[MNBoxster]

Hi,

I was heading to a fav Chicago Hot Dog stand here in Mpls. to feed the Cholesterol Beast while Mrs. MNBoxster is away in NY doing the Barclay's Classic and saw my 1st Cayman S in the Wild.

Before recognizing it as I approached from about a 1/2 block, I thought what an ugly Car! Only as I came upon it did I realize it was a Cayman S. I'd seen a couple at area Dealers before. Set in the ambiance of the Showroom, nestled amongst the 997's and Boxsters, it didn't strike me as particularly unattractive, but on the street, it took on a whole other persona.

To me it looked like one of those caricature 911s you see on Cartoon 'T' Shirts on eBay. And who came up with those ugly appendages that double as Fog Lamps? Obviously the fear of Dachau has faded from the Minds of those in Stuttgart.

I think we've come to an age where No Style has become, or passes for, Style. We've been beset by a generation of Designers whose heads retain the vestiges of Transformers and Big Wheels.

How else do you explain what passes for Styling in the Honda Element, Insight (there's a joke) and S2000, Scion Box, Audi TT and sadly, the Cayman S? Then there's the retro crowd, make a Box, add a Kidney shaped Grill and call it a Bimmer, yea right.

There is some hope, the new MBs are truly Styled (like them or not) and the new Mustang has to earn Retro Look of the Year Award.

The Cayman S may go like Stink, but it is poorly positioned and even more poorly Styled. All good things for those hoping to pick one up used in a couple of years. All of course, one man's humble opinion...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99