Over the past few months, I have been interested in the Cayman R due to all the excellent reviews on handling and track capabilities. I have always been a Cayman fan, owning a 2006 Cayman S, and loving every minute of it (except for the blown IMS). I since upgraded to a 2011 GT3 (Sharky exhaust, bucket seats, GMG roll bar, Schroth HANS harnesses, Sharky fire extinguisher, OZ wheels) and have been intrigued with the Cayman R. I think it is a sharp looking car and the engine is supposedly in the right place. There was a point in time 2 months ago where I seriously thought about trading in the GT3 for a Cayman R, but never did.

Well, my wife now wants her own track car. She's been to the track a couple of times and is pretty good, I'll say. In order to get away from our 4 kids (soon to be 5 in a week or two), she wants to spend more time with me at the track. I offered the GT3, but she is scared of it.

So off to the dealership we go because she wants a white Cayman R. She's always loved the Cayman and chose it over the Boxster Spyder, BMW 1M, Mini Cooper JCW, and Audi TT. We drove a 2012 Boxster Spyder with PDK.

Here are my thoughts:

- beautiful looking car. sporty. eye catching
- PDK nice for daily driving; sport mode better; sport plus WAY better especially for track.
- engine noise behind you is great. Needs louder exhaust though (no PSE on this one)
- comfortable interior, obviously smaller than 911. More storage in front and back
- engine HP is more than adequate for the car and current chassis.
- suspension is stiffer than Cayman S, but no where close to GT3. Not even close. Significant body roll through corners. Significant understeer.
- Turn in is not precise (as compared to GT3)
- Power is not there coming out of corners
- Steering feel is more numb than GT3 and steering response is somewhat delayed

All that being said, it is a great car and my wife loved it. Will have to think things over and possibly pull the trigger.

Takehome message:

If any of you have been thinking about a Cayman R to replace your GT3, please don't do it!!! Be happy with what you have because it is a phenomenal machine and a pleasure to drive. Now if you want to add one to your collection...that is a different story.

I bet most of you already knew this, but it took me a while to figure it out.

 

it is always nice to be able to cross some cars from the dream list

 

Sorry! The question is ill-posed. Both the Cayman R and the GT3 RS (or for that matter any 997) are great cars but different. One is a mid-engine, the others all-in-the-rear. Different animals. Pick the one you like.

 

Amazingly, my wife saw a Cayman S BE last night and got really interested in it.
I can't believe it, but I do want to take it for a test drive. Looked great!

 

Thanks for the review bud.

I was always intrigued by the Cayman R.

 

Incase you have seen it - quite a bit of discussion and comp of 3 and R
https://rennlist.com/forums/987-foru...-cayman-r.html

 

duh!

 

I couldn't agree more, the Cayman R or the Boxster Spyder are both great sports cars but not even close to the GT3 as a track car.

 

I test drove a 997.2 GT3 a few months ago and really liked it. Like you, I was also intrigued by the Cayman R and drove on with the PDK about a month ago. My opinions were similar to yours and felt it had to be in sport plus and driven in anger to be "alive". Not a street car for me. After getting back behind the wheel of a GT3 after the R, I'm convinced it's the much better car for the street and feels special at all speeds/driving manners.

 

Very interesting to read this comparison. I see the Cayman drivers very competitive with all others including GT3 at road america. Comparing GT3 to the Cayman R is clearly not expected to be equal. I like the comment that the GT3 is preferred on road and track. Extremely interesting.

 

+1 I had a boxster spyder last year and have an RS this year. I find the ride and the handling (not to mention the power) of the RS to be head and shoulders above my old spyder.

 

Not sure it is fair to compare a $70K car against a $135K car....of course the GT cars are going to be better! They better be better!

Horses for courses.......

I absolutely love driving the Spyder on backroads through the woods or on coastal roads. There is nothing like having the smell of trees/woods or the ocean surround you while you're carving corners at rapid speeds, feeling everything the car is doing and listening to the engine wail immediately behind you. It reminds me of mountain biking in the woods when I was really good at it. Major adrenaline rush and very engaging.

I haven't been in a GT3/GT2 on the track but I can imagine that it is also a very engaging rush and probably very satisfying to drive properly. Something I would consider adding to the stable.

 

Op - your notes are spot on for stock car.
But if after you get R car you put on gt2 sway bars, stiffer springs and get camber to match camber on GT3 car you may feel different. It just needs a bit of work to get proper tuning. In street form 911 car is same numb. What R car is great about is its price, relatively cheap chassis and close to perfect weight balance. If you strip it and remove most dead weight it is a big question if stock gt3 car will do better lap times. If it would have proper 400hp engine from GTS car it would be a killer.

 

Forget what I just wrote. I just bought a 2012 Cayman R. Pics will follow.

 

I would love love love to drive a BSpy