Alan Smithee

I think your pricing analysis is accurate, but I disagree on the concept and performance. My thought is that if Porsche is going to finally bring a Cayman/Boxster up to its potential, it will be extremely focused in order to be completely unlike any of the Carrera models at the same price point. The mule in the photos appears to back this up, at least in terms of suspension/brakes/wheels/tires. I can't imagine they would only bump power up 10% over the Cayman R based on that mule. But since it is all just speculation, we will have to see...

texasviany

We need Vegas to set some odds so we can have some fun betting. I will set the "over under" line at 371.

Who is taking the over or under bets?

crocRacer

I'm anxiously awaiting more news on this. I plan to get on the list at my dealership as soon as they have one.

Marine Blue

So in a few years there will be a bunch of Spyders for sale from the sounds of it!

All I know is that I won't test drive it.

mooty

no hp increase needed.
just simple stick shift and rip out all the garbage in the car like ac radio, leather this and that. carpet, sound deadenly, etc. drop 500 lbs. i am all in.

JJ Cleghorne

+1 Deal breaker for me, too!

zedcat

Have been skeptical of a GTx Cayman for awhile. maybe they will do it. A key for me is will they give it suspension adjustability- adjustable control arms to get neg camber without going aftermarket, adjustable anti-roll bars. Don't care about PASM dampers. Keep it simple. light weight, 6 speed, 5 bolt hubs and sport bucket seats. If they did that I would go get on a list. Might even sell the Cayman R. Keep the 991 GT3 for Cars and Coffee (kidding!)

khooni

i fear pandering to us diehards makes very little business sense in the modern era where China takes about 33% of theP cars. If you want to increase sports cars sales and porscheness i.e. greater differentiation with audi products, realistically, the best chances lie in China where the explosion in middle incomes is rapid. The only question is whether the old 6 speeder will fit or if they use the 7 speeder in the 911.

I hope we will. I have a deposit on the next R/GT4 but if it's PDK only, i'm out as well. I'm all for PDK/auto cars but only in my family cars not in my sports cars. I am too slow to care about the tenths saved not shifting anyway and I enjoy blipping and self shifting and mid corner interactiveness in sequence. why take it from an old skool guy like me......

PhilNotHill

You and I may like to blip but...

We just took delivery of a special ordered '14 Audi S4 (same VW family) with a 6 spd manual. Turns out the car automatically blips when downshifting into 2nd or 3rd. But I still do it myself anyway.

My wife will only drive a stick. says she wants to DRIVE the car and not vice versa. Gotta love that.

Manuals are getting harder and harder to find in the US. Even though about 50% of the cars in Europe are sticks they won't send or sell or their models that they sell in Europe to the US...especially with the stick.

BTW the S4 is great fun to drive. Faster 0-60 than our '11 Boxster S. It has a sports differential and adaptive suspension which is great fun to play with. Fun to drive in the twisties with all settings in DYNMAIC mode. the supercharged engine really helps power at 8k ft compared to the NA Boxster.

Best

texasviany

My wife is the same way. No auto for her either! Her latest car is the Volvo Polestar.

ranger22

And let the "Pole Star" comments fly!

khooni

The 50% manual you talk about in europe mainly relates to stock base econoboxes which have manual for cost reasons. For luxury and prestige marques and models, I'm afraid the take up on manuals is much much less. look at the M3/M4 if not for the U.S, europe will not have a manual.

True uptake amongst sporty cars will be much less than 50%.

texasviany

I was letting them fly before she got the car home!

Z356

From posts in the Rennlist 991 gt3 forum:

Autocar report today by Steve Sutcliffe. I believe, if PAG does allow rear axle steering to be put on a Cayman, it will be for the gt4 model expected later in the .2 981 model - perhaps in calendar year 2017!

'Meanwhile, the 911 GT3’s rear-wheel steer system is understood to be under consideration for the Cayman for later in the model’s life cycle. The Cayman will be the first Porsche sports car to get the firm’s upcoming four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which is believed to run an output of about 400bhp.'

http://m.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-...ext-911-gt3-rs

Plus news of 'Baby Boxster'...the 718...from Georg Kacher of CAR in England!

As an aside, this report confirms my expectations that the 981 .2 facelift will come one year after the 991 .2 facelift! The latter is reportedly scheduled to debut in the Spring of 2015 as a MY2016. The 981 .2 facelift should come in the spring of 2016 as a MY2017.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

PS If Sutcliffe's sources are right on a turbo-charged 991 gt3 RS, that is not good news for us N/A engine fans! I still am hoping to see a N/A motor in the MY2015 gt3 RS when it debuts this Fall!

nh4

With the disclaimer that I'm a total newbie to the Porsche development cycle, if the car spotted a few weeks back is indeed a mule for the Cayman GT4, is it typical for Porsche to have that close-to-production looking cars driving around if the release is still three years out?

I ask because the manufacturers that I am more familiar with seem to be about a year out from model release when they have mules that look this complete. I also ask because I put myself on the list for this car at my dealer and I'm not sure I'd have the patience to wait 3 years!

Thanks,

-nh4.