**A Comparative Analysis: Cayman vs M235i**

The Porsche 718 Cayman has arrived on the track, and it's clear that this car is a force to be reckoned with. With its 6-speed manual gearbox, the Cayman offers a driving experience that is both exhilarating and entertaining. The engine, in particular, is a standout feature, boasting a lovely sound that complements the car's overall character.

The first impressions of the Cayman are overwhelmingly positive, with the engine being described as "really really lovely" and suited to the car perfectly. However, there are some areas where the Cayman falls short. The brakes, for example, are not the most effective, and drivers can feel them starting to go off after only a couple of laps. Additionally, the car feels heavy and somewhat unbalanced, particularly when it comes to understeer or oversteer.

Despite these limitations, the Cayman's engine is undoubtedly a highlight, with its turbocharged motor producing impressive performance. However, it's clear that this engine is more suited to driving on public roads than on the track. In contrast, the M235i, also driven by the same tester, offers a more refined and sophisticated experience.

**The Test Begins**

With both cars ready to go, the test begins in earnest. The first lap sees the Cayman struggling to maintain speed on the long straight, but as soon as it enters the corners, the car comes alive. The engine is a joy to listen to, and its promps through the gears with ease, providing a smooth and seamless driving experience.

The M235i, meanwhile, offers a more traditional BMW experience, with drivers feeling like they're managing and exploiting every last bit of performance. However, as soon as the track opens up, it becomes clear that this car is not as agile or responsive as the Cayman.

**The Brakes: A Make-or-Break Moment**

One area where the M235i excels is in its braking performance. The Porsche's brakes are more than a match for the BMW's, and drivers can feel a significant difference in the quality of the stopping power. However, the Cayman's lack of torque becomes apparent on the long straight, where it struggles to maintain speed.

Despite this, the Cayman makes up for its lack of acceleration with its agility and responsiveness on the track. The steering is incredibly precise, and drivers can feel a significant difference in the car's handling and balance compared to the M235i.

**A Competitive Lap**

With both cars now warmed up and ready to go, it's time to take them out for a spin around the circuit. The first lap sees the Cayman struggling with understeer on the way in, but as soon as it commits to the throttle, the car comes alive, eating up the track with ease.

The M235i, meanwhile, offers a more consistent and refined experience, but one that feels somewhat less engaging than the Cayman's. Despite being nearly 10mph down on the long straight, the Cayman makes up for its lack of acceleration with its agility and responsiveness on the track.

**The Verdict: A Dominant Performance**

In the end, it's clear that the Porsche 718 Cayman is the faster car over a single lap, with a time of 107.7 seconds compared to the M235i's 108.7 seconds. However, this victory comes at the expense of enjoyment and driving satisfaction.

The Cayman is a more engaging and fun car to drive than the M235i, offering a level of agility and responsiveness that is unmatched by its rival. The engine sounds amazing, and the gearbox is an absolute joy to use, providing a seamless and smooth shifting experience.

