BMW M2 (G87) vs. Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
Chubby M2 against pretty in pink Porsche isn't even close, right? Well...
In a world where so much is changing so rapidly, it’s comforting, five years on, to put the current GT4 against a new M2 and discover that - on the surface, at least - business is very much as usual. The Cayman still has a hearty flat-six in its middle and a six-speed manual, just as the original did back in 2015. And when the first M2 arrived a year later it launched in a funky blue named after a race track (Long Beach then; Zandvoort now), it was powered by a 3.0-litre turbo six, enthusiasts rejoiced at the manual option and worried it looked a little heavy. No wonder the latest M2 and GT4 already feel like known quantities and old friends, even with the BMW factory fresh and having not driven a manual GT4 since the halcyon days of early 2020.
You only need look at this pair to get a pretty obvious clue to their differences, even if they can both do a good job of confounding expectations. The M2 is bigger and bulkier than ever, whether inside or out, far more of a saloon in stature than it ever used to be thanks to a big bonnet, broad haunches and its sheer size. It feels like a luxury four-door inside, too, though that might add rather than detract from the appeal. The Cayman, by contrast, is as pitch-perfect as ever, the way you always drew mid-engine sports cars as a kid and without a wasted millimetre anywhere. There’s no acclimatisation period, wondering how it might look in a different colour or trying it from this angle - even if it seems quite a bit like a 981 Cayman from a decade ago, it still looks great. And that’s probably not the word most commonly used for the BMW.
With plenty of M2 miles having been covered already, the Porsche feels like a good place to start driving. After all, nothing will show up whether your new performance car really hits the mark like something designated 'GT', and the Cayman’s quality is immediately evident. Precious little has changed over the years - but it never really needed to: even when steering, braking and changing gear at modest speeds, you want for no more resistance, effort or feedback from any major control surface. Just an excuse to embrace them all over again.
Indeed, such is the 718’s vintage that it’s bordering on a modern classic experience, especially in the context of the IMAX’d, supersized M2. And it’s in all the good stuff: those buttons on the dash now fall to hand like your landline number always used to, the steering wheel is unadorned (and wonderful), the big central tacho draws the eye like no alternative could - and there’s a manual! Stood proudly in its rightful place. The Cayman interior may no longer be in the first flushes of youth or especially jazzy (even with body-coloured splashes of trim), and it won’t wow like the BMW’s, but as a driving environment, it’s still first class.
There are distinctly old-school (and very charming) elements to the driving experience, too. Of course, there’s far too much traction, grip and composure for the GT4 to feel anything but resolutely modern in a general sense, but in its requirement for revs, the presence of just a little steering heft and the reward on offer from getting gear changes just so, the time-honoured thrill of a properly great sports car is never far away. You don’t need to be going fast or making loads of noise to appreciate the flagship Cayman.
Helps if you are, though. While the quality of the feedback on offer elevates the experience above the GTS 4.0 at slow speeds, it’s with some commitment that the 718 really shows off its five-star credentials. And where, crucially, it strikes a nicer balance on the road than the wild RS. Every element that was so gratifying at normal pace just gets better and better the faster you go, never faltering or wavering from exactly what you want to achieve. More speed means more revs and more tremendous noise, the superior 4.0-litre unit unleashed as it soars to 8,000rpm; the gearbox never feels better than when decisively punched across the gate.
Elsewhere, without a mode change or a button press, the steering loads up exactly how you would want, the brake pedal keeps on giving long into its travel, and the damping, of course, remains marvellous throughout - the GT4's body barely disturbed as something like witchcraft occurs in the almost non-existent gap between 20-inch wheel and 1,420kg car. Even the initial firmness of Sport soon fades. The status quo has never felt quite so desirable as in a GT4. Shame that gaudy blue, devilishly modern BMW won’t go away…
Previously, the script was easy to follow. M2 did some muscle car charm at low speed; Porsche romped away as the road became too challenging for a humble 2 Series. But not any longer. Or not on this experience, at least. Perhaps on track, the Cayman’s weight advantage would tell (along with its optional brake advantage), but such is this G87’s ability to get 460hp and 406lb ft of torque to the road - while also keeping a lid on 1,725kg - that those previously inevitable moments when the M car wilted don’t materialise. It’ll stay glued to that Frozen Berry behind whatever, chomping through gears relentlessly as the Porsche winds up for another run at the redline and punching hard enough out of bends to make you wonder if the xDrive hasn’t arrived yet.
