Automotive Reviews
Two Doors
2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S cabriolet
0967 days
If there’s such a thing as an all-around supercar, the Porsche 911 has held that title for several decades running now. In production and constantly evolving since 1963, the 911 has become a rolling technological tour de force wrapped in a skin that most casual observers can recognize, even if the layperson doesn’t always appreciate what it means.
Hardly a year goes by without a round of updated and upgraded improvements to the 911, and 2009 is no exception. The current iteration was introduced in 2005, featuring Porsche’s usual round of comprehensive updates. The Porschephiles call this vehicle by its internal codename, “997,” but for the public at large it’s the latest and greatest 911. For 2009, Porsche has boosted the engine’s horsepower and added an all-new seven-speed double-clutch transmission.
The 911 is perhaps one of the most recognizable high-performance cars on the road, thanks to a design whose basic theme hasn’t changed in two generations. Each passing update makes it sleeker and more aerodynamic, but the 911’s silhouette is still vaguely froglike, with rounded headlamps sweeping back into a dramatically curved greenhouse. The tail is sloped as well, and the Carrera 4 S is slightly wider than the two-wheel drive model. With the roof removed, the 911 is a surprisingly elegant design, with a flush-fitting top stack that’s surprisingly light–at just 77 pounds, it doesn’t have a significant negative effect on performance. Even the ordinary parts are extraordinary on a 911–the headlights are fitted with standard Xenon units, and driving lights, brakelights and taillights are LEDs. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard on the 911 Carrera 4 S.
The cabin is snug, but much more comfortable than one might expect from a dedicated sports car. The 911 has always been the “supercar you could live with,” and the latest iteration is no exception. Ventilated seats are available for the first time, and combined with the available seat heaters mean that 911 passengers are more comfortable in all weather conditions. The available navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and iPod connections are handled through the 6.5-inch screen of the Porsche Communication Module. There’s even a chronometer on the dash. Why? For recording lap times, of course. The only thing you won’t haul much of in the 911 is luggage; the front trunk is less than five cubic feet, and the space behind the front seats (which is laughably occupied by seats) is only half a cubic foot larger.
If you’re lucky enough to find yourself behind the wheel of a 911, it’s a special experience. You don’t have to be an enthusiast to appreciate the flat-six engine under the rear deck. It does take a moment to get beyond the giddy, star-struck feeling of “Holy crap! I’m driving a 911!” Take a few deep breaths and get that out of your system, though, because there’s a lot to see and experience here, and you don’t want to miss any of it. The standard 911 gets a 345 horsepower 3.6 liter engine, while the Carrera 4 S cabriolet has a 3.8 liter powerplant making 385 horsepower. Fuel economy is also improved, to 18 in the city and 27 on the freeway. Porsche claims a 4.7-second 0-60 run with a manual transmission, and 4.5 seconds with the optional double-clutch automatic. To rein in that accelerative ability, Porsche’s Launch Control is included.
Forget anything you may have heard about this car being hard to drive. The 911 has endless grip and stability, especially in all-wheel drive format. It’s not as twitchy as a Corvette; power delivery is nice and progressive (though not slow by any means!) On the transmission front, the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (just call it “PDK”) replaces the Tiptronic selectable automatic in the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S Cabriolet. The PDK is a seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission that offers lightning-fast shifts. It’s also lighter than the Tiptronic, for that all-important weight savings. With the PDK transmission in Sport mode, it’s right at home on the track. The PDK transmission is a double-clutch system that actually engages two gears simultaneously. This makes shifts quicker, with no lag while the revs are matched to the next gear. All-wheel drive is handled by the electronic Porsche Traction Management system, borrowed from the 911 Turbo. It replaces a hydraulically-operated system used previously, and helps to increase reaction time and sure-footedness.
The handling is in its own league. The 911 cabriolet is strongly reinforced to give it the same body rigidity as the track-bred hardtop, and the cars are equally adept when the going gets twisty. The suspension is fully independent, and not easily summed up. Up front, a spring strut axle is used, with each wheel individually coil-sprung and mounted on a track arm. The rear uses independent control-track arms for each wheel. The mechanics are complicated, but the results are obvious: the 911 grips the road with unmatched tenacity. It’s not immediately obvious from the styling, but the 911 is blessed with an extremely wide track, which helps to keep it planted as firmly as if it were riding on rails. Porsches have always been known for good braking, but that didn’t stop the engineers from improving the 911’s brakes for 2009. Discs at all four corners measure 12.99 inches, and the four-piston calipers are shared with the 911 Turbo.
The Porsche 911 is a constantly evolving yet approachable supercar. As a measure of how far this car has come, consider the Gemballa Avalanche of the 1980s. This radically-modified 911 was one of the legends of its day, reportedly so powerful it was almost undriveable. The new 911 Carrera 4S has about fifty horsepower more than the Gemballa Avalanche did, yet it’s docile enough to be easily driven on city streets. The Porsche mystique is backed up by real performance, and that makes the $102,900 base price of the Carrera 4 S cabriolet a bit easier to swallow. The PDK transmission adds another $4050 to the bottom line; fully optioned, my tester stickered for $120,100. It’s rare that I say this about any six-figure automobile, but: this one’s worth it.
