Suppose for a moment that Porsche made a new Cayman, let's call it Cayman X. Cayman X starts at 70K in base model and goes up to 130K+ in twin turbo form. In essence it is a price match model for model with the 911. You walk into a dealer and sitting there are a Cayman X for 70K and a base 997 for 70K, both have 3.6L motors, both have 5 gauge cluster pods, etc. etc. in essence the only difference between the two cars is one is mid-engined and one is rear-engined. Which would you buy and why?

Second question, which do you think would be more profitable for Porsche to sell?

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K-Man S
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I would buy the cayman x.

I'd buy the Cayman X, hands down. The 911 has gotten too big and has too much of a snout in its old age. The Cayman also handles better. The Cayman looks better from more angles. The 911 is more practical for trips and DD use, but neither one is exactly an MB E-class.

I suspect profitability would be about equal. It seems like the majority of parts outside of the frame and body panels are very similar or actually identical between the cars. I would guess the 911 gross margins are higher right now because Porsche simply charges more for it.

Cayman X.

It looks better and mid-engine design. If you crank up performance with more models, i.e. Cayman 4S Turbo, you are giving me a path to upgrade the already (granted, arguably) best and best looking car in the line.

I think it would be more profitable simply because it would be a shot of new life in the whole system.

There is no doubt I would take the Cayman. IMHO the mid-engine placement is superior to rear mount (all you gotta do is look at every dedicated race car Porsche has built, every one is mid-engined; or look at the F1 cars for that matter) and, I feel the Cayman is better looking. I would go for the TT Cayman in a heart beat. If done right, I think you would see a pattern of people moving from the 911 over to the Cayman, perhaps slowly at first. You no longer need four seats in a Porsche sports car. Porsche is building the Panamera for Porsche folk who need a sporty GT.

The 911 is still number one because of Porsche tradition, but how long will that last, now that Porsche has a hot two seater sports car. I am one of those old guys (53) who have wanted a 911 since childhood, but I was convinced to "jump ship" once the Cayman was introduced. I wonder how many other folks like me are out there, who would take a Cayman over a 911, particularly if it had the same amount of performance to offer?

It's the Cayman X hands down. Remember the adage "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday." Porsche's successes on the track have kept Porsche's special position in the marketplace -otherwise they'd just be another (very expensive) sports car. Look at what has recently challenged the 911's dominance in GT and Cup races: the mid-engined Ferrari.

I love the heritage of the 911; nonetheless, for racing, handling and performace, "physics" trumps "heritage" - mid-engine is the better package. To preserve Prosche's worldwide position Vince Lombardi said it best, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."

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The Croc's Nest:
2008 Targa 4S
2006 Cayman S
2006 Cayenne S

P.S. K-Man S, you make me suspect you know something we don't .

When you pay your workers in reindeer meat and vodka, The Cayman X is cheaper to build and a lot more profitable.


Your plan makes sense with the Panmera coming. Why not offer a range of mid engined two seaters and a range of 4 seat rear engine cars along with your front engine sedan? Make it as complicated as possible. Charge a bit more for the back seat. You can't charge the same for the two cars. The 911 is burdened by the German worker tax. The Cayman is built by elves.

They nedd to move 911 production to some place wher they can find relatively cheap labor, like Palo Alto, CA.

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2007 Speed Yellow Cayman GT 2.7 (retired)
2008 Guards Red Cayman GT 3.4
"Carpe Cayman"

I don't mean to spoil the fun, but I think it's pretty clear that almost everyone here would take the Cayman X. Heck, we opted for the Cayman even without it being equal (3.4L, no oil pressure gauge, etc...).


My Cayman stickered at $74K. I could have gotten a 997 with $6K in options for the same price. I still chose the Cayman S. Why?

• I liked the idea of being a pioneer and buying the new cutting edge model instead of the 40 year old patriarch.
• I also liked the idea of having something that much less common. A car that will stimulate inquisitive looks and interesting conversations.
• I felt the mid engine platform would be a better, safer platform for me (a novice driver) to learn to track and drive hard
• I felt the front and rear storage areas made the Cayman more usable as a commuter/daily driver
• I liked the look of the Cayman better, particularly it's rear hips. It also helps that my wife thinks the 911s look old and tired and the Cayman looks new, sleek and aggressive.
• I liked the fact that the Cayman was smaller overall than the 911. I personally feel the 911s have gotten bigger than I like my sports car to be. I even feel the Cayman is a bit large for a sports car.
• I did not buy impulsively. After reading article after article of auto journalists falling in love with the neutral handling and incredible abilities of the Cayman, I was pushed over the edge.

I would guess that the 987 models are more profitable than the 997 models due to their assembly by Valmet.

I think the two cars have unique and different customers. Many folks buy the 911 as a product on the ladder. I bet a vast majority of 911s sold never see the track. Doctors and lawyers buy them as trophies. That is a turn off to me. I have great respect for the car and would love to own one some day just to experience the whole rear engine thing. But for now, I'd like to spend the next 5 to 10 years mastering what I've got.

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Cayman X for me. Reasons: better inherent handling characteristics and better looking.

The Cayman is truly a driving enthusiasts car. I believe there is probably a fair number of 911 owners who are not necessarily driving enthusiasts, they just want a 911 for other reasons (just want a Porsche, the 911 mystique, etc.), and those folks might not want a Cayman X (no back seat to put the bag of groceries, etc.) Would those people buy a Panamera?

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2007 Cayman S, Arctic Silver
Carlsbad, CA

Have driven 4 Porsches in my life, all within the past 2 years: 1975 914, 2006 911 S, 2007 911 Turbo (AWD), 2008 Cayman S. The Cayman S has the most stable handling, without question, and "feels" the best in terms of balance, acceleration, etc. It also sounds the best . Finally, has the most luggage space, an important consideration for a DD car which will also be used for traveling. (Don't have rugrats, so don't need more than 2 seats.)

That being said, we've got a deposit down to hold a build-to-order slot for the first hybrid Panamera.

Definitely the cayman X.Let me say however that I dearly love the GT3 as the ultimate track car. IMHO the 997 TT convertible may be the ultimate road car in existance.I can see the 911 being pushed out into a limited production top end model with the 997 and 997s replaced by Cayman variants.IMO- As it stands now the 911 is holding its own in sales numbers largely due to the HP differences. Give a Cayman increased/ near equal HP numbers and Porsche will really open up a slippery slope/can of worms when prospective drivers try them out. It will be interesting to see if that ever happens. One ride in a Cayman S and my plans to buy a 911 went out the window.