Photo: Porsche AG
Anyone could assume the Zuffenhausen-based automaker to be an old-school brand looking to protect its heritage at all costs – considering its usual love for keeping design appearances. Underneath the sheet of classic representation that makes the day for any collector actually lies a deeply rich reservoir of innovation. And, sometimes, it materializes through a simple choice such as introducing an automatic transmission for a new model year model.
Given that we’re dealing with the fabled Porsche brand, we are not talking about any other clutch-free gearbox, as well as not just any other model. The company is mating its high-performance seven-speed Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK) with the top Boxster and Cayman 718 variants equipped with the 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engines.
This means clients can opt for the PDK on the 2021 Boxster & Cayman 718 GTS 4.0, the 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4. People got used to seeing four-cylinder 718 models before getting the classical six-cylinder flavor, now they can start pondering the comfort and performance improvements of mating the latter to the PDK.
As such, purists might say a thing or two about not having complete control, but with the automatic’s uninterrupted acceleration even during gear changes it’s pretty obvious they can’t fight basic mathematics.
The latter begs to prove the 2021 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4 with 309 kW (420 ps) are faster than their manual counterparts by no less than half a second, reaching the 100 kph (62 mph) mark in 3.9 seconds. Higher velocities are also easier to reach – the sprint to 200 kph (124 mph) takes just 13.4 seconds (0.4 seconds quicker than before).
Porsche also updated the performance credentials for the PDK-toting 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (400 ps), which follow suite in being 0.5 seconds faster: exactly four seconds to 62 mph and 13.7 seconds to 124 mph (- 0.4 s).
There are also a few other elements to consider. For example, the standard Sport Chrono package on the 718 GTS 4.0 variants will alter the PDK gear shift patterns according to the user-selected drive mode (Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual). The Sport Response option of the mode switch, on the other hand, will activate total performance from the powertrain (engine + transmission) for 20 seconds.
When it comes to the flagship 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4 there is another way – the PDK Sport button. Also, all 718 models equipped with the automatic now have a shorter-ratio seventh gear as well as improvements for the mechanical limited-slip rear diff.
This means clients can opt for the PDK on the 2021 Boxster & Cayman 718 GTS 4.0, the 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4. People got used to seeing four-cylinder 718 models before getting the classical six-cylinder flavor, now they can start pondering the comfort and performance improvements of mating the latter to the PDK.
As such, purists might say a thing or two about not having complete control, but with the automatic’s uninterrupted acceleration even during gear changes it’s pretty obvious they can’t fight basic mathematics.
The latter begs to prove the 2021 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4 with 309 kW (420 ps) are faster than their manual counterparts by no less than half a second, reaching the 100 kph (62 mph) mark in 3.9 seconds. Higher velocities are also easier to reach – the sprint to 200 kph (124 mph) takes just 13.4 seconds (0.4 seconds quicker than before).
Porsche also updated the performance credentials for the PDK-toting 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (400 ps), which follow suite in being 0.5 seconds faster: exactly four seconds to 62 mph and 13.7 seconds to 124 mph (- 0.4 s).
There are also a few other elements to consider. For example, the standard Sport Chrono package on the 718 GTS 4.0 variants will alter the PDK gear shift patterns according to the user-selected drive mode (Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual). The Sport Response option of the mode switch, on the other hand, will activate total performance from the powertrain (engine + transmission) for 20 seconds.
When it comes to the flagship 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4 there is another way – the PDK Sport button. Also, all 718 models equipped with the automatic now have a shorter-ratio seventh gear as well as improvements for the mechanical limited-slip rear diff.
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