718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T concept

The truly important things can’t be found in conferences and meetings. They are not made of bits and bytes, they are not on timelines and news feeds. They are made up of curves and bends. Endorphins and adrenaline. Long straights and short shift throws. The best destination to have? No destination. The way there? We have reduced down to the bare essentials: in a purist’s sports car which lets you switch off by shifting up. A Porsche which needs no more than a clear road – and, of course, you. Welcome to life.

The new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are thoroughbred sports cars. With one mission: driving for the sake of driving. Fully epitomised by the T for Touring in the name. Its heart: a powerful 220kW (300hp) turbocharged four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine located just centimetres behind the driver. And its centre of gravity? Sits deep. The sports suspension (20mm lower) brings you closer to the road – and even closer to the feeling of being alive. The soundtrack: its sports exhaust system, calling for freedom.

The new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are your personal here and now – the spontaneous opportunity to leave everyday routine behind. Highly dynamic. Puristic. Authentic. Porsche Communication Management (PCM)? Would distract from driving pleasure. Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)? It can – but it doesn’t have to. Instead: Sports seats Plus, door pull loops, a GT sports steering wheel with mode switch. That’s all it takes to ensure that the everyday can no longer restrict you.

Exterior design

Thoughtful design tells a story. The 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T tells two. A story of its dynamic history. Of victory at mountain-top races. Of countless defeated curves. At the same time, it describes the start. Of new journeys, undiscovered routes and endless possibilities. In short: of the ability to begin spontaneously – and not stop for a long time.

The side profile of the 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are sleek, dominant, and highlight their mid-engined layout. Large wheel arches, and the dark Grey paint accents of the 20-inch Carrera S wheels and exterior mirrors offer a sophisticated finish. With a striking signature on the side: the decorative strips with either the ‘718 Boxster T’ or ‘718 Cayman T’ logo.

Moving forward, the powerful form typical of 718 models is clear to see. Large air intakes provide optimum air supply and the wings lend prominence to the design of the integrated Bi-Xenon main headlights – with LED daytime running lights.

The broad rear is completed with either the ‘718 Boxster T’ or ‘718 Cayman T’ model logo, finished in Agate Grey. Another eye-catcher: the sports exhaust system with the centrally positioned twin tailpipe in black.

Low, wide, sleek. Confident. That’s how it stands. Just as you would expect from a true sports car. The new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T. Fiercely determined to catapult you into real life. As soon as you turn the ignition key.

Interior design

Feng shui? Hygge? All well and good. But sometimes less is more – more room to breathe. Which is precisely why the design of the new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T is focused on three things: driving, driving, driving. Meaning: excellent ergonomics, short distances between steering wheel and gear lever, and direct access to all the important functions.

So, hands on the GT sports steering wheel! In easy reach: the mode switch, where you can select your preferred driving mode – from Normal, SPORT, SPORT PLUS and Individual. The shortened gear lever reinforces the sporty appeal of the interior with its shift pattern in red.

The interior: black and pure. On the steering wheel and gear lever: smooth-finish leather for a comfortable feel. On the doors: understated door pull loops. The trim strips on the dashboard and centre console painted in Black (high-gloss), harmoniously round off the design.

Switch off: yes. Slack off: no. Made possible by the Sports seats Plus (two-way) with elevated side bolsters and seat centres in durable Sport-Tex – or, optionally, the adaptive Sports seats Plus (18-way). Could it get even sportier? Yes – sports bucket seats or ultra-lightweight full bucket seats in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) are also available as an option. The headrests on all seat variants feature the ‘718’ logo.

With the optional interior packages, you can choose your own colour accents: with contrasting colours in GT Silver, Guards Red, Racing Yellow or Lizard Green. These accents can be found on the seat belts, decorative stitching, door pull loops, the ‘718’ logo on the headrests and on the stitching – as well as the Porsche logo on the floor mats. Highlight: the decorative stitching of the seat centres with Sport-Tex stripe pattern, also in the contrasting colour.

You can even add Alcantara® elements, tried and tested in motorsport, upon request.

