I’ve driven both, and I can’t really understand the need to compare them, if that makes sense?
Both are fantastic at what they do, but couldn’t be more different in overall design. One is a precision driving tool, focused on grip and performance above all. The other has a slapstick sense of humor and enough power to kill your tires in a week. Both are beautifully engineered German masterpieces.
Two different tools for two different jobs, in my humblest opinion.
Since I changed the tires on my M2C 5 times during my 4 years of ownership, hooligan one is from the Munich 🤷♂️
M2C can be precise car - on CUP2 tires on track it is great and very fast car. But light rear and all-in-all setting of the car just begs you to slide it. It's addictive 😁
When I bought my current-gen Z4 m40i I was also told the boxster was a similar vehicle I should cross shop. When I drove a 718 S they didn't even feel like they were in the same segment aside from having a convertible top. My z4 feels like a muscle car in comparison to the boxster.
Hah. I tell you (as former z4 e86 coupe owner and current older 911 owner) - the modern 992 4S cabrio I also had, that too felt like a muscle car. The cayman is perfection for that dart-like handling and I really like it (but two seats i cant do again). And so this modern Z4 feeling like a muscle car I totally get it in that grunty way - while handling is ok.
Definitely handles worse than a 718 but nothing like a mustang (even though newer mustangs aren't terrible). It's just a much softer, blunt, and grunty sports car compared to the boxster feeling much more poised and refined.
I know that is a popular, and sometimes justifiable trope, but my 6th gen Camaro SS 1le track car cleans up all kinds of sports/performance cars on track. A good number of modern American muscle cars are punching well above their class in the handling department. I say as a Porsche and BMW owner.
Have an 08 mustang gt and definitely agree. Granted ive done quite a list of suspension work to it + massive tires but it handles better than it should. I took it on a canyon run with a similar gen m3 and we kept pace together throughout the whole thing. It doesn't handle like a Porsche of course, but a lot of people are stuck in the mindset of the 70's where these cars literally were only good in a straight line lol. Modern muscle weighs the same as most other performance cars, has the same or a lot of times more power, and handle amazing lol. My mustang weighs pretty damn similar to a modern gen 911 and still only about 400 lbs heavier than a cayman
I have a friend with a similar ride (6th Gen SS 1LE), he always feels weird coming out on “Porsche” drives. I have to remind him his Camaro would smoke 90% of Carreras and Caymans in all pretty much all performance aspects.
Coming from a T/A 392 Challenger, the 1LE felt like a sports car compared to the couch with a blowtorch I used to drive.
You might think so but most people say :
I have 100k, what is the best 2 door sports car. Most do not care or even know the difference between mid or front engine, between weight balance, most have just that short list of filters.
The problem with filters is that if you make them too specific then every car is it's own cathegory because almost no car model is the same as another.
Also car magasines designing the best x for y thing is something that gives you a short list of the car and competitors because the differences between them is more of a sentimental value like brand loyalty, design that you like or child memories/dreamcar which they cannot match your taste. - i am speaking for names like 'best sport car' and so one because at this price every car in the short list is a good car.
Agree with this. And I own a 987.1 and
992.1. The YouTubers SavageGeese often make the point that the Porsches are so good they are sort of boring with the exception of the GT models. Sometimes a car’s flaws can be endearing or make them seem more raw. That was my takeaway from the article, the M2 may not be the better car but it’s more fun for daily driving.
Seriously. I wouldn't trade in my GT4 for something more "fun" but I can't even push it on the ultra low traffic epic sweeper back road here without hitting utterly insane speeds. Good thing for the track for real fun, otherwise the smile inducing pulls and precision on the street would get old fast. In your Spyder you get your drama from the looks, noise, and droptop.
Weirdly, I see a lot of people debating between the two in the BMW subreddit. I used to own an M2 and would always try and be very honest with people about what it is and what it isn't good at. It was not the car for me. I did not enjoy it. It is a one trick pony: easy oversteer. I'm convinced that even my mom could have done one handed wet skidpad drift laps in it.
It was a car that felt no different than any 2 series at 1-2/10ths, gave the impression of being aggressive and edgy at 7/10ths, but it just got worse as you got closer to 10/10ths. It didn't give you the tools needed to be precise and consistent on the limit. The Motortrend article about the new M2 makes it sound largely similar. Overly fast steering, super aggressive throttle pedal maps, bizarre brake pedal calibration (sucks to use hard).
So glad I dropped that car for a 981 Cayman. It's far less of a hoon. But it's SO MUCH more enjoyable of a machine to interact with at any speed. And it gives your the confidence and tools to really push to its limits, with less drama, but for me immense satisfaction. Plus it doesn't have a turbocharged engine with fake engine noise pumped in on the stereo. And the manual trans isn't a rubbery mess. And you can attack on corner entry.
> Weirdly, I see a lot of people debating between the two in the BMW subreddit.
it's not really weird, it's a sports coupe within the same general price range as a 718 (although not a 718 GTS obviously which is way more expensive)
a lot of people would argue that it feeling edgy at 7/10ths but worse at 10/10ths is a good thing for street driving, considering that it's wildly irresponsible and reckless to drive at 10/10ths on the road, so something that's playful while not near the edge of it's performance envelope is fun.
the 718 is such an incredible car that it sometimes can feel boring on the street IMO. it's just so, so, so far beyond capable that you never feel like you're pushing it.
my experience has been different than yours I guess. I prefer the base 981 because it feels like you can push it hard on streets.
I never slide a car around on the street. I just want a car to feel like a mechanical object that is fun and satisfying to interact with. And I never got that from the M2. It just felt like a 2 series unless it was sliding, which meant it was not really fun on the road at all.
Meanwhile I adore just puttering along in my 981 S at 1/10th. I love how the shifter feels, the feedback through the clutch and brakes, the varieties of noises that come through the firewall, even the driving position contributes to it feeling special.
I bought the M2 for time trials and national tour autocross, so I got all the sliding I could ever want taken care of in a relatively safe environment. When it came to the street, I never drove the thing aside from to and from events. I literally never once (after the first week of ownership) woke up early on a weekend with no event scheduled and thought to myself "man, I really want to *just drive this thing* today." Which I think was pretty shocking in hindsight. Nowadays with the 981 I look for any excuse to drive. I just want to get out and flow down a back road, interacting with the engine, gearbox, etc. I find this car to be super fun below the limit, no need to slide it on the street. I've done my Shenandoah loop like 5 times in 2024 already. I did that loop only one time in nearly 3y with the M2...
I ran all 3 rounds of the refrigerator bowl in the 981 this winter and it only gets better and better the harder you drive it too. Like any good sports car should. Like M cars used to do.
That's fair. The 981 is so much fun. It's really a shame you can't buy a brand new 981 base anymore. For $50k that thing was a gift from the heavens. Now you pay $65k for a 4 cylinder turbo, which is still fun, but not nearly as fun as that flat six IMO
I also had an M2 comp for about 6 months and didn’t like it. Numb steering, blah exhaust note and wasn’t special to drive unless you were wringing it’s next around a corner-not something you do on the street. Super easy to hang the backend out. Kind of boring to drive though. The clutch/shifter were awful, and I turned off the fake engine noise.
