fahren affair

recv'd my autoweek today, page 4. development and research officials at weissach insist there is no club sport or stripped-for-racing cayman in the works. cheif engineer wolfgang durheimer says:
"there is no plan for a cayman intended for racing at any level"
"the racing edge of porsche is the 911...no production car will supplant it soon."

PogueMoHone

That may be true for Porsche racing..but it's a non sequitor to think that the Cayman CS may not be devoloped. It could be developed for other purposes (than Porsche Racing) and "soon" has a very flexible meaning.

Porsche can only jump start the sales of the Cayman if customers think there's nothing better coming behind it..but there always is. I wondeer how soon "soon' is!

Jim Michaels

Maybe so, maybe not. Porsche doesn't seem to reveal much early on. I've heard and read words like "there is no plan" and "nothing in the works" from Porsche for 20 years and consider them to be weasel words. Words like that were uttered about the coming 4-door sedan not long ago, for example. Also, Porsche doesn't usually race club sport versions; those are for customers to do with what they want. I can certaily believe that the racing edge for Porsche is the 911, however. If they think they can make money on a club sport or similar light-weight, it may be forthcoming. But months before customers have even ordered their Crocs is too soon to reveal that hand. WARNING: I don't know squat, and have been wrong before; sometimes more than once in the same hour.

Sanjeevan

If research has shown that potential cayman S buyer's are waiting for the club sport version, it's the exact sort of slippery response that Porsche marketing will come up with to boost sales now...they did'nt say never which makes me think they may...

ltc

Then again, how long has it been since we have seen a ClubSport version of a Porsche here in the US?
Maybe they just don't see it being worthwhile for DOT recertification
Porsche always seems to keep the CS/RS variants out of the US.....with some help from the DOT

ian

I too think it is a bit of a ploy on behalf of the factory to boost Cayman S sales, and then to have the boost of the higher performance version later on. But that said I also agree that the US market might not get the CS/RS version if it is produced. Perhaps if initial sales are stronger than expected we can earn the right (in the eyes of porsche) to bring the CS/RS to our shores....

Fingers are crossed.

Delesh

I definitely hope they bring the hardcore version here to the US. I feel like that is actually vital for the image for the cayman. In order for the cayman to achieve a great following and performance image it needs to have a harcore variant and probably compete in motorsport. I will definitley buy the hardcore version whereas the current version is too close to my 987s to justify an upgrade.

I really hate how we get stiffed on a lot of the great cars of the world!!!

Jim Michaels

On the other hand, the Boxster sold very well without such a high performance/racing image. Porsche never raced them, and few others did either. Porsche sometimes doesn't get a lot of return on investment when they go to the extra expense of making a more track-ready version that meets U.S. specs. I'm reminded that dealers ended up selling many RS Americas below cost, and they only made 701 of them. A few Americans wanting a more track ready version so bad they can taste it, still wouldn't make it profitable for Porsche to provide it. Porsche is into volume now, and return on investment.

Delesh

Jim, this is true about the success of the boxster. However, the boxster is a roadster and as such will sell without the image provided by racing. I feel the cayman needs to have a more hardcore image because of the other models in the lineup. The 911 is the icon and more and more a refined GT, and the boxster is a roadster. Both of these types of cars will be purchased by those who want a nice car with an image alongside the enthusiasts whose main goal is to have track and AX their cars. The cayman on the other hand will, after the inital demand, appeal to those who want a cheaper 911 and those hardcore enthusiasts who see the performance advantage in a stiffer hardtop boxster. Those who just want to pose will opt for the convertible or iconic 911. If you ask me both of the interested groups would be impressed by some racing heritage and thus bolster sales. I also see the cayman as a way for porsche to move its image in the direction that created its mystique in the first place as an innovative sports car manufacturer. Almost all of the great porsche models we can think of had some sort of racing heritage. It seems to me the whole cayman model would be a waste if a hardcore version were not produced. I understand that I may be totally off base because these are the things that I would LIKE to see happen and may not actually be good from a marketing point of view. But, it makes sense to me!?!

It is sad that when car manufacturers do try to bring great cars over and the american market doesnt take it. I tend to forget how bad the average american car buyers taste is in cars (from my point view of course).

Jim Hodel

I'll be watching for a Club Sport version. What is the speclation on the performance level of the 'standard' Cayman S?

Jim

GrantG

Last car named Clubsport was 1988 (911) and the last RS was 1994, RS America (964). Both, however, were quite a bit watered-down from the Euro versions...

ltc

Yes, the RSAmerica was VERY watered down from an RS; it was actually nothing more than a C2 coupe with M030....most Americans put all the option deltes (A/C, sunroof, radio) back ON...bringing it back up to a 964 C2.
My RSA was fortunate enough to only have LSD!

ltc

fahren affair,
based on your sig, the choice between a 997S and a GT3 is a no brainer. Drive both and I think you will quickly reach a decision.

GrantG

Lewis - the two other things that distinguished the RSA from the C2 was the manually steering and the fixed rear wing. And, they may have had seam-welded chassis too, but I'm not certain...

bet

Didn't the RS America also come with no back seat, flat panels on the inside doors, less sound deadening material. Did it have lighted glass and a sun roof delete also? Unfortunately the US market likes their power windows, seats, cup holders nav systems etc. I have seen all kinds of comments that people can't belive that for the $$ they think the cars should come with power seats, heated seats, nav systems, full leather, etc. The enthusiast buyer is few and far between here. People are already commenting wondering if the Cayman comes with sun roof.

It would be interesting if you Porsche would offer something like Cayman S lite option...where you could option to delete the A/C, power windows,locks, and other non essential items and basically get a stripped down car with light weight fully manually seats.