I have had a 2016 981 since 2018 and its sound is something i just can't get enough of. I look forward to hard acceleration onto the expressway to fill the car with its screaming engine. The tactile experience is what my prior BMW just didn't have. I've learned that once you own a Porsche that you will always own one.
Thanks for sharing your experience on the the 981 Cayman, you are spot on right about everything you have described and it's the same response we get from most of our customers :)
I purchased new and still have my 2014 Cayman Basic 275 h.p., PDK transmission, dual exhaust, 19" wheels, black leather, white exterior, Bose, but no chrono pkg. It now has 43k miles on it without any issues. Runs the same today as it did new. Open or country roads it negotiates and still handles like a dream. No, I won't sell it and wouldn't upgrade a thing if I reordered it again today. When I special ordered it, the dealership said if I had zero plans to racetrack it, I didn't need the extra horsepower. They were right, but everyone has different tastes and needs. Thanks to the clear installed bra the paint is still perfect. It is an awesome and quality 🚘 automobile.
I am an ironworker and I have a 2014 981 Cayman 2.7 pdk I daily drive every day. I wanted the 6 speed manual until I drove a pdk and realized how lovely it is, also is a much faster car with the pdk so it’s a lot of Porsche for the buck! This is a great review of the car, very spot on. It’s extremely practical and fun to work on, and it turns every commute into a lovely experience. I never really want my drives to end! If you are worried it won’t be fast enough, drive a base 981 pdk first and reserve your judgement. It’s shockingly quick for what it is, especially if you drive the 6 speed manual 2.7 back to back with a pdk
Thank you for the detailed experience on the car. You are spot on about the 2.7 being very rewarding and it is plenty quick, in fact it can be more enjoyable quicker cars
981 Cayman 2013-2016. Had the 981 base manual for 3 yrs, very reliable , great car apart from the tall gearing. Sold it for what I paid , zero depreciation! Now own a 718S PDK.
@@invictusporsche after reading/ watching all the negative reviews on the sound of the engine , I was actually surprised when I heard one.. it’s certainly less ‘fussed’ like the six but it’s got loads of grunt from low revs all the way to the redline. Everything feels just a bit sharper than the 981, probably like going from a 987 to a 981
Thanks for the perspective. There is a few engine sizes in the 718, what’s the most desirable engine and what’s your take on that? Really appreciate sharing your view going from 981 to 718.
almost 3 years with this car as a daily. Did 36k km (total 83k) and going strong. cayman 2.7 pdk basald black with the same carrera classic 20" inch wheels. same as yours! i agree mate its a great car. practical reliable and economic for what it is. enjoy it! advices for interested buyer: get the 3.4 if you can. believe me its worth the few extra thousands. you feel the luck of power on the annoyingly long second gear. BMC air filters, 200cell catalyst, carnewal exghust and ecu and PDk tunning with cobb, helped but almost end up spending the cost difference between the base and S. get as many extras possible. dont cheap out this car is not the same. either comfort/looks staff like climate, heated seats, that horrible steering wheel (sorry mate), full leather with stiching, 20" wheels, dual tip exhaust, bose etc . For performance aim for sport chrono and sport exhaust, if you are not upgrading it. for some people like me getting the car was overstretching financially and the extras made me wait longer for savings and also finding the car used like i wanted it. believe me it worth it. you are getting most of those money back if you are reselling also.
