2007 Porsche Cayman Road Test
4-3-2007
by
Amyot Bachand
, Auto123.com
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Comfortable and quiet What I liked the most was the quietness of the base Cayman compared to the brawnier S. Occupants can revel in listening to the great audio system without being bothered by the engine sound. Between 110 and 130 km/h, the mill smoothly purrs in fifth gear. Oddly, the Michelin Alpin tires were super quiet on a rain-soaked surface but noisy on a dry, concrete road. A compromise is hard to find. The layout of the various gauges and controls is still a benchmark in my book. I found the interior storage to be convenient and well thought out, except for the door pockets. That said, there are two functional trunks to store your luggage. | | The cockpit offers exemplary ergonomics. |
Delicate visibilityI highlighted this point when I reviewed the Cayman S and the base Cayman is no different. Actually, I would say that visibility is the car's Achilles' heel. I made a two-way trip from Laval to Quebec City on Highway 40 with a constant rain and 0 to -2oC temperatures. In such weather conditions, the road was obviously full of calcium and sludge, which created quite a filthy mix. In less than 200 kilometres, the windows and sideview mirrors got dirty to the point where visibility was a serious issue. The driver has to be more careful than usual before changing lanes. Turbulence forces water back and sprays it directly onto the sideview mirrors and the front portion of the side windows. This problem is not insurmountable, but Porsche's engineers will have to figure out a solution quickly. An improved water-derivation system around the windshield would surely help.  | | Lateral visibility is impeded by road grime on the windows. |
Fuel-efficient sports carMartin Constien, Chief engineer at Porsche, spoke highly of the fuel economy of the new engines powering the Boxster and Cayman. I was understandably suspicious at first, but he was right: I averaged 10 L/100 km during my trip to Quebec City and back. Sure, I mostly drove on the highway at an average speed of 119 km/h, but I started and finished in both places during rush hours. In order to verify what the on-board computer indicated, I did my own calculation and came up with 9.9 L/100 km over 420 kilometres and 10.49 L/100 km over 430 kilometres. Congratulations, Mr. Constien, these numbers are reasons to be proud! In city traffic or sporty driving, the fuel consumption will likely increase to 15 L/100 km if you push hard. |
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