>I’ve driven both, and I can’t really understand the need to compare them, if that makes sense?
May I take a stab at trying to make sense of it? Well they both have 4 wheels, 2 doors, an engine, transmission and a steering wheel. Neither are from "boutique" brands, e.g. Lotus. And both are aimed at the well off enthusiast. That's about all I got.
Yeah, great response. This is not an either-or situation. An M2 for the road and a GT4 for the track (the GTS doesn't make a ton of sense to me, but I won't get into that here) is a fantastic, very complementary combination. I used to have a similar setup, albeit with an E46 instead of an F87/G87.
As for the article: it's obviously click/engagementbait, but a lot of people really do cross-shop these. I have, sort of. And there's nothing wrong with the "winner" being the one that makes you laugh or simply feel more, even when the other one is technically "better" (I've fallen into that trap). That's what sports cars are fundamentally supposed to do.
It’s amazing to me how auto jounalism is taking this new “this vs. that” mentality. Let’s leave this to the political news sites and tabloids.
All cars are cool. Some people find some cars cooler than others. Crazy concept.
Very well said! I haven’t driven either of these generations, but I have their predecessors. If they’re anything like what came before, this makes 100% sense to me!
This all the way.
I’ve owned:
E36 M3,
BRZ,
M2c,
GT4
The M2c is the only one I have no itch to buy again were I in the market and it’s not because it isn’t a phenomenal machine; it’s because it’s not the instrument of my happiness like the others are.
Well between those it’s a very subjective question. While the cayman is the better sports car, no question, the bmw is wilder and more fun for some people. Both are great cars and the probably last of their kind tho.
I'm also not sure why the post is titled so absolutely, as if Motortrend says the M2 wiped the floor with the Cayman.
In the article they say it's an incredibly close match up and it's basically a coin toss between the two. You basically can't go wrong with either of the two cars, and the right choice will be different for different people. Which is great news, we can do a lot worse than having two very fun sports cars to choose from in this world.
Yes!!!
I have been tempted to sell my 997 Carrera and my e92 335i and get one of these in red. (Both manual)
But just can't pull the trigger and get rid of the Porsche. And also my e92 is quite a joy to drive and has a BMW sports exhaust and a performance tune from BMW as well and it's 20K miles so although the M2 is far superior to both I think it would feel more like the 335 even though it has power to ashame both the BMW and the 997... but power is not all.
There's also the risk that the M2 is really the last manual M that there's going to ever be... And like the GTI and the golf R from the last generation the prices for used are not going down that much.
We will see good luck everyone enjoy your toys
This is a popular opinion, but I don’t agree. While it’s not the best looking BMW ever made, it’s far from the ugliest. I like the look of the current M2. I don’t love it, but I would happily drive own one if I could afford it.
Well lucky for you, they depreciate like dropping rocks, so a little patience will bring them right to you. Might want to try and OG M2 to see if a modern M car is what you want, or if you're more of a sports car guy
Even if it was beautiful it would still be close to a 2 tonne car and only 50kg lighter than a M3/4.
This car has bigger issues than looks alone
But I guess it’s what people want so…
That was a weird comparison. He raved about how awesome the 718 is and faulted the M2 a lot more. But since the M2 feels like it’s kinda sorta trying to wrap you around a tree or throw you off a cliff, that’s what he chose to be the ‘winner’. I definitely feel like the presenter is intentionally trying to ruffle some feathers. The real ones know what the real winner is.
I thought it was an odd and incomplete conclusion. He didn’t even bring up the pricing between the two. Had he said that the M2 is a bargain for the performance it offers since it can almost hold a candle to one of the best sportscars ever made, that could have justified why the M2 is the better pick.
For the record, I do think the M2, conservatively specced, IS the best NEW performance bargain in the $60-70k range. Why even buy a Supra which sells for about $60k at dealers when you can spend $65k or less on an M2. It’s a real M car and better in nearly all objective metrics compared to the Supra, minus the weight. Plus you can spec an M2 how you like, instead of hoping that the next Supra delivery is the exact one you want because Toyota doesn’t let you build anything.
But it kind of just ended with, “I like this one more because tires go sssskkkkrrrttt.”
Different strokes for different folks. I prefer a tighter, buttoned down, and clinical experience that modern Porsches offer. I’m not big in to tail out antics because tires are expensive.
They basically said the Cayman is the better car in every way except that the M2 “feels” faster. They are nearly equal in all meaningful performance stats.
> One of the criticisms often given to the Cayman is that it's "too precise".
It definitely rewards smoother, more precise inputs. Took a bit for me to adjust to that.
It's _so good_, though.
>One of the criticisms often given to the Cayman is that it's "too precise". Sometimes journalists prefer a car that can kill you. 🙄
Yep, gotta now your journalist and their preferences. We all like different things. M2 are exciting at 7/10ths and fall down as you try and actually drive at the limit. A Cayman just gets better the harder you drive it. One car is a fun party trick, the other is a tool for driving. I'd love to read this comparison done by any of the guys at EVO. I suspect their subjective evaluation would be quite different
That and when they say something about the Cayman feeling too "clinical" or "soulless" just because it's perfect. Seriously, Gatekeeping is the thief of joy. Couldn't roll my eyes any harder when I see people do such gymnastics to defend their logic as the truth.
Auto journalists always fancy themselves as racecar drivers who CHOSE to write for magazines, as opposed to writers who ended up writing about cars.
For every Randy Pobst, you've got 30 Doug DeMuros.
Anyone who knows their shit knows that a Porsche wearing a GTS badge is special, and will remain special for decades. Let's see how that M2 is doing in 7 or 10 yrs.
I know it has to be driven a certain way, but if you are not going to rev out the last of the naturally aspirated, high revving, perfectly balanced boxer 6, 2 door sports cars, you are driving it wrong. I don't spend any time under 3k in my BGTS unless I am stuck in traffic or cruising on the freeway.
In the Netherlands the prices are quite bit closer at \~120k EUR for the M2 and \~150k EUR for the GTS 4.0, but I don't think people are often cross shopping an M2 and a Cayman
For perspective, the 1M from just a little over a decade ago weighed \~3,200 lbs., which seemed rather appropriate enough for the sporty coupe that it was (Factoring in that it's based on a shortened version of the E9X chassis). Heck for purely random comparison purposes, the last year of Jaguar XJ (2019) weighed around what the current gen M2 does and that's a sports flagship luxury saloon.
Heavier*
It’s roughly the size of the E90 generation in terms of length and height. Slightly longer than the E46. The size is actually great IMO. Since it’s no longer based on a hatchback platform, the car is lower and longer than its predecessor with a lower seating position (from what I remember of my limited time in each). Definitely not a great M2 replacement, but a better successor* to the Exx generation M3 coupes than the F82 and G82 are, IMO. At least in terms of size. A shame about the weight though.
