Question for you fellow helmets;


Handling-wise, how do guys think the chassis handling characteristics would compare between the Cayman S vs. a Boxster S that's been fitted with a full roll cage?


I want to make a track car / occasional street driver. Cayman is first choice but a bit expensive for me to beat up on the track. (I'm already smarting from seeing the battle damage my 997 has taken from just two auto-x).


So I was thinking about taking a boxster, putting a full cage in it, PSS9's, etc. and use that for cutting my teeth at the track. Besides the power difference, do you think handling would be about the same, or will the Boxster still suffer due to lack of roof and other issues?


I'm either going to wind up with a Cayman S (no $$ left over for mods) to use at the track (and turn a blind eye to 'battle damage'), or a used Boxster / S track prepped with maybe not the complete works, but definitely some goodies. If it takes some damage, no biggie. Interested to hear what you guys think would be the better way to go. I plan on using it for DE's track days, Auto-x. Whether I get into all out wheel to wheel stuff, I don't see that in the cards, but who knows.


Thanks for your input!

With a cage and a hardtop, the Boxster is very similar to the Cayman.


However, you can't safely drive a car with a cage on the street unless you wear you helmet and harnesses... you're head would not like making contact with all those fine bars in the cabin; even if you pad them.

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97 Turbo | 06 Boxster S | 06 Cayman S (sold)

The 987 chassis design is well balanced and very good on the track. The Cayman's rigidity though is superior in its coupe design. The addition of the solid top adds further strength to the car structurally and in doing so less chassis flex. The Cayman S also has a 3.4 with more HP than the Boxster S does at the moment with the 3.2. The Boxster S will be coming with the 3.4 as standard equipment shortly , however you would have to get the 3.2 for now. Should you buy a CaymanS I would suggest that you purchase a base line model so that you can have some room for future modifications if desired.

That is another consideration; a base Cayman, do full suspension and brakes. Then down the road do the X-51 swap!





[quote/ 'However, you can't safely drive a car with a cage on the street unless you wear you helmet and harnesses... you're head would not like making contact with all those fine bars in the cabin; even if you pad them.' /quote]


Really? That's a bummer, I was hoping good padding would be adaquate; my wife and I are also shorter then average in height

If you are short, you might be able to get away without the helmet, but you'd still need to wear harnesses because stock belts allow you to flop around the cabin too much in the even of accident.


For a street driven car, a rollbar is a better choice. But, in a Boxster, it will not provide sufficient chassis stiffness to be comparable to a Cayman. However, with the hardtop on the Boxster, it is a very good chassis; I could tell that the car flexed much less with it on. If you want to eventually race, you'll need to consider if the Boxster is competitive in any classes that it would fit in.


If you can afford it, the Cayman is a better choice

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97 Turbo | 06 Boxster S | 06 Cayman S (sold)

get cayman S.


if you upgrade brakes on box and hardtop then cage and suspension, you are getting close to cayman s price. why not get a low or zero option cayman S. drive it stock for a year, save money and then mod it.

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Thanks for the valuable input guys; As I said Cayman is my first choice. I just want to explore other options b4 I start breaking more piggy banks