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Originally Posted by AlpsRider
I wanted so much to love the Cayman but after driving the 718 pdk and the manual I felt that the M2C was more fun to drive on the street. I have no doubt that flat out on the track is where it would come into it's prime. The lack of torque around town was disappointing, they made my M2C feel like a muscle car.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akhbhaat
Porsche delivers a fairly esoteric driving experience, even by enthusiast standards. Always has. Yes, the 911 is an obvious oddball, but mid-engine sports cars aren’t exactly common south of Ferrariland either. The things Porsche really does well--the way the steering and chassis work with you to dance right around the limit, or the frankly awesome stopping power--can't be fully appreciated on the road, at 5/10ths or below. If you have a GTS or GT model and aren’t tracking it at least occasionally, you’re not getting anywhere near the focal point of the experience. Definite contrast with BMW, who tunes their performance cars for the people who mainly want to dick around on the back roads with their buddies (don’t we all).
The Boxster did come into being as the relatively attainable and approachable Porsche, but perception always lags reality; that was 25 years ago when the only trim level had 200 hp and a $65k (inflation-adjusted) sticker price, and the standard 911 was still a quirky-but-serious sports car first and everything else second. The 911 has evolved and the Boxster/Cayman along with it. Today's Boxster/Cayman GTS is a $100k (with essentials) car with as much power as a 996 or 997 GT3 and a chassis to match (although the GTS 4.0 in particular is a bit of a hack--I think the “party trick” comment earlier is about right).
If you really love what BMW M brings to the table and think you want a Porsche sports car, think twice. Maybe you really do--but odds are it's not what you think it is.
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Hear! Hear!
Although maybe if Porsche gave us a 70k-ish turbo flat six with the 718 chassis today, it might just be the Cayman us masses always thought we’d buy. Instead, outside of an suv, you can’t get a Porsche without a ‘but’ for less than a hundred grand. Ouch.