Porsche Cayman
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| Porsche Cayman S | |
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| Manufacturer: | Porsche |
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| Production: | 2006– |
| Predecessor: | Porsche 968 |
| Class: | Sports car |
| Body style: | 2-door coupe |
| Platform: | mid-engine RWD |
| Engine: | 2.7 L flat-6 boxer 3.4 L flat-6 boxer |
| Related: | Porsche 987 |
| Similar: | Lotus Europa Chrysler Crossfire Nissan 350Z BMW Z4 Coupé Audi TT |
The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engine 2-seat sports car launched in the 2006 model year. It is based on the Porsche Boxster, but has a stiffer chassis due to its fixed roof, and also benefits from correspondingly stiffer suspension tuning.
The Cayman is produced alongside the Boxster by Valmet in Finland. The name "Cayman" is said to be an alternate spelling of caiman, a species of reptile closely related to the alligator, and has nothing to do with the Cayman Islands. Porsche has, in fact, donated to a Stuttgart zoo's caiman exhibit, because of the shared namesakes between the animal and the automobile.
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[edit] Development
The Cayman series (project code 987 C7S) was developed over a period of two years. It was spied numerous times during testing, although the car was assumed at the time to be a coupe variant of the Boxster, not a distinct model. The first official photographs and technical details were released by Porsche in May 2005. The Cayman S had its public launch in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show; the base Cayman was released in July 2006.
A motorsport-tuned Cayman, the Cayman RS, has been rumored to be in testing at the Nürburgring. [1]
[edit] Statistics
| Model | MSRP (Cost in USD) | Horsepower | Torque | 0-60 Acceleration | Top Speed | Official Model Site/Minisite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayman | $49,400 | 245 hp | 201 lb.-ft. @ 4,600-6,000 rpm | 5.8 s | 160 mph | [2]/[3] |
| Cayman S | $58,900 | 295 hp | 250 lb.-ft. @ 4,400-6,000 rpm | 5.1 s | 171 mph | [4]/[5] |
The Cayman shares the mid-engined platform of the Boxster, along with its interior, front end, doors, and lights. When the car was launched, it received unique engines -- the Cayman S's 3.4 liter engine was essentially a detuned version of the Porsche 996's motor, while the base Cayman had a slightly revised version of the 2.7 liter engine from the base Boxster. (In the 2007 model year, both the Boxster and Boxster S were upgraded with the engines originally reserved for the Cayman.)
The Cayman has a glass hatchback for added practicality. Its suspension design is fundamentally the same as in the Boxster's, but features revised tuning appropriate to the Cayman's increased chassis stiffness. 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, and 5-speed Tiptronic transmissions are available. A Sport Chrono Package including PASM and ceramic composite brakes is also an option.
[edit] Competition with the Porsche 997
The Cayman S's performance approaches that of Porsche's flagship 911 Carrera. Rally legend Walter Röhrl reportedly lapped the Nürburgring track in a Cayman S with a time of 8 minutes, 11 seconds [1], which is faster than the 911 Carrera's time of 8 minutes, 15 seconds [2] as well as the Boxster S's time of 8 minutes, 18 seconds [3]. [4][5] The similarity in performance between the two cars has led to speculation about whether the Cayman S will cannibalize sales of the 911 Carrera, as the 911's retail price is $12,400 higher than the Cayman S's in the United States.
[edit] See also
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[edit] References
- ^ 8:11 --- 151.274 km/h - Porsche Cayman S driven by Walter Röhrl as reported by French magazine "sport AUTO" 07/2005
- ^ 8:15 --- 149.818 km/h - Porsche 997 Carrera 2 driven by Walter Röhrl as reported by Australian magazine "WHEELS" 06/2004
- ^ 8:18 --- 147.435 km/h - Porsche Boxster S driven by Walter Röhrl as reported by French magazine "sport AUTO" 04/2006
- ^ "AutoWeek" Magazine article. Last Paragraph. Accessed Dec 3rd 2006
- ^ "Automobile" Magazine 2006 Porsche Cayman S review article. 3rd paragraph. Accessed Dec 3rd 2006
[edit] External links
| Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG - | ||
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