Drivetribe has been posting a series of videos pitting the BMW M2, Audi TT RS and Porsche 718 Cayman S together in a variety of different tests. First there was just a spec-sheet test, with all three cars getting weighed and hitting the dyno. Sort of like a weigh-in for a boxing match. Then, all three cars took to the drag strip to see which was fastest in a straight line. Now, they get to the actual race track to see which can set the fastest lap time.
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At the weigh-in, we learned that the Audi TT RS had the best power-to-weight ratio of the bunch while also being outright the most powerful. In a straight line, that power proved useful, as the TT RS crushed the M2 and Cayman in a drag race. But how can the front-drive-based all-wheel drive TT RS compare against mid-engine rear-wheel drive Cayman or front-engine rear-wheel drive on a circuit?
First up is the Audi TT RS. It actually sets a pretty good lap time thanks to its immense power. It lapped Anglesey Circuit in 1:40.68. Afterward, though, Jethro Bovington claimed it to be “pretty horrendous” on the track. It just understeered too much and wasn’t adjustable until it’s going too fast for you to want it to be. It also didn’t have as much grip as you’d think. That’s the downside of a Haldex-based all-wheel drive system. But he did love the engine, which is a masterclass in small turbocharged engines. Plus, it sounds like fire and brimstone, which is cool.
Next was the Porsche. First thing you notice is the engine and exhaust notes, or lack thereof. Porsche’s new turbocharged flat-four engine sounds like a Subaru boxer engine and may be the least charismatic engine of any Porsche ever. Bovington wasn’t a fan either. But it’s quick, putting down a lap time of 1:39.03. Thank it’s impeccable chassis balance and steering. Though, he didn’t much like the rear diff, which seemed reluctant to lock up.
Finally, it was the turn of the BMW M2. With more power than the Porsche and better handling than the Audi, you’d expect it to do well. Though, it actually turned out the slowest time of 1:40.68. You could tell that it gets a bit too squirly on corner exit sometimes, as it wants to smoke its rear tires. After the lap, Bovington immediately complains about the brakes, which started to fade on the warm-up lap. It’s true that the M2’s brakes are pretty standard BMW kit and nothing fancy. Though, he did say it was very adjustable and very playful, allowing for the rear to be steered with the throttle and that it was very fun to drive.
But this test was all about lap times. Which car was the fastest. Well, that would be the Porsche 718 Cayman S, with the Audi TT RS right behind it and the BMW M2 in last place. In the next video, they will test how each car is to actually drive around the track, their characteristics and which is the most enjoyable. Until next time.
Pathetic bmw is at the last place. The way it should be.
Pathetic? And the fun factor? The manual transmision v/s the stronic from theTTRS? Probably the M2 with DCT would be ahead of the digital bored TTRS. The best power-to-weight ratio, quattro less weight and the same lap time? Pathetic is the “front wheel drive based “TTRS!
EXACTLY! I agree 100%, especially: “Pathethic is the FWD TTRS”. A “sports” car needs to be either RWD or AWD with RWD focus.
And yet it came in a close second on the heels of the MUCH more expensive (when similarly equipped minus AWD which is unavailable on the Cayman) Cayman S. By the way, the TTRS is only “FWD biased” when driving calmly on the road. When you put your foot down on the track is shifts to RWD focused.
And again, the results of these tests seem to be fairly clear when looking at the facts. The Porsche is for you if you have money to burn and want a badge more than anything, the BMW come sin on a budget and still performs well…….but is NOT the best, and the TTRS sets the bar for power, performance, and cost.
It came second because it has a faster gearbox (automatic). Of course AWD is unavailable on the Cayman. That would be ridiculous. If that’s true, then they’ve learned a bit from their mistakes (I mean that the AWD switches to RWD). It still means it will be by far the least fun car to drive on the open road and twists etc. The driver also said the RS drives the worst. So it’s still a fast, boring Audi.
You’re wrong about the results. The Porsche is the best sports car. It’s the best balanced, it’s the fastest by far (it was equipped with a manual ‘box and was still faster) and looks way better than the RS. The BMW M2 is probably the most fun and the best overall package for daily driver that’s also very fast on the track. The Audi, well the Audi is like I said fast and boring.
Porsche purpose built mid-engine. Would still take I6 over 4.
The BMW may be the best all purpose. I can’t even look @ the TT.
I don’t drop $70k on a car for “fun”, if I want a slow car that is fun I’ll grab an old Miata with an analog manual and save some cash. When I drop that much money on a sports car I want PERFORMANCE, and that means a DCT. Not to mention unless your a loser and slap your DCT into “AUTO” like a chump it’s no different than an old traditional manual for ‘feel’ anyway. I control the shifts in my DCTs just like I always did in my 4, 5, and 6 speeds, the only difference is my left leg isn’t bigger than my right anymore.
