Porsche 718 4.0 GTS - the flat-six is back!
You read right: the latest Cayman and Boxster are here, with a detuned GT4 4.0-litre...
The rumours were true, then. While we all secretly hoped that Porsche's new 4.0-litre flat-six, the 911-derived engine found in the GT4 and Spyder, would see service in other 718s, the fear was always that the four-cylinder turbo would continue to power everything non-Motorsport. Not so. Despite the fact that there's already been a 718 GTS with the flat-four, there's now a new one - the 718 GTS 4.0, since you're asking - and it gets six horizontally opposed cylinders powering its rear wheels. Tremendous.
The important numbers: 400hp, or just 20 less than the flagship models, a redline at 7,800rpm, 182mph and 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. For now, the six-speed manual, presumably as found in the GT4 and Spyder, is the only transmission on offer. Also tremendous. Porsche rates the fuel economy by WLTP standards at 25.9mpg, aided by cylinder deactivation, piezo injection and a variable intake system, with a CO2 figure of 246g/km.
Like all the other GTS models, these new 718 4.0s cherry pick the very best options from the extras catalogue, here to create "characteristically emotive power delivery and a focused driving experience." So, the sports exhaust is standard, as is PASM Sport with a 20mm lower ride height, Porsche Torque Vectoring with the mechanical limited-slip diff, active drivetrain mounts, Sport Chrono and the Porsche Track Precision App. Also tremen... You get the idea.
Standard wheels are 20-inch and black, with 235-section front and 265-section rear tyres; ceramic brakes are optional. While the yellow calipers of that added extra will mark it out, all of these new 4.0-litres get the usual GTS makeover: tinted lenses, black accents, sports seats, Alcantara everything.
Sound good? Course it does. Even with the reservations that have emerged about the aural quality of this latest 718 engine - never stops, does it? - the news of more flat-six Porsches in the world can only and wholly be considered a good thing. Both the 718 GTS 4.0 models are on sale today, the Cayman from £64,088 and the Boxster from £65,949, or respectively £11,260 and £7,456 less than their GT4 and Spyder siblings. Deliveries begin in March, and the configurator is live right now - get speccing!
Search for a Porsche Cayman here
Still amazes me that you have to add bits like LED headlights, £1300+!
You can have a really basic one, or overload it. It's your choice. Plus Porsche rake in the cash.
Although it's not going to do the "future classic" status of my 981 GTS any good! I thought I had the last of the NA flat six models ...
They were running a range of great NA cars with modest pricing until 2015, before the 718 and 991.2 came out, giving the customers only turbo engines as an option, despite the halo GT models, that were always out of reach for most of the customers.
Customers continued purchasing those new Turbo models and have been motivated by Porsche Marketing and their GT models to buy one, even when they are emotionally not the same breed as the old NA models were...
Once in a while, you feed the customers with models like the 991R, that are even more out of reach, etc.
To a point where the customers are desperate and have the only option of a Turbo engine, that is in the 718 models lacking of 2 cylinders and emotion. But you still charge more for that.
Now it reached a point, where the customers are so desperate, that they would surely be happy to pay any price for a NA engine with a Porsche badge...
To sum it up, the NA Boxster left 5 years ago and now just returned with a muffled NA sound, the same design and a much higher price tag.
Chapeau Porsche, you played well!
Of course the old car will be quicker, but who cares about that....
More likely it will impact 981 inflated values now as they are no longer the "last of the sixes". It will probably also kill the new 718 GT4 overs market...
Although it's not going to do the "future classic" status of my 981 GTS any good! I thought I had the last of the NA flat six models ...
I knew someone who bought a 981 GTS who traded it in for a 981 Boxster Spyder but liked the GTS better, perhaps it might be the case with the 718?
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