity. It makes 309kW/420Nm in both models.
New technology includes adaptive cylinder control. In part-load operation, it temporarily interrupts the injection process in one of the two cylinder banks, reducing fuel consumption (claimed 10.9 litres per 100km).
The sports cars can both break the 300kmh barrier and accelerate to 100 kmh in 4.4 seconds.
Piezo injectors are used for direct fuel injection for the first time in a high-revving (8000rpm) engine. They split each injection process into up to five individual injections.
The Cayman GT4 produces up to 50 percent more downforce than the previous version, 'without adversely affecting drag' says Porsche.
The aerodynamics of both models benefit from the single-chamber arch rear silencer: it creates space in the rear section for a functional diffuser, which accounts for 30 per cent of the downforce at the rear axle in the Cayman.
The fixed rear wing also produces around 20 per cent more downforce compared with its predecessor.
The 718 Spyder features a lightweight convertible top that's still suitable for high speeds.
Unlike the GT4, the 718 Spyder has a rear spoiler that comes up automatically at 120kmh. Thanks to the functional diffuser, it is the first Boxster-derived model to generate aerodynamic downforce at the rear axle.
The 718 Spyder gets the high-performance GT chassis of the Cayman GT4. The Porsche Active Suspension Management damping system is 30mm lower than standard and is 'specifically designed for use on the racetrack' says Porsche.
The GT4 also comes with the option of a Clubsport package. This includes a rear steel roll bar, a hand-held fire extinguisher and a six-point seatbelt on the driver's side.
The 718 Spyder now runs on ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres specially adapted by Porsche.
They are part of the overall package that makes the 718 Cayman GT4 fly on the Nürburgring 'Nordschleife': its lap time on the 20.6-kilometre racetrack is more than 10 seconds faster than its predecessor.