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This hardtop encore to the Boxster convertible challenges the 911 as the best and purest sports car in Porsche's lineup and is one of the world's most delightful sports cars at any price.

As expected, the Cayman S is one thrilling drive. Hot laps at Barber Motorsports Park, a 2.5-mile honey of a road course near Birmingham, Ala., as well as a week-long, too-short drive in the New York area brought out the Cayman S' many strong suits: This two-seater is equally adept at dancing through turns on a track as it is cutting through congested city traffic or cruising on the highway.

Its bigger-than-Boxster engine — a new 3.4-liter design that borrows cylinder heads and variable-valve timing technology from the 911 — puts out 295 sweet-sounding horsepower. But the car isn't without its quirks.

For one, it's named after a crocodile, and that does it no favors — crocodiles are scaly things that lay around all day, half-asleep in a ditch. This gorgeous Cayman is anything but lethargic.

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Regardless, it inherits good genes from both sides of the Porsche family: The Boxster’s ideal mid-engine layout — its six-cylinder powerplant nestled just behind the front seats — provides handling balance that front- and rear-engine cars can't match, while the fixed roof makes for a body structure nearly as stiff as the 911 Carrera’s, allowing engineers to tune the suspension for sharper control than with the convertible Boxster.

Like its name, the car's pricing is odd. Typically, a coupe will cost less than a convertible counterpart, because convertibles require extra engineering and equipment. The Cayman S reverses the formula, starting at $58,900, which is $4,200 more than the 280-hp Boxster S. But that's still $11,000 below the base price of a 911 Carrera. Considering the Cayman S' sheer beauty, performance and everyday comfort, owners should have no problem swallowing the premium.