Specifications: All specs are for the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S Cabriolet
Length: 175.8 in.
Width: 72.9 in.
Height: 52.6 in.
Wheelbase: 92.5 in.
Curb weight: 3516 lb.
Cargo space: 4.4 cu.ft.
Base price: $102,900
Price as tested: $120,100
Engine: 3.8 liter horizontally-opposed six-cylinder
Drivetrain: seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 385 @ 6500
Torque: 310 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 17.7 gal.
Fuel economy: 18/27
2003 Panoz Esperante
0975 days
Georgia car manufacturer Panoz Auto Development has been quietly building sports cars since 1990, but outside of the car world, they’re not exactly a household name. Will that change with the introduction of the ever-evolving 2003 Esperante? Well, probably not. But that’s not a bad thing; the race-bred Esperante isn’t for everyone anyhow. Driving it in traffic is, in fact, not unlike walking a Rottweiler through a cat show.
For drivers looking for eye-popping performance in a chassis that didn’t come from Europe and wrapped in a body that’s not a Corvette or a Viper, however, the Esperante represents an E-ticket ride of the finest quality. It was designed as a race car first, and made its debut in 1997 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three years and quite a few on-track triumphs later a production version was introduced. Thanks to this experience, every hand-built Esperante that rolls off of the line in Hoschton, GA (about fifty miles north of Atlanta) has the soul of a true racing car.
The Esperante will never, ever be mistaken for a commuter car. It’s low and wide, like a Le Mans endurance racer, with shamelessly voluptuous curves front and rear. Laid out in the traditional front-engine, rear-drive format, the Esperante has an almost absurdly long snout, and the aluminum bodywork is tightly wrapped over the big engine and modular aluminum chassis. Under the skin, the Esperante is a high-tech, ultra-lightweight aluminum-intensive vehicle. Chassis and body panels are alloy. It’s low to the ground–that front spoiler demands care when entering parking lots or steep driveways. Like with most handbuilt cars, the Esperante’s detailing is especially pleasant; note the curve of the door, whose cutline runs into the front fender and turns the seam into a character line, or the vaguely BMW-ish fender vents. It gets attention on the street, too, whether the onlookers know what it is or not.
Dropping into the low, racing-style driver’s seat, you’re faced with a smallish steering wheel and not much else as the instrument pod is mounted in the center of the dash. Sharp eyes will note that the instrument panel and much of the switchgear have been yanked whole from a Ford SVT Mustang Cobra, for reasons that will soon be obvious. The Esperante has a distinctly hand-built feeling, which is both good and bad. The roadster has some cowl shake over rough bumps, and our test car had a general feeling of looseness that suggested that men and not machines had built it. This looseness, while disconcerting in a Honda, actually adds to the exclusive ambience of the Esperante, however. It wasn’t enough to make us question the car’s $88,950 base price, thanks to Panoz’ Vehicle Personalization Program which offers a vast palette of color and interior choices. Our test car was draped in carbon-fiber trim and 17″ alloy wheels. The leather interior and power top are standard. Other add-ons include custom, color-matched luggage, a navigation system and fitted golf bags. It may not have a familiar ornament on the hood, but the Esperante can be outfitted as impressively as any Jaguar or Mercedes.
Twist the key, and the Esperante rewards with a thunderous woof that no Jaguar would have the guts to emit. Under the hood is a 4.6 liter DOHC V8 lifted from a Ford SVT Mustang Cobra. It puts out the same 320 horsepower as in the Cobra, with the same gleeful slathering of torque throughout the rev range. The Esperante offers a much more intense driving experience though, thanks to a more aggressively tuned chassis and a weight advantage over the Cobra. Using the same Tremec five-speed manual as the Cobra, it’s no surprise that the Esperante launches hard. Unsuspecting drivers may feel as though they’ve been seized by the scruff of the neck and hurled into acceleration, so delightfully violent is the speed.
On city streets, the Esperante’s race-derived suspension hammers the stuffing out of its passengers, who will probably be laughing too hard to notice much. This car achieves an important and hard-to-reach goal for sports cars; it feels Special, with a capital S. Double wishbones at all four corners are held fast by stiff anti-roll bars for a drum-taut ride. The Esperante doesn’t wander or squirm at all, even under hard acceleration. The downside to the firmly planted stance is a rough ride, in which every pavement irregularity is communicated to the driver and passenger. Panoz increased the rear suspension travel for 2003, but it’s still stiff. Traction control and anti-lock brakes are standard equipment.
If the Esperante seems a little too tame, Panoz has introduced a Driver’s Edition Esperante. Built to celebrate Panoz’ racing success, the Driver’s Edition will be built in two ten-car limited runs to honor the race team’s drivers. The drivers have each offered input into the suspension settings and other options on the cars. Upgrades over the standard car include a 390-horse supercharged engine, six-speed manual transmission, 18″ wheels and an upgraded sound system. The Driver’s Edition commands about $30,000 more than the standard Esperante, with a base price of $116,765.
