Porsche Cayman Review: 2010 Model | Cayman | Car Buyers Guide

Once upon a time, buying a Porsche was simple. Depending on your budget, you could either afford the entry-level Boxster or the range-topping 911. Nowadays, however, things are a bit more complicated. In addition to the aforementioned cars, Porsche now offers the midrange Cayman coupé, the ‘off-road’-orientated Cayenne and, of course, the controversial (among Porsche fans at least) Panamera Grand Tourer. Porsche has always offered hardcore, track-focused variants of its cars, such as the iconic 911 GT3 RS, and now the Cayman is getting similar treatment.

While not quite as successful in the sales stakes as the Boxster, the Cayman has proved to be one of the best cars in its class and this package undoubtedly improves things further. Launched at the LA Auto Show in November, it’s dubbed the Porsche Cayman R, and as its name suggests, it offers more power, better handling and tastier looks than the standard unit.

For starters, Porsche has shed 55kg of weight from the Cayman by chucking out its air conditioning and stereo systems, decreasing the size of its petrol tank and using carbon-fibre bucket seats and aluminium door skins from the 911 Turbo inside. These weight savings mesh nicely with more power and a superior suspension setup. The Porsche boffins have tuned the Cayman’s 3.4-litre flat-six lump to produce an additional 10hp, bringing its total power output up to an incredible 330hp. With this mind, the Cayman R can sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in 5.0 seconds, two-tenths of a second faster than the Cayman S. However, with the optional seven-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox the task is reduced to 4.7 seconds, putting the Cayman R on par with its main rival, the BMW M3.

To give the Cayman R better bite through the twisties than its standard counterpart, Porsche has also lowered it 20mm all-round and fitted it with a limited slip diff as standard. To ensure you don’t mistake it for the ‘lesser’ Cayman S, the exterior has also been substantially reworked. The Cayman R gains a distinctive new aero kit with a fixed rear spoiler, racing stripes and black-framed halogen lights. Best of all, though, Porsche is offering a very tasty optional ‘Peridot’ green paint scheme for the car, which suits it perfectly. Finally, the Cayman R borrows its 19-inch alloys from the new Boxster Spyder for a racy new exterior look. And, of course, it’s considerably more affordable than even the cheapest 911.

Stats Box: Cayman R vs. Cayman S