Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged convertible
2010 Nissan Z® Roadster
Aug 21st
It’s frequently the case that the things that make a car special have nothing to do with its ability to go fast, corner hard and look like a million bucks. There’s something else at play, some undefinable X-factor that takes a car to the next level, so to speak. It’s an automobile’s ability to create an emotional connection that helps it to become more than just a conglomeration of metal, glass and plastic pieces. Yes, it is possible for a machine to have charisma, and the best vehicles have it.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt if that emotional connection comes wrapped in a package that can go fast, corner hard and looks like a million bucks. Nissan’s new Z® Roadster stands out as an example of a car that combines both of these assets into a single package. The 370Z has been with us for a couple of years, and given that car’s sexy lines and general lust for performance it’s no surprise that it’s gone topless. Combining the 370Z’s retro-futuristic looks and fun-to-drive road manners with a bit of extra sun is practically a no-brainer. More >
2010 smart fortwo cabriolet
Jan 1st
Isn’t it amazing how simply removing the roof can transform a car? The smart fortwo is a clever little transportation pod; it’s not for everyone, but it gets the job done. Add in a three-stage folding canvas roof, however, and suddenly you’ve got a tiny little barrel of laughs on your hands.
They’re the good kind of laughs, too. Top up, our smart fortwo cabriolet garnered the usual sidelong glances of drivers surprised to see the tiny thing on the freeway, and not much more. As soon as the sun came out and we dropped the top, our fellow drivers were all smiles and thumbs-up. A gaggle of teenagers went completely insane as we drove past the high-school fundraiser car wash, begging the little smart to pull in for a wipedown.
Of course, this might have been because the fortwo cabriolet would’ve required about a third of the effort that washing a regular car would. The much-publicized cube of a car only takes up about half the space of a regular car, after all, and that’s not very much sheet metal. In fact, it’s even less sheet metal than it looks like, as the smart’s high-strength tridion “safety cell” means that many of the body panels are non-structural (and dent-resistant) plastic. When you step out of the smart, you’re practically behind it. This car was designed to be parked nose-in to the curb in parallel parking spaces, so it’s about as long as the average car is wide.
Letting the sun shine in is a simple affair, requiring a push of a button. The canvas roof slides back to create an extended sunroof, and a second stage folds it down across the rear, blocking visibility in the spirit of small, cheeky convertibles from the Volkswagen Rabbit to the Mini Cooper. With the top completely retracted, the roof’s side bars can be removed and stowed in a recess in the tailgate for a complete open-air experience. The folded top doesn’t encroach on cargo space, and when it’s stacked to the gills the smart cabriolet will carry up to 12 cubic feet of stuff, just like the coupe.
The smart cabriolet is quiet on the freeway, with very little of the additional noise traditionally associated with convertibles. This is partly because of the canvas roof, and partly due to the smart coupe’s already above-average freeway noise, however.
So here’s the thing; the preconception is that the fortwo is too small to be a “real” car. It’s only natural to assume this, given the thing’s size. In truth, though, the only serious skill the fortwo lacks when compared to a Toyota Yaris or Chevrolet Aveo is that it’s a bit too small to avoid being nudged around by crosswinds on long freeway trips. But, to be honest, the Aveo and Yaris aren’t all that stable in strong crosswinds either. The fortwo makes up for its physical shortcomings with attitude and real-car fitments. The speedometer is centrally mounted, and the unique “eyeball” air vents help to increase the interior’s apparent room. Air conditioning, front and side airbags and a decent sound system are part of the package as well. The smart is only a two-seater, but and the cabin is snug but comfortable enough for two. The passenger seat has an additional six inches of legroom compared to the driver’s seat, and the handsome cloth upholstery and funky interior trim prevent the smart from being saddled with the “cheap” stigma that many small cars receive. Of course, you’ll be exchanging that for a “weird” stigma, but a lot of buyers aren’t bothered by that. On top of that, the convertible makes it fun.
In congested urban areas and on the car-choked Los Angeles freeways where we sampled the fortwo cabriolet, the car fit right in. It’ll run eighty with the rest of traffic when the situation allows it, and then the anti-lock brakes will bring it to a halt when traffic inevitably backs up. Electronic stability program (ESP) stability control is standard equipment. It’s also easy to find a gap large enough to change lanes when your car is barely nine feet long.
The “automated manual” transmission’s hesitations will stymie drivers who expect it to behave like a traditional automatic. Once you get used to the long shifts, which are just like economical shifts in a manual transmission, the car’s weird behavior makes sense. Basically a manual transmission with an automated clutch, the gearbox is smart’s answer to maintaining decent economy in congested stop-and-go urban situations without forcing the driver to endure the hassle of dealing with a clutch. In traffic, it’s best to slip the transmission into manual, paddle-shifted mode to avoid gear hunting, as the economy-geared transmission is always seeking the highest gear possible. In fourth or fifth gear, the 70 horsepower, one-liter three-cylinder engine is not exactly a torque monster, and sudden throttle applications will result in…nothing at all. In its powerband, the tiny three-cylinder puts out enough twist to urge the smart into motion rapidly, and fears of being run over while trying to enter the freeway are unfounded.
Taken in the right spirit, the smart cabriolet is a delightful little vehicle. Don’t ever expect it to be normal, though. The smart cabriolet is available only in “passion” trim, and pricing starts at $16,990. Optional equipment on my test car included power steering, a clock/tachometer gauge combination and two-tone paint, and brought the final price tag to $18,205. That price seems a bit steep–the smart costs about $10 per pound–but when I asked onlookers what they thought it should cost, most responses were in the $16,000-$18,000 range.
Having no top definitely makes a big difference.
Specifications: All specs are for the 2010 smart fortwo passion Cabriolet
Length: 106.i in.
