Jaguar F-type coupé versus Porsche Cayman GTS 

These cars has 2 different personalities. I don't know why everyone argues about how many hundredths of second faster the Cayman or the F-Type goes than the other one, you won't notice it. IF you were going to buy one, go the store, touch, squeeze, sit, feel, and drive the goddamn cars and see for yourself which one who makes your heart stop. Maybe someone just doesn't like the speedometer in the porsches and won't buy them for that reason, maybe someone just doesn't like looks of the Jags. Everyone has their reason. The car should fit you, you should not fit the car, that's why different people buy different cars.

The symphony from F-type pipes in the last second of this video just says it all :)

F-Type for me. Just a gorgeous car.

Went to see a F-type and Porsche Cayman yesterday. First impressions were that the f-type was more solidly built and I was shocked at the lightweight, plastic feel of the Porsche.

He makes a very convincing case for the Cayman, but there's something about that Jag that is so much more alluring and exciting.

This is like watching the National Geographic channel. The jag looked as if it was going to squash the gazelle at any moment. Somehow the gazelle managed to outwit its predator.

You guys did a great job getting these beauties sideways. Exhilarating to watch from the cabin view.

The 981 GTS with PTV (PASM/SC/PSE) is possibly one of the best sports cars ever made by Porsche. Lovely blend of power, torque, balance and sound.

wow this guy is impressively unbiased, i almost 100% expected him to choose the f-type him being british. glad he chose the right car though

The Porsche Cayman GTS is more perfect, but the Jaguar F-type V6 S coupé is more Special. What would I buy? Well... I don't know... The Jag is so beautiful and the Porsche is so perfect... Maybe the Jag is enough in terms of machine, and has it is, so much better good looking, therefore I believe it is a smart choice!

This is one of my favorite AC vids...the onboard footage is brilliant. I could do with a bit more onboard footage as its so beautiful. Thanks

Great review, but I might be bias as I have a GTS and I love it. I didn’t cross shop the Jag as my requirements were 1) daily driver, 2) around 3,000 lb, 3) stirs my soul for looks, sound, and driving, and 4) a car that is ready for 2-3 track days a year in stock form. While the Jag can hold its own in 3 of these groups, I wanted to move away from heavy cars. The Cayman provided all these and then some. My GTS was a monster on the track for me last week while literally makes my chest tingle when I think about getting to drive it every day. I almost got a winter car until I thought about not getting to drive it every day and just ordered a set of winter wheels/tires. I literally can’t think of a way to improve upon it outside of more power, we are all junkies, right?. That said, it’s already too fast for the streets and I only really missed the power of my previous cars when I was chasing one GTR and one 996tt on the straights at the track.

So just traded in a 2015 cayman base with a manual transmission for a Jaguar F-Type with an automatic and they just approach the sports car from two different directions. The cayman always wanted me to go faster and so I would. The jag is comfortable just being beautiful and fast as hell when you want it to be.

Excellent review and beautiful camera work, sir. Sorry to tune in 7 years late, hope you're doing well. I had several Caymans, my last being the 718 S, manual, a perfect sports car. Now I have a '17 F Type V6S like the one tested here. I'm in love. There's just something special about this car.

I have, possibly the last V6 F Type off the line in 2020. What a car a true keeper. ICONIC!!! 4 cylinder Cayman anyone?

My wife and I followed a red V6S for about 40 miles down the A96. The Jag' has a very pretty behind and a great sound with no discernible S/charger whine. My wife was, as ever, driving briskly in an RS6 performance. The Audi was like a red -rag to the red Jag' ... so game on. The guy rinsed his Jag' .. maximum attack, sounded fab'. Thing was, my wife wasn't racing, merely driving briskly. She could have overtaken the jag' at any point but given the speeds involved we thought of the Jag as an early warning unit for mobile speed cameras. When the Jag turned away the driver gave us a big wave and flashed his hazards. He was delighted and had a great story for his mates in the pub and we didn't have a speeding ticket. Win - Win.

