Last month I had the rewarding experience of having my Cayman keyed from end to end. Thanks to budget, celebrations and New Year gifts, I have been unable to get it repaired. Thankfully, I have been busy enough not to have taken it for a clean, so now it’s so dirty, the damage isn’t visible anymore. Not so good for the paint but, at least, good for my personal spirit.

You might remember that a couple of months ago I mentioned that my tyres were losing grip, and that I was already thinking about a change. Mistake on my part. Thankfully, someone at the magazine mentioned that temperature might be the issue and that when properly warmed, I would probably notice that the grip is still there. It is. So no change of boots just yet.

I also mentioned that the throttle was unresponsive and that there was a considerable lag that made it feel like an actual automatic transmission. I was fortunate enough to get a software upgrade that, at the time, was only reserved for the 911. Regretfully, I can now report that the problem is still there and that as much as the problem seems somewhat corrected when you take the car out of the service centre, a couple of weeks of Dubai traffic sets it back to ageing car mode unless you are over 5000rpm. I long for a manual and, if I could do it at no cost, I would immediately trade my car for the equivalent H-patterned one. If anyone is interested, please contact me, c/o evo Middle East.

Now, do not get me wrong, I might concentrate on the things that are wrong with the car but the Cayman is fantastic, no doubt about it. Endless grip, lively engine, outstanding brakes and a great double-clutch transmission. However, 40 more horsepower, a slightly more forgiving traction control, and a manual gearbox would make this car (in my humble opinion) the most enjoyable drive in the market.

It has been said in many a forum that my beloved Cayman is surpassed in every possible way by the Z4M. They say the BMW more powerful, faster, and many other things. The other day I tried one that belongs to a friend, and as much as I can accept that it might be a tad faster, I would not change the precision of the steering, the cornering speed, the balance of the mid-engine and the feeling of the brakes for anything the Beemer could give me in terms of acceleration. The Porsche is unrivalled in those aspects. I’ve also tried out a few more powerful, faster and pricier Italians and I was relieved to get back in my car.

Next month I am planning to do some acceleration and braking tests to see if the engine has opened up, as everyone says it should’ve by this time.