bimmer530iguy

In my eyes, Cayman=Boxster coupe, I don't see too much of a difference and I don't justify spending extra money for the same looking car even though it performs better, I'll stick with my 996 carrera.

CVTBenhogan

Thanks for the objective comments. What were the Cayman's size limitations that bothered you the most? I intend to drive both and do like the 911 very much. There is just a strange uniqueness to the Cayman, as it somehow connects back to the sports cars of the 50s. I also like the midengine placement. I'm not concerned with the "couldn't afford the 911 syndrome." Especially when there are loads of 911s on the road and a good supply of older cars at attractive prices. A 996 owner might feel bad as the 997 looks so much better, or a 997 S owner might regret not geting the extra performance option and ceramic brakes, or AWD. Choices and choices.

CVT Benhogan

hinckley

CVT, I hope that you can add the Porsche to your stable, rather than substitue one for the other - it's amazing to me that so many of us have both an E60 and a 911.

It's proof that there really is no one perfect vehicle, and the 5er and 911 combo just make sooooo much sense if you love cars. You just can't get a family car that is any closer to a sports car than the 5er. And for those times when it's just you or you plus one, there's just nothing else like the Porsche. And while I know others will claim that some of the exotics are better cars, none of them get the pure sports car/daily driver done right.

There's simply no better combination . . .

silver bullet

CVT,
The size limitations for me in the Cayman were two fold. One I am pretty tall at 6'4 and am fairly broad in the shoulders so the inside of the Cayman was very cramped and the head room was very limited. Due to the no back seat I had limited head and leg room. I do not have that issue in my 997S. Additionally I occasionally need to carry people in the back of my 997S. It is not the most comfortable, but rather have the ability to carry 4 uncomfortably a short distance than not be able to carry more than two under any circumstance. Since the car is a daily driver for me the Cayman is not an option in terms of carrying people nor would it be viable since I cannot fit comfortably. Still I loved the car. If cost was not an issue I would still take the 997S because I like the looks better, etc, but that is a personal preference not a judgement on which is "better". Here is one thing to consider that I hear lots of people ask when talking about this subject. If you got a Cayman S would you wonder if you made a mistake when you see an 997S? Would you think that if you had the 997S and saw a Cayman? Most people for whom cost is not an issue will always at this point pick the 997S. Again that is not my opinion on the matter and I never try and tell people what to drive. We all like different things for different reasons. I do however know that the 997S is a car that invokes a lot of passion for me. I never thought I would love a car as much as I loved my E39 540 sport, but the 997 has certainly changed that opinon. That is NOT an knock on the 540 as much as it is praise for the 997S. To put it in perspective I missed my 540 when I had my 996. I have never missed it since the 997S arrived.

jet190rs

911 no question.

i have a boxster and i do love it. it out-handles a 911 but its too easy to drive well on the track, so i don't think of it as a real porsche.

JetBlack5OC

Hey James, I didn't mean to knock your car in any way. You have a awesome ride, one of my favorites. I was just trying to defend the Cayman, sometimes it gets a bad rep.

Anyways did you see the whole EVO 2007 Car of the Year list?

1: Porsche 997 GT3 RS: 95.7
2: Ferrari F430 Scuderia: 94.9
3: Audi R8: 93.6
4: Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black: 91.4
5: BMW M3: 90.9
6: Honda Civic Type-R: 89.4
7: Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera: 88.2
8: Nissan 350Z: 87.6
9: Lotus 2-Eleven: 87.0
10: Mini Cooper S Works: 86.1

A Civic beats a Lambo.

swajames

I knew that JetBlack50C , I really like the Cayman too.

Like you I was was amazed about the placing for the civic (although in fairness the UK spec Type R is a model that isn't available in the US) Haven't seen the full article yet (I don't have the magazine yet, it takes a month or so to travel over from the UK and show up in my local Barnes & Noble) but I have to say I was probably more surprised that the F430 Scuderia didn't win and I was half expecting the R8 to sneak in and take it. Looking forward to the full report!

In the meantime I found the descriptions of the contenders on one of the 997 forums I post on:

* Aston Martin DBS
?510bhp at 6500rpm, a 191mph top speed and 0-62mph in 4.3sec. This is top-drawer supercar stuff as befits a ?160K price tag?

* Audi R8
?No other car takes a demanding road apart with the precision and composure of Audi?s incandescently rapid and hugely desirable R8?

* BMW M3
?It?s a car you could drive every day, yet it?s capable of delivering a level of performance that cars costing twice as much would struggle to match?

* Ferrari 430 Scuderia
?Ferrari seems to have combined the intimate purity of the 911 GT3 with the hardcore drama of a Lamborghini Superleggera?

* Honda Civic Type-R
?There?s little sense making a comparison with the UK Civic Type-R. Better to look upon it as a four-door NSX-R, for it possesses much of the supercar?s spirit?

* Lamborghini Superleggera
?Don?t think for a moment that the Superleggera is just a Gallardo with a few overwrought embellishments. It?s a stunning achievement?

* Lotus 2-Eleven
?If you drive on both road and track and want Radical-style adrenalin hits from shockingly high dynamic limits, then this is the toy to have in your garage?

* Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series
?The CLK63 AMG Black Series is part of a new breed of AMG? honed into a very serious track tool and a refreshingly uncompromised road-racer?

* MINI Cooper S Works
?The greater suppleness allows you to use more of the grunt more of the time. Its ground-covering capabilities are now astonishing?

* Nissan 350Z
?With that all-new V6, Nissan engineers have targeted the 350Z?s one weak spot ? that shallow top end ? to produce a truly great drivers? car?

* Porsche 911 GT3 RS
?The rear-engined balance is still there, of course, but the RS flows like none before. It?s a deeply satisfying car, both in terms of dynamics and engineering?

* Vauxhall VXR8
?This is a BMW M5-style saloon for 335i money. It?s an old-school super-saloon, big and a bit lairy, the Lotus Carlton remade?

swajames

Don't have a link to the article yet (I'll post it if I find one) but here's a link to their video in the meantime:

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideo...ecoty_2007.html

You might also like this EVO video of the RS in action. First half is a little tame (apart from the engine noise) but the autocross in the second half of the video is pretty cool:

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/supercarvideos...che_911_rs.html

AlexFW

Cayman to mod: the 911 is old .

JetBlack5OC

That second video is great!

OK I am sold, the RS is out of hand!!!! It sounds like the full race versions.



Here is a cool video of Tiff from Fifth Gear testing the F430 Scuderia, he takes it to the Ferrari test track where he tested the Enzo and equals his Enzo time: