Cayman conquers all
Some cynics have dismissed it as a Boxster with a helmetBut respected British magazine Autocar has paid Porsche's Cayman S a resounding accolade by naming it king of its inaugural 'B-road Challenge'.
The backroad brawl was fought out by 12 contenders, each rated as a great driver's car by the Autocar road test team. They ranged from a pint-sized hot-hatch to a full-blooded Italian exotic. The battle was waged over 560km of the UK's most challenging tarmac to determine the best weapon for the "great British B-road".
For those who haven't driven in Pommieland, the term 'B-road' refers to backroads that are typically twisty, narrow, and often less than billiard-table smooth.
The contest was a knockout-style event, with cars progressively eliminated once the judges decided they weren't among the class of the field.
The first car to fall was the Citroen C2, which was shown the black flag after 75km. It was followed not long after by the Fiat Punto Sporting, eliminated after 100km. The next casualties were the Mazda6 (114km) and the diesel-powered BMW 330d at 147km.
Eye-wateringly quick it may be, but that didn't prevent the Caterham CSR260 from being cut after 223km, nor the Lamborghini Gallardo, felled after 282km. It was joined less than 2km later by the Renault Megane F1.
Mazda's MX-5 (Wheels magazine's 2005 Car of the Year) lasted 333km, while Audi's potent new RS4 succumbed at the 384km mark. The Ford Focus ST (soon to be launched here as the Focus XR5) went at 473km, while the Lotus Exige S survived a creditable 510km.
That left only the Porsche Cayman S, which -- in the eyes of judges -- completed the course with ease and won the respect of the entire Autocar team.
"The Porsche Cayman S is a worthy winner from a very competitive collection of cars because it covers all the bases, and covers them well," said B-road Challenge organiser Matt Saunders. "It can be a supercar as well as being a competent everyday car -- and that's hugely important."
May not be enough to sway the Cayman knockers, but it seems a pretty compelling endorsement. Let the debate continue…
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