We have to admit, helping others learn how to drive well has some wonderful fringe benefits. As a high performance driving instructors we are allowed the fantastic opportunity to drive some really great cars; never having to actually pay for them- good work if one can get it. We are also afforded the pleasure of meeting some of the best people, not only students, but, other instructors as well. Every now and then we get to drive their cars too; enter David Mecey and his Porsche Cayman S.

David knows a thing or two. Not only about driving, as he is one of the finest instructors and racers one will ever meet and just a damned nice guy, but, David also has a keen eye for aesthetic appeal- more on that a little later…

Porsches have a certain feel to them, a feel that can be difficult to describe, but, few cars have it. Before one even starts driving a Porsche, something simply feels right; the car fits well. As a driver, the seats are welcoming and supportive; everything is right where one thinks it ought to be and there is no fluff-nothing un-needed, just a well designed and ergonomically correct office in which to work.

The Cayman S is also a GREAT looking car. The body lines take us back to an era in racing where Porsche produced fantastic looking cars; the 550 spyder, the RSK the R60-bloody great looking cars AND race winners.

On the track the Cayman S feels great instantly as there is not much of a learning curve with this car; it just does what you ask of it and never argues. The steering is light and precise- brake pedal feel and modulation are perfect. What is it that Porsche does so very well with their brakes? No other car manufacturer seems to get this wonderful feedback from the brakes as well as Porsche does. Like the water that makes New York Pizza great, the city of Stuttgart must have some magical secret when it comes to brakes. Porsche brakes are the freakin’ best….forget about it.

The gear box in the Cayman S is superb. It has a wonderful “snick-snick” to it and a nice short throw. There is an automatic transmission available for the Cayman, but, we think that with this car, it would make about as much sense as going to the whorehouse to listen to the piano player. Give us the one with all three pedals thank you.

The Cayman S is very, very well balanced and remarkably forgiving. It is an easy car to drive quickly (in the appropriate place mind you). There is very little body roll and the car transitions extraordinarily well from corner to corner; particularly on a tight track like the Streets of Willow. We will admit however, that after we got the tires hot, the car lost some of its grip and with David sitting co-pilot, I damned near lost it; hey there is a first time for everything. We did find after the session however, that the tire pressures were set far, far too high. So it was not really the car or the tires that just about triggered an agricultural experience. Good news is that the car stayed on the black stuff and was easy to catch; WHEW…..but, I did feel the pucker!

All in all the Porsche Cayman S is a fantastic car. It is remarkably communicative, very forgiving (thank God) and a car that loves being driven. It rewards smooth driver input and did we mention……the car is great looking. Could Porsche have made the car even more attractive? We don’t think so, but, David certainly can. You see, not only is David one hell of an accomplished racer he is also one of the world’s most gifted photographers.
So, how does one take a nearly perfect automotive design and improve on it? Sometimes it is as simple as the setting in which the car is viewed……….

O.C.C.E