Audi TT RS vs BMW M2 vs Porsche 718 Cayman S: on the limit 

A British car review isn't complete without the words, "lovely", "bonkers", and "bespoke".

This engine sounds awesome when you push it to it's limits on the track! I know because I got one myself, and I believe that with an ECU-upgrade it's faster than the GT4 as well...

Totally disagree with your comments about the 718 Cayman S engine. I have owned 3 Boxsters (as well as currently a 911 GT3 RS). The Cayman S is by far the best engine of the Boxsters, sound is good, performance is great and gas mileage is excellent. The engine does not compare to the RS, but it is also about half the price.

Cayman is a legit dream car... it's pretty obtainable too

Actually, after this 4th part, the 718 sounds better than some v8s, you really have to be brainwashed to hate it, or haters gonna hate it for sounding so good...

Drifting looks realy cool on review videos, but I honestly don't think it's a big selling point for street cars. Unless you're wanting to run over people at cars and coffee when you realize you're not Chris Harris.

I own a porsche 718 boxster s, sound disappointing?? Never had that problem. Car is incredible, preferred the boxster over the Cayman as you get the choice of no roof, which here in Aus I find myself driving 70% of the time lol. The 718 is so refined its a 10/10 for me!;-)

Really good 4 part comparison, explaining how the pros and cons of each car while drifting sideways is auto journalism at it's best well done Jethro Bovington!

if you've muted the video and only look at his expression, you will know which car you are going to get.

Really entertaining video. The Porsche looked like a totally different experience versus the other two. It looked like a proper sports car versus two sedans. I'm majorly on the hunt for a base Cayman with the manual.

I have my second TTRS 2019 and they keep on getting better, love it!

The 718 Cayman S is a beautiful amazing machine and sounds incredible...!

I see no problem in the cayman engine really. It doesnt sound as a 6 cylinder but still....

funny as i watch this months after release, i'm looking for videos about the Cayman as I hope to buy one soon. everyone bitches about the sound, but compliments the actual drive ability of the flat 4. if no one had ever heard the 6 i'm not sure it would even be discussed. all these 718 reviews people just complain about the sound. the flat 6 isn't that fantastic. it's not a Aston Martin V12, or Maserati or Ferrari, those engines sing. not sure it's necessary to ride the same band wagon and bitch about the sound of a 4 cylinder engine. I don't know many that stand out. It sounds like a Porsche, it sounds refined and in the high rpm range I think it's amazing. I'd be damn glad to own the 718 and listen to that wail every day.

I have to admit the videos are just getting better and better ... Jethro is brilliant in expressing his thoughts on the cars he drives, love the word play :) ... Keep it up guys!

the 718 clearly doesn't have a bad engine. If its anything like a Subaru boxer 4, I'm sure its reliable and you can most likely get loads of power out of it. Its the sound that everyone is complaining about. I wonder if a nice aftermarket exhaust would help?

I'm genuinely suprised how well he can drift the cayman

I've test driven both 718 S and 981 S at the same time in a mountain road and the 981 6 cylinder doesnt have a chance to keep up the pace. The engine sound in the exterior is good too, obviosly not as good as the 6 cyl, but it has more growl and it is something subjective. But I didnt find any 4 cylinder turbo that revs so quickly, it flies up to 7250 rpm and that lack of smoothens is somehow substituded by a more mechanical and crispy feel that reminds me classy engines. The driver who owns the 981 S I was testing said he loves the punch and the engine sound in the 718 S. I am little bit tired of hearing that the engine break ups the whole package, as in the case of the 911, IMO it doesnt and make the car more usable and powerful.

The TTRS engine in the Cayman S chassis would be something I would like to drive.

One of the best car channels on YT

Great review... TT is a street car that holds your hand and ensures you stay safe whilst getting you from A to B in the quickest time possible. The other two are more driver's cars but dont have the same straight line point and shoot power of the Audi.

Put the inline 5 turbo into the Cayman. That way you get a proper baby supercar.

Love this video, Great to see a UK company making such useful, interesting and fun videos of comparison reports! Am waiting for their review of the new 2019 M2 Competition model.

