So we got a 2012 Porsche Cayman R

The Porsche Cayman R does not need to exist. It is merely a stripped-down Cayman S with 10 extra horses and tighter suspension. Maybe we need to correct ourselves — the Cayman R does not need to exist as a car that the general public can buy. What Porsche should do is slap on some stickers and sell it only as a professional track race-car.

Weight-saving concessions are extensive. The shade over the gauges was removed, the inner door handles were replaced with cloth straps, the rear spoiler is now a fixed piece, and we assume a lot of sound-deadening materials were removed, considering how noisy the cabin was. Even the a/c is optional, although our car had it. And our car also had options like a touchscreen computer, Bose surround sound and turning HID headlights. We’re wondering if all the lost weight was simply added back with the optional extras.

It is rather exciting to “figure out” what a Cayman R can do. Our test car already had more than 10,000 km on the clock, so the rear tyres were expectedly not at their best. This meant we were drifting around roundabouts when we were simply expecting grip and understeer. It was a testament to how Porsche had tuned the car — to be the ideal car for the best of drivers. Considering we’re not drift pros, we were surprised at how easily we were able to bring it back in line. The balance of this car is phenomenal.

This was the first time we’d taken home a mid-engined sports car. The way these uncompromising machines behave has been a revelation. More in the full review.