TEE:
missed opportunity...
I agree. A lightweight rear hatch would have saved quite a few kg and more improtantly, lowered the C of G. And most owners are bound to put kg back on with aircon and radio.
I'll reserve judgement until I try one but I suspect it could be a compromised road car whilst not really hardcore enough for the track. The best Cayman is still probably an S with good aftermarket suspension/wheel upgrades and as many/few comforts you desire.
Nov 17, 2010 1:10:22 PM
Nov 17, 2010 1:27:59 PM
easy_rider911:
IMvHO the Cayman needs more power for these special editions to be really special
I cannot see why Porsche are afraid to raise the performance of the Cayman to the 3.6 997 level. I don't think any base Carrera buyer would migrate to Cayman even if the ME car offered slightly better times. Porsche don't sell many base Carrera models anyway but they could attract younger buyers to the Cayman.
In the 80s the 944 Turbo performed as well as the contemporary 911 without cannibalizing sales. If anything it was the cheaper car that was discontinued.
"Form follows function"
reginos:
easy_rider911:
IMvHO the Cayman needs more power for these special editions to be really special
I cannot see why Porsche are afraid to raise the performance of the Cayman to the 3.6 997 level. I
I think you will find that the performance of the existing Cayman S DFI is already the same as 997 3.6
Porsche Cayman S PDK Aqua Blue / Ocean Blue (November 10 delivery) : Toyota Yaris D4D (Oct 10)
dreamcar:
reginos:
easy_rider911:
IMvHO the Cayman needs more power for these special editions to be really special
I cannot see why Porsche are afraid to raise the performance of the Cayman to the 3.6 997 level. I
I think you will find that the performance of the existing Cayman S DFI is already the same as 997 3.6
Sorry, what I meant is increase the power output to base 997 levels which would result in better times for the Cayman.
Base Carrera buyers, who prefer the shape, heritage, more spacious cabin of the 911, still wouldn't be tempted to the Cayman IMO. In this way Porsche would sell roughly the same base 997s but many more Cayman. In conclusion the Cayman R should get the 3.6 engine in order to have serious credibility.
"Form follows function"
Nov 17, 2010 4:42:25 PM
Obviously they could have done more to develop the model into a more potent track oriented offering, and it would seem that much less thought and effort was put into the Cayman R than into the Boxster Spyder. I agree that a 340-345HP engine would result in very solid performance w/o really treading on 911 toes.
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Carpe Diem--life is but a crack of light bounded by eternities of darkness (Nabokov)
Nov 17, 2010 7:36:50 PM
I rather like it. Yes, it could have been more radical, but I think for a road offering it's a good compromise. Should be a blast to drive - essentially a lighter, stiffer, slightly more powerful Spyder. Like the colour, too.
IMO, they should have offered an optional Clubsport pack in the same way as they do on GT3s, though.. Then the track junkies could use it as a good base.
2007 987S, KW v3 1964 Type 1
Nov 17, 2010 9:17:34 PM
Nov 17, 2010 10:43:36 PM
Meh.
Other than the wing, I don't see much functional difference. I like the Cayman but I'd like to see this be to a Cayman what a GT3 is to a 911. A real enthusiast's choice, a track day screamer.
What I don't get about the Cayman is the lack of legroom. I'm 6'4" and have always loved Porsches because big guys can be comfortable. In a Cayman, I've got plenty of head and elbow room but no legroom. None. I drove it about half a mile before I turned around and took it back to the dealer. I had to perform extraordinarily inhuman feats of knee geometry to work the clutch.
I can drive any Japanese sports car, so what's up with a Cayman that has less legroom than a Mazda?
"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."
Nov 17, 2010 11:49:51 PM
Nov 17, 2010 11:52:02 PM
As others already posted, all these special editions are "special" mainly to boost sales at the end of a cycle. What I'm really interested in is the choice of color; that hue of green looks like a matchbox car I had in the 70's. Along with the door graphics, is that a sign of the decade we are revisiting next??
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2008 Boxster S
Nov 18, 2010 3:41:09 AM
indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine.. I happen to like both :)
TEE:
missed opportunity...
My thoughts exactly.
Yeahhhhh....4.7 seconds from 0-100 kph with PDK...my truck achieves the same time.
Seriously: I get the idea behind the "R" concept but the execution...
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW
I wish they made 981 Cayman/Boxster R or GT or WhateverEdition with a short stroke Mezger,let's say 3.4,since GT3 is getting 4.0l engine now
Priced the same as basic Carrera 991 it would appeal to an alltogether different public
Doubt it will ever happen though