Road Test Porsche Cayman R : princess jewels

The Porsche Cayman R is the ultimate version of the mid engine coupe range. We drove it to the heart of the swiss alps.

To each new model its launch color. Often daring, most probably bitterly argued between industrial designers and product marketeers. For the Cayman R, this Peridot Green emerged from the battlefield. Peridot, you said ? Crystals going by that name are evidently green, aptly called olivine and genuine gems. Not much material here to elaborate crafty metaphors that would appeal to anyone but foodies, but we are indeed talking about precious stones, and the Cayman R undoubtedly is one. A jewel for a princess crown.

It is 5.30am and hard not to wake up half of central Switzerland when the flat 6 wakes up with a loud bark, all valves open in its exhaust plumbing. Engine is cold, throttle response a slight bit hesitant as we merge on the A2 heading towards the Gothard tunnel and its notorious summer traffic jams. The flow of eager vacationers is held up from Erstfeld by metering lights, an opportunity to let the interior ambiance sink in. Porsche DNA is unmistakable, but there are few distinctive signs from a Cayman S. Inserts in body color run across the dash and the center console, the leather hood above the instrument binnacle has been removed, thereby creating annoying reflections in the windshield.  In the center of the dash, the analog/digital chronometer of the Sport Chrono Pack (1320 CHF), a pretty piece of kit, but utterly useless for track day enthusiasts who will opt for GPS-based systems instead. I could have also done without the red cloth door handles which I can’t help finding corny and impractical.

The weight saving  efforts focused on aluminum doors (-15kg), the removal of door compartments and carbon buckets (-12kg). The Cayman R can be delivered without radio and aircon (another 15kg saved), and the fancy Lithium Ion battery launched on the 997.2 GT3 will be yours for another 3140 CHF.

The superb carbon buckets can be folded but not adjusted. You have to compose with the sliding rails and the steering column angle and reach adjustments. They hold you firmly from legs to shoulders, but my lower back was left wanting for a little more lumbar support on longer journeys. These seats are however perfect for the business end of driving, keeping your butt low and your upper body nicely straight to work the wheel. Downside is insertion and extraction which will prove tiresome to most in daily usage. Fortunately, today’s program has little to do with a daily commute. After a long wait, the nose of the Cayman is in pole at the Erstfeld hold up light. Red, yellow, green, a vigorous acceleration leaves camping cars and diesels behind for a nearly deserted stretch till the Amsteg exit.

The sport chassis of the Cayman R is firmly sprung and suspended, but not to an extreme, striking a very good compromise for spirited road use. Strangely and unlike the Cayman S, PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) is not available on the R model, but primary and secondary roide are never found at fault. Harsh expansion joints, wobbly asphalt, the car never loses composure, nor becomes uncomfortable.

Morning sun bathes the hairpins and faster sweepers of the western side of the Oberalp Pass, this is what we came here for. Handling traits surfrace with sharper pace, and I am surprised by the delicate balance of the chassis, worlds apart from a 911. Front end grip is a solid ally from entry to exit, while the rear clearly calls for some respect. In Sport Mode, the Porsche Stability Management  (PSM) allows rear end play that feels entertaining enough for these open road conditions. Moving the engine ahead of the rear wheels benefits agility by reducing polar inertia, but rear traction lost a little in the transaction and it feels. The Cayman R wiggles its slim rear end under throttle adjustments in a way that a 911 wouldn’t, with fatter rubber glued to the tarmac by weight overhang. Entering a bit hot on the brakes into a hairpin will generate predictable and perceivable understeer, but the throttle lift and readjustment that follow can easily unsettle the back. Entertaining, lively, interesting within the confines of road regulations.

True to Porsche’s reputation, the steering wheel, gear lever and pedal controls are weighted to perfection. Precision, delicacy, feedback, all of the ingredients for a gourmet sports driving recipe are there, with special mention to the short shift option (a 940 CHF must-have) which feathers perfection. With such a gear command in such a car, forking out another 5180 CHF for the PDK gearbox would be an unforgiveable mistake. As I zoom back and forth on this heavenly stretch of alpine asphalt under the direction of our photo-videographer, the Cayman R package appears more than adept for such terrain: it is very compelling.

