Porsche Cayman 981 vs Cayman S: Which Is Better? [Review]

[@MrRoyck10]

I own a 987.2 a base Cayman model with the 2.9 engine, I live in London with our pothole riddled roads full of speed cameras and speed limit of 20mph. I am an advanced driver and I consider 265 bhp more than adequate to keep up with most modern sports cars. If you don’t intend to track the car then most average drivers will be unable to fully exploit the added power safely on a public road. The added power can be more useful on track or if you live in Scotland with beautiful driving roads. In my 2.9 engine above 4000 rpm is license loosing territory so decision should be made based on budget, spec and rural roads or track use. The 3.4 is faster but it’s not too significant to pay the extra premium of owning a 3.4 S. Thanks for the honest review.

[@jameslove888]

That’s not the standard exhaust tips. They’re an option. The standard exhaust on the 2.7 is just one big exhaust pipe. There was also no difference in what you could spec from the factory. You could spec up a base car the same way you could spec up an S.

[@jodymason5166]

Of course an S,GTS,GT4 will be better performance both in engine and braking than the Base (non-S) model, to argue otherwise is foolish. As one of the few that has owned several Caymans, a 981 Base (2.7), 981 S (3.4) and now the 718 GTS 4.0 - I can comment on many things regards each model. The biggest one for me now and as a current owner of a GTS 4.0 - is that I firmly believe that a well optioned Base model (aside from the GT4) is going to be the surprise model to have and own in years to come. With the growth of EV, you can bet that taxation on bigger engines will be immense, making the smaller 2.7 very attractive. In the UK (in particular) and across Porsche owners, there is absolutely a "one-upmanship" or snob factor in having something above the Base, this is as much cultural as it is regards performance IMHO. To conclude, don't be fooled that you have to buy an S model or higher (as I was) to have fun, a base model in the 987, 981 range or dare I say it even the 718 range will make you smile every part as much on every mile.

[@jasonpowell4635]

Great comments, thank you.

[@BeatPoet67]

Yes, I've been looking across the entire 987/981 range and must say that I'm very much tending towards the base model. The 987 bore scoring issues are enough to put me off the S. And on UK A/B roads the base has plenty of power and handling to have some fun. I've owned several autobahn munching diesels which are great in a straight line but absolutely no fun elsewhere.

[@tmears11]

do you guys know what the usa does with oil? It is awesome to hear the base model is still cool/fun! We gotta admit though that the s with tune/gt4rs exhaust add on for 700$ is crazy fast hahahaha. get the cayman S or Boxster S and put a gt4rs body kit on it and if you have the tune/small upgrades its fast that a gt4 which is cool......annnnnd they sound insane.

[@jeffplant2090]

Great review. I have a 2013 981 Boxster 2.7, with three (the correct number) of pedals. :) I never fully understood the seemingly obsession with only reviewing the S models, especially when it comes to the Cayman/Boxster. Not everyone can afford an S and I've always questioned if the little extra juice was worth the squeeze. The base models are still Porsches, after all. So, thank you for doing this review. I love my 981 2.7. I track it, too. It is a blast! It sounds amazing, with the stock exhaust no less. It does have a custom ECU tune ($900) that gained it ~30hp more. The car hangs just fine with the S models. So instead of spending an extra $10k - $12k on the S, I spent $900 and an afternoon with the tuner, which was a lot of fun. Here is me chasing down a 997.2 911 S (not a base, an S) with the PDK no less. Yes, he pulls on me a bit, but I still catch (and pass) him. That's a 385hp car I'm chasing, with PDK vs. my manual. The driver came up to me after this session and asked: "Is that an S you have?" I smiled and quite proudly said: "NOPE." Note that this is at Summit Point in West Virginia - their Shenandoah circuit, which is very fun. The camera's GPS isn't calibrated well; add ~3 or 4hp to whatever the camera shows for the actual speed: drive.google.com/file/d/1JLJS2g9TpyublmijWj5cIse1xqkaFjbE/view?usp=drive_link

[@ethanbailey7247]

Bought my 987.1 2.7 last year, I’ve still got the car a year on and would like to change to a 987.2 3.4 so it was interesting to see your views between them. Had the privilege of driving a 981 GT4, probably the best car I will ever get to drive.

