I found this by Googling: 2009 Porsche Cayman - Short Take Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

 

Thanks for that, do magazines not do many reviews on Porsches or what?? I wonder if the 6-speed runs the same quarter mile as the PDK.

 

Most of the major car magazines do review Porsches pretty frequently (at least when there's a new model or revision), but I think that your observation with respect to the Cayman is correct in that there appears to be more attention to the S than the non-S.

I'm guessing the PDK is a shade quicker in the quarter mile (as it is in the published 0-60 times), but I haven't seen it in writing.

 

I drove both the new 09 models

The S with PDK was fun, but I spent 80% of my time trying to stay out of trouble with the speed limits (I don't mind getting a ticket, but I don't want to go to jail)

The base Cayman with a 6-speed was more fun for the street.... I only spent 30% of my time trying to stay out of trouble with the Law (when I drive, I like to use the entire rpm range of the engine). I love the 6-speed for driving involvement. The extra 20 HP, new engine design, and other improvements have given the Cayman everything it needs to be a fantastic daily-driver.

I wish we'd see more write-ups in the magazines on the 09 base Cayman... mixing it up with other cars in its class.

But to sum it all up? The advice I've seen posted here by others is spot-on.
-If you are going to track the car, get the "S"
-If you need a fantastic daily-driver, get the Cayman and use the full range of the engine.

I also test drove...
- BMW's new Z4 300hp, Its fast, but no driver involvement. Great looking car.
- BMW's new M3 400hp, fast but too easy to drive. Very comfortable interior.
- 370Z, 335hp, the 6-speed seemed crappy or cheap, and the engine felt like a truck engine (lots of HP, no refinement). Loved the inside of the car for comfort and driver position.

I'm looking for the car that has the best "fun factor". BMW has some great cars... but they remind me of Nissan's GTR, it like a computer is doing the driving, and you are along for the ride. The base Cayman is the slowest car i test drove, but was the most fun to drive. When I can feel the road, and have to work the engine, it feels like car-and-driver are working together to have fun. The other 4 cars I drove felt like killing a fly with a sledge hammer. I just push a button and the car was already way over the speed limit. I didn't even do anything yet. LOL

 

hp is a selling point these days so manufactures like to advertise this fact. I test drove a 2.9 Boxter & was a joy to drive even though most modern cars on the street can out pace it. I didn't want to drive my VW GTI back home after the drive.

 

I really would like to text drive the base 09 Cayman and see how quick it is. Does it even feel fast?

 

The 2.9 didn't "feel" fast, but nor does my tuned 335hp DFI Cayman S haha, if your looking for a rush then I suggest a turbo car, these cars feel fast over 5000rpm

 

I have a 335i and that feels fast to me, thanks for the advice.

 

Maybe you don't think anything feels fast lol. Just give me your car, we can switch

 

When the rpm's come up on the 2.9, that's when the engine awakens. 0-60 times and 1/4 mile times aren't that far off of the "S" car. The 2.9 feels plenty fast to me when one pushes it, but very sedate and tractable motoring about town. And the handling and braking are absolutely superb.....it's a very nice package and very well balanced.
If you want a rocket, buy a big horsepower American car like a GT 500 Mustang or something less attractive even.....lots of ill handling go-fast cars out there.

 

When the rpm's come up on the 2.9, that's when the engine awakens.

Yep, I got use to driving Honda VTEC (S2000, NSX) and there was always lots of "driver involvement" shifting gears to keep the engine in the sweet spot.

Shifting to keep the engine in the high RPM's, and handling that's fantastic for a street car... that's the driving experience that makes the 2.9 so much fun.

I test drove the new BMW's (Z4 and M3)... you basically pushed the gas and that was it, let the HP do all the work. Not much for the driver to do (except spend your extra free-time looking for cops)... the cars drove themselves.

And I loved the Cayman S, but I like a car I can push and still be under 120mph. The Cayman S gets beyond 120mph too easily, I'd either get in trouble or constantly be holding the car back... as a daily driver.

 

My new 09 2.9 is plenty fast compared to the old 04 Boxter,it drives
like a laser beam.I got a ticket 2 months ago in the Boxter(222 bucks)
and now I'm kinda scared to push the Cayman...I'll get over it.

 

Glad to see some 2.9l love.

There's no question that the 3.4l DFI is a remarkable sports car, but there's a balance to the 6 speed base Boxster/Cayman that gets you plenty of speed and all of the inherent virtues of the design/chassis at a great price point (going easy on the options of course). Around town or even on some quiet back road twisties, it's an amazing machine. Of course I'd love an S, but I don't feel cheated for having purchased the base car. Simplicity has its virtues.

I just wish there was a bit more aftermarket support for the new drivetrain.

 

After lots of experimentation in Sports Plus mode the 2.9 engine likes to be in 2nd gear, if you drop the revs to 3500rpm and speed to about 35mph and then floor it to the red-line this gives the biggest smile and the least chance of a speeding ticket

Is it fast? Well it depends on what road to perform this on, around a good winding country road it's plenty fast enough for me and present's a decent driver challenge too.

 

There are too many jaded people who think Hp is everything. There are many Cayman S persons in this forum who make a point of telling Cayman drivers (and probably Boxster/Boxster S drivers) what a mistake they made with their decision to purchase a "lesser vehicle".

Simple fact: in an urban environment, whether you have a 2.7 or a 2.9, there's no way you can use all 245/265 Hp/redline without ending well over the speed limit and potential police trouble in NO time. The base Cayman and all Boxsters are wonderful, tractable and, yes, plenty fast. In PA, if you're caught exceeding 100 mph you lose your license and you endanger others, if you don't have your stuff together. Then you have an expensive brick. If you get a speeding ticket or two, you have fines, points and insurance issues. I'm sure it's the same in the other 49 states and most other countries.

Sorry for the rant, but my $0.02.

 

one problem is the resale. I see a lot of people contemplating a '6 or '7 CS used vs a base '10. Don't see many people even considering buying a base '6 or '7. Im sure the market is there to some degree for those who can't afford to get into a porsche in any other way. If you are going to hang on to the car for a long time, it probably doesnt matter, but if you are looking to sell it in a couple of years, the CS definitely has its merits on this perspective.

 

Don't see many people even considering buying a base '6 or '7.

Not too many of those '06 base models available, they might become collector items.

Chuck

 

I have two 911's, but wanted a Boxster for everyday driving. Not long ago, I picked up a 2002 base model Boxster. Finding a non "S", base car in nice condition was very hard.

I bought a new 2008 base Boxster this summer for nearly 25% off sticker. It's my daily driver. With "only" 245 hp, I can get into all sorts of trouble on public roads. An S would be overkill for me. That lowly base model has plenty of torque and power for rush hour traffic and I can get the car sideways all day long on the back roads if I wish to have fun. I'm not a good enough driver to fully exploit the full potential of the base car. I bet 90% of the people on this board can't outdrive the base car either. It's that good of a car. I'm sure the 2.9 liter base motors in the current generation cars are even that much quicker.

Are the base cars slow? No way. They still are very quick when you are all over the power band.

It's much more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Jay
08 987
90 911
84 911

 

The manual 2.9 Cayman 2009 is one of the fastest car's timed by Fifth Gear around Millbrook, if you search you should find the time posted by Jason Plato.

You might be able to find the short review on YouTube also.

Cheers,
Carl.