Engine

The heart of every individual Porsche: the engine. In the new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T models, the 2.0 litre turbocharged horizontally opposed engine sits just centimetres behind you. Mounted deep. For an optimum vehicle centre of gravity. With direct fuel injection (DFI), VarioCam Plus and integrated dry-sump lubrication. To reduce particulate emissions, the 718 T models feature a particulate filter, therefore meeting the Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. The necessary regeneration process of the particulate filter runs independently and unnoticed. The 718 T models accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds. And with PDK and Launch Control, in 4.7 seconds. Enabled by a power unit with 220kW (300hp) and a maximum torque of 380Nm, thanks to turbocharged induction, is available as low as 1,950rpm and up to 4,500rpm. This is supplemented by engine characteristics configured to offer the high rev limits typical of a sports car. In summary: high compression and high engine speed combine with good modulation of power output. And, at its peak, 275km/h at 6,500rpm. That's how quickly you can clear your head.

Chassis

There are some things which no app can simulate. Like taking a hairpin bend on the ideal line. Exactly here, at the apex of the bend, is where you can see what makes a mid-engined sports car stand out: light weight, a low, balanced centre of gravity, wide track, long wheelbase – and, of course, a precise and agile chassis.

PASM sports suspension

The new 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are completely in tune with the road, thanks to the PASM sports suspension. The body sits a further 20mm lower than that of the 718 base models. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) – the electronic damping control system – continuously adjusts the damping force on each wheel, based on current road conditions and driving style. PASM has two settings which can be selected using a button on the centre console: in ‘Normal’ mode, the shock absorption is dynamic yet comfortable, whereas in 'Sport' mode, it is much firmer. The results are tangible: increased driving stability, improved comfort and enhanced performance.

Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV)

The standard Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) increases dynamic performance and stability. The system works with a variable torque distribution on the rear wheels and a mechanically regulated rear differential lock. When the car is driven assertively into a corner, moderate brake pressure is applied to the inside rear wheel. Consequently, a greater amount of drive force is distributed to the outside rear wheel, inducing an additional rotational pulse (yaw movement) around the vehicle’s vertical axis. For direct, sporty steering from the turn-in point.

The mechanically regulated rear differential lock included with PTV has an asymmetrical lock factor. This helps to provide greater traction, for example when accelerating out of corners and driving on road surfaces with varying grip. The result: considerable lateral dynamic vehicle stability and exceptional traction. Impressive agility at every speed – with precise steering response and balanced load transfer characteristics. And, of course, tremendous fun on corners.

The mode switch

Flip the switch. Out of the four walls. On to the open straights. And, of course, in the bends. Thanks to the mode switch on the GT sports steering wheel, you can select one of four settings: Normal, SPORT, SPORT PLUS or Individual mode, to adapt the vehicle even more precisely to the way you want to drive.

In SPORT mode, the electronic engine management demands a sharper response. Engine dynamics become more direct and the sports exhaust system is activated.

In SPORT PLUS mode, the 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T can unleash their full potential. Engine, chassis, sports exhaust system – everything is geared for 100% performance. The result: even sportier damping and superior driving dynamics.

Individual mode follows your driving style: you can select and store various vehicle settings to suit your preferences.

Porsche Connect

Out of the everyday, into real life. No e-mails, no chats, no feeds. For anyone who likes to consciously make this decision, the new 718 T models can also, upon request, be connected to the digital world and all its possibilities. Because sometimes it’s enough to just switch off – in the purest sense of the word.

Porsche Communication Management (PCM)

serves as your central control unit for audio, navigation and communication, and for countless Car Connect Services via smartphone, such as vehicle positioning. Optional, and available at no extra cost.

Navigation including Porsche Connect

Thanks to Real-time Traffic Information, the optional navigation module including Porsche Connect gets you to your destination quicker, and offers you numerous Porsche Connect services.

Visit www.porsche.com/connect to discover more about the various apps and services.

Sound systems

When you don’t want the raw sound of the sports exhaust system to be the soundtrack to your journey: Sound Package Plus features six loudspeakers for an acoustic performance perfectly adapted to the vehicle interior.

The optional BOSE® Surround Sound System has been specially developed for the 718 models and offers a total output of 505 watts. It features 10 fully active loudspeakers and amplifier channels including a patented, 100 watt active subwoofer integral to the vehicle bodyshell.

The optional Burmester® High-End Surround Sound System offers sound performance of the highest level. In numbers: 12 amplifier channels with a total output of 821 watts, 12 loudspeakers including an active subwoofer with 300 watt class D amplifier, a total diaphragm surface area of more than 1,340cm² and a frequency response of 35Hz to 20kHz.