Road Test: Porsche Cayman S

[NFS4]

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/P/porsche/cayman-s-05-/index-intro.html

Perceived wisdom suggests that this new Porsche Cayman S should not be a success. Two-seat coupes are almost as thin on the ground as two-door MPVs (the defunct Renault Avantime, for all you lovers of automotive curiosities) ? and for good reason. People who are prepared to put up with the impracticalities of having just two seats are usually motivated by an irresistible urge to look good in public. But how good you look is irrelevant if people can?t see you ? which is why almost all two-seaters, exotic supercars aside, are also convertibles.

Likewise, those prepared to put up with having a fixed roof over their heads also want something extra, in the form of rear seats ? even if they are little more than vestigial as in, say, the Audi TT. Until now, only the Nissan 350Z coupe has seriously bucked this trend.

In Porsche terms, the Cayman S appears to offer the worst of both worlds, lacking both the open-air appeal of the Boxster and the practicality of 911 Carrera. Then again, appearances can be deceptive.

At its core, the Cayman S is the Boxster coupe it appears to be, sharing the same wheelbase and with over half its componentry common to either the Boxster or 911. Conceptually, however, its job is to fill the gap in Porsche?s sportscar range between these two icons. At £43,930 it is £5210 more expensive than the Boxster S, but a substantial £14,450 less than the most affordable 911.

Mechanically, it splits the difference more precisely, with a 3.4-litre version of Porsche?s legendary flat six motor squeezing in between the 3.2 used by the Boxster and the 3.6 deployed by the 911 Carrera.

The fact that the car is called the Cayman ?S? suggests that a yet more affordable, less powerful Cayman is lurking in the shadows. Porsche is coy on the subject, but there?s no doubt at all that a standard Cayman is being prepared, probably for launch in 2007, with power from a sub-3-litre version of the engine and a price tag placing it between the Boxster and Boxster S, at around £35,000.

 

[Koenigsegg]

Still will be seen as the poor man's Carrera.

 

[Shyatic]

I'll wait for the non-S version and maybe get it... but who knows. I think the car is great, it's just idiocy to introduce it given the nature of the Boxster. And besides.. it costs MORE than the Boxster S. I don't get it

 

[Warthog912]

looks a little.... wierd.

Oh well, I'd take one (if I could sneak it into my budget)

 

[Viper GTS]

I'm not a huge Porsche fan, never cared much for the 911's but this is gorgeous.

Viper GTS

 

[DaTT]

Not a huge fan of Porsche....except the Carrera GT of course, but who isn't a sucker for supercars?

 

[Apex]

Great vehicle. I can't wait for head to head tests with the 911.

I still think that it's a bit bizarre that it costs so much more than the Boxster S.

 

[CtK]

this is the few times i think a nice rear wing will make this car look a lot better

 

[thirdeye]

I LOVE this car.

 

[Tylanner]

i dont like the center exiting exhaust

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Tylanner
i dont like the center exiting exhaust

i hate that

 

[ElFenix]

bitching about the lack of a rear seat is stupid. the ones in the 911 are little more than a nicely upholstered parcel shelf. what's the use of a seat if no one can get in there anyway? i'd rather not have them as they look stupid and add weight (seen the seats in the SC430? that's what i'm talking about)

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
bitching about the lack of a rear seat is stupid. the ones in the 911 are little more than a nicely upholstered parcel shelf. what's the use of a seat if no one can get in there anyway? i'd rather not have them as they look stupid and add weight (seen the seats in the SC430? that's what i'm talking about)

Speaking of which, are there any mid-engined vehicles with 4 seats?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: ElFenix
bitching about the lack of a rear seat is stupid. the ones in the 911 are little more than a nicely upholstered parcel shelf. what's the use of a seat if no one can get in there anyway? i'd rather not have them as they look stupid and add weight (seen the seats in the SC430? that's what i'm talking about)

Speaking of which, are there any mid-engined vehicles with 4 seats?

toyota previa, aka the egg van