• Skip to main content

Neill Watson

Writer, Photographer, Self Publisher, Digital Strategist

  • Start Here!
  • About Neill
    • Licensing
  • Work With Neill
  • Blog
    • Neill’s Journal
    • Drive
    • Stories
    • Neill on Writing
    • Photography
    • Digital Marketing
    • Travel
    • Historic Racer
    • #Porsche
  • Stories
  • Shop
  • Contact
You are here » Blog » Neill's Journal » Will The Porsche Cayman R Ever Be a Collectable Porsche?

Will The Porsche Cayman R Ever Be a Collectable Porsche?

By Neill Watson 10 Comments

A random thought occurred to me this week. Coming across a Porsche Cayman R in a car park, the subtle differences in stance of the R was more apparent than normal. As parked a short distance away, there was a plain, vanilla flavoured 2.7. The lower ride height, the fixed blade type rear spoiler and the carbon ceramic brakes in this example were more apparent than normal.

So my thought was. “Will the Cayman R ever become a collectable Porsche?”

The Cayman was, of course, a great seller for Porsche. For those who feel that the only location for a Porsche engine is behind the rear axle line, the Cayman will never be an acceptable choice. But for the more open minded, the Cayman is in fact a truly great Porsche. But collectable? Not really.

Until you consider a few interesting factors as I write this at a particular point in the Cayman R’s life cycle. A few years ago, the Porsche 964 could be obtained for easily less than 20,000 pounds, dollars or Euros. Any currency really. They were considered to be barely OK, suffered oil leaks and were not that big a deal. The 964 RS? A rock hard ride on public roads and the bare minimum of comforts made the car hard to live with. 35,000 of anything would get you one somewhere in the UK and Europe.

Today? Six figure sums for any 964RS.

Will the Porsche Cayman R ever become a collectors Porsche?
The Cayman R – chasing the 993RS into collector’s garages?

So my theory is this. There is a period in every car’s life cycle where it falls from public attention. No longer the latest in technology or marketing appeal, superseded by newer models. But not old enough to be collectable. All cars go through this period in varying degrees, even the most mundane of family boxes. Racing cars suffer an even worse fate. No longer competitive, they are discarded, often stripped of components of value and then if they are lucky, what remains is left under a dust sheet in the corner of the workshop. Until one day someone is sitting in a bar and says, “Hey do you remember that car? I wonder what became of it…”

Don’t believe me? Remember Group B values a decade ago? The Super Touring class of the British Touring Car Championship? The Porsche 996 Turbo for 12,000?

So a collectable Porsche Cayman? Quite possibly. And now could just be the time to be getting on board.

1. It’s a limited numbers Porsche – Any limited edition Porsche will hold it’s value. And eventually will become collectable. Think 944 Turbo S in that rose paintwork. 968 Club Sport, 928 GTS. It doesn’t need to have the engine way out back.

2. It’s blessed with the halo effect of the R designation by Porsche – some accused Porsche of dumbing down the R moniker when they added it to the Cayman. The purists claimed that the R designation really only belonged on the tail of a 911 and that using it anywhere else was not acceptable. What next? A Cayenne R? Porsche built 1421 Cayman Rs worldwide. The right hand drive car you see here is one of around 100 cars that arrived in the UK. It was forty years since the Porsche management sanctioned the use of the ‘R’ model designation. Does the Cayman really does deserve this R designation?

3. It has those small, detail changes that Porsche do so well and that Porsche driving enthusiasts really like to geek out on. Porsche people appreciate these details. The alloy door panels, the red cloth door pulls, discrete spoiler, revised suspension and exhaust. The climate control and stereo delete. They all add to the Sports Purpose atmosphere.

4. It’s a very very good car indeed. A standard Cayman is a great handling car. The changes made to the Cayman R turned the chassis into an award winning car. Car of the Year awards are scattered with the ill informed decisions of motoring writers who really should know better, but the Cayman R beat strong opposition in it’s launch year to be awarded that title by several motoring titles.

5. Remember the 911 Club Sport? To me, the Cayman R is today’s 911CS. That also was a car that was sold for significantly more money and delivered less equipment. It’s detail changes were individually very small, but anyine who has driven one – and I have – will confirm that even today, the small changes combine to make a significantly different car. Add in the modern day appeal of limited production numbers and you can see what that has done to 911 Club Sport values today in comparison to less than a decade ago.

Never as rare as a 993RS, but is the Cayman R collectable?

I asked Chris Whittle, owner of this Cayman R at the time these pictures were taken. Chris has owned a whole series of collectable Porsches and has since moved his Cayman R on for a Cayman GT4.

His thoughts? “It’s less special than a GT4 but much rarer, only around 100 right hand drive manuals and a few more PDK’s … But it’s not a GT car and the R was really a misnomer. It certainly hit a sweet spot … but I would place R behind Clubsport

So Chris is more cautious than myself. And his history of Porsche ownership far exceeds mine, so it’s an opinion worth noting.

But. While the Cayman R has depreciated, it has never actually dropped in value as hard as other earlier limited edition models did at this point. This is perhaps a combination of modern awareness of the car’s potential future value and also that it is still considered a great car and is quite young. So perhaps they may fall a little further yet?

Personally I wouldn’t bet on it. I think the Cayman R has plateaued out now and that values will remain static for a few years. For sure, the Cayman R won’t become a high value garage queen in the very near future in the way that the 993RS sitting alongside it in these shots has done. But it ticks all of the historic boxes of exactly what constitutes a collectable Porsche in today’s marketplace. You certainly won’t be doubling your money any time soon, though might want to add it to your ‘one to watch’ list on Pinterest.

