Breathalyzer Test

2018 Audi TT RS vs. 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman S: Which Blows Hardest?

- Georg Kacher

I reluctantly admit I wanted to hate Porsche’s new forced-induction boxer-four engine ahead of our head-to-head test of the new 718 Cayman S and Audi TT RS. And I’ve been critical of today’s breed of “let me do this for you” Audis. But personal preconceptions aside—and right from takeoff—the Cayman needs to catch up. Thanks to Quattro all-wheel drive, launch control, and more power, the TT RS beats the Porsche by a significant half-second from 0 to 60 mph. In order to better match the Audi’s specification, our Cayman S tester came with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK transmission instead of the available six-speed manual. At 1,900 rpm, its single-turbo, 2.5-liter dishes up its full 309 lb-ft of torque all the way to 4,500 rpm— augmenting its 350-horsepower punch.

Audi’s newly developed all-aluminum five-cylinder weighs 57 pounds less than its cast-iron predecessor. Rated at 400 horsepower, the 2.5-liter boasts a broader max-torque band than the Porsche engine, spreading its 354 lb-ft of peak twist from 1,700 to 5,850 rpm. As for its seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the only transmission available, select Dynamic mode and it will stick to the bottom six ratios.

“Anticlimax” comes to mind when you twist the Porsche’s lozenge-shaped ignition key and start the engine the old-fashioned way. The noise generated behind your back might disappoint you: a dense mix of high-decibel buzz and jarring, bassy rasp. We hoped for a more extroverted performance, though the tune does get catchier as you select a gear and add revs up to the engine’s 7,500 rpm redline. Plus, there’s the optional, extra-loud exhaust system our test car was fitted with.