Review: Motor Trend's Ignition Ep. 18 (09/11/2017)

2880 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by trusted, Sep 13, 2017

agent 86

Discussion Starter · Sep 12, 2017

Randy Posbst "Caymans never had a fat delicious torque curve like this car does"

"Jonny Lieberman goes for a drive in his friend Derek Powell’s Porsche Cayman GT4. Why? Because Lieberman suspects the new Cayman S, in typical Porsche fashion, is just as capable as the top dog from the previous iteration of the mid-engine two-seater. The two hop into the brand-new, four-cylinder, turbocharged 718 to see if there’s any truth to Jonny’s Lieberman’s assertion. After coming to no definitive answer while blasting around California’s Angeles Crest Highway, the boys decide to take both Caymans to the Streets of Willow to see what pro driver Randy Pobst can make of them. Is the new 718 Cayman S good enough to beat and beat up on the GT4? Watch and find out!"

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photonscience

· #2 · Sep 12, 2017

It's a fun video. If you check the comparison times posted at the 12:45 mark, you can see that on a different day, the 718 Boxster S was even closer to the GT4 time. Different day, different conditions.

Can only imagine how great the upcoming 718 based GT4 (& GTS) will be. If they offer PDK on the 718 GT4, it'll be a street and track monster.

The sound of the 981 based GT4 is incredible. I wonder how (if) sound will survive as a major part of the sports car experience once great handling, instant-torque EV sports cars become more commonplace (especially considering the upcoming EU noise laws on the books for the early 2020's).

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RussellHodgson

· #3 · Sep 12, 2017

photonscience said:
The sound of the 981 based GT4 is incredible. I wonder how (if) sound will survive as a major part of the sports car experience once great handling, instant-torque EV sports cars become more commonplace (especially considering the upcoming EU noise laws on the books for the early 2020's).

When EVs are here all the current 981 owners who are rubbishing the sound of the 718 will say they wish we could go back to the days of the glorious 718 with its wonderful sounding engine, as these new EVs suck.

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trusted

· #4 · Sep 12, 2017

Thanks for sharing. That was hilarious.
Best part was the guy driving around in a puke green GT4 (one of one for a reason lol) and bashing the graphite blue color. The GT4 sounds awesome in the high revs though! But in the low revs I like the 718 sound almost better?! Maybe it's my PC speakers...

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agent 86

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 12, 2017 (Edited)

The GT4 does sound amazing.

EV cars will come with a selection of pre-recorded sounds to enhance the driving experience, but it will only be heard in the cabin, and most won't use it at all. Want to sound like a fighter plane, select that sound from the touch screen menu. Personally, I'm looking forward to my EV sounding like George Jetson's little space ship.

I really think the appreciation of sounds made by ICE will be lost on future generations. They simply won't care.

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autobahn

· #6 · Sep 12, 2017

I think one of the things that's not being mentioned is the tires on the Cayman vs Boxster. There are significant performance differences between the tires that Porsche seems to be fitting on the 718s even though they're all generally in the same performance category.

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ZuffenHouseRules

· #7 · Sep 12, 2017 (Edited)

autobahn said:
I think one of the things that's not being mentioned is the tires on the Cayman vs Boxster. There are significant performance differences between the tires that Porsche seems to be fitting on the 718s even though they're all generally in the same performance category.

I had the impression that it was just 'luck of the draw' (or whim of the factory allotments) which of the OEM tire brands happened to come with any particular 718. Are you seeing a pattern wrt Cayman vs. Boxster? That didn't come out in the recent thread here on factory-equipped tire fitment...

Re: the video -- what's with this dumbed-down adolescent male ethos of American reviews (and Motor Trend)? I prefer the European sophistication and intelligence of Thomas at Autogefuhl.

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photonscience

· #8 · Sep 12, 2017

ZuffenHouseRules said:
...dumbed-down adolescent male

dumbed down adolescent? I'm "guilty as charged"

.

Lieberman putting those earmuffs on got me a chuckle - him I laughed with. But the guy who prefers "kermit the frog" green GT4 and craps on the gorgeous graphite blue 718 - him I laughed at.

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trusted

· #9 · Sep 12, 2017

Anybody else notice the fogged up left taillight at 4:54? Looks exactly like mine the other day. Car was outside in sun at 90+ degrees then tail light fogged up like that in 72 degree garage. I know I know it's normal and goes away after 30 min or so. Still...

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Viffermike

· #10 · Sep 12, 2017

autobahn said:
I think one of the things that's not being mentioned is the tires on the Cayman vs Boxster. There are significant performance differences between the tires that Porsche seems to be fitting on the 718s even though they're all generally in the same performance category.

This is par for the course -- i.e., it happens with many makes and models. It's typical for an auto manufacturer to contract with at least three or four of the major tire makers to supply OEM rubber for a model range. What you get is almost totally dependent on two factors:
- Wheel diameter
- Supply at the time of manufacture

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GregW

· #11 · Sep 13, 2017

ZuffenHouseRules said:
<snip>I prefer the European sophistication and intelligence of Thomas at Autogefuhl.

Me too.

And while I like the sound of the GT4; since I grew up with air-cooled 911s, it isn't the "traditional Porsche sound" to which so many youngsters

refer.

I also really like the sound of the 2.0 718 *without* the sport exhaust. I guess in my old age I prefer subtlety to blatancy.

Greg

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trusted

· #12 · Sep 13, 2017

GregW said:
Me too.
And while I like the sound of the GT4; since I grew up with air-cooled 911s, it isn't the "traditional Porsche sound" to which so many youngsters refer.
I also really like the sound of the 2.0 718 *without* the sport exhaust. I guess in my old age I prefer subtlety to blatancy.
Greg

Psst! The 718 sounds a lot like my friends 1990s air cooled 911... but don't tell the haters...they love their flat 6 flat torque

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