Luxury and Exotic Car Reviews

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Michael Van Runkle – September 05, 2026

First Drive: 2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric

Over a decade ago, in 2013, Porsche stunned the world with the 918 Spyder’s spectacular performance specs. The years that have passed since that early hybrid hypercar have proved beyond a reasonable doubt how much electric power can entirely transform the concept of automotive power, and fittingly, any 918 Spyder still commands well into the seven-figure range from collectors today. And yet, for 2026, the Cayenne Turbo Electric – the largest Porsche in the lineup – can launch off the line quicker than that svelte 918 Spyder, with a potent 0-60 time of just 2.4 seconds despite giving up a full metric ton of mass disadvantage. All while comfortably hauling a family of five, with plenty of cargo storage and a starting price far below the top-spec “Mini-Lambo” Cayenne Turbo GT. Not to mention a surprising amount of off-road capability, too, as proven by the recent American media launch held in the high mountains around Aspen, Colorado. Such unbelievable performance comes courtesy of dual electric motors rated for peaks of 1,139 horsepower and 1,106 lb-ft of torque. Launch Control and Push-to-Pass unleash every last pony, but even making do with “just” 844 horsepower available the rest of the time, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can punch out the kind of rollercoaster acceleration that borders on legitimately painful. So much so that passengers tend to appreciate a warning to press skulls back on headrests for fear of whiplash while only making only modestly aggressive maneuvers. As befitting an Autobahn stormer, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can also manage a healthy amount of electric range, with an EPA rating of 298 miles – or as high as 303 miles when optioned with smaller wheels and range-focused tires. Porsche focused on life cycle durability for the Cayenne’s skateboard pack, with more efficient liquid cooling of the cells as well as improved serviceability. And driving around Aspen revealed that the EPA’s rating may well understate real-world capability, as the onboard gauge cluster showed 360 miles remaining with a full charge at the start of a day that included climbs over two separate 12,000-foot passes and plenty of romping around at full throttle. On any road, though, from the Autobahn to a graded section of gravel between Carbondale and the remote ski town of Crested Butte, the EV Cayenne drives so smoothly and quietly that the prospect of such brutal acceleration quickly fades out of mind. Porsche managed to keep a foot in the high-performance and luxurious camps simultaneously thanks to the recent development of Active Ride suspension, which does away with sway bars in favor of a hydraulic system that effectively pressurizes the shock dampers from above without any noticeable reduction in compliance or cushion. The resulting ride quality truly borders on mind-boggling, even on Colorado’s roughest paved roads and those gravel sections too. And yet while most cars that ride so smoothly typically struggle to corner with any sense of confidence, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can also carve up a tight canyon with the best sports cars on the planet. All despite weighing 5,860 pounds, or about 800 pounds more than a Turbo GT and 400 more than an E-Hybrid. Fingertipping the wheel while pushing hard provides excellent feedback from the electrically assisted steering, as Active Ride allows for a bit of body motion in a progressive and predictable fashion. Feather in some more juice, and the axles will push pull out of corners without breaking grip – even with traction and stability control turned down to the minimum setting allowed. Simply put, on switchbacks and long sweepers, the Cayenne Turbo Electric rides on rails, absolutely glued to the ground regardless of chunked-up asphalt or light afternoon drizzle while hustling up Independence Pass. As fun as ripping around at top speed with so much power on tap sounds, on the gravel portion, the sheer mechanical grip initially prevented some of the more hooligan behavior that low- traction environments typically encourage. The section of graded road extended much farther than expected, especially considering the optional Pirelli P-Zero R Elect summer tires equipped on this press car. Theoretically, such smooth rubber should only slip and slide more easily, and yet the torque vectoring between all four wheels prevented much in the way of drifting through rally-racing transitions sideways. Only by playing with more delicate steering inputs, while surprisingly switching out of Off-Road mode (which raises the chassis up to the maximum 9.6 inches of ground clearance) in favor of Sport mode, with the dampers set to Comfort to absorb washboards and ruts, can the Cayenne Turbo Electric manage any real arcs of oversteering joy. But doing so requires hitting speeds of up to 50, 60, or 70 miles an hour – which brings on real concerns about slashing a hole in the Pirellis. That speed never feels anywhere near as dangerous as expected, though, because again, Active Ride absolutely gobbles up the rougher surface without transmitting the expected jolts, bumps, and bangs into the passenger compartment. One of the typical “lightbulb” moments for every great Porsche arrives at the realization that all of a sudden, 80 miles an hour really feels more like 40. The serenity at speed in an early 911, or a mid-2000s Cayman, and now this enormous electric SUV proves exactly where Porsche’s engineering prowess hits a level no other mass-market automaker can reach. And never more so, perhaps, than with the refinement of the Cayenne Electric’s hydraulic suspension system – Active Ride in this application leaves the Rivian R1, Land Rover Defender Octa, and even Porsche’s own 911 Dakar well in the metaphorical (and literal) dust. The Cayenne Turbo Electric’s interior naturally matches that level of refinement, with a practical and convenient layout dominated by the massive central touchscreen arranged in a “waterfall” down from the dash to the center console. Crisp graphics in the configurable gauge cluster, plus a few physical knobs made of a pleasing knurled metal with a thoughtful palm pad below for steadying the hand, all make dipping into the many infotainment, climate, and drive modes fairly easy. <- Gallery -> Most criticisms for the new Cayenne will likely focus on those many modes and features, including the strictly electronic adjustment of the climate vents – a dangerous trend that needs nipping in the bud as soon as possible. Porsche also doesn’t allow full one-pedal driving in EVs, despite the Cayenne Turbo Electric’s programming that allows for a full 600 kilowatts blending between the friction brakes and the electric motor recuperation. And the second row probably offers slightly less space than expected – a large trunk and usable frunk hopefully make up for the lack of legroom. In comparison to the base-spec Cayenne Electric, good for 425 horsepower and 615 lb-ft, the main difference, other than infinite wellsprings of instantaneous torque, comes down to a lack of Active Ride. The base model cannot even come with that most important option, yet still accelerates just as quickly as any family hauler ever needs to, and turns into corners with an even lighter and twitchier nature. But that initial impression stems from unsettled air suspension rather than true weight savings, and the lack of quite the same raw edge shows up while skittering out wider than the Turbo once back under the power. Comfort mode in the air-suspension Cayenne Electric similarly lacks the unbelievable float on the other end of the spectrum, but should still lull kids in the back seat (or overtired journalists in the passenger seat) to sleep quite well. Still, in the end, Active Ride likely becomes the number one option to select while speccing up a new Cayenne Electric. Resisting the Turbo’s unrelenting acceleration, which can scare friends pulling away from stoplights or bring up daydreams of high-speed Autobahn passes, a Cayenne S Electric with 657 horsepower might hit the sweet spot at $126,300 to start. Other than tacking on Active Ride, the Variable Light Control electrochromatic roof [$3,460] to prevent the sun from heating up the cabin – and then requiring precious electrons for the climate system – stands out as mandatory. And every Cayenne Electric order should include prep for the wireless inductive charging mat that will arrive in the US late this year or early in 2027 (expect to spend around $10,000 for the full setup, installed). The idea of never needing to plug in an EV again sounded especially appealing while stopped to charge at a remote station in Buena Vista that lacked the ability to max out the NACS port. Similarly, selecting the optional 20-inch wheels on the S can bump the EPA’s range rating up to 325 miles, while allowing more tire sidewall to work in concert with Active Ride and make daily driving all the more comfortable – if that’s even possible. And as a closing thought, while returning the Cayenne Electric to Aspen after such an impressive performance on gravel and through Colorado’s typical summer rainstorms, the dual motors, advanced suspension, and impressive traction should work shockingly well once the wintry weather of ski season arrives, too. View All Porsche Cayennes for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – August 22, 2026

