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Automotive Examiner

Two that Do the Redline Anytime

POSTED May 10, 6:52 AM

Over the past 40 years, Porsche has developed and

refined one of the most successful sports car ever,

the 911. The flat-six boxer engines and drivetrains

have gone from air-cooled to water-cooled; from

non-turbo to twin-turbo; from rear-wheel drive to

four-wheel drive, etc. In the beginning, the engine

had about 120 horsepower and today it can deliver

over 450 horsepower.

The Porsche 911

In recent years, car offerings from BMW, Lexus,

Infiniti, and others have been pushing up against

the 911's horsepower advantage. Porsche was

starting to encounter the limits of the flat-six boxer's

horsepower capabilities.

A number of years ago, it was rumored that Porsche

had considered a flat-eight boxer engine for the 911.

However, even the flat-six hung off the car's rear axel.

The car's weight distribution was highly rear-biased,

and thus the 911 has had and continues to have

unique and somewhat challenging handling

characteristics.

A flat-eight boxer engine would have certainly

enabled Porsche's 911 to pull away from competitors

with horsepower. However, the greater weight and

power of the engine would have increased the 911's

challenging handling characteristics. Consequently,

Porsche would have put the 911 in a conundrum of

more power being a plus, but increased inappropriate

handling characteristics being a minus.

In 2006 Porsche has introduced a "mid-engine" hardtop

sports car named the Cayman. It shares the same

floorpan and some other components with the Porsche

Boxster convertible. This has enabled Porsche to spread

the cost of production between the two models, thus

lowering the Cayman's cost of production. Given today's

increasingly competitive automotive environment, Porsche

will be better able to maintain an acceptable profit margin

on the Cayman, but also sell the car at a reasonable price.

The Porsche Cayman

Is $50,000 for a Cayman 2.7 reasonable pricing? The

Cayman's lap times at Nurburgring have been right on

the heels of the more powerful 911. What the Cayman

lacks in horsepower to the $80,000 911, it closes the

gap with its superior handling. Look for the Cayman to

overtake the 911 as it gains the 911's more powerful

engines. Because of competitive pressures, it is likely

that Porsche will basically keep future prices of the

Cayman stable while offering more powerful engines.

What if the competitors continue to increase the

horsepower of their cars? Porsche has the ability to

put a flat-eight or a flat-ten cylinder engine in the

Cayman, and because of the mid-engine design,

the car's handling would remain balanced and

exceptional.

Overall, the Cayman has the shape of a great

sports car. The driving experience is smooth and

refined with precise shifting and excellent brakes.

Last, but not least, the Cayman obtains about 20mpg

in the city and about 28 mpg on the highway.

With the Cayman, Porsche has jumped out in front

again! The almost endless possibilities to add more

power, great handling, and reasonable production

costs are a fabulous combination for Porsche. In the

near future, buying a Cayman in the used car market

at a 25%-35% price reduction will be a fabulous

opportunity for consumers too!

I welcome your comments or car questions at my auto

web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

Categories: Porsche 911 , Cayman

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Kyle Busch
Kyle is an auto enthusiast and consumer advocate with over 30 years of experience. Author of “Drive the Best for the Price…” He welcomes your comments and car questions on his website www.DriveTheBestBook.com . Kyle’s car has over 490,000 miles and he even has the same name as the #18 NASCAR driver.