What this all means is that the combo of more gears and more power make for a faster more enjoyable car to drive. The « base » Cayman is actually quite quick with a not-to-sixty sprint of 5.7 seconds. The beauty is that the transmission is so efficient at switching cogs that the car feels even faster. There is however, a downside: The controls for the box. You see, instead of calling upon the services of well know paddles behind the wheel or on the column, Porsche has decided to continue with the double-duty wheel-mounted buttons (pushing forward upshifts and pushing back does the opposite).
The problem with the Cayman
According to Porsche, the reason for the « buttons » and not paddles is for existing Porsche owners. Having worked with the Tiptronic controls for a number of years, the good Dr. wanted to avoid alienating its faithful followers. I say rubbish! The well established trend across the industry is a downshift paddle on the left and an upshift paddle on the right.
Even after 3 days behind the wheel, I still found myself reaching behind the steering-wheel on the right side for an upshift. Obviously, I got the opposite. Moving along, I also noticed that the automated throttle blip on downshift sometimes required a few more revs. I therefore made a habit of tapping the go-pedal myself which smoothened out the whole process. Otherwise, the car is perfect.
Daily driver
The Cayman really can be driven on a daily basis. Its cockpit is accommodating enough for 2 adults and a fair amount of gear thanks to its dual trunks. Fit and finish are impressive although do not expect a quiet cabin; the engine is in there with you however you will not need to shout during the course of a conversation unless you put the pedal to the metal.
The Cayman's ride is firm, no doubt, but when mated to telepathic steering and strong and progressive brakes, the whole experience translates into a car that is infinitely manoeuvrable, stable and incredibly competent.
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| Its cockpit is accommodating enough for 2 adults and a fair amount of gear thanks to its dual trunks. |
The problem with the Cayman
According to Porsche, the reason for the « buttons » and not paddles is for existing Porsche owners. Having worked with the Tiptronic controls for a number of years, the good Dr. wanted to avoid alienating its faithful followers. I say rubbish! The well established trend across the industry is a downshift paddle on the left and an upshift paddle on the right.
Even after 3 days behind the wheel, I still found myself reaching behind the steering-wheel on the right side for an upshift. Obviously, I got the opposite. Moving along, I also noticed that the automated throttle blip on downshift sometimes required a few more revs. I therefore made a habit of tapping the go-pedal myself which smoothened out the whole process. Otherwise, the car is perfect.
Daily driver
The Cayman really can be driven on a daily basis. Its cockpit is accommodating enough for 2 adults and a fair amount of gear thanks to its dual trunks. Fit and finish are impressive although do not expect a quiet cabin; the engine is in there with you however you will not need to shout during the course of a conversation unless you put the pedal to the metal.
The Cayman's ride is firm, no doubt, but when mated to telepathic steering and strong and progressive brakes, the whole experience translates into a car that is infinitely manoeuvrable, stable and incredibly competent.
 |
| A fair amount of gear thanks to its dual trunks. |