Classic Confrontation:


The new German coupes -- the BMW Z4 M Coupe and the Porsche Cayman S - duke it out. by Peter Egan Photos by Guy Spangenberg


Road & Track September 2006 Page 72-80


Overall, the BMW is what used to be called 'a man's car' Specials Editor Andrew Bornhop commented that it feels almost like 'a German Viper.' He added, 'It's smaller and more refined than that, but still with that aggressive, powerful nature. I'm also reminded of the Cobra Daytona Coupe.'


Step out of the BMW and into the Porsche and suddenly everything seems just a little smoother, more refined and easy. Steering is lighter and more communicative, clutch and shift action more precise, and the suspension soaks up road undulations and bumps as if anticipating them with radar. The engine is very strong, but it delivers power differently from the BMW, accelerating in long hard surges of speed that can be carried further in every gear. It doesn't have quite the instant power hit of the BMW, but the broad, even torque makes it possible to drive a back road without too much shifting. And when you put your foot in it, the engine note is a marvelous cacophony of intake moan and engine howl.


If the Z4 m Coupe feels long and narrow when you sit in it, the Cayman seems almost square -- but aerodynamically rounded off, low and flat as a piece of toast with a wheel at each corner. The cockpit is also more open and airy, with a lower view over the nose, and a larger sight picture out the back window. The BMW feels more tunnel-like, its smaller rear window cutting off the tops of cars behind you. You see grilles and headlights, but no drivers.


'The BMW feels like an engine with a chassis, and the Porsche feels like a chassis with an engine.'


The Porsche was our first choice, on and off the track, but the BMW is a thrilling high-performance car for those special weekend trips and track days with money left over for, say, a 39-mpg Honda Civic, just for those times when the red mist is not upon you....


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Edited by - mpollard on 07/27/2006 07:14:50 AM

nice... this is what i thought when i test drove the mcoupe. i loved the power but hated the lack of rear view. great car and i love the brakes on this car. I had one on order but went to test the the CS just to see what it felt like and i walked out with one. =) i cancelled my order for the mcoupe the following week. haven't looked back since. [img]/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/dance.gif[/img]

Take a look at the new Z4 Individual catalogue, the Z4 coupe in ruby black looks really really nice, especially with 19' individual rims. That color hides its shortcomings of having a long nose and short butt.


http://www.bmw.com/com/en/index_highend.html

you know.. i really like the way the mcoupe looks. too bad they didn't have the color i wanted or i'd be in that instead of the CS... well i guess i should be glad that they didn't or I'd be missing out BIG TIME. [img]/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/thumbsup.gif[/img]

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Why subscribe to any magazine when we have mpollard? Chalk another one up for the Cayman S!

__________________

Mike
2006 Midnight Blue Cayman S

I like the MCoupe too. I love the variety (and competition among carmakers) we consumers get. Although I love it that the CS has been beating the MC in the carmags so far.

btw, do any of you feel that our break a bit lacking? especially when you compare to the M brakes?