2024 Porsche 718: A Comprehensive Guide On Features, Specs, And Pricing

Is there a formula for a purpose-built sports car? Not exactly; the recipe is so subjective that we may as well be Plankton hunting down the crabby patty’s secret formula. Thankfully, this hasn’t stopped Porsche from trying to define the category with the 718. Their take? Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, charismatic sound, available manual transmission, and, most importantly, light weight. The 718 isn’t exactly new to the market, and rumors of the genre-defining internal combustion variant disappearing into the cornfield have been swirling since before the pandemic. With the expected release date of the new Boxster and Cayman EV coming in 2025, this may be the last hurrah for lovers of this beloved sports car. We have opted to exclude the GT4 RS and Spyder RS variants, given their price and performance gap between the standard models.

What’s New For 2024?

With an EV replacement on the horizon, Porsche has shown its dedication to the internal combustion-powered 718 lineup by including updates even as its time comes to a close. New for 2024 is the “Style Edition”. As the name would suggest, the Style Edition does not upgrade any of the 718’s mechanical elements. Not unlike the Cayman and Boxster T, the Style Edition is a base 718 underneath. That means it has a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder that pumps out an impressive 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.Also included in the Style Edition: deviated leather contrast stitching, extended leather, white or black contrast package (exterior stripes), black stainless sport tailpipes, and the same 20″ wheels from the now discontinued 718 Spyder and GT4. Along with the Style Edition comes “Ruby Star Neo,” inspired by the Ruby Star color that first appeared on the 964-generation 911 Carrera RS 3.6.

2024 Highlights

• “Style Edition” trim introduced
• New “Ruby Star Neo” color option
• GT4 and Spyder models dropped for Spyder RS and GT4 RS

Exterior Dimensions

Engine Specifications And Performance

Porsche, along with Subaru, is the only automaker remaining that makes engines in the “Boxer” configuration. Though many refer to the Porsche engine configuration as a “flat-4” or “flat-6”, a flat engine is really just a “V” engine with the cylinder banks arranged at 180 degrees. In a boxer engine, each piston has an individual crankpin, which allows the pistons to compress together and explode outward in sync. The “boxer” name is inspired by this motion reminiscent of Rock’em Sock’em Robots. Flat engines share a crank pin, so opposing pistons always have one compressing and one combusting.

The 2.5-liter is a bit more interesting as it’s equipped with a variable geometry turbocharger. Porsche was the first to implement this tech in a gas-powered engine on their 997 generation 911 Turbo. Simply put, the turbocharger has vanes that can be adjusted to allow the turbo to spin effectively and efficiently regardless of RPM, resulting in a flatter torque curve and, ultimately, a faster car. Thus, the 2.5-liter in the Cayman and Boxster S is able to produce up to a staggering 350 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque with peak torque coming on at only 1900 rpm. Apart from cool turbocharging tech and semantics, if you really want the classic Porsche experience, and you’ve got nearly $100,000 to spend, the GTS 4.0 is the easy choice. The 4.0-liter naturally aspirated H-6 makes 394 horsepower and has the voice of an angel. Classic six-cylinder boxer howl isn’t all you get, however. The GTS comes standard with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), making for an even more focused sports car experience. The base and S can both be equipped with PASM and PTV, but they’ll cost you extra.

Performance Specifications

Interior Technology And Comfort

Best Interior Features Of The Year Make Model

• Standard Apple CarPlay
• Available navigation
• Optional Burmester and Bose sound systems
• Porsche Connect

The interior of the 718 Cayman and Boxster is simple and serene in every spec. The climate controls are operated using a simple button setup, and other essential functions like drive modes, operating the convertible top, the optional active exhaust and even the heated seats are operated with physical controls. Porsche somehow bucks the button-less trend by arguably having too many buttons for some consumers.

Given that Porsche is Porsche, there is a vast selection of colors, materials, and unique options to help you personalize your Porsche. There are two sound systems available, including a 12-speaker, 821-Watt Burmester sound system. It’ll cost you $3,047, so if you’re not an audiophile, the $917 Bose system ought to be just fine. If you opt for the Style Edition, you’ll get deviated leather stitching with color options and an extended leather package.

Technology

Inside the 718, you’ll find a simple touchscreen infotainment system fitted with Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, Android Auto connectivity is still unavailable. Porsche thought ahead, though, so Android users can at least make do with the CD player still included in the 718. You’ll just have to break out your old CD collection.Navigation, ventilated seats, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are optional extras. That said, the Cayman and Boxster are purpose-built sports cars, so the consumer base will likely be unphased by the lack of modern tech in the interior. Porsche gives you just enough tech to help the Cayman and Boxster qualify for daily use but not enough to take away from the ultimate purpose of the 718.

