Continuing from the first part, this time I’d like to focus on impressions from winding roads and highways.

718ケイマンTの納車から半年経過してどうだった？（前編）

A Mid-Engine Car’s Perfect Cornering Example

At home, we have a 981 Boxster GTS and a 992, but the way the 718 Cayman T corners is different from both.

Of course, since it’s the same mid-engine layout, it’s closer to the 981 Boxster GTS, but its driving performance far surpasses that.
True to its mid-engine nature, you feel the rotation axis near the car’s centerline, and when you lightly turn the steering on a winding road, it begins to rotate smoothly. The 981 behaves similarly in this regard, but the speed and precision of the response surpass the 981.

Both front and rear tires grip the road firmly, with very little slip. If you install the 718’s lateral member on the rear of a 981, the rear’s grip feels closer to the 718’s, but there’s still a noticeable difference in front-end road contact and chassis rigidity.

The 718 Cayman T features PASM Sport, so its suspension performance is significantly enhanced.

Compared to the 992 Carrera T, simply in terms of how enjoyable the cornering feels, I personally find the 718 Cayman T more satisfying. The 992 Carrera T also corners wonderfully and, thanks to its rear axle, handles somewhat like a mid-engine car, but the genuine mid-engine layout is on another level.

That said, there are things the 992 Carrera T has that the 718 doesn’t. I’d like to call it a sense of solidity, but it’s not something that can be summed up with just that word. It’s more like the difference you feel when comparing a regular Carrera to a Turbo S. When you compare the Cayman T and Carrera T, the Carrera T has a quality that even feels as rich as a Turbo S.

Exceptionally Nimble Handling

I once had a 987 Cayman owner ride it, and they kept saying, “It’s so light and fun!”

Just as they said, the 718 Cayman T drives very nimbly. Its weight is almost the same as the base Cayman, but the T feels much lighter. This is similar to the relationship between the 992 Carrera and Carrera T—‘T’ models have their own unique tuning, which is clearly noticeable.

On winding roads, it feels quite light on its feet. That ‘lightness’ is by no means cheap-feeling; imagine a muscular, lean athlete who’s shed weight. It’s not just a thin, light body.

Cayman (987) and 718 Cayman T

So, despite being light, there’s absolutely no sense of insecurity. There’s no lag in steering response, and the road feedback through the steering is very clear. This is the brilliance of Porsche’s tuning, and very few other manufacturers can express this kind of “feel-good” sensation in their cars.

With the 911, you often drive while consciously loading the front wheels, but with the 718, you can drive as if applying load separately to each of the four wheels. I think this feeling comes from the moderate body roll and the mid-engine layout.

Personally, I rarely use Sport Plus mode in the 718 Cayman T. Even without switching PASM to Sport or using Sport Plus, it’s more than enough to drive at a brisk pace on winding roads. In fact, Sport mode is just right for regular roads. Sport Plus seems better suited for smoother surfaces like racetracks.

Also a High-Speed Touring Machine

Since its launch, I’ve written several articles about the 718’s excellent high-speed stability on highways.

Among them, I’d say the Cayman T’s high-speed stability and comfort are quite impressive.
At first, since it has PASM Sport, I expected a stiffer, somewhat bouncy ride, but that’s not the case at all.

The Cayman T offers a comfortable ride even in city driving, but on the highway, it’s even smoother.
It glides flatly, and you can tell the precision craftsmanship of its moving parts. This kind of feel is the polar opposite of Japanese sports cars.

Its stability is more than sufficient. Although the engine noise is somewhat loud, it doesn’t have the sluggishness of European SUVs or saloons, and aside from the noise, you hardly feel the speed. Sometimes when you press the accelerator hard to accelerate, the difference between the expected speed and the speedometer reading is so large it surprises you.

Besides its excellent high-speed stability, its straight-line stability is outstanding. Despite being mid-engine, it shoots forward like an arrow. Why can’t other manufacturers’ mid-engine cars do this? You can lightly rest your hand on the steering and cruise with complete peace of mind.

Of course, it excels on Japan’s winding highways.
The Chugoku Expressway west of Okayama, with its steep ups and downs and tight-radius corners, is like a fish in water.
With ample power, superb stability, and controllable handling, you can drive comfortably and confidently. Driving these roads really shows the Cayman T’s high fundamental performance.

Cayman T = Cayman Touring Package

Before buying the Cayman T, I thought of it mainly as a city car with occasional winding road runs due to its size, but after six months, I realize it’s truly a “Touring Package” just like the Carrera T.

It perfectly balances comfort for long-distance driving with excellent athleticism, and on top of that, its moderate underpowering gives you opportunities to really press the accelerator and enjoy revving the engine on regular roads.

On weekends, you can take the highway to distant mountain winding roads or fast open roads and have a blast with your Porsche, just the two of you.
That’s what the Porsche ‘T’—the Cayman T—is all about.