2006 Porsche Cayman S Preview

A Lot More than a Boxster with a Fixed Roof

It's a rare occasion that an entirely new Porsche gets introduced, and the new Cayman S looks worthy of the legendary nameplate.

The new Porsche Cayman S looks worthy of the legendary nameplate. (Photo: Porsche Cars North America)

The high-performance, mid-engine sports coupe bridges a gap between the legendary rear-engine 911 and the ideally balanced Boxster roadster.

But is it really all new? The Cayman's familiar styling details don't come by accident, confirming rumors that Porsche has indeed been developing a "fixed head" version of the Boxster. But the new coupe is much more than merely a Boxster with a metal roof; it is also a faster, smarter and more advanced sports car, furthering Porsche's dominant position in a highly competitive market segment.

The new Cayman S features an updated boxer engine, developed from the horizontally-opposed six-cylinder found in the Boxster S. Aside from having an increased

The Cayman is much more than merely a Boxster with a metal roof; it is also a faster, smarter and more advanced sports car. (Photo: Porsche Cars North America)

displacement from 3.2 to 3.4 liters, the engine also gains the automaker's VarioCam Plus system, Porsche's take on variable valve timing and variable camshaft intake. This technology, once exclusive to top end Porsches, will be available on the mid-level Cayman S.

The larger, more advanced engine is capable of producing 295 horsepower, while peak torque is a heady 250 lb-ft produced between 4,400 and 6,000 rpm, a 14 lb-ft increase over the regular Boxster S. Porsche claims that with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the Cayman S can attain a top speed of 275 km/h, after bypassing 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds.