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BMW M Coupe vs. Porsche Cayman
Which one wins? The BMW or Porshe? Read the comparison and post your comments.
2006 Sport Coupe Shootout: BMW M Coupe vs. Porsche Cayman S
2006 Sport Coupe Shootout: BMW M Coupe vs. Porsche Cayman S
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Comments
So if Porsche designs a car which just natural handles better than the M, you need to penalize them for it?
I thought experienced auto journalists would evaluate cars on the basis of how they line up in teh hands of the same driver. If we have an expert driver driving both cars, would he ultimately end up extracting more out of the Cayman than out of the M? I think this shootout provides the answer and then answer is yes.
And I dont think the 'real' hardcore drivers of the sort Mr. Hellwig seems to refer to would (or should) even care about these cars. They should rather get an evo or wrx and soup it up to deliver more gut wrenches at half the price!
I think the target segment for these cars is very well defined. And in every respect, the Porsche wins. Leaving everything else aside, I think even from the exclusivity perspective Porsche flogs BMW. Due to the proliferation of their lower end models (3 series has almost become the quivalent of accords / camries in my office parking lot) I dont think BMW has retained as much exclusivity.
Porsche is the better car and has more exclusivity appeal, both desirable for the intended market. Sigh, too bad that I am not yet in their crosshairs. Someday......
Several published reviews have mentioned that BMW might have gone too far in stiffening up the suspension to take advantage of the more rigid coupes inherent capabilities.
im sure if BMW spent more money in research in developing a lighter chassis/materials, use a new engine (instead of the 2001 s54 engine)....and charge the car for like 65k then i bet the BMW M coupe will win
According to carsdirect.com..the M is more expensive?
2007 Porsche Cayman 2dr Rear-wheel Drive Coupe Base+Sports Package:
$52,875
http://www.carsdirect.com/build/options?zipcode=92128&acode=USB70PRC071A0&restor- e=false
2006 BMW M 2dr Roadster Base
Target Price: $52,995
http://www.carsdirect.com/build/options?zipcode=92128&acode=USB60BMC131A0&restor- e=false
just my 2 cents,
Joseph
San Diego, CA
but in the original article they were comparing the Porsche Cayman S and the BMW M Coupe.
just comparing the msrp pricing.....
BMW M coupe is $49,300
where as the
Porsche Cayman S is $58,900
the regular cayman was $49,400
also you can't really compare the regular cayman and M coupe... because they're really two different animals. The M coupe will smoke the cayman
cayman S is more similar to the M coupe
But, IMO, BMW is way off track when it comes to "sports cars". Too heavy, below average handling, borrowed engines.... The Z3/Z4 were inferior to a $32k Honda S2000 the day they were introduced. I'd rather be driving an M5 on a winding country road that a "Z". At least I'd have the pinnacle of 5 passenger handling rather than the lower end of two passenger handling.
I never considered (or drove) the M Coupe when sports car shopping last year. My previous test drive experiences with the Z4 were just too dissapointing to overcome.
If I'm not mistaken, the new 2007 Acura MDX was tested at around 0.85g's by Edmunds. The same they got for the M Coupe. "Sporty" was how they described it. Not exactly what I'd want my best effort as a sports car tagged as.
I love Porsches and I test drove three 911's, two Boxster S, and a Cayman S, before buying my M Roadster. I love the M Coupe, but I need to be able to get the top down in the summer, so I opted for the Roadster. The Porsches that have been so successful on the track are 911s. The Cayman has no racing history. In fact, the Porsche 911s that have been most successful are the "cup" cars, which are not intended for the street. Let's look at how the street versions compare.
The November 6 Autoweek compared the M Coupe to the Boxster S. It gave the $70,505 Cayman S a narrow all around victory over the $57,595 M Coupe. The Cayman S had every performance option, including sports chrono, active suspension management, and 19 inch carerra wheels. On the track at Willow Springs the reviewers were unanimous in voting for the BMW. Here are some quotes from several of the test drivers.
"On the short, tight streets of Willow the difference between the two was huge".
