Nearly everyone agrees that the Porsche Cayman/Boxster duo is one of the most dynamic in the industry. It’s not hard to imagine oneself zipping down a country lane behind the wheel of one of these babies.
They embody driving enjoyment in its purest expression. As if said driving enjoyment weren’t already exponential, Porsche has decided to improve its terrible twosome yet again – and reached new summits in the process.
How is it possible, you ask, for Porsche to make such incredible cars even more incredible? This time around, the engineers concentrated on evolution rather than innovation.
The coupe half of the couple, the Cayman, is the type of car that has me grinning like an idiot. When I pocketed my tester’s keys, I knew I had a fantastic week ahead of me. This car, like most of its brethren, has a magnetic appeal. Not a day goes by without a gaggle of admiring onlookers crowding around it, or surprised pedestrians walking backwards to behold it just a little bit longer. I stopped counting the number of thumbs-up I got.
The respect commanded by the car on the outside is that much more understandable when you’re sitting on the inside. Now, driving a Porsche has always required skill. But the recent improvements have made things a lot easier, and the Cayman is readily amenable… well, almost. You can now lend your car to friends without wondering which corner you’ll be finding the drive shaft on.
Revolutionary PDK
On top of the 25 extra ponies, bringing the stable to 320 hp, the big news this year from Porsche concerns the transmission. First introduced on the 911, it’s the Cayman’s turn to inherit it this year. The absolutely incredible PDK sequential transmission democratizes the driving experience.
The dual-clutch concept is well known, but when applied to the Cayman the entire driving mentality changes. But while the advantages are many, the PDK just isn’t as fun. It’s Game Over in terms of manly shifter thrusts and clutch manipulation.
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| The respect commanded by the car on the outside is that much more understandable when you’re sitting on the inside. |
They embody driving enjoyment in its purest expression. As if said driving enjoyment weren’t already exponential, Porsche has decided to improve its terrible twosome yet again – and reached new summits in the process.
How is it possible, you ask, for Porsche to make such incredible cars even more incredible? This time around, the engineers concentrated on evolution rather than innovation.
The coupe half of the couple, the Cayman, is the type of car that has me grinning like an idiot. When I pocketed my tester’s keys, I knew I had a fantastic week ahead of me. This car, like most of its brethren, has a magnetic appeal. Not a day goes by without a gaggle of admiring onlookers crowding around it, or surprised pedestrians walking backwards to behold it just a little bit longer. I stopped counting the number of thumbs-up I got.
The respect commanded by the car on the outside is that much more understandable when you’re sitting on the inside. Now, driving a Porsche has always required skill. But the recent improvements have made things a lot easier, and the Cayman is readily amenable… well, almost. You can now lend your car to friends without wondering which corner you’ll be finding the drive shaft on.
Revolutionary PDK
On top of the 25 extra ponies, bringing the stable to 320 hp, the big news this year from Porsche concerns the transmission. First introduced on the 911, it’s the Cayman’s turn to inherit it this year. The absolutely incredible PDK sequential transmission democratizes the driving experience.
The dual-clutch concept is well known, but when applied to the Cayman the entire driving mentality changes. But while the advantages are many, the PDK just isn’t as fun. It’s Game Over in terms of manly shifter thrusts and clutch manipulation.
 |
| Now, driving a Porsche has always required skill. |