It might be helpful for someone to clarify the differences in styling between the 981 and the 718 (982). Base to base, S to S, GTS to GTS, etc....

At a high level I like both of the generations. Not a big fan of the 987 gen though. That is why when I started looking I focused my search on 981's and 718's.

 

As if it wasn’t obvious enough, my post refers to a comparison of both generations like for like

 

I had a 987 and now a 718. I prefer the looks of the 718 over previous generations , as do most friends, wife etc that have seen both..I think the 718 is sleeker.

 

Do you find the front of the base 718 sleeker in design than the 981???

 

I don’t see any difference between the two pictures..

 

I thought that was just me.

To me the differences between the 981 and 982 are minor, with a slight preference for the latter. In particular I prefer the interior changes made for the 718 (e.g., air vents). Compared to either, for me the 987 is beginning to look...well, if not exactly dated, at least slightly less handsome. Oddly though, only photographs elicit that reaction--I saw a 987 this past weekend at the track and it still looks the business.

 

I have always loved the 981 rear light form that flows into the spoiler. I miss that in the 982. And the clean bumper with the emblems mounted on the deck lid.
I was never a big fan of the 987 but I would happily take one heavily modified to tear up at the track!

 

I couldn’t agree more! The swooped rear wing into the sculpted taillights on the 981 produce a much more graceful and sporty swoop than the bulbous 718 rear end

 

I prefer every aspect of the 718 except for the 981 GTS front bumper.

 

I agree with your assessment 100%

 

I've been fortunate enough to have a 987, had a 981, and have a 718 incoming. Without question, the 981 is my favorite in terms of design. The 718 looks good but it gives me the feeling that the 981 was so beautiful that Porsche didn't know how to improve it so just changed the headlights, tail lights, and added some innocuous angles. Of course looks are subjective and these are just my opinions.

Can't go wrong with any generation though.

Cheers,
PB

 

Looks may be subjective but I’m pretty sure that it’s an objective fact that the 981 is aesthetically a much more pleasing package than the 718, this is especially true when you compare the base 718 to the base 981! Absolutely hands down, the 981 wins! The front of the 718 base and GTS models are just too shallow to suit the car in my opinion! I don’t know why Porsche would make the newer Cayman uglier than it’s predecessor

 

I prefer the 981 headlights, but the rear bumper on the 981 looked odd with too much/ height of plastic. The reflectors on the 718 fix it for me. Also prefer the 718 interior. To me, they're both the epitome of modern sports car design; no silly spoilers, fake intakes, winglets and other trinkets.

 

I look at the same pictures above and I think the 981 rear sculpted wing that flows into the rear lights complete the end of the car. The back of the 718 looks like a bulbous nose with the unusually rounded rear lamps attempting to look like head lights rather than tail lights!
And yes, the more curves 981 headlights make for a more sculpted and pronounced introduction to the rest of the car. The 718 headlights are just a little flat in comparison

 

982 looks better, but the 981 is still pretty nice looking. I also prefer the 982’s integrated exterior door handles and interior vent configuration better too. Can’t go wrong either way.

 

718. It’s sleeker overall. The 981 looks bubbly, especially with the base front bumper.

 

I can’t say I agree! The Cayman is meant to
Be curvy! It looks like the 718 tried to
Flatten what what was orgivally designed and conceived as a curvy design by flattening headlights and introducing a shallow front bumper that neither compliments its curvy shape nor accentuates the lines of the front of the cayman. Let’s not talk about the rear of the car! Whoa! How do you take something nice and deliberately ruin it!

 

I prefer the rear of the 718, but the 981 GTS front bumper is much more agressive than the current "open mouth" design language of Porsches, like 718 sport design, macan, 911 etc.
I was never fan of the base 718 front bumper design though.

 

Just the 718S (982) for me, in all ways, as my neighbour keeps reminding me
“It looks like it’s doing 100mph whilst standing still” 🤣🤣🤣

 

I much prefer the 718, mainly because it doesn't have the spoiler blend into the tail light. I also don't really like the round front light in the grill. Both cars are nice looking though.

 

I prefer the 981 over the 987

but the 982 took the details on the 981 and that additional update appeals to me more so.

And that's why i have one

 

I prefer the 981 over the 987

but the 982 took the details on the 981 and that additional update appeals to me more so.

And that's why i have one
View attachment 70164

this bumper looks less aggressive that the 981 GTS, but more grown up what is nice. For me this signs with every generation that Porsche thinks the Cayman more close to the 911 in the hierarchy as the time goes.

