VGM911

A comparison test appears in the new (March 2018) Car and Driver magazine. Anyone car to guess which car won the match-up?

(if you already saw the article, don't answer)

Huey52

Matthew Gaither

Having just read the article I can say that the scoring was very close and that they rated the Audi higher in the "vehicle" category (which includes interior quality, fit and finish, features, etc.) and in the powertrain category while the Porsche was rated higher in the chassis and fun to drive categories which is not unexpected. I think that if you are shopping these two cars (and I most likely will be at some point in the future) you have to decide what is most important to you and know what each car excels in before going in.

They mentioned how loud the Porsche was at speed (despite running on identical tires - and I quote here "as loud as an airbus with a leaky emergency exit" ) which I have not seen commented on elsewhere and they also said they thought the TTRS engine noise sounded synthetic which is also the first time I have heard that comment.

At any rate, for a daily driver that is also a sports car then I think most of us would probably take the TTRS while for someone who spent all of their time on backroads or only wanted a great handling weekend car then they might choose the Cayman.

VGM911

Well, Mr. Gaither let the cat out of the bag - the Porsche was declared the winner.

The scoring was indeed close, but the Cayman/Boxster platform is really a superior car for any use, including as a daily driver. This matches my experience from owning both a TT and a Boxster. Both are a delight, and until you've owned one of these Porsches and driven them for awhile, it's hard to imagine how good they really are.

I'm glad for all of us on this forum who are no doubt happy to see the TT distinguish itself so well in this face-off with the Cayman. Go Audi!

Matthew Gaither

I will also say that the TT was not helped by the fixed sport suspension versus the PASM on the Cayman as the authors complained about the suspension on the TT being overly stiff. I would think for track use it would be the way to go but for 99% of roads in the USA the adaptive suspension would be the better option.

timzcat

It's an odd comparison in my mind. Not much compares to the Audi interior in general and those buying an RS want the performance but are not necessarily thinking track.
What I don't get with the Porsche is how a manufacturer manages to build the same car for 50 years and people still buy them.

Rapture

I don't think I've seen a magazine review of the TT RS with the Mag Ride suspension. Every one that I've seen has been the Fixed. Hard to get a true comparison based on that fact alone.

VGM911

Fifty years ago, the 1968 Porsche line-up was basically the 911 (6 cylinder) and the 912 (4 cylinder). If memory serves me correctly, the 356 (4 cylinder) ended with the 1965 model and the 914 (6 cylinder and 4 cylinder) was introduced as a 1970 model.

The Boxster was introduced in late 1996, while the Cayman was introduced in 2006. Today's line-up of Porsches includes SUVs (Cayenne and Macan), the Panamera, the Boxster/Cayman, and the 911. Only the 911 was around fifty years ago, and today's version is drastically different/better than its 1968 forebears - certainly not the same car sold 50 years ago. This would explain why people still buy them.

ormandj

Opinions should not be stated as facts. Case in point, pull up other C&D articles on the Cayman S or the TT RS. Most of them say the Cayman has a terrible engine note and a stiff ride, and quite the opposite on the TT RS. It really depends on who was reviewing what car on what day on what road/track.

At the end of the day, the general consensus seems to be (eyeball-averaging the opinions from most automotive journals as well as user opinions presented on forums that I've read) the TT RS is the better DD, the Cayman S is more fun on the track. I'm sure there are opinions that differ on this too!

Depending on the type of track, one or the other would win by a small margin, but (I've driven both on the tracks around me) the Cayman is less of a handful to drive to an equivalent time, and certainly provides better feedback. The TT RS is definitely faster in a straight line.

As a daily, with the adjustable dampeners, the TTRS is more comfortable to me, and definitely had more usable interior and storage space. My 60lb dog rides in the back fine with the seats down, and I make Costco runs with it all the time too. No such activities in a Cayman.

At the end of the day, I think few would argue the Cayman is a better track day toy, but I am shocked to see it rated as a better daily driver, by anyone. Either way, my entire point is these are all subjective opinions.

Matthew Gaither

Right, and you bring up a great point that is really Audi's strength: making fast, capable, luxurious sports cars (because yes, I do consider the TTRS a sports car) that can be driven daily with fewer compromises than many other sports cars. The reviewers also stated that the TTRS had the nicest interior of any sports car that costs less than $150,000 which to me is a very big selling point. That helps with the daily grind and makes for a good long term car relationship in all situations and not just when taking the car to a track or blasting down a back road.