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Full 2014 Porsche Cayman Review
Introduction
Fair warning to our future selves: It's going to be a challenge to write the review for the next-generation Porsche Cayman. Why? Because the current generation, which kicks off with the 2014 Porsche Cayman, is a nearly perfect sports car. It's usually easy to see how a car could be improved, even when it's considered the segment's latest and greatest, but this Cayman has us scratching our heads. Short of giving this coupe wings, or perhaps making it amphibious, we're not sure how Porsche could do any better.
However, we certainly wouldn't complain if Porsche gave the 2014 Cayman more power. Given its midengine layout, which makes it inherently better balanced than the rear-engine Porsche 911, the Cayman has the potential to be a superior sports car. But in deference to the 911's illustrious legacy, Porsche steadfastly withholds its top motors from the Cayman lineup. As such, the most capable 2014 Cayman, the S model, is roughly on par engine-wise with the 996-generation 911 Carrera from a decade ago, in spite of the fact that this coupe would be mind-blowingly awesome with, say, the 911 GT3's motor.
Also on our short list of quibbles is the Cayman's new electric-assist power steering system. Although the steering effort is spot-on and its precision is inch-perfect, it lacks the tactile feedback that distinguished the original Cayman's steering. It's not a deal breaker, but in the eyes of die-hards, it keeps Porsche's midengine sports car from being truly flawless.
Of course, these complaints are balanced against the reality that the 2014 Porsche Cayman is considerably cheaper than the 911. And with the midengine Porsche's seriously compact dimensions, you could even argue that it's a more legitimate heir to the pint-size classic 911s than the current 911 itself. Plus, the Cayman's engines are simply exquisite on their own merits; it's only in comparison with the rest of Porsche's stable that their performance can be questioned.
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