Porsche has pulled the silk off its all-new 2011 Cayman R, the latest variant of the German automaker's two-seat coupe. Aside from the obligatory decals and badging designed to differentiate this new flagship Cayman from its siblings, the Cayman R boasts a chassis that has been lightened by about 120 pounds and a handful of other tweaks.
Inside the cabin, the Cayman R features Alcantara and leather upholstery, sport seats, strap door handles and a painted console color-keyed to the exterior. Under the skin, the suspension has been enhanced with shorter, more rigid springs and there are customized anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles (the ride height is about 20 millimeters lower than the Cayman S).
Motivation comes from Porsche's 3.4-liter flat-six, bumped up slightly to 330 horsepower, while transmission choices include Porsche's excellent PDK automatic gearbox or a traditional six-speed manual. According to the automaker, the 2,855-pound Cayman R will hit 62 miles per hour in less than five seconds and top out at 175 mph. Look for the Cayman R in dealers wearing a $66,000 price tag before the end of the year. Follow the jump for the official press release from Porsche.
Photos copyright ©2010 Michael Harley / AOL
World debuts in Los Angeles: Cayman R – the new top-of-the-range model for the mid-engine coupé
Lightweight car with exceptionally sporting ambitionsStuttgart. The Porsche alphabet reserves the letter R for very special sports cars: R for responsive and refined – but most especially for racy. The new Cayman R combines all these attributes without compromise. 55 kilograms (121 lb) lighter and with ten horsepower more than the Cayman S, the new mid-engine coupé from Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is designed for spectacular road behaviour. With its specially adapted sports chassis, it provides an even more precise driving experience than the Cayman S. The Cayman R makes its world debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The new mid-engine coupé is powered by a tuned-up 3.4-litre six-cylinder engine developing 330 hp (243 kW). In the standard configuration it transmits its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox that propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds. Or there is the option of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) that reduces its acceleration time to 4.9 seconds. For even more impressive sprinting performance, the Cayman R can be supplied with one of the optional Sport Chrono packages, taking it to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds. The new mid-engine coupé is capable of a top speed of 282 km/h (175 mph) with manual gearbox, or 280 km/h (174 mph) with PDK. Its NEDC fuel consumption is 9.7 l/100 km (29.12 mpg imp.) with six-speed gearbox and 9.3 l/100 km (30.37 mpg imp.) with PDK. The main aim during the design of the Cayman R was to improve the two-seater even further in its performance, driving dynamics and agility through consistent weight reduction. With a DIN unladen weight of just 1,295 kilograms (2855 lb) the Porsche engineers were able to reduce the power-to-weight ratio of the coupé with standard manual gearbox to 3.9 kilograms (8.6 lb) per horsepower, with the PDK version weighing 4.0 kilograms (8.8 lb) per horsepower. The largest savings were achieved through the use of lightweight components and doing without convenience equipment. As for the 911 GT3/GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder, an optional lithium-ion lightweight construction battery is also available. In addition, the top model in the mid-engine coupé is equipped with the lightest 19 inch wheels the entire Porsche range can offer. The complete rim set weighs less than 40 kilograms.
The Cayman R's purpose and purist character can be seen at first glance. The extended silhouette of the bodywork, which has been lowered by 20 millimetres (0.79 in) compared to the Cayman S, combined with the distinctive fixed rear spoiler, the high-quality silver-painted wheels and numerous sporting highlights on both the interior and exterior, ensures an individual appearance. The black-framed headlights, black exterior mirrors and the "PORSCHE" lettering on the side – in contrasting black or silver, depending on the body colour – take design cues from classic Porsche racing cars.
Precisely this lettering was the trademark of the first Porsche with the "R" designation, the 911 R of 1967. It was created for racing sport use in a small series of 19 cars. The "R" was a prototype based on the standard coupé with a 210 horsepower Carrera 6 engine and, thanks to its many plastic components and extremely sparse equipment, weighed only 830 kilograms (1830 lb).
The new Porsche Cayman R will go on sale from February 2011. The price in Germany will be EUR 69,830 inclusive of 19 percent VAT and country-specific equipment items. Go to www.porsche.com/cayman-r-live to listen to the Porsche press conference broadcast live from the Los Angeles Auto Show starting 7:55 p.m. German Time.
2012 Porsche Cayman R Makes World Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show
New mid-engine coupe takes its purist cue from Boxster Spyder
ATLANTA – November 17, 2010 â€" Featuring 121 pounds less weight and the most horsepower available in a mid-engined Porsche, the 330-hp Cayman R has been created for one reason: pure driving dynamics. With its highly-tuned sports suspension and vigilant attention to weight savings, the third Cayman model offers an even more precise driving experience than the "standard" Cayman S. A direct descendant of the famous 1950's 550 and 1960's 904 mid-engined, high-performance Coupes, the 2012 Porsche Cayman R is celebrating its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show November 17, 2010.
Light and Powerful
The newest member of the mid-engine family features the highly efficient 3.4-liter six-cylinder Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) boxer engine found in the Cayman S, but produces 10 more horsepower. With a six-speed manual transmission, the Cayman R sprints from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, two-tenths of a second faster than the Cayman S. With the optional seven-speed dual-clutch PDK (Doppelkupplungsgetriebe) transmission and the Sport Chrono package, the exercise is reduced to 4.4 seconds. Top track speed with the manual transmission is up by 3 to 175 mph (282 km / h), 174 mph (280 km / h) with the PDK.
The main objective in the concept and execution of the Cayman R was to improve the already energetic two-seater through a systematic reduction in weight, thereby increasing performance, driving dynamics and agility. With a DIN unladen weight of 2849 lbs. (1295 kg), Porsche engineers were able to achieve a power-to-weight ratio of 8.58 lbs. per hp (3.9 kilograms per hp) and with 8.8 lbs per hp (4 kilograms per hp) with the PDK.
More from Less
The greatest savings comes from the use of lightweight components and the omission of certain standard equipment not directly associated with driving performance. In addition to the removal of the A/C and stereo, the driver-focused Cayman R utilizes a sports suspension system that lowers the Cayman R by 20 mm, helping lower center of gravity. Optional on the Cayman S, the Cayman R comes with a standard limited slip differential, front and rear spoilers from the Cayman Aerokit and special lightweight 19-inch wheels also found on the Boxster Spyder.
Lightweight aluminum door skins, carbon-fiber backed sport bucket seats and interior door panels from the 911 GT3 RS also contribute to the weight reduction. Black-framed halogen headlights, contrasting side mirrors and decorative "PORSCHE" side-stripes add to the unique appearance.
The 2012 Cayman R goes on sale in February 2011 and U.S. base pricing is $66,300.
Quick Specs:
- Horizontally opposed 6-Cylinder, Mid-Engine
- Displacement â€" 3.4 Liters
- Bore â€" 97 mm (3.8 in.)
- Stroke â€" 77.5 mm (3.05 in.)
- Horsepower â€" 330 @ rpm â€" 7400
- Torque - 273 lb-ft @ rpm â€" 4750
- Compression ratio â€" 12.5: 1
- Fuel tank capacity â€" 14.3 Gallons
- 0-60 (manual: PDK w/Sport Chrono PDK) â€" 4.7 seconds /4.4 seconds
- Top track speed manual (PDK) â€" 175 mph (174 mph)
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