Cayman GTS or Cayman R (and £20k in your pocket)?
Discussion
Been a strong admirer of the Cayman since it first came out and looked at selling my 964 to get a Gen 1 car but frankly didn't like it enough(financially good move sticking with the 964 too with hindsight!). Recently drove a GTS (though a pdk which is not my preference) and loved it. All the popping, farting and gurgling along with perfectly weighted controls and a decent turn of speed all added up to a very nice drive. On the short drive I had the steering, which has come in for much criticism in some quarters, felt good. My trip to Porsche Experience in a couple of weeks should give me a better handle on that aspect.
Now I have not driven a Cayman R but happened to be at my local Porsche Centre when a chap was collecting his. As it happens, there was another guy having his CR serviced. So we all had a good nose over the new purchase and a chat about the Cayman R and I have to say I became interested by their enthusiasm and the look of the car. What I need to do is get behind the wheel of one to see the appeal for myself. However, it did put me in mind of the concept that Porsche currently build a car that is deemed to be the best 'standard' sports car for the money in the GTS (forget the GT4 for now, since only a very privileged few are likely to have access to that choice). However, so many Cayman fans point to the CR as being as good or better.
So, just for a bit of fun, assuming you want a decent road car and want to do a hand-full of track days a year would you choose the Cayman GTS or a Cayman R and £20k to spend?
Now I have not driven a Cayman R but happened to be at my local Porsche Centre when a chap was collecting his. As it happens, there was another guy having his CR serviced. So we all had a good nose over the new purchase and a chat about the Cayman R and I have to say I became interested by their enthusiasm and the look of the car. What I need to do is get behind the wheel of one to see the appeal for myself. However, it did put me in mind of the concept that Porsche currently build a car that is deemed to be the best 'standard' sports car for the money in the GTS (forget the GT4 for now, since only a very privileged few are likely to have access to that choice). However, so many Cayman fans point to the CR as being as good or better.
So, just for a bit of fun, assuming you want a decent road car and want to do a hand-full of track days a year would you choose the Cayman GTS or a Cayman R and £20k to spend?
Cayman R, it's a better drive and feels more sports car.
GTS if you want newer bling and less feel, ie more Audi :-) but a better all round newer car.
you can easy get the 3.4's to 370BHp, A tweeked Cayman R is a proper toy.
It's been the best car from 55 cars I have owned, a great thing and people keeping asking why my R has not been up for sale yet as my GT4 arrives in 3 weeks
the real answer is I am having trouble letting go of it.
GTS if you want newer bling and less feel, ie more Audi :-) but a better all round newer car.
you can easy get the 3.4's to 370BHp, A tweeked Cayman R is a proper toy.
It's been the best car from 55 cars I have owned, a great thing and people keeping asking why my R has not been up for sale yet as my GT4 arrives in 3 weeks
the real answer is I am having trouble letting go of it.
PorscheGT4 said:
Cayman R, it's a better drive and feels more sports car.
GTS if you want newer bling and less feel, ie more Audi :-) but a better all round newer car.
you can easy get the 3.4's to 370BHp, A tweeked Cayman R is a proper toy.
It's been the best car from 55 cars I have owned, a great thing and people keeping asking why my R has not been up for sale yet as my GT4 arrives in 3 weeks
the real answer is I am having trouble letting go of it.
Is this a build up to you flipping the GT4 and keeping the Cayman R? GTS if you want newer bling and less feel, ie more Audi :-) but a better all round newer car.
you can easy get the 3.4's to 370BHp, A tweeked Cayman R is a proper toy.
It's been the best car from 55 cars I have owned, a great thing and people keeping asking why my R has not been up for sale yet as my GT4 arrives in 3 weeks
the real answer is I am having trouble letting go of it.
Masher964 said:
Cayman R and GT4... now there is a garage! Is spec on the Cayman R particularly important to make it a great car? Sport chrono, PSE, buckets, spyders, climate, bose, xenons...
I have a Spyder which is my love but it's a sun use car only ;-)All R's are great cars, free carbon buckets, that suspension they got just right etc etc.
But buyers are very fussy, as you may have seen PDK is a SLOW seller and many cars for sale atm are PDK.
Manual is key for this car imo, nice things or must haves imo are Spyder wheels, Carbon buckets and Climate as it's a coupe.
most buyers want PSE, and you really need a SS on the car but that can be added, I am also a Leather dash and door card fan, so all my cars have the leather option.
PCCB are nice to have as the cars slightly under braked and the 6 pots which you get with PCCB are nothing but amazing.
my R is all oem bar a Geo, RS29 pads and PSS but my Spyder has a lot of tweaks and PCCB's.
Edited by PorscheGT4 on Wednesday 23 September 09:53
I fell in love with the GTS. Ordered one. Had one for a whole day and did the PEC day. Loved the new bling factor but it felt a bit boring though. Great for a daily driver but this was going to be once every couple of weeks blast car for me.......I then drove the CR and was sold. It helped that it was not far off half the cost of my GTS invoice, so order cancelled, bought a CR and not regretted it at all! 
