Review by MotorWeek 10:30pm EST

MotorWeek will review the Cayman S in an upcoming show tonight (Monday, December 5th) at 10:30 pm EST. Check out www.speedtv.com for your local time or when the program will be rebroadcast. <p class="sidebarheader1"> MotorWeek #2513 Episode Title: 2513/Toyota RAV4 PBS broadcast window begins December 2, 2005 Quick Listing: Road Test: 2007 Toyota RAV4 compact utility Road Test: Hot new 2006 Porsche Cayman Goss' Garage: Evernham Racing Over The Edge: One Humongous Pickup Truck AutoWorld: We Visit ASIMO the Robot Long-Term Road Test Update: Suzuki Grand Vitara, Winnebago View Here is the review as posted on their website: http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2513b.shtml

So that is at 5:30HST. In 30 minutes! I will look for it on PBS. Thanks Russ

Russ, It's on Speed Channel, not PBS. Wouldn't want you to miss it.

Anyone catch this? I just got home and it is too late and I didn't set the DVR to record it, however, I DID get to watch the 5th Gear episode from the UK tonight!

I tried but it was not on PBS here in Hawaii. I couldn't find any station that had that program/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/sad_smile.gif Russ

It's on Speed channel Russk, you will need Cable or Sat TV to get it. Here is their written review: <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="411" height="90" rowspan="2"> </td> <td colspan="3" height="10"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100" height="80"> <!-- --></td> <td width="100" height="80"> <!-- --></td> <td width="100" height="80"> <!-- --></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="300" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <br clear="all" /> <p class="sidebarheader1">ENGINE: 3.4-liter twin-cam flat six <p class="sidebarheader2">HORSEPOWER: 295 <p class="sidebarheader1">TORQUE: 251 lb feet <p class="sidebarheader2">0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds <p class="sidebarheader1">EPA: 19 city/27 highway mpg </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="blackheaderlarge">2006 Porsche Cayman S <span class="blackheadersmall">Program #2513[/quote] <span class="redletter">O[/quote]wning a Porsche is a car enthusiast's dream. But these awesome automobiles have never been cheap. And that's why Porsche introduced the more affordable Boxster roadster in 1997. But many would be Porschiphiles still want a hardtop over their heads. So Porsche is bridging the gap between the Boxster and the 911 with the all-new Cayman S coupe. While not a Porsche for everyman, every man that loves cars will probably want to own one. To Porsche's legion of fans, the 2006 Cayman S is heaven sent. A two-seat, mid-engine hardtop sports car that promises near-911 performance, yet carries a sticker that's over 12-grand less. True, the Cayman S coupe is based on the soft top Boxster, but with the addition of a solid top, the chassis is 100 percent more resistant to twist and bending. Yet, thanks to careful weight savings, the Cayman S is actually lighter than all Boxsters except the base manual model. The suspension is also Boxster based. But the McPherson strut layout has been heavily retuned to exploit the stiffer Cayman's enhanced capabilities. Out-of-the-box Cayman S wheels are 18-inch alloys wearing wide Z-rated tires. No less than four different lightweight 19-inch rims are optional. The lighter Cayman is also much more powerful than Boxster, with a 3.4-liter twin-cam flat six that mixes and matches parts from both the Boxster and the 911. Its 295 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque come from a bored-out Boxster block, with cylinder heads and VarioCam system from the 911. The Boxster also provides the 6-speed manual transmission, which was modified for quicker getaways with shorter first and second gear ratios. A 5-speed Tiptronic automatic is also available. Yet despite its healthy power, the Cayman S carries an almost family sedan level EPA fuel economy rating of 19 city/27 highway. But stab the gas pedal and the Cayman's response is pure sports car! The Cayman S delivers the kind of wide, flat power band that we expect in a Porsche, but with much more low end punch than we're used to in a Boxster. The gearbox is also tighter, with sharp, precise shifts, especially in the short low gears, allowing a Cayman S to dart from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds, or a few tenths faster than the Boxster S we tested last year. Handling reminds us very much of the 911 Coupe, with the very stiff chassis exhibiting a distinct rear end weight bias. The front end displays little tendency to push unless driven very hard into tight corners. The rear end will drift out, but in a very smooth, predictable manner. The variable-ratio steering delivers prodigious feel. The standard Porsche Stability Management system and optional Porsche Active Suspension Management deliver even greater control, taking any dangerous edges off erratic steering and throttle inputs, especially in the wet. The brakes are big discs, vented and cross-drilled with 4-piston monobloc calipers, and they give the Cayman true Porsche stopping power In a nutshell, the Cayman S is indeed an absolute ball to drive, and performance does closely shadow the 911. Yet it maintains the stripped down sports car attitude of the Boxster. It's not bad to look at either, though some of our staff disliked its tall, bubble profile. The front exhibits both Boxster and 911 elements, but with its own unique split lower grille and fog lamp treatment. The sills sweep up into shark-like side grills and the rear end features a movable split rear wing that deploys at 75 miles-an-hour, and long rear deck with a large hatch that opens to a compact cargo area, which when combined with the front cargo compartment yields a very useful total of 14.1 cubic feet. Inside the two place cockpit displays Porsche's now excellent fit and finish. The look and feel is very much Boxster, yet Porsche did vary the trim, color, and details like the steering wheel shape. The fairly generous leather trimmed seats are either 6-way buckets or optional 12-way sport seats with added lateral support for hard cornering. Clear gauges are housed in three large pods and include a redundant digital speedo with trip computer. But while the center stack is well organized, the small switches for stereo and navigation give it an uncharacteristic busy look. Safety features include six airbags, including the Boxster's novel head airbags that deploy upward from the doors' window sills. And all for a $59,695 price that's only $4,200 more than a Boxster S, but as we mentioned earlier, a hefty $12,400 less than the base 911 Carrera. The 2006 Cayman S is pure Porsche in every way. It is, in a word, wonderful, and provides sports car fanciers with yet another step on the ladder to the exclusive world of Porsche.

