HALF a century on and Porsche channels the purposeful vibe of its 911 T from 1968 in the newly released 718 T versions of the Boxster and Cayman.
Porsche’s current pair of two-seat sport models fuses together a turbocharged, 296hp, 380Nm, 2.0-liter flat-four engine with a host of performance items like 20-inch wheels, a chassis lower by 20 millimeters, a six-speed manual gearbox with a short-shift lever (Porsche’s dual-clutch PDK is an option), the car maker’s Sport Chrono package, torque-vectoring, and a mechanical locking rear differential.
Along with these enhancements, Porsche pares down the Boxster’s and the Cayman’s cabins by deleting some furniture; fabric door pulls replace bulky handles, and the sport seats only get two-way power adjustments. Also gone is the Porsche Communication Management module, with a storage compartment taking its place. This infotainment system can still be ordered should a customer wants to, but take note; Porsche explained it took the system out to negate the added weight brought about by its installation of a gasoline particulate filter for the engine.
Marking out the exterior of the 718 T Boxster and Cayman are (besides the 20-inch gray wheels and lowered ride height) gray mirror shells; centrally mounted sport exhaust with black, twin tailpipes; and “718 Boxster T” or “718 Cayman T” logos. Paintjobs offered are Indian Red, Racing Yellow, Carrera White, Deep Black, and GT Silver. Lava Orange and Miami Blue are offered as special options.
Porsche said the 718 T Boxster and Cayman, which weigh 1,350 kilograms (when equipped with the manual transmission), has a power-to-weight ratio of 4.5 kg/hp, allowing it to accelerate from rest to 100kph in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 275kph. The cars’ standard Sport Chrono package offers Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual driving modes, selectable through a switch on the steering wheel. Porsche explained Sport and Sport Plus modes make the cars quicker to respond to throttle inputs, while Sport Plus mode also alters the settings of the Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts (PADM), which keep the cars flat during high-speed cornering. The PADM system, added the car maker, minimizes vibrations in the engine and gearbox area, as well as reduces the movements that could affect driving dynamics.
So, while the “T” in the 911 T, as well as in other Porsches since, stood for “Touring,” the tag in the 718 T translates to a more dynamic, purer form of driving performance.