Looks like the CR fans are getting in early!
PorscheGT4 - I'm with you on the leather dash thing. It makes a car feel so much more special - one of the things I liked about the GTS in fact. With only something like 120 RHD manual CR's around it may be difficult to get too specific about such options though if going down the CR route.
PorscheGT4 - I'm with you on the leather dash thing. It makes a car feel so much more special - one of the things I liked about the GTS in fact. With only something like 120 RHD manual CR's around it may be difficult to get too specific about such options though if going down the CR route.
Masher964 said:
With only something like 120 RHD manual CR's around it may be difficult to get too specific about such options though if going down the CR route.
Indeed, once I decided on the CR it took a looooong time to find a car in the right colour and spec.....I wasn't fussed about PDK or Manual, the rest of the spec was more important to me....Masher964 said:
So, just for a bit of fun, assuming you want a decent road car and want to do a hand-full of track days a year would you choose the Cayman GTS or a Cayman R and £20k to spend?
If there's one car I would change my 964 for, it would be the Cayman R. I see the Cayman R being the up to date version of the 964RS being the focused version of it's road going brother. I've been very impressed with the Cayman Rs that I've sat in the passenger seat of on trackdays. I bought a Cayman R last year and have since had a few hours track time with a new GTS as well as having driven one on the road. If I wanted a car to use everyday then the GTS wins as it feels much more civilised and refined. But, quite honestly I enjoyed the drive back from the track in the R more than I enjoyed the track time with the GTS. The R just feels more exciting to me and offers much better feedback. The GTS is probably quicker, but for fun the R walks it IMO. If I had a GTS I'd love it. If I bought a GTS then got a go of an R, the GTS would never be quite the same again. But I don't really consider them very comparable to be honest.
I have the answer to my question. I booked a Porsche experience at Silverstone in the Cayman GTS. In the meanwhile a PHer approached me with a Cayman R for sale. He understood my need to try both cars and the nature of the decision I had to make and showing both faith in his car and empathy to my position, he offered to bring the CR to Silverstone. I therefore got to drive the GTS and CR back to back which is clearly the best way to make the decision.
I now own a lovely CR. Why?
Differences were subtle but:
- On balance I preferred the CR looks. They are more distinctive and differentiated from other models despite sharing so much with the Boxter.
- There is something more direct and involving in the CR steering
- the CR felt quite different from the BMW I drive every day whereas the GTS felt like a sporting extension of the BMW. This will be a weekend car and so I want something distinctly different from my daily driver. If the Cayman WAS my daily driver, the decision may well be different.
- The gear change in the CR felt smoother and more direct. Maybe that is the short shift fitted.
The GTS is an amazing car but for a 'weekend warrior' the CR wins.
I now own a lovely CR. Why?
Differences were subtle but:
- On balance I preferred the CR looks. They are more distinctive and differentiated from other models despite sharing so much with the Boxter.
- There is something more direct and involving in the CR steering
- the CR felt quite different from the BMW I drive every day whereas the GTS felt like a sporting extension of the BMW. This will be a weekend car and so I want something distinctly different from my daily driver. If the Cayman WAS my daily driver, the decision may well be different.
- The gear change in the CR felt smoother and more direct. Maybe that is the short shift fitted.
The GTS is an amazing car but for a 'weekend warrior' the CR wins.
Masher964 said:
I have the answer to my question. I booked a Porsche experience at Silverstone in the Cayman GTS. In the meanwhile a PHer approached me with a Cayman R for sale. He understood my need to try both cars and the nature of the decision I had to make and showing both faith in his car and empathy to my position, he offered to bring the CR to Silverstone. I therefore got to drive the GTS and CR back to back which is clearly the best way to make the decision.
I now own a lovely CR. Why?
Differences were subtle but:
- On balance I preferred the CR looks. They are more distinctive and differentiated from other models despite sharing so much with the Boxter.
- There is something more direct and involving in the CR steering
- the CR felt quite different from the BMW I drive every day whereas the GTS felt like a sporting extension of the BMW. This will be a weekend car and so I want something distinctly different from my daily driver. If the Cayman WAS my daily driver, the decision may well be different.
- The gear change in the CR felt smoother and more direct. Maybe that is the short shift fitted.
The GTS is an amazing car but for a 'weekend warrior' the CR wins.
Another convert!I now own a lovely CR. Why?
Differences were subtle but:
- On balance I preferred the CR looks. They are more distinctive and differentiated from other models despite sharing so much with the Boxter.
- There is something more direct and involving in the CR steering
- the CR felt quite different from the BMW I drive every day whereas the GTS felt like a sporting extension of the BMW. This will be a weekend car and so I want something distinctly different from my daily driver. If the Cayman WAS my daily driver, the decision may well be different.
- The gear change in the CR felt smoother and more direct. Maybe that is the short shift fitted.
The GTS is an amazing car but for a 'weekend warrior' the CR wins.
Pics of your car please!!
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff