Decision time: Cayman S or Lotus Exige S
 

Hello, time to lurk out :) I maybe in the position to decide between a Cayman S or a Exige 240S in the near future... if some stars align. After reading some rather interesting comparisons between the 997 GT3 and the Loti, I wonder what would be your opinnions comparing it to the "croc"? I was a bit surprised that some owners actually traded a GT3 for an Exige, the GT3 is my dream car (cant afford it).

A quick profile, the car won't be a daily driver in the sense that I won't use to be stuck in traffic or for boring commutes, I got a diesel shed for that. But it will be used for some long delayed massive europeean driving trips and every-chance-I-got drives on any given weekday! It will not be exclusively a tracktoy as I intend to use it for long trips and hope to cover every great driving road in europe for the next few years! As you may have guessed I'm a total petrolhead and cars are really my life's great passion.

I understand perfectly the differences between the two, but only have tested the Lotus Elise so far. IMHO There's nothing the Cayman can do to replicate the fantastic inertia free handling and (un-assisted) steering of the Loti, being much heavier, the Exige also being cheaper. On the other hand the Exige can't touch the Cayman's fantastic engine (oh, that sound) and drivetrain and it's Jekyl and Hyde capabilities.

I will only test the Cayman if the aforelentioned stars align, so meanwhile nothing wrong in getting your vision on this, especially from people with experience in both cars.

Does the Cayman really feel like a heavy, fat car compared to the Exige or just a heavier grown-up version? Does it become boring with time or is it a continous joy to own and drive? I've been reading great things on the CS steering and brake feel, are they put to shame by the Loti? I already eliminated all other possible competitors (Z4 coupe, 350Z) and before you mention the Boxster I realize it's better value for money but I'm a coupe man all the way!

For the record I'm 34 and owned a Mini Cooper S for the past 5 years that I love but I think I'm finally going to be able to realize my dream and buy a mid-engined driver's car.

Edit: sorry for the long post!

I vote for the cayman. Of course, I own one and have never driven a lotus (but have read many reviews of loti and sat in them). I tested the 911/box/cay extensively against an s2000 (which, while not a lotus is also very light and has a purist thrashy feel). At 10/10ths all these cars are racy & exciting, perhaps the lighter ones (s2k, lotus) more so.. But the porsches are awesome day in & day out. Comfy, torquey.. Yet they don't feel heavy or boring.

i have had elise, exige, gt3, RS, s2k and cayman s.

to get cayman to feel like lotus, you need 6-8k in suspesnion mod, it will still feel heavy, but it's a great car never the less.

b/n 240 and cay s, it's a hard call. if you want a toy, get lotus, if you want a car get cay.

anything less than a 240, i take cayman s over the lotus.

I put the bilstein pss9s on my cayman s and it seems to work quite well between street and track. Since you're planning on taking long road trips I would venture the Cayman S may be more suitable for that - more luggage space (i can fit two set of golf clubs in the back and a suitcase in front, ok that was before my roll bar), and also easier exit/entry and visibility.

It sounds like the CS would be the better choice if you plan on using it extensively on road trips, some track days, etc. I faced a similar decision, drove an Elise, but chose the CS because I wanted a car I can take to work, to the track, and drive extensively without beating myself up. In summary:

1. If you want a car that is really really good at everything (an all-rounder) get the CS.
2. If you want a car that is the BEST at a few things (handling, feel) and are willing to sacrifice some other categories (comfort, refinement, etc) then the choice is the Exige S.

It all depends on how hard core you are! The CS is actually much more raw than you'd first think. I bought several performance upgrades for mine when the car was being built. I thought, "I know I'm going to want xxxx." But now that the car is here it really is a great package. The intake howls under full accelleration, the shifter is incredible, the stock suspension is firm, the turn in is fantastic, ergonomics is spot on, and the motor is so flexible. It is a true sports car and while you can cruise comfortably in it, it never lets you forget what it really is.

Thanks all for your input, and gmsracing, great thoughts :) I have of course read to death everything there is to know about this cars but owner/peer insite is invaluable. Your last paragraph really sums up what I'm hoping the Cayman will be, not just a sporty car that is confy but a true driver's car with razor sharp handling that happens to have the ability to also be refined. Fantastic machine though it is, I'm not attracted to the like's of the M3, just as you can't replicate lightwheight you can never replicate a two seater low driving position on a family salon body. BTW, how does the E90 M3 compare in driving purity, any owners out there?

I think the Cayman is the better overall car, but do not expect any amount of money spent on mods to make the Cayman feel like the Lotus. The 1,100 fewer pounds and fantastic manual steering cannot be matched in the Cayman. As for a long-range roadcar, I can't imagine sitting in the Lotus for that long though...

Yep, I know, hence the "IMHO There's nothing the Cayman can do to replicate the fantastic inertia free handling and (un-assisted) steering of the Loti, being much heavier," statement on my first post :) Thing is some people have described it to be a "tub of lard" when compared to the Elise and others just feel the Porsche to be every bit a driver's machine to (albeit inevitably heavier in feeling).

I'd go with the cayman S- long road trips in a porsche...I'm an expert. I'd rather be in a P-car than anything for drives over 100 miles.

If it was a straight track car, or one where you drive to the track and home and those are your miles, I'd get the exige S without hesitation...but since you're not going 100% track with to and from miles...I'd go cayman S.

you're right to be into the mid-engines either way though! the cayman chassis dynamic is superb- much better than a regular 911 or an M3

+1 CaymanS for many of the reasons mentioned

If you have access to rentals, that would help. No exigeS around here, but elise was available.

It rained about 2 inches in Southern California after the day we picked up an 06 CS from the dealer--happy in the CS with PSM. It has the 19 wheels with PASM Sport Chrono fun buttons. So far, while I am still learning the balance of the CS, I find it a very capable ride in the firm mode. "Tub of lard"--ha, not. Also not as fragile as the Lotus clams...

I felt like I was driving a large hi-perf race kart with the lotus, which is a blast, for a while, but not all the time... So far, love the Cayman car, and it keeps getting better. At some point, might get a lotus for that fun...and it is fun...

Agree with some of the others. I had an Elise and it was nirvana for about the first 15 minutes of driving. Then, it became an incredible pain in the rear. I think the seats would have been more comfortable if made of wood. The Cayman would be an excellent choice for the purposes you mention. I do think the stock suspension has to go -- much too refined. I would go with the PSS9.

Buy the Boxster !!!!

Same Plus points as the cayman and an open top !!

I understand the Boxster is the better deal, but I'm a coupe man all the way and the Cayman is slightly more rigid :) As for the suspension from all that I've read PASM is a very good system and very stiff in it's sport mode which I think will be enough for me, track will be the exception not the rule. I am however expecting very little inertia and body-roll from the Cayman in it's sport mode setting (in street driving) so I hope i'm not going to be disapointed in this.

Lotus is the pure track car of the two. Closer to a GT3 in purpose. The Cayman is a very nice all rounder. Feels like the suspension has been dialled in to handled day to day chores, but settle into the demands of high performance driving when needed.

You will have to test drive one to really know the difference.

there's a thread similar to this over on 986forum. a guy who sold his boxster (cayman) to get a lotus finally came back with another boxster. he said after he bought it, he suddenly felt like he'd spent 60K on a kit car with a toyota engine. a blast to drive, no doubt, but the cayman is very, very refined. they were really designed with different goals in mind.