That engine is great! 2.5turbo is way ahead, where a 981s with the 6 would be way behind both the M2 and TTRS. Sounds great too in my opinion. I've owned 3 Porsches, 2 air cooled 911s and a 06 987.1 Cayman S, and I think the flat 4 turbo is awesome. I've driven the 2.0L 718 with pdk back to back with my 987, and even though it's not as loud as the 6 it still has a very mechanical sound to the engine. This engine makes the car more dynamic too. 2 less cylinders mean less weight a little less out back reducing the urge to oversteer at corner entry. Bottom line, the flat four makes the 718 handle with a near perfect dynamic that makes this car better than all of the previous 981, 987, 986.

I like how this is about which car is most fun and best experience to drive and not which car is fastest. Thank You!

Yay Jethro again, was really worried the other voice was back!

its like audi almost built a really, really, really good car, but at the last minute they were told not to try and compete with porsche. thanks, vw...

Just get a 981 and be happy!

What a great review and so nice sliding scenes. Well done. The great cars have. 4 Cylinder, Porsche 356, 919evo Hybrid, ..

I wish you would have included a road test. After all, that's where these cars will spend 99% of their time.

Best review for sure..Cheers!

great confrontation videos!! you make it so involving and fun. comparing the experience of driving with michelin star restaurant is just... beyond belief!! LOL thanx

Mate, one of the best unbiased and balanced reviews out there... congrats DRIVETRIBE for another professional video. Kudos dude. Dr Davin Lim

Great review and killer driving!!

quality stuff. keep it up!

. . why didn't you take the TT RS out in the wet?? . . And BMW out in the dry?? . . yup, that's my point . .

Does the Cayman S has a Limited slip differential ( PTV) ? PASM suspension - 10 mm . or - 20 Mm ? It seems to be answered yes when you see the balance or the car with a good pilot...

Does this Cayman has the PASM - 20 mm optional suspension & PTV mechanical limited slip ? It seems yes. It makes the car completely more track car...

What a load of Bollocks! While I am the first to admit I love, love, LOVE the flat 6's in all their juicy iterations, he is sitting there bemoaning the engine of the 718 (a flat 4 2.5l turbo) that makes as much power as the old 997 Carrera S and with more torque down low! Are you kidding me?! The car equipped with PDK is bordering on ludicrously fast 0-60 4.2! And I suspect that Motor Trend (amongst other testers, etc.) may be able to get the time down to 3.8! Tuners are already salivating at the idea of a remapped ECU doling out shall we say between 380hp and 425! These would be potentially realisable numbers and output figures. Finally Porsche built the first 4 banger boxer engines far before Subaru ever did. Not Porsche? Totally Porsche!

Funny how morons cry about automatic vs manual and doesn't even mention that M2 was tested on wet track and TT RS on dry... That's not fair! Still great series.

Thank you for telling it like it is Jethro with the engIne in the Cayman.

was the RS driven with sport traction or no traction control?

"There is no substitute" - Porsche

What do you mean it's not a Porsche engine? They won races with flat four engines

The pricetag behind the 718 S is a bit too steep to compare, but I feel even a standard 718 would outshine these two. Looking at pricing, the base M2 (+ sunroof and smartphone connectivity) comes to CAD$70,610 and the base 718 (+ sportchrono and connected nav) comes to CAD$69,970. Unfortunately Audi has removed the configurator for all TT models, but that would be at the bottom of my list anyway (unless I was looking for an all season sports car, rwd in a foot of snow wouldn't be any fun).

Still an excellent film 3 years later

Audi will never cure their understeer problem for as long as they insist on FWD platforms. 60/40 weight distribution is hard to negate , even with clever diffs.

I think the driving King of 4 wheel drive Audi cars is still Walter Rohrl...

Agree 100% on the Cayman engine. Exactly why I won't be purchasing one. Hopefully they return to NA in the next Spyder and GT4.

This is a good line up

Wait for the 718 Cayman Gt4 .....bet that'll be a hoot with the 911s 4.0 flat 6

the Cayman and the TT are 2 different offerts from VW group you can buy the one which suits your needs the best !

my best car-enthusiastic show now on youtube

Mega precise handling Cayman - magnificent. But that generator is just sad :(

Ok, so you don't like the Porsche engine but you never actually say WHY. Is it just a lack of character? Is the throttle response mushy? Is it just about the sound? Does it have a flat top end? Are you offended by the sheer concept of a turbo four instead of an atmo six? Porsche has a long history with flat fours and the 919 demonstrates that they have excellent form with them now. What's so desperately lacking with this engine?

And of course... the Cayman S prevails! I really liked this series...

Having owned both the TT and Boxster. I think the Boxster understeers just as much as the TT when you really push it hard. Just the TT does it sooner, but the TT will let you put power down where the Boxster won't. They're different ideas on how to go fast and both are ultimately great cars.

