Motor Trend Test: Supra versus Cayman and M2 Competition comparison review

elpadrino

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I'm not questioning why they tested automatics, I'm questioning why there was no mention of transmissions at all. I keep expecting the big magazines to come out with some more in-depth analysis, but they seem to be just telling us what the numbers are. That's all good of course, just seems kind of lacking.
That's because the ZF8HP has been reviewed multiple times. They're aren't doing anything special to it.
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tisdrew

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Surprised and glad to hear this review says Zupra trounces the M2C, the internet's darling at the moment.
 

jm6k

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Also interesting - when did the M2 get to be so bad? From MT's review last year:

"On the track, the M2 is right at home, with inputs and reflexes that are direct and satisfying. It's ridiculously easy to explore the limits at any speed or angle and still have the confidence to rein it back in. There's even more steering feel than before, though BMW could still use a master class in the art of servo tactility."

They seemed happy with it at the time. I guess maybe side by side with other cars made the flaws more apparent?

It clearly shows all of the configuration and statistical data at the end of the article.
But no comparison of how they each compare around the track.

Maybe because all three automated transmissions are equally good and there's not much difference worth mentioning among them.
All 3 cars put down nearly the same numbers in all of the tests, so they could have just said "I dunno, pick one, they're all the same".

That's because the ZF8HP has been reviewed multiple times. They're aren't doing anything special to it.
If you're ok with that logic I'm just not even going to try.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Supra is great, I very unreasonably hate the M2, and would never want a base Cayman. Supra is the clear winner here. I just expected the magazines to go into more detail. I haven't really given a shit about a new car in many years so haven't paid attention to MT or C&D lately, but I remember more depth to their articles in the past.
 

justbake

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Also interesting - when did the M2 get to be so bad? From MT's review last year:

"On the track, the M2 is right at home, with inputs and reflexes that are direct and satisfying. It's ridiculously easy to explore the limits at any speed or angle and still have the confidence to rein it back in. There's even more steering feel than before, though BMW could still use a master class in the art of servo tactility."

They seemed happy with it at the time. I guess maybe side by side with other cars made the flaws more apparent?
I think it is all relative. It is being compared to a car engineered by the minds of 2 manufacturers and to another that is mid engine. M2C is still the best handling BMW but being 3600lbs it really needs a diet to beat out the other two
 

jm6k

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I think it is all relative. It is being compared to a car engineered by the minds of 2 manufacturers and to another that is mid engine. M2C is still the best handling BMW but being 3600lbs it really needs a diet to beat out the other two
That's reasonable.
 

eltoshan

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Honestly I don't get why they would include the M2C in this comparison at all. The 718 is a sports car from the ground up, the Supra is more or less a sports car to the bones other than the cut down 2 series chassis, meanwhile the M2C is a sporty coupe essentially based on the F30/F32 platform. Base Corvette would have been a much more sensible comprison, or you know, throw in the Z4 M40i.

That said, existing variants of the 718 sound so bad compared to the Supra it would be a no brainer for me by sound alone. It would be a totally different story if it was the 981 Cayman GTS though.
 

elpadrino

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Honestly I don't get why they would include the M2C in this comparison at all. The 718 is a sports car from the ground up, the Supra is more or less a sports car to the bones other than the cut down 2 series chassis, meanwhile the M2C is a sporty coupe essentially based on the F30/F32 platform. Base Corvette would have been a much more sensible comprison, or you know, throw in the Z4 M40i.

That said, existing variants of the 718 sound so bad compared to the Supra it would be a no brainer for me by sound alone. It would be a totally different story if it was the 981 Cayman GTS though.
Because people will crosshop the M2C with the Supra and Cayman. But the main reason people mention the M2C is because of the manual trans so not addressing that is I guess a let down.
 

justbake

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Honestly I don't get why they would include the M2C in this comparison at all. The 718 is a sports car from the ground up, the Supra is more or less a sports car to the bones other than the cut down 2 series chassis, meanwhile the M2C is a sporty coupe essentially based on the F30/F32 platform. Base Corvette would have been a much more sensible comprison, or you know, throw in the Z4 M40i.