[@zaink7037]

What's your rationale to the change to the older model Ethan? Thinking of getting a 981 but wondering whether to get a S and save up a little more for that

[@williamjackson5357]

Great video guy. I bought a ‘14 , 2.7l 4 years ago. This car looks beautiful, runs wonderfully, and handles like crazy. I am an educator and have “A PLUS” on the license tag. I just received my performance headers from Soul tonight. Can’t wait for the results 🏎

[@zaink7037]

Nice. I think the S on the 981 is best. On the 987 I'd go for the non S mainly due to reliability and less reports of bore scoring and IMS failures

[@CarsWithJB]

Yeah that’s fair enough! IMS can be replaced quite easily though with a stronger one, it’s the bore scoring that’s terrifying

[@boredalchemist]

987.2 don't have any issues

[@julian987r4]

@Zain K you have been sucked into project fear. 987 Gen 2’s have no issues with bore scoring.

[@zaink7037]

Yeah you guys are right there. Forgot to mention I was talking about the gen 1

[@MrRoyck10]

The 987.2 is the sweet spot with its 2.9 engine, it has the same engine design with the 981 albeit without the DFI, it has more torque than the base 981 2.7 Cayman.

[@nigelsmith5807]

I had a 987 S (which I loved) and I now have a base 981 (which I also love). I was told that the 2.7 litre 981 engine was deliberately de-tuned by Porsche as there was too small a performance differential between it and the 3.4 litre S. A tweak to the engine management system of the 2.7 can liberate some of those suppressed horses.

[@bomccoy5236]

Your comment goes to show just how LITTLE you know about engines. N/A engines its all about displacement. A 3.4L engine has 26% the volume/displacement of a 2.7L. They are not the same. A 2.7L is not detuned. Get educated.

[@nigelsmith5807]

Dear Bo, The distinction between a 2.7 litre engine and a 3.4 litre engine was not completely lost on me. I am aware that the 3.4 makes more power than the 2.7. The 3.4 also weighs more. I stand by my previous assertion that the DIFFERENTIAL between the performance of a 2.7 litre Cayman compared to that of the 3.4 litre Cayman was not judged to be large enough by the Porsche marketing team. The S wasn't that much faster than the base model. Porsche deliberately detuned the 2.7 in order to make the S look more worthy of the higher purchase price. I think most people were smart enough to get that point.

[@andyjarvisio5337]

I understood the 3.4 was detuned because it wasn’t allowed to be quicker than a 911. The 2.7 makes virtually 100bhp per litre, that’s pretty good for na

[@Bogster_Bogs]

I got a 14 981 base w Cobb stage 1 and k&n air filters. Running on aggressive setting and haven't even tried the high torque setting. I'm guessing this closes the gap if not exceeds s levels. For the small difference between the two engines Base 981 w/Cobb is more than enough for city and back roads but will probably be behind on the track

[@drunvert]

You can't tune the 981 much at all. The S is faster, but I don't think it handles any better because the base comes with a stiff setting on the suspension

[@jeffplant2090]

@@drunvert I love my 981 2.7. I track it, too. It is a blast! It sounds amazing, with the stock exhaust no less. It does have a custom ECU tune ($900) that gained it ~30hp more. The car hangs just fine with the S models. So instead of spending an extra $10k - $12k on the S, I spent $900 and an afternoon with the tuner, which was a lot of fun. Here is me chasing down a 997.2 911 S (not a base, an S) with the PDK no less. Yes, he pulls on me a bit, but I still catch (and pass) him. That's a 385hp car I'm chasing, with PDK vs. my manual. The driver came up to me after this session and asked: "Is that an S you have?" I smiled and quite proudly said: "NOPE." Note that this is at Summit Point in West Virginia - their Shenandoah circuit, which is very fun. The camera's GPS isn't calibrated well; add ~3 or 4hp to whatever the camera shows for the actual speed: drive.google.com/file/d/1JLJS2g9TpyublmijWj5cIse1xqkaFjbE/view?usp=drive_link

[@drunvert]

@@jeffplant2090 I didn't know that tuning a naturally aspirated car would gain you 30 horsepower.

[@drunvert]

@@jeffplant2090 fun video. A tight track like that gives the Cayman a clear advantage imo over the 997

[@jeffplant2090]

@@drunvert That's what the dyno showed. Torque went up substantially as well. Remember that Porsche detunes the Boxster to be 10hp less from the factor than the Cayman. I have the Boxster. So he got me that 10hp back, then another ~20 on top of it. I should have taken a screenshot of the dyno.