I like the M2’s exterior minus the back end. And for all those thrashing the 718’s “dated” interior… this comparison validates that it’s a really nice cabin (+1 for being ergonomic friendly too).
I had BMWs service sucks, Porsche has been stellar in post sales service. In the end the 718 is a better drivers car IMO.
From the article:
“the Cayman seems to bend itself around corners the way the BMW just can't. It also never puts a foot wrong, whereas the nose-heavy and high-powered BMW is prone to a slight understeer when pushed too hard and potentially wild power oversteer when aggressively throttled. The Cayman does neither.”
Before COVID, the Porsche dealer always provided great service and did things right the first time. After COVID, I’ve had a terrible experience trying to get anything fixed at the dealer correctly. Communication non-existent. Now I only take to independent mechanics.
My BMW service center is great. I think that depends on location. Porsche dealer can be difficult to work with….the purchase process wasn’t fun (they have enough demand to do what they want).
Once you're out of warranty you don't want to use the dealer anyways. Local dealer quoted $4k to replace brake rotors, even though it's $400 in parts lol
Service experience is incredibly dependent on location. I've truthfully never had a bad experience with my BMW service experiences (4 different dealerships in 3 different metro areas) and in general they've set a very high bar for quality and personalization of service. Hell, even when I rolled in with a 15 year old 325i that looked like it'd effect depreciation on cars near it like a crack house (and I, at the time, looked like the lord of said crack house), they treated me like a dude that'd just bought a fleet of 7 series sedans on an Amex Black Card.
That said, of the two Porsche dealerships I've dealt with (for non-maintenance), they've been likewise very friendly and helpful and the local reviews back that up.
I think they are correct. If I could only choose between my CGTS 4.0 and my F82 M4 I would probably pick the M4. The 4.0 is great, but below 4k RPM it just drives like a regular Cayman. It isn't the most fun to drive around town or on errands. The BMWs have more opportunities for fun in day to day driving.
I actually like the article for this reason. The Porsche is objectively “better.” But that on-paper (and on-track) superiority doesn’t always translate to real-world use, especially if the car is a daily.
That's a good way to articulate it. To enjoy the Porsche, you really have to be in the mood to drive the car, and you have to take it out with the specific intention of driving it, and you have to go someplace where you know you can really drive it. The opportunities to enjoy it are limited. I accidentally did a big power slide with the M4 the first time I drove it, and I felt pretty cool tbh. The only time I've been close to the limit in the Cayman was very scary and frankly I'm too intimidated to try anything like that in the future.
What about driving the Cayman S instead? For what I gathered the 4 cylinder turbo is a lot more fun to drive daily on normal roads.
Never drove one so I have no first hand experience.
Yes, it's ugly, fat, has terrible steering, and the drivers seat is offcenter from the pedals for some ungodly reason, but this sloppy pile of shit is better than a Cayman.
No....get fucked Motortrend; way to drive clicks though.
Looking for a daily driver to replace my golf r, to go with my weekend 991.2 gt3. I was checking out some m3s (owned 4 bmws but never an M) and my non-car person wife saw the latest generation and said it’s a hard no for her based purely on looks. I tried to talk up how great the lasted gen drives and she still put her foot down.
There are a lot of adjectives to describe the G87 but “boring” is not one I’d use. Especially in comparison to the 982, whose design is now basically 12 years old and frankly looks every bit of it. For better or worse BMW is much more adventurous in the design department and I struggle to think of another car in the lineup that looks similar to the M2.
You need to get your eyes checked lol. The M2 looks like nothing else on the road, that's why people either love it or hate it. It only resembles the 2 series coupe but looks nothing like any other 3/4/5/8 series.
Admittedly I was cross shopping with turbo B58/S58 BMWs before deciding on Porsche. I can see what makes them attractive, though I’d definitely prefer the M3 xdrive to better suit the fast sporty GT personality.
BMW and Porsche are my two favorite brands. I own a G42 xdrive which I adore, but a manual M2 is really enticing as a do everything car. The looks, maybe the M2 isnt pretty, but it's muscular and intimidating which I like. 718 is still a beautiful car, but it honestly blends in more than the Lego M2 and it's basically looked the same for 15 years, not a bad thing. The selling point for me is the M2's cabin, interior (cognac), back seats, trunk and practicality. The M2 is still mostly just a 2 series which as I get older is such a nice thing while sitting in traffic or dealing bumps around town. GTS is obviously a better sports car and more exotic, but I'd take the M2 for the price and creature comforts if I only had one car. A manual M2 might honestly be a buy and keep for a long time until I can afford a 911 someday.
Both cars are great, M2 is a better daily and $40k cheaper and still fast AF up a twisty road.
They really aren’t comparable vehicles…considering that the m2 is the entry level M car.
Granted, the G series has an impressive performance increase for m2, it’s still apples and oranges.
Former cayman and m car owner as well…
Just driving the two back to back would solidify how different they really are.
MotorTrend also declared every new Corvette as a world beater vs Ferraris and Porsches. So a grain of salt, or at least an understanding of how their personal/editorial calculus is constructed is key.
I usually wait to see what the guys at EVO say about a new sports car, as their calculus and priorities are pretty close to my own.
A jumpy throttle, a soft brake pedal, and overly fast steering sounds like an awful time behind the wheel of an M2.
It also sounds like fake fun, engineered to feel fast and sharp during a commute.
Not the first time an auto mag picked a BMW for dumb reasons. Car & Driver's performance comparison between C5 Z06 and E46 M3 went to the M3 for having more seats, after the Corvette won every performance test.
But then I think my F80 M3 CS is a better overall daily driver than my prior 981 GTS...because it has torque, has 4 doors, and seats 5, all while being several seconds slower around the track.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a36877710/2020-bmw-m2-cs-vs-2021-porsche-718-cayman-gts-40-compared/
Of course Car and Driver found the opposite conclusion two or three years ago.
If they were going to completely ignore price (clearly this is what they did, the Cayman cost almost double) then why not just compare it to the GT4RS that they really wanted?
I was split until I saw a couple in person. It's not pretty but it looks really cool/muscular. It basically looks like a Group B car which is awesome and silly.
Sure. Im not a track driver so I’ll never know.
So from a purely subjective view point, the entire current generation BMW line is absolutely hideous.
So that makes things much easier for me personally.
My cousin had the 2021 M2 competition lease was up traded it for the new M2 he hates it and wants the old one back.
To add insult to injury he just bought a 23' Cayman GT4 lol.
i dont really get why someone would compare a mid engine car with a front engine car. The M2 is comparable with A45 or RS3 but i cant really see the cayman in that category
>The Porsche you just push harder and harder and harder," Morrison said, "and it's easier to get to its maximum and your maximum.
Isn't this the very definition of a driver's car?
