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Car Clash: BMW 1M vs. Porsche Cayman R

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Car Enthusiast drives the BMW 1M back-to-back against the Porsche Cayman R and comes in with their verdict - "the M is the one we'd take home." How do they arrive at this conclusion?


Showroom Appeal:
BMW 1 Series M Coupé: Porsche Cayman R:

The BMW, on the other hand, doesn't so much refine its 1 Series basis as ditch it entirely. It might be called the 1 Series M Coupé, but underneath it's an M3 and on top basically bespoke, the body stretched to accommodate a track that simply wouldn't fit under a 120d. Trademark M Division parts - twin stalk mirrors, quad tailpipes, M3 CSL 19-inch wheels - finish off the aesthetic. It's a glorious, boil washed touring car, but one that happens to fit four comfortably and have a decent boot.

Behind the Wheel:
BMW 1 Series M Coupé: Porsche Cayman R:

Compared back to back, you can't help but leave with the feeling that the perfect cabin would be a meeting of the two in the middle: the 1 Series doesn't do enough to feel truly special - as lovely as the orange stitched Alcantara trim is - while the Cayman is so uncompromising that it would take a driver of uncanny patience, physical flexibility and partial deafness to live with it every day. Continued...

Money Matters:
BMW 1 Series M Coupé: Porsche Cayman R:

BMW has restricted UK buyers to just 450 1 M Coupés, and at £40,020 it's a good £14,000 cheaper than the M3 on which it's based. That's probably why a third of the allocation had sold before the car went on sale, and why we think this car represents one of the best investments you can make this side of a supercar. Continued...

First Past the Post
BMW 1 Series M Coupé: Porsche Cayman R:

Yes, the foregone conclusion is accurate - you would take the Porsche if this was purely a dynamic exercise, and you were buying a toy. But that the 1 M runs it close for enjoyment is a testament to the Bavarian car's surprising completeness. We expect the Cayman S would give us more to think about for a day-to-day runner, but for this test, the M is the one we'd take home. Then we'd put the climate control on, listen to Radio 1 Extra on DAB, and maybe pick up something from Ikea, just to prove a point.