These might have been a similar price new, but the GTS has held its value incredibly well and is at least 15k more than the equivalent Jag 2nd hand now. I was looking at a base 981 Boxster or Cayman, but am leaning towards the Jag now as you are getting a lot more for your money.

I know I’m 8 years late, but when I say this is exactly what I want out of a car review I mean it. Class video

Very nice video! Well put together and informative!

Not one auto journalist in the world, dislikes the Cayman. Not a one. It is "the" sports car. The Jag coupe is a beaut though, with the best ass in the business

The jag is a lovely thing in its own right. I think sutcliffe got it right when he said against other competition in the class the F type would be the front runner, but the cayman gts stands alone as probably one of the greatest drivers cars of all time. Sadly, probably the last of its kind too

Love autocar videos. Could watch them all day long :)

Porsches just misses a bit of road presents. While the jag is a real head Turner. I won't go on tracks nor am I a sufficient enough driver to exploit those cars. I'll go for the jag, for the special feeling though I really think the Porsche is the better car.

In a general sense, Porsche is underrated by most people;

"The F-Type can't quite deal with the Cayman genius in the end. On any other day and against almost any other rival, the excellent Jaguar would probably worked; not today, not against a machine as exceptional as the Cayman GTS." Strong words, cool!

Love this review! Thanks for the thorough job! Keep up the good work!

Thats one stunning rev-limiter sound of the flat 6 at 8:30.. and that's why you need a proper manuel gearbox to exploit the character of the engine, and full-on experience.

Nice to hear stuff like this, especially since I picked up my GTS last week. Now it's only a few months of horrid winter to live through...

*Jeremy Clarkson Voice* "ill take the jaaag"

was waiting for this head to head duel, nicely done! still undecided though on which seems better, on the looks wise you have to give it to the Jag!

I bought the F-Type S, as my daily commuter car, because of the all round experience. Ultimate performance on a street does not matter enough to make any other choice. I first heard of the F-Type and thought.......Jaguar can not have made a car that is anywhere near as good as the E-Type. But for me, they have. They also created the car with the best sounding supercharged V6. It is all enough for me to put up with waiting for a month for some parts to arrive in the US (waiting on a new headliner atm). I bought this car to be the last internal combustion engined cars I ever drive and plan to keep it for 20 years or more. What will you buy for your last ever internal combustion engined car ?

Thanks for a honest and a true verdict!

What a cars and what a wicked sound they produce! Love the backfiring Porsche at 8:30!

Those chase shots are thrilling.

Both brilliant cars! I wonder what the results would be like if they put the same ultra spec tyres which are on the Cayman on the Ftype V6...

as much as i love the cayman, my heart and ears yearn for the F-type.

All this time i've been lusting over the new Cayman which looks gorgeous, but god damn, this new Jag looks.... Just stunning. It completely thrashes the Porsche in the looks department and make it look ordinary. Yeah i know the driving experience and all that, but dont you want your expensive sportscar to look awesome?

Yeah but what he's not telling you 60K is just a few options spec up the diff and PDK and some other things and it's way over 65-70K! OK lets get this out of the way the F-Type is Jags first REAL sports car since I would say the XK8! The Cayman is Porsches baby! It's all Porsche does so it should be good! Jags first real sports car and it's nearly there with a car that's been around since 2005! Well done Jag!

The Porsche is the better machine, but I'd rather pick up a date in the F-Type. It's way better looking and more rare on the road.

Steve you should be doing all the reviews on autocar mate. With all due respect to the rest of the testing crew I think you are the best of the lot and should stick to especially the high performance cars. Please upload a video of the Cayman GT4 asap. Would love to hear your thoughts and comparisons with the GTS

i really like this video , i really do...

I would still take the Jaguar, for that noise and more importantly, the looks... It is in my opinion the best looking car you could buy at the moment.