I prefer TT RS this car have only 400hp, but acceleration 0-60 in 3,5 seconds is very impressive

I completed 242 laps on the Ring; June - July 2017; I never found sound to be an issue. unless you are hoping to impress another person; the sound is not an issue.

Totally agree

Question on the Cayman engine. Could an aftermarket exhaust spice things up a bit? Or it is more than that? I agree it just sounds flat.

The M2 with a set of Bilstien B16 adjustable damping coilovers will be absolutely amazing, soften the damping a bit and it will be a proper drivers car!

Great vids but please please please Mr editor, up the volume of the narrated parts! Those parts are so much lower in volume than the rest of the vid...!

Great video, subscribed. I like all 3, can’t call the winner. Think for me it would be the BMW (shocker!), but the Audi next then the Porsche, for the money I would buy the 911 vs the Cayman.

Was the Porsche equiped with the Performance Exhaust ? It is such a shame that Porsche decided to not offer the flat 6... I was test driving a pre facelift Cayman S with manual gearbox and surely was much more enjoying the incredible, emotional feeling of the car than I was missing the torque of a turbo engine..

...i guess you Porsche fan boys have been fans of Porsche for about mmm 5 years in total now...Porsche have had 4 cylinder engines since the dawn of time...and a 4 cylinder Turbo engine in the early 80's...so they've put 4 cylinder Turbos in the Boxster/Cayman/718 now..wow i'm so surprised! are you guys?

I actually like the sound of the Cayman's engine. I know it's not as vibrant as the previous 6-cylinder, but I feel that they needed to differentiate between the 911s and the Cayman/Boxter (718) line. Perfect car imho.

haven't seen as many vids from this channel recently. Always quality Henry still missing. Release more content

song at the beginning????

So this is the second time Porsche has won a Drivetribe comparison test, can we keep the string alive?

When I moved to Germany I had three cars in mind, M2, 718 Boxster and Golf GTI. After watching and reading many reviews I thought the M2 would be the one, the Boxster was on my list because I love Porsche’s, the GTI because honestly it’s all you really need. I test drove them all. After 15 minutes in the M2 I took it back to the dealer, why? It’s loud, rides like a truck and cheap inside. I knew after an hour in the car it would be tiring. Next was the Boxster, I started off in the entry level, cheap interior and underpowered, next the S, better but still disappointing, last the GTS, beautiful interior finally felt like my expectation of a Porsche. Last was the GTI. It’s a great car for the money but after the other 2 it felt ordinary. I ended up buying a Boxster GTS and the day I signed the contract a guy drove out of the dealership in a 981. I said to the salesman “that car sounds much better than the 718” he said “the turbo 4 is better in every other way” I’ve had the car for 2 years now and regret buying it because I just can’t get over the fact that it sounds like a tractor.

No spins out at all? And I wonder how many laps he has completed to get such a perfect video?

Yes, my car of choice won this test. Without doubt a superb sports car at every situation.

i've been listening to these whining about the flat 4 of 718 for 5 years now. i've seen countless YT videos where the host inevitably, always, continuously, repeat how the 718 is a spectacular car "but the engine sound..." (the only possible exception seems to be Paul Schmucker in Everyday driver: "stop being babies") now, i came to realise one thing and i write it here since is a well know channel and a beautiful video. yes the flat 4 doesn't sound like a flat 6. and that's why IT IS NOT a flat 6. does a flat 6 sounds better? maybe. probably. but i can also argue that a flat 6 doesn't sound like a V8. were all the whiners in line to buy the Porsche 928 because the 911 did sound like a rattling dishwasher with its aircooled engine missing 2 cylinders? i don't think so. yet the V8 did sound great. and i can argue also that any V8 does not sound as great as a V10. are all the 911ers rushing to buy a Gallardo? is everybody crying how everything sounds worse than a Viper? is the LFA on the top of All Times Best sellers? still doesn't seems so. and i can go on saying that a V10 is kinda worse than a V12. and not to say about the flat 12. how is not anyone bashing their heads about how dumb and senseless is life outside anything less than a Ferrari Testarossa? are all those crying about the sound of the 718 with their a* on a Testarossa and i missed it? is anything worse than a Cavallino unworthy to be considered? now, the 718, especially with the 2,5L, is IN EVERY MEASURABLE WAY better than the previous version. more power, more torque, less weight, less pollution, less components. in some way, it's even better than the GTS with the flat 6: is lighter, simpler, more comfortable, costs significantly less, and consumes and pollutes less. is a 6 cyllinder "better"? well, i guess a 250 GTO is even better...

