Scirocco R - Cayman anyone? happy?
Discussion
First time poster, occasional loiterer.
My current car is a Scirocco R (DSG standard spec, so turbo, 260-ish horse, 258lb ft torque). I've got used to the relatively "lazy" way it delivers power and the feeling that the engine is barely stressed by day-to-day or mildly spirited driving. It replaced, in reverse chronological order a Mini Cooper S, BMW325 Compact, Impreza Turbo, sundry Peugeot warm/hot hatches and a Fiat Uno 60S! Age has changed my priorities - I'd say the Scirocco and BMW most closely represent my current preferences.
My question is therefore: has anyone moved from a Scirocco (or Golf R, S3 or other similar vehicle) to a Cayman or Cayman S? I'm concerned that the relative lack of torque from the Cayman 2.7 in particular will make for a more frenetic experience, which is great when you're in the mood and the road allows, but might be a little tiresome for my sole daily driver. Obviously in all other ways the Cayman will wipe the floor with the Scirocco, but if the car makes my eyeballs itch on the way to the shop then I think I'll have to look elsewhere
Test drives can only reveal so much, hence my question to the collective.
Thanks for your time.
My current car is a Scirocco R (DSG standard spec, so turbo, 260-ish horse, 258lb ft torque). I've got used to the relatively "lazy" way it delivers power and the feeling that the engine is barely stressed by day-to-day or mildly spirited driving. It replaced, in reverse chronological order a Mini Cooper S, BMW325 Compact, Impreza Turbo, sundry Peugeot warm/hot hatches and a Fiat Uno 60S! Age has changed my priorities - I'd say the Scirocco and BMW most closely represent my current preferences.
My question is therefore: has anyone moved from a Scirocco (or Golf R, S3 or other similar vehicle) to a Cayman or Cayman S? I'm concerned that the relative lack of torque from the Cayman 2.7 in particular will make for a more frenetic experience, which is great when you're in the mood and the road allows, but might be a little tiresome for my sole daily driver. Obviously in all other ways the Cayman will wipe the floor with the Scirocco, but if the car makes my eyeballs itch on the way to the shop then I think I'll have to look elsewhere
Test drives can only reveal so much, hence my question to the collective.
Thanks for your time.
I moved from a TTS with Stronic to a Cayman R with pdk, you could still drive the Cayman lazily and i did most of the time, the problem i found was any decent roads you just had to gun it as the whole experience was great event. Obviously the Cayman will get interesting in the wet if you push it though!
The TTS was a great car and even better with a Revo map, but the Cayman felt a like a giant leap.
The TTS was a great car and even better with a Revo map, but the Cayman felt a like a giant leap.
I went from an Audi S3 (8P) to Cayman S.
The Cayman engine is just as tractable and happy to cruise around at low revs.
It also has real drive at the top end when the Variocam kicks in and it really flies towards the rev-limiter.
Certainly feels quicker to me, being a bit lighter probably helps too.
I'm not sure what the 2.7 would be like, I drove a new Boxster for a couple of days recently and while it was quick at the top end it did feel a bit lacking at the bottom end.
The Cayman engine is just as tractable and happy to cruise around at low revs.
It also has real drive at the top end when the Variocam kicks in and it really flies towards the rev-limiter.
Certainly feels quicker to me, being a bit lighter probably helps too.
I'm not sure what the 2.7 would be like, I drove a new Boxster for a couple of days recently and while it was quick at the top end it did feel a bit lacking at the bottom end.
jontymo said:
I moved from a TTS with Stronic to a Cayman R with pdk, you could still drive the Cayman lazily and i did most of the time, the problem i found was any decent roads you just had to gun it as the whole experience was great event. Obviously the Cayman will get interesting in the wet if you push it though!
The TTS was a great car and even better with a Revo map, but the Cayman felt a like a giant leap.
That's good to hear - thanks. WRT to "interesting in the wet" - that, in a nutshell, was why I preferred the 325 to the Subaru. The Impreza didn't "handle", so much as just grip and keep on gripping. The 325 let you know what was going on and let you have a role in the situation. Of course, when you went from "wet" to icy or snowy, the BMW was hopeless.The TTS was a great car and even better with a Revo map, but the Cayman felt a like a giant leap.
cay said:
I'm not sure what the 2.7 would be like, I drove a new Boxster for a couple of days recently and while it was quick at the top end it did feel a bit lacking at the bottom end.
That's what I was worrying about. Here in densely-packed Kent, bottom end is all Or 97.3% at any rate.RobRain said:
cay said:
I went from an Audi S3 (8P) to Cayman S.
The Cayman engine is just as tractable and happy to cruise around at low revs.