Ice Drifting Rally Porsches with Kalmar Automotive Adventures

After visiting McLaren’s ice driving school in Ivalo, Finland, this winter, the opportunity to continue sliding around sideways in vintage Porsches built by Danish firm Kalmar Automotive proved far too tempting to pass up. Kalmar holds a similar winter experience dubbed the Spirit of Speed in central Finland, near the Levi ski resort – and though both programs cater lavishly with cozy lodges, wood-fired saunas, and spectacular cuisine, the driving and coaching are nonetheless just about as different as a brand-new mid-engined McLaren and a rear-engined air-cooled Porsche. In summer, Kalmar pivots from winter experiences to a calendar full of off-road rallies all across the planet. Founder Jan Kalmar calls these trips “Beyond Adventure” and plans each itinerary to live up to the slogan “We start where others stop.” Kalmar’s team transforms a range of Porsches into rugged safari builds that can handle extreme abuse, from early air-cooled classics to modern Cayenne SUVs, and more recently branched into the restomod world, as well. Nearly the entire lineup of Kalmar creations awaited me in Finland, where I learned firsthand just how seriously both Jan Kalmar and his eponymous company take the instruction at Spirit of Speed. My coach for most of the day, professional TV and film precision driver Joe Hopkins, started me off in a lifted 964-generation 911, keeping a close eye on my technique as I adjusted to Porsche’s famous rear-end weight distribution while trying to hustle through a coned-off slalom course, then a drifting donut. Most critically, I needed to find confidence not only in my own driver inputs, but also in the set of skinny, studded Michelin tires equipped with tungsten tips, a true WRC spec setup that only Kalmar offers among any driving school in the world. Soon enough, I stepped up to a more powerful 993-generation coupe, still manual and rear-wheel-drive but with the next evolution of the 911’s rear suspension. This larger car with more power might have driven faster and smoother on the surprisingly wavy frozen lake, but I suspect the 964’s simpler setup benefited more from the skinny tires precisely because the 993 adds a fair amount of weight as well. On a longer circuit, I started hitting higher speeds that almost caught me out approaching tighter corners, where the risk of beaching into the snow drifts increased with each lap. I then swapped into a mid-engine Cayman, an all-wheel-drive 997, and finally, into quite possibly the best single car I’ve ever driven: what Kalmar calls the 7-97 Evo. Once again based on a 964, this customer-owned creation goes more than a few steps further than the company’s entry-level rally build. Hanging off the rear end, an RSR-spec 4.1-liter flat- six pumps out 375 horsepower through an uprated six-speed manual transmission and a Numeric shifter kit. The suspension lift included deleting the sway bars in favor of a six-axis hydraulic roll control system – somewhat similar to a McLaren, actually – and the whole body sheds weight while beefing up with aluminum underbody protection and aramid (Kevlar) panels. Inside, a hydraulic handbrake and that Numeric shifter on the center console hint at the Evo’s capabilities, as does a central tachometer with a Danish flag indicating the screaming redline. All in, Kalmar spent years developing this car, and Hopkins cautioned me to take my first few laps a little easy. But soon enough, I fell into a spectacular flow state, ripping the Evo up through gears and holding wider drifts than ever, as the chassis rollicked and rolled around the frozen lake without missing a beat. By riding high and allowing impeccable transfer of weight onto each tire, the Evo communicates a crystal clear picture of available grip through both the steering wheel and the driver seat. So much so, in fact, that I even found myself subconsciously shifting my hips around, trying to use my own body weight to initiate oversteer going into corners. Smitten, I kept ripping through quicker and quicker laps, fully unleashing that rasping and screaming 4.1-liter engine at full cry until at last, we stopped for a quick lunch break of piping hot Nordic stew and a steaming mug of coffee. “You only learn and you only find the limit by exceeding it,” Jan Kalmar explained from across the table. “From time to time, we exceed the limits… We have nice food, we sleep nice, but its the driving that counts.” Back out into the crisp wintry air, Hopkins then led me onto a more technical rallycross circuit, full of dips and dives, higher snow banks, and even more blind corners. He specifically wanted me to find, and exceed, my own limits (this time back in the “base” 964). Sure enough, I lost control more than a few times and plowed high into the fluffy stuff—but never so badly that I needed a tow out from either a Cayenne or a tractor. We spent the rest of the day switching up the cars and courses any time I started to feel comfortable, precisely because Kalmar and Hopkins wanted to keep me in full mental overload at all times. By the end of the day, having driven no fewer than five spectacular Porsches on every track across Kalmar’s expansive facility, that regular changeups left me confident enough to climb into any of the cars and find my edge immediately. No matter the traction level, terrain, or the trees I desperately wanted to avoid, the same skillset transfers over: throttle input, weight transfer, and slow hands as I grew to trust those WRC tires more and more with each passing minute. Hopkins then put me on the stopwatch to rank my pace on an out-and-back course that every Spirit of Speed student must complete. Though I fell just short of setting a new lap record on my third try, the fact I came even close in the 964 – the slowest car on site – showed just how well the instruction can level up any driver, regardless of prior experience. The Evo, in particular, perfectly typifies Kalmar’s teaching methods and lifestyle. No Kalmar build deserves to live as a garage queen; instead, these cars are purposefully engineered to take a beating, and many proudly bear the scars of battle in the form of scratches, dings, dents, and bent bull bars. I learned more in that single day of rip-roaring fun than at any driving school previously, but the idea of joining a full Kalmar “Beyond Adventure” trip also sounds utterly intoxicating. Each itinerary includes a spectacular location, from Australia to the Himalayas, Namibia and Morocco in Africa, Patagonia in South America, or even a closely curated route through unknown peaks and valleys in the European Alps. Personally, the Lima to Ushuaia route from the Pacific Ocean, across the jagged Andes mountains, and then out onto the expansive flat desert brings to mind the biggest daydreams. <- Gallery -> Kalmar runs each of these trips regulation rally style, to build camaraderie among clients through the fire of competition – in similar fashion to my timed runs at Spirit of Speed. Africa or Australia might seem so distant from within a cozy lodge in frigid Finland, but the same ethos of experiencing all the world has to offer, getting far beyond the comfort zone to learn more about oneself, other cultures, the cars, and crew. Every route traverses stunning nature, then days end at the finest lodging available, typically bought out exclusively for attendees. If the locale is too remote, Kalmar then builds a full camp—overlooking the Pacific Ocean or empty dunes as far as the eye can see. “It is extremely simple, what we are doing, but quite difficult to execute,” Jan Kalmar told me. “We’re always very off the beaten track, and we have few rules, but we follow them. We always stay in the best available accommodation. The customers who travel with us never question where they're going to sleep. It's our place. We can feel home, and 90% of the time we only stay there one night. My philosophy has always been to never backtrack. I don't like to go up and back down the same road, ever.” Cars do get stuck and break on Kalmar trips, whether by accident or simply from wear and tear over thousands of miles of hard driving. A team of support vehicles and mechanics join the convoy, on hand to hook up tow ropes, replace axles, or even fully rebuild engines if necessary. Kalmar also offers a Safari trip to Mount Etjo Safari Lodge in Namibia’s Okonjati Game Reserve with a dedicated educational conservation focus rather than catering strictly to automotive expeditions. I wrapped up my time in Finland with a session in the sauna, winding down my adrenaline rush after a dinner cooked by local chef Sirly Ylläsjärvi, an exquisite meal cooked family style in our private villa. Falling into the deep sleep of a silent, snowy winter night, I only wished that instead of heading home the next morning, I might spend another day sliding around sideways in the 7-97 Evo. And dreaming of how such a spectacular lifted Porsche crests a sand dune, crosses a flooding stream, or summits a precipitous mountaintop. Everything I learned on the ice revealed the level of preparation necessary for a Kalmar Beyond Adventure drive, where the cars and drivers alike need to be ready for absolutely anything at any time. View All Porsches for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle, Kalmar Automotive

By Michael Van Runkle – July 11, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche Macan GTS Electric

