Porsche Adds Base Cayman to Lineup This Summer
When Porsche launched the Cayman S last autumn, we all knew that the base model was coming; it was just a matter of when. With the announcement of the new wave of hardtop sports cars from Audi and BMW, the answer to this call has just come up, as Porsche has just announced it will be launching the “regular” version of the Cayman called the, um, Cayman. The base Cayman is a de-tuned version of the Cayman S which aims for a target audience who wish to have Cayman with less frills and a bit less go-power, but still the core performance essentials.
Visually, it’ll be pretty difficult to spot the Cayman from the Cayman S. Only keen eyes, or true Porsche enthusiasts will be able to point out the mildly different valance up front, which features a black lower lip as opposed to one that’s body coloured, a single, centre-mounted trapezoidal exhaust pipe instead of the S’ twin circular units and black-coloured four-piston aluminum brake calipers. The only other visual difference worth noting - and the one that most will use to gauge the model differences - is the titanium-coloured badge on its tail, which reads Cayman, instead of Cayman S.
The Cayman is powered by the same 2.7-litre flat-six engine that can be found in the standard Boxster, although, its VarioCam Plus system has been tuned to produce slightly more horsepower and torque. Instead of the standard 240 horsepower, it now makes 245, while torque has been boosted from 199 lb-ft to 201 lb-ft. Nevertheless, the Cayman is still a quick machine; it’s capable of hitting 100 km/h from a standstill in 6.1 seconds, and has a top speed of 257 km/h, which is quicker and faster than the entry-level BMW Z4 3.0i Coupe and Audi’s new TT 2.0 FSI.
Even in its most basic form, the Cayman isn’t robbed of some of Porsche’s performance enhancing features. Standard equipment includes a five-speed manual gearbox, PSM stability control and 205/55 R 17 inch wheels in front and 235/50 R 17 inch wheels in back. Optional equipment includes Porsche’s active damping system (PASM), which is capable of lowering the car’s ride height by 10 mm, and increasing the stiffness for improved response in high-performance driving situations. As with other applications, this is controlled through a two-mode button which consists of “normal” and “sport” settings.
Inside, the Cayman has most of the fittings of the S model. While it is a base model, standard equipment includes air conditioning, a CD player, black-faced gauges, and sports seats trimmed in grippy Alcantara. For those wanting a few additional creature comforts, a two-tone interior colour scheme, DVD-based navigation with 5.8-inch wide-screen display, on-board telephone, Bose Surround Sound audio system, and parking sensors can be equipped. A choice of aluminum, carbon fibre, and surprisingly, wood, are all available for decorative trim. Safety equipment on the Cayman consists of standard front airbags as well as curtain and side thorax airbags.
As with any Porsche - even the entry level models such as this - there will be a huge demand for it when it arrives in dealerships this summer. Officially, the car goes on sale on July 29, with a price tag of $49,400 US dollars, though, for Canadians the Cayman will start at $69,600 CAD.
Nevertheless, even without the S’ high performance motor or its optional carbon-ceramic brakes behind it all, the Cayman still has the S’ race car-like reflexes, perfect balance, and dynamic poise which sets it apart from all others.