Introduction

Porsche Cayman – 2007 Review: The words "entry level" and "Porsche" are as much an oxymoron as "military intelligence" or "Microsoft Works." Yet here we are, behind the wheel of the lowest-priced Porsche coupe you can buy: the Cayman. After establishing its track credentials at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., we were anxious to try it out on the fashion-conscious byways of Los Angeles, and the physics-conscious mountain roads surrounding it. Our conclusion: While maybe not a value leader in terms of performance-per-dollar, we discovered that the Cayman is a true Porsche to its core.

What We Drove
Our test car was a 2007 Porsche Cayman. The lack of an “S” badge means it was equipped with Porsche’s 2.7-liter flat-6, and the lack of a $60,000-plus price tag means that options were kept to a minimum. The only listed options on our test car were $115 worth of embroidered floor mats and $690 worth of silver paint. However, we also noticed that our tester had the larger 18-inch wheel and tire package, with 235/40ZR18 front and 265/40ZR18 rear Michelin Pilot Sport tires, a $1,235 option. Total for our Cayman therefore would come to $52,235 with the $795 destination charge.

Performance
With 245 horsepower and 201 lb.-ft. of torque to motivate its 2,866 pounds, the Cayman is certainly quick, but a number of less expensive cars can beat Porsche’s estimated 5.9-second 0-60 time. Raw numbers aren’t the whole story; we only found it lacking on the highway, where we wished for more torque (but liked the 18.6 mpg average). On our favorite mountain road, the revs stayed high and the Cayman had plenty of power. The five-speed shifter is beautifully weighted and the clutch progressive, but we think the extra money for the optional six-speed would add some needed off-the-line zip to the Cayman.