2007 Porsche Cayman

Usually a car company follows a certain progression when launching a new vehicle. First comes the standard model, it sells for a bit, then follows a performance version, often with a series of letters or numbers added to the name. Porsche, however, threw everyone a curve when they launched the high-output Cayman S first. Only now has the tamer Cayman arrived. But even de-tuned, it’s one heck of a sports car, and deserves a sports car treatment.

Naturally, for us that means a trip to Savannah, Georgia’s Roebling Road Raceway.  Carving up our favorite ten turns is the best way we know to explore any sports car’s performance potential.

It may have arrived on the market in an unusual manner, but there’s nothing at all odd about how the 2007 Porsche Cayman is engineered.

Sharing bodywork and all major mechanicals with the Cayman S, and by extension, with the Boxster, the Cayman arrives ready to hit the track.

Fully independent front and rear suspensions with McPherson spring strut axles, twin-tube gas shocks and longitudinal and track control arms are supplemented with standard Porsche stability management.

Like the Cayman S we tested here last year, Porsche has again delivered a near-perfect combo of balance, precision, and flat-out fun.

Our tester lacked both the optional Porsche active suspension management system, with switchable shock valving, and the sports chrono package, which alters engine and throttle mapping for sporty driving.  But in truth, on this newly paved track, we didn’t miss them.

In fact the only performance-enhancing option on our tester is a set of 18-inch Cayman S wheels, wearing 40-series tires, 235’s up front and 265’s in the rear.

Cross-drilled brake rotors at each wheel are clamped by four-piston monobloc calipers and provided lap after lap of fade-free service. So while this may be a lightly optioned car, we’d be hard-pressed to call any Cayman a “base” model.

Our drivers raved over the Cayman’s responsive steering and nimble nature, and not one person complained of a lack of power.  The Cayman makes full use of its driver’s abilities and is as entertaining to drive as any car in Porsche’s lineup.

Only the engine specs give away the Cayman’s “baby-brother” status.  The mid-mounted flat-six is a 2.7 liter unit here, versus a 3.4 liter mill in the “S” thanks to smaller diameter pistons. 

Horsepower output is 245, that’s down 50 from the “S,” while torque stands at 201.  For 2007, all Caymen and Boxsters share Porsche’s “variocam plus” variable valve timing and lift control system.

But, here’s the surprise. With a lighter camshaft and piston pins, the 2.7 spins freer than the 3.4, and actually produces a higher output per liter, which no doubt helps deliver a strong straight line performance, starting with a 0 to 60 time of 5.7 seconds. That’s less than a second off our Cayman “S” test. 

Slipping through the gears, the quarter-mile mark passes in 14.3 seconds at 98 miles-per-hour. Our car was the standard 5-speed manual but both a 6-speed manual and 5-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmissions are available. 

At street speeds, cruising the highways and byways in the Cayman is an effortless task. The track-star suspension adapts well to everyday use and the drivetrain proves willing and flexible for zipping around town.

Fuel economy is equally impressive, with government ratings of 23 city and 32 on the highway for our manual using premium fuel. Cayman’s energy impact score is a moderate 13.2 barrels of oil per year. That’s on par with the typical mid-size family sedan.  All proving once again that performance and practicality can co-exist.

That practicality carries over to the interior as well.  Everything here is shared with the Cayman “S” and very similar to the Boxster. Standard leather buckets are generous but offer plenty of support for hard cornering. The distinctive red-colored seatbelts are a rare option.  Clear gauges are housed in three large pods and include redundant digital speedo readout.

The two place cockpit displays excellent fit and finish but unlike the Boxster, includes space to fit more than minimal luggage thanks to a handy rear cargo shelf and covered bins behind both seats. 

Pricing is practical too - for a Porsche that is.  Despite track performance equaling the Cayman “S” in attitude if not outright velocity, the 2007 Cayman bears a much more palatable sticker price of $50,195, or about 10 grand less than the “S”.  Adding our tester’s 18-inch wheels and colorful seatbelts brings its total price to $51,885.

By Porsche standards, the Cayman is an entry-level sports coupe, trailing its “S” sibling in prestige, power and price. 
But measured against other sports cars, the Cayman is second to none. And provides an appealing way to step up into the rarefied air of pure Porsche performance