 

Looks are subjective. I find the 982 cleaner looking than the 981. But both are good looking.

 

Before I comment on 718 vs 981 I need to know if you prefer blonds to redheads, chocolate to rum & raisin ice-cream, rum to gin, etc., etc.

 

Is this a general poll? If so: Brunettes, mint chocolate chip*, gin, it depends, and I'd rather not say; respectively.

*minus the nasty & unnecessary green dye!

 

It all depends on spec in my eyes, the 981 GTS is a stunning looking car, classically pretty but I still feel that the 718 in GTS trim is a significant step forwards.

My bugbear with the styling of both 981 and 718 is that in base/S trim the front bumper looks so bland that it ruins the whole look of the car, almost like the designers just couldn't be bothered...

 

..

My bugbear with the styling of both 981 and 718 is that in base/S trim the front bumper looks so bland that it ruins the whole look of the car, almost like the designers just couldn't be bothered...

I am sure they do it in purpose to push customers to a higher trims. Like they design every car (BMW especially) with the higher tier bumpers, then later they design something acceptable for the base models. They are smart at the marketing and finance department.

 

Both designs are colour sensitive, to my eye the 718 looks best in strong colours, the 981 is lighter colours and silver......
On ballance, I prefer the 718 form, I think it will age well, but what do I know? It is all totally subjective!

 

Looks may be subjective but I’m pretty sure that it’s an objective fact that the 981 is aesthetically a much more pleasing package than the 718

You‘re claiming something very subjective as ‘objective fact’. The correct and objectively factual answer is that the best-looking one is whichever happens to be in my garage, which turns out to be the 718.

(For me, the front of the 981 is almost a bit dorky looking compared with the 718 - something about the outer grilles, maybe. Of course, if I had a 981, I’d think it looked fantastic.)

 

I'm sure everybody who has a 718 prefers the way it looks, otherwise they would have saved £x,xxx and bought the older car !

 

So… which one looks better?

 

Which one’s the convertible, you know - maybe an amphibian 😉

 

the middle one

 

Ah so another vote for the 981! 😆

I think the 981 frankly was more heavily designed. The level of detail it introduced was higher than the steps taken by the 982. Biggest example of that to me are the rear tail lights/spoiler line.

Personally I prefer the 982. It feels a bit less busy and thus more functional/sporty. The 981 looks more luxury. By now the 981 steering wheel is slightly aged as well.

I agree however, the 982 front bumper in the yellow comparison shots above is pretty rough compared to the 981.

Still one of the most beautiful cars out there though!

 

The answer to the question posed in the thread title: “yes”

Why?

718 better in front.
981 better in rear.

 

I prefer the 718. The two big things that cause me to say that are...

The rear. I'm not a fan of that tapered point where the rear hatch meets the back of the car. It just has a strong 1930's vibe to me. Having that thin black bar where we see "Porsche" written breaks it up just enough. Additionally, I prefer the 718 taillights. I like it when they're not just giant red blocks.

Then the interior. I prefer the placement of the sport chrono on the 718. The vents also look more modern. However, I wish the whole interior was updated to match other modern Porsches. It just looks so dated compared to the interiors found on the 911, Panamera, etc.

In the end though, I feel like we have to get nitpicky to really critique the look of either. I'd happily drive or own either.

 

side note -

I prefer the 718. The two big things that cause me to say that are...

The rear. I'm not a fan of that tapered point where the rear hatch meets the back of the car. It just has a strong 1930's vibe to me. Having that thin black bar where we see "Porsche" written breaks it up just enough. Additionally, I prefer the 718 taillights. I like it when they're not just giant red blocks.

Then the interior. I prefer the placement of the sport chrono on the 718. The vents also look more modern. However, I wish the whole interior was updated to match other modern Porsches. It just looks so dated compared to the interiors found on the 911, Panamera, etc.

In the end though, I feel like we have to get nitpicky to really critique the look of either. I'd happily drive or own either.

I was surprised that the 982 didn't get a mid-cycle refresh to incorporate the lighted center bar as the '19 992 series has - even the 991.2 models ('17+) gained the lighted center bar
-due to the lower volume for the mid-engine models it was another cost decision that precluded that

 

keep in mind that the 987 generation went back many years with origins starting with the 986 series ('96-'04).

the 982 is more of refresh of the 981 series with incremental changes to suspension, steering and the big change of course was the introduction of the flat 4 turbo engines.

 

The 718 is the best looking Boxster/Cayman. Each iteration got better than the last. If you don't think so, you probably should join a different Forum. Nuff said.

 

What an ignorant pathetic irritant your are… Nuff said