VIDEO: Porsche's All-New Cayman Gets A WRINGING And, Of Course, The Question Comes Up...

"Should I buy the 911 or is the Cayman better?"

The Porsche Cayman is one of those vehicles that is a sleeper. Folks that aren't in the loop will say that it is definitely "not a real Porsche," however, the reality is that if there is a pure Porsche, it would be the Boxster and Cayman.

That's because it is essentially the spiritual successor of the 550 Spyder. With a mid-engine setup it's the one thing the 911 doesn't have — a motor in the right place. However, the 911 has something the Cayman doesn't have, power.

So, how does it shake out?

Watch below...

On this episode of Ignition, Carlos Lago gets behind the wheel of the newest iteration of Porsche's Cayman line, the 2014 Porsche Cayman S. After some twisty road driving, Carlos meets up with pro driver Randy Pobst at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to discuss the capabilities of the new Cayman on the track. It's track ready, balanced, and can go from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds... but is it worth it's fully loaded six figure price tag?

First previewed on its Boxster platform-mate, and shown at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show, the new Cayman looks more aggressive than its predecessor. From the 918 Spyder-aping looks to the scalloped air intakes on the doors to the silicone-injected hips, the car looks buffer. It's larger, too. The wheelbase has been stretched by 2.4 inches, while the overhangs on either end have been shortened by 10mm. Overall length is only up 0.1 inch. The track has been widened 40/12mm front/rear.

pcar4evr - 7/7/2013 9:48:56 AM

+1 Boost

I think the new Boxster is the best looking car that Porsche makes and the Cayman is the best handling car that Porsche makes. One has to ask themselves if they need 4 seats (take the wife and young children out for Sunday rides?) and the other question is a less logical one - do you look at 991 and think "that's the icon", "that's THE Porsche, not an entry level substitute". That's a tough question for lots of people.

A solution - buy a RUF 3800S coupe, leave the kids at home and destroy 991's.

mini22 - 7/7/2013 5:24:10 PM

+1 Boost

I think that the 911 has to move further up the price range. The Boxster Cayman is essentialy occupying the previous price range of the 996 and 997. It is clear that the Cayman S offers the performance and handling of the base 991 while being significantly cheaper. Since the GT3 offers 470 hp there is room for the Carrera S to offer 425 to 430 HP standard. The base 911 should be offering 380 to 390 HP. Further the steering calibration from the GT3 should be available as standard on all 911's. That should help separate the 911 from the Boxster/Cayman platform.Finally I think suspension calibrations should be about 1/2 way between the S and the GT3 as standard with different suspension settings for in town,sport, and race.The other point I would make when buying these cars is this. You don't need all the expensive options. One could be perfectly satisfied with the sport exhaust, 19 inch wheels,standard stereo,non ceramic brakes and the cheapest leather seats Porsche offers for the Boxster/Cayman. The net result is that you would be able to enjoy a car that is less than $75 grand. Further you could actually enjoy a 911 for under 100 Grande if you chose wisely.