New Porsche Cayman S review, test drive

The old Cayman was the best handling sportscar around. Has Porsche topped it? We drive the new Cayman S in Dubai to find out.

Published on Jun 18, 2013 05:17:00 PM

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Like every recent Porsche I’ve driven, the Cayman S is immediately friendly. There are no intimidating blind spots, the driving position is just perfect, the controls are beautifully weighted and, despite Cayman v2.0’s increase in size, it still feels utterly compact. Apart from the superb ergonomics, the interior quality really stands out. It’s up there with the Panamera, and that’s impressive.

For now, I opt for the Cayman’s calmest modes and that means all the buttons around the gearlever are off and the gearlever remains in ‘D’. It’s quiet (with some tyre noise), it’s rather comfortable (although this could also be because of Dubai’s unblemished roads) and the gearbox upshifts smoothly. The fuel-saving stop-start system also cuts the engine when we stop at the occasional traffic light. I could be driving an everyday hatchback for all the
drama there is now.

And then, as Dubai’s bustle fades into the flat six’s purr, the opportunity presents itself. A straight road disappearing into a shimmering haze of desert heat – time to dig in. Purr, snarl, metallic rasp as the seven-speed PDK gearbox snaps down cogs and the rev-counter swings to 7800rpm. The short-stroke engine is endowed with constantly variable valve timing and valve lift and a second induction system allows it to breathe through those new ducts that sit behind the doors. The result is a 6bhp bump in power, while torque stands at 37.7kgm, delivered at 4500rpm.