Tuesday 15th June 2010

Porsche Plans Hardcore Cayman

Leaked details of sales meeting reveal Porsche's product plans

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Details leaked onto the web from a Porsche sales meeting have revealed the future of Porsche's products for the next couple of years - including plans for a hardcore Boxster Spyder-style Cayman.

The hotter Cayman is expected to get around 330hp and a series of weight-saving measures similar to the Boxster Spyder we drove a few months back - it could finally be the spiritual successor to the much-missed 968 Clubsport from the early 90s.

It should hit showrooms in spring 2011, priced at around $65k (£45,000). Word is that the dates and prices involved refer to the US market, however, so take these figures with a pinch of salt.

Another tasty morsel heading the Porsche fan's way is a limited-run 911 Speedster two-seat convertible with a turbo-style wide body, rear-wheel drive and 408hp. The Speedster is expected to cost around £140k, and is due towards the end of 2010.

The hotly anticipated 620hp Porsche 911 GT2 RS - the most powerful Porsche road car ever - is also due in late 2010 or early 2011, around the same time as a 911 Carrera GTS. Unlike the GT2 RS, the GTS will be a mainstream production model. It will get the same 408hp engine as the speedster, as well as the wider body and a Sport Classic-style nose.

The icing on the cake is the 918 Spyder, which, although not actually finalised for production, will be at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California this August for an invitation-only viewing.

According to the poster on the Rennlist forum, when (and if) the 918 Spyder gets approved, prospective buyers will be asked for a $50k non-refundable deposit to secure a build slot.

[Mermaid]

The hardcore Cayman S will probably be a good track toy. Nice racy colours too.

Edited by Mermaid on Tuesday 15th June 11:50

[edo]

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

[hornetrider]

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

Hence 330bhp maximum figured touted in the article.

[Andrew[MG]]

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

I'm surprised there aren't more tuners doing £10k(ish) upgrades with huge power outputs.

[RobM77]

hornetrider said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

Hence 330bhp maximum figured touted in the article.

Yes, it probably will.

However, power isn't everything in a driver's car, plus 330bhp from a 1300kg car (or less?!) is enough for the public road imho (for track days I'll take a Caterham or 2-11 thanks). If they sort out the throttle response, fit a normal steering rack and then jack up the feel and connection with the road it'll be one hell of a car! If they do all of those things, I'll probably buy one.

[OnTheOverrun]

RobM77 said:

hornetrider said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

Hence 330bhp maximum figured touted in the article.

Yes, it probably will.

However, power isn't everything in a driver's car, plus 330bhp from a 1300kg car (or less?!) is enough for the public road imho (for track days I'll take a Caterham or 2-11 thanks). If they sort out the throttle response, fit a normal steering rack and then jack up the feel and connection with the road it'll be one hell of a car! If they do all of those things, I'll probably buy one.

I think I'll just wait until they fit a supercharger to an Evora.

[Dunk1982]

Sorry, I'm sure the 918 will be more than awesome but first glance of that pic made me think of this...

[Podie]

Andrew[MG] said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

I'm surprised there aren't more tuners doing £10k(ish) upgrades with huge power outputs.

Don't Parr (?) do a turbo conversion?

[Carl_Docklands]

hornetrider said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

Hence 330bhp maximum figured touted in the article.

Around 5 seconds is the difference in time between a Gen2 Cayman S and a Gen 2 997C2S at the `ring. If they can remove enough weight in the right places, it could go quicker. Knowing Porsche it will remain precisely 1 second slower

[Mikeyboy]

Does anyone have a link to the original article/Leak?

[RobM77]

OnTheOverrun said:

RobM77 said:

hornetrider said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

Hence 330bhp maximum figured touted in the article.

Yes, it probably will.

However, power isn't everything in a driver's car, plus 330bhp from a 1300kg car (or less?!) is enough for the public road imho (for track days I'll take a Caterham or 2-11 thanks). If they sort out the throttle response, fit a normal steering rack and then jack up the feel and connection with the road it'll be one hell of a car! If they do all of those things, I'll probably buy one.

I think I'll just wait until they fit a supercharger to an Evora.

What's frustrating about the Cayman though is that it should be better than the Evora because the engine is lower in the chassis and further towards the centre; plus the Cayman weighs the same as the Evora, despite having more sound deadening and kit etc, thus a stripped out version will be lighter still. The reason that the Evora drives better is purely down to the tuning, throttle response etc, which annoyingly is something Porsche could sort out straight away if they wanted to. Not that I'd rather own the Cayman, it'd just be nice to have more of a choice for a £50k coupe

[evile]

Andrew[MG] said:

edo said:

Sadly any hardcore Cayman will be hobbled in its ability so as not to step on the toes of its big brother, which is a shame.

I'm surprised there aren't more tuners doing £10k(ish) upgrades with huge power outputs.

TPC Racing in the US has developed a single turbo system for the Cayman and Boxster. The following is a link to their system's web-page:

http://www.tpcracing.net/products/TPCRacing-987-Ca...

Also, Parr racing in the UK is installing TPC's system. EVO Magazine published an article regarding a Cayman with the system:

http://www.tpcracing.com/articles/the-uks-first-ca...

Currently, TPC is developing a package for the new Porsche Spyder. I've seen their car, and they are expecting 470 hp at the wheels when the project is done:

http://kilometermagazine.com/artman2/publish/after...

TPC build over modifies over 100 Caymans and Boxsters per year, and they have put many miles on their development cars.

[Podie]

Do Ruf do anything?

[rapidophile]

But then you have to kiss good bye your warranty and hope it doesn't pop, shame they can't just give you a hardcore cayman that you can take back if it breaks...

I don't think they cannibalize their 911 sales that much, track day enthusiasts will take a mid engined car over a 911 but the vast majority of Porker owners buy them for status as well as sporting pedigree.

What is the first thing most people say if you buy a boxster or cayman? Bore on/you couldn't afford a 911 bore off/. You could give the cayman or the boxster 400bhp, but it'll never be a 911. And any self respecting banker will always get status over substance IMO. ;-)

But then again, I'm not a car marketing expert with experience of running an international sports car business, so what do I know!?

[briSk]

Podie said:

Do Ruf do anything?

they do conversions of the (bigger, none-'GT3') '911' engines don't they?

[Podie]

briSk said:

Podie said:

Do Ruf do anything?

they do conversions of the (bigger, none-'GT3') '911' engines don't they?

Boxster version was the 3400 or 3600 I think.

Cayman with a GT3 engine...

[Carl_Docklands]

briSk said:

Podie said:

Do Ruf do anything?

they do conversions of the (bigger, none-'GT3') '911' engines don't they?

RUF do an upgrade for the 987 3.4 which take it to 430BHP.

[Burnham]

Ohhhh...997 Speedster! Pics please?! The GTS sounds a bit tasty too.

[pSyCoSiS]

Some nice metal coming out of Stuttgart in the near future. Looking forward to it.

[Riggers]

Burnham said:

Ohhhh...997 Speedster! Pics please?! The GTS sounds a bit tasty too.

As soon as we get pics, we will of course share them ... but as far as we're aware there's nothing official yet on the Speedster, GTS or hot Cayman. Still, watch this space... (well not this space, but the PH homepage... )