[@robhenderson22]

I have a Cayman 718 GTS. I love it, but it just can't make the noise these flat 6s make sadly.

[@cayman9815]

I love my (full option) 981C since 5 yrs as my daily and on track (see my channel) Every single trip, is great fun The 2.7 is more than quick enough on public roads On the track, more power is always welcome ;) But the 3.4 is more taxes & fuel In the end, I am more than happy with my 2.7

[@rob7076]

I have owned and driven a base Cayman 987.2 & 981. Never found them lacking in performance or practicability. Still manage to scare the Misses! Great cars that can be used for away trips with your luggage safely stowed-away not just thrown in the back! Both , when driven puts a smile on your face and rewards to the driver who is a driver. Yes, owning a Porsche is addictive and you will surely get this if you drive one! Informative video and more practical views please. Loved the fact you beat one of those electronic things with no real sound off the mark. A flat six at full tilt does sound like a sports car should… a Porsche. PS. At purchase of both cars, I could not justify the extra costs to jump-up to the Cayman S. I just painted the Disc Callipers RED, job done!?!

[@clu4u]

Should of painted the calipers yellow, like PCCBs.🤑I went from a 05 Boxster S to a 981 Spyder, with YELLOW calipers…🎉❤

[@jamesmay1322]

Where on earth are you seeing a 981 Cayman S for "around the £30k mark"?? You might find a badly maintained (i.e no history) high mileage one from some dodgy back of a shed dealer for low 30's but good ones from reputable specialist dealers with a decent warranty will be high 30's/low 40's easy.

[@drunvert]

38?

[@Jay-xr3sb]

Not anymore

[@mariosk.1864]

Hello. Good effort with the video. Proud owner of a 981 base PDK. daily car. 2014 model. in my ownership the last 5 years. Traveled 50k km with the car. Fan, practical, reliable. amazing handling, great looking ( in random order :) ) I will have to disagree with your statement about the power difference. Never drove the S model, but with the very long second gear (i believe on the manual the gearing is even longer) from 55-80 km you can tell there is some very needed power absents. For fast driving i had no complaints, but in city speed limits doing a pass on medium speeds... not ideal. I was actually a bit disappointed With BMC air filters, a Cranwell exhaust and 200cell catalysts, plus Coob tuning for ECU and PDK i managed to get some needed push especially in low revs. Only after the upgrades were installed I had stopped thinking of switching to the S model. Gained power will be measured soon (already made 2 different baseline readings using different dynos). Have postponed the ''after dyno'', for cosmetic fixes,/maintenances etc, as i can really feel the difference in power especially on low revs and helped me stop obsessing about the lack of power. Will post a more analytical post with before and after videos (Dyno, sound etc) the following months on planet9 and rennlist

[@edmaverik]

Well said. You nailed it in this video. I test drove a 981 S and 981 base. I ended up buying the 981 base because it just felt more engaging to me with a bountiful of engine power! I still love it now after 6 years later and several mods to my 981 Base.

[@drunvert]

I have a 981 base 6 speed and I know it's not as fast as the 981 S. But, when I drive the car to redline it is ridiculously fast and because it doesn't come with adjustable suspension, you get stiff only. My car has 20-in career wheels with p zero tires and I live in an area with very tight turns, switchbacks, and the car is on rails. Yes it would be nice to have the turbocharged 718 or to have the S but you are going to have to take your foot off the floor because the car is going too fast and the base 981 is more like a 914 where you can go as fast as you want and the car will hold the turns and it'll scare the living s*** out of you

[@emncali]

has it been reliable throughout your ownership? considering a 981S this fall

[@edmaverik]

@@emncali I am going on 7.5 years and zero problems. I am very happy with my decision today with my 2015 base, it is the best decision that I've made and I'd do it all over again.

[@NorthHoustonCityLimits]

I’m in Houston Texas and have a black 2016 981 base 2.7L. I changed out the fat ugly single exhaust for a Dual Tip Fab speed X flow carbon fiber added 20 inch rims has factory sports exhaust air con seats perfect for Texas heat xenon headlights PDK tranny fat tires with spacers Added the red S on the back lid and now I have an S model and to me it hauls arse. Not as quick though as my audi A6 3.0 supercharged but every time I drive it, it gets plenty of attention and it sounds perfect! Not abnoxious at all ! I’m happy great video thanks for sharing you rock!

