OK, that headline’s a bit, uh, controversial. But the new Cayman/Boxster revealed at the LA Auto Show is the beginning of the end of the 911. And why not? The “entry level” Boxster is, fundamentally, a better car than the 911. Well duh: mid-engined vs. ass engined. Porsche realized this, uh, discrepancy from the beginning, and hamstrung the Boxster’s powerplant– until the introduction of the “Why the Hell is this More Expensive than the Convertible?” Cayman. By slotting in a 3.4-liter six amidships. the Sultans of Stuttgart finally pumped-up the volume on both the Boxster AND the Cayman. And now, amazingly, they’ve done the right thing. TTAC commentator and new contributor 993C4S reports that “Porsche’s 911 Carrera can hit zero to sixty in under 5 seconds. Well guess what, so can it’s baby brother, the new Cayman S (so long as it’s equipped with PDK and optional Sports Chrono Package). Here’s the skinny…
The new Boxster and Cayman gained slightly modified sheetmetal and power over their predecessors, to the tune of 10 and 20 horsepower respectively. Porsche’s “basic” Boxster now develops 255hp. It’s more expensive sibling, the Cayman, puts out 265hp. S-wise, the Boxster S ascends to 310hp, while the Cayman S gets 320hp (up by 15 and 25 bhp respectively). Porsche attributes the increased performance to the new Direct Fuel Injection system, standard on both S models.
Coupled with Porsche’s Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or PDK (that’s double-clutch to you and me), both new models reduce fuel consumption by more than 11 percent and as much as 16 percent. The Cayman S now delivers 26mpg (Cayman S). A new suspension, bigger wheels and better braking, from the latest generation of the Porsche Stability Management, complete the mechanical upgrades.
In case you missed it, here’s the most important part of the story: Porsche now offers a mid-level, mid-engined model whose performance numbers match those of the marques flagship 911 (even it is only the base model Carrera). Who knows what the unleashed engineers could develop next? How about a Cayman Turbo?”
RF —
I submit that you know 100x more than I know about Porsche. Between owning one or more of them and drooling over them for God knows how many years, you have the upper hand in this (and every automotive) category.
But I disagree with your theory that the Boxster and/or Cayman will ever KILL the 911.
Sure, I’d be thrilled with a Boxster S or Cayman S in my garage. In the near future. Hell, one could argue even for a Vette. But the peak of this mountain only has one name on it. And its all numerals.
Maybe the Boxster and Cayman will require that the 911 REINVENT itself. Like Tiger has done. Like GM needs to do. That wouldn’t be a bad thing.
I don’t care what the 0 – 60 stats say…I will always aspire to the big brother of this brand.
911. Semper Fidelis.
Just finished reading the story on the new $30,000, pedestrian, Nissan 370z. That car weighs more than a Cayman, has a larger displacement engine, put out a few more HP and is also capable of matching that 26mpg without direct injection, a specialized dual clutch tranny, and special performance engine/ tranny mapping.
One has to wonder what Nissan could have come up with if it could market the 370z at a base price of $40,000.
While I know their are still many of you guys that scuff at the idea of driving a Nissan over a Porsche, but Porsche really needs to step it game up a bit. A lowly $30,000 car is quickly gaining ground on all but the most expensive of Porsches “super cars”. The Nissan GT-R is doing a fine job on these models at half the price.
While the rich guys that care about exclusivity will always “hype” up the Porsche brand it is going to keep getting harder to claim any “engineering” high-ground with a over-priced sled that is easily spanked by a Corvette and has a bargin basement 370z whopping the lower lineup and giving the $60,000+ cars a serious run for their money.
At some point the whole “Porsche hertiage”, “superior German engineering” bubble is going to burst for Porsche. Especially when we factor in those time-bomb, poorly engineered engines.
The 911 is reaching a point where they can no longer defy the laws of physics. In the right hands (maybe 1 out of every 1,000 drivers) a 911 is fast…very fast and faster than many more powerful cars. But these people are professionals and know how to get hundreds of a second here and there. These are not your average 911 drivers.
The Cayman/Boxster are simply much better cars for the other 999 average drivers out there. I’ve driven plenty of 911s / Boxsters / 944s to understand the quirks of these cars…but for a racer more importantly – consistently fast at the limit and have potential to quickly recover when you go over that limit.
911 suffers from one major drawback that it will never be able to overcome – polar moment of inertia. When you have so much weight put over one end it makes the car harder to recover. (For those who don’t understand this concept – take a 5 lb dumb-bell and hold your body like a T with the weights in your hand…spin in a circle as fast as you can with your arms out and try to stop as quickly as possible…now bring your arms in with the weights close to your body and try the same…you’ll notice it is much easier). The Viper suffers from this problem too with such a huge engine up front and little weight in the back.
I can go into the story of the 951 – a front engine / inline 4 / water cooled entry level Porsche and how was faster than several generations of the 911 or how the Cayman is coming into its own. Once Porsche decides to make a GT version of the Cayman – it’ll be a more consistently fast car than the 911’s GT prepped cars. The Porsche GT (their all out speed demon) for some reason is not rear engined layout – Porsche knows this but the 911 is an icon – very hard to just quit making.
RF – Isn’t adding to the 911 demise optional LSD (not the drug) now available on the Cayman S? Or am I wrong…? The 911 needs to go mid-engine to survive, A.K.A. R8.
whatdoiknow1 – I can only dream what Nissan would do with a dedicated mid-engine platform for their glorious VQ37.
Porsche is also adding a LSD to the 911 this year as well. I believe that previously it was only available on the GT3 or turbo in the US.