Love the the camera work in this vid. That power slide 3:58 is sweeter than a Mother's Day card.

Great shots in the vid

What a brilliant test, great moves..;-))

I really love the Cayman and Boxster over the 911 ... I think it hits the right price point, quality and looks ... The 911 has always seemed way over priced to me

As per MOT records, the Jag has had a much buzzing life so far with 56K miles while the Porsche has done only 27K in 9 years!

Cayman with the manual transmission all the way. The handling is just perfect and it's a blast. Such a shame you're stuck with an automatic with the beautiful looking and sounding Jaguar

0:54 that limiter sums it all up...

People keep forgetting to mention the most important difference, the engine placement. The Cayman is a mid engine care, the F-type front engine. This video demonstrates the superior corner grip of the Cayman.

Man I've been waiting for these two cars to be put head to head. Just beautiful.

Umm i love these 2 cars, so i bought both but convertible versions... fantastic smiles.

Nice video...and I can hear you this time! :)

Steve Sutcliffe...you are one of a kind....There are so many reviews...but I like your reviews the most. I find myself constantly reviewing your 981 GTS reviews. They are a major reason, why I bought this car. Your reviews are fun and spot on....Thanks, Uwe

I'd go with the Jag hands down

For me the jaguar looks much bettet than the Porsche. I would take the JAG

I preferred the "broken" mic in the Cayman because of much more ambient sound. It sounded like I was there sitting in the car next to Steve. Maybe you could add more of the secondary mic in future?

this must be one of the best reviews out there... fantastic video material... plus since chris harris is on "pay-tv" now, autocar climbs the throne of automotive reviews with ease in my opinion... good job!

The CGTS' rev limiter sounds excellent!

Both of these cars look beautiful, especially in red. The F-Type is arguably sexier but the Cayman is not far behind. It's gotten a lot nicer since the last version. As to which to buy, it really depends on what you're after. If you're like many people, who get most of their thrills from straight-line acceleration, then the F-Type will put a smile on your face every time. It had me giggling like a child when I test drove it a while back. The interior is fantastic as well, especially if you're used to BMWs. The Cayman is more for people who enjoy carving canyons, curvy freeway ramps, or days at the track. It's a different thrill, one that takes longer to master than just mashing the gas pedal. The Cayman just let's you push the car with a lot more confidence than the F-Type. The one problem I've had with Caymans is that they came off as being a poor man's Porsche. It's like, "this guy probably wanted a 911 but could only afford a Cayman". These days though, I wouldn't doubt it if people with money bought these GTS models to use as track toys.

I failed to notice the quality of the jaguar cabin because my eyes where hurting from looking at the pixels on the satnav and in the instrument cluster (in year 2014), while my fingers where busy adjusting the cheap plasticy seat-controls and turning the over-assisted steering wheel. Other than that it was pretty nice to drive, and the sound of the V8 is pretty mental.

I have yet to hear a bad review about the Cayman GTS. I can't wait to buy 1 someday.

I’d have to agree with Steve Sutcliffe, if there’s just one car I could have...it would be the Cayman GTS, it’s just Brilliant!

I have a Corvette C7, but i also want a F Type and a Cayman. Will buy them all in the future. :) grind grind grind

Gotta love longcross proving ground down the road from nice little track been round a couple of time the atom was the best

I still watch this video, because of the sound at 8:29

Hmm.. i would take the f-type. Sounds better looks better and its more powerful, but thats just my opinion.

The F-Type a 400 with sunroof and RWD for the long distance and a X73 PDK 981Cayman GTS for the heart. Sold the 981 GTS but still miss it. But completely different cars: The F-Type is a Touring Coupe. Great sound but feels way heavier, bigger and softer. The 981 Cayman GTS is something special. Your heart will always choose the GTS but sometimes your back would go for the Jag. Design wise both are great.

Which car bounced of the rev-limiter towards the end and earlier in the video.

Sorry Jag but Cayman is the one for me, I just think all cars should be mid engined. And superb review Steve! Best car guy on RU-vid!

