CAR WARS! Has The All-New Chevrolet Corvette Stingray EXTINGUISHED The Porsche Cayman S' Flame?

Let's see...for the same price I can have a temperamental German dealer queen or a car that will be as reliable as a Camry...hmm Corvette!

Far as I know Porsche dealers aren't problematic and if you're implying the Corvette is as reliable as a Camry, is that really a bad thing?

A properly engineered mid engine car probably would have a more "natural" feel to it. If you price each car with options the way
you want it, however what would the price difference be? Further the Cayman, I believe, had the PDK box versus the manual tranny on the Vette.Comparing apples to apples, however would show the Cayman S performing in the high 4 second range-4.8.4.9 seconds(manual tranny).Due to Porsche's "alacarte" pricing of its options, to get a Cayman S with a similar amount of options to a Corvette would probably put it at or close to 80 grand. A Corvette would be closer to 60 grand.That is a huge price difference for slightly better performance in every catagory than the Porsche. So than the real questions needs to be asked.Is the slightly more natural feeling drive on the Porsche make it worth 20 grand more than a Vette. I would really have to say no.

Well, as noted by others they really are two different products. Mid-engine, front-engined blah blah blah.

Personally, I think there's something really special about the mid-engine set up and the amazing dynamics of the Cayman S. You can drive the car at 10/10ths and it's a blast, always.

Valid point about the price of the Porsche but in my opinion a Cayman with less options is better. Keep it bare bones and throw some lightweight seats in it and you're in business.

Personally, I wouldn't cross-shop a Cayman with a Corvette. They attract two different types of sports-car buyers.

Regardless of the price and performance differences, it's the Cayman S for me. I'd rather be the guy that "can't afford to buy a 911" vs. the guy that "is in the midst of a mid-life crisis". haha.

Ill take the V8.

I'll take the Cayman, thank you very much, all thought the C7 is a big improvement (except for the rear end)

An identity crisis versus a sports car?? No fair!

mini22,

I just priced a Cayman with the options I would want. $93K! And I left many options unchecked. That is just silly.

Supermoto - $93k?? I think you are the silly one for checking way too many boxes, but that's your business. I custom ordered my Cayman S and it came in at $78,935 with way more than enough options: 20" Carerra S wheels, Bose/nav, Premium Package, 18 way Adaptive Sport Seats, PASM, Sport Chrono package. What the hell else can you want or need? PTV is the only other performance option. PDK is the best dual clutch in the world, but it doesn't replace the fun of rowing your own with a proper 6-speed manual.

I've logged 4,900 miles since the car arrived May 25 and we were gone for 3 weeks in July. That's more miles in less than 4 months of driving than I put on my 911S Cab in an average year. This car is so enjoyable to drive that I have a tough time keeping my "regular" sedan's battery charged.

The Corvette may be a big improvement and certainly boasts the performance "numbers" for those that read about their fantasy car on the bathroom throne. I drive mine and for me, the exceptional build quality and refinement of the Cayman S, combined with the telepathic handling and exquisite engineering made it an easy choice. I have always been about quality not quantity and am willing to pay up for it. But there is still no reason to pay $93k for a Cayman S. I got mine at a discount for under $75k and I can already tell it will be as enjoyable to drive in 5 years as it is now.

EPN2-Even at 75K is a Cayman worth 15 grand more than a Vette with the Z51 package and other options at say 60 grand.You can also make the same argument of the Cayman versus the 911. Very similar straightline performance, more predictable handling in the CaymanS and 20 grand cheaper with options.Also unless you order a car from Porsche what dealer is even going to have a stripper Cayman S or a 911 on the lot?Not likely.Not saying the Cayman is a bad car.The other question mark on the Porsche is this.Is it finally safe to say that Porsche has truely eleminated the problem with the rear main engine seal and crankshaft bearing problems that plagued 2001 to 2005 cars? Porsche was only allowing a 10 yrs time frame to get the problem fixed. This was set up by their attorneys. So if you are outside the 10 yr window you are essentially screwed. Vettes did not have these kinds of engine issues.

For me, 2nynbak is correct, these are apples and oranges. Is the Cayman S worth $15k more to me than a Vette? Actually, it's worth $75k more because I would still not buy a Corvette period. My alternative was another 911S or possibly 911GT3. Again, not to say the Corvette not a good car and good value for those that want the most horsepower, most tire rubber, most noise, for the buck. That's just not me.

I got into a similar debate with a "more is better" friend when we were each in the process of building new houses. He bought a 2 acre lot 30 miles outside of DC and hired a merchant builder (Toll Brothers) to build him a 8,000+ s.f. McMansion off of their canned plans. It had all of the accouterments you could want - home theater, swimming pool , etc. etc. But it was brick and vinyl with all of the true architectural inspiration of a shoebox. We bought a teardown house on 1/3 acre lot for more money, hired an architect that studied at Taliesen to custom design a 4,200 s.f. Frank Lloyd Wright style house. All natural materials, inside and out - stone, stucco, Brazilian Cherry, slate, Stickley furniture. We passed on the swimming pool and still spent 1.5 times as much for our 4,200 s.f. house than he did for his 8,000 s.f. Mcmansion. But....ours won the NAHB home of the year award and 5 years later, is now easily worth 2.5-3 times as much as his. He can entertain twice as many people at his house, but everybody wants to come to ours.

