Porsche Cayman vs. 911 - Buyer's Guide

The Age Old Debate

You’re ready to buy one of the two, but you can't decide: Cayman or 911. It’s an age old debate that pretty much everyone with an interest in fast cars blows up the internet over. I get asked a lot what my thoughts are on these cars, having spent a lot of time reviewing various iterations of the two. I’m going to break down my thoughts on why you might want to buy each of them, and what they each offer that makes them both so appealing.

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Mid engine vs. Rear engine

Mid engine RWD or rear engine RWD; this is the biggest difference between the two. Which is better is always the question, and the answer is neither and both. In terms of driving dynamics the 911 feels very planted when you exit corners with a strong bias towards rear traction. The combination of the engine slung over the rear axle, and an incredible suspension setup from the factory, makes it a traction monster. Conversely, the Cayman pivots like a top. It rotates very easily and requires a very delicate touch on the pedals. This difference is really the cornerstone of this whole argument. You have to drive both of them, as some people simply like the feel of one more than the other.

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Dynamic Handling

Having driven both of these vehicles on a wet skid pad, the one thing I’ve really noticed is how they feel when they’re sideways. When you induce yaw in a low grip environment, the Cayman becomes a surgeon’s scalpel. precise, but one wrong move and it can cut you. The balance is very sensitive to throttle and steering input, and to use the word unforgiving to describe it would be an understatement. Drifting a Cayman isn’t easy and keeps you on your toes. On the other hand when you get a 911 S sideways it behaves more like a hammer. You can really swing it around and apply more aggressive inputs in both steering and acceleration. The Cayman to me holds less angle before it gives up and inevitably spins where as the 911 seems like it can get 10 or 12 degrees more yaw angle. Two really different cars in low traction environments.

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Corner Entry

When you get closer to the limit of these cars, the one place they differ measurably is corner entry. Imagine for a moment we're charging down a straightaway at 105mph into a 90 degree right hand corner that needs to be taken at 40mph. The road is tight and paved smoothly, no unexpected bumps to throw the car out of line. One of the big thing I notice is how these two different machines feel under braking as they transition into this type of corner. The 911 utilizes much larger rear brakes than a conventional car because there is more weight over the rear axle. This leads to an inherent feel of stability in the braking zones as weight transfers forward. In the Cayman you can feel the mid engine layout and the rear does feel a lot lighter in this situation.

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Technology and Upgrades

Both of these cars can be custom tailored to the user by the factory, and there are features available on the 911 that just aren’t on the Cayman. Rear steering is one of the unique features on the new 911 and it is definitely noticeable. Is it good enough to where you will rule out a Cayman? Absolutely not. Having said that it is a very, very fun thing that you learn to actively feel from the drivers seat. Little things like this are what you need to consider when comparing a purchase of these two vehicles. How important are the these details to you?

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Interiors

In my opinion the 911 has a better interior than the Cayman. Both are very driver focused with the Carrera aiming more towards every day usability and practicality. Seats of course can be optioned and changed out which is a big factor, but that’s not what I’m getting at here. The 911 is just more spacious and has nice visibility. You have more storage space for long trips and it really feels like a proper balance between GT car and sports car. The moment you jump in a Cayman you feel like you’re going driving and that’s all your in it for. Porsche manages to extract two very different feels from each. Are you looking for an every day commuter, weekend tourer, and track star, or more of a dedicated sports car?

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Decisions, Decisions

Over all, these two vehicles have really gone the extra mile in their latest generations and will continue to be innovative platforms for the brand. As much as I would like to give you a solid answer, which one you like more can only be determined by driving them yourself. This guide is simply to highlight some of the main differences to keep in mind as you test drive one or have the opportunity to drive a friend’s, and help you understand some of the nuances of each vehicle. In most situations Personally, I prefer a Cayman because I love mid engine cars and the way they rotate with less prodding.

Next up is a comparison of 2WD and 4WD 911s and a guide on how to drift them both!

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