What were the times around the handling track? F Type seems to be the more fun car and interesting car, but the driver in you says Cayman. Personally I think I would go down the F Type route haha!

you know the thing is, u see Porsches everywhere, ftypes are very special here, so easy choice

The F Type is just such a pretty car! When Britts put their hearts in it, we get real beauties!

two of my dream cars. would take both of them.

If I have enough money to buy a car in that class, I will always choose the F-type, I just think it has 1 of the most beautiful line and tail.

I think, there is nothing more I want than a Cayman... Don't care which one, as long it has three pedals. I've never driven one, but judging by the reviews it probably is one of the best cars you can buy today for less than 150.000€. And above that, you have the 991 GT3 or soon the RS version. Porsche' 2014-15 lineup seems to be unbeatable. I am blown away. The whole team in Stuttgart deserves a hefty bonus this Christmas :)

Steve Sutcliffe used to be quite critical when it came to german cars. But he seems to really adore this GTS. I must try it one day!

I don't think the interior in the F Type is all that.

Would like to see which Steve's favourite of the GT3 and Cayman GTS is on a back to back drive on the road

Great video as usual Steve. But does it feel like you get more car for your money in the Jag? I would probably take the Porsche as I like to drive like my hair is on fire but park both of them in a car park and the Jag would just seem like a bigger investment. Maybe its because its the smallest in the Porsche range?

I really like the colour shift of the F-type!

when would you not be in the mood for an F-Type. I have this car and can't get enough of it. When i am not driving it, i am watching videos about it. V6-S is amazing. Was considering the Cayman (also an awesome car.) Great review

I agree with rockinchimp, there's more to consider than speed and handling dynamics, image would be a very important point to make at this level and the Cayman will always be the poor mans 911

This dude can drive !

By skimming through these comments I can't believe how many people think the F-type is better looking - I mean did you even look at the Cayman? It's such a beautiful car!

Both my Mum and I are looking to buy a new car. We've both test driven the Cayman S and the F-type. I fell in love with the Jag and she's fallen in love with the Porsche.

These 2 cars remind me of the M3 E30, it's all about Handling, feeling and balance between the engine and the chassis.

I'd pick the Cayman GTS. Basically every pro that's driven any Cayman variant agrees that it is *the* driver's car of our time. That said, I actually think the F-Type is a bit more attractive. Not that the Cayman is ugly, by any means, but the Jag just captures that classic sports car aesthetic, while also looking totally new and modern. The F-Type S manual would be hard to pass up, but the Cayman wins in the end, just for its perfectly tossable balance.

Very tough comparison but yeah I'd go for the GTS as well.

Always been a porche fan. This jag though.... my goodness it's sexy. 1 of each please. As if I could ever afford one.

I was driving on the M25(London UK) the other day and it was raining really heavily. i saw a Boxter spin out on the other side in a straight line!! Driving thrills huh? lol! Hope no one was hurt!! For real world driving my advice is if you live in the UK then buy 4WD or AWD, unless all u do is City driving, its much safer and you can boot it anywhere whatever the weather. Rwd, save it for track days

Convinced! I bought myself a gts last week

Would love to have either car both are great looking and sound great the old gts sounds better than the new turbo 4

Despite his comments I’m still glad I chose the Jaguar.

The rev limiter of cayman sounds sublime 8:29

Well, if a British journalist chose Porsche over a Jag it must be not just a bit but substantially better.

Really nice video from Steve,i think he is the best in the Autocar chanel. And this Jaguar is plain outstanding.

So Steve, should I upgrade from my Cayman R PDK???

The Cayman gts is brilliant you can keep the 911 I'd take the Cayman every single time, hmmmm what about the F type I love it the best Jag Coupe since the E type. I would have a hell of time trying to decide which one I'd have, lol sod it both

Thanks for another awesome upload!... But you already know what we're waiting for so stop mocking about!!!