OK THERE ARE some times when self-indulgence just has to kick in; after all, what's life without a bit of hedonistic pleasure? So, when an email pops into your inbox offering you the chance to drive the latest Porsche, what's a man to do? Well … it seemed rude to say no.
And so it was that I came to drive the the Porsche Cayman R, the third addition to Porsche’s mid-engined coupe range to sit above the Cayman and Cayman S.
Aficianados will quickly detect more understeer in slower corners – almost certainly a function of the differential — but that's more than offset by the massive combination of grip and power exiting corners. It's impossible not to climb out of this car with a beaming smile on your face.
Now I have a secret to share with you. Two years ago I was going to buy myself a Cayman; instead, I ploughed the money into a holiday home in the Algarvian hills in Portugal. But believe me, there isn't a day passes when I don't think about my 'lost' Porsche.
So, what exactly is the Cayman R? Well it's halo model in the range; it's also the most powerful and lightest. The result is a Cayman with a higher power-to-weight ratio than a Porsche 911. Can life get any better?
Expensive stereo has been dumped
The Cayman R, powered by its direct-injection 3.4-litre flat six which is now in Boxster Spyder-spec, boasts 10hp more than the 320 horses you'll find in the Cayman S, plus the R has shed 54kilos.
Now while the removal of things like the door handles — which have been replaced by red grab tapes used in racing versions of the Porsche 911 —plus the addition of lightweight aluminium doors (pinched from the GT3), the lightest 19in alloy wheels available, and the option of a lightweight battery, are attractive, though some weight-saving measures are not quite so appealing.
Not only has the expensive stereo system been dumped — all for the cause of shaving kilos — so too has the air-conditioning! Sure it carves 12kg from the car's bodyweight, but could you imagine spending an hour in the car on the M8 in July with no aircon? Thankfully the clever people at Porsche thought about that too; so you can have it fitted as a no-cost option!
But let's focus on the positives of the Cayman R. And there is a lot to be positive about. Sitting squatly on its sports suspension, 20mm closer to the ground than the Cayman S, the R is simply brilliant to drive; I put it through its paces on-track at the Porsche Driver Experience Centre at Silverstone, the only one of its kind in Europe.
Cayman R feels even zippier
The Cayman S was already a competent and quick track-going car, but the R — which also boasts a limited slip differential, plus new front and rear aero packages — takes it to a different level. Instantly the steering feels lighter, partially down to those lighter alloys, and the car feels even zippier and utterly responsive.
Aficianados will quickly detect more understeer in slower corners – almost certainly a function of the differential — but that's more than offset by the massive combination of grip and power exiting corners. It's impossible not to climb out of this car with a beaming smile on your face.
The test car was fitted with Porsche's optional twin-clutch, seven-speed PDK gearbox. But whether you opt for the PDK (it's an abbreviation of Porsche Doppelkupplung, the German giant's system which delivers both manual gearshift and auto mode, but I prefer to think of as Pretty Damn Kwik!) or stick with the six-cog manual, the 0-62mph time drops by two tenths from the Cayman S, to 4.9sec for the auto and 5.0sec for the manual.
And because of the car's weight reduction, the Cayman R is a little cleaner and greener than the Cayman S; the manual comparison sees the R deliver 29.1mpg and 228g/km compared to the S's 28.8mpg and 230g/km, while the PDK performs even better with 30.3mpg and 218g/km compared to the S's 30.1mpg and 221g/km. Ok, it's not the most frugal or cleanest car on the road, but within its sector its more than laudable.
It's the best Cayman yet
With its fixed rear spoiler, black wing mirrors, black headlamp surrounds and ‘Porsche’ decals, the Cayman R is a brilliantly packaged piece of kit looks much more aggressive than the S. And — though I appreciate all things are relevant, especially in today's economic climate — the Cayman R delivers exceptional value. The Cayman R will set you back £51,731.
So; the burning question. Should you buy one? The Cayman R is, without question, the best Cayman yet. The difficulty is it's slightly too circuit-specific, which means trying to live with it on a day-to-day basis might prove tiresome. Also, it's low proximity to the road surface and sports suspension means you're likely to find yourself shaking your fillings out as you drive down one of Scotland's potholed streets.
The alternative? Focus on its strengths. If you only drive on the smooth roads, and you're a regular visitor to the trackdays at Knockhill, this is the car for you. In the meantime, I can continue to think of what might have been.
CLICK HERE to see our video of the Cayman R
CLICK HERE to read our roadtest on the Porsche Panamera
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Jim McGill