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Buy this Ford vs Ferrari GT40 Movie Car2023 Porsche 718: Well-Rounded Sports Car
The 2023 Porsche 718 is a well-rounded sports car made for the driving enthusiast. We look at powertrain, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s new for the 2023 Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman?
The Porsche 718 comes in two distinct flavors, hardtop or Cayman and convertible or Boxster. Each one is available with a trio of engines, a choice of a manual or automatic transmission, and some of the most advanced performance technology available.
Seven different trims make up the 718 lineup from everyday easy-going sports cars to hardcore track-focused cruiser. Porsche has added Apple CarPlay to the Spyder, the GT4, and the GT4 RS for 2023. In addition, Arctic Grey and Ice Grey Metallic paint is available across the lineup too.
2023 Porsche 718 models – porsche.com | Shop 2023 Porsche 718 on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Breathtaking performance
Comfortable interior
Elegant styling
Rough-sounding four-cylinger
Expensive top trims
Lacking safety equipment
One incredible driver’s car
2023 718 Specs
- 350 horsepower from base engine
- 309 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 7 available trims
- 9.7 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Standard backup camera & parking sensors
- 1 year of complimentary maintenance
2023 Porsche 718 Powertrain
The base 718 kicks off the party with a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four that develops 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It’s an admirable base engine but keep in mind that most find its exhaust note to be underwhelming. Above it is a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat four-cylinder found in the 718 T trim. It makes 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. It’s still criticized for its sound but it at least offers a touch more performance.
Above both is the 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six found in the GTS 4.0. It’s the one everybody raves about and justifiably so. It develops 394 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. All three engines benefit from exceptional chassis and suspension tuning that make the 718 almost telepathic when it comes to driver inputs and feedback. It’s one of the reasons that we think it’s a perfect autocross car. All of these models come standard with a six-speed manual but can also be equipped with Porsche PDK automatic gearbox. But wait, there’s more.
Porsche now sells a few really special trims in the 718 lineup. The top Boxster trim is called Spyder and it gets the PDK transmission as standard, better brakes, unique styling, and a 414 hp version of the 4.0-liter engine.
That same basic package, albeit with a hardtop is what makes up the Cayman GT4. A track-focused version called the GT4 RS uses the ultimate version of the six-cylinder, this time making 493 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. It also gets unique aero, intakes in place of the rear windows, and a carbon fiber hood.
2023 Porsche 718 Fuel Economy & MPG
Porsche offers three distinct engine choices in the 718 and unsurprisingly, the smallest is the most fuel efficient. The 2.0-liter gets up to 24 mpg combined according to the EPA. That counts for both the Boxster and the Cayman. The 2.5-liter gets 22 mpg combined and the 4.0-liter flat six drops to just 16 mpg combined.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
As one would expect, the inside of the 718 is perfectly suited to performance-oriented driving. The seats are comfortable, highly adjustable, and supportive even under high loads. The gauge cluster is easy to see and the controls are all within reach and simple to use. The dash is simple but elegant and looks like the type that will age well. The materials are good and the fit-and-finish is as it should be for a car of this cost.
Storage is okay too for a car of this size. The front trunk holds a couple of carry-on luggage cases and a third can go in the rear trunk though we recommend going with soft-shelled storage bags as they’ll make the most of the limited cargo space available. It’s easy to see how this recipe helped save Porsche years ago.
Entertainment & Technology
To put it mildly, the infotainment system in the 718 isn’t particularly noteworthy. That’s both good and bad though. On the bad side, it’s not wildly impressive. It lacks Android Auto but includes a CD player. It also won’t come with a Wi-Fi hotspot or integrated navigation unless you pay extra.
On the other hand, the 7-inch touchscreen is perfectly fast enough and easy enough to use that we can’t complain. There are two USB power ports and at least eight speakers. Two upgraded sound systems are available as well though don’t expect many to add them to the upper trim levels of the 718.
Safety Features
Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has released any safety data about the 2023 Porsche 718. That said, Porsche doesn’t offer much in the way of standard safety equipment with the car either. A base 718 gets a backup camera and parking sensors. For the asking price, we would have liked to see more standard features. Other features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control require the buyer to pay more.
2023 Porsche 718 Trims & Pricing
Base – $64,850
The base Caymen and Boxster come with the 300 hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated front sports seats, a sports exhaust, a 7-inch infotainment system, eight speakers, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay integration, and parking sensors.
T – $73,950
This trim adds Porsche’s Sport Chrono package which includes a dash-mounted stopwatch, launch control, driving modes, and dynamic transmission mounts that smooth out shift vibrations on the PDK. In addition, the T trim gets 20-inch wheels, a variable damping sport suspension, a mechanical limited-slip differential, sport seats plus, nylon interior door pulls, a GT sport steering wheel, and unique exterior badging.
S – $76,850
The S trim deletes the upgrades from the T trim but adds the 350-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mentioned above. It also gets 19-inch wheels.
GTS 4.0 – $91,750
There’s a big jump in price to get the GTS 4.0 but it adds most of the features of the T trim along with a 394 hp flat-six engine.
Spyder (Boxster Only) – $104,850
At the top of the Boxster platform is the Spyder which gets a 414 hp version of the flat-six along with a lightweight manually folding top and an aluminum engine cover. It also features a 30mm dip in ride height over the GTS 4.0, dynamic gearbox mounts, and a rev-match function.
GT4 (Cayman Only) – $107,950
The penultimate Cayman adds the same engine that’s found in the Spyder, upgraded brakes, the same suspension, bigger cooling intakes, and a fixed rear wing.
GT4 RS (Cayman Only) – $150,550
The top 718 in the garage is the GT4 RS with a 493 hp version of the 4.0-liter flat six, a carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber front fenders, titanium exhaust tips, air induction ports that replace the rear windows, and an aggressive rear wing.
Warranties
Every 718 comes with a four-year or 50,000-mile warranty. That includes both the limited and powertrain coverage. Porsche also offers a year or 10,000 miles worth of complimentary maintenance which is more than Chevrolet offers with the Corvette. The BMW Z4, which is a class below the 718 in terms of performance, offers more complimentary maintenance.
What we think
2023 Porsche 718 – porsche.com | Shop 2023 Porsche 718 on Carsforsale.com
The Porsche 718 is probably the most well-rounded sports car on sale today now that the 911 distinctively plays in supercar territory. Yes, the most desirable trims are incredibly expensive and impractical for the everyday life of most people. Nevertheless, for the few who can fit a 718 into their life, it’ll prove to be a source of pleasure, passion, and power for years to come.
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