Plenty of challenges emerged quickly when Porsche undertook its first serious foray into mass-market electrification with the Taycan. Of course, experience with the larger Panamera and Cayenne/Macan siblings helped establish a baseline, but Stuttgart engineers still needed to figure out how to build a relatively heavy sedan that still bore a strong resemblance to – and drove as well as – the stalwart 911 sports car. Now, nearly seven years later, the Taycan’s Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo variants recently got the axe in the United States, where buyers increasingly prefer crossover SUVs rather than the low-slung sedan form factor. In their place, an all-electric Macan joined the lineup and, for 2026, received Porsche’s signature GTS treatment that caters directly to driving enthusiasts. The Macan EV represents a much more significant step forward for Porsche, and the week I spent driving a GTS reveals exactly how much the company learned from the Taycan’s Tepid customer response. The 94.9-kilowatt-hour battery offers up to 294 miles of EPA-estimated range with an 800-volt architecture that allows for fast charges up to 270 kilowatts, or good enough for a 10-80% charge in just 21 minutes. Those stats can keep up with the competition on paper, but more importantly, the Macan simply looks more familiar to the shape that American buyers – Porsche’s number one market – prefer by leaps and bounds over traditional four-door sedans. Unlike the Taycan, Porsche decided to sell internal-combustion and all-electric Macan variants simultaneously. The two clearly resemble each other, though the EV’s crisp design with vertical air intakes up front and a chopped rear end above a horizontal lightbar certainly adds a more futuristic element to the sporty crossover. The EV technically rides about a half-inch lower, depending on drive mode selection, but the overall design clearly helps to foster the impression of sporty potential despite the typically dense “skateboard” battery pack beneath the passenger compartment. Inside, the dash and gauges all resemble other Porsches. The Macan does offer more storage in the center console, a lesson in packaging efficiencies that the Taycan sorely lacked. The rear seat might not count as particularly spacious per se, at least in direct comparison to competitors, but it definitely fits adults much better than the cramped Taycan back bench. The rear hatch opens up to a large trunk, and, plus, without a gasoline engine under the hood like an ICE Macan, the EV comes with a funk just like a 911! Design and ergonomics count for a lot during the EV revolution, but for Porsche’s discerning customers, driving dynamics need to take priority – and especially for any GTS model. In this case, a pair of dual electric motors rated for up to 563 horsepower and a punchy 704 lb-ft of torque can hook up for a 0-60 sprint in just 2.6 seconds. A hard launch requires overboosting the powertrain, though, and the rest of the time the system throttles back to “just” 509 horsepower and 675 lb-ft. The brisk acceleration never quite matches the most absurd high-performance electrics on the market – the Plaids or Sapphies of the world – and falls just shy of the Macan EV Turbo at 630 horsepower, too. On the other hand, all the instantaneously available torque from electric Motors effectively democratized straight-line speed, even at the lower end of the market. And no EV at any price point highlights that fact more than the Macan, precisely because the GTS absolutely nails Porsche’s quintessential steering and suspension tuning. It’s no stretch to say the Macan EV GTS might have the best steering of any EV yet, just as tight and precise as any 911 in the lineup today. Only the Lucid Gravity might take the cake, though only driving both back-to-back will solve that heated rivalry conclusively. <- Gallery -> The Macan’s thin steering wheel helps to impart such razor-sharp response, as finished in a tight layer of Race-Tex, Porsche’s brand name for Ultrasuede (the material of Alcantara). But the shock dampers and body roll management, for an EV that tips the scale right around 5,400 pounds, also manage to perfectly straddle the fine line between compliant comfort and raring rigidity. Only occasional wavy road surfaces or heaves will cause a bit of rafting at times, as a typical byproduct of skateboard mass and density. Even the 22-inch wheels with relatively tall sidewalls (Pirelli P Zero Corsa Elect summer tires, a $660 option for those keeping track) contribute to the handling characteristics, versus lower profile rubber that might up the style points while taking away from the spectacular ride quality. I barely needed an adjustment period before I started ripping around town, taking advantage of the quick pickup to outrun traffic from stoplights or carve through rush hour stop-and-go with ease. Up in the canyons, everything about the Macan EV GTS felt similarly cohesive, just one of those cars that almost anybody can climb right in and drive hard without too much effort. At full cry, the electric motors whine a bit, and regen helps to rein in speed despite a relatively small braking package (by Porsche standards anyway) of 400 and 350-millimeter rotors front and rear, respectively. Exactly where and when to lift off “throttle” and start braking before tight turns changes due to regen, but again, I quickly stopped thinking about that EV behavior and started enjoying the drive nearly as much as any internal-combustion sports car and certainly more than any electric crossover so far. The faux powertrain soundtrack that Porsche pumps through the Macan’s speakers will no doubt come down to a matter of taste. I personally prefer to strictly listen to the whine of electric motors under strain. After all, otherwise the quietude of an EV only ramps up the luxury factor even more. And in that regard, electric cars serve so perfectly for most of life in a city, with no rumble of an engine or smell of exhaust fumes and no sensation of lugging around a massive, thirsty engine. Just point and shoot, all immediacy and vastly superior performance, especially at lower speeds. As a commuter, the Macan EV GTS stands out with Porsche’s sense of solidity and legitimate range. With a Level 2 home charger, I’d never need to worry about charging other than overnight for urban driving, or even a fun morning in the canyons. I still hesitate to call this a true road-tripping EV, though, despite the quick charge times. Porsche will need a new generation of battery tech before reaching the magical 400 or 500-mile mark without sacrificing the dynamics that make the Macan EV special in the first place. A Macan EV might nail the brief, but watching Porsche’s overall EV strategy unfold still bedevils comprehension. The Boxster/Cayman replacement seems likely to either go uber lightweight with pitiful range (which will likely render both DOA) or share a chassis with an internal- combustion variant (leading to inevitable compromises). At the other end of the spectrum, the newly electrified Cayenne can outrun a 918 Spyder but also weighs more than a Ford F-150 Raptor, not to mention any other production car ever to leave the Porsche factory. As the Taycan seems to face a dire future, if values on the used market portend anything these days. And in fairness, not everything about the Macan EV turned out perfectly. The stop-start button straight out of Volkswagen AG’s parts bin brought on a sad shake of the head at the beginning of every drive. Excessive piano black plastic on the center console also contrasts starkly against the rest of the premium materials throughout. And including a Sport Chrono lap timer on the dash, even as a reference to Porsches of old, almost seems laughable in a family electric commuter. The starting MSRP for the Macan GTS Electric somehow still slots in well below a base 911, though. My loaner’s Carmine Red paint job, stunning if not quite subtle, paled in comparison to Paint-to-Sample shades at just $1,310. Rear-axle steering added another $2,150, while the 22- inch RS Spyder Design wheels tacked on $3,010. Spec'ing a Macan EV GTS, I’d definitely spring for the Bose surround sound at $1,050, but the rest seem fairly insignificant despite contributing to a window sticker of $125,920 as tested – still less than a zero-option 911. Also worth mentioning, Porsche earlier this year solidified a partnership to allow for access to Tesla’s nationwide network of Supercharger stations. Doing so requires an adaptor to the NACS port from the Macan EV’s CCS capability, but still adds another pro to the list, as an absolute game-changer that makes the prospect of living with Porsche’s mass-market EV all that much more palatable. View All Porsche Macans For Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – May 02, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid

