I stopped and looked at a couple of Caymans in the local Porsche lot yesterday morning. I'm impressed with the look. Quite stylish and suprisingly different in "feel" to the Boxster -- I like it more, actually. It looks to be fairly crowded inside - about like an Audi TT, but it really is a lovely looking car.

 

I haven't seen a Cayman in the flesh yet, but there's one design feature that bothers me.....

....the front spot-lights. I don't know if they sell Skodas in the U.S., but the spot-lights on the Cayman are exactly the same as the Skoda Fabia RS (Skoda is a budget car manufacturer).

[IMG]local://upfiles/1465/63551C842A7848B88DC89CA92C8AEE51.jpg[/IMG]

 

Here's the whole picture of the above!

See what I mean? [&:]

[IMG]local://upfiles/1465/2100251BDEE044CB92B4AE63B982C150.jpg[/IMG]

 

Believe me, I know about Skodas, and I'm happy to say they do not sell them in the US. The front of the Caymen looks okay with them, however, but the fastback shape at the rear and the line of the rear fenders really works well. It just has a beautifiul look to it, something that the Audi TT, or a Nissan 3560Z, didn't get quite right.

And, after seeing one, I agree with the factory about one point: it does not compete against the 911. Its a much smaller (marketin types would say "more intimate" car. Both in size and in the feeling that the cockpit has, it will appeal to a totally different crowd than the 911.

 

Went to the North American Auto Show last night and the Porsche display left me drooling! Beautiful. I originally wanted to buy a Boxster S, but am now leaning toward the Caymen S...maybe in yellow. We spent most of our time with the group at the Lamborghini booth and my camera battery was running low. I might be heading back tomorrow, if I do I will snap some pics for the Forum.

 

I just got my new Lapis Blue Cayman S. This car handles better than any Porsche that I have owned thus far. I have owned 944/ 944S/ 944T/ 968 Cab/ 930 Turbo 911/ 964 911/ 993 911/ 996 911/ & lastly a 2005 997 S Cab. This Cayman S kicks butt. Once I finish my engine enhancements, it will be as fast as my 997 S. This car has beautiful lines and curves. The sound is the best Porsche sound yet. Go check out this car. In person the front lights are good and the side and back is awesome. I will be hanging on to this car a lot longer than my previous Porsches. I just thought that I would share this will all you other Porsche fans. There has been a great deal of negative talk about the Cayman S, and it has not been justified. Why are we all so opposed to change????????? This car is rock solid and built very well. It will handle as well as any GT3. And you get more for your money than a GT3. When I test drove it on the VIR, it felt very similar to driving a GT3, but much more relaxed and much more interior comfort. This car can be driven as a daily driver, but when you want to turn up the wick, it is ready and willing to push to the edge. Take one for a test drive and compare it to a 911. You just might be turned just as I was convinced. The track drive is what convinced me.
Cheers!!!

 

Who ever said that the Cayman S is small inside needs to seat in a 997 and then get into a Cayman S. I drove my 997 S Cab to my dealer and traded it in for my new Cayman S. The seats in both cars were identical along with the steering wheel. I felt like I was driving the same car home except for the sound was better in the Cayman S. Granted the vents are different, but everything else is very similar. AS far as the back, who looks behind the seat when driving a Porsche?
Hey, mash the pedal and haul butt and enjoy the sound and handling. The size of the two cars are very similar. The inside is nothing like an Audi TT. I am over 6' tall and I could not fit well in a TT. But I have no problem in the Cayman S. I do miss the torque or lack there of compared to my 997 S, but I will fix that with my engine enhancements shortly. This car has plenty of room inside and I weigh 225 lbs. So it will be an awesome daily driving sports car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers,

 

Well, the interior of the Cayman does seem small to to me after my 996, I guess because it has no back seat and thus that more "intimate" feel. And of course, while my vette has no back seat its a lot wider inside - it certainly does not feel small inside.

As I said I don't think the Cayman and the 911s compete - totally different type of car. I bought my 996, new, only five months ago, one of the last ones they had, knowing I could wait a bit and get a Cayman, but I needed the extra space. And the back seat comes in handy - people actually fit back there for short trips, although its not fun gettin into the back seat, and the extra storage space comes in really handy for shopping or cross-country trips. As a daily driver I like the very airy, open feel of the 996. The 996/997 is really GT, the Cayman a sports car.

When I was at the dealer ysterday looking over the Cayman, I liked the interior as a sports interior - just for fun and sport. I was struck by how similar it feels inside to the 904. Back in the very early 70s I was a diagnostic driver for AutoDelta and I got to drive a '64 904 a lot for several weeks on a contract to a private team setting it up for US racing (by then it was not a first -tier race car but it sort of dominated in the under-two liter club events and regional contests, etc.). The 904 was among the most beautiful Posches ever and its lines sort of belie how small it iwas.

 

PitBul,
I don't think there has been that much negative talk about the Cayman, infact, what I have read about it in the press is that is a superb car. Whether people like the looks of the car are a personal choice. As the saying goes, one mans meat is another mans poison! I personaly love the look of the Cayman, I'm just not keen on those spot lamps.

As for Porschephiles being opposed to change, well it's always been the same hasn't it? If you buy any Porsche except a 911, people think you only bought it because you couldn't afford a 911. (Totaly unjustifed in my view.)

Why don't you post some pic's of your Cayman in the gallery? (I don't think we have any Caymans in the gallery yet.)

[sm=Flahssssss.gif]

 

You're right, I don't remember anyone being negative about it, really. I think initially a lot of people were confused as to why Porsche would offer something that looked at first glance to be so similar to the 911, but when you see them side by side, as I said, you can see they aren't the same type of car.