Share this:

  • Share on Tumblr
  • Tweet

Filed Under: #Porsche, Neill's Journal Tagged With: #Porsche

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kevin O'Day says

    March 14, 2018 at 1:11 am

    This is a very appropriate question/article. May ’17 we purchased a Cayman R from a like-minded HPDE fan (FL,US). He had upgraded to some nice add-ons for air in/out, brakes, OZ’s + Hoosiers, GT3 seats w/6pt belts. The car is aligning with my journey through sports car ownership. We also have an ’08 Boxster RS60 (another limited edition unit). Both are great cars! I’ve never driven a 911 (however a few have done 360’s in front of my track cornering). But I think the mid-engine concept has been proven successful (my first new car was a 1974 fiat X1/9)….and isn’t Porsche’s latest entry, a 911-looking race car w/ the motor moved forward the rear axle? I’ll be at (WI) Audi Club’s Road America HPDEvent in August ’18…..and there’s a bunch of P-cars there….I’m looking forward to see how I do.

    Sidebar….September ’17 our 2seater group out of southern WI did a 10day Colorado Mtn tour, a blast!!! 1 of the cars was a Cayman GT4…fast!

    Sincerely, Kevin O’Day

    Reply
    • Neill Watson says

      March 14, 2018 at 6:53 am

      Sounds like a really cool car you have Kevin. Thanks for sharing your experience of Cayman R ownership. Keep in touch with your journey!

      Reply
  2. James Littlejohn says

    July 24, 2019 at 8:16 pm

    Hi Neill, hope you are well and long time no see.

    Interesting to read your article. I bought a Cayman R UK car PDK a few years ago after spending a lot of time in the passenger seat on track in one…I’ve tracked and road driven all kinds of Porsche’s but it was so good as an all rounder I had to buy one…no ideas on future values but they seem to be holding their values well. I hope I never have to sell mine, there are a few more Porsche’s to add to the stable but not to the loss of the R…

    Reply
  3. Neill Watson says

    July 25, 2019 at 10:56 am

    Hi James,
    Great to hear from you! You’re right the Cayman is a great all round car and the R is even better.
    A PDK, Cayman R is on my short list in 2020, so if you feel the need to move your along, drop me a line 🙂
    NW

    Reply
  4. Brad Kowbel says

    October 3, 2019 at 5:33 pm

    I just purchased a Cayman R PDK in guards red this week and cannot wait to pick it up!!! I have owned two other Caymans a 2006 s and a 2011 s PDK… I have only seen pictures of the R and cannot wait to pick it up tomorrow….I truly believe these are going to collectable in the future…everything I have read there are only 1421 made but not 100% positive about that number but sure hope it is true as there sure are not a many for sale which leads me to believe 1421 is correct!

    Reply
    • Neill Watson says

      October 3, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      I think you’re right, Brad. In the UK for sure, values are steady and it’s not depreciating at all. Right now, if I had the funds to get into one of the right spec, I would be buying as a long term keeper.
      You’re going to love yours!
      Neill W

      Reply
  5. Massimo Robellini says

    May 21, 2020 at 2:21 am

    Love this article. I owned an 08 S, and now a 987.2 2011 S 6sp black on black. It is more car than I’ve ever dreamed I’d own. (There are very few of these Caymans available as well.) At $30k-ish you only need a few mods (a proper plenum/throttle body, a free flowing xhaust, the light Spyder wheels, a lightweight battery, and maybe some anti roll and stiffer suspension upgrades) and ‘WAH LAH!’ your 320hp approaches 350hp and an R’s ability. When you mod an ‘S’ it’s not further deprecated for having a few non OEM parts on it. Personally, a modified R kills any interest for me to ever own or ‘collect’ one. PLUS you don’t have to be afraid to drive it/add miles to your Cayman S. Ever since the first 911 retractable pop-up spoilers came out, I’ve wanted one. That alone is a dream realized. Drive safe everyone!

    Reply
    • Neill Watson says

      May 21, 2020 at 7:12 am

      Thanks, Massimo,
      I love your philosophy behind driving, not simply collecting. You’re right a good Cayman S doesn’t need much to turn it into a great car. Good to hear your enjoying yours!

      Reply
  6. Jp Peters says

    January 16, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Hi Neal, im a newbie to your website. Great article. What are your thoughts on The 987 Black Edition? Since from engine a some other components its an R, but limited edition of 500 units. I just found one. Like new with 30k km’s. Would it become a collectible Porsche?

    I was just looking fot a standard S to drop in headers, exhaust and R compound tires, but run into this. Now i dont know if ill modify it with any aftermarket component at all, since it will make it loose its value.

    Jp

    Reply
    • Neill Watson says

      January 16, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      Hi JP, thanks for reading the blog.
      Yours is an interesting question. I like the Black Edition, I think it looks very smart when you see one out and about. Will it be collectable? I don’t think it will in the way a Cayman R already seems to be, however they will certainly make a premium over a standard Cayman.
      Regarding the changes you might like to make, as long as the things you do are reversible and you retain the original parts, then they shouldn’t affect the resale value. Simply return the car to standard before you list it for sale.
      Hope this helps.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • About Neill
  • Licensing
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2021 Neill Watson and respective creators · Log in

Cookies

This site uses cookies More info