Porsche Cayman R NOT Cayman Clubsport

The Porsche Cayman R debuts at LA

We knew Porsche were planning on bringing a new Cayman to the LA Motor Show. We thought it was going to be the Porsche Cayman Clubsport, but it’s not. It’s the Porsche Cayman R.

Pretty much everything else we told you is about right. The Cayman R does get some extra power, but only a smidge – 10bhp. It does get some of the home comforts stripped out in an effort to make it go quicker and reduce weight by 55kgs. Which is about the difference in weight between the average European and the average American.

The biggest weight saving comes from using lightweight components and dumping anything that makes life comfortable. So you can see bye-bye to the AirCon and stereo and hello to smaller fuel tank and lower suspension (by 20mm).

The Cayman R also gets a limited slip diff and the 19″ alloys off the Boxster Spyder. More weight is saved by using the aluminium door skins from the 911 Turbo and the carbon fibre door panels and CF bucket seats from the GT3 RS

The outside – unlike the inside – gets bits added. There’s the Cayman Aerokit to make the Cayman look like it goes faster with a contrasting colour, fixed rear spoiler together with black-framed headlights, contrasting mirrors and Porsche graphics on the doors. You can also opt for the exclusive Peridot paint job on the car in the photos below.

We like the Porsche Cayman. With the right power under its hood it would show the 911 a thing or two. Which is why that will never happen. And we like a chunk of the stuff on the Cayman R. But really, do we have to wear a hair shirt to play with that bit more power?

We’d love to see the Cayman R with the AirCon and stereo still there and without the silly bits of red material taking the place of the door pulls. It’s all for effect. Frankly, it would make not a dot of difference to the performance - which is only 2/10ths better to 62mph than the Cayman S anyway. It’ll just feel quicker because the car is hollow.

The Porsche Cayman R goes on sale in February 2011 at £51,731. Which is about £5k more than the Cayman S but does include a day out at the Driving Experience Programme at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone (more details in the Porsche Cayman R press release).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kme8vkYb82w

By Cars UK