Information is slowly trickling in about the update coming to the 2010 Porsche Cayman. In the usual Porsche way, the exterior styling upgrades will be extremely light, probably to make sure that the car looks almost exactly the same 30 years from now (we’ve all seen that graphic of the 911 evolution right?). No one can really fault them for this, as many would argue that they simply “got it right” the first time around and the need for an extensive facelift is not there.

This time around, the Cayman receives slightly updated headlights, front fascia tweaks, and LED taillights. Many new cars are coming with this new lighting technology but they are really starting to become obnoxious; just last night the taillights of a Cadillac Escalade (newest model) were making it really hard for me to keep my eyes to the front of the road because they were so bright and positioned high in my view. While I also have these types of taillights on my car, they are at a low enough height so no one should ever have a problem.

Anyways, back on topic… the mechanicals of the Cayman will have more extensive changes; all Porsche engines were expected to grow approximately 200CC’s (0.2L) in 2010 and the Cayman will be no exception. It will now feature a 2.9 L flat six engine that puts out 265 HP and 222 LB-FT, paired with the traditional manual transmission will give the car a 0-62MPH time of 6.0 seconds. Buyers that opt for the “PDK” dual clutch gearbox will enjoy a 0-62MPH time of just 5.8 seconds. The “S” trim level will also receive a bump in power in line with the rest of Porsche’s cars; it will feature direct injection and ratings of 320 HP and 274 FT-LB which give it a 0-62 MPH time of 5.3 seoncds (5.0 with PDK).

The most significant feature will not be the power bump, the addition of an LSD for the base model is what most enthusiasts are getting excited about. There is a general consensus among those knowledgeable about P cars that the LSD not being an option in the first (and current) generation of the Cayman is a move on the manufacturer’s part to avoid sales cannibalization. This seems somewhat shady at first – they are acknowledging that the Cayman (a lesser model) can be faster than their flagship lineup, the 911. This definitely is not an industry first, as other manufacturers with similar sports cars have done similar things in the past – LT1 Corvettes and Camaros are one example and the newer BMW 3 series and the M3 are another.

Despite the other, more efficient engine layouts available (such as the mid engine layout of the Cayman), Porsche continues to put the engine of the 911 in the REAR (after the axle) because of tradition. While they’ve certainly engineered the rear engine layout to a point where it is quite excellent in most aspects, having the engine in front of the axle and closer to the center of the car is still optimal and requires less technology to achieve good results.

So what does the addition of the LSD really mean for the Cayman? The next 911 should be significantly faster, if they are willing to give the Cayman what it really needed to jump ahead in performance.