Quote:
Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k
This is what the new Cayman SHOULD be like. However, what it WILL be like is 1000 lb heavier (puke).
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I think you might by over-estimating considerably, if not just following what the media is speculating. You really think the Cayman will gain 600lbs over the outgoing model and weight 3,600lbs? That is about what a Model 3 RWD standard range weighs.
In a world of EVs, what is going to make EV sports cars special like the Porsche Cayman EV? What makes a Porsche Cayman ICE special over any other sports car or sporty vehicle? The sound? The performance? Is it the engine?
To me, the appeal of the Cayman, besides the aesthetics, over a 370Z was that the Cayman had a low-COG, boxer engine with an integrated, dry-sump (wet-sump) system in a mid-mounted configuration along with a superior chassis and suspension in a more premium package with German engineering. This gave the car better handling and performance.
EV's will all have similar type of electric powertrains that will be largely indistinguishable. There will be minimal differences in sound. They will all be low-mounted and mid-mounted over the rear tires (or AWD in dual motor configurations). The batteries should be marginally different in power density and discharge rate. Unless I am mistaken, they won't need dry sump systems; this type of development won't be necessary:
How will EVs differentiate themselves, especially sports cars? Clearly pony/muscle cars, these sport sedans that occasionally come in two-door configurations, will just install big motors and battery packs to do the drag thing, but what will sports cars do like the Cayman to differentiate themselves from hot hatches? Will they just have identical powertrains, but different bodies?
My prediction is they will do what Lotus did with the Evija and what Caterham has done with the Project V. They will want to keep the driver low, so instead of putting the battery packs under the driver, they will move the battery packs under the feet and behind the driver. They will want to keep the weight down, so more emphasis will be put on weight and handling, while less will be put on range or outright power. They will find ways to make the car feel more engaging, analog and connected than the average EV like Toyota has suggested with their simulated manual transmission. The interiors will likely be more analog than where most of the industry is going.
These are far from production cars, but the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance and Mission R have dual motor at 1073hp with a 82kWh battery that weigh around 3,300-3,400lbs.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...rototype-ride/
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...future-racing/
My guess is that if Porsche makes a Cayman that is only a Model 3 Performance with a different shell then not only will that not sell well, but it will be for a lack of trying to make something special.