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Old 01-23-2006, 04:34 PM   #6
Perfectlap
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 8,709
This what a fellow PCA member here in NJ said about his test drive in the Cayman.
Interesting views because he used to drive a BoxsterS and now has a GT3. He also has a an S2000. (He even showed up in a CelicaGT once and was surprised that it sucked,LOL).

Coming from a Boxster S to a GT3, I was expecting the Cayman to feel like another Boxster. I was wrong.

I drove the car for about 1 hour, then jumped back into my car, driving the same roads to get a feeling on the differences.

It's a totally different Porsche. The Cayman is fast, redline in 2nd at 76mph, with 3rd and 4th very close. The steering feel is really good, and better than my nimble S2000.

The car I drove had 19", steel brakes and regular suspension. Very neutral car, but not as boring as the Boxster S. The car has a bit of understeer on 25mph-40mph turns.

The car is really big inside. On my Boxster with the seats all the way back, I didn't feel comfortable. On the Cayman, there is plenty of legroom and headroom.

I'm so used to my thicker steering wheel, that the Cayman steering wheel felt skinny.

When I jumped into my car right after parking the Cayman, I noticed that my steering wheel requires longer inputs. The GT3 is a much more stiffer car (very tight), raw, louder, way more powerful and feels much lighter.

The Cayman steering is very precise, but the car feels a bit heavy. The good news is that it uses a 50# battery, a heavy exhaust, heavy wheels, heavy seats, a stupid catalyc converter next to the headers, so there are close to 200# to be taken out without much effort.

I'm seriously considering this car, but it can't substitute the dynamics and emotions on the 911. Definitely a good second Porsche to my GT3, as long as it's priced on the low 40s.

The 997S didn't click any special feelings. This car did.
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