The Cayman S is absolutely not going to win a drag race against the Corvette. If that's your thing, go for the Vette. And if I had a five car garage like my buddy in the exurbs, maybe it would find it's way in there. But we have a three car garage that only has room for something that is consistent with our passion for quality.

P.S. Thanks for your concern, but the rear main seal leak was a limited and relatively rare 996 issue. The press loved to play it up, but at my local PCCA, only one owner out of a couple hundred actually had it arise and it immediately resulted in a replacement engine at no cost. A few other guys were trying to figure out how to induce RMS so they could get new engines. Clearly, Porsche isn't perfect (even Frank Lloyd Wright buildings had roof leaks). But I'd rather know and deal with those issues than have had to wait 30+ years for Chevy to finally stop using Malibu steering wheels and seats in their premier sports car. Unfortunately, just as they improved the interior to near acceptable levels, they let the damn Pontiac Aztec guy play with the rear end. What Chevy really need to do is find one guy with the passion to do it right, and stop designing cars by committee, IMO. Where's their Enzo or Ferdinand?

These cars are apples and oranges. If you have ever bought a new Porsche or Chevy you'll know the difference. The stats may be similar but the experience of ownership is very different. Take your pick but please don't compare the two.

Listen-I get it. I'm not gonna have a legitimate argument with Porsche fan boys.If your a Porschefile your a Porschefile and I respect that. But for neutral sportscar buyer who is looking for a performance value in terms of straightline acceleration, agility, cornering and finally refinement you have to respect what Chevy has done to the Corvette.Forget about the dumb tail light controversy for the moment. Even the 911 has very different tail lamps the from last one. The fact is this new Corvette has come a long way in terms of interior quality, ride quality, fuel economy, more preditable handling at the limit. The more "nuetral" buyer is going to price out a Vette and either a Cayman or Cayman S and perhaps determine that the Vette simply offers more for the money.The Porsche faithful are not going to change.The nuetral buyer now simply has more choices in the market place.I think the Corvette has morphed into a wider audience now. Further you now have the Jaguar F Type out which again offers a viable alternative to Porsche. When the F Type Coupe comes out,perhaps being 200 LBS lighter and less money than the convertable, this with the Vette should really start to put some pressure on the Boxter/Cayman sales as well as potentially cutting into 911 sales.My prediction.

I would take neither...I'd take a bare bones boxter/manual.

It would be fun for track days and great for the summer.

I love tracking cars and the corvette will be scary in a track. I would much rather take a slower midengine car than a superfast corvette.

So I'm a "Porschefile" for preferring the refinement and build quality of the Cayman and your a neutral, non-GM fanboy for preferring the raw performance of the Corvette? That's a distinction without a difference.

FWIW, I considered a ton of cars before going for the Cayman. A pristine condition 2004 Ferrari 360 Mdena with real 6-speed manual was very tempting, but forget driving that 5,000 miles in 4 months unless you want to spend $20k a year on maintenance. The Jaguar is an automatic only transmission. Not a sports car in my book and not any more fun to drive than any of the myriad of AMG products. The M3 was slightly tempting, but outdated and too big and heavy. The Audi R8 was interesting, but for that price, I'd take a lighter 911 GT3 and run circles around it. I could go on....

I do agree with you, though, the 2014 Corvette Stingray is a solid step in the right direction for Chevy, rear end notwithstanding. For anyone that was leaning towards the Corvette before, the new one is manna from heaven with its improvements. But I don't think it - and certainly not the much heavier Jaguar - are going to really cut into Cayman or 911 sales. Any more than an Audi S6 or RS7, both of which are faster 0-60 than a Corvette, is going to. The Cayman isn't about drag racing. It is about agility. And before you ever claim that as an attribute of the Corvette, you owe it to yourself to drive the Cayman S. And then make your own choice, which I am happy to respect.

EPN2 agreed with me and I guess I agree with him/her as well. The new Stingray is light years ahead of the prior cars but it is very different from any Porsche. Porsches are all about balance and are easy to drive near their limit, which they can do all day long. You are paying for lightness, finesse, feedback for ll your senses and for some that is what driving a Porsche is about. Some people don't like that and want to compare skid pad G forces, 0-60 times and braking distances and say some cars are "better" than others. For some people the mechanical connectedness you get when you fell like you strapped the car on you and it is an extension of yourself is not convertible into stats that win or lose. Resale value, MPG, and low frequency of repair are just bonuses for most Porsche owners. That may be why so many owners keep buying them.