K-Man, Thanks for posting that review! There is that 0-60 mph of 4.8sec again.The part I just love is this, 'In a nutshell, the Cayman S is indeed an absolute ball to drive, and performance does closely shadow the 911. Yet it maintains the stripped down sports car attitude of the Boxster.' I am getting so darned excited I can't stand it! I have even had to cut back on my coffee lately! Russ

I watched the show, and as with many of the previous reviews all positive ( in fact the text above is 100% what was said in the show ). The footage looked like stock from Europe - hard to say if they did go there or used stock from Porsche . Please look at the above text, and note the part about the steering wheel - is this true ie. is it different from the Boxter ? Watching the car drive on those Italian roads can make anybody drool - the show car is red, and the shots of the rear make the tips stand out - my car will be Arctic Silver, so they will show up a lot less, but on the red car it stands out a lot ( tips are large, and chrome finish would make them look so much better ). K-manS - do you have anybody that will chrome them well on a core exchange bases, so people would not have to wait long ? Someone recommended to me bicycle places, said that they do a lot of chrome work ( Harly Davidson comes to mind ) and would be a good choice - any input ?

This show is being rebroadcast at 1:30am CDT / 2:30am EDT or in about 90 minutes, I set my DVR. As for chroming, I'll check into it and see, my father does a lot of specialty aircraft work and might have some connections there, last time I got something chromed was a bumper off the car I had in high school after it was damaged, just used a local shop for that and it turned out fine. Oh and I have no idea about the steering wheel, could be simply sport vs. non-sport, looks the same to me as the Boxster and 911 ...

K-Man, I have cable, but I went all 900 channels and I cannot find a 'speed' channel? Russ

Speed channel is only through DirecTV I believe, cable service does not carry, which was the ONLY reason I got satelite service /fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/teeth_smile.gif

Thanks FT, That would answer that question. I have been wanting to get Dish TV so this might give me some more motivation. Russ

Also, don't miss the Porsche Supercub, ALMS, GrandAm and Le Mans action /fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/thumbsup.gif

I have the speedchannel on digital cable. Its channel 200 on Time Warner, hope that helps.

Thanks for the info, Schao. I watched the epsiode last night on SpeedTV (Cox cable). The Cayman S review was about 5-6 minutes long and they showed a red European version Cayman S .

I get Speedvision on Time Warner / Roadrunner cable, so it is available on cable, maybe just not the cable you get in Hawaii, although with 900 channels I would find that strange...

K-Man, I went through all the stations just to see if it was somehow listed differently, nothing. I will call OCeanic/Time Warner today and ask. Thanks Russ

Russ, I also receive the Speed Channel on cable. Check w/ your cable company. Patch

Russ Don't lose sleep over missinig the Motorweek piece. Although it was positive, there was absolutely nothing new & it was more of a 'new car' report than a road test. In fact, it didn't seem that they even drove the car. The car footage appeared to be stock PR stuff. BTW, I too get Speed on CATV.

Russ, I am in Vegas - Pacific Time. It was on last night at 11:30, Speed Channel 329. The did say the car was absolutely 'Wonderful.'

An interesting appraisal if they really did not drive it (didn't sound as if they did from program). But who am I to complain. I've one on order based on the first picture I saw....

MotorWeek had a person at the Sienna preview and they did test it. There were some odd little continuity errors (such as showing the PCCB brakes and discussing the standard units) but otherwise it was their usual approach. (Remember MotorWeek is a Maryland Public Television derivative and as such has more of a 'newspaper approach' to road tests than a buff book would.) The words that I keyed in on were these, 'While not a Porsche for everyman, every man that loves cars will probably want to own one.' That is the essence of this car from my perspective. I'm a car nut first and foremost. The badge doesn't mean anything to me, it's what the car does - and this one may have the right mojo to force me to find a way to get it past the finance committee (She Who Must Be Obeyed ; -). It may take awhile and I may have to wait for a used one - but this one is it - everything points to the Cayman as being the next car I buy for my own use.

If I remember correctly, they also said that you get the front end to push if you really drove it hard. I should have recorded it on my PC and provided a link for you guys.

Thanks Ascent, I will note that for future reference. SF, that is kind of funny when you think about it, none of us drove that bugger and we all seem to know that it was a wonderful car. Russ

Dish Satellite also carries the Speed Channel on channel 150. It is not only on Direct TV. I own stock in Dish. /fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/wink_smile.gif

This broadcast aired again today on network PBS and my TIVO got it. Nice little segment towards the end with several shots of a Guards Red Cayman . My wife enjoyed watching it - as she has read much less about the car and it was all new to her. I enjoyed watching it just to see some new shots of the auto in action. A glowing review, but this car deserves the good press.