2007 Porsche Cayman Review

Entry Level Cayman Still Faster Than Its Competitors

When Porsche launched the Cayman S last autumn, we all knew that the base model was coming; it was just a matter of when. With the announcement of the new wave of hardtop sports cars from Audi and BMW, the answer to this call has just come in, as Porsche has just announced it will be launching the “regular” version of the Cayman called the, um, Cayman.

The base Cayman is a de-tuned version of the Cayman S, which aims for a target audience who wish to have Cayman with less frills and a bit less go-power, but still the core performance essentials.
           
Visually, itll be pretty difficult to spot the Cayman from the Cayman S. Only keen eyes, or true Porsche enthusiasts will be able to point out the mildly different valance up front, which features a black lower lip as opposed to one thats body colored, a single, center-mounted trapezoidal exhaust pipe instead of the S twin circular units, and black-colored four-piston aluminum brake calipers. The only other visual difference worth noting - and the one that most will use to gauge the model differences - is the titanium-colored badge on its tail, which reads Cayman, instead of Cayman S.

The Cayman is powered by the same 2.7-liter flat-six engine that can be found in the standard Boxster, although, its VarioCam Plus system has been tuned to produce slightly more horsepower and torque. Instead of the standard 240 horsepower, it now makes 245, while torque has been boosted from 199 lb-ft to 201 lb-ft. Nevertheless, the Cayman is still a quick machine; its capable of hitting 60 mph from a standstill in 6.0 seconds, and has a top speed of 160 mph, which is quicker and faster than the entry-level BMW Z4 3.0i Coupe and Audis new TT 2.0 FSI.

Even in its most basic form, the Cayman isnt robbed of some of Porsches performance enhancing features. Standard equipment includes a five-speed manual gearbox, PSM stability control and 205/55 R 17 inch tires in front and 235/50 R 17 inch tires in back.

Optional equipment includes Porsches active damping system (PASM), which is capable of lowering the cars ride height by 0.4 inches, and increasing the stiffness for improved response in high-performance driving situations. As with other applications, this is controlled through a two-mode button which consists of “normal” and “sport” settings.

Inside, the Cayman has most of the fittings of the S. While it is a base model, standard equipment includes air conditioning, a CD player, black-faced gauges, and sports seats trimmed in grippy Alcantara. For those wanting a few additional creature comforts, a two-tone interior color scheme, DVD-based navigation with 5.8-inch wide-screen display, on-board telephone, Bose Surround Sound audio system, and parking sensors can be equipped. A choice of aluminum, carbon fiber, and surprisingly, wood, are all available for decorative trim. Safety equipment on the Cayman consists of standard front airbags as well as curtain and side thorax airbags.

As with any Porsche - even the entry level models such as this - there was a huge demand for it when it arrived in dealerships earlier this summer. Officially, the car went on sale on July 29, with a price tag of $49,400.

Nevertheless, even without the S high performance motor or its optional carbon-ceramic brakes behind it all, the Cayman still has the S race car-like reflexes, perfect balance, and dynamic poise which sets it apart from most others.