While I would love Porsche to quit holding back the Cayman/Boxster, I would still rather have the 911. To my eyes, it is simply the most beautiful car Porsche makes right now.
Yeah, but did they fix that grenading engine problem? The Boxster was my dream car until I heard about that.
Not so fast on killing off the 911. Those of us with kids still need those rear seats.
Arguably, the rear engined Porsches are definitely more of a thrill ride than the mid engined ones, even if they are harder to drive consistently fast on track.
I have a Boxster S – sold my 911 to get it. Beyond the fact that it handles so well and has TWO trunks (the back one can carry a full set of golf clubs), I firmly believe the Boxster/Cayman is a far better car and platform as a sports car platform. 0 -60 times are all well and good, but with good tires, most other cars – including the 911 and Corvette – simply can’t stay with it in corners or the “twisties”. Porsches have never been good dragsters anyways.
At the same time, I don’t see the 911 going away anytime soon. If the Carrera GT (a super Boxster in my mind) didn’t eclipse the 911, nothing will. Notwithstanding its price, the CGT was a pathway to a new 911 platform design (mid engined, etc.). Porsche chose to stay with the rear engined approach. Quite frankly, placing the Boxster/Cayman in the “affordable” category keeps Porsche in the game. If one is buying a car for status only, so spend the money. If one wants the car for its true sporting attributes, one can get value AND have a ball.
jaje:
The Viper actually has more weight in the rear, it’s weight distribution is 49%F/51%R, don’t ask me how that makes any sense, but apparently it’s true. I’ve see it from a number of sources, for example:
http://autos.yahoo.com/2008_dodge_viper_srt_10_convertible-specs/?p=ext
Penaloza :
I disagree, I think the Cayman is the best-looking car Porsche currently makes. I really can’t understand how the dumpy, Beetle-esque shape of the 911 can be considered beautiful at all
The 911 is OLD.
Wasn’t it invented by Dr. Ferdinand Flintstone?
The Cayman is beautiful and modern – I’d rather one of those – albeit in a 4S iteration.
The Carrera is a smoother, more comfortable car. The Cayman is certainly more fun to drive.
Don’t forget, the base Carrera with PDK, DI and better low end gearing (1st through 3rd I believe) is STILL faster than the Cayman to 60 – but 0-60 is only part of the story. Look at 0-120. The 911 eats the Cayman’s lunch on that path.
PLUS the 911 comes in AWD
PLUS the 911 comes with rear seats
PLUS the 911 has a more pleasing shape
PLUS the 911 has more options
PLUS the 911 is simply a more competent touring car.
SO, to make this short – I’ll take the Cayman for autocross and the 911 for a daily driver.
Someone mentioned child seats.
You cannot pick someone up at the airport in a Cayman / Boxter, if that someone has a reasonably sized suitcase.
And you cannot stick a surfboard in the back of a Boxter, as you can in a 911 Vert.
Also, wind management in the Vert is better in the 911. As with all 4 seat verts, the extra depth behind you allows the air to ‘return’ lower, between the seats, instead of freezing the back of your head and ears off. Which matters when you keep the top down to stick skis out the back; which again, you cannot do in a Boxter.
And finally, the 911 accomodates taller people with longer arms than the Boxter / Cayman.
For pure driving pleasure, I’ll still take a BoxS, though. I honestly feel it even drives smoother over rough pavement than the 911.
Someone mentioned child seats.
You cannot pick someone up at the airport in a Boxster / Cayman, if that someone brings a reasonably sized suitcase.
And you cannot stick surfboards in the back, like in a 911 Vert. Or pick up wallboard, ladders rakes at Home Depot.
Also, wind management is better in the 911 Vert. Like in all ‘4 seat’ convertibles, the extra space behind the front seats allow the airflow to ‘return’ lower, between the seats, instead of freezing the back of your head and ears off. Which matters a lot when you keep the top down to fit skis in the back. But then again, you can’t do that in a Boxster.
For pure driving pleasure, though, there’s nothing like the BoxS on a warm day. I honestly feel it even drives smoother over rough pavement than its ‘big brother.’
Sure sure, and wasn’t the 928 supposed to kill the 911 in the 80s? Just like the BMW four cylinder bikes were supposed to kill the ancient airhead boxer twins, but CUSTOMER DEMANDS overrode the ideas of the factory. People were simply unwilling to give up the old stuff. In BMW’s case, it was a clear-cut victory for the four – liquid cooled, overhead cam, fuel injected, making 90hp from 1000cc at launch, a (gentleman’s limited) 100 hp when they switched to four valve heads. The airhead of the period made about 65 hp tops in the 1000s, and was air cooled, pushrod, agricultural and had a direct link to the engines that were being produced in the 1930s (look at a Wehrmacht R75 and compare it to a 1970s R bike). The four cyl was a winner on paper, but people liked the rugged simplicity of the ancient twin. And guess what, BMW STILL makes the boxers as the meat of their lineup, albeit in a modernized form.
How do I know all this? I owned one of the first four cyl BMWs, a 1985 K100RS, while my dad has one of the old boxers, a 1973 R75/5.
The Cayman S is the first and only great sports car Porsche has come up with since the introduction of the 911. It’s a fantabulous driver, a bargain compared to its big brother, and just all around wonderful. That said, I don’t want one.
But I always want a 911. It’s just cooler looking. It’s roomy and practical; those “useless” backseats are used endlessly by everyone who owns one (try putting your dog in the back of a Cayman).
Most of all, there’s the intoxicating weirdness of driving a backassed pendulum. If you haven’t driven the cars, do. Better isn’t better. Fun is better.