tom_jensen's avatar
Author:
Tom Jensen
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
Legendary Race Cars, by Basem Wasef
Through vivid, human detail, writer and photographer Basem Wasef brings to life more than two dozen racing legends.
Our Price: $35.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
DRIVEN: Cayman Strikes Balance Of Cost, Fun
Written by: Tom Jensen   
07/01/2009
Charlotte, NC
 
Sometimes, less really is more.

In the case of the Porsche Cayman, less means a sports car that’s less expensive than the iconic 911, the flagship of the Porsche line. It’s a little shorter and lighter and less powerful, too. What it is not is less fun. Or at least not a lot less fun.

Cayman's lines are trim and appealing, with new front- and rear-end treatments. (Photo: Porsche) » More Photos
In fact, you could make a compelling argument that the two-seat Cayman offers exceptional value because its less-is-more aesthetic delivers a driving experience that, at the heart of it, is absolutely consistent with Porsche’s vision: a pure driving machine that has everything it needs to put a huge smile on the driver’s face — nothing more or less. It is the distilled essence of a proper sports car.

The second-generation 2010 Cayman was introduced last November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. At first blush, the new Cayman doesn’t look radically different from the first-generation models. But rest assured, it is loaded with new and improved features, which taken as a whole represent a significant step forward for Porsche.

Like any Porsche sports car, Cayman turns a back-roads drive into a romp. (Photo: Porsche) » More Photos
What it is: There are a lot of ways to describe the Cayman — an entry-level Porsche, a coupe version of the Boxster roadster, the smaller sibling of the 911, a mid-engine high-performance car. But how about this? The truth is, above and beyond anything else, the Cayman is a sports car. Period.

It’s a quick and nimble two-seater designed to effortlessly – and rapidly – gobble up back roads in ways that will put a smile on the driver’s face every time.

Performance: The second-generation Cayman comes with a choice of two engines, both horizontally opposed six-cylinders,
a layout known as boxer. The engine in the base Cayman is 2.9 liters and makes 265 horsepower, while the higher-performance Cayman S comes with a 3.4-liter, 320-horsepower engine. I drove the standard model.

These represent an increase of 20 horsepower in the Cayman and 25 horses in the S, compared with the respective old models.

In both the Cayman and Cayman S, drivers can choose from both a traditional six-speed manual gearbox or Porsche’s new seven-speed PDK automatic transmission, both of which shift easily and flawlessly. The PDK, which replaces the old Porsche Tiptronic transmission, is especially fuel efficient, too. EPA fuel mileage ratings are up 11 percent with the smaller engine and 16 percent on the bigger one.

Regardless of which engine you opt for, acceleration is rapid: 0-60 mph takes just 5.5 seconds for the base model with manual transmission, while the S model does it in 4.8 seconds.


Page 1 of 3
Next Page »
1 2 3 >
View All Comments