When Porsche first launched the Cayenne for model year 2003, customer response proved doubtful SUV critics wrong immediately. And for good reason: combining Porsche panache with serious performance and borderline unbelievable off-road capability arguably put both the “Sport” and “Utility” in an SUV for the first time ever. More recently, though, the Cayenne started trending more in the sporty direction – and especially the top-spec Turbo GT that essentially swaps a Porsche badge onto a Lamborghini Urus super-SUV. The Urus SE then added hybrid power to Lambo’s SUV lineup, though Porsche paved the way for hybrids as far back as 2010. Now, despite lacking much in the way of off-road cred anymore, the new 2026 Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid can stack up in almost even terms to the Turbo GT (or Urus SE) by throwing EV utility into the mix as a daily driver, commuter, and family hauler. And one that still absolutely snarls when the times comes for aggressive driving, too. Much the same as that original hybrid Cayenne in 2010, as well as the Urus SE today, my tester uses a single electric motor between the engine and transmission. In this case, the e-motor can pump out 174 horsepower and a prodigious 339 lb-ft of torque, the latter of which takes some load off the familiar Volkswagen AG twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. In total, Porsche rates the combined powertrain at 729 horsepower and 700 lb-ft, good enough to log a 3.5-second sprint to 60 miles an hour. For 2026, the Turbo E-Hybrid’s battery steps up in capacity to 25.9 kilowatt-hours, or 45% more than the previous model year. That translates to plenty of range in fully electric mode for this plug-in hybrid. In reality, the estimated 24 miles paled in comparison to what my Cayenne showed on the gauge cluster regularly, at well over 30 miles with the battery fully charged. I spent plenty of time driving around silently and stealthily, as much to save my neighbors from early morning wakeups as to test the overnight charging capabilities. Once I purposefully drew down enough juice, I also plugged the provided charger into a standard 120-volt outlet. With only 3% charge by that time, the Cayenne showed a graphic on the center touchscreen predicting about 21 hours to fill up all 97% remaining. But I unplugged early the next morning, after a little under 15 hours plugged in, and the state of charge already sat above 75%. Not bad, since that means any Level 2 charger running on 240V should top up the battery overnight with ease. The gasoline engine itself can also charge the battery, which I regularly tried to do by spinning the drive mode dial on the steering wheel to Hybrid, then selecting E-Charge mode on the center touchscreen. This only works while driving at higher speeds, though, rather than in stop- and-go traffic or neighborhoods, when the hybrid system best contributes to efficiency rather than all-out performance. Luckily, despite the variable settings, Porsche makes figuring out the Turbo E-Hybrid’s many modes quite intuitive. The Cayenne always fires up fully electric to start, though, and I sometimes noticed a bit of lag when dipping into the gas pedal without the gasoline engine already running. So, I stayed in Hybrid mode for most drives with the engine lazily chugging along, prioritizing the seemingly endless wellspring of low-end torque until the time came to head up into Malibu and spin the dial further to the right for Sport and Sport Plus. As usual in Sport, the burly V8 unleashes a deep crescendo of exhaust grumble as valves open up and the suspension tightens down. Paddles on the steering wheel let me rip through gears, but in reality, Porsche’s typically impeccable shift logic stayed in the proper rev range at all times anyhow. In a similar fashion to the Urus SE, the Cayenne’s curb weight of well over 5,500 pounds results in a fair amount of wallowing and wafty over rough roads. The suspension clearly works hard to manage body roll and prevent understeer, but even the wizards of Weissach can only combat sheer physics so much. Rear axle steering, meanwhile, allows for a tremendously tight turning radius, though the interplay between PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control) adjusting the air springs, the active sway bars, and that rear-steer system sometimes results in some ungainly and unpredictable moments. For the majority of driving, though, the Cayenne simply rides so smoothly that this tradeoff seems absolutely worth any bit of confidence lost at the very limit. Porsche quality control on full display; every touchpoint feels so solid, with no creaks or rattles anywhere in the serene cabin. Turn up that Burmester sound system, stretched out in the front or rear seats, and the Cayenne turns into a wellness retreat. The trunk even fits a substantial 21.9 cubic feet of cargo, despite the battery pack below the cargo floor eats modestly into that volume versus non-hybrid Variants. For this reason alone, I’d argue against choosing the Cayenne’s Coupe roofline for the Turbo E- Hybrid – since allowing a bit more room for hauling grocery, luggage, or sports gear versus a station wagon pretty much inspired the whole genre of the SUV in the first place. In fact, the prospect of owning a true “one-car solution” that perfectly combines sport and utility inspired me to buy a first-generation Cayenne Turbo years ago. Of course, I then modified it for off-roading with knobby tires, skid plates, and a swingout spare tire carrier – which only dulled down the lateral cornering by a small margin. And when so equipped, this luxury German Autobahn stormer then hit some heavy trails with surprising ease, too. I still recommend first-gen Cayennes quite regularly, but it’s nice to get a chance to experience how Porsche’s pioneering SUV ethos carries on today. Some similarities hit my memory bank hard: the angular grip handles on the center console, a familiar hood bulge out the front windshield, the shape of the headlights, that trunk sill made out of brushed metal. <- Gallery -> Other than leaping up in horsepower by just about another two-thirds versus my old Cayenne, the new generation also steps up in price quite quickly when diving into Porsche’s infamously extensive options list. The Turbo E-Hybrid comes fairly loaded already at $162,500 to start, but my tester ran to $210,140 with a laundry list of add-ons. I can skip the passenger touchscreen for $1,580 since everybody travels with a smartphone anyway. And that rear-axle steering costs $1,310 for those who believe the reduced turning radius sounds necessary. And though Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) make sense on a GT3, on an SUV, an additional $10,580 for braking seems a bit excessive. The Burmester 3D High-End Surround System, on the other hand, absolutely amplifies everything spectacular about the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid and should be mandatory for $5,940. And I need the Premium Plus Package because it includes ventilated seats – that’s another $3,450. Just $730 for a trailer hitch seems reasonable, given that this Cayenne can tow easily with all the torque in the known universe. More realistically, that trailer hitch will probably hold a bike rack, though roof rails and a box always look good on almost any Porsche, too. Few other cars on the market today can compete with the Cayenne’s impressive breadth of abilities. At least Porsche still retained a bit of adventure potential, too, given that the air suspension can crank up in Off-Road mode – not to mention the dedicated off-road gauge Screen. Unfortunately, the huge brakes necessary to rein in such a prodigiously powerful and heavy SUV dictate 22-inch wheels (PCCB or not), which rules out the big knobby tires that my old rig fit on its 18-inch wheels. Even without hitting any trails and truly torture-testing the Pirelli Scorpion tires, my week with a Turbo E-Hybrid revealed just how far the Cayenne has come in refinement terms as much as anything. Equal parts EV, efficiency hybrid, and supercar, this plug-in absolutely excels at living well day in and day out, and still truly approaches about as close to a one-car solution as possible. View All Porsche Cayennes for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

A gray Porsche sports car is parked on a paved area with trees and rocks in the background, echoing the sleek style highlighted in the Review: 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 Is Close To Flawless.

By Bradley Iger – November 29, 2025

Review: 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 Is Close To Flawl...

Over the past few years, Porsche has been telegraphing the imminent demise of the internal combustion-powered mid-engine Cayman and Boxster sports cars in favor of an as-yet-unnamed EV replacement. While there’s little doubt that this successor will deliver impressive performance, the switch from gasoline to electrons brings with it a number of foregone conclusions about the car’s design. Lightness and engagement have been hallmarks of Porsche sports cars since the first 356 rolled out of Gmünd, and the loss of a conventional ICE powertrain in favor of a hefty battery pack and synthesized noise is the kind of paradigm shift that fills traditionalists with a sense of dread. And with the introduction of the top-tier Cayman GT4RS and Spyder RS models over the past few years, there’s been a lingering sense that the internal combustion 718 had reached its final form and would soon shuffle off this mortal coil. But Porsche recently had a change of heart about its aggressive EV push, and as a result, the 718 will stick around with some form of internal combustion for the foreseeable future. This stay of execution might seem like a step backwards at first glance, but after spending a few days with the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 on the streets of Los Angeles and the canyon roads that drape the Angeles National Forest, I’d be perfectly fine with being labeled a Luddite. It is as close to flawless as any sports car I’ve ever driven, and although the 718 is starting to show its age nearly a decade on, it’s hard to see reinvention as the most logical way forward. The GTS 4.0 itself reflects Porsche’s willingness to tweak its product development strategies based on the demands of its customers. Despite quantifiable improvements in both output and efficiency, Porsche-philes balked when the 718 debuted back in 2017 with turbocharged flat-four power plants instead of the naturally aspirated flat-six engines that had powered its predecessors. The introduction of the Cayman GT4 brought a flat-six back into the fold in 2019, but the model’s limited availability and track-focused tuning aimed it squarely at a niche audience. To rectify the situation, Porsche introduced the Cayman GTS 4.0 for 2021. Motivated by a slightly detuned version of the 718 GT4’s four-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, the GTS 4.0 dishes out 394 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque when outfitted with the six-speed manual gearbox. PDK-equipped models get 8 additional lb-ft. This represented a deficit of just 20 hp versus the GT4 while matching it for torque output, and the GTS 4.0 tips the scales with a nearly identical curb weight of around 3,200 lbs. The crucial difference between the two iterations is that Porsche’s GTS models have always been serious performers that are tuned for the road rather than the track, and that ethos holds true with the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. In a place like Los Angeles, this is a sports car that you could realistically drive every day. The suspension is firm but not abusive, the clutch is perfectly weighted, and while the active exhaust system will let that flat-six sing proudly to its 7,800 RPM redline, it’s also willing to settle into the background during extended highway stints. And as the 911 continues to adopt an increasingly tech-forward persona, the 718 has become a refreshing throwback of sorts. Unlike the latest 911, the 718 still has a big analog tachometer in the center of the gauge cluster, and while all 992.2 911 Carrera models have ditched the distinctive twist-to-start faux-key arrangement in favor of a conventional start/stop button, the 718 retains this tactile callback to Porsche’s heritage. While we’re on the subject of tactility, additional points must be awarded to 718’s cabin. Physical switchgear may not have the visual pizzazz of capacitive buttons and touchscreen controls, but in practice, they tend to be much easier to operate, and virtually every commonly-used feature in the 718 has a knob, a rocker switch, or an honest-to-goodness depressible button assigned to it. And that means you don’t have to take your eyes off the road ahead to dig into an infotainment system sub-menu or confirm that something was properly registered – if you want to lower the temperature of the air conditioning, stiffen the dampers, or quiet down the volume of the exhaust, it’s all just a simple button press away. The GTS 4.0 also has a steering wheel-mounted rotary knob that allows you to cycle through the various drive modes, but it’s largely superfluous because most of the settings that these modes alter have dedicated buttons on the center console anyway. The fact that automatic rev-matching can’t be enabled or disabled independently of the powertrain mode is one of the few shortcomings of this control scheme, while the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality makes the relatively bare-bones infotainment system feel a bit dated by contemporary standards. These trivial compromises instantly become irrelevant when you point the nose of the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 down a twisting stretch of tarmac, though. Without the seriousness that’s inherent to models from Porsche’s GT division, the GTS 4.0 feels playful near its dynamic limits rather than intimidating. Although more aggressive gearing and stickier tires might get you through a technical section of road a bit quicker, there’s something to be said for the impeccable balance of GTS 4.0’s tuning. Simultaneously communicative and seemingly unbothered by being wrung by the neck, the car’s lightweight construction, linear power delivery, and road-oriented spring rates make the outer reaches of its formidable capability feel eminently accessible, even on less-than-ideal road surfaces. Truth be told, I feel like I could drive this thing for the rest of my life and want for nothing. This is the kind of car that you will find yourself making excuses to drive. While the steady march of progress will likely continue to give us increasingly quicker and more capable machines as time goes on, in the case of the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0, I’m not really sure that we need more of anything. We might not be able to stop time, but we can savor a moment when the opportunity strikes, and this one’s well worth appreciating while it lasts. View All Porsche Caymans For Sale Images: Bradley Iger

