2019 Toyota Supra Vs 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman
The fact that these cars are radically different when it comes to drivetrain layout impacts the way they look. However, it鈥檚 safe to say that both have sporty front ends that will look menacing in your rear-view mirror. The 718 Cayman is wide and low, a feature enhanced by its relatively thin bumper section, wide and flat intakes, and slim daytime running lights. The carved-in front hood and the heavily slanted windscreen add to the sporty, race-inspired look. The grand tourer sits a bit higher from the ground, but it also has a taller bumper with bigger vents. Fortunately, the three-piece intake layout in the bumper and the slender headlamps with lower LED bars that extend toward the nose make the fascia seem wider than it really is. The engine hood looks rather dull though. It鈥檚 here where you鈥檒l notice that the Supra and Cayman are entirely different cars. The Japanese coupe has its engine in the front, so the hood is longer, with a few good inches between the front wheels and the doors.
The two cars are pretty similar below the beltline and between the wheels. But while the Supra鈥檚 door ends where the rear wheel arch begins, the Cayman has a few extra inches to make room for the engine inside and cooling vents on the outside. The Supra has side vents as well, but they鈥檙e placed on the doors and more importantly, they鈥檙e fake. The rear fenders have a similar arch toward the back, but the roof lines are again different. First, the Supra has smaller side windows and angular quarter windows, whereas the Cayman鈥檚 are larger and rounder. The Porsche also features a simple roof that descends smoothly toward the rear, while the Supra sports a double bubble roof design. The roof also extends a bit more toward the rear, ending in an aggressive decklid spoiler that points up almost vertically. By contrast, the Cayman has a much smaller aero element.
Around back, the Supra takes the prize for the sportier design. The big spoiler, the aggressive taillights, and the race-inspired diffuser with dual exhaust pipes and the F1-inspired center brake light place it in a league of its own. By contrast, the Cayman boasts a clean, almost minimalist design. The diffuser is far from spectacular aside from the center-mounted exhaust, but the thin bar with "Porsche" lettering between the taillights gives the rear fascia a wide stance. It鈥檚 simple but classy, reminding me of lightweight sports and race cars from the past. Although initial predictions suggested that the Supra Mk. V will be a full-fledged successor to the iconic fourth-generation car, Toyota went with a much smaller car. Somewhat surprisingly, it鈥檚 just as small as the Porsche Cayman. At 172.5 inches long, the Supra is only 0.1 inches longer than the Cayman. It鈥檚 two inches wider than the German coupe at 73 inches, but this doesn鈥檛 change much. They also have similar heights and wheelbases, with marginal differences you can find in the table below.
They鈥檙e also very similar as far as track widths go. The Supra is 0.2 wider in the front at 62.8 inches, while the Cayman is 0.7 inches wider in the rear at 60.3 inches. All told, while Supra fans didn鈥檛 get a grand tourer and a proper successor to the previous-generation car, Toyota build itself a full-fledged competitor for the Porsche 718 Cayman. I鈥檓 not yet sure whether this was a smart move or not. Based on the current market, you can鈥檛 expect a Toyota to be able to compete with a Porsche in terms of cabin features and technology. However, the Supra is a little special, as Toyota placed it in the premium market. An expected move given the nameplate鈥檚 popularity and the Supra rather expensive sticker. Granted, the entry-level car lacks the soft-touch surfaces of the Cayman and the more expensive trim still includes some hard plastic, but the Supra is no Corolla. And the design is cool too.