SUV’s and Crossovers have usually been promoted by their makers as “lifestyle” vehicles: the preferred choice of those who live active, healthy lives that are so enviable they can’t be contained by a traditional car.
Well, the owner of this Porsche disproves that notion with his refusal to compromise. His “lifestyle” is to drive the car he really wants and make his activities fit it. If they won’t fit in it, then on it works. I was tooling along one day recently when I got passed on the left by this inspirational site.
This 2006 model represents the second year for the Cayman, a hard-roof version of the mid-engine Boxster, which was a roadster-only model since 1996. I’ve never driven either, but I have read the buff books when they rave about the handling virtues of these cars. Some enthusiast magazine editors over the years have rated the Cayman as their top personal choice among attainable sports/performance cars, especially with the earlier naturally aspirated six cylinder models.
These are the only pictures I was able to get. A full CC on an early Cayman has never been done, as far as I can tell, and would be a worthy subject. Maybe I will run into this parked someday!
So, here’s a salute to all those who won’t compromise their automotive choices!
photographed July 10,2019 Houston, TX
Porsche has long been known as the “practical sportscar”, i.e. the one that can be relied on to actually use everyday for most purposes if so desired rather than just as a special occasion or “weekend” car. Kudos to this guy for not just using a pickup or SUV to transport a bicycle to a trailhead or whatever.
The Cayman is an interesting model in that it A) was one of the few cars that was more expensive as a solid roofed version than the convertible that spawned it while other aspects were identical and B) Is universally acknowledged as a true potential threat to the 911’s performance credibility that has consistently been neutered by Porsche by not offering the same engines even though they fit.
Given an equivalent engine, the Cayman could very likely run rings around the equivalent 911 model. And of course there have since been variants that have done so, but generally not of the same generation at least as provided by the factory.
The big appeal to me of the 911 vs the Cayman was the fact of its two(small) rear seats. For someone with little kids they were a boon and made the Cayman a non-starter comparatively, and in fact I’ve never actually driven a Cayman. However, I have driven Boxsters and they are a delight – light, excellent handling, plenty powerful, all with a great howling engine from right behind your shoulder.
I’ve read that. The Cayman could be a great all-out maximum sports car if Porsche let it, but they have to protect the 911 brand.
I have long wanted a Cayman, if I had a larger garage and a larger car budget.
Count me as another fan of the Cayman. I had the opportunity to drive a Boxster a couple of months ago and it was simply splendid: by far the best-handling car I’ve ever driven, with superb steering feel and lightning-quick reflexes. My main qualm with it was the excessive road noise with the top up, something that the coupe’s fixed roof should alleviate to a certain degree. If I had the funds, a first-gen Cayman would be on my short list.
I’ve only met one car that wasn’t able to handle either of my two rear mounted bicycle racks, one being a strap on trunk rack and the other being a 2″ hitch receiver mount: My Fiat 500c Abarth. Being the convertible version, there was no way I could mount the two hatch/trunk edge mounting straps with any degree of confidence to go along with the lower bumper mount straps.
My trunk rack has worked on everything else over the past fifteen years: Pontiac Solstice, Porsche 924S (which was a magnificent grocery/bicycle hauler, I loved that car), Scion xB (which for most of its life had a roof mount bicycle rack permanently mounted).
You need an SUV to complement a physically active life? Mark that up as another example of market bullshit shoveled on the sheep.
I’m always amazed by how creative people can be to haul bikes, in fact I met someone who could carry his e-bike in the back of his Fiat 500e. However, neither our New Beetle (Turbo, with the flip-up spoiler at the top of the rear hatch) nor our Gen2 Prius could handle our trunk lid rack (which we used successfully on our Vanagon and our Corolla wagon, neither of which actually had a trunk). Our current 4wd Tacoma is certainly way overkill, but can haul 5 people and 5 bikes with no rack, over almost any terrain, and does get used that way regularly.
I hate it when poor people pretend to have money. Can’t he just have the bike expressed to where he’s going or buy a new one when he gets there? Next he’ll be offering me Grey Poupon from a jar that’s already been opened.
Did you ever think he was just planning for, oh I don’t know…..when the porch gets sick?
Had it not been for the Texas tag I would have thought this pic was taken in my small part of VA. A local cyclist DDs a yellow Cayman with a roof mount as well only he uses the full tray version. A likable fellow the few times I chatted with him at a trailhead, a low key “live the life you want” personality.
His license plate is DSRT-1ST with the letters E A T in blue vinyl stuck to the left of it on the bumper. Eat dessert first, a positive take on things.
“Dave became quite smug whenever he thought of the money he saved by choosing the most basic roadside assistance plan offered by his dealer.”
HaHa! You win the caption contest so far!
JP, you should be hired as CC’s new PS writer! (I suppose most of you remember Road & Track’s PS page)
Quite the sight on this excellent site!!
I used to transport my Porsche FS mountain bike inside my 996 and 997s by taking out the rear seat back rests and cushions and the front wheel off the bike…. which would fit inside the “frunk” – there is enough height in there to accommodate a 26” wheel.
This became even easier with a cabriolet- drop the top and load it over the side….
Modern 29” wheeled mountain bikes with wide bars and longer travel suspension are getting harder to transport inside cars. We could carry two older 26” bikes (one full suspension) inside our Prius, but our son’s new bike barely fits by itself. By the way, this Cayman is sporting a SeaSucker vacuum rack, supposedly tested to 140 mph. I’ve seen their ads for years but never seen one on a vehicle. Looks nice on a nice car!
Thanks, I was curious.
There seems to be a giant green Texas-sized mosquito on the back of that car!
A decade or so ago, we would put all four mountain bikes in the back of the minivan and go cycling out by the Indiana Dunes, and surrounding trails.
Good times.
‘Things at the bottom of the depreciation curve and that yellow isn’t helping so screw it!
My 2-door VW Golf, though diminutive in size, could carry two bicycles (both wheels removed) and kayak and bicycle gear for two people inside the hatch area, and two kayaks on top, for combined boat/bike trips on local rivers back when I was into that. It enabled me to take long, one-way boat rides using only one vehicle, and to navigate narrow dirt roads and fit the car into small spots near launch and pick-up points.
The idea that large vehicles are necessary, or even advantageous, for active pursuits has never appealed to me. With a little planning and ingenuity, a small car can do what you need it to do, with relatively little fuel, and it also makes it easier for a short person to load and unload roof-mounted objects.
And who needs a pickup if you have a convertible?
Saw this the other day here in Toronto
I believe you are seriously mistaken – what you are seeing is how Texans ride their bikes.
The practical sports car indeed!
These things use monster suction caps to hold onto the car, I had a fellow with a Jaguar XF with one and a bike fitted in for appraisal. The thing had put a huge wobble through the roof, needless to say I found it to be worth half of what the clown wanted so didn’t trade it.
Marked down because – 1 Jaguar, 2 Roof damage.