Porsche 2004 Annual Report Download - page 95

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The Cayman S – A Porsche Sports Car with its own Character
Porsche has now developed a mid-engine sports car, the Cayman S,
that is attractively designed and extremely suitable for day-to-day
driving. Those responsible for its styling have succeeded in bridging
the gap between a clear Porsche family resemblance and the need
to distinguish this model externally from the Boxster and 911. The
designers were clearly inspired by earlier Porsche models, especially
the 904 competition car from the nineteen-sixties. The 904, in its day,
formed a link between the 718 RSK Spyder and the 917, and is even
now considered to be one of the most beautiful racing cars ever built.
The Cayman S has been given a front end with bold air inlets, inte-
grated lights and a windshield with an upper edge 25 millimeters lower
than on the 911. The side outline and downward sloping tail, the long
wheelbase and the large wheel cutouts are styling features that define
this new, individualistic coupe silhouette. The rear view is dominated
by strongly curved rear fenders and the tailgate. An extending rear
wing and the rear panel with its integral exhaust tailpipes recalls air-
craft design and rounds off the dynamic, sporty impression.
Inside the car, the driver and passenger enjoy a sense of space
that owes much to the domed roof. The décor recalls that of the new
Boxster, but differs in a number of prominent details. The trunk
space is divided into two sections: at the rear, there is a volume of
260 liters that is reached through a tailgate that opens to a wide
angle. This trunk section is trimmed to the same high standard as
the occupant area. The exposed suspension strut domes, a cross-
member with stainless steel trim and a service flap trimmed to the
same high quality standard are visual evidence of the car’s excep-
tional technical standards.
The Cayman S is powered by a 3.4-liter, flat-six engine. The maximum
output is 295 bhp, thus placing it midway between the 911 and the
Boxster S. The suspension tuning combines top performance, road-
holding and agility with a high level of ride comfort; its basic concep-
tion has been taken from the Boxster, but it is matched here to the
exceptional torsional and flexural rigidity of the body to yield indivi-
dual, sporty road behavior.
In the aerodynamics area the aim was to put the Cayman S ahead
of its rivals. With this in mind the entire styling, cooling air flows and
add-on components were aerodynamically optimized, and a rear
spoiler with extending wing and a large-area undertray were deve-
loped. The Boxster’s already good drag coefficient has been im-
proved to cD = 0.29, and lift at the front and rear axles reduced by
20 percent. These changes have resulted in outstanding dynamic
driving, performance and fuel consumption values.
Low cost of ownership was also an objective for the Cayman S deve-
lopment engineers. The servicing intervals are 30,000 kilometers;
the alternator, power steering pump and air conditioning are all driven
by a single self-adjusting belt. The ignition system, apart from the
spark plugs, needs no routine maintenance, and neither the timing
chains for the camshafts and intermediate shafts nor the coolant
need to be changed during the car’s entire operating life. Repairs to
minor body damage have been made easier, so that the insurance
classification is more favorable.
New Equipment Items add to Appeal of the Cayenne
In parallel with new sports car development, a number of new equip-
ment items were produced for the Cayenne during the review year.
The panoramic sunroof system, which became available in December
2004, extends over almost the entire roof area, but neither the
Cayenne’s excellent body rigidity nor its suitability for off-road use
is affected.
The roof system has a wide range of electrical adjustments and
consists of a fixed and three movable panels made from gray-tinted,
laminated safety glass. The panoramic sunroof satisfies the wish
expressed by many customers for a bright interior and a roof with
a wide opening area.
Within the Exclusive and Tequipment program, the Cayenne Turbo has
been available with increased power output since December 2004.
With this 500-hp engine and a modified brake system and suspension
settings, this model accelerates to 100 kilometers an hour from a
standstill in 5.3 seconds and has a top speed of 270 km/h – outstand-