That said, existing variants of the 718 sound so bad compared to the Supra it would be a no brainer for me by sound alone. It would be a totally different story if it was the 981 Cayman GTS though.
The Supra is a cut down 2 series? Am I reading that right?
The M2C is not based on the platform on the F30/F32, they all share the same platform as the F20/F21 1 series range like the rest of the F22 2 series.

There are very few cars in this premium small(er) sports car segment that the M2 almost has to be included where as the lerger corvette competes with the 911
 

elpadrino

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If you're ok with that logic I'm just not even going to try.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Supra is great, I very unreasonably hate the M2, and would never want a base Cayman. Supra is the clear winner here. I just expected the magazines to go into more detail. I haven't really given a shit about a new car in many years so haven't paid attention to MT or C&D lately, but I remember more depth to their articles in the past.
Fair point. Magazines have stopped reviewing the Z8 for over a year now because it's what everyone uses and it's really good...for a manual alternative.

With that said, Toyota missed something here. They designed a great car out of parts and left a key ingredient out. That they have been able to achieve this level of goodness is understated. A manual would have been the cherry on the top but we wouldn't have been able to get it this year at that price. And I would much much rather have this car than nothing.
 

eltoshan

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The Supra is a cut down 2 series? Am I reading that right?
The M2C is not based on the platform on the F30/F32, they all share the same platform as the F20/F21 1 series range like the rest of the F22 2 series.

There are very few cars in this premium small(er) sports car segment that the M2 almost has to be included where as the lerger corvette competes with the 911
Yep the F87/F22 shares the front of the platform with the F30, with minor differences in the rear (http://www.autozine.org/Archive/BMW/new/1er_F20.html). While the A90/G29 platform started as a cut down F22 (https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/05/12/2020-toyota-supra-first-drive). I just find the M2 a weird choice for this comparison b/c it is so much bigger (C7 base Corvette is <1 inch longer and wider than the M2).
 

justbake

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Yep the F87/F22 shares the front of the platform with the F30, with minor differences in the rear (http://www.autozine.org/Archive/BMW/new/1er_F20.html). While the A90/G29 platform started as a cut down F22 (https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/05/12/2020-toyota-supra-first-drive). I just find the M2 a weird choice for this comparison b/c it is so much bigger (C7 base Corvette is <1 inch longer and wider than the M2).
Oh right, I thought you were implying the M2C specifically being directly developed from the F30 instead of being built off the F22 my mistake.

Yeah the 2 series is not small by any means but it is marketed as small. I know that doesn't make a real world difference but it does impact those cross shopping. This is a rather specific segment for cars, I think this is going to work out well for the A90 since it can redefine it
 

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as of right now:
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Most reporters, just like everybody else, when a new car comes out, they test it and like a placebo, they are inclined or feel the tingling feeling to like it. For sure when tested afterwards against other cars, with their prior driving experiences with each car individually on separate occasions, will create a skewed result. Needless to say, there are reviewers out there who actually understand the vehicle dynamics better and are able to repeat the same exact maneuvers with each car give our fair assessment regardless of the date, but they're hard to come by... and in the end they're all subjective...but if they all say the same thing, then it is what it is :)

Anyhow, price-wise, performance wise, I think it's fair to compare M2C, Corvette 1LT, Cayman S (0-60 wise) and Z4.
Unfortunately, I've not had the chance to drive any of these, but I can tell you, M2C like every other BMW will be playful, joyful driving; Corvette from the V8 will have lots of grunt, burning rubber, etc; Porsche will have the most track tuned, precise driving; Z4 will have sporty feel, but lack precision and is for not competitive bunch.... everything else depends on the person... Ps. hoping to test drive if I can find willing dealers :)
 
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