By Kirk Bell – September 27, 2025

Review: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid Electrifies...

Picking through the menus of the infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster of the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid, I can configure the screens to see how much power is on boil and where it’s coming from. Not only that, but I can also see exactly how the 911’s first-ever hybrid system works in real time. For the left side of the new, fully digital 12.6-inch instrument panel, I chose a display that shows the battery temperature and psi of turbo boost. In the center, I opt for the digital tachometer that replaces last year’s analog version. For the right side, I pick a torque gauge. Moving over to the 10.9-inch touchscreen, I pick the Energy display nested under the Performance widget. It shows the state of charge for the battery and the current output of the combustion engine and electric motor in kilowatts. All this information would be a novel curiosity most of the time, but here it shows the interplay of the electric motor, turbo boost, revs, and engine output. It reveals that the 911’s first hybrid system is incredibly well integrated and demonstrates the advantages the 992.2-generation GTS has over the outgoing 992.1 generation. When my right foot twitches, I can see the electric motor react immediately, adding up to 53 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque to help the car accelerate. This motor is located within the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and it never drives the car on its own. It’s not here to improve fuel economy, at least not significantly. Instead, it’s included to improve performance, provide torque fill as turbo boost builds, and help future-proof the 911 for European emissions regulations. Shortly thereafter, the turbo catches up. The new 911 GTS T-Hybrid uses a larger 3.6-liter flat-six with a single turbo instead of a 3.0-liter engine with dual turbos. The major change, however, is the addition of another 20-kW electric motor located between the compressor and exhaust sides of the turbocharger. This motor helps the larger single turbo spool up quicker than the twin turbos of the last-generation GTS. That model took a little more than three seconds to achieve its full 18.6 psi of boost. The T-Hybrid’s turbo takes less than a second to spool up 26.1 psi. With more boost and displacement, the 3.6-liter engine makes 478 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque on its own. Add the motor’s contribution and total output is 532 horsepower and 449 pounds-feet of torque. That beats the last model by 59 horsepower and 29 pound-feet. When I keep my foot in the throttle, the flat-six revs freely up to 7,500 rpm, and the exhaust belts out its intoxicating raspy thrum accompanied by the whistle and chuff of the turbocharger. The transmission fires through gears with urgency, and the car builds speed relentlessly. The 0-60 mph sprint flashes by in 2.9 seconds, according to Porsche, 0.3 seconds quicker than last year. However, a few launch control blasts show that the strong power makes it hard to get the wide rear tires to hook up and achieve that time. Were I to keep my foot in it, it would accelerate to 194 mph. That’s supercar territory. EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 24 highway, 20 combined are no better than the last model. However, the hybrid system is well-engineered and integrated. Throttle response is quicker, power is more robust, and the whole system adds only 103 pounds to the total weight of the car versus the 2024 model. The modest weight gain means the 2025 911 GTS boasts the same confident, stable, and confidence-inspiring handling that has been a hallmark of the 992 generation since it arrived for the 2019 model year. With quick and direct steering that supplies a lot of road feel, it’s easy to control the GTS. Throw it into a corner and it takes a set, rotates willingly, and the 245/35R20 front and 315/30R21 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Super Sport tires grip hard. Standard rear-axle steering makes it more stable mid-corner and shortens parking lot turns, while a standard limited-slip rear differential puts the power down effectively to rocket out of corners. The 911 GTS comes standard with adaptive dampers and the PASM Sport suspension. Compared to the base and S models, the PASM Sport setup gets a 0.4-inch lower ride height, additional negative camber for a more tire contact patch in corners, and stiffer spring rates and rear helper springs that help keep the coil-over shocks seated at full suspension travel. This suspension makes for a firm but not punishing ride. Some may find it too firm and would be better served by choosing the no-cost regular PASM suspension that rides higher and has softer Tuning. This test car also has the optional electro-hydraulically controlled active anti-roll bars. They respond quicker this year thanks to the hybrid system’s 400-volt electrical system, but I see no need for them. The 911 GTS has precious little body lean, and some body lean translates as feel in the corners. My tester is also equipped with the $10,680 carbon-ceramic brakes. These massive binders employ 16.5-inch front rotors and 10-piston (!) calipers and 16.1-inch rear rotors and six-piston calipers. They’ll stand up to numerous track days with a firm pedal and no fade. My tester also comes with the standard Sport Seats Plus. They’re wide enough or larger gentlemen and do a great job of keeping me in place in the face of lateral Gs, but they have only four-way manual adjustments, and their tall, rigid side bolsters become buns scrapers when getting in and out. Spend another $1,580 for the 14-way power-adjustable seats. The rest of the changes for the 992.2 version of the 911 GTS are minor. The headlights now have LED matrix technology and incorporate the daytime running lights into a single unit. The taillights get a new look, and the fascias are more aerodynamic, especially up front, where Porsche adds active grille shutters and a continuously variable diffuser. The 2025 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid starts at $166,895, including a $1,995 destination fee. That’s about $15,000 more than the 2024 model, which reflects both improved performance of the new GTS and Porsche’s recent effort to increase profit margins. Expect further price increases due to tariffs. It costs a lot, but 911 GTS buyers get more than just a sports car. The first 911 hybrid tilts toward a supercar in its power and performance, and the new hybrid system is a big part of that additional power. It’s engineered as expected for the Porsche brand, adding minimal weight and working seamlessly. You can watch it all happen in real time if you pick the right displays for the dashboard screens, but mostly you’ll just enjoy feeling it doing its job. View All Porsche 911 GTS' For Sale Images: Porsche

An orange Gunther Werks Turbo Tested sports car is parked on asphalt near a port with shipping containers and cranes in the background under a partly cloudy sky—bar none, the gnarliest Porsche restomod yet.

By Michael Van Runkle – August 09, 2025

Gunther Werks Turbo Tested: Bar None, The Gnarliest Porsc...

