LA show: Porsche set to unleash Cayman

THE all-new 2013 Porsche Cayman is the most likely candidate for the star treatment on Porsche’s stand at this year’s Los Angeles motor show starting November 28.

The German sportscar-maker has announced it will stage the world premiere of a new “compact sports car” at the event, with most pundits predicting a Cayman debut.

The new Cayman is expected to land in Australian showrooms in the first quarter of next year.

The hardtop twin to Porsche’s new Boxster convertible – released in Australia in June – is due any time now, and camouflaged cars have been seen testing in Europe for some time.

Porsche says it will also stage the United States premiere of the new 911 Carrera 4 that has just made its debut in Europe and will land Down Under in early 2013.

Announcing the Los Angeles splurge, the Stuttgart-based company emphasised the importance of the US market to Porsche, saying it remained Porsche’s largest.

It said it had delivered 28,226 vehicles to US customers so far this year, of which more than a third comprised its rear-engine sportscars – 911, Boxster and Cayman.

From top: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, Boxster.

Porsche said the release of the new models at the LA show would help drive Porsche’s US sales growth, which this year is up 13 per cent compared with the same period of last year.

“With these two sports car premieres, Porsche is creating ideal conditions for continued sales success in the world’s largest Porsche market,” Porsche said.

The Cayman is expected to get the same six-cylinder powertrain line-up as the Boxster, which is offered with a choice of two direct-injected ‘boxer’ engines: 195kW 2.7-litre in the standard model or larger 232kW 3.4-litre in the sportier ‘S’.

Transmissions are almost certainly the same seven-speed manual gearbox or optional $5300 seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic.

As well, the Cayman is expected to employ the same lightweight ‘hybrid’ construction method in the body as the third-generation Boxster (and new 911), with a mix of aluminium and steel, which sliced up to 35kg out of the body weight of the Boxster.

The previous 987 Cayman was introduced in 2006 and discontinued in April this year as Porsche cleared the decks for the new Boxster and – soon – Cayman.