Sat in the Cayman S

[Jens]

No one was allowed to drive it, but I did sit in it and make vroom, vroom noises. I was very impressed with the car. It looks much nicer in the flesh than in the photos, and I liked the photos well enough. There is a very good sense of overall proportional balance in the styling. I would lose the fog light nacells in the grill though...just too gimicky, cutesy. And there's nowhere near enough seat travel for legroom. I just make it with my right knee very close to the steering wheel (my inseam is 32 inches), but a larger driver would have trouble fitting, I think.

This car is amazing though. Just the thing as a personal sport coupe. If all the performance road-test reports are half way accurate, it would still be a must-have for my garage. The car has got me lusting heavily for an example in say, Aubergine, or Olive, Tangerine, Dalmatian Blue, Signal Orange....

I'm accepting donations to the Danish-American Relief Fund to help make this worthy dream a reality. Make your tax-deductable checks out to VonBulow Race Services, Stowe, Vermont.

[fryardds]

I just might make it with my right knee very close to the steering wheel (my inseam is 32 inches), but a larger driver would have trouble fitting, I think.

Oh no, this is not good news for yours truely. My inseam is 35. I was really hoping this could be my next modern Porsche.

[Jens]

Brian, it's entirely possible that the seat was not working right, but I was really surprised by the cockpit space. I could live with it.

To me the car is just so right-looking in ways that none of the zillions of photos convey. You've got to see it and sit in it for yourself.

I'm sur that the first test drive for me will make any criticism evaporate. Like the side gills for example...they need work.

[Jens]

New front grill-

[Jens]

a few mods..........

[CurtEgerer]

I've been tempted to buy one of these (and this thread doesn't help!). But I've sworn off of new sports cars. My new M3 is for sale now. Nothing to do with the car itself really - with SMG it's like driving the ultimate video game except if you crash you are real dead, not pretend dead .... one thing that bothers me, I guess, is the depreciation inherent in all of these cars. Buy it for $60K and it takes about a $10-15K hit every year. The other thing is the perfrmance limits are sooooooo high on all of these new cars. I find myself regularly traveling in triple digits with the M3 (I even bumped the electonic speed limiter at 155 one time ) and not giving it a second thought - something I rarely do with my other cars. That, and I've realized that I just have a preference for older non-computer-controlled cars. Just think of the classic 60/70s sportscars that can be purchased for $60K or less. The list is impressive! And they don't go down in value.

[Chuck Miller]

My buddy Thierry picked up his new Cayman S last Thursday and came over after work on Fri.

After a good dinner we took it directly up in the hills...

With 180 miles on the clock we needed to keep it under 5500 revs for the recommended 1500.

My take....
It's as if George Jetson built a big bore 914-6 GT for the 21st century ... It's FANTASTIC !!!!!!

MUCH smaller feel then a new 911, completely balanced, tons of low end torque, and the sound.... well, all the talk about just a little bit of upholstery between you and that new 3.4 ... they're RIGHT... and it's a wonderfully addictive...

By next week he'll have the break-in mileage done and I'll give'ya my second take ...


Cheers,

[creator8]

I recently had a 996 (C4) w/ Euro suspension and set up for the track. It was my first Porsche and it never really set me on fire as some cars I've owned had. A little soulless.

I've driven a couple of versions of the 997s on track and while I do like the way they look, on track they again didn't impress. Just a little too cosseting for my liking.

I love the way the Cayman looks but until they do a Clubsport version I'm not interested.

I also agree about the performance limits of modern cars. I have a Subaru WRX STI with close to 400 hp at the wheels and I find myself glancing down at the speedo looking at 90mph in no time on roads that I really shouldn't be hitting those speeds. On track its a blast though.

On a nice canyon road, to be honest, I have the most fun pushing my 69 to 7/10ths. I love the feel and the feedback--something that you aren't going to get from a modern Porsche.

Having said all of this, I am seriously close to pushing the button on a 993 Turbo. IMHO thats the ultimate Porsche. It looks fantastic, is awesomely fast, raw and brutal and requires respect and skill to get the most out of it. Plus you can put a couple of kids in the back and run them to school every day!

[beginner]

I love the way the Cayman looks but until they do a Clubsport version I'm not interested.

I love the feel and the feedback--something that you aren't going to get from a modern Porsche.

Why not try disconnect steering and brake booster?

[Cornpanzer]

I drove one last week and the Cayman is the real deal. While I couldnt put more than a couple miles on it, there are certainly a lot of smiles per mile!
Maybe in a few years......