Instead Porsche have chosen to call it the Cayman R and if you’re familiar with Porsche naming convention then you’ll already realise that such a distinction is important. The Porsche alphabet reserves the letter R for very special sports cars in its range: R for responsive and refined – but most especially for racy. Porsche claims that the new Cayman R combines all these attributes without compromise.

To clarify any doubts that may emerge over the ‘R’ designation, Porsche will not be offering an optional ‘track pack’ for the Cayman R (i.e. half-cage, harnesses etc), their rationale being that it’s not a 911 GT3 Club Sport type of car – the 911 remains the motorsport standard bearer for Porsche – however it will be more than up to task of being used on the track, just as the Boxster Spyder is.

With 55 kilograms (121 lb) less weight to carry around and with ten horsepower more than the Cayman S, the new mid-engine coupé from Porsche is designed principally for road use and with its specially adapted sports chassis, it provides an even more precise driving experience than the Cayman S.

The new mid-engine coupé is powered by the same 3.4-litre 326 bhp six-cylinder engine already fitted in the Boxster Spyder. In standard configuration it transmits its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox that propels the car from 0 to 62 mph in 5.0 seconds. Or there is the option of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) that reduces this acceleration increment to just 4.9 seconds. For even more impressive sprinting performance, the Cayman R can be supplied with one of the optional Sport Chrono packages, reducing the 62 mph sprint down to 4.7 seconds.

The new mid-engine coupé is capable of a top speed of 175 mph (282 km/h) with the manual gearbox, or 174 mph (280 km/h) with PDK. Its NEDC fuel consumption is 29.12 mpg (imp) with six-speed gearbox and 30.37 mpg (imp) with PDK. The main aim during the design of the Cayman R was to improve the two-seater even further in its performance, driving dynamics and agility through consistent weight reduction. With a DIN unladen weight of just 1,295 kilograms (2855 lb) the Porsche engineers were able to reduce the power-to-weight ratio of the coupé with standard manual gearbox to just 3.9 kilograms per horsepower, and 4.0 kilograms per horsepower for the PDK version.

Porsche have focused on reducing weight through removal of convenience equipment and the user of lightweight components - the result is a loss of 55 kg compared to the Cayman S achieving a DIN unladen weight of 1,295 kg.

The largest savings were achieved through the use of lightweight components and doing without convenience equipment. As for the 911 GT3/GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder, an optional lithium-ion lightweight construction battery is also available. In addition, the top model in the mid-engine coupé is equipped with the lightest 19 inch wheels the entire Porsche range can offer. The complete rim set weighs less than 40 kilograms.

The Cayman R’s purpose and purist character can be seen at first glance. The extended silhouette of the bodywork, which has been lowered by 20 millimetres (0.79 in) compared to the Cayman S, combined with the distinctive fixed rear spoiler, the high-quality silver-painted wheels and numerous sporting highlights on both the interior and exterior, ensures an individual appearance. The black-framed headlights, black exterior mirrors and the “PORSCHE” lettering on the side – in contrasting black or silver, depending on the body colour – take design cues from classic Porsche racing cars.

The “R” designation first appeared on a Porsche with the 911 R of 1967. It was created for racing sport use in a small series of 19 cars. The “R” was a prototype based on the standard coupé with a 210 horsepower Carrera 6 engine and, thanks to its many plastic components and extremely sparse equipment, weighed only 830 kilograms (1830 lb).

[styledbox type="general" width="600" align="center"]Watch the driving footage of the New Cayman R on SkiddPlayer[/styledbox]

The new Porsche Cayman R will go on sale from February 2011 after being launched at today’s LA Auto Show. It will retail in the UK at £51,731 list or around £57,000 when fitted with those all-important PCCBs. We’ll have further information and pictures later in the day and will be broadcasting a live Porsche webcast from Los Angeles at 18:55 GMT (19:55 CET) later today. Visit our LA webcast page at http://www.skiddmark.com/lawebcast for more information.

But for those who remain unsatisfied, Porsche have now released a new innovation that will shave a full 10 kg off the weight a 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS, or Boxster Spyder. Available from January 2010 Porsche is the first car maker in the world to offer a starter battery based on lithium-ion technology.

Weighing less than 6 kg or 13 lb, the new battery is more than 10 kg or 22 lb lighter than a conventional 60 Ah lead battery. But there’s a catch…

Lithium-ion batteries have certain limitations that make them unsuitable at temperatures below 0o C (32o F), so customers who choose this option will be provided with a regular conventional starter battery as well.

The second catch is the price of this upgrade, Euro 1,904 (including 19 per cent VAT in Germany) if specified on a new car or Euro 2,499 if retrofitted after delivery. You might consider that a little pricey for something that could perhaps malfunction if the weather becomes chilly..

The primary reason for developing and introducing the new battery was its lower weight. In cars such as the two versions of the 911 GT3 and the Boxster Spyder, less weight naturally means greater agility and driving dynamics.

In its length and width the lithium-ion battery comes in the same dimensions as the regular battery, but is approximately 70 millimetres or 2.8” lower. The fastening points, electrical connections and voltage range are fully compatible with the respective models, allowing simple and quick replacement of the standard lead battery by the lightweight unit, for example when driving on the track.

It’s advantage though is not just in its lighter weight, in a conventional car battery sometimes only about 30 per cent of the total capacity is actually available for practical use due to the configuration of the system, whereas the lithium-ion battery makes 100% available providing its full power, for example, when starting the engine almost independently of the current charge level. This new lithium-ion technology also enables many more charging and discharging cycles, extending battery life and is also quicker to recharge.

Charging is undertaken using a conventional battery charger, although no word was available at launch as to whether these new lithium-ion batteries can be left plugged in over extended periods using a trickle-charger.

Porsche’s Lithium-Ion starter battery is available to order on cars built from January 2010, or via the Porsche Tequipment catalogue from February 2010.

The Spyder weighs considerably less than the Boxster S, has a lower centre of gravity and an all-new sports suspension so it won’t come as a surprise to find it improving upon its already very talented sibling.

Fitted with essentially the same 3.4-litre six-cylinder with DFI engine as the Boxster S, but with an extra 10bhp, the Spyder has 320 bhp to play with.

Equipped with Porsche’s PDK double-clutch transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, is claimed to accelerate from a standstill to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds on its way to a maximum speed of 166 mph with the roof open. Fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 30.4 mpg.

The concept behind the Boxster Spyder links back to the the legendary 550 Spyder built back in 1953, both models sharing the same mid-engine roadster concept, low weight, and a high-degree of agility.

The 550 Spyder was the first sports car from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen developed specifically for racing but also homologated for the road. In the years following its production, the unique 550 Spyder weighing only 550 kg or 1,213 lb, scored numerous victories on race circuits and in the road races so popular at the time.

The 550 Spyder was followed by other extremely successful Porsche Spyders such as the 718 RS 60 in 1960.

In 2004 and 2008 Porsche dedicated a limited edition of special Boxsters bearing name Spyder as a reminder of these legendary racing cars. By contrast, the new Boxster Spyder is a regular, specially developed and upgraded production model with extensive modifications over and above the Boxster and Boxster S.

The Porsche Boxster Spyder will reach showrooms from February 2010 and will sell for Euro 63,404 in Germany which would translate to around £46,000 in the UK.