Like the matrons of a Southern town cramming an up-and-coming debutante into a suitable dress before the dance, it's easy to imagine a room full of fretting German engineers trying to fit the 2007 Porsche Cayman coupe, a triumph of design and performance, into a particular price range.
"Not too much to upset the Cayman S or its famous older sibling the 911," says Wolfgang.
"But not so modest as to intrude on little Boxster," adds Lars.
A premium plastic part here, a cheap stereo there and, for good measure, several fewer horses under the hood — and voilà! — a triumph of design and engineering for close to $50 grand. And most importantly, the Porsche family remains intact with no hard feelings when they gather at the dealership.
Meaning this little baby might not be the belle of the ball, but stands firmly as a lovely creature all on its own. In fact, in the bid to temper the ferocity of the beast, the masters at Porsche may have stumbled upon a delightful compromise perhaps more enjoyable than the beefier, pricier offerings nearby.
Sure, you could point out some flaws in this beauty. But to point out her flaws perhaps only exposes those that exist in yourself.
In da (Porsche) club
So hop in, newbie. Resist the urge to simply buy more for the sake of it. Take that key in your left hand and fire this beauty up.
The Cayman idles quietly at around 48 decibels (about 10 times quieter than a vacuum cleaner), but with a dash of deep bass tossed in for what must be marketing purposes. Interior materials are molded and sewed into dark, sleek shapes and contours. Upon closer inspection, it's not the best leather, carpet or plastic on Earth, but it does the job of conveying a sense of tasteful décor.
Seats cradle the driver and passenger and keep things stable and comfortable whether stuck on a stretch of I-80 through Nebraska or a suicidal orbit of a cloverleaf on-ramp. And despite the emphasis on performance, there's plenty of room for a well-thought-out trip to the grocery store.
$10,000 a second
But, you didn't come here for the ambience. Although sitting for a minute or two in the driveway isn't a horrible way to spend some spare time.
Fighting out of local traffic and goosing the Cayman's horizontally opposed 2.7-liter six the first few times, it's obvious this is no power beast. There are acres of grip to play around with, so feel free to experiment. But forget mind-bending acceleration; this is more a fanciful trip through the five speeds with time to stop and smell the petrol burning — and watch your tires warm up via the "real-time" tire-pressure headquarters featured on the Cayman's multifunction trip computer.
For as much work went into "right-sizing" the Cayman's price and power, nothing rivals the lengths engineers must have gone to nail the note produced by the stainless-steel exhaust system at full bore — and expect to rocket through a few more shifts than necessary to repeat the performance.
The engine is shared with its topless brother, the Porsche Boxster, and features VarioCam, a variable valve timing system in concert with a dual-chamber intake. Output is 245 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and a flat torque band topping at 201 pound-feet from 4,600-6,000 rpm.
With a dual-mass flywheel dictating the action, power delivery is smooth and consistent to the rear wheels with nary a screech or sag. Aside from this particular car's tendency to shift itself from neutral to 4th when hanging around in the middle of the tree, the transmission asserts a strong personality in that it doesn't present you with any flakiness to contend with.
All told, despite a 50-horse and 50-lb-ft drop from the Cayman S, the base Cayman adds only 0.8 second to the 5.0-second 0-60-mph time of its 3.4-liter brother. But it costs $9,500 less. That's time well spent.
Handle without care
While counting the money saved is nice, it's when the Cayman is loaded on the scales that its brilliance finally shines through with hard numbers.
Thanks to its midengine mindset, the Cayman spreads its weight better than a nervous fat man on a half-frozen pond. On each side, only 100 pounds separate front and rear tires on this 2,986-pound vehicle, replicating the approximate physics of a circa-2002 Mario Kart. It's a dangerous statement, but it needs to be said: You don't really need to know what you're doing in the Cayman to have a good time.
Our model shined even without the ballyhooed Porsche active suspension management (PASM), which adds at least $2,680 as part of a six-speed package. Handling was superior in every situation, evidence of a brilliant tuning of spring rates along with the MacPherson strut suspension and stabilizer bars fore and aft.