Width: 61.4 in.
Height: 60.7 in.
Wheelbase: 73.5 in.
Curb weight: 1852 lb.
Cargo space: 12.0 cu.ft.
Base price: $16,990
Price as tested: $18,205
Engine: 1.0 liter inline three-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automated manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 70 @ 5800
Torque: 68 @ 4500
Fuel capacity: 8.7 gal.
Est. mileage: 33/41
2004 Cadillac XLR
Dec 13th
Regardless of what you know about its origins, the Cadillac XLR is not just a Cadillac Corvette. It’s true that this big, two-place sedan shares platforms (and an assembly line) with Chevrolet’s legendary sports car, but the wide-track stance and the woof from the exhaust are the only things that are the same.
This high-tech grand tourer for two is a direct attack on German luxocruisers like the Mercedes SL, and it underscores Cadillac’s intent to remain a powerful force in the luxury market. Like the SL, the XLR has a retractable hardtop, V8 power and more electronic gadgets than you can shake a stick at, from heated and cooled seats to a head-up display.
Cadillac is careful not to mention the ‘Vette in any of the XLR’s promotional materials, but this roadster’s proportions make the relationship clear. Influenced by the Evoq show car of 1999, the XLR is the most extreme example yet of Cadillac’s flat-surfaced, edgy design. No cookie cutter roadster, this; the XLR is a flying doorstop. With super-coupe competitors from Mercedes and BMW angling for a more organic look, the sheer, wide-hipped lines of the XLR really stand out. Run-flat tires eliminate the need for a spare, which is a good thing considering the size of those 18″ wheels. Vertical headlights and taillamps that wrap into the top of the decklid ensure that the light signature is just as distinctive at night. Best of all for Cadillac fans, the wild design retains an unmistakable family look.
Not content to just stop with the design, the dream-makers at Cadillac have equipped the XLR to impress as well. First and foremost is the retractable hardtop, which transforms the XLR from two-place coupe to convertible in about thirty seconds. Top-up and top-down, the XLR is really two different cars. With the roof in place, it’s luxurious transport for two; with the roof stowed in the trunk the woof from the exhaust comes in, and it becomes a more aggressive roadster. We think it looks best with the squarish top folded, making the big-wheeled, slab-sided design stand out at the curb. Unfortunately the top eats up about half of the trunk space when it’s down, so pack carefully.
Inside, the XLR is equal parts Stealth fighter and country club. Space-age add-ons like keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and a touch-screen controlled DVD navigation system are draped in leather and eucalyptus wood, and the satiny aluminum center console stack is a nice touch too. The analog clock is an elegant unit designed in part by luxury Italian watchmaker Bvlgari. The technology is the real story inside, though. The keyless entry goes a step beyond the average key fob, as it’s intelligent. The car recognizes the presence of the key in the driver’s pocket, and unlocks automatically. The key doesn’t need to be inserted into the ignition to start the car, either. Good luck finding the door handles, by the way, because there aren’t any. The doors are opened by solenoids whose activation buttons are tucked away in recesses in the body. Once you’ve finished impressing your friends with that trick, get them out on the freeway to experience the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Cadillac’s latest toy works similarly to the intelligent cruise control systems offered by Lexus and Infiniti, and uses radar to detect cars in front. If there’s nothing in the XLR’s path, it maintains a set speed, but should a slow-moving car blunder into the way, ACC can slow down and maintain a set following distance. ACC won’t stop the car if you’re about to drive it into a brick wall, however. That’s where the head-up display comes in, projecting speed and important driver information onto the lower portion of the windshield. And not only is there XM satellite radio, a DVD navigation system and a six-disc CD changer, but when the XLR is parked it will play DVDs on the navigation screen.
Under the skin, the four-corner double wishbone suspension is backed up by a Magnetic Ride system that even some hard-core car guys have trouble understanding. In a nutshell, sensors at the wheels measure wheel motion and adjust the shock damping using a fast-reacting magnetic fluid. What is means is that the XLR rides smoothly and tautly over most road surfaces, and keeps the tires in contact with the road over rough surfaces, a common bugaboo for sports cars. As for things that are easier to understand, the transmission is rear-mounted, to improve the XLR’s front-to-rear balance and add cabin legroom. Big four-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS bring the XLR to confident stops from the triple-digit speeds it’s capable of.
On the road, it’s not as memorable as one might expect a car in this class to be. The woof of the exhaust is similar to the Corvette’s, but it’s provided by Cadillac’s familiar Northstar V8. This is the first time Cadillac’s 32-valve V8 has been used in a rear-wheel drive car. Variable valve timing and electronic throttle control ensure smooth power delivery, vital considering the XLR’s 320-horse powerplant. Acceleration is brisk, and it should be since the XLR is actually the lightest car in its class, weighing in at less than even the visually smaller Lexus SC430. A five-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox offered, and the XLR is a big, refined wedge at speed. There’s a bit more wind buffeting in the cabin than we’d like, and it’s less viscerally engaging than it looks, but the XLR is a solid performer.
With the European and Japanese luxury coupes and roadsters better than they’ve ever been, the first American entry into this market in a long while has its work cut out for it. We think the XLR is up to the task. Pricing starts at $75,385, but this droptop isn’t the least bit overpriced.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Cadillac XLR.
Length: 177.7 in.
Width: 72.3 in.
Height: 50.4 in.
Wheelbase: 105.7 in.
Curb weight: 3647 lb.
Cargo space: 11.6 cu.ft. (top up); 4.4 cu.ft (top folded)
Base price: $75,385
Price as tested: $76,200
Engine: 4.6 liter DOHC 32-valve V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 320 @ 6400
Torque: 310 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 18.0 gal.
Fuel economy: 17/25