Is there a challenge the Porsche Cayman 718 can’t handle? How about facing its toughest rival yet?

The M2 is BMW most affordable Motorsport-bred car, offering a whole lot of performance for a decent amount of money.

Moreover, its bloated, muscular, angrier looks as well as the 365 hp 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six set it apart from the mundane 2 Series, so the $52,695 starting price is justifiable – especially as it goes from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds and goes around the Nurburgring in 7 minutes and 58 seconds.

However, that level of performance puts it right in the Cayman S firing range, and with a 2.5-litre flat-four that develops 354 hp and a racy layout, the Stuttgart-based missile doesn’t take any prisoners.

So, which one wins in an old-fashioned dogfight on the track? Well, on paper they are very close (the Cayman is down a few horsepower), so everything boils down to driving dynamics, and although the M2 can and will catch up with the Cayman on the straights, it loses ground through the bends.

But you’d better watch the video and see exactly how these two fair against each other.

VIDEO