The Porsche 718 GTS stormed the circuit like a crying hell dog.
PORSCHE CLUB 2019 Leenen Steve does the TEST.
This concept
Porsche has a "Gran Turismo Sport" logo on the 718 Boxster and Cayman. Porsche used the name Gran Turismo Sport for the first time in 1963, with the 904 Carrera GTS, a racing car approved for public roads. In just a few days, 106 cars were assembled so that Porsche could join the start of a series of prestigious endurance races (a requirement of the regulations), where the 904 GTS frequently excelled. The 924 GTS and 928 GTS continued the legend in the 1980s and 1990s. Then it was waiting until 2008 to see the GTS logo reappear, this time on the Cayenne. The acronym is no more than a row of letters that appears on all Porsche models. Today, however, the idea is (partly) linked to its roots again with the 718 Boxster and Cayman, which have a similar architecture to the 904 GTS: a central boxer four cylinder in the back.
Technical brands
718 Boxster GTS from 82.255,80 € incl. VAT
365 HP/269 kW
Power/Power
4,6 s
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h
4,1 s
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h with Sport Chrono package
Rear wheel drive
Drive
9.2 - 8.5l/100km
210 - 195g/km
What changes
The Porsche 718 GTS inherits the 2.5 turbo-charged cylinder from the 718 S. It develops 365 hp, or 15 hp more, thanks to a higher turbo pressure (1.3 bar instead of 1.1) and a larger inlet collector. This is 35 hp and 70 Nm more than the atmospheric six-cylinder boxer of the previous generation Boxster and Cayman GTS. Thanks to the pressure supply, maximum torque is reached earlier, peaking at 420 Nm from 1,900 to 5,000 rpm, or even 430 Nm in combination with the optional PDK seven-speed gearbox (3,557.4 euros).
The 718 GTS also features a leather and alcantara interior, dark-tinted lights, more streamlined bumpers, the 911 Carrera S's 20-inch rims and a dual central exhaust. Above all, however, they are standardly fitted with the PTV differential lock and PASM steered suspension with 1 centimetre lower ground clearance compared to the 718 S.
How it drives
The 718 is already well balanced on steel springs, but they take on a whole new dimension with the PASM suspension. The Boxster flies with astonishing ease over the asphalt that has been deformed and tortured by the Andalusian sun. To the extent that you actually have a circuit to discover the full potential of the 718 GTS. Ascari's technical circuit combines fast bends with bends hidden behind a slope. Between his spring and spring movements, the baby-Porsche hangs out of the acrobat, but never deviates from his route. It is well guided by the 911's prowl, which is accompanied by a wonderfully precise and communicative steering wheel, so we can concentrate all the better on the heart of the monster. His boxer four cylinder, which sounds idle like the engine of a Beetle and then starts to vibrate with a metallic voice, is further enhanced by the sports exhaust. The pace goes in crescendo (Normal, Sport, Sport+ or individual) via the PDK's gear, which perfectly matches the flat-four. The hit duo guarantees plenty of kicks: 4.1 seconds for the 0 to 100 km/h and a top speed of 290 km/h. This makes it half a second faster than with the handbox. And they are not only more efficient, but also more economical: 8.2 instead of 9.1 l/100 km.
Budget & equipment
Porsche asks 11,000 euros more for the 718 GTS than for the S. So you arrive at 79,109.8 euros for the Cayman and 81,166.8 euros for the Boxster. That is a lot of money per extra horse. But at the same time Porsche is expanding the standard equipment for an amount of almost 15,000 euros in options. In the end you get value for money, but let us distinguish the essence of the frills: you can't get around the active suspension and the differential lock PTV, which are standard here but otherwise would cost 1,573 and 1,452 euros on the S-version. But all the rest is aesthetic fantasy... although maybe not everyone sees it that way.
Competition
The 718 GTS only gets resistance from its cousin, the Audi TT RS. Opposite the Porsche's four-cylinder boxer is its explosive five-cylinder engine, which is also coupled to an excellent robotised seven-speed gearbox, but which is combined with four-wheel drive, something the 718 still doesn't want to know about. The basic price of the TT RS is lower (70,522.8 euros), but Audi applies the same price policy as Porsche: you have to make up for everything.
PORSCHE CLUB 2019 evaluation?
In its GTS version, the 718 gains in performance, efficiency and exclusivity, but it is above all a way for Porsche to sell a bundle of options under the guise of a "special series". A 718 S with the same 'indispensable' options is just as good...