Top 10 Cars of the 2012 LA Auto Show

2. Porsche Cayman

It’s light, it’s fast and the platform could outperform the 911 if Porsche would only give the order. After all that, it’s hard not to love the Porsche Cayman — the brand’s hardtop take on the well-loved Boxster.

Prices start at $52,600, but the Cayman S will retail for $63,800, plus a $950 destination charge. That’s still a bargain, especially when you realize that the Cayman S has only 20 hp less than the previous generation 911. The Cayman S comes with a 3.4-liter flat-six with 325 hp and jets to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds thanks to a seven-speed PDK transmission.

Better still, the interior looks strikingly similar to the new 991 with a long, broad center console and updated cabin.