| If you are knew to the world of Porsche | | | | the area from trunk up to the cargo |
| and haven't been keeping up with the | | | | shelf. There are also two narrow |
| Porsche changes the Porsche Caymen S is | | | | storage bins and there is plenty of |
| basically a Boxter with a hatchback and | | | | useable floor space.If you are familiar |
| a steel coupe roof.But wait there's a | | | | with the Boxter when you park yourself |
| little more to it. The Cayman has a | | | | in the driver's seat you'll instantly |
| stiffer set of springs for the strut | | | | feel like your back in the Boxter except |
| suspension, thicker anti-roll bars, and | | | | that the instrument faces are gray and |
| it comes standard with 18 inch | | | | the cargo shelf is behind your head. So |
| wheels.The Caymen uses the familiar 3.4 | | | | are you ready to take it for a |
| liter engine seen in the Porsche M96, | | | | cruise?First thing you'll notice is that |
| Boxter, and 911. Of course it's been | | | | the Caymen fits both driver and |
| tweaked and now it delivers a whopping | | | | passenger snuggly. You'll notice the |
| 295 HP and 255 pound foot of torque. | | | | night tight suspension and how the car |
| The old Boxter version had only 280 HP | | | | hugs the road never missing a beat. |
| and 236 lb-ft to offer.From 0 to 60 is | | | | It's impressively intuitive as long as |
| capable in 5.1 seconds you'll find your | | | | you don't mess up.The steering puts you |
| top speed at 171 MPH. That's all the | | | | in complete control with the blacktop |
| speed you'll ever need. The PSM or | | | | and its responsible and sensitive to |
| Porsche Stability Management System is | | | | your every mood. Drive it neatly and it |
| standard equipment on the Caymen. And | | | | will never let you down. Know your car |
| the Sport Chrono package with built in | | | | and how to drive and it will be hard to |
| lap time counter will be | | | | be outperformed.First impressions are |
| optional.Another option is ceramic | | | | that the Cayman is as snug-fitting for |
| brakes. If you aren't familiar with | | | | the driver as it was for the passenger |
| ceramic brakes you should be. These | | | | and that the mid-mounted engine makes |
| brakes are half the weight of stand cast | | | | life hard for the air-conditioning; the |
| iron brakes. You get exceptional | | | | cabin serves up rump roast over frozen |
| braking power, less heat fade, and low | | | | heart as a summer dish.The chassis has |
| brake dust. They Cayman brakes are | | | | been seriously beefed up and is more of |
| identical to the Boxter's with just a | | | | a partner than ever before. Combine |
| little more air cooling and ABS | | | | that with the Michelin tires that have |
| tweaking.A look at the exterior and you | | | | amazing gripping you are going to have a |
| will instantly know that the body is | | | | ride like nothing you've experienced |
| built off the Boxter platform. In fact | | | | before.The new Caymen is everything the |
| many of the body panels are | | | | 911 has always been and more. It's not |
| interchangeable. The rear windows are | | | | only a great ride on the street it's |
| the same shape as the 911 if you were to | | | | also a great track ride. It sounds |
| turn them on end.The Cayman has a | | | | great, looks great, and performs great. |
| rapidly sloping hatch that drops quickly | | | | But then after all it's a Porsche and |
| and deeply and it is accented with a | | | | would you accept anything less? If |
| scripted Cayman S on the rear wing which | | | | there were awards for best car this one |
| deploys at speeds over 75 MPH.The hatch | | | | would certainly be in the running.If you |
| is a nice light weight which rises with | | | | haven't checked out the Porsche Caymen |
| no effort presenting you with a nice | | | | be sure you do!Wayne has been owned and |
| size trunk that is a decent depth. It's | | | | ridden Porsches for 15 years. Visit his |
| very similar to the Boxter trunk.And | | | | Porsche site at to learn more about |
| there was some smart design thinking | | | | Porsche 944. |
| here. An aluminum scuff plate covers | | | | |