Porsche Cayman
Even
at entry-level, Porsche's latest coupe, the Cayman S, has
all the right ingredients of a proper sportscar...
What's
New
When Porsche decided to make an entry-level coupe to sit
below the 911, the idea was simple. The German automaker
would use the Boxster's platform, give it a fixed roof and
some cosmetic enhancements. The engine would get a little
more power than the Boxster S to justify its higher market
positioning over the roadster, while the suspension would
be tweaked to give the Cayman its own characteristics.
According
to Porsche, the end result was a car so dissimilar to either
the Boxster or 911 that it warranted its own name rather
than simply calling it a "Boxster Coupe".
Porsche
named it Cayman - after a type of crocodile that's smaller
in size than the most of its kind, but is known for its
superb agility, strength and hunting prowess.
Although
the Cayman's 295bhp 3.4-litre six-cylinder power unit shares
some components with the Boxster and 911, it also has its
own bespoke items such as the crankshaft. Two kinds of transmissions
are available, a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic
known as Tiptronic S, and only one variant, the Cayman S,
is currently available.
How
it Performs
The engine is surprisingly muffled at idle, punctuated by
a lumpy growl. It revs willingly and power delivery is linear
compared to the 911 and Boxster, and gets more animated
higher up the rev band. It uses Porsche's VarioCam Plus
variable valve timing system that used to be exclusive to
the 911, and apparently offers excellent fuel economy and
a powerful mid to high rev performance.
The
effects of this technology can be felt when the engine hits
5,000rpm. There's an extra surge of power that catapults
the car forward with the engine note becoming louder and
sharper. Listen carefully, and you'll hear a loud air-induction
noise somewhere in there.
The
Cayman S we drove had the Tiptronic S gearbox which is similar
to the unit found in the Boxster except that Porsche has
given it a new software and hydraulic system. The gearshift
action is smooth and flawless, and the pair of toggles on
the steering wheel allows the driver to change ratios manually.
Winding
roads are the Cayman's natural habitat. It enters a corner
with non-existent body-roll, while the communicative steering
is quick and accurate, too. There's plenty of grip whatever
the weather condition and it's never a handful when either
the front or rear begin to loose grip if you happen to carry
too much speed into a corner.
Our
test car was also fitted with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension
Management). In the standard setting, the Cayman suspension
is firm, but manages to soak up all kinds of undulations
well. In sport mode however, PASM stiffens the dampers,
improving high-speed stability and steering response. In
the latter mode, the engine also pulls up to 7,000rpm instead
of 6,300rpm when PASM is set to 'normal'.
How
it Stacks Up
At $303,888 with COE, the Cayman S has four airbags, climate
control, 18-inch alloy wheels, HID (High-Intensity Discharge)
headlights Bose sound system and the five-speed Tiptronic
S gearbox.
When
the Cayman was conceived, the Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 and
BMW Z4 3.0 were used as benchmarks. However, without driving
all the three cars back to back it's unfair to make any
judgement with regard to which is the best of the trio.
Then
again, there's one thing that we do know. The Cayman has
left us with the widest smile on our faces and it stayed
that way for the longest time.
| Technical Specifications |
|
MODEL
Porsche Cayman S Tiptronic S
ENGINE
Engine: 3,387cc horizontally-opposed 6
Max Power: 295bhp at 6,250rpm
Max Torque: 340Nm at 4,400 to 6,000rpm
TRANSMISSION
5-speed automatic
TOP SPEED
267 kmh
0-100km/h
6.1s
|
