2011 Porsche Cayman R gets skinny in LA

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Porsche

2011 Porsche Cayman R – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche has just announced the 2011 Cayman R, previously referred to in the rumormill as the Cayman Clubsport. Think of it as a purer interpretation of the company’s baby sports bruiser, much like the Boxster Spyder is to the standard Boxster. With weight saving tricks like aluminum doors, sports bucket seats and unnecessary hardware like the radio, air-conditioning and storage compartments deleted, the Cayman R hits the scales 121 pounds lighter than the run-of-the mill hard top. Porsche engineers also threw in a slight pump in power, throwing the final figure from the 3.4-liter flat lump to 330 horsepower. All told, the changes are good for a 0-60 run in the 4.7-second range – a full .2 seconds quicker than the base Cayman S.

Outside, Porsche has fitted the Cayman S with new 19-inch lightweight wheels, and aesthetic tweaks like a subtle stripe package, contrasting-color mirrors and black-accented headlight bezels. We don’t exactly know how much Porsche is going to ask for this gem, but in the grand tradition of offering less content for more money, we don’t expect it to be cheap. Look for live shots from the 2010 LA Auto Show later today. In the mean time, hit the jump for a quick video and Porsche’s official press release.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche Cayman R