Real drivers use the fastest, best technology they have to squeeze every second of performance. It’s why F1 cars don’t use carburetors or lever shift manuals anymore.
I’ll give credit where it’s due to the M2 with the DCT as it would keep up well with the more expensive TTRS but that doesn’t relegate the TTRS to “pathetic” as it’s still a blisteringly fast car, and the sound from that 5 cylinder is well worth the added cost for the same (not worse) performance. Performance by the way that while equal on dry, perfect pavement will find the M2 floundering in poor conditions while the TTRS continues to perform. I wonder what the lap times would show on a snow covered track……..LMAO
I6 > I5.
Pathetic is volume VW platform passing itself as a performance car.
Firstly: the BMW would either have won or at least it would have beaten the TT with the DCT. Secondly: the M2 is WAAAAAAAAY more fun than the boring Quattro Audi.
Thirdly: just shut up your face. Seriously.
One of the better video’s, JB spoke w/ the interviewer to give his immediate impressions after a hot lap(s). I wish he would do this after a M3/4 and Mercedes C 63 S AMG comparison (and maybe after Audi RS 5 available later 2017). Lap times mean so much less than how the cars feels during the lap.
On track Anglesey International GP, M4 GTS did 1:40,40. So every time of these 3 cars are good. Only Porsche has engine in proper place, so it’s obv fastest.
TTRS is faster than M2 on almost every track.
http://fastestlaps.com/comparisons/ca6e265lakea
Ligter, more powerfull, FWD biased with rear wheel help. As always, Audi is faster than Bmw and this is boring.
Don’t try. The empty head bmw fans will sing their pathetic song anyway. Don’t need to argue with losers. :)
Why wouldn’t we buy the rwd. I6 over the awd. I5? Prefer the looks of the M2 as well. Most vehicles are daily drivers, how many are buying track vehicles?
Still prefer turbo I6, stick, rwd. Why pay extra to hear a 4 behind me?
I agree for the most part but the Audi TT RS is a turbo I5 not a four. And it’s a brilliant engine.
The I6 is a brilliant engine. Would NEVER buy a VAG over a BMW. Tried to test a new Golf, it was factory recalled before it made it to a dealer.
It’s no I6.
Another ridiculous test between an Audi with stronic and two manual cars? This is a failed Audi commercial. If the car were fairly matched the Porsche would have annihilated the Audi even more. These are the time differences as documented by Car and Driver between the Porsche 718 Cayman s PDK and the Porsche 718 Cayman S Manual. We are talking about an enormous performance gap, and I suspect this is why the Porsche with the PDk was not used in this testing.
While the track devouring Porsche won, it would have been a massacre with the PDK variant, which is 7/10s of a second faster in acceleration from 0-60 mph and 8/10s faster in the quarter mile.
C/D TEST RESULTS FOR 718 CAYMAN S MANUAL
Zero to 60 mph: 4.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.5 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 15.5 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 27.8 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.1 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 10.2 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 6.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.8 sec @ 109 mph
C/D TEST RESULTS FOR THE 718 CAYMAN S PDK
Zero to 60 mph: 3.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.7 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 15.2 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 22.8 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 4.4 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 2.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.0 sec @ 117 mph
And this critic needs to find a better argument against the new Porsche supercar than sound. Power trumps sound in any serious buyer’s mind. Yes, this turbo sounds like a turbo–dah. And it sounds great. We are talking about leveraging octane for speed and agility and not melodious octaves to win races. If you DO NOT want a race car, don’t buy the Porsche. Porsche’s are clearly not going to be for everybody.
The 718 Cayman S turbo is mean, and it’s one of five quickest and fastest Porsches that you can buy today.
Great. For anyone who wants a 2 seat mid-engine. Which is not most of us.
You keep coming back to complain about the Cayman being manual, claiming it to be rigged. Journalists don’t get to choose the spec of car from the fleet. We ask companies to test cars and we drive what they can give us. Manual, auto, whatever. Not up to us. So it’s not as if there’s any bias. Also, if you watched the video, JB called the Audi the worst in the test. So there’s clearly no Audi bias here.
Also, the new Cayman engine sounds like butt.
I would think manual for the Porsche is a selling point. Don’t know that I would ever compare front-engine to mid-.
Cayman 4 sounds so shitty, took that one off my list. would like to see BMW 340I track package out there
“First up is the Audi TT RS. It actually sets a pretty good lap time thanks to its immense power. It lapped Anglesey Circuit in 1:40.68.”
“Finally, it was the turn of the BMW M2. With more power than the Porsche and better handling than the Audi, you’d expect it to do well. Though, it actually turned out the slowest time of 1:40.68”
What am I missing here? TTRS and M2 lapped it with the same exact times.
BTW the Audi is 0.7″ faster in 0 to 100 km/hr, it has Stronic gearbox, quattro (FWD based traccion) and puts the same time as the M2 manual RWD. Shame on you Audi! Shame on playstation drivers!