I have a black 2015 981 2.7 PDK with titanium 20" Carrera S III wheels and the (proper) sports steering wheel (with paddles) and I absolutely love the car! Only thing why it's not perfect is the tall gearing, so you can only (legally) enjoy first and second gear. Small corrections to your video: 1) the 981 was announced on 13 March 2012 (not 2011) at the Geneva Auto Show, but is wasn't available until late 2012 2) the 718 is actually the 982 generation. They just added "718" to the model name, like "911" for it's bigger brother 3) the 0-62 mph for the manual is 5.8sec, the PDK does it in 5.7sec, the PDK with Sport Chrono (in Sport Plus mode) only takes 5.4sec
Great to hear your view and also I agree with the tall gearing, we haven't tried to re-programme the gearbox on a Porsche but have done so on Aston Martin Vantage's for our customers to suit their driving style. I have no idea whether the same is do-able on a Porsche. Really appreciate your corrections and for taking the time to write it here :)
hi how long you own the car ? I have same Cayman as my daily since 4 yrs now and I enjoy every single trip. I prefer the sport wheel with the peddles instead of yours. Can only confirm what you say. On the public road the 2.7 engine is more than enough. Tax and fuel consumption is still very OK. The new 4.0 engine is too expensive. Rgs from Belgium
Sorry for the late response. We are a Porsche Specialist so we had this 981 Cayman in stock for circa two months. Glad to hear that you are enjoying your Cayman especially every single trip. I agree with having the Sports Steering Wheel with Paddles. Hopefully you are making the most of the beautiful weather :)
@@invictusporsche Actually what @UC-07Qq1mvP6NqW7IzuAVscw states is not correct either and he is not 100% correct: as a matter of fact there are 718 GTS that are turbocharged!!! It was only after the 718 (982 to me...) GT4 was launched that Porsche used its 4.0 litre engine to create the the updated GTS with a NA engine
@@Juergen_Mueller what you said is incorrect in the way you have said it and in the way you expressed it. it is a fact as simply as that. a matter of English maybe but incorrect.
I recently purchased a 2016 Guards Red/Black Cayman S 6-speed and I absolutely love it so far. I wanted a new 4.0 Cayman GTS but just couldn't come to terms with the current market conditions and supply shortage. I have come to love the subtle differences in styling from the 981 vs the 718. I noticed the center of the seats in the car in this video has the 'race-tex' material. Was that an option on the base or S 981 Caymans, or did the owner have it installed?
The shape is absolutely stunning. The way they handle is out of this world and the flat six roars like no other. As for manual they are extremely good, I always leaned towards the PDK but having driven a few 981 Caymans manual, I would make them my first choice now. What do you drive now?
Hmm I can’t agree it grips more than a four wheel drive. I have a Boxster and an Impreza WRX STI. Very different driving experiences but the Scoob wins hands down for grip. It’s insane
Better of both worlds is the Boxster but you are looking for a driver focused coupe with restricted roof height then it's the Cayman ;) also the Cayman's are usually the slower selling Porsche's too
I think it all comes down to personal taste and use cases. Personally I like the looks of the Cayman more than the Boxster. The weather here only allows you to drive with the roof down for a couple of weeks a year. So as a daily driver, I prefer the Cayman. (And the Cayman has 10 more horsepower 😂)
![Porsche Cayman 981 vs Cayman S: Which Is Better? [Review]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DZOvbgYv_Us/mqdefault.jpg)
![Porsche Cayman 981 vs Cayman S: Which Is Better? [Review]](/img/tr.png)
I have had a 2016 981 since 2018 and its sound is something i just can't get enough of. I look forward to hard acceleration onto the expressway to fill the car with its screaming engine. The tactile experience is what my prior BMW just didn't have. I've learned that once you own a Porsche that you will always own one.
Thanks for sharing your experience on the the 981 Cayman, you are spot on right about everything you have described and it's the same response we get from most of our customers :)
I purchased new and still have my 2014 Cayman Basic 275 h.p., PDK transmission, dual exhaust, 19" wheels, black leather, white exterior, Bose, but no chrono pkg. It now has 43k miles on it without any issues. Runs the same today as it did new. Open or country roads it negotiates and still handles like a dream. No, I won't sell it and wouldn't upgrade a thing if I reordered it again today. When I special ordered it, the dealership said if I had zero plans to racetrack it, I didn't need the extra horsepower. They were right, but everyone has different tastes and needs. Thanks to the clear installed bra the paint is still perfect. It is an awesome and quality 🚘 automobile.