Porsche know that the paupers who crave a 911 will settle for a 4cyl cayman. It wasn't that long ago that reviewers were heaping praise over the 4cyl 968 club sport.

front discs on M2 look like theyre heat cycled properly!

Is it Audi chassis or the design that causes the understeer or the terrible weight distribution or maybe the 4 wheel drive system

The fake engine noise coming through the speakers in the M2 is maddening!!!

JB really dumped on that Cayman's "generator". Totally agree as most people do. If you own a Cayman boxer 6 then you had better hang on to that masterpiece. Not because it might be an "investment" and "appreciate" but so you can appreciate it by ringing it's neck every time you drive it !!

My personal favourite is the Porsche, since it has a certain look about it. Anyway, I like the Porsche because it’s cheapish, if they put a 6 cylinder in it they will raise the price to well over the $200k mark. But great videos guys keep them coming.

That's the problem usually....great track cars seldomly are also great road cars.

Brakes can be fixed with the M2 with M Performance pads, or other dedicated brand. M2 for me - loved mine.

Chill out mate the engine is not that bad. If you own one it sounds good in the flesh and everyone I've taken out in my 718 said it sounded good and was great fun to be in

sorry, had 981 and 781..prefere the 781.the car is right as it has more power, dont follow the yt crowd

reviews of the new cayman s make me want the old one. LOL

I have the 4 cyl turbo Cayman, it's awesome, prefer it over the six.

M2 feels like a mini SUV after sitting in Cayman, Boxster, F Type, Lotus etc.

I love how you are honest and dont just praise the car, you point out the cons. Please keep that, very rare to find a channel that is honest and is not just saying bullshit for money.

I own an M2 and have driven a new 718 Cayman and have to agree with his decision. Having said that, I'm sure glad that I get to listen to the mellifluous cadence of an inline six rather than the harsh, discordant sound of a Subaru-esque flat four. Had Porsche still put the flat six into the Cayman I probably would have bought it over the M2.

Can someone please tell me, other than the sound, what exactly is wrong with the Porsche motor? All I see is people complaining about the turbo but the other two cars are turbo aswell. I really don't see what the problem is.

How can the Audi TTRS's brakes be : "...good, but not better than the BM's: which are still rubbish. " ? Which is better then ? Are the brakes in the TTRS good or not for track use ? ( I see 6 pistons in front, no ? )

Problem with the N/A flat six was that it was simply too weak for nowadays standards. The top hot hatches could compete with it. Particularly the non-S Cayman.

I would personally pick the TTRS but damn that M2 does look fun to drive

The engine sounds like a generator ahaha! Harsh but fair.

The previous gen Cayman would not even be getting compared to these 2 stella performers, as its just too slow. The 718 is an incredible car and its engine is unique and interesting. Its on a whole new lvl to the previous gen, completely different car now so no use comparing the 2. There are pros and cons to both, good to be able to choose. I have a 718bs, tuned and piped it and its fucking awesome 👏 porsche messed up with that crummy left over from the 6 exhaust thou. Needs a proper one like mine built for the 4. Now with 400hp and 520nm its as fast as the new gt4 for half the $$ - Start up and track noise here. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wULV3fT0tQc.html

I prefer the looks of the older Caymans over this new one tbh. The engine... well it sounds okay but not nearly as exciting as the inline 5 from the Audi. The M2 looks like a good allrounder. I don't know, if I had to choose I would probably go with the Audi. Yes the M2 and the 718 might be more fun on the track but things like the engine sound is something you will enjoy everytime you go for a drive while drifting a car or racing on a track is something you don't do all the time. I'm actually quite curious as to how those 3 cars handle on mountain roads. Jeremy did a review years ago of the RS4 in the alps and absolutely loved it (but on the race track when they compared it to the C63 and M3 he said it looked boring). So now I wonder if the new TTRS would be just as fun on mountain roads as the RS4 was.

4:25 Jesus the alloy is practically touching the floor!

Does it ever NOT rain in Britain?!

There nothing wrong with the engine, think this needs to be made clear. It doesn’t sound like the previous gen cars, takes away from some of the drama and I get that, however the current engine is up on power and performance so it is better

1 more take when the M2 comp comes out.