Porsche, since their conception, has always been able to produce world-class sports cars, but over the past decade or so every car they have produced has been amazing.

This upward swing started when they released the Boxster back in 1996, from the Boxster roadster the Cayman coupe would be born. The second generation, the 987, landed in 2005 boasting even better stats than the first generation.

As this model came to the end of its production Porsche decided to release the limited run, more track-focused R version. With only a few thousand of these being produced for the worldwide market, it is believed that as few as 250 Cayman R’s ever came to the UK.

The Cayman R on paper is an S that has gone on a strict diet and had a bit of power eked out of its 3.4l. However, on the road or track, it is so much more than this.

From a driving aspect, it’ll happily pootle around town, but when you flick it into manual mode on the PDK gearbox it becomes an animal. This car may have completed over 80,000 miles but it still feels tight and capable, with the engineering being German you can be sure that it has been done properly and will last a lifetime, unlike its Italian rivals.

With Porsche having such a huge following you will never be at a loss at what to do with your weekends, there is even a chance that you will have the rarest car there. Not only is the rarity a factor for the Cayman R, but also the value for money.

What you are getting is effectively a baby GT4 for a fraction of the price.

When the first Boxster launched in the mid 90’s it gained a reputation for being a ‘hairdresser's car’ but this end of the run Cayman R is far from that.

It is a master of all trades being both practical, fun, and most importantly, fast. You will never lose a traffic light drag race in this sports car.

If there is one thing that Porsche does well it’s the interior of their sports cars, and the Cayman R is no different. 

It has all of the characteristics that you would expect from a modern Porsche, like the three spoked steering wheel, speedometer that goes up in 25 mph increments, and Porsche PDK gear selector. All of these key elements are presented in great condition hardly showing their age or mileage. 

The seats that are fitted to this car are not only figure-hugging sporty seats, but they are also reasonably comfortable, you could happily sit in these for hours as you road trip across Europe. 

One excellent additional feature of these seats are that the seatbelts are red, along with the fabric door handles these provide a lovely element of contrast on the interior which works well with the blue, colour matching, centre console section. 

If you do indeed intend to use this car to enable you to experience the world's roads, then you should be aware that it is an extremely practical sports car. 

The joy of the mid-engine layout is that you benefit from two boots, with the one at the front big enough for a couple of weekend bags and the one in the rear is even bigger meaning you could comfortably go away in it. There are even slots on the roof for a roof rack, making it far more practical than people would even think. 

The infotainment systems in cars of this age are starting to age interiors quickly, but because Porsche have kept this design ethos in their modern cars it looks as new as a 2022 Cayman on the inside. Should you wish to upgrade the system there should be a couple of companies out there willing to help you. 

The overall condition of this Cayman R is great, it does not show its age or mileage. For the price, it will be an unbeatable experience in a rare Porsche.

The second generation of the Cayman received a few styling upgrades over the first generation. With wider rear arches and a revised frontal area, it now looked sleek and modern, and when the car was facelifted in 2009 it just got better. 

With a sweeping rear end twinned with the sporty look front, it is one of those sculpted cars that looks fast whilst sitting still. With this being the Cayman R it also has a fixed spoiler that not only adds to the sporty look but also reduces lift at higher speeds. 

Throughout its owners it is clear that they have all loved this car, the exterior is presented in such amazing condition you wouldn’t believe the number of miles that it has completed. 

The paint is in great condition and the optional extra alloys have been looked after properly, staying well away from curbs.

The only non-standard part on the exterior is the Miltek exhaust that was fitted by the previous owner. As you would expect from a respected company like Miltek it looks perfect and fits like the OEM would have but provides a much better tone. 

The exterior of this rare Porsche speaks for itself, every part is where it should be showing no signs of damage. This is one of those cars you look at and instantly fall in love with.

The base model Cayman was fitted with a 2.9l naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine that would produce 265hp and could either be fitted with a six-speed manual or 7-speed PDK automatic box. 

The Cayman S would one-up the normal car with a 3.4l version of the same engine with a max output of 320hp, but the top of the tree R would beat all of them with 340hp. Along with the added power, the R would also go on a diet to reduce the overall weight. When it was completed the Cayman R could even rival a 911. 

Today this Cayman R is presented in great mechanical condition. The engine fires straight up and when in automatic mode the PDK gearbox performs perfectly around town. 

Should you get bored of the car in auto mode then simply flick the gear selector to the left and you engage manual mode this is where the R makes sense. With more power and less weight, it is extremely rapid, it could even embarrass some of its bigger brothers back in the day. 

This example has received a lot of maintenance over the past 11 years, with a service book full of stamps and invoices that reference a lot of work recently it still feels tight to drive. With this being engineered by Germans you can rest assured that it will live on for a long time yet.

It is impossible to predict the amount of fun the next owner will have whilst out driving this car, but at this price point, there is simply no other car that can rival its performance.

It is clear to see that the previous owners of this R have loved it properly, sticking to the recommended maintenance schedules and more importantly using it.

There is nothing worse than buying a car to leaving it in the garage, this is no garage queen and should be treated as an excellent toy that still has years left in it. 

Rare Porsches tend to have a habit of increasing in price over the years so with this being one of the rarest Porsches in the previous decade you should be able to predict the trajectory of the value.  

This is your chance to get a sporty car, for not a lot of money. It provides an engaging drive whilst turning petrol into a glorious noise wherever you go. 

You will not regret this purchase.