The Porsche Cayman outshines the Boxster and Carrera 911. The Cayman looks identical to the Cayman S but costs $10,000 less, with its smaller engine and five-speed gearbox, rather than six. It costs more than a Boxster and less than a 911, but is more beautiful than either one, while the performance of the Cayman S nearly equals the 911. There's nothing crude or difficult about it, from the well-equipped cabin to the comfortable ride to the engine's broad power curve. Porsche has always been known for performance, but the looks have lost their distinction over time. The Cayman turns heads again.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Sam Moses filed this report from the Columbia River Gorge.