Interior Dimensions

Safety And Reliability

Unfortunately, no IIHS or NHTSA crash test data is available for the 718. Despite that, Porsche and its parent company, Volkswagen-Audi Group, have a reputation for building cars that score well in crash testing. Despite the lack of safety data, we do have data on the presumed reliability of the 718. Not only is the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine known for being a durable powerplant (even on the track), but the owners have reported that the 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter turbocharged engines are pretty well sorted out. J.D. Power gives the 2024 718 Cayman a 90/100 for projected reliability.

Driver Assistance Features

The 718 twins, though quite technologically advanced, are not known for being on the cutting edge of driver assistance technology. After all, they are driver’s cars, so driving should be left up to the individual privileged enough behind the wheel. Despite the sparse driver assistance tech, the 718 is equipped with the basic stuff that should be welcome additions even in a car designed for the joy of driving. Adaptive cruise, lane change assist, and park assist are all included as standard, even on the base Cayman and Boxster.Adaptive cruise is expected, given that even a Toyota Corolla LE comes equipped with ACC as standard. Still, park assist is a nice feature for a vehicle with limited visibility out the rear window. Porsche calls it “lane change assist,” but that system is essentially a more precise version of blind spot monitoring. It uses radar to detect cars behind the vehicle and in its blind spots.

• Automatic (adaptive) Cruise Control
• Lane Change Assist (Blind Spot Monitoring)
• Park Assist

Warranties

Porsche offers a fairly standard 4-year or 50,000-mile warranty for the 718 Cayman and Boxster with no warranty suite specifically for the powertrain. For that same 4-year period, Porsche offers 24-hour roadside assistance, which should provide some peace of mind. For even more peace of mind, the 718 gets a 12-year or unlimited miles’ coverage for corrosion, so should your Boxster or Cayman prematurely rust in half like a second-generation Toyota Tacoma, Porsche should cover you.

Note: No IIHS or NHTSA data is available for the Porsche 718.

2024 Porsche 718 Versus Its Competitors

The Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster are in a special category. They are mid-engine, RWD, offer a manual transmission and a unique selection of engines, and start at only $68,300. To say “only” might be a bit irresponsible, but compared to other mid-engine offerings, the 718 is weirdly affordable. Given the niche nature of the 718, we’ve opted to compare it with the 2024 BMW Z4 and the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette is the only other mid-engined car near the price of the 718, while the Z4 is a more luxurious, albeit front-engined, take on the Boxster formula.

How The Porsche 718 Compares To The BMW Z4

Okay, yes, the BMW Z4 is front-engined and is decidedly less purpose-built than the 718. The Z4 is still a sports car. It comes with adaptive suspension and staggered wheels and tires, assuming you opt for the M40i. In the base sDrive30i spec, the Z4 is fitted with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four called the B48. Suitable for a 0-60 MPH time of just over 5.0 seconds, the four-cylinder Z4 isn’t quite as fast as the base 718. If you want a power boost, the M40i gets the 3.0-liter I-6 (B58) that produces a claimed 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. That is what BMW claims, but dyno testing has revealed BMW may have understated the power of the B58. For instance, BMW claims a 3.9 second 0-60 MPH for the M40i, but Car and Driver managed to achieve 60 MPH in a blistering 3.5 seconds.The sDrive30i starts at $54,050, a nearly $14,000 savings over a base 718 Cayman. Meanwhile, the M40i starts just under a base 718 and can be optioned to over $70,000. Ultimately, though the Porsche is a better sports car, the Z4 is a much cheaper and more comfortable alternative for those looking for a more-daily driver-suited sports car. The Z4 even added a manual option for 2024.

