The Porsche Cayman R was proclaimed Britain’s Best Driver’s Car for 2011 after winning Autocar magazine's yearly competition. The comparison test pitched 11 of the most exciting new vehicles this year against one another on public street and race track to find out which one offers the most excitement for drivers. The value of the 11 vehicles on test was about £900,000 in total.   

The Cayman R’s competition involved: Mercedes CLS64 AMG, McLaren MP4-12C, Renault Mégane Trophy, Vauxhall Corsa VXR, Aston Martin Vantage S, Caterham Supersport, Lotus Evora S, BMW 1M and Jaguar XKR-S. For the six judges from Autocar’s experienced road test team, it was the steering, completeness and ride of the £51,728 Cayman R that stood out -- no mean feat, given that last year’s champion, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, was also a competitor. The second place went to the light and nimble Caterham Seven Supersport, which is also one of the least expensive automobiles in the competition with its price of £22,995. Aston Martin V8 Vantage S took third place, with the 911 GT3 RS ending up on fourth place this time around. In spite of the technical splendor and unquestionable pace of the £168,500 McLaren MP4-12C, speed doesn't always equate to excitement. Thus, sixth place was the best the McLaren could muster in the assessment, one place behind the Lotus Evora S. Steve Sutcliffe, who is Autocar’s editor-at-large and Britain’s Best Driver’s Car judge, commented that the Porsche Cayman R’s steering is "about as sweet as it gets," adding that the ride is "150 times better than it has any right to be" given how little body movement there is "when you’re really going for it."