Precision you can bank on
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday July 25, 2009
THE CAR Porsche Cayman SDEALER QUOTE $167,131 drive-awayVITAL STATISTICS 3.4-litre flat-6,235kW/370Nm, 6-speed manual, 9.6L/100km, 230g/km CO2, RWDHE The Porsche Cayman S has an alluring, curvaceous, taut body shell that locates the engine where it should be in all sports cars - behind the driver and ahead of the rear wheels.SHE This updated, more powerful model is pricier than before, too. But it's far "cheaper" than Porsche's quintessential sports car, the 911 - and I'd nominate the Cayman S as the enthusiast's pick.HE Porsche marketers say you could be blindfolded and sit in one of their cars and you still wouldn't mistake it for anything other than a Porsche. And I tend to agree. Its bank vault-like solidness is unmistakeable. The controls fall precisely to hand and work with robotic precision.SHE It's as though the car fits around the driver; in fact everything fits to perfection. Driving position, gear stick and pedal layout are spot-on. The interior is beautifully sparse. Instrumentation is focused on function and visual efficiency, though I had to get out the manual to engage cruise control.HE I like the intuitive sat-nav system that automatically zooms in on spaghetti-junction maps to ensure you get off at the right exit.SHE At first, at lower speed, the car tricks you into thinking it feels "aloof". All that changes, dramatically, as the Cayman S gains speed.HE The six-speed manual slots unerringly into gear, the steering weight is perfect for attacking corners and the tyres provide very direct feedback. The brakes are even more impressive than the acceleration, which is the right engineering priority in my book. Two suspension settings suit road and track.SHE Side vision is limited, with a blind spot over the driver's right shoulder. And the car is so low to the ground it can be daunting when driven among the trucks on the freeway - and mind that low front spoiler on the driveway.HE Despite its performance orientation, it offers good fuel economy; town and country runs delivered between about 10 and 11 litres per 100 kilometres.SHE Quite simply, this is Porsche engineering excellence. There was only one great disappointment: we had to return it to the company, didn't we?
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald