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[Steven Grauman]

I got an e-mail from Porsche today notifying me that details and new
pictures of the Cayman are up on the site. Low and behold, when I got a
look at the thing, it's got the ass and sides of a Boxster, the
roofline of a Chrysler Crossfire, the hood and headlamps of a 997
Carrera and a front bumper that looks almost indentical to the 996
Carrera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo fascia. Interesting look...

[Weekend Guru]

Not to mention that their "list" price is $59K...which is @ $10K less than
the base price of my 2000 Carrera. Heaven knows what they'll really cost
with power seats, etc. A pretty expensive 2-seater.

"Steven Grauman" <OneActor1@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1116975622.137053.114790@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[Steve Travis]

Weekend Guru wrote:

[Jim Keenan]

"Steve Travis" <steve.travis@gmail.com> wrote in message > No doubt. They
claim that they're pricing the Cayman, between the

[Pete M]

In news:beCdnak2BvmLiAjfRVn-oA@comcast.com,
Steve Travis <steve.travis@gmail.com> decided to enlighten our sheltered
souls with a rant as follows

[Holden McThynge]

"Pete M" <pete.murray@blue-nopressedmeat-yonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4295cfa8$0$79455$14726298@news.sunsite.dk...

: Probably the same people who *still* think a 911 will throw them backwards
: through the nearest hedge.

What! That doesn't happen anymore? I'm appalled!

[Chicago Paddling-Fishing]

Steve Travis <steve.travis@gmail.com> wrote:
: Weekend Guru wrote:
:> Not to mention that their "list" price is $59K...which is @ $10K less than
:> the base price of my 2000 Carrera. Heaven knows what they'll really cost
:> with power seats, etc. A pretty expensive 2-seater.
:>
:> "Steven Grauman" <OneActor1@aol.com> wrote in message
:> news:1116975622.137053.114790@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
:>
:>>I got an e-mail from Porsche today notifying me that details and new
:>>pictures of the Cayman are up on the site. Low and behold, when I got a
:>>look at the thing, it's got the ass and sides of a Boxster, the
:>>roofline of a Chrysler Crossfire, the hood and headlamps of a 997
:>>Carrera and a front bumper that looks almost indentical to the 996
:>>Carrera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo fascia. Interesting look...

: No doubt. They claim that they're pricing the Cayman, between the
: Boxster S and the base 911. I'm not a marketing major or even a sales
: guy, but last I checked, there's isn't a hell of a gap (price wise)
: between a Boxster S and a base 911.

I believe it was a year or so ago when they had discussed a Boxster Hardtop
prototype in Panorama and raved how well it outperformed the 911 because of
engine placement.

Now, they just need to put the GT3 motor in the Cayman and offer it as a
Cayman S.

--
John Nelson
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[Steven Grauman]

A family friend was thinking of trading in his beloved 964 Carrera for
a 2005 Boxster S...till' he got to the dealer. Fully optined the car
actually broke $70k, enough for an optionless 997 coupe or a very low
miles 996 with more options. Apparenlty, the Caymen can lap the
Nurburgring as quickly as a non-S 911, which begs a couple of
questions:
1. Why won't Porsche put more power to the roadster as well?
2. If Porsche really wanted seperation between the Boxster/Caymen and
the 911, why would they use the 3.4 litre engine in the Caymen?
3. Was it really a good idea to make the 3.8 litre motor exclusive to
the Carrera S? It seem to me that the 3.8 should've been in both
versions of the Carrera.
4. Maybe it's about time we finally ate the idea that the 911 has
probably been developed as much as is possible without putting turbos
or an 8-cylinder motor into every version of it. Porsche has stuck with
a flat-6 for longer than they probably should've to stick with
tradition and to make some vein attempt to pacify the purists who won't
accept a 911 with anything else. I've got news for Porsche: the purists
stopped buying 911s after the 996 went water-cooled.
Frankly, I'm getting sick of seeing this protectionist marketing
bullshit from them. If they wanted to get serious they'd put a 3.5
litre 295 Horsepower engine in the base Boxster and Caymen, a 3.5 litre
325-340 Horsepower engine in the Boxster S and Caymen S and they'd go
to a flat-8 in the 911. And how about that new 928? They've been
bullshitting about it since 1996, either put up or shut-up. It'd sort
of be nice to see a FE/RWD competitior to the Corvette they could sell
for $50-55k.

