To the automotive aficionado, there’s no better layout than
the tried and proven mid-engine, rear-wheel driven (MR) sports car. In a market
filled with coupes and cabriolets possessing the above, Porsche’s all-new Cayman
stands a head above the rest, when it comes to the total package.
To put things into perspective, the second generation Cayman
shares it’s underpinnings with the third generation Boxster. It’s a no brainer,
as both cars were developed alongside one another, with the latter being a drop
top and the former, a pure coupe.
With 275 horses
and 290Nm of torque at your right foot's calling, the Cayman will leave a trail
of burnt marks on the tarmac from the word go
Character lines on the new Posh are now deeper and sharper,
giving the Cayman an aggressive poise and a racier feel. Weighing just a little
over 1.3 tonnes, the new car is also 47kg lighter and 33mm longer than its
predecessor all thanks to Porsche’s extensive weight reducing excursion on the
Cayman’s bodywork.
The Cayman also gets the Boxster’s muscular stance and
superb dynamics, making this Posh one of the most striking in the MR cars in
its class. However there are a few minor differences that set apart the Cayman
from the Boxster, these include rounder front headlamps with DRLs, a rear
spoiler that has been built into the Cayman’s rear boot lid (similar to the one
you see in the Audi TT) and be deployed automatically or on the driver’s whim.
The spoiler has a lot more aggressive angle than the one found on the Boxster.
Climbing in, Porsche gone the extra mile to make the
Cayman’s cabin that much more inviting. The signature Carrera GT-ish centre
console makes another appearance here. The heavily contoured electric bucket
seats that come with the Cayman provide an excellent balance between comfort
and proper support especially when the driver decides to give the Porsche a
thorough workout.
Ergonomic design
and overall quality are excellent and there's ample room for two adults here
Sitting in the driver’s seat, you cannot help but feel one
with the Cayman - visibility, steering reach, seating position and even pedal
placement/feel are spot-on. It’s the cohesion of these rather minor highlights
of the Cayman that actually come together for an utterly involving drive, which
would even shame a few other supercars.
Thanks to the engine being placed right smack in the centre
of the Cayman, you get storage options upfront and in the boot as well without
any reduction in cabin space.
On the streets, the Cayman is just pure heaven. At low revs,
the Porsche accelerates with such urgency and linearity, that’s not a moment
where the driver will be left hanging. Push the Posh further up into the mid
and high rpms and that s when the car really comes into its own.
18-inch wheels
come standard for the Cayman with an option of upsizing them to 19s
Power delivery is instantaneous, over-taking at any gear/rpm
is a piece of cake – just step on the throttle, the Posh will knock down a
couple of gears, surging the tacho needle into the sweet spot and rocket the
Cayman to the century mark in just 5.6 seconds complimented by the distinctive
bassy rumble of a flat-six 2.7-litre engine which cranks out 275bhp and 290Nm
of torque.
Porsche’s trademark dual-clutch gearbox; the PDK
transmission also has a huge role in making the Cayman such a joy to blast
around in. Shifting up or down takes mere milliseconds and is done with such
fluidity, you never feel the gear changes nor even have the urge to switch it
to manual mode.
Speaking of modes, the Cayman packs a Sports mode as
standard now as well. Hitting the button will increase throttle response, the
PDK will hold the gears for a little longer and the exhaust becomes a lot more
free-flowing.
If the 150 litres
of front cargo space (above) isn't enough for storage, there's still 162 litres
of space at the rear
Part of that engaging experience has to do with the Cayman’s
adoption of Porsche’s electro-mechanical steering, which livens up the car’s
response to steering inputs and feedback to almost organic levels – hence why
we mentioned, you feel one with the car.
Thus, the Cayman has come into its own, no longer referred
to as the poor man’s 911, what it lacks for in pure brute strength it more than
makes up for in driving dynamics. The Porsche is a car that just needs to be
experienced to fully appreciate the extent of its capabilities.
