Steve Sutcliffe puts the new Porsche Cayman S to the test. It offers more power, more comfort, a better interior and improved looks, but is it capable of providing even more entertainment than the car it replaces?
Find an Autocar car review
Driven this week
-
18 August 2018First DriveIs this a shrewd, lower-cost route to sleek four-door luxury motoring? Let’s... -
17 August 2018First DriveKia's Golf rival is growing up, as its petrol variant looks to topple... -
17 August 2018First DriveAggressively priced supermini steps up interior game, but lacks performance...
Latest videos
-
FeatureWe drive both cars back-to-back on some of our favourite roads. In the process, we realise that sometimes less really is more. -
FeatureWe head to the overcast roads of Wales to find which of these two out-ubers the other -
FeatureFeature-length documentary looks at what goes into an attempt at the infamous hill climb, in the year electric powertrains bested internal combustion -
FeatureIs Aston Martin’s 715bhp DBS Superleggera a Ferrari-beating super grand tourer? Road test editor Matt Saunders took to an Alpine pass to find out
© 2018 Haymarket Media Group
Join the debate
Joel_Hayes
Looks like the best drivers car on sale!
After watching this review and reading a few other reviews about the new Cayman it is incredibly good. I knew it would be this good - the new Boxster has brilliant reviews and this is the same. It is sort of a 911-mini and like Steve I would have one over the new 911.
6th.replicant
Nice vid and commentary -
Nice vid and commentary - spontaneous, heartfelt and informative.
Indeed, why would anyone want a 2WD 911 - or an F-type V6?
phillio3
I'll hold judgement
As usual a new car reviewed by Autocar is hailed as the second coming, I'll wait until youve done a few comparisons before I believe the hype, the electric steering was nicely overlooked in this video and the review bears a striking resemblance to the one you did of the 991 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMzvLSapvaA) a year ago which of course has now been revised to fir in with the current editorial agenda.
Peter Cavellini
Hmmmmmmm????
GREAT!!!!!!
Peter Cavellini.
johnsod
The best £48k Sports Car ?
I've just done a configuration with the bare necessities and it comes out at £60k, and that doesn't include £1200 for the vehicle tracker, without which you probably won't be able to insure it. Perhaps the Autocar vehicle costings should include a standard list of optional extras?
krisbernal142
This is an awesome review
This is an awesome review actually, testing this very good looking car with very confortable stuff on it. The design and the structure are raelly cool. I hope someday I could have this kind of car. - more twitter follower
simplelife
I knew I wasn't crazy
Based on the earlier specs I figured that the Porsche Cayman would, with the proper options, be a better choice then base 911. I believe at this point it would make more sense for Porsche to drop the basic 911 or increase its performance. The problem of the Cayman has always been if Porsche gave the car what it needed, it would encroach on the 911’s territory. I guess in this case it surpassed the base 911.
PhilC1
I'm sure it's good apart from the steering but...
Come on....This review seems a but too enthusiastic...
I've driven the new boxster and its a brilliant every day car but PDk takes the skill and fun out of perfecting gear changes and has no place in real sports cars. Electric power steering has no true feel and tells you almost zero about the road surface and grip level. Why porsche do you spoil you cars!
Lotus exige, evora or new jag f type for me. Character, feel and that something special that makes your Sunday morning drive memorable.
Lets see what evo says...
loach
Jaded
If I wasn't increasingly aware of how jaded, irritated and bored Sutcliffe seems with cars these days, I would be a bit more surprised at his unbridled enthusiasm with how 'brilliant' PDK is. 'Do yourself a favour' and specify the automatic gearbox in Porsche's most enthusiast-centric coupe?
In short, for some few of us not completely jaded with sports cars, it's fun to change gear. Nutty, I know, but I actually derive some satisfaction and pleasure from having a bit more to do than turn the wheel and stomp on the fast and slow pedals.
I'm not sure when encouraging and lauding a bit of manual interaction in a sports car became unfashionable (and a lot of automatic drivers seem to have a chip on their shoulders about the whole thing which somewhat stifles debate), but Sutcliffe's comments here were just depressing.
Jonboy
Enough is enough...
I completely agree with PhilC1 and loach.
I am sick, yes sick, to death of hearing Steve's 'love' of PDK/automatics.
I was almost choked with rage when I read his blog a few weeks ago in which, he basically, told us car fanatics to give up on the manual gearbox and go with the flow in accepting auto/dual clutch/PDK as the way forward.
No! Sorry, Steve, you haven't sold me, and neither have the manufacturers.
I don't care how fast they are, or how much quicker they make the 0-60mph sprint, or even how much lower the emissions are. I want to change gear myself so I can get invovled in driving, and not push buttons like a computer game.
I really think you're missing/forgetting the point of a manual, and why petrol heads still want, at least, the option of choosing one over a dual clutch.
I don't doubt the Cayman is a fantastic handling car, and has a great soundtrack, but please don't tell us what gearbox to choose.
And, as others have mentioned and is always the case, the options list can take this car into nearly new 911 territory. And as nice as the Cayman is, it still looks like a bar of soap.
I still enjoyed the video, and others you produce, but how about accepting that, believe it not, some of us will never buy an automatic.
Automatics: Just say no
Pages
Add your comment