This loaner 718 Cayman was almost completely option-free. It was truly a base model 718 Cayman with no PASM, no sport exhaust, no Sport Chrono package, and standard 18-inch tires.<\/strong><\/p>\n To get straight to the point, I felt that \u201cif my wife were to use this base Cayman daily, it would be more than enough!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The suspension was very firm and solid, with no weird lingering vibrations\u2014it was surprisingly good for being on the stiff side.<\/strong> That said, since my wife is used to luxury sedans like Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and BMW, at first she might think \u201cit\u2019s not smooth and the ride isn\u2019t very comfortable.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n However, I believe she would get used to it over time, and once she experiences the precise handling and the feeling of driving exactly as intended, the impression of \u201ceasy and enjoyable to drive\u201d<\/strong> would outweigh any concerns about ride comfort.<\/p>\n I recently test drove the 911 Carrera 4S (992), and its evolution was incredible\u2014the quickness of the handling was astonishing<\/strong>, and the engine note was a well-balanced, great sound.<\/p>\n Compared to that, the 718 Cayman didn\u2019t have the same level of sharpness in handling as the 992. Still, the sense of control over handling, braking, and throttle response was unmistakably Porsche, and even the base Cayman clearly delivers that Porsche feeling.<\/strong><\/p>\n I once read an article saying, \u201cThe Cayman is Porsche\u2019s entry-level car,\u201d and now I think that\u2019s probably true.<\/p>\n Unlike the Panamera or Cayenne, the Cayman\u2019s body is compact, so it can easily handle regular roads and parking lots without any trouble, making driving stress-free.<\/strong><\/p>\n Also, while the Boxster\u2019s soft top color tends to stand out in town, the Cayman\u2019s design is less conspicuous, which makes it easier to use without drawing too much attention.<\/p>\n As I\u2019ve mentioned many times on this blog, the Boxster and Cayman have surprisingly ample cargo space for a two-seater sports car<\/strong> (with trunks both front and rear)<\/span>, so running errands like grocery shopping shouldn\u2019t be a problem.<\/p>\n That said, being a two-seater, it might feel a bit confined. After driving the 718 Cayman, I had the chance to drive a 911 Carrera GTS (991.2), and I definitely felt that the 2+2 seating of the 911 offers a greater sense of openness.<\/strong> (I plan to write about the GTS impressions later.)<\/span><\/p>\n Still, the base 718 Cayman was an excellent car. Honestly, I was even more impressed than when I test drove the BMW M2 Competition before.<\/p>\n Of course, the M2 Competition is a great car, but since the test car I drove was priced just over 10 million yen with options, comparing that to the 718 Cayman loaner, which costs about 3 million yen less but offers this level of performance,<\/strong> I felt the Cayman is definitely the better buy in terms of cost-performance.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve rambled on quite a bit, so next, I\u2019ll share my husband\u2019s impressions.<\/p>\n My husband bought his first Porsche, a Boxster GTS, a few years ago, and since then he\u2019s owned several Porsches himself, often rides with friends in their cars, and recently drives some new Porsche every month.<\/p>\n Thanks to this, he has a good sense of the characteristics of each Porsche model, the differences between grades, and the options,<\/strong> and to improve his skills for more accurate reviews, he even attends driving schools and practices on simulators. (Seriously, who is this guy\u2026 lol)<\/span><\/p>\n With that background, I asked him to share his honest thoughts after spending a day with the nearly option-free 718 Cayman.<\/p>\n Regarding the 718 Cayman, my husband said:<\/p>\n Many people struggle when deciding whether to buy the base model (also called the standard or basic model)<\/span> or to go for the higher trims like the S or GTS. Especially when budgeting, many think, \u201cI really want the S, but maybe I should settle for the base… or maybe I should just go for the S…\u201d and spend sleepless nights going in circles in their heads. To those readers, I want to say confidently: the conclusion is \u201cI absolutely recommend the base model.\u201d<\/strong> I say this with confidence, having driven many Porsches including high-power models like the GT3.<\/p>\n When I asked, \u201cSo you\u2019re saying it was really well made and balanced, but you actually prefer the base over the S?\u201d he replied:<\/p>\n It\u2019s not that the \u201cS\u201d is bad at all.<\/strong> Of course, the S has more power than the base, so in that sense it\u2019s better. The S has its own merits, and no one would be disappointed buying an S. I fully understand that. But if you ask me, \u201cDoes this base Cayman feel inferior or leave you unsatisfied compared to the S?\u201d I\u2019d say, not at all.<\/p>\n He continued:<\/p>\n I had driven the base 718 Cayman before, but this time I really felt, \u201cThis is totally fine.\u201d The cost-performance is unbeatable.<\/strong> It has more than enough agility for city driving, and on winding roads, the power feels just right to enjoy revving the engine. Once the turbo kicks in and torque builds, it\u2019s quite fast. If you\u2019re constantly running 250 km\/h in the passing lane on the Autobahn, you might feel it\u2019s lacking, but on Japanese highways, you\u2019ll hardly ever feel underpowered when leading in the passing lane.<\/strong><\/p>\n I definitely understood that the base model offers the best cost-performance. He also said:<\/p>\n I feel the 718 is faster than the 981 Boxster GTS in terms of driving feel,<\/strong> and I don\u2019t think the suspension on the standard 18-inch wheels is soft at all. Rather, the balance between engine power and tires is just right, and it really shows how important balance is in a car.<\/strong> If I took it to a circuit, my lap times might be slower than the S, but it would be more enjoyable and a better learning experience because I\u2019d feel fully in control.<\/strong><\/p>\n Indeed… I used to think power is everything and faster is better<\/strong>, but after driving many cars, I\u2019ve come to understand balance is key\u2014it makes driving feel natural and fun.<\/strong><\/p>\n When I said, \u201cI definitely felt the 718 Cayman is well balanced, which made me very satisfied. And I really felt the Porsche spirit. I\u2019m not exactly sure why…\u201d my husband said:<\/p>\n The suspension is firm, but combined with very high-quality, slightly soft bushings, it creates a perfect balance of suppleness and strength\u2014that\u2019s very Porsche-like.<\/strong> The PDK shifts quickly, and in sport mode, even without using the paddle shifters, it downshifts and upshifts at perfect timing, letting you focus on enjoying the fantastic handling. If you don\u2019t care about the grade hierarchy, the base model is more than enough. If I were to buy a 718 Cayman, I\u2019d probably want either the base model or the GTS 4.0.<\/p>\n Next time, I\u2019ll write about the ride comfort without PASM and the differences compared to the 981.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Test Driving the 718 Cayman The other day, as a loaner car during the GT3\u2019s one-year inspection, I was able to borrow a 718 Cayman for a full day. Both my spouse and I took turns driving it, so I\u2019ll share my impressions from a female perspective\u2014how my wife would feel using the Cayman as a daily driver\u2014and my husband will share his thoughts from the viewpoint of a Porsche enthusiast and driver. This loaner...","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":17479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=17460"},"categories":[72,60],"tags":[186,195,199,219,243],"yoast_head":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_0062-1280x854.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRide Comfort<\/h4>\n
Definitely a Porsche<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_0057-1280x854.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCompact Enough to Go Anywhere<\/h4>\n
Other Thoughts<\/h4>\n
A Porsche Owner\u2019s View on the 718 Cayman<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7239.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFor Those Wondering if the Base Cayman Is Really Enough Instead of the S<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7240.jpg\")
<\/p>\n