[Steven Grauman]

<<What! That doesn't happen anymore? I'm appalled!>>

Well, it's still possible, but the limits are much higher, especially
with electronic aids like stability control and traction managment. I'm
not one of these Purist people who think that a 911 has to have an
air-cooled flat-six to be a "real" 911, but the GT3 would deifinitely
be my preferred model of the range. It's kind of kind of
uncompromising, unapologetic, road-eating demeanor and track capability
that a real sports car should, and the kind of "drive me right or I'll
bite you" attitude a 911 (or any proper track car) should. Not that I
think the 997 Carrera and Carrera S are half-assed sports cars, but at
some point, a sports can become so civil, so friendly and so soft
around the edges that it's less a sports car. I like the Boxster S
quite a bit, but there's a new Lotus Elise up the street from me and
it's looking mighty tempting.

[Steven Grauman]

<<I believe it was a year or so ago when they had discussed a Boxster
Hardtop
prototype in Panorama and raved how well it outperformed the 911
because of
engine placement.>>

Although the 911 can easily hand about 90% of the world's other sports
cars their respective asses in terms of track ability, there's little
argument that a mid-engined layout is superior to all other types,
hence the reason the world's best race cars: prototypes, GT1s, and
Formula 1 cars, among others, are mid-engined. But Porsche has been
on-and-offing about a Boxster based coupe since the original model was
introduced in 1997. I remember seeing spy pictures of a hardtop Boxster
in 1999 running with (according to which report you read) a
turbocharged motor displacing somewhere between 2.5 and 2.7 litres. Now
that they've gotten their act togethor and introduced it, it seems an
almost non-sequitor addition to the lineup and, IMO, causes one to ask
several questions about if Porsche management is as clever as they
probably need to be.

<<Now, they just need to put the GT3 motor in the Cayman and offer it
as a
Cayman S. >>

The 295 Horsepower car WILL be the Caymen S. A less powerful version,
probably with 250 or so horsepower will debut later. Frankly I think
they've completely fudged their model seperation. I'd line the engines
up as such:
3.5 litre flat six, 295 Horsepower - Boxster/Caymen
3.5 litre flat six, 325 Horsepower - Boxster S/Caymen S
Then put an 8-cylinder displacing 4.0-4.5 litres and making 375-400
horsepower in the Carrera, offer a widebody version with stiffer
suspension and bigger wheels and tires as Carrera S, and add a turbo
version with 500-550 horsepower. Viola!

[Eza Gadson]

On 5/26/05 9:31 AM, in article 4295cfa8$0$79455$14726298@news.sunsite.dk,
"Pete M" <pete.murray@blue-nopressedmeat-yonder.co.uk> wrote:

[Steven Grauman]

<<or maybe it's for people who want BETTER handling than the "proper"
911.>>

While I won't argue that mid-engined is probably the best layout,
Porsche has done some "miracle work" with the 911. The 996 GT3 could
pull over a g on the skidpad, has a considerable traction advatage over
most other cars - in part because engine weight is placed over the
drive wheels - and would lay waste to most any other street legal car
around a track. The 997, especially the S, is nearly as competant, and
the 997 GT3 will be better than before. Obviously, Porsche can't cheat
the laws of physics, but boy, they're close.

[Jim Keenan]

"Eza Gadson" <egadson@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:BEBF2D40.A1A3%egadson@earthlink.net...

[Jim Keenan]

"Steven Grauman" <OneActor1@aol.com> wrote in message I like the Boxster S

[Steven Grauman]

<<Wait until you ride in/drive one. A friend's daughter's boyfriend has
one -
very fun car to drive, exceptional handling. And after about ten
minutes in
it the comfort concessions outweigh the fun factor. The car is
optimized for
performance and it doesn't treat tall people (6' 2") kindly. Even if
you're
short, the max-performance ride is still the same - you'll want to be
sure
your roads are billiard-table smooth.>>

I'm "only" 5'10" but I've sat in one and I'm sure you're correct. I
treat the Elise the same that I treat a 911 GT3 or F360 Stradale.
Probably as close to "track perfect" as you'll ever get in a road going
sports car, but not something that I'd want to drive everyday. I'd love
to have the money to have a 997 Carrera S and a Cayenne Turbo for my
"everyday" needs and a seperate 3 car garage with a 997 GT3, an F360
Stradale and the upcoming Lotus Exige for when I want a more "track
oriented" car to play with.