Introducing the 2012 Porsche Cayman R | @FlatSixes

If anyone had doubts about how successful the Boxster Spyder campaign is, then worry no more. According to Porsche, the new Spyder accounts for more than 1/3 of all new Boxster sales. Now, in an effort to capitalize on that success, Porsche plans to unveil a coupe version of the Spyder and call it the Cayman R.

Touted as a "purists" version of the Cayman S, the recipe for the Cayman R has very similar ingredients as the Spyder. Start with a Cayman S, shave weight, lower the suspension, add power, clad it with an appearance package including 19" wheels and a dash of alcantara and carbon fiber, remove the A/C and Radio (which you can pay to get back as options), even the much maligned fabric door pulls are back.

First pictures of the 2011 Porsche Cayman R

Watch the Introduction Live Online

Recognizing the importance of new media and social networking (after-all, the Porsche Facebook fan page reached 1,000,000 fans yesterday) Porsche plans to live stream the introduction at 10:55 am PST or 1:55 EST. If for any reason the link above doesn't work, simply type the following into your browser to watch. Pricing and delivery dates are TBD and will most likely be announced at today's premier. The full press release and additional pictures are below. Enjoy! http://www.porsche.com/cayman-r-live

The Porsche alphabet reserves the letter R for very special sports cars: R for responsive and refined – but most especially for racy. The new Cayman R combines all these attributes without compromise. 55 kilograms (121 lb) lighter and with ten horsepower more than the Cayman S, the new mid-engine coupe from Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is designed for spectacular road behavior. With its specially adapted sports chassis, it provides an even more precise driving experience than the Cayman S. The Cayman R makes its world debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The new mid-engine coupé is powered by a tuned-up 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine developing 330 hp (243 kW). In the standard configuration it transmits its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox that propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds. Or there is the option of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) that reduces its acceleration time to 4.9 seconds. For even more impressive sprinting performance, the Cayman R can be supplied with one of the optional Sport Chrono packages, taking it to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds. The new mid-engine coupe is capable of a top speed of 282 km/h (175 mph) with manual gearbox, or 280 km/h (174 mph) with PDK. Its NEDC fuel consumption is 9.7 l/100 km (29.12 mpg imp.) with six-speed gearbox and 9.3 l/100 km (30.37 mpg imp.) with PDK. The main aim during the design of the Cayman R was to improve the two-seater even further in its performance, driving dynamics and agility through consistent weight reduction. With a DIN unladen weight of just 1,295 kilograms (2855 lb) the Porsche engineers were able to reduce the power-to-weight ratio of the coupe with standard manual gearbox to 3.9 kilograms (8.6 lb) per horsepower, with the PDK version weighing 4.0 kilograms (8.8 lb) per horsepower. The largest savings were achieved through the use of lightweight components and doing without convenience equipment. As for the 911 GT3/GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder, an optional lithium-ion lightweight construction battery is also available. In addition, the top model in the mid-engine coupe is equipped with the lightest 19 inch wheels the entire Porsche range can offer. The complete rim set weighs less than 40 kilograms.

The Cayman R's purpose and purist character can be seen at first glance. The extended silhouette of the bodywork, which has been lowered by 20 millimeters (0.79 in) compared to the Cayman S, combined with the distinctive fixed rear spoiler, the high-quality silver-painted wheels and numerous sporting highlights on both the interior and exterior, ensures an individual appearance. The black-framed headlights, black exterior mirrors and the "PORSCHE" lettering on the side – in contrasting black or silver, depending on the body colour – take design cues from classic Porsche racing cars.

Precisely this lettering was the trademark of the first Porsche with the "R" designation, the 911 R of 1967. It was created for racing sport use in a small series of 19 cars. The "R" was a prototype based on the standard coupé with a 210 horsepower Carrera 6 engine and, thanks to its many plastic components and extremely sparse equipment, weighed only 830 kilograms (1830 lb).

The new Porsche Cayman R will go on sale from February 2011. The price in Germany will be EUR 69,830 inclusive of 19 percent VAT and country-specific equipment items. Go to www.porsche.com/cayman-r-live to listen to the Porsche press conference broadcast live from the Los Angeles Auto Show starting 7:55 p.m. German Time.

[Source: PCNA]