Road Test: Porsche Cayman R PDK

The Porsche Cayman has been with us since 2006, when it arrived on showroom floors as another attractive entry level model following on from the very successful history of the Porsche 986 and 987 Boxster. A mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, 2-seat sports car, the Porsche Cayman can be summarised as the coupé version of the second generation Porsche Boxster convertible. Both cars drew their design inspiration from legendary Porsche classics like the 356/1 Roadster, 904 GTS, 550 Spyder and the 718 RS60. Five years on and the latest generations of both the Boxster and Cayman are waiting in the wings, due for launch closer to 2013. Right now, however, Porsche have given the world the Cayman R – an ambitious sounding name, but an unassuming and definitive driving machine.

Founded on the Porsche Cayman S, dubbed by many as the best handling Porsche bar the company’s ‘GT’ models, the Cayman R elevates the driving experience to a new level thanks to a ‘less is more’ approach. Porsche have shaved some 55 kilograms off the kerb weight of the Cayman S, added a marginal increase in power output, as well as having introduced a number of mechanical changes to give the Cayman R its unmistakable edge.

Visually, the Cayman R is easily distinguished at first glance by its 19-inch alloy wheels and ‘Porsche’ lettering at the base of the door. Borrowed from the Porsche Boxster Spyder, the 10-spoke alloy wheels are the lightest units fitted to any current production Porsche, weighing 40 kilograms in total. Further obvious differences include the 20 mm lower ride height and gloss black finish for the exterior mirrors, side air intakes and the fixed rear wing. More subtle styling cues include the black-framed headlights, a nod to classic Porsche racing cars, although that is arguably where the ‘R’ badging falls short.

Paging back through the annals of Porsche’s history, you’ll find the origins of the ‘R’ moniker lie with the 1967 Porsche 911 R. The 911 R was the first 911-based racing car and was built as a prototype for GT racing. The changes made to the 911 R compared to the standard 911 of the time were drastic to say the least. Lightweight fibre-glass panels replaced the front wings, bonnet, boot lid and bumpers. The dashboard was stripped, the interior was bare steel and all the windows, bar the windscreen, were plexiglass. The Carrera’s 2.0-litre flat-six engine was highly tuned and employed titanium conrods, twin plug heads, twin output distributor, twin coils and twin fuel pumps, to produce 154 kW (210 hp) at 8 000 r/min. A 100-litre fuel tank was fitted with a race-style filler cap located in the centre of the bonnet and the oil tank was made of aluminium. These measures gave the 911 R a total mass of 830 kilograms, a whopping 230 kilograms lighter than the standard 911.

The 911 R was the most extreme interpretation of the Porsche 911, which has since seen the ‘R’ designation given only to those models that lie on the very edge of the 911 range, for example, the current 911 GT3 RSR. To apply this badge to a production car, which isn’t a 911, saves just 55 kilograms over its closest model variant and benefits from just 8 kW more power, smacks of marketing shenanigans. Fortunately though, the name is the only area of the Cayman R where the marketing department was involved, because otherwise it’s a thoroughly engineered Porsche sports car that delivers a visceral driving experience.

Strapping one’s self into the cockpit, the Cayman R’s focus on driving is immediately apparent. In standard trim, conveniences such as an air-conditioner and radio don’t feature. Our press car was equipped with both as a no-cost option, but would otherwise have saved 15 kilograms of weight. Single-piece carbon fibre bucket seats further reduce weight by 12 kilograms and apart from providing excellent lateral support, also add to the racey feeling of the car. The doors are made from aluminium and their interior panels are devoid of storage pockets and open with a pull strap rather than a conventional handle. The cupholders have been removed, along with the cover over the driver’s instruments.

Under the skin, the Cayman R benefits from 8 kW more power than the Cayman S, with its 3.4-litre, horizontally opposed, six-cylinder engine having been given a revised head pipe for the exhaust system, together with revised software for the engine control unit. The Cayman R is available with either a 6-speed manual, or the 7-speed Porsche double-clutch transmission (PDK) fitted to our test unit, which Porsche say has been specially matched for its application in the ‘R’.