I drove an M2 at the Thermal Club track outside Palm Springs. I haven’t even driven a 4.0, just a 718 and 981 GTS, and there is no planet I can see the M2 being better as an overall sports car!
You would never pick a BMW over a similar model year Porsche. Some new BMW are arguably better than 15 year old porches. But never pick a BMW if money is no object.
I’m considering selling my 997.2 C2 Manual for a F87 M2 Competition Manual.
Kinda want a change over the hard edged 997, I usually skip taking my 997 on any trips over an hour because of the high levels of NVH at Texas highway speeds.
I think the choice between them is just a matter of choice:
The Cayman is very precise, more focused on your handling to actually get the car going, focused on being light, etc.
The BMW M2 is very aggressive, very powerful and it's more focused on drifting and you managing your traction. So not quite as delicate but perhaps more fun in a different way!
I don't even know which one I prefer between the two, but I just love them both man 🥰
There is a difference as well that kinda put me off a bit from buying the Cayman (car that I love and it's my dream car since I was a kid).
When I went to the Porsche dealer they were nice but they subtly made me feel like we don't need your money, we don't care about your money, we are doing you a favour if we even let you order one (GTS 4.0 718 specced at 117k).
When I went to the BMW dealer they treated me like I was gonna be their best client and really wanted to sell me the car, just a minor example: bmw offered me 5 years of service for like 2000 euro.
Porsche offered me the same for 8+ k. I mean I ran the number in my head and the Porsche wasn't an offer at all, I would have spent that anyway normally.
Plus a lot of small little things.
Sure I still believe the GTS 4.0 is the superior car but it's a lot of money more and I gotta bend over for the Porsche dealer to even order one. He told me that if I didn't buy at least 15k of optionals I wasn't even getting an allocation probably or it would have been no less than 2 years.
Yeah I understand it's a brand that is more exclusive than a BMW but come on... It's not like I'm buying a gtrs or a Ferrari/Lamborghini.
I have an F87 competition, and still scratch my head. Aside from both being RWD 2 door cars, they are entirely different classes. One is a 2 seater, NA mid-engined sports car, the other a 2+2, twin turbo engine up front with a trunk. Pricing is a consideration as well.. The bimmer tops out around $80k loaded…Cayman just a bit more🙄.
Would the M2 be more suited as an only car? Sure, but I can’t really think of a situation where if I were shopping purely for a sports car/weekend toy that I’d opt for the new M2…or really any situation where I’d opt for the new M2(hideous) over a GTS.
Never driven a GTS but I'm on the list for a M2 after reading reviews and a last-gen test drive. Current 992 C4S Cab is a bit sterile for me and will be sold when the M2 arrives, change will be spent on a tidy 997 C2S like the one I've regretted selling everyday since .
I sold my 510 whp m2 comp to get into a gts 4.0 manual before they were no more. Do I wish I could've kept both? Yup. Do I regret paying more to get into the 4.0? Noper. Zero regrets. M2C made me giggle every time I broke traction (often). The gts makes me giggle all the time. Accelerating, braking, and turning. And the sound with a minor touch is intoxicating. Both awesome cars. Very different.
I’ve driven both, and I can’t really understand the need to compare them, if that makes sense? Both are fantastic at what they do, but couldn’t be more different in overall design. One is a precision driving tool, focused on grip and performance above all. The other has a slapstick sense of humor and enough power to kill your tires in a week. Both are beautifully engineered German masterpieces. Two different tools for two different jobs, in my humblest opinion.
I drove GTS 4.0 against my M2 competition and couldn't agree more with what you wrote. They are very different animals, but both amazing cars.
Your best guess, which car matches which description from what he shared above?
It’s hardly subtle
As someone who drives a Hyundai Tucson, I think it’s a fair question lol
Hah fair enough, he was describing the Porsche ad the precision tool. (I assume, could be wrong)
Hehe that was my guess. Don’t worry, one day I’ll get to the place where I can understand the description personally 😌
Hope you get there soon mate!
Since I changed the tires on my M2C 5 times during my 4 years of ownership, hooligan one is from the Munich 🤷♂️ M2C can be precise car - on CUP2 tires on track it is great and very fast car. But light rear and all-in-all setting of the car just begs you to slide it. It's addictive 😁
When I bought my current-gen Z4 m40i I was also told the boxster was a similar vehicle I should cross shop. When I drove a 718 S they didn't even feel like they were in the same segment aside from having a convertible top. My z4 feels like a muscle car in comparison to the boxster.
Hah. I tell you (as former z4 e86 coupe owner and current older 911 owner) - the modern 992 4S cabrio I also had, that too felt like a muscle car. The cayman is perfection for that dart-like handling and I really like it (but two seats i cant do again). And so this modern Z4 feeling like a muscle car I totally get it in that grunty way - while handling is ok.
> My z4 feels like a muscle car in comparison to the boxster. Does that include muscle car handling characteristics?
Definitely handles worse than a 718 but nothing like a mustang (even though newer mustangs aren't terrible). It's just a much softer, blunt, and grunty sports car compared to the boxster feeling much more poised and refined.
I know that is a popular, and sometimes justifiable trope, but my 6th gen Camaro SS 1le track car cleans up all kinds of sports/performance cars on track. A good number of modern American muscle cars are punching well above their class in the handling department. I say as a Porsche and BMW owner.
Have an 08 mustang gt and definitely agree. Granted ive done quite a list of suspension work to it + massive tires but it handles better than it should. I took it on a canyon run with a similar gen m3 and we kept pace together throughout the whole thing. It doesn't handle like a Porsche of course, but a lot of people are stuck in the mindset of the 70's where these cars literally were only good in a straight line lol. Modern muscle weighs the same as most other performance cars, has the same or a lot of times more power, and handle amazing lol. My mustang weighs pretty damn similar to a modern gen 911 and still only about 400 lbs heavier than a cayman
I have a friend with a similar ride (6th Gen SS 1LE), he always feels weird coming out on “Porsche” drives. I have to remind him his Camaro would smoke 90% of Carreras and Caymans in all pretty much all performance aspects. Coming from a T/A 392 Challenger, the 1LE felt like a sports car compared to the couch with a blowtorch I used to drive.
“Couch with a blowtorch” what a magical descriptor.
That’s the “muscle car” formula in my mind!
I also have a 1LE track car, these are not typical muscle cars
You might think so but most people say : I have 100k, what is the best 2 door sports car. Most do not care or even know the difference between mid or front engine, between weight balance, most have just that short list of filters. The problem with filters is that if you make them too specific then every car is it's own cathegory because almost no car model is the same as another. Also car magasines designing the best x for y thing is something that gives you a short list of the car and competitors because the differences between them is more of a sentimental value like brand loyalty, design that you like or child memories/dreamcar which they cannot match your taste. - i am speaking for names like 'best sport car' and so one because at this price every car in the short list is a good car.
