Crown

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1052525_2010-porsche-cayman-on-forbes-10-worst-seller-list

I agreed.  Not a people carrier, and not a strong sport car.  Definitely get a base boxster instead of base cayman for open top cruising, or any preowned 911s.

Tim

2010 997.2 GT3RS;  2008 Cayenne Turbo;  2006 911 Club Coupe #13;  2011 Panamera 4

 I disagree. It is a strong sports car in my book; a better drive (the S) than the Boxster S or the 911 for that matter (setting aside the extra power and torque).

My problems with it are: a) the lopsided pricing (we are not idiots, no matter what WW and his marketers believed); b) more importantly, it is unattractive imho; it is visually very interesting, but it is not a beautiful car. Even one of the Porsche designers admitted so much in an interview soon after it was released. To my eye, it is on the wrong side of retro; the subtle double hump in the rear hatch (the first hump is the glass, the second hump is the metal part of the hatch) ruin it. I would have liked to see something with a tighter, tauter, more dynamic fastback line, like the 911, or a notchback with fastback buttresses like the 904. 

Of course, de gustibus non est disputandum...

Kamal (MA)

I agree with Kamal. Not only is the Caymans design disjointed, but it looks tall and bloated next to a Boxster or 911.

JimFlat6:

I agree with Kamal. Not only is the Caymans design disjointed, but it looks tall and bloated next to a Boxster or 911.

The Cayman is oddly shaped ,esp  the disproportionate "helmet head " roof arch as soon on side profile . It must have been designed by the same person who did the Panamera  - both spec'd to fit WW's inflated noggin , I guess.

Of course , the gall of the  " only at Porsche " pricing structure where the  coupe costs  thousands more than the convertible , has never sat well with the Cayman/Boxster intender.

Doesn't say much for our taste - as well as SWMBO's Cayman my daily drive is a Toyota Yaris!!!

Not that we believe we've made a mistake with either.

--
 

Porsche Cayman S PDK Aqua Blue / Ocean Blue  (19 November 10 delivered!!!) : Toyota Yaris D4D (Oct 10) 

I like the Cayman shape a lot especially the facelifted model.

The problem is not the shape but the product positioning vis a vis the Boxster and competitor cars like the Audi TT (S/RS) and the bigger engined Z4s.

Moreover, Porsche haven't tried at all to inject some motorsport prestige to the Cayman, for their known reasons. They could at least do some motorsport series using this car (e.g. VLN) instead of the 911.

.

"Form follows function"

Too expensive for the power it delivers. For the same money, I would always choose the Audi TT RS S-tronic over the Cayman S.

Porsche wants to make the Cayman successful ?

1. give it at least 360 HP (S version)

2. tweak the price tag (making it more expensive than the Boxster wasn't quite ingenious)

3. make the exterior less Boxster-like (individual look) 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

dreamcar:

Not that we believe we've made a mistake

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this - if the car appeals to you and is suited to your needs, then what others think and/or buy is irrelevant

Your happiness with it is all that matters

RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

easy_rider911:

dreamcar:

Not that we believe we've made a mistake

 

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this

I don't!  I am very happy with my Yaris thank you - I'll ask for SWMBO's thoughts about buying a lemon when I get home!

--
 

Porsche Cayman S PDK Aqua Blue / Ocean Blue  (19 November 10 delivered!!!) : Toyota Yaris D4D (Oct 10) 

Targa Tim:

 Definitely get a base boxster instead of base cayman for open top cruising,

I agree - a Cayman isn't very good at open top cruising.....

Porsche Cayman S PDK Aqua Blue / Ocean Blue  (19 November 10 delivered!!!) : Toyota Yaris D4D (Oct 10) 

dreamcar:

Doesn't say much for our taste - as well as SWMBO's Cayman my daily drive is a Toyota Yaris!!!

Not that we believe we've made a mistake with either.

 

 

Having said what I said, a Cayman S is still at the top of my list to replace the Boxster S I sold a few months ago. It's a tossup between a CS and a Boxster S at this point. The decision will involve a compromise...

Kamal

MKW:

The Cayman is oddly shaped ,esp  the disproportionate "helmet head " roof arch as soon on side profile . [...]

Yes, I forgot to mention the first major hump, the roof. Too much of a bubble, I agree.

RC:

Too expensive for the power it delivers. For the same money, I would always choose the Audi TT RS S-tronic over the Cayman S.

Porsche wants to make the Cayman successful ?

1. give it at least 360 HP (S version)

2. tweak the price tag (making it more expensive than the Boxster wasn't quite ingenious)

3. make the exterior less Boxster-like (individual look) 

 I totally agree with this.

