Porsche Cayman 2006 Review

The third time we drove a Cayman, in Australia on local roads, we knew it was a keeper.

Now, after back-to-back tests in two states in all sorts of road and weather conditions, we are giving it a big tick.

It's not a rival to the Mercedes S-Class we rated last week as the world's best car, but it is a car that sits right at the top of the sportscar world.

We are even prepared to recommend it ahead of Porsche's all-time classic pace-setter, the 911, and not just because it is much, much cheaper.

As far as the CARSguide team is concerned, the Cayman S gives a more involving and satisfying drive more accessibly more of the time. It is also way, way above the Boxster convertible, which still opens the action for Porsche.

The Cayman does not have the impact of a Ferrari F430 or the nice price of a Mazda MX-5, but it is the car that would be first choice if we had enough money to splash on an everyday sportscar hero.

It's not perfect, because it has only two seats and still costs at least $148,500 — until, probably, Porsche adds a cheaper basic Cayman with a smaller engine — but it is a car for most seasons and reasons.

We've been through the basics before, but it is still worth a revision sheet.

The Cayman S is basically a Boxster coupe, but Porsche has done a lot more than just slap a metal roof on its convertible. A lot of the car is wholly new, many of the parts come from the latest 997-series of the 911, and the tuning and set-up are unique. It has a mid-engined layout, a 3.4-litre flat six with 217kW and 340Nm, a six-speed manual gearbox (tiptronic auto is optional) with rear-wheel drive, fully independent suspension and giant brakes and tyres.

The layout puts the engine beneath a large lift-up rear hatch, which brings extra luggage space beyond the deep boot under the bonnet, and gives an excellent weight distribution to go with the car's super-rigid body.

Standard equipment is much as you would expect, from CD sound and cruise control to airbags and anti-skid brakes, electronic stability control, cruise control and leather trim.

The list of extra-cost gear goes on and on, from sports seats and xenon lamps to seat belts and instrument dials that are colour-matched to the car's body colour.

So you can easily spend $170,000 or more on a Cayman, but that has to be considered against the cheapest 911 Carrera from $203,225.

Porsche has said a lot about the Cayman S, but the company's chief test driver probably says it best. Walter Rohrl, a former world rally champion, spends most of his working days pounding Porsches. He believes the Cayman is the best-balanced and most enjoyable car in the line-up.

"All the Cayman really needs is a limited-slip differential, then it would be perfect," Rohrl says.

There is plenty of talk about the future of the Cayman, and we should have some good news next week, but Porsche has ruled out any chance of it racing or picking up an engine bigger than the present six.

Insiders say a Carrera 3.8 has been slotted into a test car, but it was so quick — and such a potential threat to the 911 — that the engine was ripped out and the project dropped.

ON THE ROAD

The more we drive the Cayman S the more we like it, but that does not mean an all-out thrash down a deserted road.

The car is a great sports drive, but the basic engineering means it is also relaxed and comfy on a freeway cruise or dribbling through stop-start traffic on the way to work.

It never feels like hard work, even compared with a 911, and cannot be faulted if you are comparing it to a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

In that way it is a bit like an MX-5: it is accessible, usable and friendly from the time you turn the key.

It gives its best when you are pushing along on a road you know well, but it can also be fun and friendly for a trip to the shops.

And we don't know too many real sportscars that pass that test every time.

The engine gets going almost from the bottom of the tachometer, thanks to 3.4 litres in a light body, which means the car is very flexible in the first four of its six gears.

It makes top torque from only 4400 revs, but the real delight — complete with a deep sucking intake noise — is when you push towards the redline at 6250.

Overtaking response is excellent; it will sprint to 100km/h in only 5.4 seconds.

And our fuel check came in at 11.3 litres/100km, despite some lively driving.

But it is the way the engine is matched to the short-shift gearbox, and the way the whole package responds to your right foot, that makes the car so memorable.

Our first drive in Italy showed the enjoyment is more accessible in a Cayman S than a 911, partly thanks to the mid-engined layout.

It responds better and quicker, has a more neutral balance, and can be hustled without having to fight.

Yes, the new 911 is much better than early cars, but you still feel as if it has to be balanced, teased and tweaked to give its best.

In the Cayman you pretty much turn the wheel and go.

The suspension in the car also proves that top-class engineering is better than any collection of new-age gadgets.

The Cayman is one of the grippiest cars we have driven, but the ride is still supple and there is no crash-bang or deflection over bumps. It is firm, but not rough.

Still, there are shortcomings. Some people will always need more than two seats; our test cars had a few irritating squeaks and rattles; and the rear carpet does not fit properly.

The alloy wheels also get dirty quickly, thanks to the power of the brakes, and the car should have a rear wiper as standard.

But that's about it, unless you consider the extra cost of customising a Cayman. Our test cars had sports seats that should be compulsory, excellent bi-xenon lamps, coloured centres in the wheels and a three-spoke steering wheel for an all-up price of $154,760. And there is a lot more good stuff.

It is hard to look for rivals to the Cayman, because the 911 and Ferrari F430 cost a lot more, and the Nissan 350Z and Mazda RX-8 are a step back. The Mercedes SLK55 AMG is a very different sort of car, and the BMW M3 is a very quick coupe that is also coming to the end of its current life.

So there are alternatives, but nothing that will shake a Cayman fan or cut into the orders at Porsche Cars Australia.

THE BOTTOM LINE

88/100

TheCayman S has become a classic in less than a year, making real Porsche sportscars more accessible and even more enjoyable.