LA MOTOR SHOW: Porsche premieres new Cayman

Porsche has staged the global debut of its longer, lower, lighter, faster and more efficient new Cayman coupe at the Los Angeles motor show overnight.

First deliveries are due in Australia in late April and Porsche has resisted its traditionally large price increases by announcing a base price of $115,500 plus on-road costs – just $400 more than the last Cayman and $8500 more than the Boxster – and a $150,400 pricetag for the new Cayman S, making it $2900 pricier than before.

The second-generation Cayman is based on the same platform as the this year’s third-generation Boxster – a mid-engined derivation of the latest 991’s new steel/alloy rear-wheel drive architecture – and is powered by the same flat-six boxer engines as its roadster stablemate.

That means the new compact two-seater coupe rides on a significantly longer wheelbase, wider wheel tracks and larger wheels (now up to 19-inch), weighs up to 30kg lighter than its equivalent predecessor and consumes up to 15 per cent less fuel than before – despite offering increased performance.

The entry-level Cayman is powered by a 2.7-litre boxer six delivering 202kW (7kW more than the base Boxster) and is claimed to accelerate to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds – in automatic form, with the optional Sport Chrono pack’s launch control function - on its way to a 266km/h top speed.

NEDC fuel consumption is listed at 7.7L/100km with a six-speed manual transmission and 8.2L/100km with a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK auto.

Meantime, the Cayman S ups the ante by a similar degree, via a 3.4-litre engine that produces 239kW (also 7kW more than the Boxster S), accelerates the car to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and a 283km/h top speed, while being able to return 8.0L/100km (8.8L/100km auto).

For the first time, the MkII Cayman also comes with the option of radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and a specially developed Burmester sound system, while another new Cayman option is the keyless Entry & Drive system.

As expected, the new Cayman’s mini-Carrera GT exterior design features a longer silhouette with the windscreen shifted forward and the roof line stretching further back, but new elements include recesses in the doors to feed induction air to the engine via the rear side panels.

Also new is the large, low aluminium rear lid – which houses the thin blade of a rear spoiler that is higher and deploys at a steeper angle than that of the Boxster’s - and the wrap-around rear section.