The Porsche Cayman S, Race Ready Sports Car, Tested!
If you have a need for speed, and a bank account that makes your bank manager personally get up to greet you every time you show up, then you must at least consider the Cayman S. Newly introduced by Porsche, and imported into this country by Auto Eurokars, it is the latest thing to do a drive-by in at the popular nightspots like Bangsar and Hartamas. Priced quite reasonably at RM630k (pre NAP price, subject to review) the Cayman S is affordable to those who have made it in life, and want a car that drives like a true sports car and turn eyes at the same time.
Porsches are built to be driven daily, and not as cars that are kept in garages to be conversation pieces; the Cayman S can cruise even at walking pace smoothly, and yet when you open up the throttle, it will take your breath away with its acceleration, all the way to its claimed top speed of 267 kilometres per hour (auto version).
Designed as a two-seater mid-engined sports car, the Cayman is inspired by the alligator of the same name. Take a look at the three-quarter profile, and you will clearly see the alligator-shape of the front, with the headlights as the eyes, the wheels roughly where the legs would be, and the short tail at the rear. In real life, the Cayman is a shy creature, but it can be menacing and wild if provoked; such is the case with the Cayman S. The vehicle concept was pioneered in 1953 in the Porsche 550 coupe, which had a closed top version specially developed for the Le Mans 24-hour race. With its mid-engined layout and low centre of gravity, the layout made the 550 coupe an extremely agile and responsive. In the Cayman, the same concept is combined with Porsche’s subsequent experience in road and race engineering. The Cayman S is track ready, although for serious racing, a stiffer suspension might be a good investment.
In appearance, the Cayman is instantly recognisable as a Porsche, a very important point for those who want to be seen in it. Not only is the DNA inherent, it performs like a Porsche should. Key characteristics are excellent handling and drivability, with stopping ability as a given.
The 3.4 litre, 6-cylinder horizontally opposed engine with variable valve timing has an output of 295 bhp and 340Nm of torque. Coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift option that can be performed using the gear stick or the F1 type shift paddles located behind the steering wheel, the Cayman S has an instantaneous response to throttle, yet allows it to be driven to the supermarket. An option available is PASM, which is Porsche Active Suspension Management. At the push of a button, you can switch from normal to sport mode, to actively control all four dampers and modify the engine response rate. PSM, the Porsche traction control system, helps you get in line should you over-cook any corner. Brakes are massive, and can stop you on a dime if need be. In short, the Cayman S is powerful, fast, yet is safe and easy to handle.
We took the car up to Fraser’s Hill and back, a round trip that covered exactly 251 kilometres. It was 251 kilometres of fun, in effect, making my job as a motoring journalist quite rewarding, for I do not foresee myself being able to afford one of these beauties in the immediate future. Checking out the claims, we did a few zero to 100 km/hour runs, with the air-conditioner on (it was hot that day), and managed 7.0 seconds consistently. We only managed 250 kilometres per hour, but this was because of safety considerations. We have to be careful when approaching other cars from behind, because most people would not be expecting a vehicle to approach at such a high speed. Anyway, from the response of the car, we do not doubt that the claimed top speed is achievable.
Straight line stability is excellent, due to the high caster angle of the front suspension, and steering response and feel (very important at high speeds) is excellent. Being designed primarily for road use, the suspension is smooth and compliant; it is good up to around 220 kilometres per hour, which should be adequate for most people. Serious drivers might want to opt for a slightly harder set-up; I personally felt the dampers could do with a little more rebound pressure to stop the springs from bounding back mid-way in a corner. Cruising at 200 kilometres per hour seems to be quite a natural thing to do; the Cayman feels very planted on the highway, and it is only other traffic that you should worry about. The brakes inspire confidence; you know it will stop quickly and faster than any other car you may meet on the road.
Around the corners, it is point and squirt; you can get it to slingshot out of a bend beautifully if you brake slightly to settle the front down just as you enter a corner, and gun it as you pass the apex to catapult the car out, releasing the steering as you exit. In a nutshell, it is a lovely car to drive. In the hands of a good driver, it will do wonders; in the hands of a not so good driver, it will extend one’s limits on account of it being such a great handling car.
The experience of driving the Cayman S in itself was pretty rewarding. It delivers great power, yet is civilised. It handles well, yet is kind to the behind. It is expensive, yes, yet not totally unaffordable. Maybe one day…..let’s see!!!!
