Published:
5 June 2013Porsche’s interior architecture may have become rather familiar over the past 18 months (the Porsche 718 Cayman’s is carried over from the year-old, third-generation Boxster), but that detracts not one iota from its lasting appeal.
Practically everything one could ask of a dedicated sports car – ergonomic excellence, clarity of purpose, stylish athleticism – is present in spades, and buttressed by a standard of build quality normally found far north of the Cayman’s asking price.
The car’s greater size has improved the sense of space. Somehow you can breathe more freely in the new Cayman, sit further back from the controls and feel less confined, but the overall compact feel of the car around you remains undiminished. The seats are comfortable, and the backrests adjust electrically.
The driver’s attention is focused forwards, with the central, oversized revcounter visually prioritised as the instrument most worthy of your attention. To the right of that is the 4.6in VGA screen that masquerades as a dial, which displays trip functions or, better still, sat-nav directions if the optional Porsche Communication Management system has been added.
Look left and the standard 7in touchscreen dominates. It’s now mounted higher up, leaving space for small but haptically pleasing buttons beneath for heater functions and menu shortcut, but none of this detracts from the business at hand. The elevated centre console puts the gearstick at elbow height, next to buttons for dynamic functions.
