Auto Review Porsche Cayman R Sheds Weight
By Jason Paur
In keeping with the idea that the best way to improve a sports car is to cut weight and add power, Porsche introduced the pared-down souped-up Cayman R at the Los Angeles Auto Show today.
With many other sports cars, including many in Porsche’s own lineup, weighed down with navi, air conditioning and other non-essentials, Porsche took a scalpel to the list of standard equipment in the Cayman to save weight.
GPS and radio? Gone, replaced with a box in the center console for storing air or something heavier if you choose. Porsche shaved more weight by using aluminum doors which are opened by familiar nylon straps. In total, the Cayman R weighs 121 pounds less than the Cayman S.
Beyond the weight savings, the R gains 10 horsepower on the Cayman S. The 3.4-liter six-cylinder develops 330 horsepower. Paired with Porsche’s Doppelkupplungsgetriebe semiautomatic gearbox, it can get the Cayman R to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds — though Porsche is famously conservative with its numbers. The two-seater also returns a respectable 25 mpg, though probably not if you’re driving it as Ferdinand Porsche intended. It’s also available with a six-speed gearbox.
While the Cayman R isn’t quite as minimalist as the original 911R from 1967, it is a welcome step toward the less-is-more attitude aimed at people who enjoy driving as something more than a means of getting from Point A to Point B.
As for the color, we hope this is the one place where Porsche will add some options.
Photos: Porsche
Less weight. More awesome.
A fixed rear spoiler is standard on the Cayman R.
The Cayman R sits 20mm lower than the S model.
Lightweight seats also keep the weight down on the Cayman R.
Plenty of storage space in the center panel once you’ve removed the stereo and GPS.
Back to the future: The 1967 911R shed weight with plastic windows and minimalist tail lights to come in at just 1,830 pounds.Auto Review , auto shipping reviews.
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