nthfinity
04-10-2007, 08:26 PM
I Just got back from driving the new 2007 Cayman S. Some rough specs are 29xx lbs 295 hp, rear biased mid engine 2 seater.
This is easily the fastest 300~ hp car I've ever driven... by a long shot. In fact, no others I've driven with a rough 300 hp are even relatively close! The S197 Mustang GT is right out, the Evo is yesterday's news, same with the STi, and the NSX is just too athsmatic to compare.... In essence, every other ~300 hp sports car out there may as well drop off the face of the planet... why on earth would you want them?!?!
Drop the clutch from 3400, and your rewarded with near instant traction, after a slight wiggle from the back. The tach is quickly dialing the needle to 7000, with quick rev drop, and another short ratio in 2nd.... and again into third, a little taller now... suddenly, I'm well into tripple digit territory. I've heard stories that the car feels slow around that range, which I wish I could've tested... but alas, this was not the time nor place for such velocities. Tires chirp easily in 2nd and 3rd gears.
The throws are short, and dead on precision. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the speed at which the engine deccellerates, and how sensitive the throttle really is... excentuated by first gear's very tight ratio. It honestly feels violent, and will shake you... even being light on the release from on through "less on" throttle positions.
All this changing gears, and I've forgotten to mention the most annoying thing about driving the Cayman S... there is tremendous transmission noise for a road car... unoquivically the most I've ever experienced in a road car. It does get less with each ratio, and by 6th, its little but a slight whine.... but hard 1-3, it doesn't seem like you are that far off from driving a cup car exaggerated exponentially as you reach the rev limiter.
Clutch feel is progressive, and is easy to modulate, nothing extravagent, light, nor heavy... much like the brakes, and the steering. No drama, but this car definately makes me look good at what I'm doing. Brakes are good, but i'm sure would work much better on a smoother surface, rather then the cement and mortar gaps newly contracted once again in this milder cool weather (40 F).
Grip... point and go, but tougher with throttle modulation with the natural pedal throw... aka, I need more practice in this car. On call over steer at lower speeds, and I didn't try in sweepers, as only the trees will catch my fall ;) The car has ZERO bad manners.
Interior fits the normal porsche bill with comfort, quality feeling parts, solid and rigid movable pieces, and a functional dashbord... which would honestly take some getting used to. I'm used to a whooping one lever on my steering colum, and the Cayman S has no less then 3... or was it 4? The options list would only complicate things, but I'd certainly get used to it.
That is the thing that worries me. Porsche have made a car that howlse on the Peter Paul and Mary side of wild. You'd be ok letting a n00b drive your car through the woods, because its neigh impossible to go wrong in it. It is undeniably engineered to fit a gap between the Boxter and 911, but for how long? We have long known the rear engine isn't ideal... what will be the model range after 998? will the 999 have it's roots further in Cayman chronology then 911?
I find that in the persuit of perfection, Porsche may in fact loose the raw appeal and visceral driving experience they have always provided. The 911 is still the car to buy; but only time will tell before it too passes the way of 356, 914, 944, 928 before it.
This is easily the fastest 300~ hp car I've ever driven... by a long shot. In fact, no others I've driven with a rough 300 hp are even relatively close! The S197 Mustang GT is right out, the Evo is yesterday's news, same with the STi, and the NSX is just too athsmatic to compare.... In essence, every other ~300 hp sports car out there may as well drop off the face of the planet... why on earth would you want them?!?!
Drop the clutch from 3400, and your rewarded with near instant traction, after a slight wiggle from the back. The tach is quickly dialing the needle to 7000, with quick rev drop, and another short ratio in 2nd.... and again into third, a little taller now... suddenly, I'm well into tripple digit territory. I've heard stories that the car feels slow around that range, which I wish I could've tested... but alas, this was not the time nor place for such velocities. Tires chirp easily in 2nd and 3rd gears.
The throws are short, and dead on precision. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the speed at which the engine deccellerates, and how sensitive the throttle really is... excentuated by first gear's very tight ratio. It honestly feels violent, and will shake you... even being light on the release from on through "less on" throttle positions.
All this changing gears, and I've forgotten to mention the most annoying thing about driving the Cayman S... there is tremendous transmission noise for a road car... unoquivically the most I've ever experienced in a road car. It does get less with each ratio, and by 6th, its little but a slight whine.... but hard 1-3, it doesn't seem like you are that far off from driving a cup car exaggerated exponentially as you reach the rev limiter.
Clutch feel is progressive, and is easy to modulate, nothing extravagent, light, nor heavy... much like the brakes, and the steering. No drama, but this car definately makes me look good at what I'm doing. Brakes are good, but i'm sure would work much better on a smoother surface, rather then the cement and mortar gaps newly contracted once again in this milder cool weather (40 F).
Grip... point and go, but tougher with throttle modulation with the natural pedal throw... aka, I need more practice in this car. On call over steer at lower speeds, and I didn't try in sweepers, as only the trees will catch my fall ;) The car has ZERO bad manners.
Interior fits the normal porsche bill with comfort, quality feeling parts, solid and rigid movable pieces, and a functional dashbord... which would honestly take some getting used to. I'm used to a whooping one lever on my steering colum, and the Cayman S has no less then 3... or was it 4? The options list would only complicate things, but I'd certainly get used to it.
That is the thing that worries me. Porsche have made a car that howlse on the Peter Paul and Mary side of wild. You'd be ok letting a n00b drive your car through the woods, because its neigh impossible to go wrong in it. It is undeniably engineered to fit a gap between the Boxter and 911, but for how long? We have long known the rear engine isn't ideal... what will be the model range after 998? will the 999 have it's roots further in Cayman chronology then 911?
I find that in the persuit of perfection, Porsche may in fact loose the raw appeal and visceral driving experience they have always provided. The 911 is still the car to buy; but only time will tell before it too passes the way of 356, 914, 944, 928 before it.