My guess is that Porsche priced the Boxster too low, and weren't about to repeat the mistake when they introduced the Cayman. They of course rationalized the higher price by offering a few more HP.

 

When you figure that out, go back in time to 2006 and explain the answer to everyone who has ever bought a Cayman.

It's because "they can"

 

Exactly. They determined that demand was inelastic to price within the range so they did it. And yes, the question was posed 10 years ago when the Cayman S was announced.

 

Purely marketing. Boxster was the original. Cayman came after and had to appear something a little more special, so they gave it ~3% more power and more than double that heavier price tag. lawlz.

 

My primary apprehension about getting the Boxster would be concerns about not being allowed to use it for track days, as I've heard that some track day organizations are not allowing convertibles.

 

In my experience (Texas) most organizations and tracks allow Boxsters. BMW club is a notable exception allowing No convertibles of any type. Of course it's best to check with whatever groups and tracks you plan to run. Most have the "broomstick rule" in which the top of your helmet must be lower than a line from the top of the roll hoop to the windscreen frame. For prior generations 986 and 987 there are aftermarket roll bar extensions and lower seat brackets (Brey Krause). I am not certain of such for the 981 yet. You can of course try out the 981 with a helmet on and the seat at it's lowest setting. May get a strange look from the salesman. I did when I tried it in a 986!

 

I'm playing with the configurator, and it seems ironic that I can afford to build a little bit nicer car, if I'm willing to accept a power convertible top, due to the lower base price.

 

I love my Boxster and I love driving with the top down. But I wouldn't buy a convertible just to save a few bucks. There are some disadvantages. Especially this time of year when it's covered in salt. I won't put my rag top through a car wash.

 

It's like having 2 cars so it's a great deal.

 

If you hang around PCA and SCCA then convertible is not a problem on track. Well, let me reword it. If you're hard core then get Cayman, if you just want AX/DE here and there then Boxster will do.

Boxster costs more to make than a compatible Cayman but Porsche can charges more for less and there are takers so they will do it.

 

Boxster costs more to make the a compatible Cayman but Porsche can charges more for less and there are takers so they will do it.

I don't know if I agree the Boxster costs more to make. For one thing, the curb weights of the Boxster and Cayman are identical, which is unusual. Typically speaking, convertibles weigh more because they have increased structural support to compensate for the lack of a top. Depending on how extensive this is, it could increase manufacturing costs significantly. But the fact that both 981 models weigh the same lead me to believe there isn't much difference. Compare this against the Carrera where the cabriolet weighs ~150 lbs more than the coupe, and is priced higher as well.

Another thing to consider is the fact that the 981 Boxster was available an entire model year ahead of the 981 Cayman. Generally, a convertible version of a car is available after the coupe. You have to assume that there are additional development costs when extending a couple platform to support a convertible (eg, the aforementioned increased structural support). In this case, it's quite clear that the 981 platform was developed as a convertible from the ground up.

Now, I will concede that it does make sense to assume a folding roof mechanism costs more to manufacture than a fixed roof, but I would guess the total manufacturing costs for a Cayman vs. a Boxster are pretty close, negligible even. The 10hp bump and the slightly higher Cayman pricing seems simply like a positioning move by Porsche.

 

I remember reading some Porsche marketing material wherein it stated that it is wrong to assume that the cayman is a boxster with a roof and that these are totally different vehicles developed differently. Yeah right[emoji6]


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I just checked the Porsche website. The prices are only $700 apart from each other and that difference gets you an extra 10 hp.


Cayman S $72,200 (315 hp)
Boxster S $72,900 (325 hp)

 

If 10 hp costs $700, then the whole car should only be $22,000, right? Why is Porsche charging so much? :hilarious:

 

The Boxster was born out of necessity (along with the Cayenne) and it saved Porsche's a** from being bought out. The Cayman was an experiment to see if they could bring in 'poor' 911 purchasers. Totally different markets. They 'extra' HP was to lure the 911 crowd that couldn't buy a 911.

Interestingly...both the 986/987 Boxsters and 987 Cayman crowd proved to be pretty independent and thus created a new Porsche sub-culture. Which is pretty great.

That said....there is a reason that Porsche has the highest profit margin of any major car manufacturer.

 

It's more of a legacy thing.

However, I don't see anything wrong with it if Porsche can still maintain its profit margin. The coupe layout is superior to the convertible (no disrespect to Boxsters here), so a more performance oriented car should actually demand more from a coupe than a convertible. Of course, that doesn't seem to be the case generally as cost of production is higher, and consumers generally place a higher value on convertible cars for styling etc.

 

. The coupe layout is superior to the convertible (no disrespect to Boxsters here)... .

And you are defining "superior" how?

 

Doesn't Porsche make a profit of 20,000 euros on each Boxster and Cayman?
As the value of the euro is down, but the dollar prices remain the same; it probably makes 30,000 now.

 

The article said they make $23,000 per car. That does not necessarily mean they make $23K on every 981. They might make $40,000 on a highly optioned TT and $5K on a stripped base Macan. Only they know.

