| Week at the Wheel | Porsche Cayman 2.9 |
Inside & Out:
The Cayman's shape has been accused of being a little unadventurous, but then Porsche has never been very radical when it comes to styling. We like it. The Cayman's lines are arguably purer than the 911's, its mid-engine and lack of rear seats causing fewer compromises to allow a more flowing shape. The rear haunches are a high point, literally, the way they rise up and then drop to the rear is the Cayman's signature. They're the same as the
Boxster's admittedly, but the rakish rear roofline accentuates the style.
The interior, like the exterior, is familiar Porsche. There are no surprises. Just the same solid build quality, excellent seats, floor hinged accelerator pedal and easily located controls and switches.
Engine & Transmission:
This standard Cayman gets a 2.9-litre flat-six unit pushing out 265bhp and enabling a 5.8-second 0-62mph time. Here it's attached to the standard six-speed manual gearbox: the quick-flick accuracy that it delivers makes every ratio swap a real pleasure. The engine provides plenty of reason to use that six-speeder too thanks to the wonderful noise it makes - sampled here with the must-have sports exhaust option. It's easy to find yourself messing around with the gearbox for the aural treats as much as for the slick action in your hands.
Not that the engine needs working too hard to produce decent performance. It's nicely flexible, pulling easily from low revs, even though its peak 221lb.ft of torque is produced from 4,400-6,000rpm. Up there it's quick; not as savagely so as its
Cayman S relative, but still rapid enough to keep up with just about anything on the road.
Ride & Handling:
The Cayman offers a choice of suspension settings when specified with Porsche's PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management). Forget the sport mode though, as it's too firm. The softer standard setting suits UK roads best, it providing fine control and a surprisingly supple ride quality. The steering is a delight, with inputs at the wheel quickly and accurately translated to incisive changes in direction. There's feel too, which is rare in modern cars, even the majority of the Cayman's rivals. Few cars feel so composed, so rounded in their balance as the Cayman, which allows you to carry speed on challenging roads with very little effort.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
We doubt there's a Cayman out there without some choice options, but this specific car is absolutely loaded. The standard list price is £38,045, though this car adds £16,750 to that. That chunky add-on cost includes a full leather interior with sports seats, a sports exhaust, Porsche's satnav and phone installation, better audio equipment, a limited slip differential, 19-inch alloy wheels and a special colour (Malachite Green) among other extras. We could live without some of those items, but the reality is that you have to consider the list price as a mere starting point.
Overall:
A pure driving experience that's as much about the driver as it is power outputs, the Cayman is a real pleasure. It's easily fast enough for today's roads, and beautifully composed and involving behind the wheel. The 2.9-litre Cayman might be the entry-point, but it's no poor relation to its S and 911 siblings - especially if you dip into that options list.