June 08, 2005
"The way of the future, the way of the future..."
Porsche's new Cayman S!
I'll admit here and now that one eye has always wandered towards Stuttgart.
I think that rear engined Porsche's, whilst beautiful, are crippled by nostalgia. Being a BMW nut, I'll be the first to admit that this too is true of the BMW motorcycle boxer engines. They both exist because they always have...NOT because the design is beneficial. Mid-engine on the other hand :-)....
I don't think that anyone has been looking forward to a hard-topped Boxster S as much as I have. I began drooling at the prospect in 1993, when the Boxster prototype (http://grr.xoc.net/boxster/articles/prototype.asp) began making its rounds. By the time of the faux-550's launch it was evident that a hardtop (though rumored) was not going to be available anytime soon.
Alas, enjoying the occasional lap (or dozen) around a racetrack, the Boxster and I were never destined to be more than acquaintances passing in the garage(s).
A few long years passed between the Boxster's launch and now; with each I had a slightly faster and more enjoyable BMW. They're fun, and I LOVE them. I deeply enjoy passing GT3s in my M3, cozy in the knowledge that I've saved a cool $100K. The combination of performance, style and quality...all wrapped-up in the added benefit of vehicular depreciation has been and will continue to be a real treat for me.
There are a couple of things that bother me though...and they both pertain to the future.
I love the current E46 M3; I can't imagine a cooler car for the price. At $7K LESS than the new Cayman S, it offers 38HP more; seating for 4 friends (and all of their luggage); and class-leading braking and handling. I've never been able to drive so quickly, and so easily as I have in the M3. I was introduced to the E46 on the Nurburgring, and for that alone, it will always have a warm place in my heart.
So...what's the problem? Well, that was 2001-2005...it ends this year. After a brief hiatus, 2007 will bring another, faster M3 with a 400HP V8....at a price far closer to 60K than 50K (maybe higher...eek).
That next car will do some amazing things, no doubt - BUT - it will be heavier than the E46's 3,600 lbs. (the Cayman tips the scales at a svelte 2,900), and it will be "restyled". I don't hate the new 3, in-fact I imagine I'll grow to love it (Ken has an '06 330i on order)...but even if it is "a lot better looking in-person" (which I don't doubt)...it isn't the current body style (and who DOESN'T love that!?).
I'm not the kind of guy that buys a new car; doing so would be wrapping my arms around two of my (many) pet peeves: buyer's remorse and the practice of separating myself unnecessarily from a large chunk of change. I'd rather capitalize on that depreciation and buy my dream car half off, a few years down the line.
Do you see the problem now?
It's a few years down the road...it's time for a new (to me) car; I want something I can drive on the track; something faster than what I have...and something that I've been drooling over. I dearly hope that Bavaria brings us an M2....but until then, Craigslist circa '09, here I come!
Get your drool on:
http://www2.us.porsche.com/cayman/pcna.asp?
295HP!
Mid-engine!
4 seconds faster around the ring than a (much more powerful) Carerra!
-Bryan
Posted by bhughes at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)