C ar S cene I nvestigation: Porsche Cayman R

Named Top Gear’s sports car of the year for 2011, we come to see how the Cayman R lives up to its awards.

· Design & Engineering:

In essence, the Cayman R is a hardcore version of the Cayman S, as well as a fixed-roof version of the Boxster Spyder. With the Cayman R, Porsche has lightened the vehicle by 55kg, and added 10BHP to the ‘S’ variant, in addition to offering a lower suspension set up. From the front, the Cayman R displays its darker side, clearly differentiated by lower variants by its lowered stance, darkened headlamps, along with gloss black, wing mirror covers. Nevertheless, the same youthful feel is ever present in the ‘R’ variant, just as in the standard and ‘S’ variants. From the side, the Cayman sports darkened air-intake sills, allowing for a slightly more sinister persona. In addition, the retro styled, P O R S C H E stripes are displayed along the sides of the sports car. Ceramic brakes come standard on the Cayman R, along with Spyder styled rims. From the rear, a darkened built-in spoiler is fixed to the rear, with the Cayman R logo stenciled in cursive directly beneath. With the twin exhaust grouped together in the center of the Cayman R’s bum, aerodynamic slits fall in place alongside.

· Interior

As with the 911 GT3RS models, etc, the Cayman R’s interior has a minimalistic feel to it. Despite such a factor, the premium Porsche build quality can be expected from the Cayman R. To stress the idea of weight saving, the hood of the instrument panel has been deleted, along with the body coloured trim on the center console and dashboard. To exaggerate the lost of weight even further, the door handles have been replaced by minimalistic, red pull straps, with matching red seat belt straps. Lightweight bucket racing seats are fitted into the Cayman R, clad in Alcantara and carbon fiber. In addition, the words ‘Cayman R’, are stenciled into multiple parts of the interior, reminding passengers of the sheer power in the vehicle. As expected, the Cayman R comes with Porsche’s signature PDK transmission—one of the best dual clutch transmissions in the market.

· Ride & Handlings

Fitted with a Sport Chrono Pack, the Cayman R hits the 100km/h mark in a stunning 4.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the Cayman S. With a top speed of 280km/h, it becomes difficult to fault the Porsche for its premium performance. What I find amazing about the Cayman R, is its special sense of driver to vehicle connection. Around every bend and corner, the vehicle feels ever so predictable, with its mid-engine steering enabling improved handling over the rear-engine 911. As the Cayman R is specially developed with shorter, and more rigid springs, customized front and rear anti-roll bars, and revised dampers, it marries perfectly with the vehicle’s lowered ride height.

· Verdict

Not surprisingly, the Cayman R manages to provide everyday enjoyment, coupled with everyday practicality—no wonder it secures the spot for 2011’s sports car of the year.