Excellent. Ta.The Cayman engine is just as tractable and happy to cruise around at low revs.
heebeegeetee said:
I think not only will the Cayman be perfectly acceptable at the bottom end but will also have a fantastic, wailing soundtrack at the top end.
No doubt!Let's narrow my original question a little, by only considering the base 2.7 Cayman's low-end tractability vs the Scirocco and disregarding all consideration of top ends, wailing or otherwise
. I've just spent a happy few minutes watching Youtube footage of PSE-equipped Cayman S-es and I'm still giggling a little, in a most unseemly manner for a man of my age. I've just gone from a similar, but not quite the same change - BMW 130i to 987.1 Boxster S. From my point of view, it definitely had to be the S, I think a 2.7 would be a backward step in terms of engine power and driveability - even the S does not feel that much quicker in a straight line.
However, absolutely everything else about the Boxster is significantly better than any hot hatch I've driven - it feels like a proper car. Everything is so much more engaging; steering, gearbox, throttle, feedback. The whole handling experience blows any german hatch out of the water. Plus it feels much more of an occasion every drive.
However, absolutely everything else about the Boxster is significantly better than any hot hatch I've driven - it feels like a proper car. Everything is so much more engaging; steering, gearbox, throttle, feedback. The whole handling experience blows any german hatch out of the water. Plus it feels much more of an occasion every drive.
navier_stokes said:
I've just gone from a similar, but not quite the same change - BMW 130i to 987.1 Boxster S. From my point of view, it definitely had to be the S, I think a 2.7 would be a backward step in terms of engine power and driveability - even the S does not feel that much quicker in a straight line.
Thanks for that. From your comments, plus reviews from such esteemed organs such as Evo, it's looking like I'll need to get the S to keep the relaxed feel of my VW at the low-end. Test drives to book on Monday.Had a 'rocco 2.0TFSi before my 987 S (Gen 1) and a Boxster S before the Roc. I moved back to the Porsches be a use they're just so much more exciting. You will definitely be making the obvious compromises in terms of long distance cruise comfort and space, but the Cayman is still perfectly capable. For me though it's mostly a high days and holidays car for fun, and it makes the Roc feel so anodyne in comparison. I have not regretted it for a minute. Have to say though, I'd still like a 'roc as a 2nd car for the missus - great bits of kit.
I can make to the comparison against a 2.9 Cayman. The Porsche does not have a huge amount of torque low down, when compared to the more powerful 2.0T engines, however once you get the rev's up, the Cayman is quite strong and willing.
The Cayman is more of an occasion, you would not regret it as a package. One word of warning is getting your head around the braking performance. VW/Audi cars are so over servo'd compared to Porsche.
The Cayman is more of an occasion, you would not regret it as a package. One word of warning is getting your head around the braking performance. VW/Audi cars are so over servo'd compared to Porsche.
I came from an Audi S3 8L and previous to that had a 2010 S3 8P. Both S3s had been remapped with Revo Stage1 software and so the 8P was a fairly brisk car.
The torque was something I was concerned about losing in a NA car, but after test driving the Cayman S I reliased my concerns weren't a worry, and having lived with it now for a while I can honestly say it has plenty of torque and I don't feel it's losing out by any noticeble amount over the Audi. It may have less on paper but it also has less weight.
Also worth pointing out is that because the Cayman is NA the power and torque delivery feels instant compared to the S3s wih their lag.
Aside form that, the 2 cars are very different, the steering feel is amazing on the Cayman compared to the Audis, the brakes are not over servoed and whilst take some getting used to you soon realise are so much nicer in feel. The Audis did feel like they would stand up to abuse more than the Cayman and are very much a "go anywhere" kind of car" although perhaps some of that is physcological.
I love the Cayman...and I never said that about any of the Audis, thats it in a nutshell for me.
The torque was something I was concerned about losing in a NA car, but after test driving the Cayman S I reliased my concerns weren't a worry, and having lived with it now for a while I can honestly say it has plenty of torque and I don't feel it's losing out by any noticeble amount over the Audi. It may have less on paper but it also has less weight.
Also worth pointing out is that because the Cayman is NA the power and torque delivery feels instant compared to the S3s wih their lag.
Aside form that, the 2 cars are very different, the steering feel is amazing on the Cayman compared to the Audis, the brakes are not over servoed and whilst take some getting used to you soon realise are so much nicer in feel. The Audis did feel like they would stand up to abuse more than the Cayman and are very much a "go anywhere" kind of car" although perhaps some of that is physcological.
I love the Cayman...and I never said that about any of the Audis, thats it in a nutshell for me.
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