MALMO, July 23 — As crocodiles go, caimans are among the smallest members of the species. But far from being the crocodilian equivalent of Smurfs, they are small, smart and deadly.
Porsche’s Cayman has always lived up to its snappy namesake, and now it is expanding its hunting grounds.
The new 718 Cayman’s biggest change from its predecessor is a four-cylinder, turbocharged engine that is smaller, yet more powerful, efficient and compliant with new emissions regulations. The regular Cayman has a 300hp, 2-litre engine, while the Cayman S model spits out 350hp from a 2.5-litre mill.
Porsche’s expertise in turbocharging stretches back decades, and it is evident in the new Cayman. The engine’s power delivery is almost lag-free — there’s barely a pause before the car rockets forward, even in regular driving modes.
Modus operandi
Like the latest 911 (which is also turbocharged), a steering wheel knob controls driving modes. With Sport+ engaged, and the Sport Response button pressed, the car delivers maximum acceleration and overboost for 20 seconds. You probably will not be able to use it often in daily driving, except for vicarious overtaking, but it is still worth a chuckle or three.
The S model has noticeably more power everywhere, and the engine spools up quicker as its turbocharger has a variable turbine, unlike the base model.
A peek at the cars’ 0-100kmh times (4.2s for the Cayman S; 4.7s for the Cayman) shows that this is not really important, and even on a racetrack it is less crucial than one might expect.
Aurally however, the engine is all change: In total opposition to the high-speed shriek of the previous model’s flat-six engine, the turbo sounds excessively of bass and rumble. Of course, a certain Japanese brand is famous for the rumble of its own engines with the same capacity and flat-four layout, a comparison Porsche owners may find off-putting.
Well-handled
But if the new Cayman has less sound with more fury, the best part about its performance has been preserved: The handling.
The steering is near perfect for a sports car of any price, and the fact that the chassis is so responsive without a hint of twitchiness means that very few mainstream machines can deliver the same sort of point-to-point accuracy.
Driving the car at high speed on extremely narrow Swedish farm roads did not feel the least bit scary. The car’s plush damping and naturally-balanced nature made it a joy to drive in almost all situations.
Apart from the heart transplant, the Cayman has a revised interior and exterior design, with cleaner lines in most places, while the biggest change in the improved cabin is the new infotainment system that is touch-based and much more in line with current German luxury offerings.
A well-driven Cayman can easily hassle a much faster and more powerful car in any situation other than a wide-open expressway.
And given the amount of driver-centrism this car has, driving a Cayman well is no longer a particularly difficult task.
Costing more then S$300,000 (RM897,000) after current COE prices are factored in, the Cayman is by no means a cheap car. But if you look at its rivals, the base model Cayman begins to look like a relative bargain.
Porsche 718 Cayman
Engine: 1,998cc, flat-four, turbocharged, 300hp, 380Nm
Performance: 275kmh, 0-100kmh: 4.7s, 6.9L/100km, 158g/km CO2
On sale: Now
Pros: Superb handling, ride and driving experience
Cons: No space, engine note radically changed
Porsche 718 Cayman S
Engine: 2,497cc, flat-four, turbocharged, 350hp, 420Nm
Performance: 285kmh, 0-100kmh: 4.2s, 7.3L/100km, 167g/km CO2
On sale: Now
Pros: Same handling prowess, but with more power
Cons: Normal model is plenty fast for anything — TODAY