[@CarsWithJB]

Sounds like a beast! My supercharged Miata that whines everywhere it goes is also not obnoxious at all lol, cheers boss 🤙🏽

[@DylaanBluee]

Can't get much better than 2 Porsches going head to head man 😍

[@CarsWithJB]

Hard to beat!

[@uweheinrich6784]

Interesting.....I do think the torque difference is quite significant.....This matters for the drivability of the engine. The non-S will need to be utilized over the entire REV range, whereas the S provides more power at much lower RPM. This is a big factor in every day driving. Last but not least, brakes on the S are much better than the base. Everyone, who seeks a true driver car is better off by putting the money towards engine and brakes rather the options.....

[@jeffplant2090]

I love my 981 2.7. I track it, too. It is a blast! It sounds amazing, with the stock exhaust no less. It does have a custom ECU tune ($900) that gained it ~30hp more. The car hangs just fine with the S models. So instead of spending an extra $10k - $12k on the S, I spent $900 and an afternoon with the tuner, which was a lot of fun. Here is me chasing down a 997.2 911 S (not a base, an S) with the PDK no less. Yes, he pulls on me a bit, but I still catch (and pass) him. That's a 385hp car I'm chasing, with PDK vs. my manual. The driver came up to me after this session and asked: "Is that an S you have?" I smiled and quite proudly said: "NOPE." As for brakes - I put track pads and slotted rotors on. The car stops on a dime - at the track, no less. Note that this is at Summit Point in West Virginia - their Shenandoah circuit, which is very fun. The camera's GPS isn't calibrated well; add ~3 or 4hp to whatever the camera shows for the actual speed: drive.google.com/file/d/1JLJS2g9TpyublmijWj5cIse1xqkaFjbE/view?usp=drive_link

[@BobC59]

Wonder if you drove this rather lightweight sports car without the 150 kilos sitting next to you ;)

[@jaypudaruth8080]

Would like to see him review the Boxster 981 happy for you to drive mine and do a review

[@718YellowSubmarine]

I had a 2.7 PDK, Racing Yellow, ex-demo from PZ Wiesbaden, hence full option. While I have a manual 718 Spyder now, that 981 was more than quick enough on the flat Flemish roads. The PDK makes up for any lack of torque compared to the 3.4.

[@cayman9815]

hallo wat is je ervaring met de 4.0 engine? veel olie verbruik lees ik, klopt dat? groeten

[@718YellowSubmarine]

@@cayman9815 hallo, no, not really. added 1 liter during the first year after a long trip in the Vogeses, non since then. I don't track.

[@robsx4280]

I had a 987.2 S with PDK, now have a 718 manual - think I should have kept the 987 to be honest - start up sound was out of this world.

[@bwdrives]

Did you have PSE?

[@stevenbond1410]

Do you prefer pdk to manual ?

[@bwdrives]

@@stevenbond1410 neither is better than the other in my opinion, for the full driving experience manual might edge it but PDK is so intuitive in the way it evolves to your inputs and changes character in sport/ sport plus It also makes some truly awesome up/ downshift sounds 😂

[@philmachunt3356]

Handy video, currently looking at the base vs S. Not interested in straight-line performance only handling. Base model Cayman probably makes more sense in that regard. However, you can get a Boxster S for the same money as a base model Cayman... So I have a suggestion for a series of videos. What is the best Porsche for a budget of : £40k-50k £30k-40k etc

[@Aiken47]

A well spec’d Baseline 981 is better than a low spec’d 981 S.

[@eddie275a]

I had a manual 2.7 base 981 that came highly specced as it was a former press car (ie. PTV, LSD, PASM, PSE, PDSL plus most of the interior comfort options too). Whilst I now have a 981 GT4, I never felt any less enjoyment when taking the 2.7 through B road twisties. Yes it loses out on straights and getting off the the line but, to me, the Cayman/Boxster comes alive on twisties. I have a friend with a 981 Black Edition (effectively a 2.7 with some options thrown in) and when we’re on road trips he’s usually able to keep up quite well with us-a GTS and a couple of GT4s-on the twisties, though he can’t brake anywhere near as late (I have PCCBs, which provide another level of stopping power). Regardless of whether it’s a 2.7, S, GTS or GT4 they’re massively enjoyable to drive and own. EDIT: on a 2.7 the PSE (Porsche Sports Exhaust) is a must for the sound experience, and if that still isn’t enough then maybe a pair of sports headers too.

[@718YellowSubmarine]

I had mine modded with a Carnewal GT exhaust. Which is perfect.

