#14 - The Welterweights
2011 was a good vintage for car connoisseurs. It was a simpler time before the EV arms race had really taken off. Car manufacturers still had to utilise relatively analogue means of achieving quicker and more entertaining cars for their customers, 0-60 times were less important than smiles per mile and as per usual, the good old Germans were leading the way. In Stuttgart, Porsche had worked out that if they borrowed a couple of parts off the GT3 and stuck them on a Carrera S, they could not only stretch out sales figures for the 997 a little further but also make a great car in the form of the GTS. Meanwhile in Bavaria, BMW had finally plucked up the courage to have a go at building an M3 to rival Porsche’s track day dominance. Also called……the GTS.
However, the more interesting rivalry between these 2 sports car behemoths was actually playing out in the junior aisle of their respective superstores. You see, we have long believed that the best car in a manufacturer’s arsenal is often not the one with the most zeros at the end of the price tag. For BMW, that was the 1M Coupe and for Porsche, it was the Cayman R.
Now many would have claimed that the Bavarian’s were the underdog in this bout. After all, they were starting with a 1 series whereas Porsche had the already extremely capable 987 Cayman S to work with. That said what they both ended up producing were extremely impressive and capable sports cars…..and still are to this day. But which one offers the better investment opportunity at time of writing?
The Cayman R had a somewhat bumpy conception. It was spawned at a time when the market was desperate to see if Porsche could make a Cayman to rival its bigger brother the 911 Carrera. At the same time, Porsche bosses didn’t want to disturb the clearly defined model hierarchy they had worked so hard to forge. A Cayman couldn’t be better than a 911……end of. So the result was a compromised embellishment of the Cayman S. A Tikka Masala when the people were screaming for a Vindaloo. Enough to get excited about yet not cause palpitations among existing 911 owners.
But in Porsche’s tepidness, the actually created something rather special. You see, by only giving it a small increase in engine performance (to maintain the Stuttgart hierarchy), they had more time and budget to spend on weight reduction……and that’s a very good thing. If you went full fasting spec and ditched the aircon and satnav, you would’ve saved yourself a whopping 55kg in kerb weight versus a seemingly plump Cayman S. Then they felted with the aero, gave it marginally shorter and stiffer springs and stuck a sports exhaust on it. The end result; proof that less is often more. It was very much an enhanced Cayman S as opposed to a full fat GT4 version but that was exactly what the market needed at the time…..and still appreciates today.
Then there was the 1M Coupe. In many ways a carbon copy of the internal headache Porsche experienced with the Cayman R…….make a 1 series as good as it can be, but not as good as an M3. The ensuing BMW parts bin raid turned a 1 series into potentially one of the greatest BMWs ever to be produced. The car borrowed brakes and suspension components from the M3, a modest power boost over the 135i (albeit the same engine) and most importantly, a mechanical locking limited-slip differential. The finished article was as brilliant to drive as it was bonkers to look at and the cult following it maintains today only highlight what a special car this is.
So now to the important bit, which has the potential to appreciate the most over the next couple of years? As we just mentioned, a cult following is a very powerful tool for assisting with car values. Not only do they provide a constant bid for the car but in more turbulent times, they provide an element of market stabilisation……diehard fans don’t run away like speculators do. That definitely plays into the 1Ms hands over the Porsche. What’s more, the talents of the 987 Cayman R have been, at least temporarily, eclipsed by the arrival of the 981 Cayman GT4. The same can’t be said for the 1M Coupe as the arrival of its natural successor, the M2, has actually left more people pining for the original. Then again, the power of the Stuttgart badge is very potent and in a similar vein to 996 GT3 values 5 years ago, the unloved can quickly become the adored.
We guess it ultimately boils down to what your plans are with the car. If you are looking for a delivery mileage garage queen, get the 1M. You only have to look at M3 CSL valuations to see where prices are going for the best examples. The Cayman R has too much sibling rivalry from the GT2s, 3s and 4s of the range to ever be considered “that special”. If however, you intend to actually enjoy the car and use it for what god intended, get the Cayman R. We feel pretty confident in saying a 50k mile Cayman R will have a much better residual value than a 1M Coupe with the same miles in years to come. What’s more, it’s the more complete driver’s car in our opinion.
Happy Motoring,
CC’s Investment Team