We flew through the 600-foot slalom at 70.2 mph, with an easily defined limit, confident manner and enough sizzle to impress the cones. On the skid pad the predictable Cayman pulled 0.93g.
Refined, with an eye on budget
The base Cayman comes standard with 17-inch 205/55Zs in front and 235/50Zs in back, both on alloy wheels. Our model, however, which stickered for $52,235, came with 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sports measuring 235/40Z and 265/40Z — a $1,235 option not listed on our sticker.
Caymans also feature 11.7-inch rotors in front and 11.8-inch rotors in back, both with four-piston calipers throwing cold water on the situation whenever you need, pulling a stop from 60 mph in just 112 feet. Steering is exceptionally sharp, cutting the precise course you want the moment you choose it, while almost magically transmitting the level of feedback desired for the situation thanks to a variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering system.
In terms of safety equipment, Cayman offers a galvanized body shell supported by a high-strength steel-enhanced frame, six-airbag system and an alphabet soup of electronic systems from antilock brakes to stability control and active brake differential.
Picky, picky
Interestingly, the ABD system appears to be an attempt to manipulate the Cayman's impressive grip to skimp on a real limited-slip differential system. Essentially, Porsche is using the rear brakes to perform the task, utilizing an electronic system as opposed to including the more common differential hardware. Most won't notice, but there is a delay between when one rear wheel starts spinning and when the system intervenes. Nitpicky, but notable.
The only place where Cayman insults the owner with economy is in the stereo department. This sad-sack four-speaker AM/FM/CD just doesn't fit with the quality of this vehicle.
Square dance
Today, the Cayman stands as a moment-of-Zen breath of quiet beauty amid a sea of excess, background noise and wanna-bes. She's a nod to modesty, a doff of the cap to value. Forget the empty pursuit of speed at all costs. Perhaps the answer isn't always more.
Take the abuse from the 911s and Cayman Ss of the world, knowing you have plenty of performance and nearly five figures more cash in hand. Not to mention, ratings of 23 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway and consistent averages in the mid-20s in our test.
Nice job, Wolfy. Well done, Lars.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
"Not too much to upset the Cayman S or its famous older sibling the 911," says Wolfgang.
"But not so modest as to intrude on little Boxster," adds Lars.
A premium plastic part here, a cheap stereo there and, for good measure, several fewer horses under the hood — and voilà! — a triumph of design and engineering for close to $50 grand. And most importantly, the Porsche family remains intact with no hard feelings when they gather at the dealership.
Meaning this little baby might not be the belle of the ball, but stands firmly as a lovely creature all on its own. In fact, in the bid to temper the ferocity of the beast, the masters at Porsche may have stumbled upon a delightful compromise perhaps more enjoyable than the beefier, pricier offerings nearby.
Sure, you could point out some flaws in this beauty. But to point out her flaws perhaps only exposes those that exist in yourself.
In da (Porsche) club
So hop in, newbie. Resist the urge to simply buy more for the sake of it. Take that key in your left hand and fire this beauty up.
The Cayman idles quietly at around 48 decibels (about 10 times quieter than a vacuum cleaner), but with a dash of deep bass tossed in for what must be marketing purposes. Interior materials are molded and sewed into dark, sleek shapes and contours. Upon closer inspection, it's not the best leather, carpet or plastic on Earth, but it does the job of conveying a sense of tasteful décor.
Seats cradle the driver and passenger and keep things stable and comfortable whether stuck on a stretch of I-80 through Nebraska or a suicidal orbit of a cloverleaf on-ramp. And despite the emphasis on performance, there's plenty of room for a well-thought-out trip to the grocery store.
$10,000 a second
But, you didn't come here for the ambience. Although sitting for a minute or two in the driveway isn't a horrible way to spend some spare time.
Fighting out of local traffic and goosing the Cayman's horizontally opposed 2.7-liter six the first few times, it's obvious this is no power beast. There are acres of grip to play around with, so feel free to experiment. But forget mind-bending acceleration; this is more a fanciful trip through the five speeds with time to stop and smell the petrol burning — and watch your tires warm up via the "real-time" tire-pressure headquarters featured on the Cayman's multifunction trip computer.
