Test drive Audi TT RS, BMW M2, Porsche 718 Cayman: small races
Test Drive

Test drive Audi TT RS, BMW M2, Porsche 718 Cayman: small races

Test drive Audi TT RS, BMW M2, Porsche 718 Cayman: small races

Three great athletes, one goal - maximum fun on the track and on the road.

In the GTS version, the four-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 718 Cayman is so powerful that the Audi TT RS and BMW M2 now need to worry about their compact car reputation. Is it really?

An amateurish attempt at philosophizing makes one wonder if mediocrity through consciousness sees that nothing better can appear. Or does he continue his amorphous presence in a thick fog of imperfection? And what the hell are they looking for such nonsense in a severe test? Right. Therefore, we attach the GPS receiver to the roof, glue the display to the windshield and turn the ignition key of the new Porsche 718 Cayman GTS with our left hand.

The rotary switch next to the steering wheel is in the Sport Plus position, the left foot presses the brake and the right foot goes full throttle - the four-cylinder boxer rumbles behind the seats, the indicator light on the combined display signals the electronics are ready for launch control. Well, fine. We take our foot off the brake, the revs drop briefly, the 265 rear wheels roll a little, and the 1422kg mid-engined sports car surges forward. Shortly after your traction has stopped on the very ergonomic, but very low-set and, of course, very expensive seats, the GTS hits 100 mph in 3,9 seconds. Just a few years ago, for such an achievement, Porsche had to take the 997 Turbo out of its halls - undoubtedly above all mediocrity, but already ahead of its successors.

And to add: the GTS predecessor took 4,6 seconds to reach 200 km/h in 16,9 seconds. The new one does it in 14,3 seconds. Could anything better follow? Yes, but it first showed up in the lowered silhouette of the Audi TT RS, which puts more weight, more power and more traction into a mathematical equation that results in first 3,8 and then 13,8 seconds. Accompanied by pathos opera lowing, snoring, buzzing, whistling and whistling. And the BMW model? He runs an experiment with even more weight but less grip – and with the expected weaker but still impressive result of 4,2 and 15,8 seconds. Unencumbered by any philosophy, competitors float up and down the right dimension, each time striving to create a superlative - the fastest, the shortest, the most flexible.

Go outside

Today we do not appreciate the cruise control with distance adjustment and other things, trunk volumes, interior space and ergonomics. Agility and dynamics are important - both according to objectively measured data, and depending on the subjective pleasure received on the track and on the secondary road, which is similar at best, but never the same. And yes, here the philosophy is already visible through the steering system, penetrates into the ear and tickles your back.

For example, the M2 achieves the largest difference between driving pleasure on a race track and a secondary road. Is it because of the drive? No and no. The combination of a turbocharged inline-six engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission works anytime, anywhere. Even the deep voice of idleness makes not only fans of the brand sigh with thoughts.

Not to mention those who know what will happen next. Because the three-liter unit responds very quickly to a request for more power, instantly, evenly and without any hesitation, delivers a powerful torque of 500 Newton meters. And then picks up speed without relieving pressure - 3000, 4000, even more than 6000, up to 7000 rpm. Now let's change gear. Well, it happened a very long time ago. The engine and transmission are a true work of art. Just one question: how does the driving force get on the road? Not quite trivial: a wide track and, as a result, swollen cheeks on the wings, a rear axle with five wheel elements mounted on a body subframe, a differential with a lock (from 0 to 100 percent), short springs, stiff shock absorbers (non-adaptive). The result is Canadian four wheel wrestling. At least when you are driving on a secondary road with curves.

The M2 must hold tight and short, the pilot must be constantly alert, always ready to respond with the steering wheel. Mechanical traction is quickly lost over bumps in the road - even those you never paid attention to on your favorite stretch of road. There is no sophisticated technique here, but there is deliberate rudeness. What a pleasure! A BMW that tells the heroic stories of the past in a new way – more exciting, faster, dedicated to madness. It's better to disable stability control for a while, because it reacts with a terrifying anxiety that becomes unpredictable when the intervention threshold is raised (there is no well-honed MDM mode, as in M3 / M4)

Let's live

However, oversteer is quite predictable, and a transparent but demanding system makes scary moments joyful. Now the M2 is full of life, without these moments it would be even more stubborn, and with them - also on the track - it is only a little more submissive. How it works?

BMW sent a test car with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which, combined with beautiful wheels, cost a small 5099 euros. Well? When the heat-sensitive tires heat up, the M2 travels with them like a wagon on a horror train. More precisely, more firmly attached to the pavement, more unshakable than on the road - but still, of course, like a rear-wheel drive car.

But now it was not a bully, but a professional boxer who entered the ring. Still pretty massive though. And yet in the highest sitting position. But the thickly padded seats wrap you up more than you'd think when comparing them to the competition. At Audi, for example, the furniture is more suitable for the race track, but does not provide significantly better lateral support. In addition, the integrated and forward-curved head restraints sometimes slap you in the back of the head.

With an open palm

Everything else in the TT RS acts like an open palm strike to the forehead. Acceleration? We have already spoken about this. Even when measured correctly, the coupe convincingly neglects its 1494 kg weight and stops best at 200 km / h with standard steel rims (carbon-ceramic is optional). And at the hippodrome? Here are some excerpts from a discussion of the poor performance of optional brakes in a sports car peer supertest.

Indeed, this TT was also the first to show weak braking; the brake pedal travel increases dramatically. But so far he has made five laps in a row at maximum speed; BMW's brakes begin to loosen after about a circle, and Porsches (the only ones with expensive carbon ceramic discs) show no signs of durability.

