Porsche is gradually revealing more details of its fourth model, the Cayman, which slots into the line-up between the Boxster S and the base 911 Carrera.
Based on the mid-engined Boxster, but with the increased structural rigidity of a fixed roof, the Cayman is being billed by Porsche as an out-and-out drivers' car. The car's name reflects this; apparently a Cayman is a small but exceptionally nimble type of crocodile.
The only version available at launch will be the hardcore Cayman S, priced at £50,000. This policy is believed to be designed to discourage the purely aspirational or status-orientated buyer of a 911 from dropping down to the new coupe.
The Cayman S will have a new 3.4-litre version of the Boxster's flat-six, producing 295bhp (just 26bhp shy of the 997 Carrera), and the brakes are likely to be Porsche's carbon-ceramic items. The rest of the spec is thought to reach almost Clubsport levels, and there is talk of lighter body panels and limited creature comforts inside.
The suspension retains the MacPherson strut set-up of the Boxster, but there are extensive changes to the geometry to take advantage of the increased rigidity. To keep costs down, front body panels are carried over from the Boxster, although the rear has been completely redesigned. Other items that will be familiar to Boxster drivers include the the six-speed manual or five-speed Tiptronic transmission options. Eventually a PDK (Porsche Doppel Kupplung) dual-clutch system could be an option.
The Cayman will also be practical, with both front and rear boots, a large parcel shelf and a hatchback. Perfect for a weekend away at the Nürburgring, where Walter Röhrl has already bettered the 997's 8min 15sec lap time. The Cayman S is due to go on sale in the UK in November.
Åëðéæù íá ëõèçêáí êáðïéåò áðïñéåò ãéá éððïäõíáìç, ÷ñçìáôá êáé áëëá ôå÷íéêá ÷áñáêôçñéóôçêá. Íá óçìåéùóù ðùò ç ìðïîôåñ Ó å÷åé áðïäåé÷ôåé ôï éäéï ãñçãïñç óôçí ðéóôá ìå ôçí 911. Ôï Cayman (åõåëéêôï êñïêïäåéëáêé) ðñïöáíùò èá áðïäåé÷ôåé ðéï ãñçãïñï êáé áðï ôá äõï.