"The M Coupe was much, much better. Suddenly the power difference showed itself as I entered the first turn, down to the apex,and easing on the gas, the thing just ran".
"The M Coupe felt way better on the racetrack"
A second comparison can be seen in videos from the British TV show "Top Gear". While adding humor and arguing with each other, the staff consists of professional drivers. They ultimately take each car to the same track and have the same professional test driver get his best time. I've attached two links because the Cayman S was tested alone and the M Roadster was tested against the Boxster S. Track times are posted for each car. There are times for many supercars, some of which are beaten by the M Roadster. The Cayman S time was posted before the M Roadster had been tested. When you view the second video you will see that the M Roadster beats both the Boxster S and the Cayman S.
Both Autoweek and Top Gear agree that the Porsches are easier to drive. The BMW is more difficult to handle, Interestingly, difficult handling was one of the hallmarks of air cooled 911s that made 911 owners sneer at other Porsche drivers with lesser skills.
Don't get me wrong. I love the Porsche too. I just needed to respond to the "quicker on the track" comment you made.
Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBzKhW5zJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAphQpbm4JA&search=Top%20Gear%20Porsche%20Cayman
In my opinion:
The Porsche has a more luxurious/upscale cabin. It has higher quality materials, has higher cache/prestige, and sexier looks. The biggest difference though is how it drives. The Cayman S is quick, responsive, and very capable, but compared to the BMW, I think that, to repeat the words of an earlier post, it is a little on the "clinical" side of the fun meter.
The BMW, on the other hand, has great seats and a terrific small/fat steering wheel, but the cockpit feels claustrophobic compared to the airy-feeling Porsche, and the plastic trim pieces are downright cheap. I like the way the M Coupe looks, but it's clumsy next to the Cayman. Most importantly, the BMW is a rip-snorting good time behind the wheel. The 3.2 I-6 is a hand-built race engine and it feels/sounds like it. Compared to the BMW, the Porsche drives kind of like a very, very good Honda - smooth, refined, effortless.
The Cayman is a surgeons scalpel and the BMW is a KA-BAR. Personally, I love them both equally (for different reasons), but if I were buying today, my wallet and driving style would lead me towards the BMW.
I sat in a number of BMWs and this time round the Z4 felt claustrophobic, though the new Audi TT is improved. Same argument of longevity and exclusivity. If I ever drove hell for leather maybe I would be interested. Put me on a motorway cruising 70-80-90's and I am getting 27 mpg. Nice
The Z4 3.0 outperforms the S2000 in pretty much every performance category. You might say, "But does that actually make it faster around a track?" The answer is yes. A stock Z4 3.0 SMG lapped the Nordschleife in 8 minutes, 32 seconds. The S2000 turned in a time of 8 minutes, 39 seconds. Those are Sportauto times, by the way. The Z4 is significantly more expensive, but it also comes with a more practical truck and (in my opinion) a better interior.
For comparison, the Cayman S turned in a time of 8 minutes, 25 seconds. In summary, for the price gap between the S2000 and the Z4 3.0, you get a car that performs better in every regard and has more luxury features. This makes sense. More money = more car. For the price gap between the Z4 M Coupe and the Cayman S, you get a car that performs worse and may or may not have a better interior, depending on your preference.
So what's that again about BMW not knowing how to make sports cars?
When the Z4 was introduced, the top-of-the-line 3.0L model only had 215 HP (N52 series engine). It was heavier, slower, and less responsive than the S2000.
The 3.0si, which you refer to above, has the newer 255 HP N54 motor. With 40 more HP, it's certainly quicker than the old 3.0L model (and infinitesimally quicker than the S2000), but with it's 300 lb weight disadvantage, it still doesn't quite match the Honda in handling dynamics. On the other hand, it is smoother riding and more comfortable on a day-by-day basis.
BMW has always been the master of the "ride/handling tradeoff" and the Z4 is no exception. Compared to the S2000, I think the BMW is the better all-around sports car (it should be with a $10,000 price premium). But judged strictly as a sports car, I'd say the Honda, with it's 8000 RPM redline and lighter weight, is still more responsive and thrilling to drive - even if it is 1 MPH slower around The Ring.