The New Third Generation Porsche Cayman

The third generation Porsche Cayman is now on sale priced from £39,694 with an expected delivery date in March 2013.

The new Cayman has been totally revised and is now lighter by up to 30 kg than its predecessor with a 40 per cent stiffer body. As a result fuel effieceny has been improved by 15 per cent. It also look different with more prominent systyling such as the front cooling air intakes, which increase in size towards the sides of the car. Integrated into these, far outboard, are the round front lights with four-point daytime running lights or position lights, serving as a further unmistakable identifying feature of the new Cayman.

There is a choice of either a 2.7-litre or a 3.4-litre flat six boxer petrol engine both available with a six speed manual gearbox or seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) box.

The 2.7 litre unit outputs 275 hp with 0-62 mph time of 5.7 seconds with the manual box or 5.6 seconds with the PDK (5.4 seconds if opted with Sport Chrono Pack). The top speed is recorded at 165 mph manual and 164 mph PDK.  The PDK does better against the manual on emissions and fuel consumption, CO2 188 g/km (36.7 mpg) PDK and 192 g/km (34.4 mpg) manual.

Standard equipment on the Cayman includes air conditioning, CD audio with seven-inch touch-screen control interface, universal audio interface offering MP3 connectivity, automatic headlight activation, auto stop-start function, electronic parking brake, 'Sport' button, 18-inch alloy wheels, top tinted windscreen, floor mats and a three year/60,000 mile warranty.

The 3.2 litre Cayman S has an output of 325 hp with 0-62 mph being recorded in 5.0 seconds (man), 4.9 seconds (PDK). The top speed 176 mph (man) or 174 mph (PDK). Again the PDK box does better against the manual on emissions and fuel consumption, CO2 188 g/km (35.3 mpg) PDK and 206 g/km (32.1 mpg) manual.

On the equipment front the Cayman S adds 19-inch alloy wheels, partial leather interior, and Bi-Xenon headlights.

The Sport Chrono package offs a launch control function that shortens 0 - 62 mph time by 0.2 sec compared with normal mode. Plus it incorporates dynamic transmission mounts which alter their stiffness and damping rates as a function of the specific driving situation.

A high-end Burmester sound system which is individually tuned for the Cayman and should you wish you can now specify Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).