Amid a swelling sea of Porsche-based restomods, each and every firm that enters the market needs to quickly establish a clear-cut identity from the get-go. Few will ever manage to turn heads from the jump as well as Gunther Werks, which burst onto the scene in 2018 with a radical take on the quintessential 911 sports car as envisioned by Vorsteiner Wheels founder and CEO Peter Lam. I recently visited Gunther Werks' headquarters in Southern California, legitimately curious to learn whether Porsche performance can ever match such an aggressive level of creative license and custom craftsmanship. And even a single day with the latest and greatest model, dubbed simply the Turbo and first unveiled at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering almost a year ago, completely quelled any lingering doubts about Gunther Werks being gun-shy when push comes to shove in the Porsche restomod scene. What Sets Gunther Werks Apart As with Gunther’s previous Coupe (formerly known as the 400R) and Speedster, each Turbo starts with a client’s 993-generation 911 as a donor car. Ideally, a Carrera 2 (though a Carrera 4 will also work), these last of the air-cooled Porsches were still built by hand in Zuffenhausen before Porsche transitioned to true mass production methods for the 996-generation successor. Gunther then strips, blasts, and restores the chassis underpinnings before bolting on additional bracing front, mid, and aft. The resulting monocoque now boasts 150% improved torsional rigidity, and then receives carbon-fiber body panels and a complete overhaul down to the last detail inside. Apart from the immediacy of such bold exterior styling, up close and personal, the Turbo reveals truly impressive levels of attention: from the knurled metal switchgear to bezels in the headlight surrounds that resemble track safety tape. Some of the old-school luxury details, including 24-carat gold for the tachometer trim, contrast nicely against all the overtly modern carbon fiber, the PCCM head unit with Apple CarPlay, and the JRZ suspension that can be adjusted through a smartphone app. But the true star of the show hangs off the rear axle, a Rothsport Racing 4.0-liter flat-six built to handle dual 48-millimeter Garrett turbochargers. Skipping out on bigger turbos purposefully maintains crisp throttle response, yet these produce enough boost that even in the mill’s Comfort setting, the Turbo can crank out an absurd 513 horsepower and 458 lb-ft of torque. That’s nearly AMG GT power, which requires twin-turbos for a water-cooled V8, in a rear-engined car that weighs almost exactly 1,500 pounds less. Sport then steps up a notch to 650 hp and 518 lb-ft, and the top Track mode climaxes at an absurd 840 hp and 594 lb-ft. Controlled via a six-speed manual shifter with zero traction or stability control assist, no less. And the shifter itself demands some attention, with sculptural exposed linkages clearly visible inside the transmission tunnel. I palmed the metal knob and met a bit of resistance the first time I slotted the short throw into first gear, but each step through the H-pattern greeted my hand with a satisfying thunk as I ripped through short gear ratios that Gunther purposefully retained to highlight the engine’s rev-happy nature. Along the way, that 4.0-liter’s soundtrack truly eclipses any other car I’ve ever seen, heard, or driven. Air-cooled rasp and turbo whine and a massive gear-driven horizontal fan all work together in a mind-melting cacophony, even at idle. I sensed violence contained within such beautiful physical form, yet the first few minutes of driving in Comfort mode revealed an almost benign sense of calm capability, too. Adjusting to Increasingly Powerful Drive Modes I started out tooling around town, enjoying little quarter-throttle pulls and each shift without ever venturing too far into the tachometer. Playing nicely, the throttle never seemed touchy or twitchy, which helped to keep my nerves at bay as I piloted something so obviously raring to rumble. Then I spun the steering wheel’s right-hand dial to Sport, which promptly unleashed noticeably more surging grunt, as instantaneously accessible wellsprings of torque became available even below 2,000 rpm. Track mode then dives even further into the deep end, with unrelenting power available at every lightest touch of the go pedal. The time soon came to enjoy each and every rev on the way to the 7,800-rpm redline, as the Rothsport engine ripsawed up through the tach and the brute force shoved me back into the surprisingly comfortable carbon-fiber bucket seats (a serious improvement over Porsche’s current crop of buckets, which seem inspired by airliner coach seats). All the while, the Turbo enjoyed nudging deeper into corners, and I sensed the chassis loading up each individual tire with grip, which only lent more confidence as I unwound the steering wheel while the tail end squatted under the unrelenting shove of swelling boost, until that blattering banshee of an engine dominated all my sensory perception once again. Custom Touches to Match the Driving Thrills Yet still, I never stepped over the limit without asking the Turbo to break the rules of physics. Wide tires likely bear some responsibility for the impressive driveability: Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 rubber measuring 295 millimeters wide up front and 335 at the rear retains enough compliance to provide grip without getting too stiff. Same for the JRZ suspension, which works in perfect harmony with the steering – the former electronically adjustable and the latter still hydraulic, for predictable levels of feedback. Just don’t ever look down at the speedometer, which Porsche mounts to the right of the tach for good reason. Triple digits fly by almost too fast for public roads – luckily, so much stopping power from Brembo continuous-thread carbon ceramic brakes can haul down that kind of speed with ease. Once again, the artful performance from every aspect, rather than simply shoehorning big power into a light car, inspired far more confidence than I expected from the onset. The whole point, for Gunther Werks, is to enhance the engagement factor that so many modern supercars and hypercars struggle to achieve despite – or, arguably, because of – such impressive technological advancements at the far end of today’s computerized age. But a similar priority placed on individualization figures into the mix, too. This car’s bright and bold orange paint, with a contrasting leather interior, serves as perfect fodder for marketing pics. A Turbo can easily inhabit a more restrained character, too, in keeping with the classic understatement of the air-cooled 911. Especially when specced with a smaller spoiler and darker hues. Most colors that Gunther Werks applies (on site with two paint rooms) wind up fully custom, known only by the client’s last name rather than a particular moniker. Similarly, no two cars will ever wind up identical, especially given the number of interior options that run from leather dash plates to carbon-fiber everything, a Travel Package transmission tunnel with a built-in cell phone mount, and even the steering wheel’s dish depth. I truly appreciated the magnetic removable headrest pads for track days, which aren’t about saving weight per se but rather to make room for a helmet. And despite the custom rollcage, at six-foot-one I fit just fine thanks to the Turbo’s double bubble, with or without a helmet on. Gunther Werks Turbo: Conclusions Of course, tracking a Turbo requires a certain level of confidence that I’d need to build up over time. Pricing for the Gunther Werks Turbo starts at $1.45 million, but as specced, my test car ran up to $1.8 million. A full build requires about 24 months from the time Gunther receives the donor car, including time spent guiding clients through color and material options. Only 75 Turbos will ever join the 25 Coupes and Speedsters at the most raucous end of the restomod scene, where the final product reaches an entirely different result from a 911 as reimagined by Singer – and not just because Singer originated with 964-based creations. At the other end of the spectrum sits the completely new cars built by Ruf in Pfaffenhausen, which just happen to resemble the classic 911 that originally inspired all these companies to leap headlong into the restomod craze. Retaining some semblances of 911-ness therefore, becomes the name of the game, even as power and aesthetics and materials leapfrog forward into the modern era. In that regard, the Turbo still at least vogues the 911 on which it is based. I might want another, softer suspension mode to choose, since the large front wheels can tramline occasionally and the lightweight body panels do increase some interior reverberations. But admittedly, softening up a Gunther Werks might also miss the mark. And after driving such a stupefying creation, I struggle to imagine how Gunther Werks can possibly hope to one-up a build so impressive at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering later this year. View All Gunther Werks For Sale

