In order to avoid any further speculations about each cars equipment (Suspension, Tyres etc.) here is the complete list from Sport Auto (note: no information about drivers plus all the tests not conducted at the same time of the year - different wheather conditions)
1:13.7 --- 997 S / power-kit / -20mm / PCCB / 19" Pilot S.
1:14.3 --- 997 S / -20mm / brakes ? / 19" Pilot S.
1:15.5 --- Cayman S / PASM Sport-Mode / 18" Pilot S.
1:15.6 --- 997 S / PASM Sport-Mode / 19" Pilot S.
1:15.7 --- Boxster S / PASM Sport-Mode / Tyres ?
No reference in the article for 997 (base-model) but I recall a laptime 1/10 of a second slower than Boxster S.
997 S Powerkit was tested at airtemp. 10* C, tracktemp. 14* C, Cayman S at airtemp. 8* C, tracktemp. 10* C.
Sport Auto has been most impressed by the performance advantage the -20mm/LSD set-up provides compared to the PASM-eqipped 997 S (1.3 sec. advantage). Powerkit + PCCB makes another 0.6 sec. advantage.
Sport-Auto's conclusion: if money no object and if you go only "with your heart and your ears" (PSE) take the top model of the current 997-line (997 S + Powerkit + 20mm/LSD + PCCB), if you take money into the balance, go for Cayman S.
List prices (German prices incl. VAT) - base price vs. testcar-price (incl. options- in brackets):
997 S powerkit/-20 mm / PCCB / 19" 99,013 Eur (121,558)
Cayman S / PASM / 18" 58,529 Eur (72,635)
Further data about the two tested cars:
Weight (incl. fuel) 997 S powerkit / Cayman S
1474 kg / 1410 kg
Weight distribution 997 S powerkit / Cayman S
38.7%/61.3% - 46.7%/53.3%
Slalom (18 m) both cars at exactly same max. speed (69.6 km/h)
Further comments (maybe interesting for the "Boxster with a roof discussion"
): no big performance difference between Boxster S and Cayman S (as shown by the laptimes at HHR), the additional HP and torque of the Cayman make some difference at high speed Autobahn rides only.
Let me add one personal comment as someone who is not interested in the Cayman S vs. 997 war (I'll stick to my 987 S order
) : all the PASM-equipped cars (may it be 997, Cayman S or Boxster S) are very close IMO in terms of laptimes at a rather short and technical track like HHR (Kleiner Kurs), which shows that all the cars are really great in the handling department - so there is really no reason to flame each other
Also it's not a miracle that the better engined Porsches always will have an advantage at a long "natural" track like Nordschleife with some high speed stretches.
I have to say that I am very much impressed about the advantages of the -20mm/LSD set-up (compared to the PASM) and would like to see what this set-up could do in the Boxster S or Cayman S (unfortunately not available
)
Always interesting to see the tests in Sport-Auto (at least more reliable than other german carmags IMO) but at the end of the day the personal decision always should be based on your individual feel-good factor regarding perceived drive-feel and wallet-thickness (the latter only applying to poor guys like myself
) rather than HHR-laptimes.
Cheers to all of you Porsche-nuts
I wish a -20mm sport suspension with LSD was an option on the Cayman like the Euro 997S...
