The Differences Between the Porsche 718 and 911

Do you want to drive the Porsche 718 or 911? If you simply answered “yes” to this question, you’re like most of us and want both.

The 718 models are newer to the lineup and certainly bring about a strong difference in performance, power, drive, and pleasure on the road or track. When you’re looking at these two cars, there is truly a differentiating conversation you’re going to want to explore. If you spend a lot of time at the track, you’ll want to go with the most hardcore version of the 911 you can find, but if you don’t, these two cars present a dilemma of decisions for you.

The Venerable One

When you mention the Porsche 911, you can see the eyes of other dance with joy, glint with excitement, and sparkle with delight at the thought of an iconic sports car. The 911 is known around the world as the benchmark for performance that no other car in its class has ever achieved. Sure, you might find cars that are faster, some that handle better, but none bring you the full package and the reputation of being at the top of the heap like the 911.

Joyful Driving Makes a Difference

You can’t look at the Porsche 718 and think that it’s any slouch when it comes to sporty driving. While this sports car does not have the cache that comes with the 911 name, you’ll love driving your Porsche 718. This car has the handling you admire, it’s quick in any form, the transmission is slick and ready to perform whenever you put the hammer down. You certainly can take this car out on the track to have a lot of fun turning fast laps and leaving other brands in the dust.

Which Car Handles Better?

The question of handling doesn’t start with the suspension, steering, or braking of either car; it begins with the position of the engine. The Porsche 718 has the engine in the middle of the car, and it’s positioned a bit lower than in the 911, giving us an engine that offers an amazing center of gravity and weight distribution for your time out on the track.

The engine in the Porsche 911 is located in the rear of the car, which makes you wonder why this car has been the handling champ for so long. Even with a driving position that places more weight in the rear, the 911 has been a car that has always handled perfectly on any track that we find.

Which car handles better? That is the question we’re trying to answer, and that honor would slightly go to the Porsche 718. The entry-level sports car is lighter, has an engine in the middle, and benefits from similar Porsche handling features as the Porsche 911. Does this mean the Porsche 718 will win a race with the 911? Not at all, but it will certainly give the venerable one a run for its money.

An Unusual Sports Car Item Compared

Do you want to enjoy the romance of driving around the country exploring the winding roads offered, showing off your Porsche? If so, you’re going to want to have the most room for your luggage that you can find. The Porsche 718 has two areas to hold your stuff, which is more than what you’ll find in the 911.

Porsche took the area behind the engine and in front of the cabin to give you a pair of trunk spaces in the 718 Cayman where you can put your stuff. This means you won’t be washing your clothes as often when you take your Porsche on a road trip around the country. Unfortunately, this is one area where the Porsche 911 falls short. Because the engine is in the rear of the car, there is only a small area in front of the car for your luggage.

Maybe the team at Porsche thought that shopping trips would be part of your time on the road, allowing you to buy, wear, and drive in new clothes in every town you visit. Of course, they also might not have thought you would want to take this sports car on road trips but would enjoy more track time.

Which Car is Better on the Open Road?

This might be the most important question regarding these two Porsche models. You can’t find the romance of driving a sports car on the open road if you never head out to one. The 718 GTS is equipped with the drive mode selector to give you tuning for the performance features of the car and a lower stance compared to the other 718 models. This car is grippy, fast, and will challenge your driving skills while offering the controls you need.

For open-road driving in the Porsche 911, you would likely want to drive the 911 Carrera T model. This version is stripped down to give you more comfort on the road while including the items that make the drive fun for you. The 911 is superior to the 718 in every corner with tons of grip and the added power offered at this level of driving. The Carrera T gives you rear-wheel steering to ensure you can cut corners tight and keep you right where you need to be when it’s time for the fun and performance of the open areas of the country.

Which Porsche Should You Drive?

Performance differences aside, the price of the Porsche 718 is much less than the 911 across the range. If price isn’t a factor, and you have the skills to handle everything the 911 can throw at you, the car you should drive is the iconic 911. On the other hand, if you want a bit more room for your stuff, you’re not in need of added horsepower but want the handling of a car with the engine in the middle, and you want to spend a little less, the Porsche 718 is the ideal car for your driving pleasure.