The Cayman is too slow compared to other similar cars for a higher price + the back is butt ugly.  

They also need to do some racing with it . 

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

IMvHO the Cayman has never solved the problem of how it is perceived in the market. Is it a Boxster with a hard top? If so, then why does it cost more than the convertible? If not (i.e. if it is a genuinely new proposition in between the Boxster and the 911) then why has this identity problem arisen? And why has PAG positioned its power, speed, price so perfectly in between the Boxster and 911? It always looked too contrived and suspicious to me.

I just wish that the Cayman had received more power without PAG fearing that it would cannibalise 911 sales. Some people would always buy a Cayman over a Carrera whereas others would always prefer a Carrera over a Cayman. I feel PAG missed an opportunity by artificially holding back the Cayman's power level.

I for one needed the extra legroom that a 911 provides since the 911 front seats slide back much further than in a Boxster or in a Cayman. The 911 front seats also recline at a much greater angle. Again, I needed this for comfort. So I would never have bought a Bxoster or a Cayman simply because I would not fit in it without getting cramp. I tried it so I know this.

But these are just my subjective views according to my personal preferences and circumstances - it takes away nothing from the suitability of a Cayman or a Boxster for their respective owners

RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

easy_rider911:

I just wish that the Cayman had received more power without PAG fearing that it would cannibalise 911 sales. Some people would always buy a Cayman over a Carrera whereas others would always prefer a Carrera over a Cayman. I feel PAG missed an opportunity by artificially holding back the Cayman's power level.

Porsche make  a very large profit  on the Cayman, whereas on the Carrera they make an astronomical profit. They wouldn't like to lose a single unit to a lower priced car from their own range.

"Form follows function"

Targa Tim:

I agreed.  Not a people carrier, and not a strong sport car.  Definitely get a base boxster instead of base cayman for open top cruising, or any preowned 911s.

In October we recently took Tim's advice - a 1.5 yr-old C2S PDK was purchased  (from Vancouver as it happens....   )  rather than the Cayman S that we had always assumed would replace our '02 M Coupe.    My wife had final decision as it is her principal car... and her final view on the Cayman was simply -- not enough power to feel truly special.   She felt that the Cayman was less impressive each time she drove one, while the 911 became more impressive with more wheel time... and this impression has continued (at least up to snow-induced garage time).   And buying a 14,000 km edition of most of the 911 models equalizes the price as Tim suggests.  

--
 

2010 Audi S5,  2009 Porsche 911S

I lived with the Cayman S for three years and I generally enjoyed the car, but its conceptual focus was not matched by the necessary performance to justify its lack of versatility.  Once my wife decided she had to have an orange Boxster S I found that we were using her car more and the Cayman S less and less.  OTOH I've put as many miles on my 09 C2S Cab in 18 months as I did in three years in the Cayman. A fully developed Cayman, which the R could have been, would not disturb the 911 sales as it would appeal largely to track oriented buyers. I doubt the GT3 steals too many Cab sales. 

Carpe Diem--life is but a crack of light bounded by eternities of darkness (Nabokov)

I feel like I've gone back in time.... where's Toplad?

wtsnet:

I feel like I've gone back in time.... where's Toplad?

The thought had occured to me as well, but unlike toplad I've chosen to ignore misinformed comments such as "the Cayman is not a proper sports car" etc.  

--
 

Porsche Cayman S PDK Aqua Blue / Ocean Blue  (19 November 10 delivered!!!) : Toyota Yaris D4D (Oct 10) 

I also forgot another thing: In Germany, the Cayman is perceived as some sort of "I-can't-afford-a-911" Porsche, a compromise. This is another reason why the Cayman should get a slightly different look than the Boxster, simply because the Boxster on the other hand is perceived as a woman's Porsche. Which of course doesn't help Cayman sales further.

Prejudice...I know but it still rules the world. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

 I think you're right, RC. I think it's the same here, you like the Cayman but you lust after the 911. And with the Certified Pre Owned program, you can get into a good one just as easily.

The other thing is the legroom -- after the first few hundred meters driving a Cayman, I knew there was simply no way I could live with it. It was my intention to buy another 911 anyway but I thought I'd use the afternoon of car shopping to take the Cayman into the hills and ring it out some so I had a better idea of its capabilities. But there was simply no way I could make my left leg contort enough to work the clutch with any kind of competence so I turned around and took it back.

I'm 6'4" (1.93 meters) so I'm tall but not off the charts. I don't see how anyone over 6 feet could be comfortable in the Cayman. I put a lot of serious seat time in RX-8s and was very comfortable. And that's the great thing about the 911 -- Kareem Abdul Jabbar used to drive one!

