Aller au contenu principal
CaralogyCaralogy
HomeBrandsRoad TripBudgetDuelGuides
Caralogy

The car comparison platform. Physics simulation, road trips, real costs.

Navigation
All brandsCar duelRunning costsMotorwayMethodology
Simulators
Motorway simulatorRunning costsPerformance duel
Brands
VolkswagenBMWMercedesToyotaTeslaAudi
FRDEESIT
© 2026 Caralogy · All rights reserved
Home›Duel›Porsche Cayman vs BMW Z4

Performance comparison

Porsche Cayman (PDK) 987 vs BMW Z4 sDrive30i G29: which is truly faster?

Simulated drag race 0 → 1,000 m in real time. Synchronised speed counters and stopwatch. Physics calibration on 7 manufacturer measurements.

PorschePetrolFaster

Cayman (PDK) 987

269 hp · 300 Nm · 1,360 kg · 2011

VS
BMWPetrol

Z4 sDrive30i G29

258 hp · 400 Nm · 1,415 kg · 2018

MotorwayRange & chargingPerformance0-100, top speedConsumptionAnnual TCO

Parameters and assumptions

Simulation

Start
Standing, straight line
Surface
Dry asphalt, 23°C
Wind
None
Driver
1 person, 75 kg

Calibration

Splits
0–100, 0–200 manufacturer
Power curve
Real measurement (Caralogy)
VMax
Manufacturer limited
Transmission
Losses integrated in model

Physics model calibrated on manufacturer splits. The limited top speed is not the real aerodynamic top speed of the vehicles.

Cayman (PDK) 987Z4 sDrive30i G29
0–100 km/h5,58 s5,35 s+0,23 s
400 m standing start13,65 s13,60 s+0,05 s
1,000 m standing start24,51 s−0,09 s24,60 s
Top speed (electronically limited)261 km/h+11 km/h250 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio5,06 kg/hpbetter ratio5,48 kg/hp

Watch the race

Standing-start drag race, calibrated on manufacturer splits. The gap shows at each stage.

PorschePetrolCayman (PDK) 987
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrolZ4 sDrive30i G29
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
100 m
200 m
300 m
400 m
500 m
600 m
700 m
800 m
900 m
1000 m
0m → 1000m
Gap0m

Stage-by-stage comparison

Simulated performance at each stage. Winner in green.

PalierCayman (PDK) 987Z4 sDrive30i G29
0–30 km/h1,48 s1,44 stight gap
0–50 km/h2,46 s2,40 stight gap
0–80 km/h4,13 s3,96 s
0–100 km/h5,58 s5,35 s
0–120 km/h7,14 s7,11 stight gap
0–160 km/h11,74 s11,95 s
0–200 km/h18,95 s19,65 s
400 m standing start13,65 s13,60 stight gap
1,000 m standing start24,51 s24,60 stight gap
Top speed limited261 km/h250 km/h

Under the bonnet

Manufacturer technical specifications. The power-to-weight ratio is the key physical factor in a drag race.

Porsche

Cayman (PDK) 987

5,06kg/hpratio better by 0,43 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power269 hp6 cyl
Torque300 Nm
Weight1 360 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain—
GearboxDUAL_CLUTCH
BMW

Z4 sDrive30i G29

5,48kg/hpcompensated by −55 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power258 hp4 cyl
Torque400 Nm
Weight1 415 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainZ4 sDrive30i
GearboxEight-speed Steptronic transmission

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i hits 100 km/h in 5.35 s versus 5.58 s for the Cayman (PDK). At this point, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i leads by 0.23 s and sits roughly 3 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i is doing 137 km/h against 137 km/h for the Cayman (PDK). The gap is 0.10 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i crosses the line in 13.60 s versus 13.65 s. The 0.05 s gap represents roughly 2 m of track — barely a car length.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Bmw Z4 sDrive30i maxes out at 250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) km/h while the Cayman (PDK) keeps accelerating towards 261 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.01 s.

Around 617 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the Cayman (PDK) overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 11 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the Cayman (PDK) finishes in 24.50 s versus 24.59 s. The 0.09 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Electronically capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) km/h, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i never reaches its natural aerodynamic ceiling in this duel. That’s not a physical limit of the motor — it’s a deliberate manufacturer decision, typically tied to standard-fit tyre ratings or model-range positioning.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (5.06 kg/hp vs 5.48 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 8.22 seconds. The 0.23 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.

Compare with other alternatives

Swap one of the two models to explore an equivalent duel in the same segment.

Instead of Cayman (PDK) 987
Bmw 225i xDrive Active TourerBmw 220i Gran TourerBmw 220d xDrive Gran Tourer
Instead of Z4 sDrive30i G29
Bmw 840i xDrive ConvertibleBmw 420i ConvertibleBmw 420d Convertible

Autres duels qui pourraient vous intéresser

BmwVSPorsche

216d Gran Tourer vs Cayman (PDK)

BmwVSPorsche

216d Gran Tourer vs Cayman (PDK)

BmwVSPorsche

216d Gran Tourer vs Cayman (PDK)

BmwVSPorsche

Z4 sDrive30i vs Cayenne S (8-speed Tiptronic S)

Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, Z4 sDrive30i G29 gagne (5,35 s vs 5,58 s).

Cayman (PDK) 987 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 5,58 secondes (simulation calibrée).

Cayman (PDK) 987 : 269 hp, ratio 5,06 kg/hp. Z4 sDrive30i G29 : 258 hp, ratio 5,48 kg/hp.

Cayman (PDK) 987 : 261 km/h. Z4 sDrive30i G29 : 250 km/h.