2020 Porsche Cayman S: Owner review

At six, I could name the makes of most cars on Australian roads. By eight, after a brief UK holiday, I added Austins, Fiats, Rovers, and Vauxhalls to the repertoire. Cars, it turns out, were never a phase. 

My first new car was a Mk IV Golf, an understated and refined machine I regret selling. It was followed by a Mercedes GLC, a flawed SUV built from cheese, plus a forgettable Ford Focus and a boring but spacious Passat wagon. A tuned 3.0-litre supercharged Audi was enormous fun, blunt, beautiful and fast, but nothing prepared me for the Cayman. 

A friend brought home a near-new Cayman GTS and curiosity got the better of me. With the motoring press waxing lyrical, I headed out in search of sweeping bends and twisty sections, my confidence growing as the kilometres passed. After multiple test drives, I settled on the unjustly criticised 2.5-litre turbo flat-four over the more expensive 4.0-litre six. 

The purchase required some domestic persuasion. 

Convincing the Director of Finance at home that spending six figures on a two-seater was “reasonable” bordered on criminal. A brief flirtatious sanity check in a Lotus Emira followed, before I selected a Midnight Blue Cayman S with most boxes ticked: mechanical diff, Sport Chrono, sports exhaust, and active suspension. 

Inside, the upgraded cabin impresses. A leather-dashed interior, fully trimmed doors, partial cloth seats paired with leather, and subtle wood accents create a space that feels special yet understated. 

CarPlay is standard, though an adapter quickly enables wireless Android Auto. Controls are intuitive and refreshingly analogue. 

Cabin width is tight and storage limited, but the firm, supportive, if slightly absurd, 18-way seats shine, and the frunk plus rear boot offer enough practicality to get by. 

How does it drive? To my wife, hard, mechanical, noisy. To me, loudish, never yobbo. 

It’s flat and capable through bends in ways 95 per cent of cars simply aren’t. You place it precisely, lean on it, and trust it not to bite. 

Steering feel and braking are outstanding. I recently drove a Ferrari California T and would choose the Cayman every time, particularly for ride control. Much has been written about the loss of the flat-six, despite its return in the GTS. 

Critics cite the 2.5’s lack of emotional appeal, but remove the faux Soundaktor fuse and pair it with the sports exhaust and the engine acquits itself well. The 4.0 sounds glorious only when wrung out, which is doable on-track. The 2.5’s variable-vane turbo delivers huge mid-range punch with minimal lag, making it more usable and, frankly, more fun on real roads at legal pace. 

Downsides are few. 

There is noticeable road noise, and a disappointing Bose stereo. 

Servicing – about $700 for a minor service, with warranties extendable to 15 years. Tyres are consumable items, and full paint protection film is essential as any loose stone will find its mark. 

It's an astonishingly capable weekender, dynamically superior to almost anything else. I’m completely smitten, though ticking the right options is key to the best experience.

Owner: Geoff

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