In praise of the Cayman S

Flashiest, quickest, most capable, roomiest, loudest, most comfortable, or wildest don't define the role the Cayman S plays in Porsche's line-up, but it does at least hold one title: It's the one P-car I'd want to live with day in and day out. Hell, the Cayman S not only isn't quick by Porsche standards, it isn't quick by universal performance-car measurements. Every AMG Mercedes this side of the nonsensical G55 will hit 60 mph in less time than the Cayman. If that bothers you, you're missing the point.

The Cayman's power comes from the way its four McPherson struts and center-mounted engine deliver the kind of balance and communication that can make even a McDonald's Drive-Thru feel like a short, slow version of Road America's turn 9/10 carousel. With the 3.4-liter flat-six working a second job as a 295-hp back massager, the sounds it emits are snarly and mechanical, their intensity peaking as VarioCam Plus adjusts the intake valves and the flow of air speeds up. The whole ordeal is about as visceral as a sports car experience gets without giving up things like the Cayman's day-in, day-out livability (see: Lotus Exige).

Around this time you've probably got Miatas, E30 M3s, or early GTIs running around in your head, and you're thinking that the relatively heavy, 2976-lb Cayman S can't be a true driver's car. It is. Not only does it handle well and spew emotion at any speed, our Cayman S lacked superfluous comforts like iPod adapters, navigation, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and so on. It even has old-school carpet on the door panels, and it's fantastic.

Yet while many aspects of the Cayman seem to date back to decades before the car was even built, I can't help but feel like it's the right car for our modern, efficiency-focused times as well. It doesn't have a ton of gas-sucking power, but it doesn't exactly beg to be abused, either. It's enjoyable at moderate speeds and paces, and it also loves to carry momentum, minimizing braking and subsequent throttle stomps. The manual Cayman S is rated at 18/26 mpg, but my time with the car showed a few relaxed highway runs that sipped a gallon of fuel every 30 miles. A base Cayman could do even better, all while looking more attractive than most Ferraris. The world could use more Caymans, but those Caymans could also use a lower price — $60,000 isn't within the reach of most enthusiasts. However, there's a 2007 model on eBay right now for 40 grand. We're drooling over it.