By Gabriel Vega – December 14, 2022

2022 Porsche Macan GTS Review: Porsche's Hot Hatch

The Porsche Macan is technically the brand's entry-level model. But, since its arrival back in 2014, this small crossover has undergone significant changes that have allowed it to blossom into a truly premium product. For the 2022 model year, Porsche gave the Macan a host of new updates, including a tweaked face, new interior layout, and larger rear diffuser, to name a few. However, the largest change is, without a doubt, its shifted engine lineup. Previously, the Macan GTS counted on a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that developed 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. For the 2022 model year, however, Porsche axed the Turbo trim and stuffed its beefed-up version of that same engine under the GTS' hood. The GTS now sits at the top of the Macan food chain, and with 434 hp, a lower ride height, and new torque vectoring, it's as close as we'll ever get to a Porsche hot hatch. And in true Porsche fashion, great performance comes at a price. Design/Styling The 2022 Porsche Macan's facelift is subtle from an exterior perspective, but it's more apparent in the GTS model. Especially those equipped with the $12,010 GTS Sport Package. This gets you black satin front and rear fascias and 21-in GT Design wheels in the same finish. Along the sides, the pack adds gloss black side blades, mirror caps, and carbon-fiber sill guards. Although these darker elements are plentiful, they balance my tester's bright Python Green exterior finish well. More importantly, they serve to give the GTS a distinct look. It used to be challenging to tell various Macan trims apart, but this facelifted model takes care of that. A taller rear diffuser and a roof spoiler round up the list of GTS-specific changes. The Best Luxury and Exotic Cars We Reviewed in 2022 The Macan GTS has a particularly aggressive stance. It's now 10mm lower, and its larger 21-in wheels make it appear even closer to the ground. The Macan falls into a sizing sweet spot. At 186-in long, 75.9 in wide, and 62.8 in tall, it's slightly larger than a Golf GTI, making it family-sized but not huge to the point where its handling is spoiled. It has a distinctly small and sporty aesthetic in a sea of giant lumbering family haulers. Performance/Handling Although the 2022 Macan GTS counts on the same 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 as last year's model, it now features the Turbo's tuning. It develops 434 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 4.1-second sprint to 60 mph and a 169 mph top speed. This is particularly impressive when considering the Macan's nearly 4,400-lb curb weight. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed PDK. The 59 hp 23 lb-ft of torque increase may not seem like much on paper, but it makes for a much more aggressive little crossover in practice. I got a chance to test the new engine against the old, which now lives in the Macan S, earlier this year back to back. The difference is significant. The GTS is properly quick up a canyon road, easily keeping up with a BMW M3 or Audi RS 5. There's a whiff of lag down low, but once you get its twin-turbo V6 higher in the rev range, it comes alive. And with the GTS' standard sports exhaust, you can hear its throaty tune nicely from the cabin. It's not over the top with pops and bangs. Instead, it delivers a loud but refined song. 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS Review: A Proper Athlete As you hit the corners, those sports sedans mentioned earlier won't get away from you. Despite sharing its architecture with the Audi Q5, the Porsche Macan drives nothing like its VW Group sibling. Instead, it's incredibly composed through tight corners, with a planted character that rarely steps out. The GTS feels like a serious machine with approachable limits. And while there's a bit of understeer if you really start to push, it's marginal. The Macan hides its size well. Despite its hefty near 4,400-lb curb weight, it doesn't feel like it in the corners. It retains an agile and nimble character. The Macan sticks through corners without drama thanks to a new torque vectoring system available through the GTS Sport Package. It's also eager to change direction, and while its steering is slight and virtually disconnected from the road, the way it moves and sounds is more than enough to deliver a truly exciting drive. While the new GTS is 10mm lower and 15 percent stiffer than the outgoing model, you'd be hard-pressed to tell around town. Thanks to its nicely tuned dampers, the Macan GTS soaks up bumps and is more than road trip-ready. During my week with it, I took it from Los Angeles to San Diego and back, and its performance benefits did not translate to discomfort. Interior/Tech Engine aside, the other major update the 2022 Porsche Macan GTS received is a new interior layout. It falls closer in line with the Cayenne's interior and gives Porshe's entry-level model a more premium feel. It eliminates the dual row of buttons in the pre-facelift model and adds new touch capacitive ones and a larger central infotainment screen. It now measures 10.9 in and offers standard Apple CarPlay. Although VW Group's touch capacitive buttons aren't great in some of its latest Volkswagen products, they're lovely in Porsche and Audi. They're bright, responsive, and laid out exactly how you'd expect them to be. This new interior has no learning curve, and I did not miss the older layout. As part of its 2022 interior update, the Macan now also comes standard with Lane Departure Warning, front and rear park assist, and a rearview camera. Since my tester featured the optional GTS Sport Package, it also receives 18-way adaptive sport seats, a significant upgrade from the standard eight-way GTS Sport Seats. They feature substantial side bolsters, but not to the point of being aggressive. They hold you nicely for a blast up a canyon road but don't prove uncomfortable for a long drive or daily commute. They fit the rest of the Macan's demeanor well. It's worth pointing out that with its updated materials, interior layout, and tech, the Macan GTS feels far from entry-level. Everything you touch and interact with feels like it belongs in a premium product. From a quality standpoint, it is nearly identical to the Cayenne GTS I tested earlier this year, just shrunken down. Pricing A significant reason why the 2022 Porsche Macan GTS feels like a premium product is that its price tag is substantial. Its $79,900 base price plus $1,350 for destination is more than reasonable for the fun and performance on offer. However, once you add in the $12,010 GTS Sport Package and the $680 heated sport steering wheel, you end up with an as-tested price of $99,170. This price places Porsche's quickest SUV in line with the BMW X3 M Competition and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, both of which are more powerful and quicker for less money. Closing Thoughts The Porsche Macan GTS is a grown-up's hot hatch. Small and agile enough to hustle through a tight canyon road, but with enough power and grunt to keep things interesting. This may be the last update before an electrified Macan arrives, but for now, it's the one to get. Even the performance-focused GTS strikes a nice balance between twisty roads and daily driving comfort, but it's a small crossover with little compromise. If you have to have just one vehicle to do it all, the Macan GTS fits that role nicely. View All Porsche Macan GTS For Sale

By Gabriel Vega – November 16, 2022

2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS Review: A Proper Athlete

Most sporty SUVs represent a compromise. They attempt to be all things to all people, combining their practicality and size while offering enjoyable handling and performance. But while many contenders try to walk this fine line, almost none succeed. Making a tall SUV filled with all of the heavy tech and luxury materials that most buyers expect that is still genuinely fun to drive is a tall order. However, by simply ignoring the laws of physics, the 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS achieves just that. By most metrics, the third-generation Porsche Cayenne is a great luxury SUV. Big, tall, spacious, and with some of the best-build quality in the business, it delivers on its promises. However, step up to the GTS, which stands for Gran Turismo Sport, and you get a V8-powered family hauler that is quick in a straight line, agile in the corners, and with its direct steering, a true joy to drive. The Cayenne GTS is one of few SUVs that doesn't sacrifice its driving experience for practicality. Design/Styling The 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS wears its size well. Despite its sizable 193.7-in length, 78.1-in width, and up to 66.8-in height, it comes across as much smaller than it is. This is likely due in part to its soft-flowing lines. There's not a harsh angle anywhere on this SUV's bodywork, allowing its front-end styling to neatly transition through its sides and out to its rear end. Although this GTS isn't a Coupé, its roofline still slopes considerably, tying in nicely with the rest of its subtle lines. This third-gen GTS builds on the styling elements that made its successors popular with enthusiasts and normies alike. Like those earlier models, it doesn't wear outer chrome trim or any other details that exist purely to draw attention. Take its standard satin black 21-in RS Spyder wheels, for example. Despite showcasing a sporty multi-spoke design, they're executed in a subtle shade that doesn't stand out for the wrong reasons. 2022 Mercedes-Benz S580 4MATIC Review: Punching Way Above Its Class The same goes for its intakes up front and rear diffuser out back. These are unique to the GTS but don't immediately appear so. At a glance, it's tough to tell that you're looking at an SUV with a twin-turbocharged V8 under its hood. It's only when you step closer and look at its darkened headlights, taillights, black badges, and gloss black elements throughout does it become apparent that you're looking at something special. Despite firmly positioning itself as a sporty SUV, the Cayenne GTS retains an elegance that its closest competitors often lack. Even my tester, with its $3,150 Carmine Red exterior finish, flies under the radar. It knows what it is and sees no need to shout about it. Power/Handling As soon as you turn the key and fire the Cayenne GTS' 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8; it begins to shatter misconceptions. This SUV burbles at idle like a muscle car, and once its valves are open, its engine's throatiness only builds. Porsche's standard Sport Exhaust system allows this engine to sing its song without muffling it to retain a luxurious experience. Although it's piped via the cabin's speakers, the sound still comes across as authentic and not overly digital. Step on the gas, and it's hard to believe that this SUV only develops 453 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. Despite lacking a proper PDK transmission and counting on a Tiptronic S eight-speed automatic, the Cayenne GTS still rips gear changes and, with a standard all-wheel-drive system, makes full use of its available power, making it feel like much more than it actually is. Flat out, it'll hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds before continuing onto its 168 mph top speed. Since modern performance stats have largely spoiled us, those acceleration figures may not seem all that impressive, but when considering the GTS' 4,954-lb curb weight, they're formidable. And it feels just as intense from inside the cabin. With peak torque at 1,800 rpm and very little turbo lag, this Cayenne's aggressive pull in a straight line brings into question why anyone would step up to a Turbo or Turbo S. Raw speed aside, the GTS impresses with its composure. Slam the gas, and it doesn't rock backward like many high-riding competitors. The same goes for the corners, where even during an aggressive run up a canyon road, the GTS remains perfectly stable as if the laws of physics don't apply. Porsche achieved this by revising its active dampers and three-chamber air suspension system, which combats body-roll and lowers the GTS' ride height by nearly 1.2 in when compared to a Cayenne S. Around town, the GTS is undeniably firmer than its S sibling, but not excessively. It's the almost unavoidable trade-off of having an SUV that corners as well as a proper sports car. Road imperfections are more noticeable, but not to the detriment of this SUV's driving experience. The GTS never proved uncomfortable or unforgiving, even through Los Angeles' pothole-filled city streets. 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Review: A Step Above The Rest The Cayenne's driving experience is made not only by its performance but by how communicative it is. Even on the tightest canyon roads, the GTS is an agile machine. With incredible front-end grip, it turns in both quickly and neatly. It's eager to change direction, masking its substantial curb weight. Unlike most competitors, its steering is direct and offers excellent feedback. Its smaller sporty steering wheel only adds to the experience, as it's the complete opposite of the sizable options found in most luxury SUVs. My tester wore a set of $9,980 carbon-ceramic brakes, which seemed utterly unphased, regardless of how hard I pushed them. Although the stock steel brakes would do fine as well, even this pricey option is only a drop in the bucket when talking about an SUV that costs $143,320 as-tested, so you might as well have them. Interior/Tech Inside, the 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS doesn't forget its luxury roots. Take its $420 18-way adjustable Adaptive Sport Seats, which are available as an upgrade to its $4,030 Premium Package. Although they tighten enough to hold you in through the corners, they still prioritize all-around comfort for daily driving. With their excellent levels of adjustability, it's easy to find a comfortable driving position. They allow you to lower to the point where you feel like you're down low instead of towering over the surrounding small cars in traffic. Although a standard Cayenne starts much closer to $70,000, its build quality is still impressive in this $143,320 GTS. My tester builds on this solid foundation with its $2,970 GTS interior package, which takes the standard black leather and Race-Tex combination and adds embroidered headrests, and Carmine Red stitching on the seats, doors, center console, and dashboard. The package brings in some of the bright exterior finish into the cabin without overdoing it. On the tech front, the GTS counts on the same 12.3-in central touchscreen as other Cayenne models, which features both Apple CarPlay and Android Connectivity and the sixth-generation PCM infotainment system. Although I prefer smartphone connectivity for its ease of use, the Cayenne's standard system is sleek and easy to use, even including red accents to match the rest of this SUV's aesthetic. Pricing The 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS costs $109,000 plus a $1,350 delivery fee. My tester, with its notable options like its $3,150 Carmine Red paint, $3,590 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, and $9,980 Ceramic Brakes, elevate that base figure to $143,320. Similarly-priced competitors include the BMW X5 M, GLE 63 S Coupe, and Audi RS Q8, and while all of these make more power than the GTS and offer greater straight-line performance, none can match it in terms of pure driving fun. Besides, those interested in straight-line speed can continue climbing the Porsche ladder to the Turbo, Turbo S, or Turbo GT. Closing Thoughts The 2022 Cayenne GTS doesn't sacrifice its driving experience in the name of cargo space. It's quick, agile, and above all else, fun to drive. From its powerful V8 engine that delivers ample torque and a burly note to its flat handling characteristics and incredible grip, this SUV can go toe to toe with a proper sports car. Anyone who buys one for it won't feel short-changed on a twisty road. Ditch my tester's bright Carmine Red exterior finish, and you're left with a family hauler that is fun when you want it but flies under the radar for daily driving. It's subtle, elegant, and not boastful about its capabilities. Although it's not the quickest, most powerful, or most expensive SUV on the market, its lack of compromises makes it one of the most enjoyable. View All Cayennes For Sale

