THE third generation of Porsche's mid-engined Cayman has been developed from the ground up and is also the third sports car model series from the German brand to feature a lightweight body design.

As a result it is up to 30kg lighter than its predecessor - depending on version and equipment - and has up to 15 per cent greater fuel efficiency despite increased engine output.

A more eye-catching style sees sharp sculpted edges, a roofline that reaches far back, dynamic door recesses and dominant air-cooling intakes.

Power comes via a pair of flat six 'boxer' engines of 2.7 and 3.4-litres and while the smaller unit has slightly less engine displacement compared with the previous 2.9-litre unit, it still develops more punch.

In fact this version is the first Cayman to break the 100bhp per litre displacement barrier for sports car engines.

It boasts 275bhp and has six-speed manual transmission with seven-speed Porsche PDK as an option and can scorch from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 165mph. Fuel consumption is 34.4mpg and CO2 at 192g/km.

The Cayman S model features a 3.4-litre flat-six cylinder engine with 325bhp and figures of 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds for manual models and 4.9 with PDK. Top speed is 176mph.

There's also a Sport Chrono package for even swifter standing-start acceleration in conjunction with PDK and the Sport Plus button with Launch Control. It shortens the sprint by 0.2 seconds compared with normal mode.

Porsche says its engineers have placed a high priority on tuning the Cayman chassis, not only to improve driving performance and agility, but also so achieve more comfort and everyday practicality.

Hand in hand with the car's enhanced driving performance the brake system of the Cayman has also been made more powerful, using the larger front discs that originate from the 911 Carrera.

And to improve safety in traffic and provide a better warning to vehicles behind, the brake lights of all Cayman models pulsate when ABS is activated.

The driver and passenger sit on new sports seats and the larger rear boot-lid offers better access to that cargo area, and luggage capacity of the two-seater has been increased by 15 litres to 425 litres when loaded to the roof.

Pricing is from £39,694 for the Cayman 2.7-litre and £48,783 for the 3.4-litre Cayman S.

Standard kit includes air-con, CD audio with seven-inch touch screen, MP3, auto headlights, auto stop-start, electronic parking brake, Sport button, 18-inch alloy wheels and a top tinted windscreen. Cayman S adds 19-inch alloys, partial leather interior and Bi-Xenon headlights.