BMW’s current performance car darling is the M2 CS. It’s the most lightweight, high-performance version of the M2, thanks to its carbon roof, carbon hood, added power and suspension. All of that makes the M2 CS possibly the finest driving BMW currently on sale. But is it enough to take down two of the best sports cars on the market, the Porsche Cayman GTS and Alpine A110 S? Autocar finds out.

In this new three-way comparison, the BMW M2 CS takes those two cars head-on, on some twisty back roads and the result is rather interesting.

The Alpine A110 has been almost unanimously considered the best driving sports car in Europe since its debut and for good reason. However, the A110 S tries too hard to be stiffer and sharper, so it actually ends up being worse than the standard car, which has a balance and fluidity that’s unmatched in the industry. Its 1.8 liter turbocharged four is the smallest, least powerful engine of the bunch and its seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box isn’t the best, either. Still, it’s the lightest of the bunch by a good margin and has a brilliant chassis. So it’s still an incredible sports car.

We all know the BMW M2 CS at this point but here’s a refresher course — 3.0 liter twin-turbo I6 with 444 horsepower and, in this case, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It’s the most powerful of the bunch and likely the fastest in the real world, thanks to its turbocharged torque. It’s also the monster of the test, with the most brutish attitude and a penchant for roasting rear tires to bits. It’s the hooligan in this test and packs an entirely different flavor than the other two mid-engine cars.

Lastly, the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 brings a naturally-aspirated flat-six mounted in the middle with a six-speed manual gearbox. That 4.0 liter N/A flat-six makes just about 400 horsepower and an delicious noise. Porsche heard the complaints of its four-cylinder engines and this flat-six is the remedy.

Who wins the test? Well, we won’t spoil it, as you should go and read Autocar’s test but, honestly, is it really hard to figure it out?

[Source: Autocar]