[@williamjackson5357]

I have ordered a PSE for my 2014 Cayman Base, I have been told the exhaust note will be pleasurable! I can’t wait 🏎

[@cayman9815]

@@williamjackson5357 you have PDK or manual? PDK in combination with PSE gives annoying drone in the car I removed PSE for that reason pls keep me updated with yr experience?

[@williamjackson5357]

@@cayman9815 I have the PDK

[@cayman9815]

@@williamjackson5357 when you have the PSE ? waiting your experience….

[@utcougar]

Always get the S. Isn’t that common sense? Don’t people realize it’s not just the engine but the suspension, brakes, and more that differentiate the two

[@718YellowSubmarine]

You would be wrong. Same suspension. And the basic brakes are plenty.

[@utcougar]

@@718YellowSubmarine read up on them. I def know im not wrong. I’ve had six

[@jameslove888]

@@utcougar but you are. The brakes are the only difference you’ve listed correctly.

[@utcougar]

@@jameslove888 so wait the S does not have different spring rates? Is there an option for upgraded sport suspension on the S model but not the base? I’ve had the base, the PASM, the PASM sport (aftermarket upgrade) and the GTS upgrade on an S. There are differences in spring rate, ride height, and once you get to GTS which is technically the “sport suspension” then a completely different setup which is 20mm lower than stock or 10mm lower than stock PASM (which is 10mm lower than stock).

[@jameslove888]

@@utcougar spring rates are the same on the base and S. Even if you opt for PASM or X73, they’re the same across all the models fitted to. The GTS suspension is no different from the S or base if they’re fitted with PASM or X73. You can order the x73 kit from Porsche and there's no specific PN for base, S or GTS cars, only PDK or non PDK.

[@jamesmay1322]

What car do you normally drive? I'm only asking because I find it curious that you don't feel that the S is that much of a performance gain on the Base. The S makes nearly 20% more power and 28% more torque than the Base which should be a pretty obvious difference, (my current car was about the same jump in power % wise from my last car and for me at least it's a very obvious difference). Also it's about 0.7s quicker to 60 which when you're already down in the 5s should be pretty noticeable. So certainly if someone was used to driving a 200hp odd car and drove both I'd expect them to find the S noticably quicker, but then on the flip side if they're already used to over 300hp maybe they'd be quite desensitised to a 50hp difference.

[@stephenfoster6940]

That approx. 20% advantage of the 'S' is less important on a manual if you are primarily looking for driving engagement. That's particulay so because the non-S has lower 1st and 2nd gears which give about a 10% greater torque multiplication at the wheels. It also means that you can enjoy the revvy nature of the engine just that bit more - the gearing on the S is very tall. But ... you cant't really go wrong with any option.

[@stephenfoster6940]

... and the manual is 35 kg less than the PDK.

[@jamesmay1322]

@@stephenfoster6940 Where are you getting the info on the base gearing from? The PDK gearbox is identical in both cars, (was in the 987 and still was in the 981, pretty sure it's the same in the 718), that's straight from Porsche's technical manual. Have to admit, I haven't bothered checking the manual ratio's (not even sure they're in the manual I have).

[@stephenfoster6940]

@@jamesmay1322 The data is from the Porsche publication "Service Information, 2013 Technik Introduction, Boxster/Boxster S (981)". See Section 3b.1 (Transmission G81.00) for Boxster p.52 and p.53 (Transmission type G81.20) for Boxster S. The overall gear spread is 4.36 for the Boxster and 3.93 for the Boxster S.

[@Kevin-ss1by]

I have a yellow 981 Boxster. The Boxster S is priced alot higher in my location. I also own a Cayenne S with 400HP and that car goes hard.

[@jamesmungeam]

Next time you’re in the Cayman (perhaps your own very soon 😉) give it a Launch. Car really gives you all it has and is great fun.

[@bsb6350]

Pretty sure that base model has the "S" sports exhaust upgrade?

[@BobC59]

From what I have seen, the base is easily 10k less in USD, and I'm not sure its worth it. Both are excellent cars - one just has more power and bigger brakes, neither of which you need to make the car a very satisfying drive. The S feels closer to a supercar if you want or need that, but owning a Cayman (or Boxster) base or S is an awesome thing

[@MadelnMachines]

Is the S more playful and can you slide the back end much more easily? I'm not sure the base can overcome the tremendous grip.