Inevitably, some delicacy has been lost in the process - any car with 275-section front tyres isn’t going to be dancing between grip and slip on the road, and those naughty little squiggles out of a bend are harder (if not impossible) to come by in this M2. But it’s hard to argue with the effectiveness, the chunky little coupe seemingly fazed by very little (especially when cranked up to its sportier drive modes), and the latest version not without its own appeal. Knowing the tenacity of the front end means you can commit the speed - there’s a nice sense of both axles being worked equally - and the energy of the powertrain is pretty compelling. It’s new-school M car alright, which makes it an even more intriguing match-up with the traditionally engaging Porsche. It’s easy to bemoan the demise of easy access thrills in a junior M car because arguably that’s what they should be about, but what’s being offered up instead - a heavier, plusher, and yet more capable replacement - will be hard for paying customers to find much fault with.
Would a manual have made much difference? Potentially. The acceleration wouldn’t be quite as savage, and the driver would have a bit more to think about. You could argue that a DIY gearbox represents a welcome reprieve from the tech onslaught, too. It’s hard to imagine the Cayman romping away, however. Moreover, these feel like the right transmissions for these cars - a PDK robs the GT4 masterclass of more than just a third pedal, and (on early experience, at least) the M2 manual jars a tad with a much more modern M car. One to investigate at a later date, perhaps. For now, and certainly to represent what each car does best, a six-speed GT4 and an eight-speed M2 seem appropriate - and for largely obvious reasons: the Porsche is the sports car that places a special emphasis on the sensations of driving, while the BMW is the consummate everyday coupe, luxurious and refined while also quicker than just about anything else on the road.
Though always pitched together as rivals, the truth of an M2 versus Cayman duel in any guise has been of a muscular two-door saloon against a purpose-built mid-engined sports car, with the inherent compromises and conflicts of both those layouts. For some a Cayman just doesn’t have enough seats or enough boot; for others, a 2 Series will never be special enough when a Porsche could be bought for similar money. And in case you hadn't noticed, the BMW is now a properly large car with usable rear seats and an even bigger boot, while the Porsche throws up quite a lot of road noise from its big Cup 2s in the echo chamber behind.
Truthfully, and against the backdrop of a GT4 that's just gone off sale and an M2 that marks the end of pure combustion M cars, they've never felt further apart. The Porsche bristles with the kind of immersive performance every enthusiast craves in a rear-drive sports car, while its bigger, heavier, faster rival represents a significant leap forward in every aspect for the smallest M car - thanks to borrowing so much tech from larger ones. Yet they remain hard to separate on a road. The Cayman shows off why light, small and mid-engined has always been the template for sports car success; the M2 now feels like a standard bearer (indeed, the last BMW-made standard-bearer) for what can be done with an engine up front and loads of power going rearwards.
If one thing is for certain, we know that the M2 will improve from here - because that’s what M cars do. It’ll get lighter, fiercer and grittier as a CS and maybe even a GTS come along, and its maker signs off pure combustion in unapologetic fashion. Consequently, as time progresses, so some layers of refinement will be peeled away to hopefully reveal something rowdier as the M car mascot. There is a great driver’s car in here, despite all the reservations that exist, whatever the doom-mongers are saying this week - it’d just be nice to be exposed to its workings a little more often. And exposed to less of the outside all the time.
Neither of those accusations could be levelled at the Cayman, even in the colour of your nan’s en-suite. You feel as much a part of the experience as a gear or a valve or a wheel, albeit without ever being worked so hard. The Porsche GT compromise, where a sports car is demanding enough to be memorable yet never sufficiently tiring to be a chore, has never felt more desirable. It could be an everyday car, because it rides and it cruises and it’s so wonderfully wieldy - but it would make every single day feel so special as well. The BMW doesn’t quite feel as able to do that.
Perhaps it’s a churlish complaint - the G87 does everything and more that’ll be expected of a new M car in 2023, for significantly less money than the Porsche as well. And look what's happened with the M3 CS for evidence of where this architecture can reach, which means there’s cause for some considerable optimism going forward. For now, though, the standard M2 is the one to count on for any trip at any time, as there won’t be a situation it won’t exceed expectations or a drive it wouldn’t suit. As it ever was with these two, however, it’ll only be the Porsche that makes you want to do it all over again.
