The Porsche Cayman
Posted by in Porsche on June 30, 2011
To many sports-car enthusiasts, the Porsche Cayman has been viewed as a mid-market, version of the Boxster. Yet upon closer inspection, the Porsche Cayman is clearly a “real driver’s” car that has exceeded the expectations of many who thought it was simply a “stop gap” for those who couldn’t afford the 911.
For those of you who are looking for a cheaper alternative to the Carrera, the Cayman is a smart place to begin. Offering you upgraded engine performance over the Boxster, the Cayman’s all-round driveability simply cannot be beaten.
It has even been claimed that the Porsche Cayman “S” version actually outweighs the base model Carrera 3.6 in all areas!
The Cayman was born
To some, the Cayman is simply a Porsche Boxster with a slightly more convenient hard-top. This is simply not the case.
Although the Porsche Cayman shares the same mid-engine arrangement as the Gen 2 Boxter, in 2006 the engine head was replaced with the 3.6 litre head from the Carrera, allowing the use of the Vario-Cam system, also seen in the 911. The engine itself has had an upgrade from a 3.2 litre, to a new, more powerful version displaced at 3.4 litres.
On first glance.
The body of the Cayman is very similar to the Boxster, with an obvious difference being the hard-top roof. The Cayman also borrowed body parts such as the doors, fenders and trunk lid from the Boxster. The dash is also identical. But as the saying goes, “never judge a book by its cover”, this could not be more applicable when talking about the Porsche Cayman.
Let’s take a look at the set-up.
With the Cayman now having a hard-top roof, this gave the engineers the option to stiffen the suspension system for better road handling. With that in mind, the engine now boasts another 15 more horsepower than the Boxster S, with the manual version giving speeds of 0-62 in just 5.4 seconds. These factors have greatly increased the overall performance of the Cayman that has an engine output of 295 horsepower, with torque reaching 251lb at 6,250 rpm. With the Boxster reaching a top speed of 167mph, the Cayman takes you to its limit at 171mph.
Another feature that makes the Cayman a huge improvement over the Boxster is its rigidity. Lower springs and strut-stop springs, coupled with larger roll bars gives an overall rigidity increase of 150% over the Boxster S. The Cayman also comes with an active spoiler for extra-down force. This spoiler will activate at speeds of 75 miles and over.
Cayman sales
In the first year of production, Cayman sales actually accounted for 40-50% percent of all of Porches sales, showing the Cayman to be a clear success.
Something extra?
The Cayman offers a huge range of options for your car. Starting with up-grades, you can find yourself spending extra money on things such as sport seats or rear-parking sensors. Read the rest of this entry »
Porsche 918 Spyder
Posted by in Porsche on June 30, 2011
The new Porsche 918 Spyder concept synthesizes racing abilities and electric mobility, offering an amazing suite of qualities: emission levels of about 70g CO2 per kilometer, when utilizing an average of 3 liters/100 kilometers. Its fuel consumption is about 78 mpg. Also, weighing only 3,285 (1,490 kg), the prototype offers supercar performances such as: accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3,2 seconds and a maximum speed of 62 mph (320 km/h). More than that, it scored a less than 7:30 minutes record on the Nurburgring track, outranking the Porsche Carrera GT – the pinnacle of the German company’s series.
Porsche 918 is one of the three hybrid propulsion models which have been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. This trio of the new Cayenne S Hybrid, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the 918 Spyder Hybrid concept, demonstrates not just the qualities of this new technology, but also Porsche’s innovative power, as a pioneering force in hybrid propulsion systems.
The new two-seated 918 Spyder model consists of a hybrid plug-in system, with a V8 engine that operates with the aid of air-cooled lithium-ion batteries, generating over 500 hp, at a maximum of 9,200 rpm, and 2 electric motors, placed on the two axes, with a maximum power of 218 hp (160 kW). The V8 engine is a version of the 3,4 liter one which is included in the RS Spyder racecars. Batteries also recharge while braking, using KERS, and while coasting. Chassis materials include carbon fiber reinforced plastic and magnesium and aluminium for a lower weight.
In the electric mode, 918 Spyder is capable of driving on a 25 km track. In hybrid mode, the car uses both the electrical engines and the fuel engine, depending on driving conditions, offering both great efficiency and dynamic ultra-performances. When you are in Sport Hybrid Mode, the car uses both propulsion systems, but tends to improve performance. Most of the generated power is directed to the back wheels. When in Race Hybrid Mode, systems are focused solely on pure performance, at the highest standard of track racing, pushing the engines to their limit.
In the centre console is a touch-sensitive control unit, which gives you intuitive control and enhances the direct operation of the car. Essential control units are located on the multifunction steering wheel. Other units that serve to customize your driving mode are illuminated and mapped such that the driver can call up various functions, such as the E-boosting button, when overtaking.
Many more innovative functions, like the Range Manager, activated on the center display, estimates your remaining range that you can cover with the remaining power, keeping you on an intuitive control of the choice of power or performance. If there are environmental alerts in cities, the Range Manager helps you estimate whether you can continue on electric power to reach your destination. Read the rest of this entry »