I am an ironworker and I have a 2014 981 Cayman 2.7 pdk I daily drive every day. I wanted the 6 speed manual until I drove a pdk and realized how lovely it is, also is a much faster car with the pdk so it’s a lot of Porsche for the buck! This is a great review of the car, very spot on. It’s extremely practical and fun to work on, and it turns every commute into a lovely experience. I never really want my drives to end! If you are worried it won’t be fast enough, drive a base 981 pdk first and reserve your judgement. It’s shockingly quick for what it is, especially if you drive the 6 speed manual 2.7 back to back with a pdk
Thank you for the detailed experience on the car. You are spot on about the 2.7 being very rewarding and it is plenty quick, in fact it can be more enjoyable quicker cars
981 Cayman 2013-2016. Had the 981 base manual for 3 yrs, very reliable , great car apart from the tall gearing. Sold it for what I paid , zero depreciation! Now own a 718S PDK.
Nice to hear your view on it. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it and now own a 718S. How is the 718?
@@invictusporsche after reading/ watching all the negative reviews on the sound of the engine , I was actually surprised when I heard one.. it’s certainly less ‘fussed’ like the six but it’s got loads of grunt from low revs all the way to the redline. Everything feels just a bit sharper than the 981, probably like going from a 987 to a 981
Thanks for the perspective. There is a few engine sizes in the 718, what’s the most desirable engine and what’s your take on that?
Really appreciate sharing your view going from 981 to 718.
I bought one of these, in black, last year, and could not agree more! Only difference is mine is a manual. Just absolutely love it.
Thank you Paul for your view. Glad to hear you agree with our assessment 😊
I absolutely love my 2014 Cayman. They are truly magnificent machines! Love your passion!
Glad you like them!
almost 3 years with this car as a daily. Did 36k km (total 83k) and going strong.
cayman 2.7 pdk basald black with the same carrera classic 20" inch wheels. same as yours!
i agree mate its a great car. practical reliable and economic for what it is.
enjoy it!
advices for interested buyer:
get the 3.4 if you can. believe me its worth the few extra thousands. you feel the luck of power on the annoyingly long second gear. BMC air filters, 200cell catalyst, carnewal exghust and ecu and PDk tunning with cobb, helped but almost end up spending the cost difference between the base and S.
get as many extras possible. dont cheap out this car is not the same. either comfort/looks staff like climate, heated seats, that horrible steering wheel (sorry mate), full leather with stiching, 20" wheels, dual tip exhaust, bose etc . For performance aim for sport chrono and sport exhaust, if you are not upgrading it.
for some people like me getting the car was overstretching financially and the extras made me wait longer for savings and also finding the car used like i wanted it. believe me it worth it. you are getting most of those money back if you are reselling also.
I have a black 2015 981 2.7 PDK with titanium 20" Carrera S III wheels and the (proper) sports steering wheel (with paddles) and I absolutely love the car! Only thing why it's not perfect is the tall gearing, so you can only (legally) enjoy first and second gear.
Small corrections to your video:
1) the 981 was announced on 13 March 2012 (not 2011) at the Geneva Auto Show, but is wasn't available until late 2012
2) the 718 is actually the 982 generation. They just added "718" to the model name, like "911" for it's bigger brother
3) the 0-62 mph for the manual is 5.8sec, the PDK does it in 5.7sec, the PDK with Sport Chrono (in Sport Plus mode) only takes 5.4sec
Great to hear your view and also I agree with the tall gearing, we haven't tried to re-programme the gearbox on a Porsche but have done so on Aston Martin Vantage's for our customers to suit their driving style. I have no idea whether the same is do-able on a Porsche.
Really appreciate your corrections and for taking the time to write it here :)
Amazing video and amazing car
It really is!
Great review! Thanks, Invictus team.
