The 718 series is arguably the most affordable way to get yourself a new Porsche with a boxer engine. The Cayman and Boxster are genuine sports cars despite the downgrade from six to four cylinders, but on the other hand, some owners in the United States trade them in for the Jeep Wrangler.
Wait, come again? The information comes courtesy of Klaus Zellmer, talking to Autoblog about this peculiar trade-in option. The chief executive officer of Porsche in North America takes their choice with a smile and a laugh while higher-ups in Germany are “utterly flummoxed at the notion of Americans trading in their precision-engineered Porsche sports cars for a crude SUV on an ox-cart suspension.” Europe is a very different place, though.
While these three couldn’t be more different, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 718 customers flock to the Wrangler. The Jeep brand is a powerful statement, and there’s no Jeep that’s more Jeep than the ‘Rangler. You could say the Gladiator comes on a close second, but that’s a different breed for a different audience with other preferences and demands from an off-road vehicle.
What is certain, however, is that both the Porsche and Jeep offer a distinct sense of belonging. The crossover and SUV craze shouldn’t be ignored either, and Jeep has a lot of interesting products in the lineup. The Grand Cherokee in Trackhawk flavor comes to mind, packing a 707-horsepower Hellcat V8.
Now’s the right time to talk about an obvious particularity, something that Porsche can’t offer customers regardless of how extensive the options list of the 718 may be. While the Germans can make you smile through how the 718 handles in the twisties, the off-road capability of the Wrangler is nothing to scoff at. Getting in a rutty, muddy, or rocky situation would be a problem in the Porsche’s case, but the Jeep makes the most out of such a driving scenario.
It’s also worth highlighting the 718 Cayman starts at $56,900 for 300 horsepower and rear-wheel drive. The Wrangler two-door with the Pentastar V6 is a lot cheaper at $28,045 while the Unlimited Rubicon retails at $41,545 excluding destination.
While these three couldn’t be more different, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 718 customers flock to the Wrangler. The Jeep brand is a powerful statement, and there’s no Jeep that’s more Jeep than the ‘Rangler. You could say the Gladiator comes on a close second, but that’s a different breed for a different audience with other preferences and demands from an off-road vehicle.
What is certain, however, is that both the Porsche and Jeep offer a distinct sense of belonging. The crossover and SUV craze shouldn’t be ignored either, and Jeep has a lot of interesting products in the lineup. The Grand Cherokee in Trackhawk flavor comes to mind, packing a 707-horsepower Hellcat V8.
Now’s the right time to talk about an obvious particularity, something that Porsche can’t offer customers regardless of how extensive the options list of the 718 may be. While the Germans can make you smile through how the 718 handles in the twisties, the off-road capability of the Wrangler is nothing to scoff at. Getting in a rutty, muddy, or rocky situation would be a problem in the Porsche’s case, but the Jeep makes the most out of such a driving scenario.
It’s also worth highlighting the 718 Cayman starts at $56,900 for 300 horsepower and rear-wheel drive. The Wrangler two-door with the Pentastar V6 is a lot cheaper at $28,045 while the Unlimited Rubicon retails at $41,545 excluding destination.