Jumping behind the wheel of our SUV chase car requires massive adjustment as I follow the green crocodile, diving on Andermatt  then darting its nose towards the Furkapass. The silhouette has this odd, slim look, but the 20mm lower sport chassis gives a more purposeful stance and the small black wing dresses an otherwise naked rear. Everywhere on our path, heads turn and cameras pop out. The color combo is most certainly a contributor, but the car has that zest that attracts attention and sympathy. I jump back behind the wheel at the junction between the Grimsel and Susten passes. In the first sweepers, the low center of gravity and absence of inertia impress, allowing determined steering inputs. There’s no lag, no roll, no weight transfer, no dive under hard breaking. Precise, playful, gratifying, in a form factor that never feels awkward or intimidating on these narrow roads. The 3.4 liter six requires to be worked hard to spring out of tight hairpins with pace, but you never tire of playing soloist in this heel & toe concert.

On open roads and in pure driving pleasure terms, the Cayman R offers in my way a driving experience which is more natural and pure than a 911, more attractive and entertaining than a 997 GT3 for instance. Better sprung, more exploitable, a realistic package in the context of legal and safety contingencies that cannot be ignored. The verdict would be otherwise for track work where the superior traction, high speed stability and sheer performance envelope of a 997 GT3 are no match. Contrary to common wisdom, the Cayman R will most likely demand more skill at the limit on a fast track than its rear-engined cousin.

The dry sump 3.4L flat 6 cranks out 370 Nm at 4750 rpm and 330 hp at 7400rpm. As turbocharged hot hatches now hunt in 300hp+ territory, cue BMW 1M and Audi RS3, these figures are becoming surprisingly – and alarmingly – unimpressive, but thanks to tangible weight savings, the Cayman’s straight line performance is first grade. We measured 1358kg on our corner scales with a full tank of gas (45.7% front, 54.3% rear), a massive 164kg advantage over our test BMW 1M. The Cayman R wins the power-to-weight  match hands down with 4.11 kg/ch. In naturally aspirated terms, the engine pulls well from 2000 t/min, and progression goes crescendo through the rev range, all the way to the red line. This engine is so keen that hitting the limiter isn’t rare at first if you don’t keep an eye on the needle. Flywheel diet must have been on the menu in Zuffenhausen as stalling while maneuvering if one fails to feed just enough gas to keep the engine running. The exhaust note of the optional PSE (Porsche Sports Exhaust, a hefty 3550 CHF) is rich and refined, less raspy that a Carrera. Elegant harmonics dress the rev range in normal mode, and when switched on, open valves give a more bassy tone to the ensemble. At 11.67 L/100km, measured gas mileage (11.0L/100km according to the trip computer) was a good surprise given the pace of this test.

With its mid engine packaging, the Cayman loses some of the advantages of the 911. A strict two-seater, no room for a laptop bag behind the seats, but the front boot is spacious and deep, and the rear trunk brings a useful complement. Realistic for longer trips as long as smaller, soft luggage is selected.

The price list is a cold shower: 104’700 CHF base price, and a scarcely believable 130’850 CHF in this test configuration spec’d with some excess. Some options like directional headlights seem out of place for the car’s philosophy, and I would happily do without the 1180 CHF Sport Design wheels and their 2450 CHF black varnish, but it is difficult to accept that a full leather dash costs another 5070 CHF extra.

Since its launch in 2006, the Cayman lives in the shadow of the 911 queen, with sales volumes in Switzerland that remain low: from 212 units in its launch year, they eroded to just 53 in 2010 (see details). At launch, we had found the Cayman S version attractive in spite of its 295hp engine feeling light for a brilliant chassis, but this R version feels remarkably coherent and homogenous. Far more than a 911 for less, it is a different product with a distinct identity. A princess with unmistakable genes, but with a character one would be mistaken to underestimate. She seduced me.

Price of main options (CHF)

Facing competition

Our thanks to the Porsche Switzerland team for the loan of the test car.

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