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2007 Porsche Cayman Road Test

I’ve always loved mid-engine sports cars. My first car was a Toyota MR2, and it was with this car that I learned the art of driving a mid-engine car to its limits. Getting the most out of a car with the engine mounted mid-ship takes an aggressive driving style, coupled with the finesse to balance the car's weight as its rear end constantly fights to oversteer through each corner. Once you’ve accomplished the feat of driving a mid-engine car, nothing else really compares to the sensation you get when on the edge.

It should come as no surprise that Porsche has always held aspecial place in my heart, especially the 911. The rear-engine layout is similar to a mid-engine car, but it's a little trickier to work with and requires heavy doses of German engineering and hideously wide tires to keep the average 911 owner from backing their car into a road barrier. The Boxster, on the other hand, keeps its engine just behind the driver and ahead of the rear wheels,

Here's a mid-engined rear-wheel drive sports car that won't bite your head off. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

making it a mid-engine Porsche just like the Boxster, although being that its roof is fixed in place it is marketed as an entry level model. It is smaller than a 911, has much less power and, at least in convertible form (Boxster), unfortunately has become a car more known for being a rich girl's sweet sixteen or graduation present, than a car that carries Porsche's honoured motorsport history forward.

Nevertheless, it was with great anticipation when I saw the Cayman for the first time last year, that on in high-performance S guise. By looks alone it seemed to be the perfect Porsche to my liking.

The base version of the Cayman S is called, well, the Cayman. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

Small, mid-engined, a nice mix between a 911 and a Boxster. Most will likely, and rightfully, think the Cayman is nothing more than a Boxster with a roof, however I believe that the Cayman will be much more successful as a fun-to-drive sports car and will respect Porsche's motorsport history more seriously.

One thing is for certain, the Cayman is one sexy carto look at. Beautifully designed feminine lines, the Cayman bulges in all the right areas. The roof has a 911 peak to it, yet is allowed to streak down at a longer more aerodynamic angle due to the mid, rather than rear mounted engine. The flowing hour glass rear end even shows hints of the Carrera GT; an added bonus for what is considered a lower

The shape of the roof and fenders gives the Cayman a really slick profile. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

end car in a thoroughbred stable. The car is one that demands attention, and even though Porsches have become a common sight on city streets these days, the Cayman caught its fair share of attracted gazes.

Posers and those who would buy this car as a status symbol need not apply, stick with the Cayenne. The base Cayman is a no nonsense car, that does not fill its interior with trinkets to make life easier. It is a car that stays true to Porsche's sports car heritage. While navigation systems, high output stereos and other add-ons are available, I enjoyed the base Cayman's simplicity and single-minded, driving-oriented purpose.

This means that the car sits low to the ground, and for some will be somewhatdifficult to enter and exit. It's also not kind to those with larger

Even without the S, it's a whole lot of fun. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

statures than most, as the seats are firm and designed to wrap an average sized body tightly. There are only two seats, by the way, and the steering wheel will not have climate, stereo or cruise control buttons integrated into it. Engine noise in the cabin is loud when revs climb above idle. To a person who is thinking of buying a Cayman because it has a Porsche badge on the hood, these traits will be considered inconveniences. For someone like me, such bare basics make the Cayman one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. There is nothing to distract the driver from pure driving enjoyment.

I hear that the stereo system is quite good in the Cayman, buthonestly I wouldn’t know. I never had any urge to turn it on. All the noise coming out of the speakers would only drown out the beautiful music the 2.7L flat-six was producing behind me. Vision out the front is excellent despite

Stereo's good, but not that you'd spend too much time listening to it. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

how low the seats are mounted. With no engine up front, the hood is allowed to slope steeply away from the windshield to give a great view of the tarmac as it gets gobbled up beneath the Car. The standard Porsche gauge cluster is also used, with a large tachometer right in the middle where it ought to be. A digital speedometer is also housed in the same center ring, which is a nice safety feature, because if you're spending more time checking the tach then the speedo chances are you're well beyond posted limits.

Cargo space was quite surprising for such a car. Usually with a sports car the most the driver will be able to pack is a briefcase and maybe an overnight bag. The front cargo hold in the Cayman was cavernous in respects to my old MR2. It even has an emergency release inside, just incase a drunken Mini-me locks himself inside. In the rear, the Coupe style roof allows for some flat luggage to be placed in the back. Space is quite limited

Cabin is straight forward and rather... well, brown. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

here but I was able to stuff in everything I would need for a weekend getaway.

For those used to driving high-end cars with enormous horsepower, the Cayman's shortfall in grunt will seem quite disappointing. However, it is still quick enough to strike fear into unsuspecting passengers. Strait-line speed may not be its strong point, but the fact remains that when it comes time to work the steering wheel, the Cayman lives up to the top level standards bestowed on all Porsches.

I hate seeing the majority of Porsches in my town being drivenaround as if the owners are about to die of natural causes. It's heartbreaking to see a 911 pulling out of a gas station, shaking a trembling because the dumbfounded owner has no idea how to operate a performance clutch. This may be the reason why there have been three clutch replacements on the five Carrera GTs in town. Since a GT’s clutch is good for 120,000 miles, it makes me wonder who is getting their hands on these cars. Granted, it is said to be a difficult clutch to get used to, but come on

Speedo is off to the left as with the 911, but there's a nice digital readout so there aren't any excuses. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

now. Three clutch replacements?

In Europe, 90 percent of the Porsches on the road are driven the way the designers expect them to be driven, while the other 10 percent doddle around pleased with their purchase. Here it seems not even 10 percent have ever seen the redline on the tach. So I was extremely pleased when I was given the chance to have my way with one of Stuttgart’s finest. I was finally going to drive a Porsche the way a Porsche was designed to be driven… hard!

Now I wasn’t pulling 100 mph down city streets or anything stupid like that, but I did go to my secretstash of secluded windy roads to give the Cayman a good flogging. And let me tell you, this car was a pure delight to drive. Its steering response was instantaneous and the clutch had just enough resistance to work under extreme circumstances, while not being cumbersome in traffic. The car became an extension of my body and completed every task I asked of it with absolute obedience. There was a massive amount of rear grip, what with the 265 section rear tires and the fact the engine is also over the drive wheels. The

Lots of space from one of the two available trunks. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

car even came with larger than life Pirelli snow tires. This made dry tarmac handling a little gooey, but driving in the snow was quite fun. It’s not every day you see a Porsche at a 45 degree angle in the snow, merging onto the highway.

Driving a Porsche on dry tarmac is excellent, but getting itinto the snow is just insanely fun. The horrified look I was getting from 4x4 SUV owners as I past them on snow covered hills was priceless. Back on pavement I could really feel the weight of the car, and slight understeer was apparent while entering corners. However, once in the corner with the throttle down, the Cayman would shift its weight to the rear and cancel out the front wheel slip. It seemed a bit odd for it to handle like this, but I believe the snow tires may have been the culprit.

What would a Porsche review be without mentioning the brakes? Porsches have always been known for having ridiculously good braking. Well, the Caymans wheels were filled with 11.8 x 0.8 inch cross-drilled rotors being clenched by black four-piston monobloc calipers. Not a massive braking system for a Porsche, and its performance was a little under what I would have previously expected, but none the less braking was excellent

A car that makes sense if you're a sports car lover - and who isn't? (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

and the car stayed planted even under the most extreme conditions.

It’s become apparent that the Cayman seems to be Porsche's little Guinea pig. There is so much potential for the car in terms of performance or even as a successor to the 911 on the tracks. No worries however, Porsche will not be retiring the venerable 911 anytime soon, but one must think that the smaller, lighter, mid-engine Cayman would be quite a threat to the 911’s legacy if it were ever to receive a turbo or even a GT3 3.6L power plant. One can only dream.

I must admit that I couldn't find much to complain about this car, and that’s the beauty of a Porsche. They are cars of exceptional beauty, performance, and engineering prowess that are also useful in everyday circumstances. Whether it’s a weekend rip into the mountains, or battling the masses trying to get to work, a Porsche will always get you there in style and with ease. The base Cayman, which I tested, did not have rib crushing power or heaps of technical gadgets. Truthfully, with the horsepower wars currently going on today it was refreshing to drive a car with limits that were well attainable, rather than a 500 hp monster which serves absolutely no purpose on a city street. It was this trait that made the Cayman a truly fun car to drive.

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