perfectlap

I've been much happier with my car than I ever imagined. I've driven every 996 (except for the GT's), 997S, 944, 968, 928 and never had an urge to dump my BoxsterS until I drove a CaymanS. Which got me thinking, is it just me --have I gotten to used to driving a mid engine car-- or is the CaymanS the ultimate Porsche coupe? Neck snapping acceleration is fun but for me that's not so important, if it were I'd be sitting in a ZR1. The lack of 400+HP does not diminish from the driving experience one bit. OK I'm still not crazy about the headlights or the Cayenne interior but the driving experience is still flawless imo.
p.s.
What is the lightest someone has gotten a street driven CaymanS?

MrClean

Since I don't have a lot of seat time in other Porsches, it is hard for me to give that overall distinction to the CS.

However, I can say based on back to back test drives of the 996, the 997 and the CS, I thought the CS had the best all around sports car feel of the three for my preferences (coming from an S2000). I drove 996 and 997 C2's and C4S's and I thought the 911's, especially the 4S's, felt big and powerful to me, but less agile compared to the CS. I wonder how a 993 would feel...


As far as lightest CS, I have not heard. I would imagine 2700-2800 lb range for a street driven CS with disciplined weight reductions.

DMB14

I think it's more in line with Porsche's founding ideals than what the 911 is becoming.

Marv

I've driven a Tip Cayman and I can say it is a nice car for daily driving (imagining a 6-speed in it). It is tight and nimble.

After my drive I felt I could enjoy that car if I did not have the extra cash to buy a GT3.

However, after driving normal 996 and 993 cars I can tell you the GT3 is way beyond those cars. It is a different animal altogether and for an extra $10K to $20K or so over a new CS it puts you in a unique club. The GT3 is a driver's car with an extremely connected feeling and that puts it in a class of its own.

The only thing that might be better is the GT3 drivetrain in the CS and I think that has been done, too.

perfectlap

I haven't driven the GT3 so I'm speaking from ignorance but I was riding shot gun on long drive in an unexpected monsoon. The driver was no slouch yet I really got a very disturbed feeling and unerving feeling in that car. One second we were plowing through and a milisecond later and without the slightest 'famous early 911 warning" we were airborn....bad. It was enough to make me believe that the car is great for your track day and autocross or if you live in rain-less Socal. I've had some bad days in my rear wheel BoxsterS up here in the NorthEast but I've never had a similar feeling since. It also made me think if the GT3 is not properly aligned or comes out of alignment on some of these punishing roads, you are in a downright dangerous car.

Which sorta brings me back to my point, I think Porsches were made with more practical purposes in mind, its a Porsche afterall not a Ferrari.

Marv

Ha, ha! Yes, the GT3 does not carry any life savers or life preservers in the cabin. There is no traction or stability control. While the tail is better tamed than the old 911 of the past, you can still get bit if you go too far. This car does not have training wheels and those 400 horses have teeth!

One of the problems with the GT3 is tires. They come with grippy PS2s or grippier Cup tires, which should not be abused in the rain. I have run the PS2s and feel they are fine if you drive in a civil manner. The Cups should be saved for the track.

Alignment isn't so critical on the street, but can really improve lap times on the track by turning something beastly into a precision track weapon.

I run mine as a daily driver. For me it is exactly what I want and expect in a sports car. It is not subtle and it is raw, but not harsh. Then there is that scream as the street tuned GT1 derived engine winds out to its 8200 RPM redline. That takes your breath away.

It's not for everybody, but then again they only imported 960 of them for the North Americas. So, you may find it is not your cup of tea, but that's okay when there are so many flavors (of Porsches) to choose from.

roushraven

Thank you. Your post was very helpful, especially for me as I am in the market to buy my first Porsche and have been wavering between these models (Cayman vs 911).

-RR

tcracing

GT3 RS.

equ

I owned a 996 c2, test drove a bunch of 997 c2's and some boxsters... The dealer made me drive a cayman (I had no interest in it on paper due to thoughts of no character and being "overpriced").

And it was no contest for me. Driven back to back, the cayman felt so much sportier than the 997, it made the new 911 feel like a nice bmw saloon. Quiet, spacious & refined (and that nose bobbing with no turn in). The Cayman S was quite the opposite, an s2000-like go cart.

Not going crazy (a la gt3 and the like), the cayman is the best porsche coupe driven and I bought it within a week of the test drive.

rai

I have not driven a Cayman S yet. I have heard some people have gone for a test drive just to see what it was about who ended up buying one. I'm sure it's a GREAT car.

