Porsche Cayman R, nothing superfluous
The hardest challenge of all is to spruce up an existing concept. While many manufacturers make the mistake of going over the top, increasing a model’s power or array of equipment, this prestige brand has adopted a completely different approach. A thorough-bred unveils its innermost secrets...
By way of introduction, Porsche naturally addressed the power-to-weight ratio of this 2-seater sports coupé. Rather than offering its new model - presented in November at the Los Angeles Motor Show and on the road as of February, 2011 - still more horsepower, it has significantly lightened the load. If the happy few who are lucky enough to take the wheel, in exchange for 71,199 €, will have to do without a radio (better for concentration), air conditioning (yes, you got it right the first time) and cup-holders (less bothersome), they will, on the other hand, benefit from 19-inch wheels, sport bucket-seats, a central engine and 330 hp in total, ie. 10 more than the Cayman S. The result : 55 kg lighter (including 12 due to the lack of air conditioning), enhanced dynamism and agility, optimum weight distribution and balanced road-handling. The optional PDK gearbox offers manual or automatic mode. Transition between the seven ratios is fast and smooth, ensuring easy use, controlled acceleration and savings in fuel consumption. As for design, Porsche’s refusal to compromise is abundantly clear : lines are sharp and radical. The fixed spoiler underscores the powerfulness of the rear end, while at the front, the spoiler lips speak volumes about the model’s reduced lift and sporty performance. The body is 20 mm lower with an improved chassis closer to the road. Driving fans have a much closer, almost sensual, relationship with the tarmac, while the car purrs in delight. Even the colour - Peridot metallic green as standard, in addition to the traditional array - shows signs of rebellion. A colour only broken by a twin tailpipe, air intakes and the Porsche logo, all in black. The interior, also in ebony black, is stripped of superfluous accessories. A few details, the door pulls, gear lever and seat belts, have been treated to details in bold red. Detractors inevitably focus on the subject of comfort. “It is basic, of course, but can you imagine a racing driver in a luxury designer seat ?” retorts the German manufacturer, whose sole esthetic luxury resides in the graduated, tinted windscreen. 10 hp more, instead of the 20 expected by connoisseurs. Yet the Cayman with an R, the third of its kind, is the most powerful in the series, a performance its designers have marked by means of a fixed wing and a conquering roar.
Porsche Cayman R
From 0 to 100 km/h : 5 s
Maximum speed : 282 km/h
Price : 71.199 €
By Laetitia Rossi
