By: IOL Motoring Staff
Stuttgart - Hard on the heels of the recently-released Porsche 718 Boxster comes its hard-top sibling, the 718 Cayman in a promo video shot in downtown Johannesburg.
As with their bigger cousins, the 911 and 911 Cabriolet, the tintop is less expensive than the ragtop, which makes it the de facto entry-level Porsche. I'm sorry, but I am not going to use the word 'cheap' in the same context as a car with a price tag that starts at R854 000.
Mechanically the new four-cylinder turbo Cayman and Cayman S are identical to their Boxster counterparts, with a 221kW two-litre boxermotor in the base Cayman, backed by 380Nm, available from 1950-4500rpm.
Given a double-clutch transmission and Sport Chrono performance package, the Cayman will sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and top out at 275km/h.
The Cayman S has 257kW and 420Nm on tap from its 2.5-litre force-fed flat four, good enough for 0-100b in 4.2 seconds and 285km/h flat out.
Also read: 4-cyl Porsches: downsized, not downgraded
As with the Boxster, the chassis has been retuned with stiffer springs and anti-roll bars and revised damper settings, to improve lateral rigidity and wheel tracking, enabling the maker to fit wider rear wheels and take full advantage of the extra grip they afford.
Steering is 10 percent more direct than on the previous Cayman and the brakes have been upgraded by fitting the system from the previous Cayman S to the new base model and the four-piston callipers from the 911 Carrera to the Cayman S.
Inside, there's a new upper dash panel with integrated air vents, a 918 Spyder steering and a 150-watt audio system; satnav with voice control is an option.
PRICES
(including three-year maintenance plan)
718 Cayman - R854 000
718 Cayman S - R934 000
The new Cayman models are available to order now for delivery from 24 September.