But to say it's top Porsche coupe obviously not.

I had the good fortune to test drive a 997 GT3 and as Donny Brasco would say: "Fuggetaboutit"

My car is a S2000 so I'm not one to say 'power is everything'. But it's not bad. I wouldn't turn away a car because it had power. The GT3 has 120hp more than a Cayman S. The engine in the GT3 is truly great and no doubt one of the reasons it costs $50K more than the CS.

If you want to talk about value, the CS is costs a lot less and has usable real world performance and the CS has stability control to make it more real world freindly. But under the correct conditions I don't think many cars will outdo a GT3.

I only drove the GT3 for 20 minutes so I don't pretend to be an expert and it was 100% dry roads. I don't think the GT3 is an ideal 365 day a year car and I would not mind if the GT3 had stability control (as a safety net) as the new GT2 does.

My experience with the S2000 tells me that tires have a big effect on wet road handling. I would imagine there are some tires out there that would tame a GT3 somewhat in the rain, but truly some cars it's better to slow down in the rain and probably the GT3 is one, but I think it could be driven in the rain with care.

Also I think it depends on what you want the car for. It it's your only car and you are going to drive it come hell or high water maybe the GT3 is not the best. But it's a performance car and if you are talking what's the best performance Porsche IMO the GT3 (or maybe the RS) would win hands down.

EVO magazine does a Car of the year contest and the GT3 RS won this year, I believe the GT3 won last year. This was against all comers, last year they had a Ford GT and this year they had a F430 Scudera, M3, Gallardo SL and Audi R8 so my point is if the GT3 is winning this contest that says all you need to know about it's bona fides.

mjb

Yeah, GT3 is not a great daily driver IMO, although 7GT3 is more civilized on the street than the 6GT3.
But once it's aligned properly and you get used to it - not scary at all. And then when you get it on the track, well....

But the CS is a damn good car as far as I can tell from one loaner car experience and talking with Cayman drivers at the track. A stretch to say "the best" (GTx cars hold that title), but if Porsche would only develop and support it as a serious race car with a GT3 type variant and with the inevitable technology trickle down, it might very well become the best coupe P had to offer. But don't hold your breath...

tcracing

USA spec GT3 RS with "normal" tires is a GREAT daily driver.

mooty

i had/have cayman s with moton cs, 996gt3 stock, 996gt3 moton, 997Rs.
cayman s would be the best p car coupe if it had GT3 engine and gearbox. as is, it is very very good but not quite there just yet. it is more balanced than rear engine cars, but as long as you drive rear engine cars "differently" they will be balanced also.

in the wet, on the street, i wouldn't drive any of the above three cars. my audi S4 avant will drive circles around them. the aggro LSD in 997 and 996 gt3 will make you understeer in the wet. if you aren't patient, you are an accident to happen on wet pavement in GT3's regardless of what tires you are on. we are, afterall, non pro's.

997gt3 is really nice as daily driver and track toy.
996gt3 is not so much of a daily driver. i can't really explain why, but if you drive them back to back, you will most likely pick 997 gt3 for daily use.

i'll be first in line to buy Gt3 engined cayman s. i am just hoping it's not in the CGT price range.

tcracing

Cannot argue with your analysis, expecially since you OWN the cars being discussed here. I drove a Cayman S this last week-end and had a blast, but like you are saying, just wanted the extra GT3 horses with me and they just were not there. Sooner or later someone will drop the right engine in a Cayman, it won't be Porsche, maybe Ruf or one of the tuners.

2002M3Drew

Having thoroughly enjoyed a co-drive in a friend's GT3 for several driving seasons (NJ-GT on this board), that is definitely the finest Porsche Coupe I have driven, bar none. I don't care for the 997 quite as much, but it is obviously a wonderful machine as well.

The Cayman S is BY FAR a much easier car to jump into, no previous experience with the car, and drive the snot out of. It is so communicative in feel, but yet so forgiving. Few car companies manage to get the handle right on car, so that it is relatively benign to the uninitiated, yet still has sharp reflexes at the limit. In most cases, the formula is dumbed down for the general public/average buyer, and thusly they understeer to death- not so the Cayman. In this respect, the Cayman is pretty special. In comparison, the GT3 (at least the 996) does not suffer fools lightly. You'd better know what you're doing before going anywhere near its limits on the track or even in autox.