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Tuned M2 Competition Track Battles Modded Cayman GT4 and It's a Bit Embarrassing

So, what we have here are a couple of German sport coupes looking to test their mettle on the famous Hockenheimring motor racing circuit in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Equipped with an FIA Grade 1 license and the panache of hosting Formula One races, it’s the proper setting when trying to find out which high-performance cars have better lap credentials.
a-workx BMW M2 Competition vs a-workx Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 track battle on sport auto 19 photos
Photo: sport auto/YouTube
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Normally, the stock BMW M2 Competition churns out 410 PS (404 hp) and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of oomph thanks to its turbocharged inline-six 3.0-liter engine. That is enough for a feisty sprint to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 280 kph (174 mph).

In the other corner of the ring sits the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, propelled by a larger 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine that only comes with a little bit of an advantage by sporting 420 PS (414 horsepower) and just 420 Nm (310 lb-ft).

On the other hand, it has the rather massive benefit of a lower mass (3,131 lbs/1,420 kg to 3,638 lbs/1,650 kg) and a higher top speed of 304 kph (189 mph), even though it only comes with a six-speed manual transmission instead of an available seven-speed auto.

All these initial considerations won’t help us establish our favorite for this track battle, though, because both the M2 and the GT4 arrived in modified forms. Both get their tuning goodies from the same company, Germany’s a-workx. Even so, the details shared by the sport auto YouTube channel initially paint a bleak picture for the Porsche.

This is because the M2 Competition has the upper hand with a Stage 3 software tune that brings its power level to no less than 580 PS (572 hp) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). Meanwhile, the Cayman GT4 has to make do with just a subtle upgrade to 460 PS (454 hp) and 445 Nm (328 lb-ft). So, you’d think it would be an easy task for the BMW to overcome its 718 rival, right?

Well, wrong. Quite badly, actually. Because although all planets aligned for the M2 on paper, the Hockenheimring reality was quite different. As such, the Cayman GT4 finished a lot cleaner the fast lap and ended with a time of 1:51.1, whereas the M2 Competition struggled and was all over the racetrack. Thus, it finished with a rather shameful time of just 1:53.5.

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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