Porsche officially released the new Cayman this week. The 'poor man's Porsche' has never been that, and now the Cayman moves ever closer to the much more expensive 911 as a dynamic driving machine. We drove the previous model Cayman R alongside the 911 at Silverstone recently and, whilst the 911 retains it's cachet, power and back seats, the Cayman R distinguished itself as the razor sharp sports car of choice.
The third generation Cayman is lighter, more powerful and faster than before. It is now the de rigueur benchmark sportscar of choice which compares with everything from the £25,000 Toyota GT86 up to the £73,000 911 Carrera. And if you want a convertible, Porsche can sell you a Boxster.
The Cayman comes in two configurations, standard Cayman, and Cayman S. The Cayman costs £39,694 and the Cayman S £48,783.
The Cayman is longer, wider, has a longer wheelbase, and is lighter than the previous Cayman, at 1310kg. Mild steel is used in components that require strength whilst weight saving aluminium is used in the floor, doors, bonnet and boot. The Cayman also gets a lot of the electronics from the 911 such as adaptive cruise control, Sport Chrono package - and electric steering.
There are two engines - a 2.7 litre, flat 6 in the Cayman and a 3.4, flat 6 in the Cayman S. A manual, 6 speed, gearbox is fitted as standard with a PDK 7 speed as a £2,000 option.
With the Boxster and the Cayman Porsche are applying the 911 philosophy of evolution to their sports models. Each iteration along the way is slightly better than the previous in terms of handling, balance, technology and all the factors that combine to make a superb machine. The 911's crown as king of the sports car is challenged only by a select few - the Mercedes SLS, the Aston Martin Vantage, the Jaguar XK-R, the forthcoming Jaguar F-type, the Lotus Evora, the McLaren 12C - and the Cayman itself.
That Porsche continue to evolve their sportscars every few years means the competition has to try ever harder to beat it. The Cayman was one of the best. It just got better.
Specifications:
Car - Porsche Cayman
Price - £39,694
Engine - 2.7 litre, flat 6, mid-mounted
Transmission - 6 speed manual, rear wheel drive
Power - 275bhp
Torque - 214lb ft
Weight - 1310kg
0-62mph - 5.7 seconds
Top speed - 165mph
Fuel consumption - 34.4mpg combined
Car - Porsche Cayman S
Price - £48,783
Engine - 3.4 litre, flat 6, mid-mounted
Transmission - 6 speed manual, rear wheel drive
Power - 325bhp
Torque - 273lb ft
Weight - 1320kg
0-62mph - 5.0 seconds
Top speed - 175mph
Fuel consumption - 32.1mpg combined
Price - £48,783
Engine - 3.4 litre, flat 6, mid-mounted
Transmission - 6 speed manual, rear wheel drive
Power - 325bhp
Torque - 273lb ft
Weight - 1320kg
0-62mph - 5.0 seconds
Top speed - 175mph
Fuel consumption - 32.1mpg combined
