Porsche has always been associated with the 911. And why not? The cult-classic has practically been the face of the German marque for some 53 years now. But beyond the 911, Porsche has also had some very iconic models—one of which is the 718.
The four-cylinder boxer engine-equipped sports car from the 1950s and 60s has returned. And it now lands in the Philippines via a launch event held yesterday, October 26, 2016, at Whitespace Manila. The Porsche 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster are the newest nameplates to wear the Porsche crest.
Just like its predecessor, the Porsche 718 Boxster employs a lightweight design that allows optimum performance from its range of four-cylinder, turbocharged flat-four motors. The 718 Boxster uses a 2.0-liter four that puts out 300hp and 380Nm, helping it sprint from 0-100kph in 4.7 seconds, when spec’d with the PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono Package. The 718 Boxster S, meanwhile, utilizes a larger 2.5-liter four-pot with variable geometry turbo, making for a rousing 350hp and 420Nm from as low as 1.900 revs. This translates to a resto-to-100kph time of 4.2 ticks. Top speed is pegged at 275kph and 285kph, respectively.
The new 718 Boxster can be distinguished by its bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lamps, new side vents with two fins, door handles minus the recess covers, a rear accent strip with the Porsche badge that is flanked by three-dimensional taillights, and four-point brake lights. The looks are matched by a more agile chassis with electromechanical steering setup and optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that lowers the car by 10 millimeters for even more precise handling (the S is down by 20mm). These help provide the best balance between ride comfort and razor-sharp cornering.
Just like its open-air sibling, the 718 Cayman has the same 2.0- and 2.5-liter turbo flat-four motors, the latter with the 911 Turbo’s technology thrown in. The equally-stunning performance figures are backed up by prominent front and side air intakes, slim front park lights set above the air inlets, and the same rear treatment as the topless 718.
The Porsche 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster are more than just new models. They are a continuation of the long-standing tradition of the 718 line that has won many a race, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. The successor to the legendary 550 Spyder bears the highest configuration of the boxer-four powerplant that competed in races like the 12-Hour race of Sebring (1960), the European Hill Climb Championship of 1958-61, the 1958 24-Hours of Le Mans (where it garnered a class victory), and the Italian Targa Florio in Sicily where it won three times between 1959-60.
The Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster can now be viewed at any Porsche Center.
Photos and Video by: Paolo Lesaca
