2010 Porsche Cayman vs 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera November 15, 2009 AUTORIVALS.NET
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Is it possible? Has Porsche designed a car that outshines its legendary 911 Carrera? Porsche purists will shout NO! at the top of their lungs but the back of their minds might just be saying yes. We're not talking about performance here. A 911 Carrera will outperform a Cayman anywhere, anytime (although not by much) but in terms of design, the Cayman brings a fresh look to the once and only Porsche coupe design (the Carrera GT not included).
2010 Porsche Cayman vs 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera
The resemblances are obvious with similar front fascias. The major difference is Cayman's larger oval headlights from the Porsche Boxster compared to the familiar circular (but still oval) 911 headlights that returned in 2005. Although the Cayman is based on the Boxster, it takes inspiration from the 911 in its design.
The front bumper designs parallel each other along with the trunks. The Cayman has a rear side air intake for its mid-engine layout while the 911's rear-engine layout is kept free of any unnecessary openings.
The shorter proportions is what makes the Cayman look great. The 911 has grown over the years and now has an overextended rear overhang. Interestingly enough, the 911 is longer than the Cayman yet has a shorter wheelbase (92.5 in vs 95.1).
While the front half of the Cayman and 911 look very similar, the side and rear are where they follow different design paths. Where the rear bubbles out for the 911, the Cayman's rear bubbles in. It gives the Cayman a sleeker look with tauter proportions. A few more curves were thrown in to the Cayman, most notably the rear fenders.
Pick your choice: center dual exhaust pipes or twin dual exhaust pipes. Either one looks great but the the 911 might have the edge with its beautiful integration. The Cayman's rear diffuser and slits can offset the look. The 911's provocative deployable rear spoiler is replaced by a smaller one on the Cayman but still deploys at 60 mph. For some reason, Porsche chose to still keep the Cayman's rear window short when they now had the space to lengthen it. Perhaps for the sake of resemblance.
Interiors aren't Porsche's forté. Both look nice and functional but other's in this price range are better. The five gauge cluster design in the 911 is replaced by three in the Cayman but the center gauge still remains the focal point. Materials are nicer in the 911 but when you compare the Cayman and 911, you don't really see the $25,000 difference. That money was used elsewhere apparently.
SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $50,300 - $60,200
ENGINE: 2.9L H6 - 3.4L H6
HORSEPOWER: 265 - 320 hp
TORQUE: 221 - 273 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 172.1 x 70.9 x 51.4 in.
WEIGHT: 2932 - 3031 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.9 - 5.5 sec
1/4 MILE: 13.7 sec @ 102 mph
TOP SPEED: 165 - 172 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 19-20 / 26-29 mpg
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SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $76,300 - $93,200
ENGINE: 3.6L H6 - 3.8L H6
HORSEPOWER: 345 - 385 hp
TORQUE: 288 - 310 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 175.8 x 71.2 x 51.6 in.
WEIGHT: 3186 - 3421 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.5 - 4.8 sec
1/4 MILE: 12.5 sec @ 113 mph
TOP SPEED: 177 - 188 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 18-19 / 21-27 mpg
RECAP RECAP
PROS
+Smaller, tauter proportions
+Familiar Porsche design with a dash of curves

CONS
-There's better interiors out there
PROS
+Iconic 911 silhouette
+Beautifully integrated exhaust pipes

CONS
-There's better interiors out there

Video source: YouTube via Motorvision

Video source: YouTube via Chicago Cars Direct
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