2006 Porsche Cayman Review

Specifications

A Lot More than a Boxster with a Fixed Roof

Its a rare occasion that an entirely new Porsche gets introduced, and the new Cayman S looks worthy of the legendary nameplate. The high-performance, mid-engine sports coupe bridges a gap between the legendary rear-engine 911 and the ideally balanced Boxster roadster.

But is it really all new? The Caymans familiar styling details dont come by accident, confirming rumors that Porsche has indeed been developing a “fixed head” version of the Boxster. But the new coupe is much more than merely a Boxster with a metal roof; it is also a faster, smarter and more advanced sports car, furthering Porsches dominant position in a highly competitive market segment.

The new Cayman S features an updated boxer engine, developed from the horizontally-opposed six-cylinder found in the Boxster S. Aside from having an increased displacement from 3.2 to 3.4 liters, the engine also gains the automakers VarioCam Plus system, Porsches take on variable valve timing and variable camshaft intake. This technology, once exclusive to top end Porsches, will be available on the mid-level Cayman S.

The larger, more advanced engine is capable of producing 295 horsepower, while peak torque is a heady 250 lb-ft produced between 4,400 and 6,000 rpm, a 14 lb-ft increase over the regular Boxster S. Porsche claims that with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the Cayman S can attain a top speed of 275 km/h, after bypassing 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds.

Aside from featuring the Boxsters six-speed manual in standard trim, Porsche will also offer the Cayman S with a five-speed automatic gearbox, modified for increased smoothness via a new electronic/hydraulic control unit integrating unique shift maps. Available with Porsches trademark Tiptronic manual-mode shifter, gearshifts are chosen through a rocker-switch style button on the steering wheel, or via the J-gate style shifter.

While the number of components shared with the Boxster is extremely high, such as the doors, hood and the majority of the interior, there are some key differences that help to give the Cayman S its own identity. First and foremost is the uniquely designed hardtop. Yes, Porsche has long offered a dealer-installed hardtop for its Boxster, but it cant compare with the Caymans swooping, fixed unit, endowing the car with a natural coupe silhouette.

Other major changes include new, more curvaceous fenders which, when viewed from the rear quarter angle give the car feline-like haunches. Revised side intake vents are also added, now reshaped not only to make the Cayman appear distinctive, but also to aid in the mid-ship engines airflow.

A new front air dam, featuring chunky, square-style intakes and circular projector-beam fog lamps, help give the Cayman S an original appearance, despite the use of the Boxsters headlamps and fenders. Around back, the Cayman S features the Boxster S twin, central-mounted exhaust pipes, as well as the roadsters thin, retractable rear spoiler.

Also like the Boxster, the Cayman features two trunks - the first, located under the nose, is identical in size and shape to the Boxster at 5.3 cubic feet, however, the rear trunk, thanks to its hatchback style liftgate and wide bay, offers twice the space at 9.2 cubic feet. With more space, and a fixed roof, the Cayman leans on the side of practicality, making it an even better weekend getaway machine.

The Cayman S appetite for the open road (like any Porsche) comes from a tried and tested layout, incorporating the Boxsters aluminum frame, long wheelbase, short overhangs, perfect weight distribution and wide track.

One glimpse of the specifications sheet will confirm Porsches seriousness about the new coupes performance: 18-inch five-spoke wheels are standard fit, as is Porsches advanced PSM stability control system. Buyers can also add on second-generation PCCB carbon-ceramic brakes (identifiable by their yellow calipers) as well as PASM, Porsche Active Suspension Management system. As with the 911, this package lowers the car by approximately
0.4 inches, and features an adjustable suspension that constantly adapts the cars dampers to the conditions of the road below. Additionally, the driver can opt between two settings, a standard one which Porsche claims delivers grand-touring levels of comfort, as well as a Sports setting for a firmer ride with better response.

While Porschephiles have been waiting years for something like the Cayman S to appear, it will only be a few more months until its in full production. The car will most likely be shown internationally for the first time during Septembers IAA in Frankfurt, Germany, with an official European launch date of November 26, 2005.

North American models will arrive in dealerships mid January, 2006 with a price tag of $58,900 - a fair bit more than the Boxster S, but a price representative of the reworked body, upgraded engine and available top-tier options.

Its expected that in eight to twelve months time, after production and the model name have been established, that Porsche will unveil a less powerful variant, most likely called the “Cayman”. Keeping in mind that the Cayman is higher up on the Porsche totem pole than the Boxster, the base engine for the regular Cayman is expected to be the Boxster S 280-horsepower 3.2 liter H-6, rather than the 240-horsepower H-6 of the regular Boxster.

At the other end of the sports car spectrum, theres still no word whether or not Porsche will introduce a turbocharged version of the Cayman. However enticing such a project seems at first, it is unlikely Porsche will build it. The addition of a Turbo, in conjunction with a race-honed suspension, gearbox and other alterations would bring the Cayman uncomfortably close to the halo 911 Turbo, if not in price, in performance. If anything, expect a lighter, stripped-out Club Sport version, similar to what Porsche did with the front-engine 968 (944 replacement) during the early 90s.

As it stands, the new Cayman S is a vehicle that fulfills Porsches need to plug the gap between the ever-expansive Boxster and 911 ranges, while once again pushing the envelope of driving performance.