By Gabriel Vega – September 21, 2022

2022 Porsche 718 Cayman T: 1,000 Mile Car Week Companion

For luxury-oriented magazines like duPont REGISTRY, Monterey Car Week is one of the industry's most important events. It's one of few times a year that large-scale manufacturers and boutique carmakers get to debut their latest creations in front of the media and a sea of potential buyers. However, while the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Bugatti W16 Mistral, and Lamborghini Urus Performante stole the show, our car week revolved around a little red 718 Cayman stashed in a parking lot less than a mile away. It's the 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman T, and it was our companion for Car Week, covering nearly 1,000 miles from Los Angeles and around the Monterey Peninsula. The T represents a real sweet spot in the 718 Cayman lineup. It combines the base Cayman's 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-four with a plethora of standard equipment. These include PASM Sport Suspension, Sport Chrono Package, mechanical limited-slip differential, sport exhaust, sport seats, and 20-inch Carrera S wheels, to name a few. It combines the model's entry-level engine option with all the go-fast bits to fully utilize it. The result is one of the lightest Porsches for sale. Cars equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, like our tester, tip the scales at 3,058 lb. PDK-equipped cars weigh an extra 62 lb at 3,127 lb, but more than make up for the added heft with lightning-fast shifts. There's no wrong answer to the transmission question when it comes to the 718 Cayman, but we were thrilled ours had three pedals. With the stick, the T will reach 60 mph in 4.9 seconds versus 4.5 seconds with paddles. Between Los Angeles and Monterey sit a mix of flat open highways, twisty canyon roads, and stunning coastal drives. The first allowed us to open up the taps on the T's flat-four. It may have two fewer cylinders than its predecessor, but it loses none of its character. Peak power still lives at the top of the rev range at 6,500, urging its driver to work for top speed. However, peak torque now comes in at 1,950 rpm allowing the T to feel both quick off the line and around town. There is, however, no getting around the fact that the T is turbocharged. When in boost, it's a pocket rocket, but until you get there, you're fighting a fair bit of lag. At no point were we left feeling like the T needed more power. 300 hp at just over 3,000 lb is a mighty combo. More importantly, its total output is usable all of the time. The T doesn't require a wide open road or ideal conditions, it begs to be redlined and enjoyed, and despite lacking a flat-six, it sounds great. At idle, its mechanical sound is something reminiscent of a 912. You get more than just exhaust noise. You can physically hear the engine sitting just behind you. Push the gas, and the T delivers a strong impression of a Subaru WRX STI. With plenty of woosh noises and blow-off sounds, the T is far from dull. Its extensive suspension improvements shone through as the road got twisty. It's already a light car, meaning its agility is far from surprising. It was its stability through tight corners that impressed most. The adaptive suspension stiffens considerably for sporty driving without turning it into a back-breaking experience. This mid-engined sports car proved very approachable, inviting us to test its reachable limits. We noticed ourselves enjoying the drive more than some modern supercars. It's how you interact with the 718 Cayman that makes the experience. From the talkative and direct steering to the notchy shifter, the T constantly provides feedback. Every aspect of the 718 Cayman is lively and involved, making a stronger case for itself as you rack up more miles. Once in Monterey, not even the hilly streets made us wish we had PDK. Thanks to a light and easy-to-modulate clutch, the T is more than up for daily-driver duties. Its flat-four was also surprisingly efficient, averaging 27.4 mpg during our near 1,000-mile trip. As we ran from event to event, the T's small footprint proved a blessing in disguise. It dominates as a little city car as it's easy to maneuver and fits just about anywhere, and despite its small size, it's also relatively easy to get in and out of thanks to a sizable door. From a visual aspect, the T doesn't do much to differentiate itself from a standard 718 Cayman. The dead giveaways are its larger wheels and added badging. Otherwise, its bumpers, side skirts, and small rear wing remain unchanged. It's a pretty thing, albeit a bit conservative with its flare. It's sleek but not aggressive, in line with the car's overall ethos. Inside, the 718 Cayman benefits from excellent Porsche build quality, everything feels premium to the touch, and there's not a stitch out of place. If there is any drawback to its cabin, it's the outdated infotainment system. Navigating menus and maps proved challenging, and the screen wasn't very responsive. Thankfully, you get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity which essentially solves the problem. However, it's worth mentioning that our phone disconnected itself randomly at times, even with a wired connection. Pricing-wise, the 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman T presents fairly good value as long as outright speed and power are not the goals. It starts at $72,500 plus a $1,450 destination charge. However, our specific car and its few options increased the as-tested price to $78,550. Its base price falls just short of a Cayman S yet includes many go-fast bits as standard. Optioning these on an S would result in a much higher price tag, and the GTS 4.0 starts at over $90,000. In this case, the T is a car that handles just as well as cars that cost significantly more but sacrifices raw power. As a car for tackling a crowded city during the week and canyons on the weekend, the Cayman T is nearly faultless. Even on our lengthy road trip, it proved comfortable and more than up to the task of covering long distances. Sure, a big comfy GT would've been ideal for highways, but we would've given up fun in the canyons. The T proved the best of both worlds, easily at home on the open road and the twisty stuff. Given its price point, capabilities, and overall appeal, the Cayman T and its standard kit carve a tempting lane amongst its more expensive GTS 4.0 and GT4 siblings. After a week in so many different scenarios, it's clear that the T is ready to shine no matter where it goes. See All Porsche Caymans For Sale

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