Porsche 718 Cayman S Test Drive - Drove in Sport Plus mode on the Ashiu Driveway!

Reviews & Test Rides

Panamera Recall

I recently received a letter from Porsche Japan regarding a recall of my 971 Panamera. Upon opening the letter, I found the following: "Due to improper programming in the electric power steering control system, the steering assist force may be lost during driving. This may cause an increase in steering effort." The letter said.

However, I had never felt such a problem before, so I thought our Panamera would be fine, but Mr. H of Porsche Center contacted me as soon as possible and said, "Please let me inspect it once.I was told, "I'll take the Panamera in to be looked at at a later date.

No way, Cayman S.

On the day of the inspection, Mr. H came to pick up the Panamera first thing in the morning. At the front door, Mr. H said, "Would you like to use the car today? If you want, I can leave my car with you.He told me that he had quite a few errands to run that day and was not going to use the car.No, I'm fine. I'm not using the car today, so...I opened the gate and was surprised!

Keh, Cayman is here!(And it has a yellow body color, just like a sports car!)

I was surprised to see that the "I'll ride, I'll ride, I'll ride! I'll ride so much!I said, "Well, I'll give you the key, lol," and Mr. H said, "Well, I'll give you the key, lol," and I accepted the key without hesitation.

This time, the replacement car was a "Cayman S", and the main options were "Sport Chrono Package" and "Sport Exhaust", I think. And after that, we parted ways with the Panamera for a while...

I had an errand to run in the morning that I couldn't miss, so I hurried to finish that errand and decided to drive the Cayman in the afternoon. I was so excited that I told my husband at work, "My loaner car is a Cayman! Oh no!I emailed him and he promptly replied.

Yeah! I'll be in Ashiu too!

But "First time driving a car and going to Ashiu Driveway alone.I was very nervous about going to Ashiu, but it is rare to have such an opportunity. However, since such an opportunity rarely comes along, I decided to brave the elements and go to Ashiu alone.

Go to Ashiu Driveway!

I quickly get into the Cayman and turn the ignition key.

BOOM!

Oh... that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right, "I've driven a 718 Cayman before.I remember how it sounded like when I was a child..." The car is driven while recalling the sensation of that time.

Test drive a 718 Cayman - what has changed from the 981?

The handle is heavy and the sound is still very similar to air-coolingI thought that the engine sound of the 718 Cayman is, contrary to its appearance...a very fat and low engine sound.

The ride is firm, with a very strong ground feel and a very good sense of the road surface. However, compared to the normal 718 Cayman I drove before, I did not notice any residual swaying, probably due to the difference in tire size.

The ride quality is completely different from that of the Panamera, but at the same time, there is a strong underlying connection between the two.That's a Porsche for you.I headed for the Ashiu Driveway, thinking once again, "I'm not going to be able to get to the beach.

Then a very large, very safe truck appeared in front of us on the way.

When I looked at the speedometer, I saw, to my surprise, "19km/h(-_-). I thought to myself, "19km/h on a Cayman S..." But I held on for a while and continued driving at a leisurely pace, and as soon as the truck was gone, this timeI drove the car in Sport Plus mode.

Cayman would thenAs if he had taken off his armor, he instantly became more nimble and agile.The engine sound became higher pitched and the handling became even cleaner. When we went around a curve in the Ashiu Driveway in the Sports Plus, there was no roll at all, and as my husband once said, "It's just as if the car had been in the air.Draw a circle with a compass along the curve.It turns quickly.

What pleasant handling....

The handling of the Panamera is sharp, but it is even more precise and precise.The feeling of being on a team with the carIt can be driven with a Moreover, like the RR air-cooled 911, "Failure to transfer load results in failure to bend.I am not a confident driver, but the car turns beautifully and easily.

On the other hand, if you step hard on the accelerator pedal in a straight line, the speed quickly becomes "Disappearing km/h".(I'll leave that to your imagination.), "Oh... don't get carried away, don't get carried awayAnd there were several occasions when he eased off the gas pedal.

I have driven the 970 Panamera Edition, 971 Panamera Turbo, 981 Boxster GTS (MT), and air-cooled 911 (964C2) in the Ashiu Driveway, but the Cayman was the easiest and most fun to drive than any of these Porsches.

The Cayman is fun to drive, even for a woman like me who is not that confident in driving, as if I had become a better driver, and it is safe, without being driven or interrupted much.Beginners are the ones who should drive these good cars.I thought again.(I know that this is an extravagant statement (-_-))

Also, the Cayman is mid-ship and has a very rigid body, so I guess I could drive it without any quirks or worries.