"When you design a car around the customer's wishes, you get cup holders. When you design a car around innovative thinking, you get a Porsche."

Carrageous:

The other thing is the legroom -- after the first few hundred meters driving a Cayman, I knew there was simply no way I could live with it. ... But there was simply no way I could make my left leg contort enough to work the clutch with any kind of competence so I turned around and took it back.

I'm 6'4" (1.93 meters) so I'm tall but not off the charts. I don't see how anyone over 6 feet could be comfortable in the Cayman.

+1  I'm 6'3" and experienced the same legroom problem. I drove a Cayman with a short shifter - when I was testing the short shifter - and I just couldn't sit comfortably in it.

RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Carrageous:

The other thing is the legroom -- after the first few hundred meters driving a Cayman, I knew there was simply no way I could live with it. ....  there was simply no way I could make my left leg contort enough to work the clutch with any kind of competence so I turned around and took it back.

I'm 6'4" (1.93 meters) so I'm tall but not off the charts. I don't see how anyone over 6 feet could be comfortable in the Cayman.

My experience with the Boxster is identical.  I am your exact height and cannot remotely enjoy driving a Boxster.   The firewall needs to be at least 5 inches further aft.  After trying to sit in a Cayman, I recognized the same problem with it.  Porsche is located in a country where people of our height are seemingly common.  What data norms do their product planners use for interior dimensions?

One of the reasons I became a fan of Porsche sports cars 40 years ago was because they had interior dimensions that did not require me to become a contortionist to drive them.  They have become more confining in the foot box over the years and when sunroofs came around, went through a period of insufficient head room.  I attended the 2003 Geneva introduction of the Carrera GT and insisted to sit in the display vehicle before I would order one based on Porsche's history of disinterest in tall drivers.  I fit, but without any surplus room.

My Panamera is really quite comfortable for me, so what must Porsche assume about Cayman and Boxster customers?  They are all midgets?

Mike

2005 Carrera GT - Signal Yellow + 2008 Tesla Roadster - Thunder Gray +1972 BMW 3.0 CSi - Nachtblau +2009 Bentley Arnage T - Black Saphire

 Strange, I'm also 1.93 (6'4") and I had no problems with the 986 and 987. Drove a 986.2 Boxster S for more than three years, very comfortable. 

993Targa:

 Strange, I'm also 1.93 (6'4") and I had no problems with the 986 and 987. Drove a 986.2 Boxster S for more than three years, very comfortable. 

 Clearly, your height is not centered in your legs!

"When you design a car around the customer's wishes, you get cup holders. When you design a car around innovative thinking, you get a Porsche."

Exactly, I think it's a combination of being tall but having long legs that does it. Also, some people drive sitting closer to the steering wheel while others like to sit back stretching their legs more. I'm in the latter category.

RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

easy_rider911:

Exactly, I think it's a combination of being tall but having long legs that does it. Also, some people drive sitting closer to the steering wheel while others like to sit back stretching their legs more. I'm in the latter category.

 I do have long legs, but it's more than being merely comfortable.  I would need to develop double-jointed ankles to work the clutch pedal with any dexterity.   My knees are at such an angle that I would need to work the clutch by twisting my ankle sideways, pressing the pedal with outside of my foot.  The clutch really needs to be operated by a pressing motion of the leg, not a twisting motion of the ankle.

In 993, 996, 997, 980, etc., I have no problems at all.

Mike

2005 Carrera GT - Signal Yellow + 2008 Tesla Roadster - Thunder Gray +1972 BMW 3.0 CSi - Nachtblau +2009 Bentley Arnage T - Black Saphire

 I had the same experience. Working the clutch required an insane and inhuman angle of me left knee and ankle. Working the right foot was tight but less so. It was really the left leg that hurt.

I guess PDK would help with that, but not much I'm afraid.

Too bad, because it really felt like it was going to be a fun drive.

D
 

"When you design a car around the customer's wishes, you get cup holders. When you design a car around innovative thinking, you get a Porsche."

Carrageous:

Working the right foot was tight but less so. It was really the left leg that hurt.

My right leg seldom has enough room to either rotate my gas-foot heel down to the right or enough knee room to roll the outside of my right foot over onto the gas to double-clutch downshift with any accuracy.

In my old '74 IROC 911RS, since there was no center console to interfere, I had enough room to play the clutch, brake, and gas like the foot pedals on an organ.  It was great.  Not so much these days.

I resent having to buy aftermarket pedal aids to just work the controls in an ordinary fashion.

Mike

2005 Carrera GT - Signal Yellow + 2008 Tesla Roadster - Thunder Gray +1972 BMW 3.0 CSi - Nachtblau +2009 Bentley Arnage T - Black Saphire