Cayman S mixes Boxster, Porsche 911 traits

Can a car have a palpable connection to its driver?

If it's the new-for-2006 Porsche Cayman S, it can.

All I had to do was glance at the point on the road where I wanted the Cayman to be, and the car moved there, almost instinctively. Steering responds that quickly.

Just touch the Cayman S brake pedal and braking started. There was no waiting to feel the car slowing until the pedal went closer to the floor.

I simply walked out to the garage and looked down on the Cayman's sleek, 911-styled body to quicken my pulse. This is a handsome two-door auto that looks good even sitting still.

Porsche officials decided some six years ago to create the Cayman S, sort of a hardtop hatchback version of Porsche's least expensive car, the Boxster roadster. Engineers wound up using many Boxster mechanicals and marrying them to a body that looks similar to the pricier and iconic Porsche 911 Carrera.

The result has been a hit: a two-seat Cayman S coupe with starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $59,695.

More than 2,770 Caymans were sold in the United States in the first four months of 2006, when sales began. Indeed, early sales of the Cayman S were outselling the Boxster, which starts at $45,795.

As any Porsche aficionado will attest, there's something unique about driving a Porsche.

The test Cayman S had the ignition key to the left of the steering wheel, instead of on the right where it's found in most other cars. Coming to life, the engine -- a "boxer" six cylinder with pistons horizontally opposed -- has the familiar sound that's found only in a Porsche. It's spirited, eager, yet raspy.

Porsche engineers started with the uplevel engine from the Boxster S and improved on it by expanding the displacement to 3.4 liters from 3.2 liters in the Boxster S. They added the 911 Carrera's cylinder heads and made sure to include Porsche's VarioCam Plus variable valve tuning, resulting in 295 horsepower.

Torque -- that get-up-and-go grunt power -- almost feels like that of a turbo, but without the lag, at 250 foot-pounds of torque at 4,200 rpm.

Factor in that at less than 3,000 pounds, this new Porsche weighs less than either the Boxster S or the 911 Carrera, and enthusiast drivers can start to understand why the Cayman is being viewed as a jewel.

The engine's efficient power moves this compact two-seater with verve. The 0-to-60-mph time for the Cayman S with six-speed manual transmission is 5.1 seconds.

In the tester, the manual transmission moved quickly and accurately through the gears and had short, satisfying throws. Then, there's the Cayman engine's position, right at the driver's back, which results in a nice, sports car weight distribution tilted a bit -- 55 percent -- toward the rear.

There's also the Cayman's rigid structure that affords a firm and stable, but not harshly stiff, ride, and a suspension borrowed from the Boxster is updated with more aggressive tuning of the springs, shock absorbers and stabilizer bars.

Frankly, the test car, with optional 19-inch wheels and tires, felt like it was riding on rails no matter if it was darting out on the highway to pass other cars or galloping through mountain curves.

There was incessant road noise in the Cayman from those big, performance tires. And the engine sounds came on readily. For sporty drivers, the combination is like a symphony, though others might find it all a bit too much.

The interior is compact for two, and I felt a bit confined at my head when I raised the power driver seat to a position that worked well for my short stature.

Passengers need to look carefully for the cupholders. They're slim things folded into the dashboard, just atop the glovebox. Subtle, under-the-armrest storage spots on the doors also are easy to miss.

And, unusually, there are two trunks. The one under the front of the Cayman is identical to that in the Boxster S. But there's also a bit of room in a rectangular area at the back. Total trunk volume is a reported 14.1 cubic feet altogether.

Fuel economy isn't that bad for a sports car, but Porsche calls for 19.6 gallons of pricey premium gasoline to fill up the Cayman S and get optimum performance.

There is no sunroof offered in this car because of the dramatic sloping of the roof.

And while there's an ashtray and cigarette lighter between the Cayman's seats, the owner's manual warns drivers not to throw cigarettes or butts out the windows. They just might be sucked into the air inlets that are just aft of the doors and could cause a fire in the engine compartment.