Farewell GTS, Goodbye Cayman, Gone but not Forgotten.
The sun peeped over the eastern horizon yesterday at 04.21hrs as a new day dawned heralding the end of an era in my life. It is twelve years to the month since I turned the ignition key to fire-up the flat-six for the very first time in my 987 Porsche Cayman 2.7 5 speed manual. Yesterday, Friday June 5th 2020, I turned the ignition key in my 718 Cayman GTS to fire-up the 2.5 flat-four turbo for the very last time. The tingle of excitement remained as strong as ever, only absent on this occasion was the fission of expectation of driving it on the roads that I love. The weather was dire, the rain bouncing off the driveway as I parked the car for the final time. Such a shame as I spent the best part of the previous day prepping the GTS for its final journey south to Porsche Centre Chester, from where a driver had been despatched to collect the car at a pre-arranged time.
It was OPC Chester's decision to arrange the expeditious collection of my 718 Cayman GTS at this time. Having my car on site and readily available for sale following the extended lockdown period is entirely understandable from a pragmatic commercial point of view. I'm pleased to report the handover of my car to the driver went very smoothly. A flurry of emails had been exchanged earlier that day with the sales manager, Iain Joshua, including the signing of the all-important Proof of Purchase form, a copy of which was placed with the other official documents in a folder inside the car. I had disinfected the two sets of keys and their associated VTS driver's cards placing them in a poly bag to be left on the doorstep when the driver arrived. I had also taken precaution to disinfect all the driver's control surfaces and switches, including the internal and external door handles. Such are the times we now live in.
The Porsche Connect VTS service was phoned to advise the change of ownership. The very helpful advisor suggested I disarm the VTS on my phone app as soon as the driver drove off from my home. The registration of the VTS currently in my name for this car, would be cancelled the following day. I can say it was a very strange feeling seeing my GTS driven away from my home by someone else. It was a weird moment tinged with emotion for me personally.
Whoever the new owner is, they are sure to be getting a cracking good car. Fastidiously maintained, meticulously run-in, and with a carefully thought through keen driver's specification. My GTS also has Michelin PS4S N0 tyres on the wider Carrera Sport alloys, further enhanced by the Porsche Ceramic Brakes option. All of which are combined with tried and tested wheel alignment geometry settings established from many years of motorsport competition experience. To be short, this car drives very well, and is ideally suited to the roads in my locality.
As this is my final post on this thread, may I indulge in a personal statement on the demise of the flat-four GTS.
I was deeply dismayed when Porsche decided to abandon the 2.5 flat-four turbo in the new 2020 Cayman GTS, and replace it with a de-tuned version of the 982 Cayman GT4 4.0 engine. The 2.5 flat-four turbo could so easily have been tweaked to produce 400bhp together with a significantly enhanced torque curve trouncing that of the de-tuned 4.0 flat-six. Be that as it may, the combined weight of opinion from Porsche traditionalists and the considerable attractions of the USA market, sounded the death knell for the flat-four turbo with the exception of the base Boxster, Cayman, and "S" models. For me the saddest thing is, the loudest critical voices came not from owners of the then 2.5 718 GTS, but from those who had only briefly sampled the flat-four engines and subsequently written them off as unworthy of the Porsche brand. One notable motoring journalist stated so in his magazine report. The motoring media's early condemnation of the flat-four turbo carried considerable influence which became almost impossible to shake off. As a result, many people I suspect, went for a test drive of the new 718 with the preconception of not liking this engine. Power and torque improvements mattered little, it was all about the sound. What have Porsche done? A four cylinder turbo engine? Perish the thought! For many potential customers this was unforgivable.
From my experience, for what it is worth, I have a very different opinion. To ditch the flat-four turbo engine in the performance mid-engined models is an opportunity missed by Porsche. Rampant emissions-minded authorities are gunning for the combustion engined cars, even more so now following the dramatic drop in global pollution levels as a result of the Covid lockdown. Big engines mean big pollution to the ill-informed eco-campaigner. Personally, I have nothing against six-cylinder engines. I love 'em. My new Macan Turbo has one. A petrol twin-turbo 2.9 V6 beauty pumping out 440bhp and a mighty 550Nm of torque. Rock-on Tommy! In my personal opinion, including my track experience of the 2.5 718 Cayman GTS, Porsche could have so easily developed the car into a track-focused machine of considerable distinction with the minimum of manufacturing costs. Unfortunately such a proposal ruffled the feathers of Herr AP and his GT division with their six-cylinder only policy. The GT division's thumbs-down evidently carried considerable added weight at Porsche board meetings. Thus the flat-four turbo development died, for subsequent GT cars anyway.
Whilst on the topic of track cars and tuning, just for the record I have the following thoughts had I been living in different times and circumstances. I may have considered the following modifications for my 718 CGTS.
1. Replace the stock front and rear suspension struts and springs with KW 3-way adjustable PASM compatible coil-over suspension units. Lower the car a further -10mm from the stock -20mm.
2. Source a second-hand set of 981 GT4 alloys and fit with Michelin Cup 2 Race tyres. These for track day use only.
3. Have the engine ECU re-mapped by FVD Brombacher in Germany to Stage 2 tune 430bhp - 550Nm torque.
All of the above could be completed for less that £10,000, resulting in a very capable car offering many years of enjoyable track day entertainment for a fraction of the cost of trading-up to a GT4. All academic perhaps, but certainly achievable if track days are your thing and speed is your king. Sort of sums me up I suppose, in a previous life that is.
I couldn't post this, my final offering on this thread, without extending my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have contributed to my various scribblings on the Cayman model over the past three years. I shall still drop-in occasionally to read what you are all getting up to in my absence. I shall be launching a new Macan Turbo thread in the Macan section when my new "Jeep" is delivered to Porsche Centre Chester, currently now due mid-August. I shall be very surprised indeed if my new thread creates similar volumes of interest as this one has done over the past 18 months. It has been pure joy to share with you my stories and experiences. I have also been very fortunate to have made many good friends and contacts during my association with the Cayman community across the whole of the UK. It has been particularly satisfying to have met many of you personally at various track day events and other venues where our paths have crossed from time to time. It has been an absolute privilege to have met you all, and I especially cherish the shared track day passenger and driver laps with you on more than a few of the best circuits in the UK. These experiences I shall cherish for the remainder of my life.
Take care all, and stay safe.
Brian
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