The Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 is a masterpiece. It's everything that the original 718 should have been, and it's exactly what the enthusiast wants. It's a mid-engined sports car that packs a beefy, naturally aspirated engine, a sharp selection of gearboxes, and great handling. It's easily one of the best sports cars on sale today, however, is it the best Porsche? Could the 718 GTS 4.0 possibly be better than a 911?

The 718 GTS 4.0 certainly is brilliant to drive, and it's well-built. It uses a better engine than the 911, and it feels very traditional. The new GTS has shown just how good a Porsche can be, and it proves that Porsche is still ahead of the game when it comes to the sports car market.

Related: 10 Craziest Pickup Trucks Introduced In 2020

10 Sensational Engine

Red Porsche 718 Cayman GTS
via GTspirit

There are many Porsche facts only enthusiasts know, such as the 718 originally being available with a 4-cylinder turbo which was heavily slated by Porsche fans. It was a powerful engine, but it wasn't what fans wanted. Porsche picked up on this, and for the latest GTS model, they decided to fit it with the same naturally aspirated 4.0 flat-6 seen in the 718 GT4. That's why the new GTS is called the GTS 4.0

porsche.com

It's a very raw engine. In fact, Porsche should have fitted all 718 models with a flat-6 instead of a 4-cylinder. The 4.0 flat-6 is such a legendary engine, and we are happy to see it back in the 718 where it belongs.

9 Amazing Gearbox

2018 Porsche 718 Boxster (red) - front
Porsche

Originally, the 718 GTS 4.0 only had a 6-speed manual gearbox from the GT4. However, quite recently Porsche began to offer the new 718 GTS 4.0 with its brilliant 7-speed PDK gearbox, and it slashes the 0-60 time by 0.4 seconds, which is quite an achievement. Both gearboxes are very precise and are a key addition to the flat-6 engine.

2021 Porsche 718 Cayman has all the features of an ideal sports car
Via: Carbuzz

The PDK has been mastered for over the last decade now, and it's by far one of the world's best gearboxes. Both the manual and PDK gearboxes are used throughout the 718 range and that's why the 718 is one of the best sports cars to use every day.

8 It's Balanced

via youtube.com, Car TV Channel

The Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 is a very balanced car. It's close to 50/50 and with its engine placed in the middle, the weight is quite controlled and the center of gravity is kept lower. This makes handling very sharp, and it grips quite hard too, driving-wise it feels great. The car feels precise and it feels fast. Its suspension too is quite firm which helps with handling.

Porsche Boxster is a brilliant sports car
via Twitter

The 718 GTS 4.0 feels how a sports car should. It's very similar to the GT4 and that's one of the best Porsche sports cars out there. It is like a GT4 touring, despite it having a tad less power.

7 The Sound

Porsche Cayman GTS : Car and Driver
via Car and Driver

Everyone knows that the naturally aspirated flat-6 made by Porsche sounds heavenly, and the one in the GTS 4.0 is no exception. In fact, we'd say it crushes the 992 911 when it comes to sound. With no forced induction to squash that exhaust note, it sounds very angry, especially at higher revs, closing in on the 7,800 rpm limit.

Via Car & Driver

It does sound like a race car, and it's a sensational sound that you just cannot get enough of. It's aggressive, it's beefy, but it is really well composed. It's not a brash sound at all, it's more gradual. To get the noise you have to rev this car and when you do it is a real treat. Of course, not everyone can afford the base MSRP of a new 718 GTS 4.0. Luckily, you can experience the joys of a naturally aspirated flat-6 with the 987 Boxster for as little as $7000.

6 Value For Money

caranddriver.com

The new 718 GTS 4.0 starts at $88,150 for the Cayman coupe and $90,250 for the Boxster convertible. It sounds like a lot, but if you compare it to its sibling, the 718 GT4 and Spyder, there is a significant price difference for essentially the same car. A Boxster Spyder starts at $96,300 and the Cayman GT4 starts at $99,200, which is a lot of money. The GTS 4.0 is only a tad slower, and it doesn't have some fancy body kit or roof unlike the Spyder/GT4.

via carpixel.net

The GTS 4.0 is more subtle, and you can easily get that GT4/Spyder power back if you tune the ECU, though that may result in a void of warranty. Either way, the GTS 4.0 has enough power for anybody, and it's also lighter than its GT4/Spyder counterparts.

Related: One-Off Ferraris We Can Only Dream About

5 The Enthusiasts Dream

Via: carbuzz.com

The original 718 was a great car, but it was also a disappointment. The previous generations all used an aggressive flat-6 but the 718 used a turbocharged 4-cylinder. It sounded awful and it had hardly any soul. When Porsche unveiled the GT4/Spyder back last year enthusiasts were delighted. Then things got even better when the purer GTS 4.0 came out.

Via Autoweek.com

It's everything the Porsche enthusiast wanted the original 718 to be. It makes you feel over the moon when driving it, and it has a really mechanical feel to it. This is the purists' Porsche right now. No turbochargers, no superchargers, it's just you and the engine.

4 More Exciting Than Its Siblings and Rivals

Via: Motor Trend

The new GTS 4.0 is so much more exciting than any 992 911 on sale today. It is actually somewhat more exciting than the GT4 because it has less downforce which means you can oversteer more. It's a hardcore car, and it's perfect for the track. Compared to the likes of the M2 CS, etc, it is way more fun. It's a purpose-built sports car rather than a tuned up coupe.

Porsche Cayman T 718
via Motor1

It is essentially a go-kart for the road. It's hardcore, and it's a proper Porsche. It may never be as rare as certain other Porsches, but it's still one of the all-time greats.

3 It's Old-School And Pure

Via Autoweek.com

It's a naturally aspirated RWD sports car equipped with either a proper 6-speed manual or a precise PDK gearbox, in which you can feel the mechanics when you move the shifter. It feels like an old-school Porsche, and that's what we want in a world where Porsches are becoming high-tech turbocharged GT-like cars.

via carsguide.com.au

It's a hardcore car with firm suspension and firm brakes. It doesn't mess around at all and even in standard form, the interior is very lightweight with Alcantara trimmed seats. It is a serious machine and that is why we love it.

2 Amazing Build-Quality

Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 PDK
Via Porsche

The build quality of the new GTS 4.0 is second to none. It feels very analog inside and everything feels well-built and secure. The newer more digitalized Porsches, such as the Panamera and the 911 are well-built too, but they lack the mechanical feel of the 718. The 718 still retains the old-school Porsche interior.

2021 Porsche 718 Boxster Interiors
via: caranddriver.com

There are no panel gaps inside or out. The stitching feels well put together and the materials are very high-end. It's exactly what you expect for the price tag, and you can tell Porsche really do take care and attention with their cars. The previous 981 GTS was one of the greatest Porsches ever made, so this new 718 982 model must be even better.

1 The Performance

Porsche Boxster 25th Anniversary 2
via Porsche Newsroom

The performance figures for the new 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 are higher than the base 992 Carrera model. It pushes out 394hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. The manual models push a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds and the PDK cars have a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. That is completely insane and faster than a BMW M2 Competition.

Porsche Boxster 25th Anniversary
via Porsche Newsroom

Flat out, these things do a top speed of 182 mph which is pretty good. Don't think that just because the 718 is the "baby Porsche" it's slow. This car can outrun most sports cars on sale today, even certain 911 models. Porsche has finally made the car they should have made back in 2016.

Next: 10 Badass Sports Cars That Are Actually Impossible To Daily Drive