Nissan GT-R, Genesis R-Spec, Volvo R-Design, Jaguar XKR, Integra Type R, Mercedes SLR, Golf R, Audi TT RS; the list goes on and on. Why is "R" so rad? Because race car. All kidding aside, "R" is equal to yesterday's GT and SS. In fact and in some cases, it's more because GT is emphasized by an "R". So was SS at one time but that's not a good example...
Porsche is no new-comer to the "R" fad. One of the most famous and sought-after 911s is the early-seventies Carrera RS. RS typically stands for Rennsport which translates into racing or even motorsports. R is race (now the link makes total sense) for most makes and I believe that the correlation is easy enough to make when it comes to the 2012 Porsche Cayman R.
The 2012 Porsche Cayman R is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best driving car under $100,000. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com)
You may recall the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder and how good it was. If not, check out our video review of the Boxter Spyder... Everything that made this car blissfully good has been transmitted to the Cayman with a few differences; one subtle, the other obvious.
Hot weight loss
If you can't figure out the obvious one, think fixed ceiling... The Cayman R, my Cayman R (I wish) was draped in Peridot; while no one seems certain as to how to pronounce the word, what I am convinced of is that this shade of green is the finest colour the car can be painted in. With 19" Boxster Spyder wheels, a 20mm lower ride height, fixed raised rear spoiler and various black and blacked-out exterior features, the R is all that and a sack of potato chips.
As with the Spyder, weight reduction is key for the Cayman R. Down 55 kg (121 lbs), the R makes do without fancy items such as interior door handles, A/C, adjustable seats and radio. By doing so, the Cayman R redefines purity of purpose. The handles are replaced by material door pulls, the seats are fixed-back lightweight carbon-fibre drool inducing gaga-worthy units fit for any real race car, while audio and A/C are optional, unfortunately. Unfortunately, because my tester had both. Unfortunate audio-wise, because it added needless grams to the weight of the car, and unfortunate because it was off for the entire week.
Nissan GT-R, Genesis R-Spec, Volvo R-Design, Jaguar XKR, Integra Type R, Mercedes SLR, Golf R, Audi TT RS; the list goes on and on. Why is "R" so rad? Because race car. All kidding aside, "R" is equal to yesterday's GT and SS. In fact and in some cases, it's more because GT is emphasized by an "R". So was SS at one time but that's not a good example...
