Rob T

Thanks. I like the black wheels, but they probably aren't quite as necessary to me on yellow as they would be on a white Spyder. I didn't realize that stereo was so cheap...I agree, better to skip it entirely. I'll have to look into the issue of the tips not being black with the sport exhaust.

I'm still not sure exactly what the functionality of the sport chrono even is!

Z356

To confirm, you do lose the Black Tips if you choose the factory Sport Exhaust option on a Cayman R or Spyder. This was clearly demonstrated at the LA Auto Show where the Cayman R had no Sport Exhaust and Black Tips and the Spyder Basalt/Red had Sport Exhaust and Silver/Chrome colored Tips!

The overwhelming opinion on this Sport Exhaust option is very favorable among those who have ordered it. It has an intoxicating sound that perhaps matches or even exceeds the one on the gt3! I asked Michael Hack of Porsche Exclusive in LA why they don't offer the black tips on the Sport Exhaust. He explained to me that this optional exhaust is coated with some special space-age material that gives it greater use & longevity and it is the easiest exhaust to clean in the Porsche line-up. That is why Porsche decided to leave it as is, rather than to paint it black since it would not have adhered for long to that metal's surface. Michael went on to say how proud Porsche Exclusive was of this Sport Exhaust, which is an Exclusive department development and not something design by the production line engineers. He thinks the sound is better than those achieved by the line engineers on, for example, the gt3 because in that case these production people had to anticipate the stricter exhaust sound regulations in jurisdiction like Switzerland and others. Since it is sold as an optional product, not standard, they could make it as loud as they thought their customers (us) wanted it, or could stand it, rather than what the regulators in Bern or elsewhere thought acceptable. Interesting point and one I had not heard before as for the reason for this sport exhaust a Porsche Exclusive product only.

Sport Chrono has been debated in this forum many times. My understanding is that on a non-PDK Porsche, the advantages are limited to removing the soft stop and allowing the rev limiter to go to its red line, to add a more sensitive throttle pedal (less pressure to get desired acceleration) and to allow more latitude in stability and traction control parameters before the computer nannies step in to break up the fun. In the PDK Porsches, Sport Chrono is considered a must since it adds so much more. It makes possible a variety of algorithms in the computer, allowing for launch control, faster shifts and other variations in the transmission which are considered essential to get full benefit of the PDK investment.

The kit sold by Suncoast Porsche in Florida does provide a sport button and the technical functions of Sport Chrono, all without the Time Piece in the dash. However, it is much more expensive than the factory option and you have to add 2/3 hours of expensive dealer labor on top of that. All of this extra expense and extra labor is only so you don't have to see the Time Piece on your dash. It is all personal taste, but I don't mind the 'wart'. It reminds me of the Heuer Rallye watches in my collection that were often seen in 'sporting' 356's in the fifties and sixties. z356

mooty

u seem to opt your car like i do.
you know i have a 2010 RS waiting for you
kidding aside, i HATE cyclops. even if it added 50hp, i would delete it. i can't stop staring at it. if 50hp more, i will only hit the wall that much faster....

the sport exhaust, though totally useless, sounds great. sex without sound is not worth having.... XLF is the same.

short shifter is personal pref. if it cost money, i dont want it.

most of the options available are useless anyways.

engine wise, it's not how many hp, it's what engine it has.

and really, just drop 150lbs more and improve suspension, say ohlin, jrz, moton, kw....

Rob T

z356- thanks for another informative post.

TRAKCAR

Pick color, send check.
You'll figure out the rest later once you have the car. Better aftermarked stuff cheaper then OEM upgrades.

PogueMoHone

^
Bingo!

Given the potential uses of the car combined with its considerable capabilities.

Everybody wins.

ir_fuel

Yes but you and I are not your average Porsche buyer. 95% of Porsche buyers will ALWAYS get a 911 because for them it is the only "true" Porsche and a Cayman and Boxster are for people who cannot afford a "real" one (as they say here: "Porsche pour les pauvres").

Polarporsche

Not always the case, some of us 911 owners have both and sing the praises of our Caymans & Boxster's. The 978 platform is one of Porsche's best.

mooty

i am with polar. chassis wise, 986 987 (what is 978? my typo must be contagious) may indeed be better than 996 997. i spoke to quite a few ALMS pro's who would take the 987 chassis over 997. the only reason i have GT3's is due to the engine and tranny.

TRAKCAR

+1 That and I don't fit in a Cayman....

mooty

no worries.
they are stretching 991, soon they will stretch the cayman, boxster, cayenne and so forth. they are making a limo panagaga for mia's wedding.

NJ-GT

...and power steering pump, brakes, uprights, strut mounts, bushings, reduced sound insulation, downforce, wider wheels/tires, exhaust...

mooty

^ minor details....
heard a 458, sounds good. looks bad.

aussie jimmy

i reckon the tranny in the gt3 is even better than the engine ( which of course, is the best engine in ze world)

Z356

"Porsche’s chief of mid-engined cars, Hans-Jürgen Wöhler, told Autocar that the extreme Porsche Cayman R offers a bigger dynamic advantage over the Cayman S than what the Boxster Spyder has over the Boxster S. Wöhler explained that due to the hard-top body’s rigidity, Porsche was able to push the Cayman’s chassis more than the Boxster’s in this lighter variant. Wöhler said that the two Caymans differ when it comes to the stiffness of the bodyshell of the fixed roof."

"He said that the Cayman R’s chassis can “fulfill 100% of its potential.” On the other hand, the Boxster Spyder can only achieve about 90%. He added that the Cayman R features a special set-up of spring rates [5 to 10% stiffer], shock absorbers and torsion bar that is exclusive to this car. In addition, it is lower by 20mm."

"Set to go on sale this February, the Cayman R is about £5000 more expensive than the Cayman S. Porsche predicts that it will be able to sell one R for every five S variants. However, it believes that the take-up might be higher in the UK."

http://www.4wheelsnews.com/porsche-l...-other-models/

Pay attention to this part. The Cayman R's shock absorbers and torsion bar will be exclusive to this car (the Cayman R), so not the same as those found on the Spyder. The spring rates will probably NOT be exactly like those on the Spyder, although it is not perfectly clear to what model he was comparing them (Cayman S or Spyder?) when Wöhler said they would be 5 to 10% stiffer on the Cayman R. The 20mm lower height is the same as for the Spyder.

The statement that the Cayman R "fullfill 100% of its potential" for this chassis vs 90% for the Spyder is a subjective evaluation. But since those words are coming from the engineer in charge of chassis development for the 987 platform, it speaks volumes about what Porsche expects from the Cayman R, especially in comparison to the already much praised & heralded Spyder. The latter is considered by the motoring press as one of the best handling cars in the world! For those naysayers of the just announced Cayman R who believed this was only a cosmetic exercise from the parts bin, please wait until the track & driving test results come in before you write off this model. It may indeed surprise us all. z356