SPECIFICATION | 2023 BMW M2 (G87)
Engine: 2,993cc, twin-turbo, straight six
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 460@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 406@2,650-5,870rpm
0-62mph: 4.1 secs
Top speed: 155mph (177mph with optional M Driver’s Pack)
Weight: 1,725kg (DIN)
MPG: 29.1
CO2: 220 g/km
Price: £64,890 (price as standard; price as tested £69,025 comprising M Driver’s Pack (a 180mph limiter raise and a voucher for ‘M Intensive Driver Training’) for £2,305, Driving Assistant for £1,100, and M2 Comfort Package (Comfort Access, Heated wheel, wireless charging storage) for £730.
SPECIFICATION | PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN GT4
Engine: 3,995cc, flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 420@7,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 310@5,000-6,800rpm
0-62mph: 4.4 secs
Top speed: 189mph
Weight: 1,420kg
MPG: 25.9
CO2: 249g/km
Price: £78,750 (price as standard; price as tested £97,578 comprising BOSE Surround Sound System for £834, Two-zone automatic climate control for £539, Full bucket seats for £3,788, Cruise control for £228, Rear ParkAssist with camera for £825, Auto dimming mirrors with integrated rain sensor for £345, Bi-Xenon main lights in black including Porsche Dynamic Light System for £918, Tyre sealing compound and electric air compressor for £42, Brake calipers painted in high gloss black for £581, Chrono Package and preparation for lap time for £336, Headlight cleaning system covered painted for £143, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake for £5,597, Clubsport Package for £2,778, Race-Tex interior with extensive items in leather, black, decorative stitching in contrasting colour silver for £1,242 and Frozen Berry Metallic for £632.
The B58, that is the star on the, for me at least, further non desirable car.
So I left BMW and I went the the 718 GT4 and now GT4RS route.
And I do not have any regrets.
Huge price difference surprising but that's Porsche and their "options" pack cost for ya! Residual price in 5years likely to favour the GT4 you'd imagine.
As the article alludes to, I don't really see these as direct rivals. If I had the money to spend and didn't need back seats or a half decent boot, the Porsche would definitely be the one to take. But if you do....then it's instantly ruled out.
It’s the Porsche for me, all day every day.
But I like the M2 also and pleased it’s out there for those who want them. I encountered one at a deserted M6 toll booth last week, it’s straight line speed from a standing start was frankly astonishing.
Intriguing as to why you would, while obviously not condoning 50 in a 30, we've all used speed in appropriately on many occasions I'm sure.
Interestingly some other reviews state that tune of this version of S58 is a much nicer drive than the higher bhp tune in the M3/4/X3M due to improved lower down torque.
As other have said the price difference on these almost makes the comparison irrelevant however, as a lot of people would be buying on PCP I’m pretty sure the monthly payments would be fairly similar due to improved residuals in the GT4.
As the article alludes to, I don't really see these as direct rivals. If I had the money to spend and didn't need back seats or a half decent boot, the Porsche would definitely be the one to take. But if you do....then it's instantly ruled out.
The sheer size and weight of the M2 (now unforgivably made too heavy by BMW) mean that it will never defy the laws of physics and be as sharp as the GT4 on the twisties. It's a minor miracle that it drives as well as it does, despite it's fundamental design barriers.
One other point is that, while enjoyed reading this very well written comparison, this is the basic M2 being compared to the top of the line Cayman (RS version apart). So, perhaps it would've been more appropriate comparing it with one of the more basic versions of the Cayman, and wait for the M2 CS before pitting it against the GT4, just imo.
The B58, that is the star on the, for me at least, further non desirable car.
So I left BMW and I went the the 718 GT4 and now GT4RS route.
And I do not have any regrets.
These comments from past M owners that they were so disappointed by modern M cars that they HAD to audibly leave the brand to buy a much more expensive Porsche are getting tiring.
Not that I disagree with you regarding G8x M cars and their weight or lack of fizz. F80/87/90 CS were the peak in that regard.
The B58, that is the star on the, for me at least, further non desirable car.
So I left BMW and I went the the 718 GT4 and now GT4RS route.
And I do not have any regrets.
These comments from past M owners that they were so disappointed by modern M cars that they HAD to audibly leave the brand to buy a much more expensive Porsche are getting tiring.
Not that I disagree with you regarding G8x M cars and their weight or lack of fizz. F80/87/90 CS were the peak in that regard.
They seem to lack an excitement whatsoever.
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