Ordinarily I don鈥檛 think of myself as being a particularly unique individual. In fact, I consider my personality to be rather reserved - loitering in the shadows more or less. Purchasing a Cayman (my first Porsche), was certainly a departure from this trait. I鈥檝e learned to accept the attention that comes with buying any Porsche product. Two years ago, I traded my 2009 Cayman for a 2016 Macan S, and just last month I flipped the Macan for another Cayman (of the 718 variety). I really liked the Macan, but I guess you could say I missed driving my Cayman. So now when I tell you that I am a unique Porsche owner, I do so from two perspectives. The first is that the Cayman and Macan are on the lower-end of the Porsche pricing strategy - the gateway drug if you will. And I didn鈥檛 load them up with many extras, as the manufacturer from Stuttgart would encourage. Actually, my first Cayman was as entry level as they come - not a single option.
Secondly, I might be one of the few Porsche owners to have purchased the original, and then a subsequent model - the second and fourth generation Cayman. Though the Boxster had already been around for ten years, the Cayman and Boxster models have been gradually aligning with successive releases. And while each generation has improved on paper at least, Porsche appeals to the soul - and many might have felt that the more recent changes did not fit the classic Porsche persona. The original tailoring of the Boxster (and then the Cayman) borrowed from the influences of its firmly established older sibling, the 911. But the more recent models have developed cleaner lines with a styling that is now entirely their own. This is refreshingly appealing to me, but not necessarily to a classic Porsche enthusiast. And as much as I appreciated the silhouette of the original Cayman, there is something completely unique about the 718 that is hard to put into words.
While the mid-engine design is the foundation of its soul, side-by-side these two generations couldn鈥檛 be more different - though there is undoubtedly a family resemblance. My first Cayman was always a daily driver and with a little over 75,000 miles on the odometer, being well out of warrantee was making me anxious. The Macan had been out for a year at this point, and confident handling combined with the lightning-quick shifts from the PDK gearbox eased my transition. If I鈥檓 honest however, I always thought I鈥檇 get into another Cayman. But when the news came from Stuttgart that Porsche engineers were sharpening their pens with a modernized bevel, I agonized over the rumors. And as the reports became reality, I admit I was somewhat disenchanted. Then Porsche confirmed that the latest generation Cayman and Boxster lineup would share the 718 moniker, and also be powered by a four-cylinder turbo.
As much as I liked the original styling, I was completely captivated by the glorious flat-six that powered it. So to me ,and to many others, this was not pleasant news. I think it was then that I stopped reading the press and decided to appreciate the brilliance of my Macan S - a truly inspirational, fun and satisfying sports car with a cavernous hatch. I told anyone who鈥檇 listen that next to my Cayman, it was the best handling car I鈥檝e ever owned. And I wasn鈥檛 lying. But then last fall I brought my Macan into the dealership for scheduled service and was poking around the showroom as I always do. I鈥檓 not a convertible guy by nature, but when I saw the 718 Boxster from the corner of my eye, I admit to falling immediately for the stimulating profile. I was mesmerized by the clean lines, aggressive attitude and intimately compelling appeal. It was unmistakably Porsche, but also appeared totally original. My eyes traveled over the tightened haunches and then around to the sharply sculpted rear wing. This was a truly unique design.
No comments:
Post a Comment