I didn't see it posted here, so I figured I would post it. 2009 Porsche Cayman and Boxster facelift unveiled in Los Angeles Auto Show More pictures can be found in an article here: http://www.4wheelsnews.com/2009-porsche-cayman-and-boxster-facelift-unveiled-in-los-angeles/ The below pictures were borrowed from the LA Auto Show website. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I didn't either. Boxster just didn't have the looks for my taste. But I made the mistake of driving a Cayman S and loved it. Great mid-engine car feel (for an affordable daily driver). Porsche gets the engine so low to the ground with that flat 6, that makes the mid-engine chassis so much fun to drive around town (not just at track speeds). I think it looks better than the 911 because the rear of the car is more sleek than the 911's shape which is limited by having the engine mounted in back. (Black Cayman is old photos, not the new face lift model) From the LA car show (silver car below) The engine block is all new this year (fewer parts, lighter weight) to correct the rear main-seal oil leak that Porsche had for so many years. Also.. I hear they added a few more pumps to pick-up oil left in the pan and prevent white smoke at start-up. And maybe beefed-up power steering which had some over heating problems Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Especially the Cayman does not want to be equipped with those weird early-996 style wheels shown in the first photograph. Either of the ones on Mark's pictures are quite ok IMHO. What gets me about all the criticism on these two is that both seem to me much prettier than any current production Ferrari.
From the side view.... it has a bit of a 70's Dino look Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Indeed...or at least the beautiful P904. For me - more the dino. But - Wait - I thought the new California Spyder was supposed to do that for us? If so, it is not working on me.
I like the way the Cayman looks better, but I got a Boxster because I liked having a convertible. I like the shape of the side vents on the Cayman better.
Mark, I agree with you. Was not a huge fan of the 1st gen Boxster. 2nd was better and this face lift better still. Like the Cayman even more! Best looking car in the Porsche line up! That said, the 997 is a pretty hot looking car! James
Well, to each his own. It looks better than the California, I'll give you that. The 430, Scuderia, 599 look better. But, you have to really think about the price range. I haven't driven either the Boxster or Cayman, it's the styling that gets me. As Mark stated, when he drove it, he liked it.
I think the 1st gen Boxster is the best looking. I am glad though the 911 moved away from 986/996 headlights for the 997 though! The Boxster I think could of looked better, but Porsche was wanting to save on parts and had the designers make the same front end structure for both the 911 and Boxster, I guess as neither have engines up there it works.
If you haven't driven one... I'll give you my impressions. Back in 1995, when I got out of my 1994 MR2 to test drive a 911, I was disappointed. The Porsche had a big-car, luxury feel to it, compared to my MR2 and 308. Plus I had to be going way over 60mph before I felt the performance of the car. I walked away thinking Porsche wasn't for me. I had grown-up with small light-weight mid-engine cars, that made doing 45mph around a corner in the city, a lot of fun on my daily drive The Cayman brought that back. Sure its impressive with a top speed of 170+ but during the test drive I was having fun at 35mph again, just going around a corner in city driving...feeling the low center of gravity and the feel of the mid-engine design working so well with the chassis, suspension, brakes, and steering. A smile came right back to me.... this is a Porsche that makes my daily drive fun! I've seen two really strange post lately on FerraiChat, about guys who own both a 430's and 308's.... talking about how they'd keep the 308 if they ever sell their 430. "430 makes it too easy to drive way too fast. With one finger, I can drive at speed that will get me tossed in jail". Now...I can't afford a new 430, so I don't have to think about problems likes this, but I understand the concept. I guess, I'm looking for a car that lets you feel the speed. Even if your going less than 90mph. (and the prices, a new Cayman S might be expensive with Porsche's $$$ options piled on $75,000, but they give 4 year warranties, and cars that are 2 years old with 5,000 miles are easy to find..maybe $48,000 just seems like a good deal for a daily driver that I'm going to put 150k miles on and not care about depreciation)