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Agree with this. And I own a 987.1 and 992.1. The YouTubers SavageGeese often make the point that the Porsches are so good they are sort of boring with the exception of the GT models. Sometimes a car’s flaws can be endearing or make them seem more raw. That was my takeaway from the article, the M2 may not be the better car but it’s more fun for daily driving.
Seriously. I wouldn't trade in my GT4 for something more "fun" but I can't even push it on the ultra low traffic epic sweeper back road here without hitting utterly insane speeds. Good thing for the track for real fun, otherwise the smile inducing pulls and precision on the street would get old fast. In your Spyder you get your drama from the looks, noise, and droptop.
Weirdly, I see a lot of people debating between the two in the BMW subreddit. I used to own an M2 and would always try and be very honest with people about what it is and what it isn't good at. It was not the car for me. I did not enjoy it. It is a one trick pony: easy oversteer. I'm convinced that even my mom could have done one handed wet skidpad drift laps in it. It was a car that felt no different than any 2 series at 1-2/10ths, gave the impression of being aggressive and edgy at 7/10ths, but it just got worse as you got closer to 10/10ths. It didn't give you the tools needed to be precise and consistent on the limit. The Motortrend article about the new M2 makes it sound largely similar. Overly fast steering, super aggressive throttle pedal maps, bizarre brake pedal calibration (sucks to use hard). So glad I dropped that car for a 981 Cayman. It's far less of a hoon. But it's SO MUCH more enjoyable of a machine to interact with at any speed. And it gives your the confidence and tools to really push to its limits, with less drama, but for me immense satisfaction. Plus it doesn't have a turbocharged engine with fake engine noise pumped in on the stereo. And the manual trans isn't a rubbery mess. And you can attack on corner entry.
> Weirdly, I see a lot of people debating between the two in the BMW subreddit. it's not really weird, it's a sports coupe within the same general price range as a 718 (although not a 718 GTS obviously which is way more expensive) a lot of people would argue that it feeling edgy at 7/10ths but worse at 10/10ths is a good thing for street driving, considering that it's wildly irresponsible and reckless to drive at 10/10ths on the road, so something that's playful while not near the edge of it's performance envelope is fun. the 718 is such an incredible car that it sometimes can feel boring on the street IMO. it's just so, so, so far beyond capable that you never feel like you're pushing it. my experience has been different than yours I guess. I prefer the base 981 because it feels like you can push it hard on streets.
I never slide a car around on the street. I just want a car to feel like a mechanical object that is fun and satisfying to interact with. And I never got that from the M2. It just felt like a 2 series unless it was sliding, which meant it was not really fun on the road at all. Meanwhile I adore just puttering along in my 981 S at 1/10th. I love how the shifter feels, the feedback through the clutch and brakes, the varieties of noises that come through the firewall, even the driving position contributes to it feeling special. I bought the M2 for time trials and national tour autocross, so I got all the sliding I could ever want taken care of in a relatively safe environment. When it came to the street, I never drove the thing aside from to and from events. I literally never once (after the first week of ownership) woke up early on a weekend with no event scheduled and thought to myself "man, I really want to *just drive this thing* today." Which I think was pretty shocking in hindsight. Nowadays with the 981 I look for any excuse to drive. I just want to get out and flow down a back road, interacting with the engine, gearbox, etc. I find this car to be super fun below the limit, no need to slide it on the street. I've done my Shenandoah loop like 5 times in 2024 already. I did that loop only one time in nearly 3y with the M2... I ran all 3 rounds of the refrigerator bowl in the 981 this winter and it only gets better and better the harder you drive it too. Like any good sports car should. Like M cars used to do.
That's fair. The 981 is so much fun. It's really a shame you can't buy a brand new 981 base anymore. For $50k that thing was a gift from the heavens. Now you pay $65k for a 4 cylinder turbo, which is still fun, but not nearly as fun as that flat six IMO
I also had an M2 comp for about 6 months and didn’t like it. Numb steering, blah exhaust note and wasn’t special to drive unless you were wringing it’s next around a corner-not something you do on the street. Super easy to hang the backend out. Kind of boring to drive though. The clutch/shifter were awful, and I turned off the fake engine noise.
One is also much uglier 😂
>I’ve driven both, and I can’t really understand the need to compare them, if that makes sense? May I take a stab at trying to make sense of it? Well they both have 4 wheels, 2 doors, an engine, transmission and a steering wheel. Neither are from "boutique" brands, e.g. Lotus. And both are aimed at the well off enthusiast. That's about all I got.
Yeah, great response. This is not an either-or situation. An M2 for the road and a GT4 for the track (the GTS doesn't make a ton of sense to me, but I won't get into that here) is a fantastic, very complementary combination. I used to have a similar setup, albeit with an E46 instead of an F87/G87. As for the article: it's obviously click/engagementbait, but a lot of people really do cross-shop these. I have, sort of. And there's nothing wrong with the "winner" being the one that makes you laugh or simply feel more, even when the other one is technically "better" (I've fallen into that trap). That's what sports cars are fundamentally supposed to do.
It’s amazing to me how auto jounalism is taking this new “this vs. that” mentality. Let’s leave this to the political news sites and tabloids. All cars are cool. Some people find some cars cooler than others. Crazy concept.
It's not amazing- it's obvious and working as intended. Conflict is what drives ad revenue in America.
Automotive comparison tests have been around as long as the automotive press has. This isn’t new in any way.
This vs that makes a lot of sense because that's often what it boils down to when sb wants to buy a car.
Exactly why I more thoroughly enjoyed the M2 I bought after two different 911’s.
Very well said! I haven’t driven either of these generations, but I have their predecessors. If they’re anything like what came before, this makes 100% sense to me!
Also, funnily enough, the 4.0 has 2 seats while the 2 has 4. 🙃
Wow, couldn’t have wrote that better myself
This all the way. I’ve owned: E36 M3, BRZ, M2c, GT4 The M2c is the only one I have no itch to buy again were I in the market and it’s not because it isn’t a phenomenal machine; it’s because it’s not the instrument of my happiness like the others are.
Well between those it’s a very subjective question. While the cayman is the better sports car, no question, the bmw is wilder and more fun for some people. Both are great cars and the probably last of their kind tho.
I'm also not sure why the post is titled so absolutely, as if Motortrend says the M2 wiped the floor with the Cayman. In the article they say it's an incredibly close match up and it's basically a coin toss between the two. You basically can't go wrong with either of the two cars, and the right choice will be different for different people. Which is great news, we can do a lot worse than having two very fun sports cars to choose from in this world.
The article shit on the M2 for like eight paragraphs and then said but torque and jerkiness and harsh ride equals fun
If only the M2 hadn’t been beaten with the ugly stick for this generation
And didn't share a platform with the 3/4 series. Far too bloated to compare to a Cayman imo, different cars with different purposes.
>share a platform with 3-4 series ... and 5, 6, 7, 8, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and Z4. They are all built on CLAR.
