Porsche Cayman/Boxster - 718 Returns

Underneath, there's a 385-horsepower, 3.8-liter flat-six engine amidships, credited as being derived from the Carrera S. While there are those out there still lamenting the fact that the GT3 can only be had with a dual-clutch transmission, the Cayman GT4 "transmits its power solely through a six-speed manual transmission with dynamic gearbox mounts." Yeah. So take that.

The extra power reduces the Cayman GT4's 0-to-60 mile per hour sprint to 4.2 seconds, a half second quicker than the 340-hp Cayman GTS, and bumps top speed up to 183 mph. An interesting nugget: Porsche says the Cayman GT4 runs the Nürburgring in seven minutes and 40 seconds, which it credits as the same time run by the 2011 911 GT3. Porsche has never offered a precise time for the current 911 GT3, saying only that it's "under 7:30," and Internet rumor (grab your salt lick) is that the not-yet-introduced GT3 RS has done a 7:20.

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New Design, Less Mass

The family resemblance between Boxster and Cayman continues thanks to new styling for the coupe. The Cayman is now 0.1 inch longer and 0.4 inch lower, with a wheelbase lengthened by 2.3 inches and a wider track. It has more prominent side air intakes with black inserts and new dark-tinted headlights. The shapes of the air intakes in the front grille have been inverted, and the strips of LED running lights have been removed from the lower grille openings. As on the Boxster, the rear spoiler now spans the width of the tail and ends its arc in each of the taillights. Those taillights are smaller and more angular than before, and the spoiler can extend at speed for improved downforce.

The aluminum and steel body also is slightly lighter than before, despite the size increase. Porsche says the Cayman tips the scales at 2888 pounds with a manual transmission and 2954 with a PDK dual-clutch, decreases of 44 pounds. The Cayman S weighs in at 2910 pounds with a manual and 2976 pounds with PDK, a diet of 66 and 55 pounds respectively. The car's standard wheels have been upsized by one inch, so the Cayman wears 18-inch alloys and the Cayman S has 19-inch wheels. Like the Boxster and 911, the Cayman switches from hydraulic to fuel-saving electric power steering. The redesign also touched the interior, bringing it up to speed with the current design trends of other Porsche models. The circular vents are gone in favor of rectangular openings that wrap onto the top of the dashboard, the right-hand instrument binnacle swaps its analog gauges for a color LCD screen, and the center stack morphs into the tall angled design that first debuted in the Panamera four-door. The usual gamut of Porsche performance options, including carbon-ceramic brakes and adaptive dampers, should be available.

More Power, Less Fuel

The Cayman again offers a choice between two mid-mounted flat-six engines, both more powerful and more efficient than in the old car, and with a stop-start feature. The base engine is now a 2.7 liter, down from 2.9 liters, with 275 hp and 213 lb-ft of torque. While that represents a gain of ten horsepower, peak torque is down by eight lb-ft. Nonetheless, Porsche estimates the Cayman will run to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds with the standard six-speed manual and as quickly as 5.1 seconds with the seven-speed PDK. Top speed is 165 or 164 mph, depending on transmission. The Cayman S continues with its 3.4-liter engine, but various revisions increase peak power by five horsepower to 325 hp and decrease torque by one lb-ft to 272 lb-ft. The 0-to-60-mph run is claimed to take 4.7 seconds with a manual transmission and as little as 4.4 seconds with the PDK dual-clutch. Top speed is 175 mph with the former transmission and 174 mph with the latter. With those figures, the Cayman S has already matched the performance metrics of the old Cayman R. The high-performance version had 330 hp and 273 lb-ft, and reached the 60-mph benchmark in a claimed 4.4 seconds before reaching a top speed of 175 mph. That surely leaves the door open to Porsche building a quicker Cayman -- one that might even step on the toes, performance-wise, of the 911 Carrera. Despite the small dose of extra power, Porsche has managed to make the Cayman more fuel-efficient. The Cayman is now rated for 21/30 mpg (city/highway) with the manual transmission and 22/32 with PDK -- increases of two mpg in the city and three on the highway.

The Cayman S, meanwhile, now returns 20/28 mpg with the manual and 21/30 with PDK, gains of one mpg for most measures and a two-mpg bump for manual-transmission highway economy. After its debut at the L.A. auto show, the 2013 Porsche Cayman goes on sale in spring 2013. The base Cayman will start at $53,550 (including a $950 destination charge), and the Cayman S starts at $64,750.

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LeanNSupreme said:

Gorgeous car
The exterior is KINDA similar to the BRZ/FRS

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Tr1ll said:

Oddly enough, it kinda reminds me of the Panamera.

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PugLife said:

ever since i was in the car market this past spring, i kept saying how the cayman was the best looking porsche (besides the higher level gt3's and whatnot)...too bad it's not as powerful as the 911's.

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