Is The Porsche 718 Cayman S Really Worth The Money?

The Porsche 718 Cayman S is a mid-engined sports coupe that’s sure to get your heart racing, but is it the emotional driving pleasure or the price tag that is turning up the heat? 

How much is a Porsche 718 Cayman S?

The Porsche Cayman price in the UK starts at £44,790 RRP (2021). However, this can quickly increase to an eye-watering amount when you start adding all the fun customisations available on the Porsche configurator. 

After adding many extras including premium paint, contrasting rear side air intake grilles, upgraded alloy wheels, Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) gearbox plus the Porsche Sports Chrono package, this 718 Cayman S review car is upwards of £71,000.

Is the Porsche Cayman a poor person’s car?

Whilst the starting price of the Porsche Cayman makes it the most affordable Porsche you can buy new, it still comes with a 2.0L turbocharged engine that produces just under 300bhp with a 0-62mph of 5.1 seconds. The main difference between the Cayman and the Cayman S is a more powerful 2.5L turbocharged engine with 345bhp and a quicker 0-62mph of 4.6 seconds, rivalling the new Toyota Supra. On top of that, the standard Cayman S performance can be further improved with the optional Porsche Sport Chrono Package, which is added to this model.

What is the Porsche Sport Chrono Package?

The Porsche Sport Chrono Package makes these sports cars even sportier. The main features are an analogue clock, selectable drive modes, and launch control on PDK models. PDK models with Sport Chrono also come with Sport+ and a button to unleash the maximum power instantly, dropping the 0-62mph time to an impressive 4.2 seconds!

2021 Porsche 718 Cayman S Review

How is the Porsche 718 Cayman S performance and drive?

Typical of any mid-engined sports coupe, it’s bloody fantastic! It’s fast, and you can have some fun without fearing for your life. It handles exceedingly well, the steering is perfectly weighted, and the throttle is responsive.

Admittedly, the ride is a bit rough at times due to the stiff sports suspension. The cabin can be quite noisy, too. That’s expected in any sports car, so that’s more of an observation than a criticism. Nonetheless, the exhaust drone does get annoying on a long journey. I’ll brush over the 28mpg and move on. 

Porsche Cayman S Fuel Economy

Considering the Cayman S is a 2.5L turbocharged sports car, it is surprisingly efficient. Porsche claim the Cayman S returns around 28 MPG or higher, and I believe it. I averaged 26 MPG during my testing.

How practical is the Porsche Cayman?

A direct benefit of being mid-engined is the additional storage in the front, traditionally the engine bay. Yes, that’s right, you get a FRUNK (front trunk) as well as the boot, giving a combined 334L storage capacity. That’s a lot for a sports coupe.

More surprising is the space inside. Getting in and out of the sports seats, which are low to the ground, can be challenging when you have a bulky steering wheel and beer-belly fighting for space in the doorway. Once you fall into position, it’s comfortable. You might occasionally elbow your passenger, but not often enough that they’ll become offended.

This small sports coupe is so versatile. The compact dimensions make it easy to manoeuvre around busy town centres and squeeze into tight parking spaces if you need to. 

Should You Buy A Porsche Cayman S?

Even though the Cayman is the most affordable Porsche, the starting price is still £44,000 (correct at time of writing, 2021), before expensive optional extras. That said, when you compare it to other modern sports cars around the same price, a 718 Cayman S is excellent value for money.

Would I rather have a Porsche Cayman vs. Alpine A110 or Toyota Supra? Yes. Would I be happy paying upwards of £71k for the model I test drove? Not so much. There’s no need for half of the extras added to this car, so I wouldn’t bother adding them, like the Sport Chrono package. Having a choice of drive modes is nice, but I could live without them. Plus, there aren’t many opportunities to use launch control on public roads. Still, it put a huge grin on my face, and remains a pure sports car, even with a turbocharged engine.

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