2006 Porsche Cayman S

The first generation Cayman S bridged the gap between the Boxster and 911. Despite sharing the same layout and a portion of the sheet metal of its open-top counterpart, it was much more than just a Boxster Coupe. The chassis of the Cayman was nearly 150 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity, and the suspension was tuned to make the most of the additional stiffness. The 55/45 weight distribution favors the rear ever so slightly, but results in incredibly neutral balance while transitioning through the corners all the way to its limit. The mid-mounted 3.4-liter flat-six received the cylinder heads from the Boxster S but incorporates the Carrera S’s more aggressive camshafts and VarioCam plus system. The resulting 295 horsepower/251 lb-ft of torque lands right between the Boxster S’s 280 hp and the Carrera’s 325 hp. The six-speed manual transmission features a shorter 1st and 2nd gear ratio than in the Boxster, helping the Cayman to reach 60 mph in 4.8 seconds- just 0.3 seconds slower than the 911 Carrera.

Today, the Cayman S represents a tremendous value, delivering everything one would expect from a Porsche. This two-owner example currently shows just 20,201 miles on the odometer. It was tastefully optioned by its original owner, who selected the optional Basalt Black Metallic over Terracotta from the Special Leather list. The Sport Chrono package adds an analog chronometer on the dashboard and a sport button which adjusts the throttle map and decreases the sensitivity of the traction control to allow for a bit more slide when driving at the limit. Automatic climate control and black floor mats with embroidered Porsche lettering round out the interior options, while 19” Carrera Classic wheels with center caps featuring the painted Porsche crest were specified to finish off the exterior.