Brand tribalists will hate this comparison between our long-term 2021 Chevrolet C8 Corvette and the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. Speed-actuated decklid spoiler alert: There’s a first-place finish at the end, but it’s a two-piece ranking of our conflicted preferences.
Frustrating, right? Everyone loves a winner, no one aspires to be a loser, but one cannot exist without the other. On the subject of horsepower and performance, there’s a more powerful car, a faster car, and a slower car, and there’s only one choice—otherwise, why bother harvesting test data to begin with?
The Eternal Corvette vs. Porsche Face-Off
These inevitable Porsche versus Corvette stand-offs usually raise subjectivism versus objectivism in our minds like bile in our throats. After all, the Corvette—in all its modern permutations—is the de facto victor on the performance-per-dollar front; it shouldn’t lose, at least not on paper. Forget the C8; a 16-year-old base C6 Corvette from 2005 is both lighter and more powerful than today’s base 992-series 911 Carrera. Our choice was easier back then, too: Pick the lairy V-8 fiberglass wedge for atomic straight-line blasts and ass-out antics, and the finespun, finesse-inspiring Porsche for absolute confidence and driving sublimity.
A tactical victory emerges from the completion of a specific objective or offensive. If this comparison is the operation in question, it goes to the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. In a contest of which car feels better to drive, it’s the Porsche every time. The Corvette’s ability to crush a mountain pass and then fade effortlessly into the background on the drive home is peerless; it’s a heady blend of point-to-point mundanity and real-deal supercar status, but the Porsche never, ever feels anything less than special.
There are two (three, if you want to look at it that way) mid-engine cars available with a manual transmission in 2021: the 718 and the Lotus Evora GT. Only one of them offers both a naturally aspirated engine and a manual transmission. It’s a jewel of a sports car, and one we’re not sure will be with us for the long haul as Porsche shifts toward an electric-focused future. Presented with a trailer containing both the Cayman and the Corvette, and under the stipulation we can only keep one, the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 is the car that rolls down the ramp.
2nd Place: 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51
Pros
- One of the best all-around supercars we’ve ever driven
- Superb power delivery
- Ultra-progressive handling
- Supremely comfortable in lesser modes
Cons
- Soft-ish controls give illusion of soft handling
- Can feel a bit large on tight roads
- Limits can (should) only be reached on a track
1st Place: 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0
Pros
- Engine configuration we thought dead outside of a GT3
- Unbelievable sound
- Absolute confidence on the move
- Makes every road feel special
Cons
- Stiff, flinty ride
- Plasticky interior is getting a smidge dated
- Sky-high price tag
By: cgolden
Title: 2021 Chevrolet Corvette vs. 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0: Mid-Engine Showdown
Sourced From: www.motortrend.com/cars/chevrolet/corvette/2021/2021-chevrolet-corvette-c8-vs-2021-porsche-718-gts-4-0-comparison/
Published Date: Mon, 17 May 2021 11:00:48 +0000