For as much work went into "right-sizing" the Cayman's price and power, nothing rivals the lengths engineers must have gone to nail the note produced by the stainless-steel exhaust system at full bore — and expect to rocket through a few more shifts than necessary to repeat the performance.
The engine is shared with its topless brother, the Porsche Boxster, and features VarioCam, a variable valve timing system in concert with a dual-chamber intake. Output is 245 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and a flat torque band topping at 201 pound-feet from 4,600-6,000 rpm.
With a dual-mass flywheel dictating the action, power delivery is smooth and consistent to the rear wheels with nary a screech or sag. Aside from this particular car's tendency to shift itself from neutral to 4th when hanging around in the middle of the tree, the transmission asserts a strong personality in that it doesn't present you with any flakiness to contend with.
All told, despite a 50-horse and 50-lb-ft drop from the Cayman S, the base Cayman adds only 0.8 second to the 5.0-second 0-60-mph time of its 3.4-liter brother. But it costs $9,500 less. That's time well spent.
Handle without care
While counting the money saved is nice, it's when the Cayman is loaded on the scales that its brilliance finally shines through with hard numbers.
Thanks to its midengine mindset, the Cayman spreads its weight better than a nervous fat man on a half-frozen pond. On each side, only 100 pounds separate front and rear tires on this 2,986-pound vehicle, replicating the approximate physics of a circa-2002 Mario Kart. It's a dangerous statement, but it needs to be said: You don't really need to know what you're doing in the Cayman to have a good time.
Our model shined even without the ballyhooed Porsche active suspension management (PASM), which adds at least $2,680 as part of a six-speed package. Handling was superior in every situation, evidence of a brilliant tuning of spring rates along with the MacPherson strut suspension and stabilizer bars fore and aft.
We flew through the 600-foot slalom at 70.2 mph, with an easily defined limit, confident manner and enough sizzle to impress the cones. On the skid pad the predictable Cayman pulled 0.93g.
Refined, with an eye on budget
The base Cayman comes standard with 17-inch 205/55Zs in front and 235/50Zs in back, both on alloy wheels. Our model, however, which stickered for $52,235, came with 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sports measuring 235/40Z and 265/40Z — a $1,235 option not listed on our sticker.
Caymans also feature 11.7-inch rotors in front and 11.8-inch rotors in back, both with four-piston calipers throwing cold water on the situation whenever you need, pulling a stop from 60 mph in just 112 feet. Steering is exceptionally sharp, cutting the precise course you want the moment you choose it, while almost magically transmitting the level of feedback desired for the situation thanks to a variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering system.
In terms of safety equipment, Cayman offers a galvanized body shell supported by a high-strength steel-enhanced frame, six-airbag system and an alphabet soup of electronic systems from antilock brakes to stability control and active brake differential.
Picky, picky
Interestingly, the ABD system appears to be an attempt to manipulate the Cayman's impressive grip to skimp on a real limited-slip differential system. Essentially, Porsche is using the rear brakes to perform the task, utilizing an electronic system as opposed to including the more common differential hardware. Most won't notice, but there is a delay between when one rear wheel starts spinning and when the system intervenes. Nitpicky, but notable.
The only place where Cayman insults the owner with economy is in the stereo department. This sad-sack four-speaker AM/FM/CD just doesn't fit with the quality of this vehicle.
Square dance
Today, the Cayman stands as a moment-of-Zen breath of quiet beauty amid a sea of excess, background noise and wanna-bes. She's a nod to modesty, a doff of the cap to value. Forget the empty pursuit of speed at all costs. Perhaps the answer isn't always more.
Take the abuse from the 911s and Cayman Ss of the world, knowing you have plenty of performance and nearly five figures more cash in hand. Not to mention, ratings of 23 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway and consistent averages in the mid-20s in our test.
Nice job, Wolfy. Well done, Lars.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
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