New Porsche Cayman Is Lighter And Faster

Following the launch of the new Boxster, Porsche is rolling out the new Cayman shortly after. The new german mid-engine coupe promises to be lighter and more fun to drive.

The new Cayman is up to 30 kg lighter, depending on the specific model and equipment, and it consumes up to 15 per cent less fuel per 100 km than the previous model - despite the better performance.

Porsche is also upgrading the Cayman with new optional features. For example, the sport coupé is now available with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) for the first time which controls the distance to the car ahead in traffic and vehicle speed, as well as a specially developed Burmester sound system. Another new feature for the Porsche Cayman is the optional Entry & Drive keyless system that can be factory-installed.

Like the previous models, the Boxster and Cayman share many similar design features. We like the new Boxster alot, so the Cayman is not too far off as well, boasting precise lines and razor-sharp sculpted edges. The new shape emphasises the car's low, extended silhouette with the windscreen shifted forward and the roof line that reaches far back. Typical of the more advanced styling is the shoulder line, which runs from the wings - which flare strongly upwards - towards the rear side panels. The door mirrors are now positioned near the top shoulder. Especially expressive and characteristic are the dynamic recesses in the doors, which guide induction air into the distinctive air scoops on the rear side panels and then directly to the engine. This offers the most prominent visualisation of the basic concept of the mid-engine.

The body of the new Porsche Cayman is an entirely new development based on the body-in-white of the Boxster. The results: The bottom line is that innovative lightweight body design with mixed aluminium-steel construction has reduced body-in-white weight by around 47 kg. At the same time, the car's static torsional rigidity was boosted by 40 per cent. In other words, the Cayman drives more precisely than ever before.

Extra features, larger glass surfaces and larger wheels offset some of the weight savings, yet the DIN weights of all sport coupÃ©s are lighter than those of previous models, and a standard Porsche Cayman S weighs 30 kg less.

In its new lightweight body design, Porsche only uses steel where it is essential. On the other hand, wherever lightweight metals can be used, they are the preferred choice. For example, die-cast aluminium, aluminium sheet, magnesium and high-strength steels are used, and all materials are tailor-made for specific purposes in the body, ensuring very high rigidity values while minimising material usage. Around 44 per cent of the new Cayman body-in-white consists of aluminium, e.g. the front body, floor and rear body, the doors and the front and rear bootlids.

The Cayman is powered by a 2.7-litre flat-six cylinder engine with 275 bhp, six-speed manual transmission with the optional (more popular) seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is in 5.7 seconds, with PDK in 5.6 seconds (5.4 seconds with Sport Chrono package) and a top speed of 266 km/h, with PDK 264 km/h. CO2 figures are at 192 g/km for the manual and 180 g/km for the PDK.

The Cayman S runs on a 3.4-litre flat-six cylinder engine with 325 bhp, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds with Sport Chrono package and PDK, with a top speed of 281 km/h. CO2 figures for the PDK is at 188 g/km.