Porsche
aficionados must heed to the birth of this wild reptilian
racer inspired sports car... and where would be a better
place to let it out of the cage than at the magnificent
Barber Motorsports Park? This is what happened on a glorious
late November day in Birmingham, Alabama:
the American debut of Porsche’s new car. By definition,
caimans, genus Crocodylia Alligatoridae, are
smaller and more agile than crocodiles.
This
particular animal only had a two-year gestation period—which
is not too shy of a record for such a machine. While
the car borrows—a lot—from its sister, the Boxster,
and from its half brother, the Carrera,
both in style and mechanical components, and was also
inspired by the short-lived, mid-engine 550s and 904s,
you’ll nevertheless find yourself at the wheel
of a brand new automobile.
The vehicle is intended to satisfy a group resembling
the following profile: 80% male, 45 years of age, 65%
married with 2.5 people to the household—sort
of like a social climber living in an urban environment.
However, we suggest you continue reading no matter what
profile you associate with.
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First
the looks: you have to reckon with them for a while.
They are unmistakably Porsche, fresh and somewhat retro
at the same time. Take a look at the bubbly roof line
for example, which by the way makes it impossible to
install a sunroof. It might not be the top model of
the year, but it is awfully cute, with a lot of character
and dynamic idiosyncrasies. There is only room for two,
but between the front and rear cargo areas you can pack
up to 14.3 cubic feet of (soft) luggage. The cabin is
spacey with good headroom, and the sports seats are
desirable if you plan on having regular fun with it.
A
new engine has been thought of which incorporates the
VarioCam® technology only found on the Carrera.
We would have loved to show you an image of the power
plant, but in fact the engine is hidden in the middle
of the car. Only a 20-minute process would begin to
reveal the beautiful sound-generating machine, as you
have to remove the trunk lining, unscrew aluminum panels
etc. A completely new exhaust system was created to
enhance performance, fuel mileage and a very distinctive
sound. The car has been made very stiff and boasts a
55% rear, 45% front weight distribution, with an excellent
power-to-weight ratio of 10.
A
base model is $58,900, but it will be difficult to leave
the showroom spending less than $70,000 as you will
want a few of the options such as the PASM, the Sport
Chrono Package Plus, 5-speed Tiptronic® S transmission
and maybe heated seats. We loved the close-ratio 6-speed
manual both for country roads and on the track. If you
are curious about the rear wing, it lifts at 75 mph
for added stability with reduced drag.
Despite
being an agile sports car with great behavior in most
driving situations, the engineers at Porsche want it
to be an everyday automobile. So if you can’t
get to the Nürburgring for a few laps, start out
at your local dealer or look into booking a session
at the Porsche Driving Experience driving school at
the Barber Motorsports Park. 
 Read a review of the base model Porsche
Cayman
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