[@STRmw2]

I'll always choose a PDK over any manual tbh If you do pick up a 981, I've got an OEM carbon trim set ;)

[@williamjackson5357]

Is your carbon trim set for sale? I have a 981, 2014

[@STRmw2]

@@williamjackson5357 not on ebay yet but its still available, cost me a grand. as long as you have a car that has the extended leather itll be good - cars without that might have some visible gaps and they don't have anywhere to put the door card trims

[@jeffplant2090]

I will ALWAYS choose 3 pedals (the correct number) ;) over the PDK. I had one friend say to me: "But the PDK does 0-60 a half second faster." My response was: "I know. That's a half second faster that I'll get bored." I'm an experience guy, not a "numbers on paper" guy. To each their own though.

[@STRmw2]

@@jeffplant2090 fair enough, I liked the manual in my ‘89 g series because that was very raw as an older car but the 991 cars are so modern that it feels like a shame to avoid PDK. A modern manual box is quite sedate i think

[@drunvert]

Before I even watch the video, I'm going to say that I have a 981 base.. It's a six-speed manual with 20-in Carrera wheels and pzero tires. It is scary fast if you drive it to redline. I live and grew up in an area with windy roads and I know how to drive and pushing this car is scary fast. It's almost identical to my 1973 Corvette with a built motor putting out 350 horsepower. The speed and gearing is almost identical. Yes the S would be faster, which unless you're on a track means absolutely nothing. Because when I'm hauling ass and a car is faster than me, I can catch it in the turn in a matter of 10th of seconds. There is no person that buys a Cayman S to drag race.

[@gordontovey1597]

You have said wrong about the exhaust pipe, the non S has an oval rear pipe and not a double pipe

[@waifunolaifu5297]

When the 0-60 is almost a full second faster for the 981 cayman S, how is that not a big jump 10:58😂

[@TeoGoYo]

Read aloud your comment again. Slowly. Let’s rephrase this, actually: “The S is less than one second faster.”

[@nathanlambert1502]

Which has the most comfortable suspension?

[@chesswizard31]

Great colour but I just can’t warm up to the 981 rear styling. I absolutely hate it. The 987 has a better rear in my opinion.

[@tmears11]

get the gt4rs body kit with the better exhaust placement and wing and it makes a big difference but you gotta do the entire kit really....so I guess....get a gt4/gt4rs hahahah

[@edsmalo8391]

Tesla wasn’t trying 😭

[@fabianreah1708]

Yep he could have had him for breakfast.

[@kriskalpa]

@@fabianreah1708 true. the Tesla is much quicker.

[@cr4zym3x1c4n]

Non dual motor gets eaten up, my 2019 Si beats the standard model 3 and this Porsche is about 150 Hp more. Dual motor you are right then, it will eat it

[@insansiregar6158]

Does the 2.7 liter 981 also have 6 cyl or 4 cyl?

[@Swolecat17]

6 cylinders and it sounds a bit better than the 3.4 981 due to the smaller displacement

[@tmears11]

the thing is the car looses on heavier pulls and when you go stage 2/ stage 3 with the S we are talking an entirely different weight class....the S isn't close....maybe stock...my s3 beat stock rs3's but rs3's that were stage 2 blew the doors of my s3....same thing here...not giving the S the credit...but we are talking .7 and for this car that takes it from fun to reallllllly fast....id go with the S no matter what. saying your rolling with fast cars too...engine can handle the hustle a lot more.

[@Bogster_Bogs]

Agree and well said!

[@giosimfra64]

A couple of things. First off, there is a 50hp and quite a bit of torque as well as delivery of the above in terms of difference between the two models. Believe you me, I had a 1993 RX7 before I bought my 2009 Cayman S and the 7 was faster than my present car. It does make a considerable difference. Unless you are dwelling around 6500 rpms, there will always be a considerable difference between the two. And most of the time, unless you use this as a track car, you'll be between 2k and 4k. Besides, I find it difficult to believe that a person who does car reviews can't feel that the car he's driving has "lost" 50hp (compared to the S). That is more than 18% of the 275 hp... I would say anyone will be able to tell the difference in performance between A/C on and A/C off... This would be more. The second thing has to do with "focus more on the options". If you are buying a 2-door Porsche and focussing on the options, then you are buying the wrong car. What matters in a sports car is power/weight ratio, steering response/precision/suspension, gearbox and chassis. This is even more of a thing when you look at a high-end sports car, because they will have always most of the crap they sell as "equipment" anyway, so what you'll be focussing on will be things like: carbon fiber interior trim, ventilated seat, 358 way adjustable, memory seat, Sirius satellite radio, Alcantara steering wheel and a whole host of other useless crap.

