Porsche N.A. flat six vs new turbo flat 4
Posted by: rsch on 01 July 2017
Here is my experience from a very recent Porsche ownership prespective.
After a long series of Lous Elises, Exiges and an Evora. i migrated to Porsche word.
I began the experiment last week with a pre owned 2013 Boxter 981 2.7. The car is pretty much in basic configuration with manual gearbox, 18 wheels, no Pasm, nor PTV or Sports Chrono ( I can' t figure why most of them are configured with the most useless gimmickry like heated seats & steering wheel, upgraded infotaiment and hi fi and lack with the most important techical parts like PASM, PTV, Sports exhaust and so on.
At the same time i test drove a Cayman 2.0 300ps with PDK, PASM, Sport Chrono and standard exhaust.
Well, despite i reckon my 2.7 6 pot sounds good, especially past 4,5/5k, the new 4 even at idle, has quite a pretty characterful note which hardens beautifully at higher revs.
I really don't see the point of such haste from press (especially Evo and Autocar). Mine up to 2.5 3k sounds pretty ordinary. In sport mode its got a very alert throttle response but above 5k feels quite soft and slow. On the other hand the new 4 is very strong even at top end with rev limiter at 7600 really really good for a car in this price bracket (ok, Mc Laren goes up to 8.5K)
On handling and steering dept, the new 718 is quite better with a 10% quicker rack, if equipped with 918 Sports wheel like the one i drove is better still. Mine is a bit lorry sized. I was also more inclined for the manual gearbox, now i found it a little below expectations while Pdk is very brilliant.
Another note, on the 718 Sport Chrono is really mandatory, at every change from normal, to sport and sport + there is a very noticeable change on throttle response and engine sound.
At the end i assume the 981 like a preparatory experience,( the poblem with a new one configured like i wanted, was a delivery well into next October ), so if you are considering a new one, forget all the press and forums rubbish, unless you are afeter a Cayman GT4 or 981 Spyder, go for the new one
Hope this helps
Regards
Roberto
Probably handles like a truck 
A guy locally drives around in a pristine BMW635CSi. Now would I like that car 
Hungryhalibut,
VW Up! Great little car, my friends daughter has one. Driven it a few times and found it comfortable, relatively quiet and roomier than you might think, the usual high standard of finish you'd expect from VW so no rattles or squeaks. I was rather impressed with it
DBS-Al posted:I agree with MDS above, smaller engines with a turbo on, less emissions and better economy. It's the way things seem to be going. The wife of a good friend of mine drives a VW Polo 1.2 ( 2011 ) and it takes it about 3 weeks to get to 60mph. That's all well and good until you need to overtake something for whatever reason. She really has to rev it to get anywhere and because of that the economy suffers, a chap down the road from me has a Skoda Yeti 1.2 turbo. Same story. Another bloke near me has an old BMW 5 series which chucks out more exhaust fumes than you could imagine and yet I pay a premium in road tax for my Aston DBS and similarly for the wife's Audi RS6. So how is that fair ?
The sound of a DBS's engine, ah! I could listen to that delightful growl all day
DBS-Al posted:Hungryhalibut,
VW Up! Great little car, my friends daughter has one. Driven it a few times and found it comfortable, relatively quiet and roomier than you might think, the usual high standard of finish you'd expect from VW so no rattles or squeaks. I was rather impressed with it
A current VW with decent build quality? Shhhh, don't tell VW, they'll want to give it a recall to bring it down to the usual standard.
MDS posted:DBS-Al posted:I agree with MDS above, smaller engines with a turbo on, less emissions and better economy. It's the way things seem to be going. The wife of a good friend of mine drives a VW Polo 1.2 ( 2011 ) and it takes it about 3 weeks to get to 60mph. That's all well and good until you need to overtake something for whatever reason. She really has to rev it to get anywhere and because of that the economy suffers, a chap down the road from me has a Skoda Yeti 1.2 turbo. Same story. Another bloke near me has an old BMW 5 series which chucks out more exhaust fumes than you could imagine and yet I pay a premium in road tax for my Aston DBS and similarly for the wife's Audi RS6. So how is that fair ?
The sound of a DBS's engine, ah! I could listen to that delightful growl all day
My car just burbled/roared all the way down to Essex and back this week during a few days off. Never missed a beat (or a petrol station). Nothing beats the sound of a V8 in my book.
As a 1972 car I pay no road tax-which is probably very good news as I dread to think of the C02 emissions!