Thank you Mario
Excellent video. Really enjoyed watching it ☺️
Thanks so much! 😊
agree, fantastic car, fabulous review
Thank you Alex :)
Nice video. I agree about the 981.
Small correction: Those wheels are Carerra Classic not the Turbo design.
Thanks for the feedback and really appreciate the correction
hi
how long you own the car ?
I have same Cayman as my daily since 4 yrs now and I enjoy every single trip.
I prefer the sport wheel with the peddles instead of yours.
Can only confirm what you say.
On the public road the 2.7 engine is more than enough.
Tax and fuel consumption is still very OK.
The new 4.0 engine is too expensive.
Rgs from Belgium
Sorry for the late response. We are a Porsche Specialist so we had this 981 Cayman in stock for circa two months.
Glad to hear that you are enjoying your Cayman especially every single trip. I agree with having the Sports Steering Wheel with Paddles.
Hopefully you are making the most of the beautiful weather :)
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Small correction: not all of the 718 are turbo-charged as you tell. The GTS 4.0 is naturally aspirated as well.
Thank you for the correct Hans. Really appreciate it and you are 100% correct 🙏
@@invictusporsche Actually what @UC-07Qq1mvP6NqW7IzuAVscw states is not correct either and he is not 100% correct: as a matter of fact there are 718 GTS that are turbocharged!!! It was only after the 718 (982 to me...) GT4 was launched that Porsche used its 4.0 litre engine to create the the updated GTS with a NA engine
what you state is actually not 100% correct. There are 718 GTS out there with the 2.5 litre turbocharged engine...
@@sixpotshot It is, of course, correct. Please read my statement once more in a slow and concentrated way in order to understand what I said.
@@Juergen_Mueller what you said is incorrect in the way you have said it and in the way you expressed it. it is a fact as simply as that. a matter of English maybe but incorrect.
I recently purchased a 2016 Guards Red/Black Cayman S 6-speed and I absolutely love it so far. I wanted a new 4.0 Cayman GTS but just couldn't come to terms with the current market conditions and supply shortage. I have come to love the subtle differences in styling from the 981 vs the 718.
I noticed the center of the seats in the car in this video has the 'race-tex' material. Was that an option on the base or S 981 Caymans, or did the owner have it installed?
Good video, i'm strongly thinking about getting a Cayman, just would have to be a manual...think its shape is beautiful!!! cheers 👍👍👍
The shape is absolutely stunning. The way they handle is out of this world and the flat six roars like no other. As for manual they are extremely good, I always leaned towards the PDK but having driven a few 981 Caymans manual, I would make them my first choice now.
What do you drive now?
Hmm I can’t agree it grips more than a four wheel drive. I have a Boxster
and an Impreza WRX STI. Very different driving experiences but the Scoob wins hands down for grip. It’s insane
Is a Sunday morning i am in one right now.
Love that 😍. How are you finding it?
@@invictusporsche 2 hour ride to philly. Love it!
this guy has the entire headed to starbucks and then the golf course, porsche outfit on lol.
Haha this is a great itinerary for the day
Awesome
Thank you :)
The real dilemma is choosing the Boxster vs the Cayman. Some say one gets the best of both worlds with the Boxster. True??
Better of both worlds is the Boxster but you are looking for a driver focused coupe with restricted roof height then it's the Cayman ;) also the Cayman's are usually the slower selling Porsche's too
I think it all comes down to personal taste and use cases. Personally I like the looks of the Cayman more than the Boxster. The weather here only allows you to drive with the roof down for a couple of weeks a year. So as a daily driver, I prefer the Cayman. (And the Cayman has 10 more horsepower 😂)
Aesthetically, the Cayman looks better than the Boxster, but that's just my opinion.
😍😍
Modrern !?
What’s your view on it?
These got expensiveb
They have unfortunately 😔
Indeed. I bought my Cayman in 2021, and now it's worth almost €10.000 more. Incredible! (but I'm not complaining of course)