With a purpose built sports car chassis inherited from the Cayman S, Porsche engineers required little in the way of fine tuning to bring the Cayman R into its own, but the few changes they have made, equate to a more alert and urgent character. Those changes include the 20 mm lower ride height already mentioned, a wider track at both the front (4 mm) and rear (2 mm) due to larger wheels with altered offset, additional rebound buffer springs in the front damper strut for added high-speed stability, as well as special rear spring seats that limit the transfer of noise, vibration and road imperfections to the body. Thanks to the reduction in weight, the car’s centre of gravity has also effectively been lowered by a further 2 mm. Additional degrees of negative camber have also been added to both axles to further enhance directional stability. Last, but certainly not least, is the rear axle’s limited-slip differential, which has been fine-tuned for stability and traction, with a bias towards track use.

The attention to detail in the Cayman R’s engineering results in a corresponding level of detail in the driving experience and one that is simply superb. The steering response is second to none. Light, yet infused with a degree of communication that’s a rare find in modern cars, the steering and its variable ratios guide the car toward each apex without you even having to think about it. The throttle response is immediate and in direct proportion to the pressure applied by your right foot. Together with the idyllic weight distribution of the mid-engined chassis layout, the R’s nose can be tucked in or forced wide with just fractions of throttle input, to further fine-tune your line through a corner.

Channeled via the seven-speed PDK transmission, power from the 3.4-litre flat-six is transferred to the tarmac with absolute precision. Our Cayman R press car was fitted with two optional extras in this regard, which I’d have to say, I couldn’t imagine driving the car without.

The first is the Sport Chrono Plus package, which allows the transmission to be set between three levels of shift speeds. In its most relaxed, default mode, the PDK ‘box never ceased to amaze with its seamless transition between cogs. In Sport mode, throttle response is heightened and gear changes become more urgent. In Sport+ mode, however, the Cayman R begins to snap its teeth like its reptilian namesake would suggest. The gearbox forces the rev needle towards the redline in every gear and changes down at the earliest opportunity to keep it there. The shifts are executed with an honest kick, as the clutch plates are banged together in milliseconds to deliver a virtually uninterrupted rush of power. Employ the Sport Chrono’s launch control function and the Cayman R lunges off the line on its way to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.

The second option installed on our test car was the sports exhaust system, which consists of modified silencers that, at the touch of a button, can be made to amplify the car’s wail as the revs rise, rendering you a slave to the throttle.

With power increased to 243 kW (from 235 kW in the Cayman S) and 370 Nm of torque, the 1 320 kilogram Cayman R gathers speed quickly to say the least. More rewarding though, is the amount of speed it carries into and through corners. A good part of this ability is due to the car’s superb balance and light weight, but doing all the work is the suspension. Although stiffened and operating within the confines of the Cayman R’s inherently rigid construction, Porsche engineers have achieved a special blend of response and composure, while retaining a measure of suppleness that takes the Cayman R from ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By sports car standards the R soaks up bumps. With little hint of kick-back through the steering, the car remains on line through corners where many others would shuffle across the tarmac and require an authoritative grip on the wheel. The rear suspension and wide rear tyres (265/35 ZR 19) cope admirably with the R’s power, and the high threshold of grip, without the need for the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) to intervene, is further testament to the balance of the chassis. The brakes, four-piston aluminium monobloc brake callipers all-round with 318 mm ventilated front discs and 299 mm at the rear, stop the Cayman with reassuring and fade free commitment on the road.

Its easy to wax lyrical on the virtues of the Cayman R, a superbly crafted mid-engined sports car, that has few rivals for its scintillating driving experience. For all its winning attributes, however, the Cayman R is unlikely to walk off Porsche’s showroom floors in the number it should. Why? Because despite its real value proposition at R839 000, the reality is that it resides in a gray area of their product matrix – too focused for the majority of Cayman owners and not quite serious enough as an alternative to the 911 GT3, or simply too close in price to the haloed 911 Carrera, of which there is a new 991 generation on the way in 2012. For this reason, if ever you see a Cayman R, you can be sure its owner is a discerning driving enthusiast.

What we like…

• Exemplary sports car suspension.
• Engine and throttle response.
• Steering action and feel.
• Talented PDK transmission.

What we would like…

• Better sound quality from the radio for that one occasion that you decide to listen to it.
• The sports exhaust as standard for all other occasions.

(Images courtesy of Leon Oosthuizen)

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