Great review, thank you for posting it. When I was looking for my next car, I considered a CaymanS and got the same exact same "poor man's Porsche" comment which I thought was ridiculous. It wasn't a deciding factor for me, but it still makes the idea a little less attractive. For me, I went with the 911S because it's iconic and I had always wanted one. Also the two back seats make it more family friendly and I have two kids under 6.

I may buy a CaymanS (or GTS if they make one) and I would make it a track/toy car and keep it for a while. Would it replace my 911 slot, no, but it would be a nice "cheaper car" for the track days.

OP, think about blurring the video where your speedo shows how fast you're going. Someone may not like that and especially since you use your name on the forums. Just trying to help out!

 

The Cayman and Boxster GTS have been released a day or two ago. +15hp (340 hp), alcantara interior, a couple of aesthetic upgrades and comes standard with 20" wheels, Sport Chrono, PSE, CDR plus, PASM etc. Basically costs $5k less than a similarly optioned Cayman S with more power and better looks. @ $76k, it is good value for money. I like it a lot.

 

whoa...thanks for the heads up. I feel like I read a thread not long ago speculating about a GTS, cool. I'm going to the website right now to check it out!

 

Serge- I like it a lot too. I was about to trade in my '12 991S for a turbo but it was $100k more… I did like it and it is a beast (thanks for the GTR/turbo link) but it just wasn't a hundred thousand dollars better than my car. It may be a nice addition to my 911 I bet you could really have fun on the track with one. I watched the Isringhausen Cayman race cars at VIR and they were amazing. I've had a Boxster S as a loaner and loved the handling- if it only had a little more power...

 

The reason I wouldn't buy a Cayman is because of options. I would basically have to pay $90K+ to get a Cayman that is spec'd the way I wanted it. That is $30K over base price, and you really don't get that money back if you have to sell. If I stretched an extra $20K, I got a 991 spec'd the way I wanted it, and only $10K over base price. If you can afford a Porsche, $20K is an easy stretch, and a no-brainer at that point.
A $110K 911 is worth $100K the second you drive it off the lot, a $95K Cayman is worth $70K once it leaves the lot, that's not good.

 

If you would consider it as an addition to your 911, go for a Boxster GTS. Same gizmo's included, a cab experience for the sunny days, and a bit more power If the 3.4 340 hp DFI engine is the exact same as in the 'base' 991, it should be fine. I jumped from a 325 hp Cayman S into a 340hp Carrera during the Porsche World tour, and the 991 felt surprisingly quicker.

A Cayman is indeed a good choice for the track. The (limited) power shortfall of the Cayman is in fact a lack of low end torque and it won't matter on the track where you keep the revs up all the time.

 

I am calling BS on this . Spec two cars and please enlighten us on how 30K over base price on a Cayman S equates with 10K over base on a 991 .

Keep in mind that upon resale the used 911 shopper is going to want all the high priced options wheras the used Cayman shopper might not even expect to see a car with them (because many of the lot cars are so modestly speced ). Then go ahead and look at used Cayman prices and compare them to new MSRP for each year . Do the same with the 991 and tell us which car retained more value proportionally .

Lastly I have no bias to either car . I myself have Both a 911 turbo and a Boxster S but it's my opinion the the Boxster and Cayman get a bum rap mostly from some warped ideology that it's somehow (paraphrasing) "less of a car" when in fact the new car as well as the Carman R and Boxster Spyder former cars are the real deal .

I also feel that it's post like this one quoted and comments like the one made by the salesman (and co worker of his) which perpetutate misinformation and ignorance about a truly fantasic automobile .