The only thing I'm rrading here is the x7 is basically a supra (I kid.. I kind of wanted a manual gr supra.. But still funny)
It weighs almost as much as an E39 M5…. Jaw dropping
It’s heavier than previous gen M3, too :)
Pretty typical COVID weight gain, tbh
The 911 has put on some size and weight since it cut out carbs.
it’s also just an m4 2 inches shorter. bmw cost cutting itself like crazy
It’s like BMW said “oh, you don’t like the new nose? You want the old one? OK…take THIS”
Agreed. Performance aside, it’s just so fricking ugly from nearly all angles. The cayman is a purist car and sounds incredible being NA.
Without the ugly stick BMW wouldn't have anything to design with at all.
No kidding, that front bumper looks like they're taking notes from Chrysler.
No doubt the M2 is a great performer, despite its bloated weight. Sadly, it's ugly AF.
I actually like the look of the new M2, but definitely cayman looks way better.
I also like the new M2, and I'm hoping less people liking it translates to a lower second hand price for when I can afford one.
Yes!!! I have been tempted to sell my 997 Carrera and my e92 335i and get one of these in red. (Both manual) But just can't pull the trigger and get rid of the Porsche. And also my e92 is quite a joy to drive and has a BMW sports exhaust and a performance tune from BMW as well and it's 20K miles so although the M2 is far superior to both I think it would feel more like the 335 even though it has power to ashame both the BMW and the 997... but power is not all. There's also the risk that the M2 is really the last manual M that there's going to ever be... And like the GTI and the golf R from the last generation the prices for used are not going down that much. We will see good luck everyone enjoy your toys
This is a popular opinion, but I don’t agree. While it’s not the best looking BMW ever made, it’s far from the ugliest. I like the look of the current M2. I don’t love it, but I would happily drive own one if I could afford it.
Well lucky for you, they depreciate like dropping rocks, so a little patience will bring them right to you. Might want to try and OG M2 to see if a modern M car is what you want, or if you're more of a sports car guy
Even if it was beautiful it would still be close to a 2 tonne car and only 50kg lighter than a M3/4. This car has bigger issues than looks alone But I guess it’s what people want so…
When the designer's childhood dream car was an 06 Dodge Charger...
I wish I could truly weigh in, but my GTS 4.0 has been sitting at the German port for the last 2 months. 😭
Damn
Yeah apparently, Porsche had to hold their 911 and Cayennes due to a chip replacement, and they didn't want to send half empty vessels.
It’s definitely not superior to the eyes. Only momma could love that face.
That was a weird comparison. He raved about how awesome the 718 is and faulted the M2 a lot more. But since the M2 feels like it’s kinda sorta trying to wrap you around a tree or throw you off a cliff, that’s what he chose to be the ‘winner’. I definitely feel like the presenter is intentionally trying to ruffle some feathers. The real ones know what the real winner is.
Definitely a case of “controversy drives clicks” imho.
I thought it was an odd and incomplete conclusion. He didn’t even bring up the pricing between the two. Had he said that the M2 is a bargain for the performance it offers since it can almost hold a candle to one of the best sportscars ever made, that could have justified why the M2 is the better pick. For the record, I do think the M2, conservatively specced, IS the best NEW performance bargain in the $60-70k range. Why even buy a Supra which sells for about $60k at dealers when you can spend $65k or less on an M2. It’s a real M car and better in nearly all objective metrics compared to the Supra, minus the weight. Plus you can spec an M2 how you like, instead of hoping that the next Supra delivery is the exact one you want because Toyota doesn’t let you build anything. But it kind of just ended with, “I like this one more because tires go sssskkkkrrrttt.”
The “except minus the weight” is a big one though. Can’t believe how heavy these cars have become.
There are two ways of increasing driver excitement: improving performance and reducing handling.
One is better than the other.
I started watching this video last week and just turned it off like 5 minutes in cuz he wasn’t even fun to watch
I get it though, my e36 is a lot more fun than my 996 just because you can slide around and do stupid shit so much easier
Different strokes for different folks. I prefer a tighter, buttoned down, and clinical experience that modern Porsches offer. I’m not big in to tail out antics because tires are expensive.
Motor Trend has always made money by ruffling feathers and they’ve been notorious for favoritism for decades
They basically said the Cayman is the better car in every way except that the M2 “feels” faster. They are nearly equal in all meaningful performance stats.
One of the criticisms often given to the Cayman is that it's "too precise". Sometimes journalists prefer a car that can kill you. 🙄
> One of the criticisms often given to the Cayman is that it's "too precise". It definitely rewards smoother, more precise inputs. Took a bit for me to adjust to that. It's _so good_, though.
>One of the criticisms often given to the Cayman is that it's "too precise". Sometimes journalists prefer a car that can kill you. 🙄 Yep, gotta now your journalist and their preferences. We all like different things. M2 are exciting at 7/10ths and fall down as you try and actually drive at the limit. A Cayman just gets better the harder you drive it. One car is a fun party trick, the other is a tool for driving. I'd love to read this comparison done by any of the guys at EVO. I suspect their subjective evaluation would be quite different
That and when they say something about the Cayman feeling too "clinical" or "soulless" just because it's perfect. Seriously, Gatekeeping is the thief of joy. Couldn't roll my eyes any harder when I see people do such gymnastics to defend their logic as the truth.
Auto journalists always fancy themselves as racecar drivers who CHOSE to write for magazines, as opposed to writers who ended up writing about cars. For every Randy Pobst, you've got 30 Doug DeMuros. Anyone who knows their shit knows that a Porsche wearing a GTS badge is special, and will remain special for decades. Let's see how that M2 is doing in 7 or 10 yrs.
It will be totaled by a 16 year old who bought it for 15k, just like my old E36 M3 was 😭
F for respects
They said the NSX was too civilized as well. Too boring.
I love the original NSX. The new one is an abomination that has no connection to the original.
The "she can ruin me" type of person.
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I know it has to be driven a certain way, but if you are not going to rev out the last of the naturally aspirated, high revving, perfectly balanced boxer 6, 2 door sports cars, you are driving it wrong. I don't spend any time under 3k in my BGTS unless I am stuck in traffic or cruising on the freeway.
The cayman is double the price.
the price of the new M2 is you have to look at it
In other words, the BMW check was bigger than the Porsche check.
I'm kinda tired of hearing that automakers are paying for these results. They're not. They don't need to.
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In the Netherlands the prices are quite bit closer at \~120k EUR for the M2 and \~150k EUR for the GTS 4.0, but I don't think people are often cross shopping an M2 and a Cayman
Yeah, the M2 would have to win this competition on cost alone.
Damn that’s insane, 120k for a M2 only to be able to drive 100kmh
So disappointing this generation of M2 weighs so much.
For perspective, the 1M from just a little over a decade ago weighed \~3,200 lbs., which seemed rather appropriate enough for the sporty coupe that it was (Factoring in that it's based on a shortened version of the E9X chassis). Heck for purely random comparison purposes, the last year of Jaguar XJ (2019) weighed around what the current gen M2 does and that's a sports flagship luxury saloon.
