<h4>CURVES AHEAD: Porsche Cayman S looks grand even when crawling</h4>


BY MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST[/quote]


May 18, 2006

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<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 4px; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, Times, serif">The 2006 Porche Cayman S is basically a hardtop version of Porsche's Boxster roadster. Yet the sporty vehicle's curving roof, long hood and oval headlights set it apart. (Photos by DAVID P. GILKEY/Detroit Free Press)
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VIDEO: 2006 Porsche Cayman S
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<td width="150" bgcolor="#cccccc">2006 PORSCHE CAYMAN S </td>
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Rear-wheel-drive midengine two-seat sports coupe




Rating: **** (out of four stars)




Reasons to buy: Looks, performance, luggage room, fuel economy.




Shortcomings: Adjustability of seats, price.




**** Best in its class




*** Above average




** Competent




* Below average





Vehicle type: Rear-wheel-drive midengine two-seat sport coupe




Base price: $58,900 (excluding destination charges)




As tested: $66,640




Standard equipment: Antilock brakes, electronic stability control, traction control, air bags in seats and doors, power windows and locks, air conditioning with carbon-filtered ventilation system, remote locks with antitheft system, leather seats and interior trim, nine-speaker AM/FM/in-dash CD stereo, cruise control, speed-activated rear spoiler, Homelink remote control for garage door opener, etc.




Options: Wheel caps with colored crest, self-dimming mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, Bose sound system, heated seats, floor mats in interior color, bi-Xenon headlamps with dynamic leveling, headlamp washers, power seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, adjustable suspension, Sport Chrono track-timing package.




SPECIFICATIONS AS TESTED




Engine: 3.4-liter DOHC 24-valve horizontally opposed water-cooled six-cylinder




Power: 295 horsepower at 6,250 r.p.m., 251 pound-feet of torque at 4,400-6,600 r.p.m.




Transmission: Six-speed manual




Fuel economy: 20 m.p.g. city/28 m.p.g. highway




Wheelbase: 95.1 inches




Length: 172.1 inches




Width: 70.9 inches




Height: 51.4 inches




Curb weight: 2,954 pounds




Where assembled: Uusikaupunki, Finland




COMPARATIVE BASE PRICES (not including destination charges)




BMW 650i: $71,800




BMW M coupe: $49,300




Chevrolet Corvette: $43,690




Mercedes-Benz CLK 500: $54,350
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The Porsche had me at 3 m.p.h.


The brand-new 2006 Cayman S two-seat sports car had impressed me blasting down the highway and clinging to high-speed curves, but the moment it took my breath away came as I was stuck in traffic.


Sitting behind the wheel, crawling along in first gear while about 100 semis and I suffered through an 8-mile detour from I-94 onto secondary roads through the quaintly named Teapot Dome and Lawrence west of Kalamazoo, I became enraptured by the sight of the Cayman's beautiful, flowing rear fenders in the sideview mirror.


The detour should have been excruciating, but dawdling through the hills gave me time to appreciate the Cayman's subtler charms, instead of obsessing on its power, acceleration and handling.


You'd expect all those things from a Porsche, and the Cayman S provides them, but it is also graced with a shape that can stand alongside classics from the past and the Ferraris of today.


Prices for the 295-horsepower Cayman S start at $58,900. I drove a very well-equipped model that stickered at $66,640.


The Cayman competes with elite sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, BMW 650i and M coupe and Mercedes-Benz CLK 500.


Porsche may add a lower-priced and less-powerful model to the Cayman line later, but the S model is the only one available for 2006.


Mechanically, the Cayman S is essentially a hardtop version of Porsche's Boxster roadster. The coupe's graceful, curving roof and the sensuous line slinking forward from those glorious rear fenders, past its midship cooling vents to the long hood and oval headlights set it apart, though.


The Cayman is immediately recognizable as a Porsche, but it's also unique, the first coupe Porsche has built that doesn't pale beside the company's iconic Porsche 911 Carrera.


The interior is equally lovely, with saddle-brown leather seats, ceiling and door trim and color-matched plastic atop the dashboard.


The interior was spacious for a small sport coupe. The gauges and controls were placed with Porsche's usual care so everything was easy to reach and read. The seats had deep side bolsters to hide you snug in fast, twisty driving, but were not restrictive. While the seats were comfortable, adjustments for height and lower-lumbar support would have been useful.


The Cayman S features Porsche's smooth and powerful 295-horsepower 3.4-liter horizontally opposed engine and a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.


The car I tested had the manual, which proved to be a joy, with short, precise throws from one gear to the next and a light and progressive clutch.


The engine provides excellent acceleration, reaching 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds with the manual and 5.8 seconds with the automatic. Top speed is 171 m.p.h.


The lightweight Cayman S -- 2,954 pounds, 225 pounds lighter than a 'Vette, 631 lighter than the CLK 500 and a stunning 860 pounds lighter than a 650i -- delivers excellent fuel economy, despite the irresistible temptation to accelerate hard and drive fast. The Cayman S has EPA fuel economy numbers of 20 m.p.g. city and 28 m.p.g. highway, and I got 23.5 m.p.g. over a week's driving that included a long, fast drive to Chicago and plenty of zippy runs around Detroit.


The electronically controlled adjustable suspension sticks to serpentine country roads like a refrigerator magnet, but also absorbs bumps with aplomb for a smooth, comfortable ride. The driver can choose either sport or comfort suspension settings. The system monitors steering, brakes and engine output and automatically switches to the sport setting to give the driver maximum control in drastic maneuvers.


The Cayman S shares its big, vented disc brakes with the heavier and more powerful 911 Carrera. Stopping power and pedal feedback are exemplary.


Many Porsche owners race their cars. The Cayman S has two options for them: $8,190 high-performance ceramic brakes and a $920 package that retunes the engine and brakes for on-track driving and includes a chronometer for lap times.


Standard safety equipment includes antilock brakes, stability control and side air bags mounted both in the seats and the doors for head and chest protection.


The adjustable-ratio steering is responsive through turns and has excellent on-center feel for highway driving.


The Cayman S features an amazing amount of luggage space for a small sports car. Combined, the front and rear luggage compartments offer 14.13 cubic feet of storage, slightly more than a Honda Accord midsize sedan.


While the price of the Cayman S will keep it out of reach for most buyers, its looks, performance and comfort promise to keep its owners happy at any speed.


Contact MARK PHELAN at 313-222-6731 or phelan@freepress.com.


































































































































































































































Edited by - mpollard on 05/18/2006 09:07:47 AM