In contrast, the M235i feels more like a traditional BMW, with drivers feeling like they're managing and exploiting every last bit of performance. While it's certainly a capable car, it lacks the Cayman's level of excitement and engagement, making it harder to recommend over its German rival.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entoday's track battle is all about brains versus Brawn we've got the sweet revving lightweight Porsche Cayman and the turbocharged and seriously quick m235i we're at blighton Park which got a very long straight but also some really tight technical sections this is neutral ground I think this one is going to be really close so we're going to start off in the BMW m235i this car is just over 34 Grand 321 horsepower for the key is 332 LBT of torque from this 3 l turbocharge straight 6 that's a load more than the Cayman but it is pushing 1,455 kilos as compared to 1310 for the Porsche so we've got everything ramped up to Sport Plus mode and we got the DSC off remember this m235i just like the m135i doesn't have an LSD as standard which has been a bit of a problem with the m135i on track in the past car just feels a bit Scrappy this thing should be bit more focused and I hope a bit more balanced I'm glad say we've got a six-speed manual gearbox in this the 8-speed is really good the ZF Auto that the car can have as an option but it's just something more enjoyable about the six-speed manual especially on the circuit so first impressions of this car just building up to speed the engine is really really lovely always like this motor and it just suits the car it's a proper little rever despite being turbocharged and it sounds really good there are elements of this car that don't feel entirely at home on the track brakes are okay but you can feel them just starting to go off after only a couple of laps really and the car just feels a bit heavy and a bit Scrappy you're always fighting like there with under steer or over steer there's quite a lot of turning under steer if you're turning off the power you get the over steer it's nice through the highs speeded corners but in the low speed ones it just it doesn't quite feel as hooked up as you want it to you feel quite High you just feel a little bit detached from the action okay so let's try and do a clean R this car just a little wiggle of over steer but this engine just promps through the gears it's good on the brakes bit of under steer rides the curve pretty well now you just wait for the front to bite onto the long straight so you lose a bit of of time but you claw it back cuz this engine is just so quick Bobs around a bit the stiffness you feel on the road can even feel it on the track again good on the brakes bit of under steer on the way in and again you have to hesitate slightly on the throttle car just doesn't feel light as you want it to that's good though that's good it's opening out the corner well it's nice through this high speed little lift and another little lift bit of under steer not too bad again it works well on the brakes the brakes have come back it's not too bad actually around of La not very dramatic but feels fast the m235i records a 108. 7 that's exact here second shy of the m135i despite the sunshine blighton had been the victim of a huge hail storm and flood the previous day and the track was covered in fine silt we'll get the m235i back again to record a more representative time but the Porsche will face similar conditions so into the Cayman this is a BOGO Cayman manual gearbox we've got pasm dampers which are in sport again the traction control off immediately it feels lower lighter sounds even better at the top end of the Rev range but you do notice the lack of torque compared to the BM this got 270 horse about 221B feet of torque so it's over a 100 down on the BM which is probably more noticeable on the road than on the track because here you're just ringing it out and it's sounds great when you're revving it other things well the steering just feels like there's less slack in it less squidge and the brakes are much much better it's not got Ceramics but they're typically brilliant Porsche brakes just the way it changes Direction touch it's just so much more Precision than you get in that BMW this feels like a real real sports car whereas the BM sort of feels like what it is nor car in the range that's had a bit of Grunt and stiffer suspension thrown at it so it feels more special this car immediately but does that make it quicker well let's do one clean lap let see how these two cars compare immediately it just carries more speed in this car's got huge tires 265 rear 20in tires which seems overkill for 221 M foot of torque but amazingly you still get adjustability just sounds great down the street but we're way down on speed probably 6 7 mph much longer gearing again you can just commit to the throttle so much more quickly and the adjustability in the chassis just helps you precisely get through the corners without losing the speed high speed Corner no lift a little lift in the middle and then yeah just more composure feels so much more natural than the PM and the gearbox is unreal it's just a lovely lovely little car this you just can play it to your tune in the BM you feel like you're managing you're exploiting that's a lap don't know if it's quicker but tell you it's more fun so the lighter more Nimble cment is much more fun and despite being nearly 10 mph down on the long straight it eats up the BMW under breaking and has higher Apex speads everywhere the result is a 107.7 a full second clear of the BMW in terms of enjoyment and against the watch this is an easy win for the Caymantoday's track battle is all about brains versus Brawn we've got the sweet revving lightweight Porsche Cayman and the turbocharged and seriously quick m235i we're at blighton Park which got a very long straight but also some really tight technical sections this is neutral ground I think this one is going to be really close so we're going to start off in the BMW m235i this car is just over 34 Grand 321 horsepower for the key is 332 LBT of torque from this 3 l turbocharge straight 6 that's a load more than the Cayman but it is pushing 1,455 kilos as compared to 1310 for the Porsche so we've got everything ramped up to Sport Plus mode and we got the DSC off remember this m235i just like the m135i doesn't have an LSD as standard which has been a bit of a problem with the m135i on track in the past car just feels a bit Scrappy this thing should be bit more focused and I hope a bit more balanced I'm glad say we've got a six-speed manual gearbox in this the 8-speed is really good the ZF Auto that the car can have as an option but it's just something more enjoyable about the six-speed manual especially on the circuit so first impressions of this car just building up to speed the engine is really really lovely always like this motor and it just suits the car it's a proper little rever despite being turbocharged and it sounds really good there are elements of this car that don't feel entirely at home on the track brakes are okay but you can feel them just starting to go off after only a couple of laps really and the car just feels a bit heavy and a bit Scrappy you're always fighting like there with under steer or over steer there's quite a lot of turning under steer if you're turning off the power you get the over steer it's nice through the highs speeded corners but in the low speed ones it just it doesn't quite feel as hooked up as you want it to you feel quite High you just feel a little bit detached from the action okay so let's try and do a clean R this car just a little wiggle of over steer but this engine just promps through the gears it's good on the brakes bit of under steer rides the curve pretty well now you just wait for the front to bite onto the long straight so you lose a bit of of time but you claw it back cuz this engine is just so quick Bobs around a bit the stiffness you feel on the road can even feel it on the track again good on the brakes bit of under steer on the way in and again you have to hesitate slightly on the throttle car just doesn't feel light as you want it to that's good though that's good it's opening out the corner well it's nice through this high speed little lift and another little lift bit of under steer not too bad again it works well on the brakes the brakes have come back it's not too bad actually around of La not very dramatic but feels fast the m235i records a 108. 7 that's exact here second shy of the m135i despite the sunshine blighton had been the victim of a huge hail storm and flood the previous day and the track was covered in fine silt we'll get the m235i back again to record a more representative time but the Porsche will face similar conditions so into the Cayman this is a BOGO Cayman manual gearbox we've got pasm dampers which are in sport again the traction control off immediately it feels lower lighter sounds even better at the top end of the Rev range but you do notice the lack of torque compared to the BM this got 270 horse about 221B feet of torque so it's over a 100 down on the BM which is probably more noticeable on the road than on the track because here you're just ringing it out and it's sounds great when you're revving it other things well the steering just feels like there's less slack in it less squidge and the brakes are much much better it's not got Ceramics but they're typically brilliant Porsche brakes just the way it changes Direction touch it's just so much more Precision than you get in that BMW this feels like a real real sports car whereas the BM sort of feels like what it is nor car in the range that's had a bit of Grunt and stiffer suspension thrown at it so it feels more special this car immediately but does that make it quicker well let's do one clean lap let see how these two cars compare immediately it just carries more speed in this car's got huge tires 265 rear 20in tires which seems overkill for 221 M foot of torque but amazingly you still get adjustability just sounds great down the street but we're way down on speed probably 6 7 mph much longer gearing again you can just commit to the throttle so much more quickly and the adjustability in the chassis just helps you precisely get through the corners without losing the speed high speed Corner no lift a little lift in the middle and then yeah just more composure feels so much more natural than the PM and the gearbox is unreal it's just a lovely lovely little car this you just can play it to your tune in the BM you feel like you're managing you're exploiting that's a lap don't know if it's quicker but tell you it's more fun so the lighter more Nimble cment is much more fun and despite being nearly 10 mph down on the long straight it eats up the BMW under breaking and has higher Apex speads everywhere the result is a 107.7 a full second clear of the BMW in terms of enjoyment and against the watch this is an easy win for the Cayman\n"