achildofthesky

Well, I did end up stopping by the "local" Porsche dealer and "swag'd" the fit and feel of a '13 Boxster (white) they had there to get a partial vibe for the new Cayman.

From my initial, more than cursory impression is that the Cayman will have to be looked into further. First it fits, always a good thing. Plenty of room for travel kit for 2, at least in our case. I am a single bag packer and the other half, not so much.

Also, it was parked across form an white (I like white on both the 991 and Cayman) and it looked much more "sporty" sized and the 991 C4S looked somewhat massive in visual comparison.

Didn't drive it as it would have been wasting both our times as I am not shopping convertibles...

Did do an interesting back to back drive in what will likely end up as #2 car (Porsche will be #3 car) for those interested in another's driving impressions. We took a spin in a '13 Audi TTS and then another drive in a 13 S4 over the same very pleasant narrow, twisty loop and back again the opposite way.

The TTS was first and the fit was intimate and quality was readily apparent. It JUST BARELY has the ability to fit a long week plus worth of travel stuff. We ogled it and pawed the interior and gee gaws and then went out for the ride, at the first tip of the throttle I didn't care for the glaring lag of the turbo 4. Not horrible but very evident on a easy take off from start.

Second, at the next turn I felt it stumbling in a very un Audi like (I have about 4-500k miles plus in Audi, have had 14 quattro's of varying models since 1990, all manuals BTW). My inner mechanic repeated fuel starvation! many times even though the indicator said there was what should be plenty for a short 20 or so mile ride (computer said 15 miles remaining) and luckily there was a service station 30 yards from me. Never had to add fuel during a demo before, but the sales rep did apologize he hadn't fueled it up BEFORE we left so no harm there. A couple gallons of premium and we were off. Problem solved...

The magnetic ride system is VERY noticeable to me and a fun thing. When above 1800 rpm or so the motor was smooth and willing, and around 2500 or so IIRC it had the significant rising fastball turbo rush that is reminiscent of other turbo Audis. The suspension was quite taut in the sport setting and wheel travel felt VERY short.

Slowly rolling, at 25 mph or so, over a short undulating bridge I felt the front then rear end of the car come off the ground about an inch as I gently rolled on the throttle and the turbo was spooling up in 1st. Caught me a bit off guard but nothing alarming, but this is where I really noted the seemingly short suspension travel. Like I said quite stiff suspension in sport setting. The rest of the loop out and back I concentrated on chassis dynamic feel, steering and brake cohesiveness. Overall it was a fun car for the narrow, winding ribbon of road. If we were in a more 4 season climate, I would have to give this car a bit more consideration in respect to the Cayman and 991 (of course there is the C4S).

Next the S4. A stark comparison between 2 vehicles for sure but the first thing (deal sealer probably) was the blown V-6's response in a none too light car. Immediate and linear. Me likey. Next, on the same road, of course it felt bigger by a fairly, ahhh, big bit as it should but the suspension was simply just right. I didn't mess with the suspension settings truth be told, as the road being narrow and the car not having Audi's MMI deal the buttons for the suspension settings were glared out in the sun and not on the vertical dash where they were in my first 13 S4 demo of a month or 2 back, but they were where the MMI deal would be. Felt a bit stoopid when I got back but I didn't want to have a misstep on such a narrow road.

Third, the S4's interior is a very comfortable place to commit driving. Even though it was 2 generations ahead of the last new one I owned, I was immediately at home and everything fell to hand (Love the S-Tronic BTW). More than 200 hundred thousand of 4 series Audi miles have passed beneath my wheels in the last 23 years and the interiors are generally an excellent place to be on long trips.

I have spent many a night "power napping" for several hours in the midst of a "power drive", half in the trunk with the rear seat backs flopped down to stretch out, in earlier S4 and A4 sedans on my weekly "drive" to work, 1275 miles 1 way from Punta Gorda, Fl. to NW AArghkansas (used to work rotating 7 day or night hitches, 12 hours on /off) then another 1275 miles, shake well and repeat weekly nearly 50k miles in 10 months in 1 car.

The compliance of he suspension was excellent yet in the comfort setting, yet taut and snappy enough to be entertaining without feeling floaty or wallowing about. Of course the car has a comparative vast chasm of space in respect to the TTS. The S4 will likely be our go to distance driver, one of he CRV's (got 2 now) for daily driver duties and probably either a 991 or Cayman as the weekend or special trip car. I know the 991 would be a nice addition to the garage but I am intrigued by the slightly more unified feeling of the Boxster type cabin. Just.... Need.... Power....

I know this is a Cayman specific threat on a Porsche oriented forum but just felt like tapping out the comparison.

