Porsche Cayman 987 – The Story
How do you make the Porsche Boxster better? You make it a coupe.
Porsche Cayman (987)
The Ultimate Model Guide
2nd Generation Porsche Cayman (2007 - 2012)
The Story / Timeline / Model Guides / Performance & Specs / Data & Research / Pictures & Videos / News & Updates
The Cayman S was first unveiled in 2005 and went on sale in late 2005 as a 2006 model year car. A year later, the base Cayman showed up as a 2007 model year car. Both the Cayman and second generation Boxster roadster shared their mid-engine platform and many components. The two cars share the same chassis, with the same wheelbase, width and tracks. Although the sheet metal is different, they share windscreen, doors, cabin and 40 percent of the other components, while the remaining components either come from 911 or are adapted from both cars. The suspension design is fundamentally the same as that of the Boxster with revised settings due to the stiffer chassis with the car's fixed roof. They were also assembled at the same place, Finland, by Valmet. Of course, the Cayman got a fixed roof which increased torsional rigidity by an astonishing 150 percent and lowers drag coefficient from the roadster's 0.30 to 0.29.
The Cayman S was powered by a 3.4-litre flat-six mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle, a 2.7-litre engine with a 5-speed transmission was standard for the base model. An electronically controlled 5-speed automatic (Tiptronic) was also available on the S and base models. The Boxster and Boxster S models received a facelift in 2008. Changes included an increase in engine displacement to 2.9-litre for the Boxster, incorporation of Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) for the Boxster S. Both models now came standard with a new 6-speed manual gearbox and were available with a 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual clutch gearbox. Cosmetic changes included new head and tail lights, larger front air intakes with incorporated day time running lights, and an altered lower rear end flanked by twin diffusers.
A facelift of the Porsche Cayman followed in February 2009. As with the Boxster, the base Cayman's engine displacement was increased to 2.9-litre while the Cayman S gained direct injection. Both the Cayman and Cayman S maintained a 7 kW (10 PS; 9 hp) power advantage over their roadster sibling, the Boxster. A limited slip differential was now a factory option.
Note: We haven't lost our minds. We are classifying the first generation Cayman as the second generation Cayman on this website. The reason is simple. The Cayman (project 987C) and the second generation Boxster roadster (project 987) shared the same mid-engine platform and many components. Since both the Boxster and Cayman have stated in lockstep since, it made sense to to align generation for the purposes of research. You will see the first generation Cayman referred to as the second generation Cayman throughout this site. It keeps things much neater in following generations.
987 Porsche Cayman Basics
Type: 987C (987.1, 987.2) / Generation: First Generation / Manufacturer: Porsche AG / Production Years: 2006 - 2012 / Model Years: 2006 - 2012 / Body Style: 2-Door Coupe / Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive / Engines: 2.7 L M96.25 / M97.20 flat-6 (2005–2008), 2.9 L M96.26/MA1.20 flat-6 (2009–2012), 3.2 L M96.26 flat-6 (2005–2006), 3.4 L M97.21/M97.22/MA1.21/MA1.22 flat-6 (2007–2012) / Transmission: 5-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 7-speed PDK / Official photos: 2005 May 23 / Premiere: 2005 September 14, IAA Frankfurt motor show press day / Market launch: 2005 November 26
The First Porsche Cayman - The Story
Porsche had teased fans with the prospect of a coupe version of the Boxster roadster so it was no surprise when we first saw the Cayman S in 2005, created on the new 987 Boxster platform. With a new body shell that included a fixed hard top and that amazing Boxster chassis as a base, the Cayman was epic from day one.
Porsche Cayman 987 Timelines & Details
This graphic breaks out the first generation Porsche Cayman (built on the second generation Boxster platform) in terms of timelines and how to tell all the models apart. After two years of development, the first model of the fastback coupé to be released was the Cayman S (987.1 or 987C). The base Cayman came a year later as a 2007 model year car. A revised version of the Porsche Cayman 987 was introduced on 21 February 2009, with a totally new engine (MA1.20/MA1.21). There were several special editions cars, most exciting of which was the Cayman R.
