Top Gear 370Z v. Cayman article

alan93rsa

I have owned a 370Z and it is the best bang for the buck in it's price range. I currently have an '09' Cayman S with PDK, PASM and Sport Chrono Plus. Having driven both cars on the track and street I give the nod to the Cayman. At higher limits there is more confidence in the Cayman. With the PDK set to Sport Plus it is an amazing transmission. The 370 6 speed with rev match is a great product but it can't do what the PDK can on track.

You'll be north of $70k by the time you tick off the options on the Cayman, about double the 370Z. So is it worth it? I'd say the average person would say no. But if it doesn't bother you to spend the extra the Cayman is fun both on and off the track with great fit and finish thrown in.

However, you can take a sport/touring 6 speed 370Z toss in $10-15K of the savings and have a rocket with at least $20k left in your pocket. It just gets down to what you value. It's nice to have choices.

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16 Cayman GT4, Carmine Red, Buckets, PCCB etc.

antennahead

Good friend of mine had a Caymen S for a while and it is a great machine. It is nice to have choices

John

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

Pharmacist

sorry but the cayman is hardly a realistic choice. to pay so much money for a car that is only marginally faster than the z is ridiculous. at that price range, there are so many better options on the market. Like an m3 or a used 911 carrera. or even just fork out the extra few thousand and upgrade to a gt-r. and its exterior looks really lame, too conservative, passive and girly.

Brazilbro

antennahead

This is America and you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but that is just what it is...... your opinion. As the original poster said....... it's nice to have choices. Thanks for sharing yours

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

frost

Ridiculous? The people who can afford these cars arent losing sleep about saving a buck.

nicknick

I agree, they are happy to waste their hard earned bucks on a badge.

frost

Which is fine. It's not like I want everyone driving Zs, right? The more options the better.

antennahead

Does it bother you that other people drive a Porsche? I could care less, if they like the car and can afford it more power to them. Really don't see the need to attack them or the car.

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

Pharmacist

Funny because I always thought the boxster and cayman were more of a porsche on a "budget" (budget being a relative term of course) made for those wanna-be porsche owners who cannot afford a 911 carrera. At least that's the impression you get from carrera owners and how they look down on boxster/cayman owners. I strongly doubt anyone who can afford a carrera would downgrade to a cayman/boxster

antennahead

I think that's true of the Boxster, but the Caymen really handles well compared to a stock 911, and Porsche was so concerned about the two being too close, that they detuned the Caymen engine. Of course when you get into GT-3 territory, it's a whole nother ballgame, albeit an expensive one.

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Time is a companion, who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment............ because it will never come again

nicknick

Hang on, a 911 is a flawed design. the cayman is not. the cayman had to be held back so as not to "outperform' the 911. people are buying the 911 based on history and image and the nodding admiration they will get by morons who do not know about the car but the porsche name is enough for them. If porsche put the 911 engine in the cayman it would be lights out for vthe 911 and porsche knows that. cayamn is not really a downgrade that is what illl informed 911 owners would say because their ego can not accept otherwise.

ConchZ2

I agree 100%.....................One can only image if Porsche placed a 3.8 liter twin turbo 500 HP in the Cayman!

It would give the GTR a real challenge!

JonBoy

You didn't see the stats for the 2009 Cayman S with PDK, obviously.

0-60 in 4.1s
1/4 mile in 12.5s @ 110 mph
0.99 lateral gs
60-0 in 104 ft

Those numbers match a 2009 Corvette in a straight line for time though the 1/4 mile trap speed is lower (purely a function of power). The 2009 Cayman S is significantly quicker (when launched) compared to a 370Z. It grips as hard or harder and it brakes better, plus it is better balanced (this goes for all the Caymans, not just the 2009 models).

It's as quick or quicker than the M3 and it's just as quick as a base 911 from a dig and only marginally slower than the 911S (997S) with PDK. Only from roll would you see the M3 and 911 pull away (again, purely a function of power).

I'm not saying it's worth $70K (I wouldn't pay it - I'd buy it used for $20K cheaper in two years) but it's definitely a LOT quicker than a 370Z when it has the PDK transmission.

I also agree that a Nissan GT-R is a huge performance bargain for the price but it's also very expensive to maintain (seen the "required" maintenance costs yet?) and close to $20K more than the Cayman S after it's all said and done.

370Zsteve

I've driven the Cayman S and I agree with everything you say. I also think the Z is a much-better looking car. I find the Cayman's styling to be a bit whacked. For the money, I'd rather have a modded-out Z! Or maybe 2 Z's!

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.