However, we deduct Audi points when evaluating driving pleasure on the highway – and only for the stated reason. If you put it in a corner with ABS activated, the car will move more straight than you would like. That's why you need to stop so aggressively - and then the TT will relax around its rear wing. If you still don't like the direction, a little acceleration will turn your ass even more.

At the same time, the pilot's fine motor skills and sensors must be precisely calibrated - because if you suddenly lose courage, and then the strength of your right leg in a turn, the sporty Audi will turn sideways. As a first step against this, stability control should not be turned off completely, but should be allowed to work in sport mode. He treats the task with the utmost conscientiousness and rudely intervenes only when it is really necessary. But not now a sharp turn.

If you are still turning the steering wheel in the other two cars, then in Audi you are already accelerating. In dynamic mode, the disc clutch is initially less open and transmits more torque to the rear wheels.

Little dance

With the same coefficient of friction, a maximum of 50 percent of traction is returned, but that's enough - you can still invite the RS to dance quite successfully just by pressing the accelerator pedal. First relax, changing the load, then press all the way. The 2,5-liter engine is furious, roaring angrily, gaining momentum; A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts between six and five hundred gear ratios.

In general, the gearboxes of all three cars show their inner life brilliantly: ballistic shifting, no loss of traction at top speed, adequate transitions, perfectly placed shift plates. Everyone is equal. In this section. And nowhere else. Certainly not with the kind of traction that no other Audi model can achieve – at least on the race track. How he simply rushes forward from the peak of the turn! Body movements? There are almost none. And one more thing: the test car is equipped not only with standard brakes, but also with a standard chassis without adaptive shock absorbers, but with 20-inch wheels instead of 19-inch ones.

With them – just like the representative of Porsche – the TT RS remains true to itself and, with a little less grip on the road surface, it is almost as stable. Whatever you do with a completely unfairly flattened steering wheel, the reaction is the same as on the race track.

However, suspension comfort is just as mediocre as the M2. But wait, let's not forget that these are sports cars. More importantly, steering is another topic that Audi has a lot to say about. But everything is fine here. Almost all. While Comfort mode gives too little feedback on the road, but still TT enters corners without delay, Dynamic mode restores the balance between feel and impression.

So TT is as good as the Cayman Islands? Oh no. In addition, Porsche's electromechanical steering system manages to transmit slightly more important information through the pores of the leather steering wheel, which gives you the courage to stop a further half a meter later, turn the steering wheel three tenths of a second earlier and earlier. press the accelerator.

Of course, dear readers, now questions arise in your head. And all this just because of the steering wheel? No – both because of the brake actuation point and because of the excellent traction (weight balance, electronic control of the transverse axle lock). Here you feel the car with your fingertips. And buttocks. Which, by the way, are stuffed into the very best seats - a real sports shell, a kind of semi-vacuum, so it fits perfectly. And it costs 3272,50 euros. Well, after all, together with the passenger to the driver. Sounds great? Yes, it's on the road. The kit can be ordered for any Cayman, because the GTS does not get specific chassis settings, but the usual PASM sports suspension and standard 20-inch wheels.

Attention, you will be hurt

And here you will experience a short-term pain: the GTS, which we have tried and which we are talking about on these pages, is on sale in Germany for 108 euros. However, when scoring, only the price is taken into account, including additional additional elements important for the dynamics of the road. It hurts? No - especially when the four-cylinder boxer engine's roaring, raspy voice echoes behind you again - it sounds like it's suffering from badly assembled mechanics. The 754,90-litre unit can't even turn the principle into a spectacle, while the TT RS engine groans, chirps and plays.

Yes, the 718 transmission gives you a lot. Power, torque - it's all very good. The Cayman is the only trio to have a variable geometry turbocharger (and a pressure of 1,3 bar), so it reacts with a much shorter delay than Audi's five-cylinder engine, which only inflates its wind instrument correctly at almost 3000 rpm - despite the technical The data is trying to suggest something else. And in the upper range? Hasn't the Porsche been out of breath before?

No, a short distance boxer can be accelerated to 7500 rpm, but the feeling is that you are forcing him without letting him reach them. How not to turn away from grief? Because otherwise, Caiman once again demonstrates perfection inaccessible to others. This is a real sports car, not just a performer. Audi comes close to it, but not BMW. The 718 handles subtle undertones - even the dynamic control system sticks to the clutch limit so quietly you don't want to turn it off. And since - be careful, this is a sports model with a central engine. Is drift possible? Yes, of course, but you can go forward with your ass. And then you lean on your elbows again - next to the steering system.

Lighter in the corners

The steering system breaks down every turn in the road and helps you define every radius with a fine brush. To this must be added the high mechanical traction and the perfect integration of the driver into the compact body. A sports car that feels light because it is and does not hide its weight with technological gimmicks. This is why it manages to achieve sensational dynamic performance with the lowest power and, thanks to its stability and precision, record the fastest Grand Prix lap times on the track.

This is evidenced by the bare figures of measurements - naked precisely because they are devoid of any philosophical clothing. And if we put philosophy back into the game - no, the fact that we never hear the signature scream of a six-cylinder engine in the Cayman GTS doesn't add much shine to a very mediocre four-cylinder unit.

CONCLUSION

Five beat four

Audi's victory in the test is nothing new. But the fact that the model of this brand is on top and emotionally is quite rare. However, the TT RS can do everything - even almost without add-ons. His problem is the brakes. And Porsche's problem is the high price. And an unassuming sound. And the BMW model? It draws its life force from its fantastic transmission. And from the art of taming serving with a reverse steering wheel. Big!

Text: Jens Drale

Photo: Hans-Dieter Zeifert

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