MrClean

That profile view of the M version of the Z4 coupe is not flattering at all. There are better angles for that design. No matter, the Cayman still has miles on the Z4 in terms of design.
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What has been baffling to me is the polar reviews of the Cayman S versus the Z4 M coupe. I remember reading how Car and Driver said the Cayman S is the more capable track car, while Autoweek said the track time easliy went to the Z4M. <shrug> I imagine that has more to do with driving styles, but still surprised me that it could be seen as so drastically different.

ringmeister

I think you're right as well as they type of track they tested them on. My guess is the BMW might have an edge on a long track with a lot of straights where the Porsche may have the advantage on a more technical track with more corners and less long straights.

mooty

i dont konw how long the front straight at LS is , but in my cayman s, i am even with m coupe. we can't pull on each other. his is 100% stock. my had coil over and RA1's. but i dont think that really matters. we are simply looking at the distance b/n us as we exit the last turn. and that distance b/n us was pretty constant.

ringmeister

That's encouraging, I would have thought the M coupe would pull on the Cayman. A friend is getting the M coupe so I'll have a chance to drive it back to back with my Cay next season at Watkins Glen.

mooty

stock to stock, M feels more raw and powerful. i was surprised that the M didn't pull on me.

Dr. Car

Oh, oh, oh. That Autoweek article's discussion about track time was complete and utter garbage. They offered up no lap times, let alone any GPS data. It apparently was just based on feel, but they never admitted to this. To non-expert drivers, I am sure that the competent mid-engine balance of the Cayman *feels* less exciting and not as fast as the M-coupe's oversteering hijinks, but that sort of analysis is neither helpful nor professional. That "feel" should be discussed in conjunction with analysis of how the cars *actually perform.*
At best, that Autoweek aritcle was an unfortunate lapse in that magazine's standards. At worst, the track writeup was an intentional bone thrown to BMW avoid having its Z4 thing look bad. Autoweek should've fessed up to what other magazines have admitted; the Cayman is a much better car, but you can get the M Coupe for a lot less money, which matters to a lot of people.

MrClean

Now that you mention it, I do recall that Autoweek did not post track times to support their conclusions, and I believe Car and Driver did. My knee-jerk reaction to the Autoweek article was that they had to say something good about the Z4M coupe since almost every other comparison category went to the Cayman S. That does not seem like a likely way for a big-name magazine like Autoweek to arbitrarily handle a comparison, but I don't know this for sure either.

JEC_31

Car & Driver = SUVs and minivans
Autoweek = gossip
Road & Track = the real deal for sports cars

Here's Road & Track's comparo:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=3823


"The BMW feels like an engine with a chassis, and the Porsche feels like a chassis with an engine." - Andrew Bornhop

T951

I think the Z4 is 3rd most hideous vehicle, behind the pontiac aztek and the buick skyhawk in the last 15 years...

MrClean

Interestingly true.

Thanks for the link too!

JEC_31

I will never forget the letter that Car & Driver printed - it was an open apology to the owner of the Aztek parked at ____ mall for getting vomit on the fender. It was unavoidable, he wrote, due to the extreme ugliness of the car.

JEC_31

Welcome. I subscribe, and read the heck out of that article. I value that 'zine for it's writers who know how to drive (and don't write so bad either).

nhs156

Thought I'd offer a dissenting opinion. I love the Z4 M Coupe. As a one-time owner of a '99 M Coupe (the shoe, bread van etc.) I am a little biased, of course. It put a massive smile on my face every time I drove it - over a 7 year period. I remember test driving a pre-owned 993 half way into owning the MC, and it just couldn't compare. The 993's handling felt sloppy, the interior cheap/plasticky and the brakes awful. I loved that BMW. Unfortunately I sold it recently, and now regret it.

Why did I buy it in the first place: performance and uniqueness. Porsche didn't produce anything in that price range, and its performance was (quite frankly) not far off a 911's (the 996) in the lower mph ranges...

The Z4 M IMHO is significantly better looking, and the quality of the interior appears to have been much improved. I haven't driven it, but I hear it's even more fun to drive than my old MC - which is hard to imagine. I hear it has a certain rawness to it, which is immensely appealing.

As for the Cayman - well, it's a great car. I test drove a CS on whim at a local dealer last week, and emerged a big fan. So much so that I contemplated getting one. I actually don't think the Cayman is better looking - just different. I'm not a big fan of the bubble that is the roof line, but like most other aspects of the car. It certainly handles well, and the engine sound is terrific. I would buy it over the Z4 M. That's an astounding revelation as before the test drive I was firm in my belief that the Cayman was a wannabe 911 for posers.

Anyway, having added the options I'd want to a new CS, I don't think I can justify forking out that kind of money for the Cayman. I'd rather save my pennies for a 997 S or 4S.

What's the moral of the story? Not sure there is one, other than I think both the Z4 MC and Cayman are great cars with close to equal appeal. Those who knock the Z4 M should drive one.

I can almost guarantee that any dissenters will quickly grow the like (if not love) it once driven. You will quickly forgive its quirky design, just like I forgave the Cayman its image and status amongst non-Porsche owners.

searching4996

I loved the old m coupe so much I just bought a 99 myself! I also happen to like the new z4m, but it really does pale in comparison to the Cayman S. It may be 10-15k cheaper than a cayman, but even with this price advantage the cayman s is the better value. I plan on getting a cayman S in a few years when they come out with the 2008/9 refresh, as nothing beats a mid engined car for handling.

As for the 99M, I plan on keeping that thing until the wheels fall off. Nothing new will ever have the raw feeling of that car, including a 993 for a lot more.

KBS911

I'm sorry but the Z4 is one ugly car. I don't care if it was twice as fast as the Cayman I would never consider it. It has such ungainly proportions. BMW missed the styling mark on this one.