What's this then?
You mean these. These are the Porsche 718 Boxster T and Cayman T, new models in the four-cylinder flat-four family from Zuffenhausen.
What's new about them?
Well, like the 911 T, the 718 Ts are all about driver enjoyment, rather than outright power. Both Boxster and Cayman T get the basic 300hp 2.0-litre flat-four turbo engine, but they mix that with the lower sports chassis (down by 20mm) and high-tech driver aids of the more expensive Boxster S and Cayman S.
So, you get the clever PASM adaptive suspension, active mounts for the engine and gearbox, a rev-matching system for the manual and launch control for the PDK automatic. You also get torque vectoring and a mechanical locking diff, plus 20-inch alloy wheels. So it'll be sharper to drive than a basic Boxster (or Cayman), but around €2,000 cheaper than the faster 350hp S versions.
Inside, as with the 911 T, the interior is a bit stripped out with fabric door pulls, simpler seats and no touchscreen. You can have the touchscreen back as a no-cost option, but Porsche points out that losing it balances out the extra weight of the new exhaust particulate filter, which even most petrol cars will now need to get through the next round of emissions legislation.
You'll do 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds with a PDK-equipped version, while both cars will break the 171mph barrier.
The Porsche 718 Cayman T costs from £51,145 and the 718 Boxster T from £53,006.
Neil Briscoe - 19 Dec 2018