Porsche Cayman R arrives in Malaysia
Local Porsche distributors, Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), continues its aggressive growth of the brand with the introduction of the Cayman R – the un-compromised top dog of the Cayman range. From the previously range-topping Cayman S, Porsche has removed weight, and added power to produce the Cayman R
Purists can differentiate the Cayman R from its S brother by spotting cues such as the fixed rear spoiler, lateral air intakes, and smoked headlights. ‘Porsche’ decals emblazoned along its flanks hark back to the 1967 Porsche 911 R, the first Porsche vehicle to receive the ‘R’ designation.
Priced at RM630,000 before registration and insurance, the Cayman R sports a 3.4-litre flat-six mounted amidships driving the rear wheels. Standard transmission on offer is Porsche’s 7-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, but for those of you with the left foot itch SDAP can special order your unit to be fitted with a good old 6-speed manual transmission.
Porsche claims that the Cayman R’s strict diet has allowed it to enjoy a 55kg weight reduction from the Cayman S. For Malaysian-bound units, actual savings may be less, as SDAP has specified air-condition and radio, which would have removed 15kg if omitted, as standard for our market. Nevertheless, the use aluminium doors (15kg savings), light sports bucket seats (12kg savings), reduced trim and lightened 19″ wheels still contribute significant weight reduction.
Like in the Cayman S, a 3.4-litre flat-six sits right behind the driver ahead of the rear axle. A changed exhaust and re-mapped engine settings allowed Porsche to extract a 10hp advantage over the Cayman S. The high-revving motor redlines at 7,500rpm, and its maximum power of 330hp is delivered just 100 revs short of that mark. Maximum torque is printed as 370Nm @ 4,750rpm.
Featuring direct injection and VarioCam Plus, the 3,436cc short-stroker operates on a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. Porsche AG recommends RON 98 for optimum performance, but knock sensors allow the engine to accept RON 97 without problems. So, don’t be surprised if your dyno run reports lower than expected figures.
Building on its focused nature, the Cayman R is offered with the Sport Chrono package. There’s a sport button on the centre console to activate more aggressive settings for the engine and the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system. For the PDK-equipped vehicles which we are getting, a Sport Plus button activates a brutal and uncompromising shifting programme for on-track use. A launch control system helps the driver to a 4.7 second century sprint, 0.2 seconds quicker than before.