Porsche 987 Cayman Model Guides (2006 - 2012)
The Cayman S was the first production Cayman model to be released to the public as a 2006 model year offering. It got a 3.4 liter flat six with the heads from the Carrera and the camshafts from the Carrera S. It was good for 295 horsepower and 251 ft-lb's. of torque. The Cayman S absolutely mesmerized automotive journalists and owners and a year later, Porsche gave us the base Cayman. The 2007 Cayman delivered most of the Cayman S experience at a substantially lower cost. The chassis and body are nearly identical, with the primary differences being in the power train, brakes, wheels and some minor cosmetic elements. The engine in the Cayman was the M97.20, essentially a mini version of the 3.4L M97.21 that's in the Cayman S. It had a 2.7 liter displacement and generated 245 horsepower and 201 ft-lbs. of torque. As expected, there were very few changes to the Cayman S in 2007 and 2008, with some mainly cosmetic changes and additional options. Although the Cayman S had only been in the market for three years, and the Cayman only two years, Porsche was delivering a facelift and introduced a number of new technologies. Cosmetically, the 2009 Cayman and Cayman S received some minor but noticeable changes. The body shell and shape remained the same, but the front and rear bumper covers were updated. The engines in the 2009 Caymans are all new, a move to the 9A1 which was more advanced. The Cayman engine gets a 200 cm³ boost in displacement bringing total displacement to 2.9 liters producing 265 bhp, a gain of 20 horsepower over the outgoing 2.7 liter. The new Cayman S engine doesn't gain any displacement, but thanks to the fewer moving parts and the introduction of Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), this engine produces a hefty 25 more horsepower than the M97.21.
Porsche Cayman 987 Special Models
In the middle of 2008, Porsche introduced its first 987 Cayman limited edition car, the Design Edition 1. The Design Edition 1 was a Cayman S packaged with many exclusive cosmetic options intended to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Porsche Design. In late 2008, Porsche introduced the limited edition Cayman S Sport. The Sport was a Cayman S packaged with many sport options to create an edgy/sporty Cayman S. Beyond sport options, the Cayman S Sport received new DME software maps created to work with the Porsche Sport Exhaust and a unique Twin Chamber Dual Output Tailpipe that supply the Cayman S Sport with 303 horsepower at 6,250 RPM. The Cayman R was the highlight of the special edition 987 Cayman models. This model had been long awaited and highly anticipated. It is arguably one of the best driving Porsche cars ever made. It was all about reducing weight while adding performance where possible, In all, Porsche cut 121 lbs. (55 kg) in weight and was also given more performance by adding power, suspension tuning and other performance upgrades that do not require weight be added back to the vehicle. The Cayman R engine delivers 330 brake horsepower at 7,400 RPM, 10 horsepower more than the 2010 Cayman S. Add some tuned suspension and stiffer springs and dampers and the R was an absolute revelation to drive. With a base price of $66,300 it was also a relative bargain. The final special edition of the 987 Cayman era was the Limited Edition Cayman S Black which was combined many of the high performance benefits found only in the 2012 Cayman R with many other desirable options off the list. After the R hit the scene, many potential buyers complained of the inability to order one with many of the highly desirable street options, particularly PASM. Well the Cayman S Black Edition provided a canvas on which one can build a Cayman with the 330 BHP engine found in the R but without all of the other performance focus. Where the Cayman R is built to be the master of performance, the Cayman S Black is built to be the master of touring.
Porsche Cayman 987 Specs & Performance Summary
Not surprisingly, the 987 Cayman range had almost the same specifications and performance numbers as its sibling 987 Boxster. In many ways these numbers are deceiving, because for most people who drove both cars back to back, the Cayman was clearly the more impressive machine.
Porsche Cayman 987 Technical Specs
Forget the summary, here is every 987 Cayman broken out by model year and variant and the technical specifications for each one. Car data nerds, let us unite.
Porsche Cayman 987 (2006 - 2012) Data & Research
We dig into some of the data surrounding the 987 generation Porsche Cayman, including production numbers, specifications, chassis numbers, engine numbers, transmission codes, sales brochures and much more.
Porsche 987 Cayman Pictures, Galleries & Videos
The first Cayman was created on the 987 Boxster platform so expectations were high when people started to review the Cayman. They were not disappointed because the Cayman was amazing. It was faster, tighter and more versatile than the Boxtser, a true drivers car in every way. Watch our curated Cayman 987 videos and galleries. We have everything from the early reviews to in-depth comparisons and journalists spanking the Cayman R around a circuit. A great way to spend a few hours.
Porsche Cayman News & Updates
Recent auctions, awesome review videos, new model announcements and all the latest news and posts regarding anything to do with the Porsche Cayman.
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