Porsche Cayman S fills a sporty, neat little niche

<h4 class="vitstoryheadline"><span class="vitstoryheadline">Porsche Cayman S fills a sporty, neat little niche[/quote]</h4> <span class="vitstorybyline">BY STEVEN COLE SMITH The Orlando Sentinel[/quote] <span class="vitstorybody">[/quote] Whether you think of the 2006 Porsche Cayman S as a beefed-up hardtop Boxster or a slightly less potent 911 Carrera is up to you. But Porsche would prefer you consider the Cayman S an all-new model slotted between the Boxster and the 911. There's a basis for all three opinions. Indeed, much of the Cayman S consists of parts borrowed from the entry-level Boxster and the flagship 911 Carrera. But there are plenty of bits and pieces exclusive to the Cayman S that make it unique. After lengthy drives in several models, I'd suggest that this is a car that doesn't feel very much like the Boxster or the 911, and it certainly has its own look. A look, incidentally, that is considerably more impressive in person than in photographs. Named after the alligator's close relative, not the island -- 'cayman' is an accepted spelling of the species, but 'caiman' is more common -- the model is being introduced in the United States as the Cayman S, with the 'S' designating, as it does with the Boxster, a higher-performance version of the car. That's a bit unusual: The Boxster, for instance, was introduced in 1997 as, simply, the Boxster, with a 201-horsepower engine. For 2000, we got the Boxster S, with a 250-horsepower engine. With the Cayman, we get the more-powerful version first. And that version comes with a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine that shares parts with both the Boxster and 911 engines, plus Cayman-exclusive parts. The result is a smooth, very capable engine that the company says produces a 171-mph top speed, a quarter-mile time of 13.6 seconds, and a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds. Your transmission choice is a six-speed manual or, for an extra $3,210, a five-speed Tiptronic S automatic. The Cayman's price slots neatly between the Boxster and 911 Carrera. The Boxster starts at $45,000, with a 240-horsepower engine. The 911 Carrera starts at $71,300, with a 325-horsepower engine. The Cayman S has a base price of $58,900, with its 295-horse engine. Fuel mileage is 20 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway. Be aware, though, that the Cayman S' price can ratchet upward quickly -- tick off enough option boxes on the order form, and it can approach $100,000. Ceramic composite brakes, for instance, add $8,150. Adaptive sports seats, $3,055. Bi-xenon headlights, $1,090. That said, the $58,900 Cayman S -- or $59,695 with shipping -- would suit me just fine. Pretty much everything you need is standard, including fat tires and wheels (P235/40ZR-18 up front, P265/40ZR-18 in back), a leather-and-aluminum-trimmed interior, six air bags, traction control, stability control, a nine-speaker stereo with CD player, and antilock disc brakes straight from the 911 Carrera. One feature I would be willing to pay for is active suspension, which, for $1,990, can firm up the suspension to near-race-car levels when needed. Lots of Porsche car clubs rent out racetracks for members to drive on, and this active suspension provides a comfortable ride in town but maximizes handling on the track. Choosing a solid roof -- the Boxster comes only as a convertible -- adds some structural integrity to the Cayman S but adds no weight: The Cayman S is 11 pounds lighter than a Boxster S. The Cayman S feels very solid and sure-footed, even on rough pavement. Build quality on all the Caymans I drove seemed excellent. It's worth noting that they are assembled in Finland by a Porsche affiliate that also builds Boxsters, but the Cayman's engine and transmission are built in Germany. Inside, it's an easy car to get comfortable in, more so than a 911 Carrera. Unlike the 911, the Cayman S doesn't even hint at a rear seat -- it's strictly a two-passenger car. Still, for a midengine model, there's an amazing amount of luggage space in back, both behind and atop the engine, and in the trunk up front. Part of that is because of the absence of a spare tire and jack: You get a 'special sealant' and an electric air compressor instead. At or near its base price, the Cayman S is possibly the best all-around Porsche you can buy. But beware the options: I drove a handsome Cayman S painted 'Cobalt Blue,' but then noticed that the metallic paint added a staggering $3,070 to the price. I'll take the red, which is, well, free with the car. http://www.projo.com/wheels/content/projo_20060104_cay04x.127b1427.html <h5 class="vitstorydate"><span class="vitstorydate">01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 4, 2006[/quote]</h5>

For info...a recent article stated that the Cayman parts are: <ul> [*]30% from Boxster [*]50% from 911 [*]20% new [/list]