The 2 cars aren't really comparable, in fact no Audi is comparable to a Porker,
I dunno... I think the R8 has a certain amount of overlap into 'typical' Porsche market territory... [/quote]
Most Audis (possibly the R8 aside) are front heavy understeery machines, whereas a Cayman is a mid-engined lighter weight machine (about 145kg lighter than the TTRS) and this is normally reflected in the kind of track times the 2 cars will turn in. But then Audis are cheaper to buy and own than a Porsche...
...you got THAT right!
Most people who buy Porsches aren't the type to "mod" them, they dont need it, they're not bothered about outright 0-60 times or how much BHP you have to run you up a tarmac runway.
Then again, it depends....
The local PCA (Porsche Club of America) membership splits into two distinct groups; -The lawyer/doctor/dentist 'poser' owners, who think that Porsche is a 'luxury' brand, and the Auto-cross/Track-day/racer types, who do a significant amount of modification.
I bought mine from its first owner, who had chipped it, fitted a roll-cage & Harnesses, liquid-cooled braking, stiffer bars front & rear, fully-adjustable Koni's, and a host of other suspension mods, then blasted it around Sebring racetrack for a few years. He and all the others in the latter group of PCA members are VERY into their cars.
I have little time for the poser members... -One of my neighbours came up to me the other day and excitedly announced that his wife had given him permission to buy a 2001 911 (non-turbo...). -He's not a 'sport' driver; he just wants it because it's a Porsche, and he will NEVER take it to the track, or even the auto-cross circuit.
Porsche have muddled their brand image a little by bringing out the Cayenne. A big heavy Porsche with a fundamental balance disadvantage is not a classic.
The Cayman is an absolute PEACH to drive. It's wonderfully balanced, and VERY agile. -Even the old transaxle 924/944/968 was naturally well balanced, although with the weight at both ends, they were much more suited to larger tracks instead of tighter circuits; their natural stability becomes a liability at auto-cross, for example... and it is there that the Cayman S truly shines.
I'd have a Cayman S any day of the week... though for now I'm saving my pennies in the hope that a used R8 turns up in a couple of years, by which time I'm hoping that my savings combined with the sale of my Porsche might intersect with the value of a nice R8...
Keith