Dan Prosser might be one of the best spoken and most technically savvy journalists in the biz, and he can drive as well as any of them. He doesn’t begin this particular video with a very intriguing premise, however, since we can easily surmise the 992 Carrera is the better everyday car, and the Cayman GT4 is a wildchild for the weekend. When the two are priced so similarly, we need to do some real thinking about which is the better buy.
Of course, the Cayman is the machine which involves—and as a result, demands—more. We could all guess that. Fortunately, Prosser’s feel and technical expertise helps shed some light on a surprising aspect of the Cayman which might sway someone deciding between the two. For something sporting a GT badge and that purposeful bodywork, it’s sweet; the Cayman won’t snot out of its driver on bumpy backroads.
In a depressing English downpour, the GT4’s Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires fare well, though they might not be in their ideal element. The suppleness of the chassis, the directness of the steering, and the linear power delivery make it a wieldable machine in inclement weather. Many might think pushing a GT4 in the rain would mean a trip into a ditch, but the car is surprisingly well-mannered.
The Cayman’s focused character is tempered with enough civility to be a good all-rounder.
So is the 992. With its opulent, spacious, supremely civilized interior, it is able to blend everyday driving and spirited driving a bit better than its slimmer, adrenaline-addled sibling, but it’s no pudgy cruiser. It’s very quick, great over bad roads, and because of its slightly less focused character, it’s a “more natural, more intuitive sports car [than the Carrera S].” A benign character is a good thing for an everyday driver, but is that what drives people to buy a sporty Porsche?
There’s no denying the Carrera’s distinguished presence.
Ultimately, these two are still sports cars, and should be judged as such. You have to ask why one would buy a sports car if it weren’t stimulating, especially if it can manage the mundane driving reasonably well. The Cayman’s sharper edges make driving it that much more of an event, and yet, it’s not so harsh that it can’t handle everyday driving. If it were my money, I’d put it on the screaming yellow thing—but maybe I’d paint it a quieter shade of green.
Though Prosser’s impressed with the Carrera’s competence, it’s in the Cayman he grins more.