 

porsche assumes that the cayman is more performing platform than the boxster, due to stiffer chassis and more HP so they charge more!

even thought on the 911 the convertables are more expensive!


my head hurts!

 

I think it was primarily a marketing driven decision. By positioning the Cayman as a bit more 'hardcore' than the Boxster they are able to command a premium.

In most cases with an existing fixed roof car the convertible is seen as a special option added on to that fixed roof car, so like any other option it costs money.

 

Oh, one other point: Isn't the Cayman generally thought of as a more beautiful, more sexy looking car than the Boxster?

Not arguing the truth of this, because beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder......

BUT, if there is truth to this as well, another reason for Porsche to add a premium for the coupe?

Just asking.........

 

Oh, one other point: Isn't the Cayman generally thought of as a more beautiful, more sexy looking car than the Boxster?

.

You've got the 981 and the 911 mixed up.


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Mike - I'd call that person someone to be greatly admired! And if jealousy weren't a sin, someone to be jealous of!

Of course there are people with apparently opposite skill sets! I'm an electrical engineer/technnocrat who has a degree in English and is a writer and musician who speaks 3 languages!

But if I had to have a convertible to go with my Cayman S, I'd probably want a Jag F-Type! Guess I'd better add water-cooling to my asbestos suit.........

 

I don't know of this is still the case, but isn't a small pickup truck less expensive than your typical small sedan? The reason why, to my understanding, is that interior materials cost more for a sedan. Now, whether this holds up as part of the reason, who knows? But does the extra "finished" interior of the Cayman make it more expensive that the Boxster? If we compare the Carrera convertible to the coupe the interiors are essentially the same. But the Cayman seems to me to have more "finished" materials than the Boxster.

I know, I know; I can't believe I just compared a Boxster to a pickup truck.

I actually am thinking I would prefer the Boxster over the Cayman because I love Targas and convertibles.

 

Aren't SUVs cheaper with a canvas roof? Land Rover, Jeep?
The Speedster was also the cheapest model of the Porsche 356.

 

To answer the original question: The cayman costs more than the boxster because it's better. Duh!

 

Maybe for the track, but not for the street. Spring is just a little more than a month away, and diving down the country roads in my area is far more enjoyable in a convertible than a coupe. If that weren't the case I'd probably be driving a 991S coupe instead of my 981 Boxster S.

 

did not Enzo Ferrari sum it up best?: "Playboy's drive convertibles; serious drivers drive coupes."

And some of them may be rich playboys. Everyones definition of a sports car is different, but to me one of the essential attributes is no top.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder Sells For Record $3.685 million

 

Had a 981 CS. Traded up to a 981 BS. Couldn't be happier with lousier specs. For reals. lol

 

Do you guys think that when (and if) the 718 re-branding happens, they will change their pricing?

 

The safe answer is that prices will go up. But I'm a cynic.

 

I wonder if the reason for the price difference is due to which model was developed first, which in this case the Boxter and the additional development costs to make the Cayman is recouped partly by the premium.

Other manufacurers develop tin top first and then charge extra for additional development of the soft top.

That would also make sense for 911 where coupe is developed first hence cheaper than soft top.

 

When a coupe is converted to a convertible, the roof of a unibody vehicle is removed thereby weakening the whole structure. Therefore you need to reinforce the whole chassis on a convertible so it resists flexing. You also need to make it more structurally sound so that it can protect its occupants in the event of a crash, and especially in the event of a vehicle rollover. All of this costs money and those costs are passed on to the buyer.

 

I found these pictures from the internet and put them side-by-side for comparison.

My interpretation is that in terms of strength, alloyed steel > multi-phase steel > super high-strength steel (and material cost follows that order as well). The major difference between the Boxster and Cayman is that the super high-strength steel beams on the outside edge of the floor pan in the Cayman are replaced by alloyed steel beams in the Boxster. On the Cayman, alloyed steel is used in the roof with multi-phase steel cross-members. The reason why alloyed steel is used in the roof is probably because the roof is very thin, and a very strong beam is needed. It looks like the roof will be very strong in the Cayman. Judging from the pictures, there is no doubt that the Cayman will be more stiff, but I still have a hard time to reconcile the 2x that was claimed (BTW, did that 2x come from Porsche or from some journalists?)

Development cost aside, the Cayman may in fact cost more to manufacture since the roof involves welding different materials together, not to mention the extra material used in the roof. One interesting aspect is that the Cayman will almost undoubtedly have a higher center of gravity compared to the Boxster, since both vehicles have the same weight, and the big beefy alloy steel beams on the Boxster are on the bottom, while all the beams for the roof support on the Cayman are up on the roof.

 

Anyone notice the US price difference for the Boxster S and Cayman S is only $200 now?

Boxster (base): $52,100
Cayman (base): $52,600 (+$500)

Boxster S: $63,900
Cayman S: $64,100 (+$200)

Boxster GTS: $74,600
Cayman GTS: $75,200 (+$600)

Is that the closest they've ever been priced before?