Last week rumours suggested Porsche would be unveiling a Porsche Cayman Clubsport at the LA show. The rumours were true, sort of. The company hasn’t called it the ‘CS’ or Clubsport, it’s the Porsche Cayman R. Porsche says the ‘R’ stands for ‘Responsive, Refined and Racy’.

Featuring similar styling cues and specification as the rumoured special, the Cayman R uses a 3.4-litre flat-six mid-mounted engine, which produces 243 kW of power and affords the car a 0 – 100km/h sprint time of just 4.7 seconds – when equipped with the Sport Chrono pack. However, the Porsche Cayman R is about more than just an 18 kW power increase over the Cayman S.

Porsche says up to 55 kg of weight has been shed from the Cayman (now 1 295 kg) through the use of lighter aluminium doors, lighter sports seats and light-weight 19-inch wheels – said to weigh less than 10 kg each. The body is also lower by 20 mm over the Cayman S and features a fixed rear spoiler, both contributing to improved handling characteristics.

The Cayman R also features a few cosmetic enhancements to set it apart from the rest of the range. Black headlight surrounds give the car a more aggressive look, whilst ‘PORSCHE’ decals are placed on the doors, a tribute to the classic 911 Carrera.

Porsche South Africa says the Cayman R will arrive around mid-2011, but that no prices are available at this stage.