New 2009 Porsche Cayman S Sport here this autumn

What skulks underneath all the stylised bits and Porsche 911 GT3 RS-sculptured bobs you may ask?

303bhp. Which, although nothing to scoff at, is only a mere 8bhp carving out above and beyond that what the current 3.4-litre Cayman S model manages to call upon, yet costs £6K more for the privilege.

Which is a bit like paying a grand per extra bhp. Which is frankly ridiculous and not a good enough return of power-per-pound.

But what really stands the New 2009 Porsche Cayman S Sport out from the mid-engined sports coupe throng though is its looks.

Due in the UK by September, it’s basically a doppelganger for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS as we hinted. If you opt for the Day-Glo orange paint job, make loud engine noises in your throat and squint hard enough, it’s pretty much a case of automotive ‘spot the difference’. And for £49,890, that’s nigh on half the price of the genuine article.

With only 700 models globally, the new Cayman S Sport is guaranteed to make short shift one way or another.

The Porsche Cayman S – on which this is based – has never really asked for much since its 2005 launch. However if it could make three wishes you’d bet one of them would centre around nabbing the technicolour dreamcoat that keeps the iconic Porsche 911 GT3 RS blushes’ at bay, and a few other snazzy fixtures and fittings that would be enthusiastically circled.

Well guess what? No need for a song and a dance about any previous shortcomings as 2009 is the Cayman’s lucky year.

The compulsory GT3 RS colours – trippy orange and impaired vision green – are now sported on the new Cayman S Sport, as are common-or-garden Black, Guards Red, Speed Yellow and Carrera White.

Available for extra pennies, the driver can opt to have Arctic Silver sprayed across the coachwork of this special edition model, visually disturbed only by the black model designation stencilling on its flanks.

And then there’s the black markings. The black mirrors, air intake lungs and those black 19” SportDesign alloys, that sit on the end of an axle that has had five millimetre spacers fitted to encourage the rims to sit farther even a’ field to compliment hard cornering.

Something which is abetted by the Cayman S being equipped with the Porsche Active Suspension Management system, which chops the ride height by 10mm and comes as standard.

All this colour co-ordination malarkey seems to fizzle out once you open the doors though, and although you don’t get pinstriped fabric seats, you do get this very dark, almost sinister interior design flushes, broken only by the appearance of a unique, circular instrumentation harbour and alcantara-speckled gear shifter, handbrake lever and the steering wheel rim.

When guesting together, these items are collectively referred to as the Sports Chrono Package, and contrast the leather seating.

Oh, and also note a plaque to validate the exclusivity of the lifestyle you’re hell-bent on buying into, that’s inscribed with the actual model number and slapped on the glovebox as a novel afterthought.

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