Ignore those armchair experts who simply proclaim that 'speed kills'. Of course it does. But it is the inappropriate use of speed rather than the simple fact that the Cayman does a comfortable 258km/h that kills. Like all other vehicles it is, of course, a potential killer, unless driven within the parameters of conditions and personal ability.
Porsche are, of course, aware of all the facts and have produced a package that is enormous fun to drive, beginning with the range of adjustment of the seats and steering, and monumentally less hazardous in the event of a crash with seat belts that respond in microseconds if an unplanned stop seems inevitable.
The structural strength of the car comes from over 50 years on the race track, and the first concern in the event of a real smash is the ability of the various airbags, along with the seat belts and the design of the seats to stop the occupants from being thrown around in a passenger cell that seems to be most seriously well made.
In extraordinary 'ordinary' motoring here in Malta, we used the 2.7-litre engine as hard as was practicable, bearing in mind the necessity to be within the speed limits dictated by national policy, 80km/h or 50km/h, or the total variety of speed restrictions left in the keen hands of ADT personnel.
Cayman is the right shape to cleave through the air fast. The suspension relies on McPherson struts front and rear. The chassis is finely tuned for very precise handling, a bonus with 245 bhp and 275Nm of pulling power, even if the 'flat' six, with Vario Cam plus, is neatly mounted mid-chassis to give the most satisfactory sort of handling with rear driven wheels.
There is a Cayman 'S' available with 295 bhp from a 3.4-litre engine, but frankly I got so much from the 2.7-litre mill that I see little or no point in the local context of owning the bigger engine. If continental motoring were to be a regular pursuit however, it would just possibly make sense to have the faster car (275km/h) under the right foot.
Cayman falls most neatly between the open Boxter and the full blown 911, and should provide the sort of motoring satisfaction, in the local context, that will appeal to all potential Porsche owners who prefer a roof over their heads rather than the feel of the wind ruffling, very gently, even at real speed, the occupants' heads in an open car.
Hands off brake tests were done, from very high speed, as usual on the old runway at Ta' Qali, along with high 'G' turns. Porsche boast that their brakes are possibly the most powerful on conventional vehicles, and I can see no reason to disbelieve this pronouncement. As for the ability of the Cayman to change direction at remarkably high 'G', the car is a marvel of chassis engineering. Of course, the car comes with all the expected aids needed when going fast to help stop it falling off a road because it gets a bit slippery, along with marvellous electronic aids to enable the brakes to give of their best no matter how unjudiciously used.
Porsche appear to have a design policy that comes down through the various 'road' cars that dictates that no matter how appealing the car is visually, and how well set up the chassis, brakes, steering and suspension are, the models must be of practical use as well. Cayman has a remarkable capacity for carrying the vitals for a decent motoring holiday, 210 litres of space at the rear and a further 150 litres for luggage up front. It must be added that although the owner is aware that there is an engine somewhere about the mid-section of the car, it's so well covered that there is little other than the vital ingredients that can be added.
At a glance
• Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, displacing 2,687cc.
• Max power: 245 bhp at 6,500 rpm
• Max torque: 273Nm at 4,600-6,000 rp/m.
• Top speed (manual): 258 km/h. 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.
• Length: 4,341mm; width: 1,801 mm; height: 1,305 mm.
Porsche are, of course, aware of all the facts and have produced a package that is enormous fun to drive, beginning with the range of adjustment of the seats and steering, and monumentally less hazardous in the event of a crash with seat belts that respond in microseconds if an unplanned stop seems inevitable.
The structural strength of the car comes from over 50 years on the race track, and the first concern in the event of a real smash is the ability of the various airbags, along with the seat belts and the design of the seats to stop the occupants from being thrown around in a passenger cell that seems to be most seriously well made.
In extraordinary 'ordinary' motoring here in Malta, we used the 2.7-litre engine as hard as was practicable, bearing in mind the necessity to be within the speed limits dictated by national policy, 80km/h or 50km/h, or the total variety of speed restrictions left in the keen hands of ADT personnel.
Cayman is the right shape to cleave through the air fast. The suspension relies on McPherson struts front and rear. The chassis is finely tuned for very precise handling, a bonus with 245 bhp and 275Nm of pulling power, even if the 'flat' six, with Vario Cam plus, is neatly mounted mid-chassis to give the most satisfactory sort of handling with rear driven wheels.
There is a Cayman 'S' available with 295 bhp from a 3.4-litre engine, but frankly I got so much from the 2.7-litre mill that I see little or no point in the local context of owning the bigger engine. If continental motoring were to be a regular pursuit however, it would just possibly make sense to have the faster car (275km/h) under the right foot.
Cayman falls most neatly between the open Boxter and the full blown 911, and should provide the sort of motoring satisfaction, in the local context, that will appeal to all potential Porsche owners who prefer a roof over their heads rather than the feel of the wind ruffling, very gently, even at real speed, the occupants' heads in an open car.
Hands off brake tests were done, from very high speed, as usual on the old runway at Ta' Qali, along with high 'G' turns. Porsche boast that their brakes are possibly the most powerful on conventional vehicles, and I can see no reason to disbelieve this pronouncement. As for the ability of the Cayman to change direction at remarkably high 'G', the car is a marvel of chassis engineering. Of course, the car comes with all the expected aids needed when going fast to help stop it falling off a road because it gets a bit slippery, along with marvellous electronic aids to enable the brakes to give of their best no matter how unjudiciously used.
Porsche appear to have a design policy that comes down through the various 'road' cars that dictates that no matter how appealing the car is visually, and how well set up the chassis, brakes, steering and suspension are, the models must be of practical use as well. Cayman has a remarkable capacity for carrying the vitals for a decent motoring holiday, 210 litres of space at the rear and a further 150 litres for luggage up front. It must be added that although the owner is aware that there is an engine somewhere about the mid-section of the car, it's so well covered that there is little other than the vital ingredients that can be added.
At a glance
• Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, displacing 2,687cc.
• Max power: 245 bhp at 6,500 rpm
• Max torque: 273Nm at 4,600-6,000 rp/m.
• Top speed (manual): 258 km/h. 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.
• Length: 4,341mm; width: 1,801 mm; height: 1,305 mm.