Be safe
Patty

JUPJAI

I drove it yesterday a the the Cayman DE in Vancouver BC. Both S and base PDK. Best was the S with 20" and PASM. SC and PDK. It was fantastic, wide and glued to the groud. Base PDK struggles going fast up hills to Whistler. Extra power is worth getting S. Very nice interior. Good plastic bits. Feels faster but heavier than my 2011 Boxster Spyder even though it is suppoesed to be just as light. Very solid feel. Those that ordered a Cayman S will be very happy. 6MT would be my choice.

tangram

Thanks for the mini-review. I'm buying the S with the 6 speed so glad to see what your reco is after driving the car.

4forme

Looked at them last week while 991 was getting realigned. looks better in person than in pics. Love the front design, back not so much. Has a bit of the Panamera hunch back with the larger rear window. Going to keep the peridot CR.

achildofthesky

Had a chance to do a couple demo drives in a base model new Cayman. It was Basalt black, black 14 way partial leather, bose and 20" Carerra classic wheels. Perhaps a few other bobs and such but relatively unadorned.

The drive included surface streets, a sort of 1/2 clover leaf and 2 intervals of highway speeds on average to less than average tarmac. I first did a "fit check" and was quite please that I did indeed fit. The right hand rear quarter visibility was, IMHO, exceedingly good. Liked the right mirror turndown on reverse.

Performance wise it was fun but not shockingly quick. It was PDK equipped with a mulit function steering wheel and while I GREATLY prefer the Sport Design wheel the features on the wheel were good in function.

Going from normal to sport mode was noticeable and I left it in sport and manual shift for pretty much all of both hops. The Bose stereo was at best adequately good. It was easily possible to overpower the base response of the speakers with a reference playlist on my Ipod I brought along. Treble response on the other hand was more than adequate for my needs and the surround sound function was noticeable. Overall volume levels were just barely suitable and I do not reckon the Bose to be a bargain but I would order it anyway as a sop for my audio needs. I would not personally consider an audio package that was in excess of 10% the base price of the vehicle on any auto, but that is just me. The aux connection was easily figured out solo as was the NAV function.

I took 2 12"x12x26" reference soft bags for the luggage fit check and the front baggage hold gobbled them with room to spare here and there. In back a reference bag plus another of about 3/4 the same size would fit easily without using the above engine space. BTW there are 2 side sliding top cubbies on either side of the engine cover that are rather deep though quite hard to reach while seated. Not sure if previous Cayman had them given this was my first experience with the model.

There was another earlier Cayman CPO version 3 cars down the lot and the visual difference to my eye anyway was dramatic. I greatly prefer the newer design. In person I think the car is much better looking in person and with the effectively raised center of the hatch redesign the car has been no less than transformed (again to my preference only) in a very pleasing way.

There were a 2010 997/2 S model next to it and down from that a 997 GTS 4 all in black. I preferred the visual appearance of the new Cayman shape though I must admit that a 2012 997.2 and 991S, both in white are in the running at this point in my shopping process. For the Cayman thus far, my preference would be white and either blue or black interior and possibly Agate grey with a black interior. As with anything, i could see another color I like, but black is definitely out, not because I don't like it, I do, it looks badass when clean and properly detailed, but I feel I become a slave to washing my ride in a black car and and living in the south, heat soak does become a factor in the warmer months.

From the inside it was easier to feel at home than a 991 relative to the outside of the car and other vehicles and in parking. I am certain with a small bit of time in the 911 model there would be no issue though.

Seat of the pants feel of this non sport chrono, non PASM car was quite good in the descending and nearly constant radius part of the 1/2 cloverleaf and the other 1/2 was ascending and decreasing in radius and I found myself pressing the car harder to get the "feel" and try and find hints of limitations. The car had 1750+ miles on it already and I did press accelerations a bit though, of course being in a major city, no hyper speeds were involved, I just was looking at the handling, acceleration, seat of the pants feel and the hard to define "rightness" factor of the platform.

I am certain that the S version with Sport Chrono, PASM and possibly PTV, the SD wheel and a few other elections of preference from the options list (likely premium plus for entry and drive and the vectoring xenon lights, ventilated seats, rear wiper, smokers package though I do not, painted exterior package, and a likely a few more bits and bobs) would meet my basic needs.

A 911 (either a 991 or very late model 997.2) would have the advantage in my not uncommon "power drives" of 1000+ miles in a day given the direct access to additional interior space and the ability to fold the seats back for a power nap for either the driver or passenger but the Cayman feels like a smaller more intimate vehicle. I do realize that measurements are within mere inches on either car but the Cayman feels like a sports car to me and the 991 (especially a C4s) feels much bigger and somewhat towards the GT end of the spectrum in overall feel.

I would greatly prefer the 3.8 engine of the 991S but as that is not likely for a year to 2 from now it is down to deciding whether I order a new Cayman, 991S (C2S or possibly C4S), or go with a value play and get a CPO or a well warrantied and optioned very recent 997.2 C2S or C4S and stew on the situation for a year or 2.

I realize many if not most here do not consider cross shopping a Cayman and 911 series, but I for 1 of perhaps a small minority that do. Again, it is just my personal opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

Such choices...

Be safe and thanks for the time.
Patty