Arrwin

Real World pics from the Cayman S board...



Additional Pics...

Mark in Baltimore

The more I see of this car, the more I like it. The curve of the roofline is absolutely gorgeous, starting from the sweeping angle of the windshield and flowing to a teardrop-like shape to the back glass. The greenhouse appears well-done to my eye, with a visually high beltline and narrow windows that are offset by that voluptuous roof. There is an overall visual compactness in the profile that adds to a sense of coiled, potential energy and athleticism.The rear fender bulge, while not as sexy as the 993, further underscores that muscularity.

Notice how the mass of the car seems to be centered in the middle to middle rear with the front end tapering cleanly like an arrow. The car in the photo above is riding on a fairly high suspension; if it looks good now, imagine it with only a half inch of clearance from tire to fender. IMHO, if this car can look this good in photos, it will be even more stunning in person.

One of the immediate design miscues that I see are the weird foglights; everything else about the car just flows, but the horizontal bar split by the circle seems jarring to my eye. Surely the stylists could have integrated the light better and made the face more aggrressive. And the squirrel guards for the rear fender air intakes seem way too busy and detailed for the design.

Did I mention that I like it?

propeye

I heard a story about a Boxster that met a TT coupe in a bar one night; and 9 months later-vola!

But its still not bad looking and should be a great DE car!
Rich

CP

I love the looks, especially compared to the new BMWs.

Does anyone know how much the car weights, and the tire specs.?

Thanks.

CP

Rezal

The bias-ness of some of us in a way makes us the perfect Porsche customer - a Porsche variant for everyone. This way, they keep selling parts to us 993 loyalist while expanding the market share among the others (if you don't believe me, ask the next soccer mom you see driving a Cayenne!).

I guess there is a finite number of variances in a car's design. After all, they all have four wheels, a driver/passenger compartment, and a place for the engine. Try to go too different and you Bangle up the design. So, influences of various other cars don't surprise me. Better this than either the BMW radical extreme, or the scale model concept of Aston Martin (would you like yours in S, M, or L, sir?). The rear hunches remind me of the widebody 993s.

If I had the money, would I buy? Dunno. Too many options at that price level. You'll be able to pick up a used 997 soon for that price, or an Elise if you truly want a track day weapon. I know some of us will stick to Porsches. I'm a little more open to other alternatives if the price/performance is right although I draw the line at the Vette (yes, admittedly, I'm a Europhile).

Michael Cain

Hi Folks,

Well I like it, its not the best Porsche design in the world given but remember the Porsche motto "Form follows function" and on that ethos this is going to be one hell of a track day car.

Forget the GTS and CS light weight versions of this car, the current S (295 bhp) model weighing 5Kg more than the standard boxster at 1340Kg is already impressive. That means 217 bhp power to weight ratio. The boxster S is 207bhp and the 993 is 202 bhp per tonne.

In the British press, Autocar magazine released these figures from Porsche Testing at the notorious 13 mile Nurburgring. The Porsche test driver was Walter Rohrl who drove all these cars not including the 993 :-

Porsche Cayman S 8 mins 11 seconds
Porsche 997 8 mins 15 Seconds
Porsche Boxster S 8 mins 18 Seconds
Porsche 993 8 mins 28 Seconds (this was not driven Walter, but someone else)

There are a lot USA Chaps on this site complaining about the cost of this car, well just think your selves lucky that your not living in the UK.

For example :-
Porsche Cayman S UK Price will be £44,000 ($80,000+)
Porsche Cayman S US Price $59,800.
(Exchange Rate: Price Converted Dollar to British pounds = £32,848)

Unfortunately us Brit’s will pay a staggering $20,302 (£11,152) more for the same car, and you lucky American Chaps think your being ripped off.

There is going to be a standard CAYMAN fitted with a smaller 3.0L engine launched after the S model which will cost £35K, which is still too high, this should be the price of the S model.

Regards

Michael

brucec59

What I don't like is the bogus way the Porsche Marketing Department completely ignores where this car has come from. Its "true origins" are not with the 904 or 550 - its real "ancestor" is the Boxster.

Bruce

FGL28

Better the Boxter than the 914 1.7.

98carrera4S

Some really large pics posted on: http://www.automobilemag.com/news/05...sche_cayman_s/ . Click "enlarge"

I like the side view with the Carrera GT style wheels. Actually, the more I think about it, there are other Carrera GT cues like the edge of the tail lamp/fender treatment. The design is starting to grow on me - I'd love to see it in Midnight blue.

Ed Upton

This vehicle is reportedly faster than a 997 around the Nurburgring by a about 7 seconds. Is this what you listers have heard?

Alan C.

I'm sure someone said it, just too lazy to read all the posts, at $59K I'd be looking hard at a new Z06. Now where did I put my Nomex suit

cmoss

I hear ya, but I might point out that the intakes are functional.

cmoss

Yes, it does seem high. I won't be buying one soon.

24FPS

really beautiful design. gotta' wait & drive @ the intro... though i'm not diggin' those wheels -----> too tame for that body imho. like Heid Klum in Wallabees. -----> i'd still take either ... even w/o shoes.

can't wait for it to come out... performance #'s sound very nice too..... an "s" version or "gt" to follow?

rickw51

Great design. I would buy my wife one (if I didn't still have a kid sucking the bank dry at college) ... then I could drive it once in a while to confirm why I like the 993 so much.

Rick