Porsche Cayman R

Is it tempting enough?

What kind of sports car fanatic is prepared to pay 7 thousand Euros more for a five second faster lap timeon the Nordschleife? Some Porsche fetishists may be tempted. Porsche is making an effort the keep clients happy with an upgrade to the not so fresh Cayman model. A new and livelier top version with sporting allure should do the trick. Anyone who has driven a Cayman S on a race circuit knows full well that this is an automobile which is hard to improve upon. But the Cayman R is not only good for a marginally better lap time, its look and overall technology package is intended to convince buyers.

The 19 inch alloys have eye appeal and weigh less than 10 kilos per wheel.

The look is important

For many the 4.35 metre long Cayman is the better Porsche for the race track. However this is an admission you will hear from any spokesman of the car maker nor from the unshakably loyal fans of the 911. Such a confession would amount to sacrilege and in truth the 911 is in terms of power and acceleration still just a bit ahead. But if the aim is to take the wheel of a purist sports car with excellent motor performance, perfectly calculated balance and dynamic drive characteristics then the mid-motor Cayman S is a real temptation. But now a facelift has given us the Cayman R. To be sure there are 10 horsepower more available and the top speed is now over the not so magical 280 kilometres an hour mark. But more significant is the new look. The static rear spoiler is just the start and it also contributes valuable downforce at higher speeds. The same goes for the new 19 inch rims. The menacingly dark wheels are not only eye-catching but make their own contribution to the driving dynamics. “The alloys and the lightest 19 inchers Porsche has ever had in its program”, explains Jan Roth, the man responsible for the Caymans, “the ten spokes are so delicate – and yet so tough – that the complete set of wheels weighs under 40 kilos.”

In its poisonous green livery the news sports model has an aggressive look. At 330 horsepower the R-Version has ten more than the Cayman S. More important, however, is a weight reduced by 55 kilos.

Performance gains only on paper

As withthe 911 Turbo, the doors of the Cayman R are made of light aluminium and anyone wanting to reduce weight to the maximum can do without the navigation systemand air-conditioning. In the best case the Porsche Cayman R has an overall weight of under 1.3 tons. Compared with the Cayman S there is marginally improved performance to be noted. The 3.4 litre six-cylinder Boxer gives the R-Version 330 horsepower and 370 metres of torque at 4,750 RPM, ten horsepower more and unchanged torque. The sprint to a hundred takes under five seconds and to top speed of the two-seater is 282 kilometres an hour, bringing it ever closer to the statistics for the role model which remains the wonderful 911. Reduced weight means not only improved performance but also as a welcome side effect lessened fuel consumption. With the standard six-speed manual transmission the R-Version call for only 9.7 litres per hundred driven. Those who go for the highly recommended PDK double-clutching transmission gain not only more comfort and slightly better acceleration but also a further reduced requirement for fuel, just 9.3 litres.

The difference on the track

In practice there is hardly any difference between the Cayman S and the Cayman R – especially if both are given 19 inch rims and have the double-clutching transmission. And the fact that the new top model is up to 55 kilograms lighter is a difference which comes into play only on a race track. However it must be noted that the Cayman R has a particularly sonorous exhaust note. This comes from both the standard resonance sport exhaust system which has flaps which can be opened at the touch of a button and from the elimination of much sound insulation material. The settings for springs and shocks could be somewhat harder in an automobile with such sporting pretensions. This is especially true since there is no electronic suspension control system installed. As a result the Cayman R sits about 20 millimetres lower than the Cayman S, again a difference which is only really relevant on the race circuit. Here, too, the inter-wheel differential lock on the rear axle, a standard feature, also has a role to play.

The interior is typical Porsche – typical Cayman, not too purist though, and the bucket seat not only decrease overall weight but also provide comfort for everyday driving. Anyone wanting to reduce weight to the maximum can do without the navigation system and air-conditioning.

So near and yet so far

The interior is typical Porsche – typical Cayman. The sports feel is present, not too purist though, and the bucket seat not only decrease overall weight but also provide comfort for everyday driving. However the fabric loops installed to open the doors offer further weight saving but seem just a bit too much of a nod the racing fraternity. “From our customers we are getting more and more very positive feedback,” stresses the project manager, Jan Roth. Maybe so. The more the Cayman has over the years come to resemble its inspiration, the 911, the less of a price difference there is. In terms of driving dynamics the difference has never been so small. But its superior image and much better resale value mean that the 911, even at the end of its model cycle, remains impossible to better. The true difference between the Porsche Cayman R and the 911 Carrera is at 15 horsepower and 15 thousand Euros is smaller than it has ever been. But with an entry price of 69,830 Euros there are likely to be few who will be tempted to downsize. A Cayman – whether with or without the ‘R’- and the 911 inhabit totally different worlds.