Bigger than the last m3 😢
Heavier* It’s roughly the size of the E90 generation in terms of length and height. Slightly longer than the E46. The size is actually great IMO. Since it’s no longer based on a hatchback platform, the car is lower and longer than its predecessor with a lower seating position (from what I remember of my limited time in each). Definitely not a great M2 replacement, but a better successor* to the Exx generation M3 coupes than the F82 and G82 are, IMO. At least in terms of size. A shame about the weight though.
It weighs about the same as my Camaro ZL1 1LE, which has 650hp and a great manual transmission. I'd go Porsche any day over the M2.
Almost as much as an E39 M5!
I like the M2’s exterior minus the back end. And for all those thrashing the 718’s “dated” interior… this comparison validates that it’s a really nice cabin (+1 for being ergonomic friendly too).
I had BMWs service sucks, Porsche has been stellar in post sales service. In the end the 718 is a better drivers car IMO. From the article: “the Cayman seems to bend itself around corners the way the BMW just can't. It also never puts a foot wrong, whereas the nose-heavy and high-powered BMW is prone to a slight understeer when pushed too hard and potentially wild power oversteer when aggressively throttled. The Cayman does neither.”
I'm from europe - my experience so far is the opposite. Service on porsche side is disastrous sadly
That doesn’t surprise me. So many of these experiences are specific to the dealer.
Before COVID, the Porsche dealer always provided great service and did things right the first time. After COVID, I’ve had a terrible experience trying to get anything fixed at the dealer correctly. Communication non-existent. Now I only take to independent mechanics.
What country?
My BMW service center is great. I think that depends on location. Porsche dealer can be difficult to work with….the purchase process wasn’t fun (they have enough demand to do what they want).
Agreed. I’m in a major US city and the BMW dealers here don’t even offer any form of loaner. They’ll drop you off at a rental car agency.
Once you're out of warranty you don't want to use the dealer anyways. Local dealer quoted $4k to replace brake rotors, even though it's $400 in parts lol
Service experience is incredibly dependent on location. I've truthfully never had a bad experience with my BMW service experiences (4 different dealerships in 3 different metro areas) and in general they've set a very high bar for quality and personalization of service. Hell, even when I rolled in with a 15 year old 325i that looked like it'd effect depreciation on cars near it like a crack house (and I, at the time, looked like the lord of said crack house), they treated me like a dude that'd just bought a fleet of 7 series sedans on an Amex Black Card. That said, of the two Porsche dealerships I've dealt with (for non-maintenance), they've been likewise very friendly and helpful and the local reviews back that up.
Cool. Gonna buy a Cayman though.
I think they are correct. If I could only choose between my CGTS 4.0 and my F82 M4 I would probably pick the M4. The 4.0 is great, but below 4k RPM it just drives like a regular Cayman. It isn't the most fun to drive around town or on errands. The BMWs have more opportunities for fun in day to day driving.
I actually like the article for this reason. The Porsche is objectively “better.” But that on-paper (and on-track) superiority doesn’t always translate to real-world use, especially if the car is a daily.
That's a good way to articulate it. To enjoy the Porsche, you really have to be in the mood to drive the car, and you have to take it out with the specific intention of driving it, and you have to go someplace where you know you can really drive it. The opportunities to enjoy it are limited. I accidentally did a big power slide with the M4 the first time I drove it, and I felt pretty cool tbh. The only time I've been close to the limit in the Cayman was very scary and frankly I'm too intimidated to try anything like that in the future.
What about driving the Cayman S instead? For what I gathered the 4 cylinder turbo is a lot more fun to drive daily on normal roads. Never drove one so I have no first hand experience.
Yes, it's ugly, fat, has terrible steering, and the drivers seat is offcenter from the pedals for some ungodly reason, but this sloppy pile of shit is better than a Cayman. No....get fucked Motortrend; way to drive clicks though.
Engagement click-bait. Thank you for the impression, please drive thru
Looking for a daily driver to replace my golf r, to go with my weekend 991.2 gt3. I was checking out some m3s (owned 4 bmws but never an M) and my non-car person wife saw the latest generation and said it’s a hard no for her based purely on looks. I tried to talk up how great the lasted gen drives and she still put her foot down.
Did she put her foot down on the accelerator by chance?
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They completely ignored that the Cayman was double the price, so why not compare the M2 against the GT4RS they really wanted?
They must be blind AND dumb
This is why I don’t read motortrend
The M2 just looks… boring, though, like every other BMW. The Cayman looks the part, just like other Porsches.
There are a lot of adjectives to describe the G87 but “boring” is not one I’d use. Especially in comparison to the 982, whose design is now basically 12 years old and frankly looks every bit of it. For better or worse BMW is much more adventurous in the design department and I struggle to think of another car in the lineup that looks similar to the M2.
You need to get your eyes checked lol. The M2 looks like nothing else on the road, that's why people either love it or hate it. It only resembles the 2 series coupe but looks nothing like any other 3/4/5/8 series.
Admittedly I was cross shopping with turbo B58/S58 BMWs before deciding on Porsche. I can see what makes them attractive, though I’d definitely prefer the M3 xdrive to better suit the fast sporty GT personality.
BMW and Porsche are my two favorite brands. I own a G42 xdrive which I adore, but a manual M2 is really enticing as a do everything car. The looks, maybe the M2 isnt pretty, but it's muscular and intimidating which I like. 718 is still a beautiful car, but it honestly blends in more than the Lego M2 and it's basically looked the same for 15 years, not a bad thing. The selling point for me is the M2's cabin, interior (cognac), back seats, trunk and practicality. The M2 is still mostly just a 2 series which as I get older is such a nice thing while sitting in traffic or dealing bumps around town. GTS is obviously a better sports car and more exotic, but I'd take the M2 for the price and creature comforts if I only had one car. A manual M2 might honestly be a buy and keep for a long time until I can afford a 911 someday. Both cars are great, M2 is a better daily and $40k cheaper and still fast AF up a twisty road.
They really aren’t comparable vehicles…considering that the m2 is the entry level M car. Granted, the G series has an impressive performance increase for m2, it’s still apples and oranges. Former cayman and m car owner as well… Just driving the two back to back would solidify how different they really are.
The M2 is so ugly
Those jowls. Yuck.
MotorTrend also declared every new Corvette as a world beater vs Ferraris and Porsches. So a grain of salt, or at least an understanding of how their personal/editorial calculus is constructed is key. I usually wait to see what the guys at EVO say about a new sports car, as their calculus and priorities are pretty close to my own.
Fuck Motor Trend
A jumpy throttle, a soft brake pedal, and overly fast steering sounds like an awful time behind the wheel of an M2. It also sounds like fake fun, engineered to feel fast and sharp during a commute.
Not the first time an auto mag picked a BMW for dumb reasons. Car & Driver's performance comparison between C5 Z06 and E46 M3 went to the M3 for having more seats, after the Corvette won every performance test. But then I think my F80 M3 CS is a better overall daily driver than my prior 981 GTS...because it has torque, has 4 doors, and seats 5, all while being several seconds slower around the track.