Unlike many of the products of small manufacturers, the Esperante is a real car, with dual airbags and a factory warranty. As far as low-volume, US-built sports cars go, this is one of the few that’s got both the credentials and the moves to play with the big boys. Gotta have one? Contact the company at 1-888-GO-PANOZ to find a dealer.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Panoz Esperante, which we tested.
Length: 176.3 in.
Width: 73.2 in.
Height: 53.4 in.
Wheelbase: 106.0 in.
Curb weight: 3279 lb.
Base price: $88,950
Engine: 4.6 liter DOHC 32-valve V8
Drivetrain: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 320 @ 6000
Torque: 317 @ 4750
Fuel capacity: 15.7 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/25
2003 Volvo C70 convertible
0977 days
If Volvo keeps cranking out beautifully sculpted cars like the C70 convertible, its reputation as a provider of frumpy but safe sedans is going to be in serious jeopardy. Our lovely Swedish test car was mistaken for a BMW or an Audi on more than one occasion during its stay with us.
2004 model pictured; courtesy of NetCarShow
The C70 was introduced in 1996, and was a surprising addition to the lineup, coming as it did from a brand better known for bank vaults on wheels. The C70 has kept the same basic design since then, and for 2003 it’s freshened with a minor horsepower bump and subtle but effective exterior shufflings. The hardtop version has left us thanks to poor sales, but the more popular convertible is sticking around for a while longer.
Although it’s less radical than the new S60 sedan, the C70′s sheetmetal is a thing of subtle beauty. The car’s rounded curves and new, blacked-out eggcrate grille have nothing in common with the Swedish boxes of the 1970s and 1980s. Very few onlookers recognized this car as a Volvo, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. Like the four-place droptops from Audi and BMW, the C70′s top is fully automatic, and disappears beneath a rigid metal tonneau cover. Perhaps owing to the relative age of the design, the C70′s top seemed slower to cycle than the Audi’s. Our test car featured lovely 17″ wheels (Volvo has named them “Cratos” but we don’t know what that means) and pearlescent paint.
Inside the C70 looks closely related to Volvo’s S40 (it’s not). Light colors and comfortable leather chairs project a much less somber interior mood than the C70′s monochromatic stablemates. On a long afternoon drive, we found ourselves wishing for more storage cubbies, though; with the top down, small objects tend to blow around the cabin (and sometimes out of it) and the C70 doesn’t always have safe places for them all. Still, it was a comfortable executive cabriolet for four, and that’s what it’s supposed to be. Top-up, we noticed just a hint of cowl shake, and some wind leaks from the top under heavy crosswinds. And one last ergonomic quibble; the killer, 400-watt Pro Logic sound system’s door-mounted speakers force the power window switches to be mounted about six inches farther back than ideal. It’s hard to open a window without taking your eyes off the road to check the switches. Road-trippers, be forewarned; the C70 is a wonderful highway car, but the top takes up the entire trunk when it’s folded.
The 2.3 liter five-cylinder’s voice takes some getting used to. The DOHC, turbocharged engine produces 197 horsepower in “light-pressure” format and 242 in its “high-pressure” guise. We drove a light-pressure model, and 197 horses is adequate for the C70. Don’t mistake it for a sports car; even with the more powerful engine, the C70 is a better cruiser than a racer. The five-speed automatic transmission is solid and uncomplaining (as well as being standard equipment in “light-pressure” models). Curiously, Volvo says the front-wheel drive C70 is capable of towing up to 3300 pounds, which is more than some small SUVs can pull. We didn’t have a chance to test this rating.
Sports car or not, the C70′s suspension is a letdown. The car is balanced strangely, and the suspension is only compliant within a relatively narrow range of reactions. Volvo uses MacPherson struts in the front and a coil-sprung, “delta-link” rear that’s only semi-independent, but that doesn’t excuse its behavior on rough roads. The C70 is smooth and collected most of the time, but large bumps reveal a crashing, unyielding nature that’s very much at odds with a $40,000 convertible.
Under the attractive skin, of course, it’s still a Volvo, and safety is king. Front and side airbags are standard, as is a rollover protection system which pretensions the seatbelts and deploys rollbars if the C70 turns turtle. The solid structure provides plenty of confidence to drive top-down in a world full of giant SUVs. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment, of course.
Volvo’s literature urges you to buy the C70 “because you’ve earned it,” and it seems that they think you’ve been very good indeed. C70 pricing starts at $39,880 for the LT (light-pressure turbo) model. That price includes heated leather seats and a host of power options, so there’s no such thing as a stripped-out C70. Add another $2000 for the more powerful HT (high-pressure turbo). Our test car was a C70 LT with “Cratos” wheels, Pro Logic sound system and a wood-trim package, and represented about $42,000 worth of goodness.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Volvo C70 convertible, which we tested.
Length: 185.7 in.
Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 56.3 in.
Wheelbase: 104.9 in.
Curb weight: 3450 lb.
Cargo space: 8.1 cu.ft.
Base price: $39,880
Price as tested: $42,265 (est.)
Engine: 2.3 liter DOHC turbocharged five-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 197 @ 5700
Torque: 210 @ 1800
Fuel capacity: 18 gal.
Fuel economy: 20/26