Porsche Cayman
Ratings
5 stars
Summary
Highly Recommended. A brilliant sportscar that splits the difference between the Boxster and the 911. It's surprisingly practical, too.
Review
The Cayenne off-roader might not sit easily with Porsche enthusiasts, but the new Cayman S most definitely does. Essentially it's a hard top version of the existing Porsche Boxster, only with more power and better handling. It's the car that the brand's fans have been demanding for year - and it's brilliant.
The Cayman's looks aren't quite right - there's definitely something odd about the proportions of the hatchback rear. Inside the cabin is very similar to that of the Boxster with a good driving position and high quality materials. It's surprisingly practical, too - there are only two seats but the rear hatchback gives access to a respectable 260 litres of storage space with more room under the front bonnet.
It's the Cayman's handling that really impresses. It shares the Boxster's mid-engined layout while benefiting from greater structural stiffness and firmer suspension settings. Yet it's considerably lighter than the 911, making it more agile on twisty roads. With massive grip and electrifying responses, we reckon that this is the most entertaining Porsche you can buy at the moment. Remarkably, it also rides well on its standard 18 inch alloys, absorbing bumps with ease and remaining calm and stable at Autobahn speeds.
Performance is strong from the wonderful-sounding 3.4 litre flat six engine, although with 295 bhp it won't be able to match the firepower of forthcoming rivals like the BMW M-Coupe and Mercedes SLK 63 AMG. Fortunately the smooth-shifting six-speed manual gearbox is a joy to use - while a five-speed "Tiptronic" auto is optional.
The standard Cayman is cheaper, but it is slightly slower with a less powerful 3.0 litre engine.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
A front end derived from the 911 and muscular, bulging rear wheelarches look great - but the profile and the sloping hatchback are awkward as are the fussy front spotlights.
Handling
5 star
First class. More agile than a 911 with more grip than a Boxster, the Cayman spears into corners and the direct steering offers peerless communication.
Comfort
4 star
The leather clad sports seats combine well with the compliant ride and smooth engine to produce a decent tourer. The driving position is excellent.
Quality & Reliability
5 star
Just as good as the 911. The Cayman's doors close with a reassuringly heavy thunk and the interior is trimmed with high-quality leather and plastics.
Performance
4 star
The Cayman's 3.4-litre flat six is one of the world's best. Crisp throttle response, lots of low rev torque and searing acceleration above 5000rpm. It's almost as fast as a 911 - although it will struggle to stay with forthcoming rivals from BMW and Mercedes.
Roominess
4 star
Excellent, for a sports coupe. Between the front and rear boots you can fit a surprising amount of luggage and there are plenty of useful cubbies and stowage compartments, too.
Running Costs
3 star
You don't buy a Porsche if you're penny pinching, yet although dealer servicing will be very expensive and insurance is a punishing Group 20, the residual values promise to be rock solid.
Value for money
4 star
A Cayman S certainly isn't a trivial investment - but look at it as being the equivalent of a 911 at a substantial discount and it starts to make a compelling case for itself.
