<h2 class="sIFR-replaced"><span class="sIFR-alternate">What a ride. What a rush![/quote]</h2>
<script type="text/javascript">if(typeof sIFR == "function"){ runSIFR(); }</script>
<div id="author" style="FONT-SIZE: 1em">
<p class="byline">By BOB ENGLISH
<p class="dateline">Thursday, September 22, 2005 <span class="update">Posted at 12:49 PM EDT[/quote]
<p class="source">Globe and Mail Update
</div>
<div id="article" style="FONT-SIZE: 1em">
<table id="firstBannerTable" border="0" class="image">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="textAdCon textAd" style="DISPLAY: none" width="300"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="bigbox ad">
<script type="text/javascript">
keyVal="_UNDEFINED_VALUE_";
esckeyVal=escape(keyVal);
if(esckeyVal.indexOf('%')>-1){newstr=esckeyVal.replace( /%\d\d/gi, "");}
else{newstr=esckeyVal;}
skw=(newstr);
if(skw=="_UNDEFINED_VALUE_"){skw="";}
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var szone="specialglobeauto-hub";
var smode="bn";
var sloc="lower";
var sURL_hub="specialGlobeAuto";
var sarena="arena=specialGlobeAuto;";
</script>
BORGO SAN FELICE, ITALY — The stone buildings surrounding the piazza of this medieval hamlet-turned-hotel, which has baked under the Tuscan sun for centuries, usually only echo the tinny clang of the bell in the nearby tower and the crunch of footsteps in gravel. </div>
But, last Friday morning, they bounced back the sharper more urgent sound of a dozen flat-six engines firing up and then the brief rattle of gravel spurting from under rear tires as the gaggle of brightly coloured Porsche Caymans sorted themselves out and accelerated away into the countryside.
The Cayman S, a two-seat, mid-engined coupe introduced just days earlier at the Frankfurt auto show, is built around the basic structure of the open-topped Boxster, but is being presented as the first of a distinct model range. When it goes on sale in mid-January priced at $83,900, it will slot in between the roadster and the 911.
Aimed at younger enthusiasts, the Cayman, named after a crocodile-like critter, is one of the vehicles Porsche hopes will take sales to well beyond the 100,000 mark in the next few years, says PR chief Anton Hunger. They rose 15 per cent to 88,379 last year.
<div class="buttons ad">
<div class="spacer">
Porsche plans include a fourth model series, the Panamera, a front-engined, four-door, four-seater sports coupe for 2009. A full-hybrid version of the Cayenne SUV is also in the works.</div>
</div>
Porsche's ambitions are already having an affect in Canada according to transplanted Aussie Michael Bartsche, recently minted executive vice-president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. After being operated since the mid-90s from within the U.S. structure, sales here are now in the hands of Canadian Colin Richardson, who heads newly created Porsche Cars Canada, an independent subsidiary of the American company.
Canada has evolved into a mature market for Porsche, says Bartsche, with last year's sales of 1,600 units putting it between France with 2,000 and Australia with 1,200. 'We're looking to take it to 1,800-2,000 over the next two years,' he says. 'Colin will provide more touch, more sympathy to the nuances of the market and better realize our opportunities.' The number of dealers will remain at 11.
Adding a roof to the Boxster has created a structure that in flexural terms is an amazing 100 per cent stiffer and torsionally only slightly less rigid than the 911. Length is 4,341 mm, a little longer than the Boxster and it weighs a few kilograms less at 1,340 kg.
Suspension follows the Boxster pattern with MacPherson struts at both ends but with aggressively firmer springs, anti-roll bars and damper rates. Optional is Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), an electronic system that offers two levels of stiffness and can lower the ride height by 10 mm.
The braking system has 318-mm cross-drilled rotors up front, while 299-mm units at the rear with carbon-fibre reinforced ceramic discs are optional. Standard wheels and tires are 235/40ZR 18 fronts/265/40ZR 18 rears but 19-inchers are available from the usual lengthy Porsche option list.
The mid-mounted flat six is based on the 3.2-litre Boxster unit, with displacement boosted to 3.4 litres. A short bore-to-stroke ratio, VarioCam Plus valve control technology and a variable intake system allow it to rev like mad but produce a wide spread of torque.
It is rated at 295 hp at 6,250 rpm and produces peak torque of 251 lb-ft from 4,400 rpm to 6,000 rpm. This compares to the Boxster's 280 hp and the 911's 325 hp. Getting the Cayman's power to the rear wheels is a six-speed manual gearbox with shorter first and second ratios to match a higher final drive ratio. A five-speed Tiptronic automatic is optional.
Porsche says the Cayman S will accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and 160 km/h in 11.7 seconds, with 80 km/h to 120 km/h in 5th gear requiring 6.6 seconds. Top speed is 275 km/h.
Wrapped around the mechanical stuff is a stunning and carefully wind-tunnel crafted low drag/low lift body. The front has a long-nosed look, oval headlamps fared into the fenders and fog lamps mounted on bars in the large radiator air intakes.
The rear is muscular with pronounced fenders that bracket the long-sloping hatchback. There's a theoretical total of 419 litres of luggage space -- under the hatch and in a deep bin in the nose -- but nothing very large will fit in either place.
The basically Boxster cockpit is cozy, but not claustrophobic. Seats hold you in place very positively; the leather-clad wheel is just the right diameter and the analog gauge pack clearly legible. Air conditioning is standard, as are power windows, audio system etc., but not much else.
A day of touring the narrow, winding roads of this beautiful and hilly region, passing vines being stripped of grapes destined to become the classic Chiantis of the region, was a delight. The Cayman makes a very relaxed, comfortable and easy to drive tourer with plenty of torque from 2,500 rpm and a supple ride.
Off by myself later, in a Sport Chrono Package version, which has reprogrammed engine management (quicker response), PASM and stability control -- and a neat stopwatch mounted in the centre of the dash -- I had a bit more fun.
The engine revs hard to a fuel-cutoff of 7,300 rpm accompanied by an ear-pleasing combination of intake and exhaust noise. Despite what must be a convoluted linkage, the gearshift is quick and precise.
Steering is firmly fluid and, combined with the mid-engine layout and suspension, the car turns like it's mounted on a central pivot, staying flat and firmly planted.
Driving quickly on these narrow lanes also requires confidence in your brakes and the Cayman's are simply outstanding.
What a ride. What a rush. And what a great new Porsche the Cayman S is.
Specifications
Porsche Cayman S
Type
: Closed sports car
Price
: $83,900
Engine
: 3.4-litre, DOHC, flat six
Transmission
: Six-speed manual
Output
: 295 hp/251 lb-ft of torque
Fuel economy
(litres/100 km): N/A
Alternatives
: Nissan 350Z, Audi TT, BMW Z4 Coupe (due soon)
Like
: Styling is superb as is the balance of power, handling and braking
Don't like
: That the only Cayman I'll ever own is the stuffed plush toy version I got at the press launch.
</div>
Great remarks.......I want one of those stuffed toy Caymans now! Anyone seen one?
This is the first reference I've seen to a 7300 rpm cutoff. Can anyone comment further on this? Is that for real? I thought the tach was red-lined at 8000 rpm.
Am not 100 percent positive but IIRC, the redline is 7000 RPM. Sport Chrono in sport mode raises the cutoff to 7300.
