Porsche 718

The cabin of the Porsche 718 Cayman feels driver-centric in its layout and approach and is packed with a host of premium features. However, there are some bits which make the 718 Cayman feel a bit dated as compared to other similarly-priced sports cars and coupes.

Take, for instance, the five-pod instrument console, which has more emphasis on analogue gauges. The design looks a bit old-school with dated-looking fonts and demands alterations with more TFT screens in it, however, the centrally-placed tachometer still looks cool. The three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel feels good to hold and comes equipped with all the necessary drive control and multimedia buttons on it.

The layout of the centre console looks a bit dated when you compare the 718 Cayman with other sports cars of its class. The cascading theme for the centre console includes a centrally-placed touchscreen infotainment system, with old-school round-themed AC vents at the top and a cluster of buttons for the audio, drive select and dual-zone auto climate control below it.

At the top of the centre console, the Porsche 718 Cayman has a nice-looking analogue clock, while at the lower housing around the transmission lever, it gets a cluster of buttons for the electronic parking brake and various in-car and chassis alteration functions.

Porsches are known for their designs which are simple, elegant, and sporty at the same time. The 718 Cayman also nails this formula and has a sleek and dynamic appearance.

At the front, the minimalist and classy appearance of the Porsche 718 Cayman is possible due to an aerodynamically-designed sloping bonnet, with smooth bulges over the curvy-shaped headlamps. The 718 Cayman features all-LED projector headlamps, accompanied by quad daytime running LEDs in the curvy headlamp housings on the sides. The front bumper looks sporty too, with partitioned equal-sized air dams.

The smooth and curvy appearance of the Porsche 718 Cayman continues in the side profile too, with curved bulges over the front and rear rounded wheel arches. Porsche offers six different choices of alloy wheels for the 718 Cayman, all of which look sporty and go well with the dynamic design of the sports coupe. The rounded roofline and door-mounted rearview mirrors add to the sportiness of the whole appearance of the 718 Cayman. The rear fenders come incorporated with air curtains on their frontal part for cooling the engine.

At the back, the Porsche 718 Cayman comes with sleek-looking wing-shaped LED tail lamps, which are adjoined by a black garnish strip across the boot, featuring the name of the car within it. The rakish windscreen over the steeply flowing-down roofline and curved bulges over the rear fenders make the 718 Cayman look muscular from the rear. At the bottom, the 718 Cayman comes with two simple-looking rounded exhaust ports.

There are a host of elements which make the overall driving experience of the Porsche 718 Cayman thrilling and memorable. This sports coupe comes with Porsche Active Suspension Management with two drive modes (Normal and Sport), Porsche Stability Management and electromechanical power steering. All these elements make the driving dynamics of the 718 Cayman precise and well-controlled.

Powering the Porsche 718 Cayman is a high-performance 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (PDK) gearbox. Channelling the power produced to the rear wheels, this engine produces 300 PS of maximum power and 380 Nm of maximum torque. This engine enables the 718 Cayman to reach a top speed of 275 kmph and do the 0-100 kmph sprint in 4.7 seconds.

Apart from front and side airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, traction control and parking sensors and camera, the Porsche 718 Cayman also comes with driver assistance systems like automatic distance control, lane change assist and optional Park Assist.

The Porsche 718 Cayman is a good sports car for beginners, as it offers performance levels which are thrilling to experience without being intimidating. It feels a bit old-school at certain places, but the overall experience feels pure and properly sporty.