Let's pretend that it is easy to be impartial in any walk of life. If you are attending an event where a friend or a family member is competing, is it possible to cheer on the opponent? It would seem wrong wouldn't it? When Tiger Woods steps into the tee-box, do you not want him to seriously slug the heck out of the ball every time? The point I'm attempting to get at is that we all have favourites. In autodom, Porsche is undeniably a darling.
Therefore, how can one criticize a Porsche? Anyone that has had the opportunity to drive one at length will tell you that the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG makes impressive mile-munching machines. Before I begin my evaluation of the Cayman, I must say that it happens to be one of my all-time favourite cars. Therefore, how can I criticize this Porsche?
Track ready
My first experience with a Cayman, a 6-speed manual S, had me tackling the incredible Circuit du Mont-Tremblant track. Needless to say, it blew my mind. The natural balance and neutrality of the chassis allowed me to carry prodigious speed through turns 1, 2 and 3 where many people lift off the throttle and even brake. The slick-shifting 6-speed and mild clutch action permitted flawless heel-toeing and what can I say about the delicious flat-6? It is fabulous!
This was back in the summer of 2008. Since then, the Cayman (and Boxster) have received a large number of changes that have matured the car. Other than new front and rear-end treatments, it's what is beneath the enticing sheetmetal that is really noteworthy.
More cubes and more gears
My « base » Cayman sports a new 2.9L flat six that produces 265 hp. This is up from the previous 2.7L that generated 245 hp. The S meanwhile maintains its 3.4L H6 configuration, however hp has been bumped to 320 from 295. The other story is the demised of the 5-speed Tiptronic automatic box for a long-awaited automated manual gearbox. Called the Porsche Doppelkupplung or PDK, the twin-clutch setup works as follows: Clutch 1 controls the odd gears (1, 3, 5, 7) and reverse while clutch 2 controls the even gears (2, 4, 6). A 6-speed manual gearbox remains standard.
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| With a base price of « only » $65,300, the Cayman is nearly $5,000 cheaper than an M3 Sedan. |
Therefore, how can one criticize a Porsche? Anyone that has had the opportunity to drive one at length will tell you that the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG makes impressive mile-munching machines. Before I begin my evaluation of the Cayman, I must say that it happens to be one of my all-time favourite cars. Therefore, how can I criticize this Porsche?
Track ready
My first experience with a Cayman, a 6-speed manual S, had me tackling the incredible Circuit du Mont-Tremblant track. Needless to say, it blew my mind. The natural balance and neutrality of the chassis allowed me to carry prodigious speed through turns 1, 2 and 3 where many people lift off the throttle and even brake. The slick-shifting 6-speed and mild clutch action permitted flawless heel-toeing and what can I say about the delicious flat-6? It is fabulous!
This was back in the summer of 2008. Since then, the Cayman (and Boxster) have received a large number of changes that have matured the car. Other than new front and rear-end treatments, it's what is beneath the enticing sheetmetal that is really noteworthy.
More cubes and more gears
My « base » Cayman sports a new 2.9L flat six that produces 265 hp. This is up from the previous 2.7L that generated 245 hp. The S meanwhile maintains its 3.4L H6 configuration, however hp has been bumped to 320 from 295. The other story is the demised of the 5-speed Tiptronic automatic box for a long-awaited automated manual gearbox. Called the Porsche Doppelkupplung or PDK, the twin-clutch setup works as follows: Clutch 1 controls the odd gears (1, 3, 5, 7) and reverse while clutch 2 controls the even gears (2, 4, 6). A 6-speed manual gearbox remains standard.
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| My « base » Cayman sports a new 2.9L flat six that produces 265 hp. |