Porsche to probe Australian prices

The move has been announced following the unveiling of its impressive new Cayman coupe at the LA Auto Show.

The good looking Cayman was one of the show's stars but the American base price of $52,600 is less than half the $115,000 starting sticker it will wear down under. When the difference is highlighted by Carsguide to Porsche's global boss, Matthias Mueller, he immediately promises an investigation.
"I didn't know this. I will get answers," Mueller says.

Porsche's premium pricing policy down under comes at a time when many of its luxury rivals are cutting their tabs. Mercedes-Benz consistently brings newer models to showrooms with lower prices and even Rolls-Royce recently cut the bottom line on its flagship Phantom, but a staggering amount of more than $200,000.

The good news from LA is that the new Cayman is closer than ever to the classic Porsche 911, in both design and performance. There is also extra equipment in a bigger cabin, and even 15 per cent better fuel economy. The new design also makes it much more than just a baby Boxster with a coupe roof.

"In short, the new version is lighter, more powerful and more fuel efficient. It is more distinctive than ever. It delivers an unmatched combination of driving dynamics," Mueller. The preview of the Cayman in Porsche heartland in California comes at the end of a year when the company has also put an all-new 911 and Boxster on the road. Production of the second-generation Cayman coupe will not begin until the first quarter of next year, with local delivers in the third quarter.

"This has been a milestone year for Porsche. Globally, this has been a record setting year," says Mueller. "We have sold 160,000 cars. This is the best possible proof of the customer desire for our outstanding sports cars." The Cayman does the job too, and Porsche has allowed it to creep closer to the 911 in size and style. That's no surprise, since the basic mechanical package is shared with the big brother.

The styling is more mature and the body sits over a chassis that is longer and wider than before, just like the Boxster, with a basic 2.7-litre engine and a 3.4 in the Cayman S. The starter engine makes 202 kiloWatts with economy of 8.2 litres/100km and a 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds as a six-speed manual, while the Cayman S numbers are 239, 8.8 and 5.0.

The car retains the mid-engine layout it shares with the Boxster and that, says Porsche's technical chief Wolfgang Hatz is the big difference from the 911. "For me, the 911 is a car that people use as their first car, where the Cayman is a second car. The 911 is a two-plus-two and that is the difference," Hatz says.

The basic Cayman manual is priced from $115,500 as a six-speed manual in Australia, with the bottom line rising to $155,700 for the Cayman S with a six-speed PDK manumatic transmission.