[@TeoGoYo]

Everything you said is fundamentally incorrect. Both Caymans are slow, compared to other straightline pulls in most other comparable sportscars. An S197 GT will best a Cayman S. The 3.4 is less than a second faster off the line to 60. You’re buying an entry-level Porsche designed for beginner track days and twisties. Both have identical handling, minus brakes, unless you pay for upgrades. Your focus will be almost entirely on squeezing as much trim v. dollar as possible.

[@giosimfra64]

@@TeoGoYo Since everything I said is wrong and just to be clear based on your comment: 50 HP and the torque to go with it aren't quite a bit of difference between these 2 cars that weigh about the same Until you get to high RPMs, you won't feel a considerable difference between the two cars' engines Most of the time, unless you are at a track, you won't be between 2k and 4k You can't tell the difference with AC on or off High end cars don't come very well equipped from the factory Never said the car was fast, simple spoken of differences relative to the two models, so I am not sure what you're saying here. Fast means nothing. Fast going straight? Fast going around corners? In any case, I am willing to be that 99% of cars in production and on the road (and it's likely more) are slower in any way than the Cayman S in question.

[@hangpilot1200]

I've had my 2014 Base Cayman as a daily driver for 3 years now. Bought w/ 52,000 miles and now at 75,000 miles. Sport Chrono, 20" Carrera S wheels. I've upgraded the radio to a chinese wireless Apple Carplay unit w/ reverse camera and put a stiffer rear anti roll bar in the back. Only real maintenance I've had to do is replace the headlight lenses after they started cracking. Once again, chinese replacements for $100 each. Swapped the Pirelli P Zeros for Michelin PS4 S! Big improvement! Best mod to-date? Changed out my PDK shift knob for the GT4 RS knob. I now manually shift the PDK 95% of the time and feel that much more engaged w/ the car as it howls to redline ;-)

[@stms4411]

I bought a low spec s vs getting more spec in a base (in my case a boxster MT). I didn’t find the difference to be slight and I valued the extra grunt vs creature comforts. Both are great cars but I cannot accept that it’s hard to tell the difference with spirited street driving.

[@CarsWithJB]

That’s interesting because I’ve not driven the 981 boxsters but have been in the 987s, the S had noticeably more pull than the non-S in the 987s, but I didn’t feel a huge difference between the 981 caymans - it was there but nowhere near as noticeable as the 987 boxster!

[@jeffplant2090]

I love my 981 2.7. I track it, too. It is a blast! It sounds amazing, with the stock exhaust no less. It does have a custom ECU tune ($900) that gained it ~30hp more. The car hangs just fine with the S models. So instead of spending an extra $10k - $12k on the S, I spent $900 and an afternoon with the tuner, which was a lot of fun. Here is me chasing down a 997.2 911 S (not a base, an S) with the PDK no less. Yes, he pulls on me a bit, but I still catch (and pass) him. That's a 385hp car I'm chasing, with PDK vs. my manual. The driver came up to me after this session and asked: "Is that an S you have?" I smiled and quite proudly said: "NOPE." Note that this is at Summit Point in West Virginia - their Shenandoah circuit, which is very fun. The camera's GPS isn't calibrated well; add ~3 or 4hp to whatever the camera shows for the actual speed: drive.google.com/file/d/1JLJS2g9TpyublmijWj5cIse1xqkaFjbE/view?usp=drive_link

[@GadgetKid99]

Anyone know who owns this car? I’m interested in buying it :)

[@irtazamaroof4925]

This guy is under rated ... he deserves altlest 500k subs at this point.

[@FelixMorariu]

good stuff

[@pauljoyquilter359]

I opted for the 981 GTS because I wanted options that were important to me. It is the best car that I have ever owned, a true drivers car that puts a huge grin on your face every time you drive it. Looking forward to a big 4500 km road trip this month… woo hoo!

[@swedeyp9047]

Just bought a 987.2 S in manual, Love it, never even considered a base,I would have been always wanting the S, Bit like getting a 335d (my daily) over a 330d And 100% manual,all drivers cars should be manual, And you don't buy a porsche for the spec, you buy it for the drive. ❤

[@mrszee951]

that tesla backed off

[@CarsWithJB]

He did indeed - I didn’t see when I was driving 😅

[@ApothecaryTerry]

I can confirm that a 981S beats a Model 3 Long Range which doesn't back off though- since I did that on the A39, going home from JB filming the white S 😁 A 3 Perf obviously beats any Cayman comfortably in a straight line though.