How The Porsche 718 Compares To The Chevrolet Corvette

If you’re an absolute car nerd, you’ve probably been reading articles comparing the Corvette to the 911 for years. Of course, this was when the Corvette was front-engined. Now that the Corvette has its engine in the “right” place, perhaps the 718 is a more suitable competitor. Like most competitors to the Corvette, the 718, even with the 4.0-liter in the GTS, is no match for the sheer brutality of the Corvette off the line. The mid-engined Vette manages an astonishing 2.9 seconds to 60 MPH and does so with the help of a familiar partner. That naturally aspirated 6.2-liter pushrod V-8 makes 495 horsepower with the Z51 package and pumps out 470 lb-ft of torque. Even the GTS 4.0 with the PDK is no match with the same sprint to 60 MPH, which takes nearly a second longer for the Porsche.The Corvette even does all the sports car things the Cayman does. With the $6,345 Z51 package, you get performance Brembo brakes, performance suspension, performance exhaust, Michelin PS4S summer tires, and an electronic limited-slip differential. You can even opt for magnetic ride control, which should make the Corvette an absolute track weapon, just like the 718. The C8, though options can become plentiful and expensive, will only set you back $88,745 for the 3LT Convertible. Sure, add in the Z51 and magnetic ride control and you’re right around $100,000 just like the GTS 4.0, but the Corvette does have an extra 100 horsepower.The Vette also has more tech and more luxury-oriented features. The $77,095 2LT trim includes a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats, a wireless charging pad, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, and even blind-spot monitoring. Dollar for dollar, you’re getting more in the Stingray, especially if you’re looking for a continent crusher that can also crush Laguna Seca. That said, the Corvette weighs nearly 700 pounds more than the 718.What’s more, despite the excellent 8-speed DCT the C8 does not have a manual transmission option. This means the analog, light, manual sports car experience award must still go to the 718. The 2024 Corvette is impressive and a very tempting alternative for the money, but like the Z4, it can’t quite capture the same nimble magic of Porsche’s mid-engine masterpiece.

How Much Does A 2024 Porsche 718 Cost?

Given that Porsche doesn’t allow you to get too feature-crazy in the 718, the different trims are all about the different engine options. The base Cayman and Boxster start at $68,300 and $70,400 respectively. All 718s come standard with the 6-speed manual, so instead of spending $2,775 on the PDK (though it’s an exceptional transmission), why not spend around $1,300 on the PTV and another $1,400 on PASM and have yourself an incredible canyon carver for just over $70,000. The “Style Edition” adds some cool exterior and interior touches, but that will cost you $6,300 over the base trim without any real mechanical improvements.The S, with its $80,000+ price tag, includes the 350 horsepower 2.5-liter engine with a variable geometry turbo. Despite the presence of the 4.0-liter H-6 in the GTS 4.0, the S is probably the sweet spot with respect to price. That said, if you’ve got some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, the nearly $15,000 premium to gain access to the GTS 4.0 is worth the price of admission.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy is not always a primary consideration when buying performance vehicles, but if it is a significant consideration for you, the 718 shouldn’t scare you away. Naturally, the least powerful 2.0-liter engine achieves the most impressive fuel economy with 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway, so if gas stops are a concern, the base Cayman and Boxster offer the best compromise. Interestingly, the 4.0-liter H-6 only trails the 2.5-liter H-4 by a single MPG on the highway and matches the smaller displacement turbo motor in the city.It’s worth noting that 718s equipped with the 6-speed manual do take a hit when it comes to mileage. The 6-speed GTS 4.0 drops to 17 MPG city, the 6-speed 2.5-liter S models drop to 24 MPG highway, and the base 2.0-liter dips to 20 MPG city and 25 MPG highway.GAS *MPG for PDK-equipped models

*(Estimated fuel costs assume an average of 15,000/year and use the national average fuel price of $3.39)

Is It Worth Buying a Porsche 718?

The Porsche 718 was introduced to some expected controversy. The initial lack of a six-cylinder option really seemed like a mistake, but hey, the 356 used a boxer H-4, so it still had Porsche heritage on its side. Unsurprisingly, the turbocharged H-4 engines have really won people over. Their impressive performance along with the eventual return of the glorious six-cylinder to the lineup has cemented the 718 as a fan favorite. It really must be said that, regardless of engine choice, the 718 Cayman and Boxster are some of the truest driver’s cars of the modern era. Their interiors aren’t clogged with screens, and the chassis is sharp, communicative, and nimble. The PDK has the fastest draw in the west, and the 6-speed manual is one of the best on the market.No car offers quite as potent a formula as the 718. It’s a sub $100,000 mid-engine, manual transmission, limited-slip differential, and extremely light purpose-built sports car. The only other RWD sports cars that weigh less than the 718 are the 2,700-pound GR86/BRZ and 2,300-pound Miata. Both are great to drive and far less expensive, but they just don’t offer the power and build quality of the Porsche.It certainly isn’t a car for everyone, and it isn’t the best daily, despite its sizable frunk. Cars like the Corvette and Z4 are better suited to that task. It is the end of an era for Porsche. It’s a wonderful machine that will continue on but may never offer this same formula again. It may be worth buying just for that.