Attractiveness of 2-seaters

We also tried the paddle shifter operation and found the response to be very fast even in normal mode.This area is totally different from the Panamera. There was still a little snow on the day, and as we went higher up, there was more snow, so we could not drive as hard as we would have liked, but we were very satisfied with our Ashiu ride.

Because of the snow and the fact that it was a weekday afternoon, there was no one on the observation deck or at the spots where we often take pictures, so we could take as many pictures as we wanted. I took so many pictures that I don't know how many I took.

I was in such a good mood that I was taking pictures, and in no time at all it was time to pick up my daughter from kindergarten, so I decided to turn around and go back.

I test drove the Cayman S this time and found that "I love two-seaters.I thought again.The car is compact and has a very strong partner feel.You feel as if you are driving in your own personal space, interacting with the car.

I see what you mean, this is the charm of a two-seater...

When my husband came home that day, I told him how I felt.

Yes, but if it's the charm of a two-seater, you've had plenty of that with the Boxster!

And my husband. ."No... when I was in the Boxster, I was struggling to operate the manual transmission, so it was still a matter of time before I felt like a partner.I say."

I know, you haven't opened your heart to the Boxers yet, have you?

And.

Yes, that's right...let's go practice the Boxster for a while in the near future.

If my husband had been able to test drive the Cayman, he would have been able to describe the differences from the normal Cayman he test drove the other day, as well as a more detailed review, but since I was the only one who test drove the Cayman this time, I could only write about what I felt. I would like to be able to give a more in-depth review.

Thank you again, Mr. H, for your kind consideration! I wonder what car will be my next loaner car... lol!

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  1. isi

    The 981 is a great car, but I think the 718 is a step up in handling. I don't know much about the technical details, but it seems that the rear suspension was improved from the 981 to the 982 (718), and this contributed greatly to the improved handling. 981 GT4 has the same improvements in the rear suspension as the 718, and I'm wondering what my box spa is like. I am a little bit curious about my box spa.

    By the way, I love the yellow color and wheels, just like the 718 Boxster I used to have. It's cool.

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. Ishi.

      The >981 is a great car, but I think the 718 is a step above in handling.
      Oh, I knew it!
      Nevertheless, I again wish I could write such a review as the one you gave me, Ishi.
      Please let me introduce myself again when sharing comments on the blog post.

      >That said, I love the yellow and wheels, just like the 718 Boxster I used to have. It's cool.
      Ah, yes. Just like the one you posted in the Owner's File, at first I thought, "Yellow is so gaudy and conspicuous, I wonder if it's embarrassing."
      After seeing and riding in front of the car, I was reminded once again that such a clear color suits a sports car.

  2. Tap

    This is my first time commenting. I am a Porsche driver "do newbie" who purchased a used 981 Cayman in late January.

    I came across this blog when I was about to change my car for the first time in 15 years and was about to become desperate because I could not find the car I wanted, and I read it as if I was turning it over. I found this blog and read it over and over, and I found not only the Porsche but also the people who drive Porsche fascinating (your husband's implied lecture and his natural way of speaking are very nice).

    After purchasing 981, I can't go far away because of the snow on weekends in the Kanto area, so I can only drive on the Metropolitan Expressway.

    I've been itching to try it because it seems that it can be easily done on a 981 by using 718 parts, but I'm afraid that increasing the rear ground contact might cause understeer on ordinary roads. I would like to enjoy the 981 as it is.

    Sorry for the length of this first comment.

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. Tap.
      Thank you for turning our blog upside down (laughs) and for saying so.
      Thank you very much.
      To hear you say that made me truly happy, "I am so glad I am writing this blog!

      981 Cayman, that's nice ^^^.
      I personally prefer the sound of the 981 to the 718 and find the pleasant sound more pleasant.
      I have not driven a 981 Cayman yet, but I am very interested in this model.

      >You are referring to the rear member reinforcement for the rear suspension improvement in your previous comment.
      I see! There is still so much I don't know, and I too am learning from readers on a daily basis.
      Tap, I think you did a lot of research into this purchase, and I would be very happy to learn more about it, including how it rides and drives in the future.

      Thank you for your continued support!

  3. isi

    Hi Tap, nice to meet you. Thank you for your additional comments.

    I immediately looked up "rear member reinforcement 981" and found information that not only the 981GT4 but also the Boxster Spyder has this reinforcement bar. I am a bit glad, though it is not easy to see under the car body and I can't confirm it on the actual car.

    When I switched from a 981GTS to a 718 (982) base grade before, I felt a significant improvement in handling, and then when I went back to a 981, albeit a Spyder, I wondered if I would feel a regression in handling, but I could not feel any difference. At the time, I thought that my senses were not good enough and that I was too fond of my car. However, if the 981 Spyder has this reinforcement, I am not so sure that I was wrong.

    Thank you for your valuable information. We look forward to working with you in the future.