[@ApothecaryTerry]

Those MPG figures...that owner hasn't just got a lead foot, he's glued the throttle pedal to the floor 😅 I'm averaging 33 lifetime in the S! For me, the best Porsche for the road is one of 2- the 981S/GTS with PDK or the base 981 with the manual box. The S may not feel faster than the base 981 but side by side the S is quite a bit quicker (not that I've got into any races, honestly!). The power seems mostly to be at the top end though I think, at low revs I doubt the difference is noticeable. The reason I bought the S though was simple- it sounds maybe 15% nicer to my ear, the 2.7 just seems a little more hollow at the top where the 3.4 howls perfectly. Realistically, the S is too fast for a road so the extra power doesn't matter. Whatever the case, these things are too good...now we need a pair of nice subs with a GTS 4.0 and a flat-4 718 to give you test drives for the full set! Don't really need a GT4 review on the road, these things don't need to be that much faster.

[@CarsWithJB]

Yeah as mentioned in the vid - I honestly did feel a slight difference after a while, but it wasn’t hugely apparent! I would love to get them both out on a track to really test the difference, but either way they were both super fun to drive 🤙🏽

[@ApothecaryTerry]

@@CarsWithJB On a track I suspect the difference would be pretty big, but on the road I think you'd have to be side by side really. For the "pure" experience, a base manual 981 has got to be the way to go (manual 987 is perhaps better for that, if dated interior isn't an issue). I'd guess that the overall ownership cost isn't actually any different though, considering relative depreciation, so I'd never pick a 2.7 PDK over an S.

[@fhurtig72]

you certainly did NOT beat the Tesla! He let go of the gas because he did not want to embarras you. :-D

[@FelixLaManna]

"its not an S" (then again, an S is not a Lamborghini Aventador, is it?)

[@peterfritzphoto]

My base 981 is specced to the gills - with Sport Chrono, sports exhaust, Carrera Classic wheels, colour coding, and a bunch of other options. And on a tight mountain road, that high-revving soundtrack is just glorious! And extra half a second to 100kmh wouldn’t improve the experience one bit! So, your conclusion is spot on. 👍

[@Jay-xr3sb]

It's not just the 0-100, it's the extra torque in the mid range than means you don't have to rev out the S on every occasion. Still love the base too

[@peterfritzphoto]

@@Jay-xr3sb Of course. I kind of enjoy wringing its neck, though. 🙂

[@jeffplant2090]

@@Jay-xr3sb I love my 981 2.7. I track it, too. It is a blast! It sounds amazing, with the stock exhaust no less. It does have a custom ECU tune ($900) that gained it ~30hp more. The car hangs just fine with the S models. So instead of spending an extra $10k - $12k on the S, I spent $900 and an afternoon with the tuner, which was a lot of fun. Here is me chasing down a 997.2 911 S (not a base, an S) with the PDK no less. Yes, he pulls on me a bit, but I still catch (and pass) him. That's a 385hp car I'm chasing, with PDK vs. my manual. The driver came up to me after this session and asked: "Is that an S you have?" I smiled and quite proudly said: "NOPE." Note that this is at Summit Point in West Virginia - their Shenandoah circuit, which is very fun. The camera's GPS isn't calibrated well; add ~3 or 4hp to whatever the camera shows for the actual speed: drive.google.com/file/d/1JLJS2g9TpyublmijWj5cIse1xqkaFjbE/view?usp=drive_link

[@markblenkinsop3106]

@@peterfritzphoto 😂 Maybe you should switch to this dude. I notice you're a fan lol KZbin video .............. " BMW E39 5 Series Airbag Light Reset"

[@peterfritzphoto]

@@jeffplant2090I just saw your video. Fantastic driving!

[@NorthHoustonCityLimits]

Forgot to add my licence/number plate says LGOPNR. See if anyone can figure that one out!

[@ThePedroDB]

Let's jump in here... Let's jump in there... FFS more Jump than Van Halen!

[@akent46]

Sorry, mate, but that model 3 T would have smoked you. If it was trying

[@jason22spurs]

What do you know about Porsches

[@zsb707]

What do you know about manners?

[@janlala1710]

No paddle shifting = no like