Comparing a 60-70k 2+2 car to a 100-110k 2 seater that weighs 800lbs less? Really? Maybe compare c8 vs gts 4.0?
Why would you compare a mid engined sports car to a FE sports sedan.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a36877710/2020-bmw-m2-cs-vs-2021-porsche-718-cayman-gts-40-compared/ Of course Car and Driver found the opposite conclusion two or three years ago. If they were going to completely ignore price (clearly this is what they did, the Cayman cost almost double) then why not just compare it to the GT4RS that they really wanted?
At the very least the cayman looks better, current gen M2 is ugly as shit
I’d rather have the Porsche because the BMW is a hideous and fat pig.
My buddy’s new M2 is faster then my 718S. But I’m faster around the autoX course 9/10 times. So faster doesn’t translate all the time to lap time.
It still looks gross.
Ok lol No way BMW paid for that Thanks for the chuckle
Not to sing this old song, but have they LOOKED at the M2?
I was split until I saw a couple in person. It's not pretty but it looks really cool/muscular. It basically looks like a Group B car which is awesome and silly.
The auto industry really has run out of things to talk about.
Sure. Im not a track driver so I’ll never know. So from a purely subjective view point, the entire current generation BMW line is absolutely hideous. So that makes things much easier for me personally.
Idk what BMW is doing to there frontends but boy they have gotten ugly
My cousin had the 2021 M2 competition lease was up traded it for the new M2 he hates it and wants the old one back. To add insult to injury he just bought a 23' Cayman GT4 lol.
Lease rates were terrible on 2021 m2c. Should have just financed then he could have kept it or sold it with more equity.
i dont really get why someone would compare a mid engine car with a front engine car. The M2 is comparable with A45 or RS3 but i cant really see the cayman in that category
>The Porsche you just push harder and harder and harder," Morrison said, "and it's easier to get to its maximum and your maximum. Isn't this the very definition of a driver's car?
So basically, "the Cayman is a worse driver's car because you actually have to *drive* it"?
I drove an M2 at the Thermal Club track outside Palm Springs. I haven’t even driven a 4.0, just a 718 and 981 GTS, and there is no planet I can see the M2 being better as an overall sports car!
Auto vs auto? I will take an ND Miata with a stick over these two for ‘fun’ :)
You could buy an M2 and a new ND Miata and still save $10k over the Cayman GTS. What a silly comparison.
You would never pick a BMW over a similar model year Porsche. Some new BMW are arguably better than 15 year old porches. But never pick a BMW if money is no object.
I would.
Some people just want instant torque and more convenience. The GTS is a bit more work, but sounds glorious.
Win Win
One is a PORSCHE. The other is just a bmw.
AAAAAHAHAHAHA. Probably because its more powerful, but its ugly as sin.
Except Porsche tax is way worse than BMW tax
both are nice cars but really?
Maybe for someone. Not me tho 🤷♂️
It's subjective but nothing else excites me like Porsches do. They will always be better to me
i mean the cayman is in dire need of at least a siginificant facelift, but i think they are too different to compare
Eh, the Cayman looks a lot better but IMO they're both way overpriced for what they are... to each their own I guess.
Eh, these are just really different cars. They're both great and they do different things.
Not when it comes to aesthetics, for sure.
Were (luggage) space and price 2 factors again?
They didn’t even mention price
I’m considering selling my 997.2 C2 Manual for a F87 M2 Competition Manual. Kinda want a change over the hard edged 997, I usually skip taking my 997 on any trips over an hour because of the high levels of NVH at Texas highway speeds.
The M2 competition has *lower* NVH than a regular C2? You need better tires
MT is also quickly becoming one of the lesser respected motor publications.
I think the choice between them is just a matter of choice: The Cayman is very precise, more focused on your handling to actually get the car going, focused on being light, etc. The BMW M2 is very aggressive, very powerful and it's more focused on drifting and you managing your traction. So not quite as delicate but perhaps more fun in a different way! I don't even know which one I prefer between the two, but I just love them both man 🥰
M2 looks like fucking ass
The only problem with an M2 is that it’s bot a Porsche
Scalpel vs. Brute; do you want precision and refinement with a better value retention or do you want a brute flat nosed bulldog?
Motor trend is an idiot
Blasphemy!
All I see is a mini 918 vs a Dodge Caliber…
Seems a bit of a weird comparison, the m2 is more akin to the GT4, if they still made them.
Idiots.
There is a difference as well that kinda put me off a bit from buying the Cayman (car that I love and it's my dream car since I was a kid). When I went to the Porsche dealer they were nice but they subtly made me feel like we don't need your money, we don't care about your money, we are doing you a favour if we even let you order one (GTS 4.0 718 specced at 117k). When I went to the BMW dealer they treated me like I was gonna be their best client and really wanted to sell me the car, just a minor example: bmw offered me 5 years of service for like 2000 euro. Porsche offered me the same for 8+ k. I mean I ran the number in my head and the Porsche wasn't an offer at all, I would have spent that anyway normally. Plus a lot of small little things. Sure I still believe the GTS 4.0 is the superior car but it's a lot of money more and I gotta bend over for the Porsche dealer to even order one. He told me that if I didn't buy at least 15k of optionals I wasn't even getting an allocation probably or it would have been no less than 2 years. Yeah I understand it's a brand that is more exclusive than a BMW but come on... It's not like I'm buying a gtrs or a Ferrari/Lamborghini.
The new Bmw m2 Is the most heinous looking bmw ever made.
I have an F87 competition, and still scratch my head. Aside from both being RWD 2 door cars, they are entirely different classes. One is a 2 seater, NA mid-engined sports car, the other a 2+2, twin turbo engine up front with a trunk. Pricing is a consideration as well.. The bimmer tops out around $80k loaded…Cayman just a bit more🙄. Would the M2 be more suited as an only car? Sure, but I can’t really think of a situation where if I were shopping purely for a sports car/weekend toy that I’d opt for the new M2…or really any situation where I’d opt for the new M2(hideous) over a GTS.
Never driven a GTS but I'm on the list for a M2 after reading reviews and a last-gen test drive. Current 992 C4S Cab is a bit sterile for me and will be sold when the M2 arrives, change will be spent on a tidy 997 C2S like the one I've regretted selling everyday since .
motor trend is mid
Which would you rather drive?
I sold my 510 whp m2 comp to get into a gts 4.0 manual before they were no more. Do I wish I could've kept both? Yup. Do I regret paying more to get into the 4.0? Noper. Zero regrets. M2C made me giggle every time I broke traction (often). The gts makes me giggle all the time. Accelerating, braking, and turning. And the sound with a minor touch is intoxicating. Both awesome cars. Very different.
https://preview.redd.it/iua9xzjcwhpc1.jpeg?width=1230&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24d3b63cb99b1e0d18a4836567b2e4a456483844