Alan C.

How about Cayman - Z06 - GT3, with those choices I'd go with the GT3. (Hold the air and sunroof please)

Atlas_Croc

She "sees" thing very well......and a Z06 is not to her liking (funny looking)......however she loves the Cayman S. BTW her Audi is a 6 speed modified twin turbo S4 and she can drive it very well.......better than the Vette drivers on the block who don't even know how to drive a stick.......but they got a "Vette" dude.

BiggerTwin

I have a V8 S4 and C6 Corvette. For overall driving enjoyment the Audi is the more satisfying ride. The Corvette is great for an adrenaline rush and admiring stares but I definitely prefer driving the S4. My 11 year old loves the Vette but after sitting in the Cayman S he understands why I am making the move and is excited about getting the Porsche.

My friend who always wanted a 911 just took out a Carrera S, Boxster and C6 Corvette. He bought the Corvette convertible since the Porsches didn't live up to his 20 year old memory of his first drive in one. He likes the 400 hp as many people do. Different strokes for different folks. You can’t really fault anyone for picking any one of these award winning cars.

Alan

Atlas_Croc

Yes, the Corvette definitely has the HP and flash going for it. So much so that people often believe there cannot be a better driving car out there......like for some reason the Corvette is the "end-all". I know of more than a few people that have jumped out a 400 HP C6 and taken a 285HP Boxster S for a drive and come away awestruck on how much more "fun" the Boxster was to drive.......they just couldn't imagine anything with lower HP being just as much fun and even more to drive than a Corvette. Some can just never get over being a bit slower or living with a little less flash. I will always drive the car that suits me best and is the most fun to drive........and it never has been the fastest thing out there and it doesn't bother me. As BiggerTwin said, both are great machines, each is just not for everyone.

Truble10

The chassis in my 986 was stiff enough, the car didn't suffer from a floppy chassis, and Porsche made the 987 stiffer and the Cayman even stiffer, but I don't think the average driver will notice the improved performance on a stiffer chassis.

I respectfully disagree. A few years back I got a great on a Boxster. I had it for two days before I returned it. It handled great but had no power and had the "convertable flex". It was a non S version. For the past several years I've been saying they should make a Boxster coupe. I think the Cayman fills a great gap in Porsche's line up. Especially after the Cayman has been out for a year or two and you will find used ones on the market and possibly some discounts on new models. The Cayman should handle great and have good power. The Boxster can go back to being the "chicks car" and more serious driver can have a fixed roof version with better looks - in my opinion.
I think Porsche has done a great job of offering different products to a wide varienty of people and tastes. The Cayman definately fits and I think it will be a great seller. There is certainly a lot of anticipation.
I don't dislike the Boxster it is just not for me. In fact I'm in the process of finding an 05 for my giflfriend - red of course.

kilrgt

I beg to differ, the new zo6 will spank a cayman(and a 997s for that matter) on the track, brakes better handles better just all around better track car..You see Porsche has lost its " yea its a awsome track car bragging rights" you said the zo6 is fine if thats what your looking for, so i assume you were talking about track capabilities.I am playing devils advocate a bit here, but lets look at the facts. I will agree no matter what the vette will always be a chevy, but i hate to tell you this Porsche is not the same company it was 10 years ago,The new Porsches are not real porsches.I love my porsches as much as the next rennlister, but you have to admit aren't you getting tired of paying more for less..allot less in this case.

BiggerTwin

Yes, the Corvette Z06 (and probably the standard C6 as well) will spank every Porsche south of the Turbo on the track but I don't think things have changed much. In high school I spent a good deal of time in my friend's 427 Corvette and we never lost a drag race in it. I grew up thinking Corvettes were faster and better looking than the 911 for significantly less money. As I see it, not much has changed except what I expect from my street car. Drive a new Corvette and any Porsche back to back on some twisting tarmac and tell me which is the more satisfying and fun car to drive.

When my Audi lease is up I plan on replacing it with a BMW 330xi. I did their Ultimate Driving Experience on an autocross track and you know what...driving a car in a competitive environment is a terrible way to figure out if it makes a good street car. If you want an adrenaline rush better than any Z06 or Ferrari buy a Ducati 999 and see if you don't come home with stained underwear. It is nothing short of frightening how fast you come up on slower moving traffic. While Porsches are expensive, you do get one of the most satisfying driving experiences out there for a bargain price compared to the exotic competition. If you want to beat your friends on a track, buy a Z06. I would prefer my Cayman S did 0-60 in 4 seconds instead of 5 but there isn't anything else out there that that I would rather be driving. If I get tired of Porsches and agree with you in the future, I will go to back my Ducati and not my Chevy dealer.

Alan

BiggerTwin

A few more thoughts after looking at your signature:

We seem to want different things from our cars. I would never drive a BIG Mercedes no matter how fast it was and I greatly prefer a smaller and more nimble BMW for a daily driver. Is snow removal that good in Toronto that you don't need all-wheel drive? In Albany they have an environmentally sound snow removal: spring. I did two winters in a 740iL and swore I would never do it again.

If my demo ride in the Carrera 4 is any indication of what the 997 Turbo will be it could be my dream car. I can understand why you find your 996 a bit boring and for the price I wasn't moved enough to buy one two years ago. The Cayman, while not as fast as I would like in a perfect world, seems to be a much better value with Carrera character and power at a significantly lower price. For $80,000 I expect to be blown away by a car. For $67,000 I can accept a few compromises.

You seem to value speed and power over handling and I can see where the ZO6 is a much better value and car for your needs.

Alan

KBS911

Of note is the fact that anyone purchasing a Cayman S could afford to buy a Z06 or the standard Corvette, with change left over. The personal decsion to spend their money on the Cayman makes the perfect statement.

Alan C.

The prices I have seen show the Caymen S and Z06 at about the same price point.

As to kilrgt's comments on more for less put a 996 on the rack side by side with a 993. It's a no brainer for which is built better. Open the gear boxes on both and look inside. Price a 996 crate engine vs. a 993 crate engine. Porsche has yet to fix the RMS problem. If you look at what Porsche races you won't find the 996 engine in it.

Porsche was in a financial bind when they contracted with the Japanes to show them how get back in the black. The Japanese did that very well. Since then Porsche has slid more towards the Big 3 and become much more profitable.

When I picked up my last 911 at the factory the guy told me that he had always felt that the 968 was the best car for the US market. His opinion was that 95% of the US drivers never used the car for what it was inteded.

scycle2020

i also drove a c6 briefly, i hated it ...liked my old c5 better...horrible clunky 6 speed tranny , the rear would break loose for no good reason and the steering feel was numb and the engine sounded like a buick until higher rpm, where is sounded strained...the c5 sounded better and throater..and i drove 5 different c6s...the new boxster s was more fun to drive...also , the new carrera s that i drove was significantly faster and much more fun to drive than the c6 vette...

Porsh-uh

I was stunned to find out that a Cayman S optioned the way I would like was LESS money than the Z06 Vette. If Porsche commits to the Cayman long-term and does it's usual product cycle with it... we'll be talking about how the Cayman S is a SIGNIFICANTLY better value a few years from now.

Alan C.

Scott,
If you are looking at value invest your money in vintage cars. Nothing in this thread is going up.

Might want to change your sig line to "requires an Audi"

Paul Marangoni

I can definitely see a Cayman of some sort in my future.

Porsh-uh

Just referring to the paradigm shift we may be seeing in the Porsche v. Corvette battle.