NJ-GT

I had the chance to drive a Cayman S on an autocross yesterday. I really liked the car (as I've driven it on roads before), but for this Sport the car really needs an LSD.

I've driven the open diff Lotus Elise and open diff Boxster S. During my run the Cayman had inside wheel spin issues at three different spots, with one of them being severe.

Fastest Cayman time was a 57.4 secs (Contis), the fastest Elise time on the same course was a 50.5 (Hoosier A6). One of the drivers on the Elise drove the Cayman S to 57.0, He could have gone faster by few tenths. The Hoosier won't help more than 3 secs over the stock tires.

Pretty nice setup from the factory, but far from my expectations.

BC

Why would Porsche hobble a car like this when they know what it would be used for?

My 20 year old Porsche 928 has LSD. So does my 28 year old one - 1978.

ltc

They simply are targeting/selling to a different demographic now. PAG has become a marketing driven company, not an engineering company (trust me, I know)
There are many, many (perhaps too many) first time Porsche owners who wouldn't know a 911 if they tripped over one.

I picked up my 968 this Saturday from the dealer, it had been there 4 weeks (I was in no rush, they were getting parts from Germany, etc).

You would not believe how many people didn't know what it was. In fact, when they parked it out front Saturday, one person asked me where the window sticker was....he thought it was a new model. I told him it was a 968, he didn't have a clue what a 924/944/968 was.

Yes, he was in looking to buy a Cayman.

BC

You bought a 968? Wow. Did you drive any other front engined cars (hint: 928) They still made them in the same year (1995) and you would only pay twice as much as you did for the 968 (probably).

I think that 968 needs a supercharger.

ltc

I bought the 968 without ever having driven one. Just liked the car.

CP

Great taste in car. The 968 is the most 'balanced' (weight distribution) Porsche ever by most accounts. The car is beautiful as well. I saw one side-by-side with a 928 in Devek two weeks ago, and I like the 968 more. Now if only we have the turbo version here in the States.

CP