Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged convertible
2003 Ford Thunderbird
Aug 26th
Since its resurrection a year ago, the Ford Thunderbird has brought a healthy dash of panache to Ford’s generally pedestrian lineup. This two-seat, full-size convertible comes straight out of the 1950s with a modern rethinking of the classic shape of the original 1955 Thunderbird. Best of all, the T-Bird doesn’t require that you sacrifice driveability for those Hollywood looks.
2004 model pictured
The Thunderbird cruises into 2003 with detail changes only: a slight bump in horsepower, standard traction control and a few new colors inside and out. The limited-production roadster is practically an instant collectible, and Ford chose not to mess with its success.
The long, fuselage-style body, round taillights and broad chrome grille are instantly recognizable as classic Ford hallmarks. The optional removable hardtop even sports a chrome-ringed round “porthole” window, like the original T-Bird’s. Underneath the skin, the Thunderbird benefits from specially designed X-braces that keep the car stiff and keep the cowl shake, that demon of many a convertible, to a minimum. Big 17″ wheels are standard. The trunk is big enough to hold golf clubs or enough luggage for a weekend away.
This is a very fashion-conscious car, with interior panels that match the exterior colors, just like the Fifties. Our test car was bright red, with optional matching red inserts on the seats, steering wheel, console and shifter. The two-tone interior looks great; we found it to be jaunty without being too tacky, despite the generous use of color. Don’t want the color splashed everywhere? A black leather interior is standard. The Thunderbird is plenty comfortable for long cruises. There’s no back seat, of course; a small package shelf takes up space behind the front seats. It’s a very attractive, unique interior that’s utterly unlike anything else in the current Ford lineup. Front and side airbags are standard.
For 2003, the Thunderbird gets variable cam timing, which improves the 3.9 liter V8′s output to 280 horsepower. A five-speed selectable manumatic transmission is standard. Still, the new T-Bird is no hot rod. Like the original Thunderbird, the new car’s purpose in life is cruising through town and looking great while doing it. It’ll hustle if you need to, but it won’t urge you to go fast. Should you end up driving your T-Bird in the snow, all-speed traction control is standard. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are also standard equipment on Ford’s flagship.
A fully independent, short-long arm suspension at all four corners should keep the car from feeling overweight or flabby in the turns and without losing a smooth ride for those inevitable boulevard cruises. On the road, the Thunderbird is perpetually relaxed. The happy surprise is that it’s easy to drive. Unlike other big flashy cruisers (the now-dead Chrysler Prowler comes immediately to mind), the Thunderbird drives like a normal car. Visibility is good to all four corners, especially with the top down. There’s no need to worry about damaging the suspension over speed bumps, or making turns extra-wide to keep from scuffing the wheels; just get in your T-Bird and go. With the top down, wind noise on the freeway is kept to a minimum by the steep angle of the windshield.
You might be able to find an original 1955 Thunderbird for close to the 2003 T-Bird’s base price of $37,175…but chances are it wouldn’t be nearly as trouble-free. It would also lack Ford’s 3 year, 36,000-mile new-car warranty and a CD player. Our test car had these features plus a stylish removable hardtop, and it stickered for $41,370. If you’re looking for Fifties cruising without the compromises of a fifty year-old car, Ford’s Thunderbird can’t be beat.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Ford Thunderbird, which we tested
Length: 186.3 in.
Width: 72.0 in.
Height: 52.1 in.
Wheelbase: 107.2 in.
Curb weight: 3775 lb (3863 with removable hardtop)
Cargo space: 6.9 cu.ft.
Base price: $37,175
Price as tested: $41,370
Engine: 3.9 liter DOHC V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear wheel drive
Horsepower: 280 @ 6000
Torque: 286 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 18.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/23
2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet
Jul 31st
Unofficially, there are two kinds of convertibles. You have your flashy, look-at-me ragtops, with sexy sheetmetal wrapped around a pair of often color-keyed leather seats and a big engine. Those are your BMW Z4s and Ford Thunderbirds and Jaguar XKs. In the other corner, you have the more conservative convertibles, for folks who want to enjoy a nice sunny day but would rather do it without acting like movie stars.
The Audi A4 cabriolet, new for 2003, falls solidly into the latter category. Its conservative, bar-of-soap design is elegant, but not apt to turn many heads. With a docile yet powerful 3.0 V6, a rigid body and a luxurious, quiet top-up ride, the A4 just might be the perfect executive cabriolet.
The Cabriolet shares the A4′s smooth, rounded face and tail and double-deck grille. With the roof cut off, the A4′s high-waisted lines look more formal. It’s set apart from the sedans with subtle brushed aluminum trim. Top-up, the large, blocky convertible top actually looks good with the slab-sided body. The top is fully automated, and drops flush into the deck. There are no levers to flip; just a single button to push and 24 seconds to wait for the top to raise or lower. A hard tonneau cover drops over the top, so when the A4 is in open-sky mode, there’s no hint of the folded soft-top. Audi’s obsessive attention to detail has resulted in the cleanest-looking convertible possible. Even the stereo antenna has been integrated into the trunklid.
Audi interiors are lovely places to be, and the A4 Cabriolet is no exception. The materials and build quality are first-rate. This is a four-passenger convertible, but rear seat space is best defined as cozy. The soft-top is triple-padded, with a glass rear window, so it’s quiet inside the A4 Cabriolet when the top is up. Twelve-way adjustable front seats are standard; it takes some time, but any passenger can find a comfortable position. We had only one gripe; the seatbelts, mounted low where the B-pillars have been lopped off, are hard to reach. Heated mirrors and heat-insulating glass are standard equipment; seat heaters and self-leveling headlights are options but welcome ones on a dark and chilly night.
Thanks to quirky spring weather, we had the opportunity to drive the A4 Cabriolet in sunny, 70-degree weather one day, and through an ice storm the next. The A4′s four-link front suspension uses lots of aluminum, reducing weight and improving reflexes, and is blissfully happy on curvy roads. A trapezoid-link rear suspension keeps the A4′s center of gravity low. We found the ride to be slightly firmer than that of the hardtop A4. The A4 Cabriolet has a gait that’s less hard-core than the true sports cars, but sporty enough to be entertaining. When the roads turn slick, Audi’s Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) limits oversteer or understeer. The A4 Cabriolet also features standard anti-lock brakes. The quattro all-wheel drive system is not offered.
Under the hood, Audi’s smooth 3.0 liter V6 handles motivational duties. The five valve per cylinder engine makes 220 horsepower, and it’s torquey enough that it never seems to be strained. Coupled with Audi’s smooth Multitronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), the A4 Cabriolet is able to motor around town or down the autobahn with a very relaxed feel. The CVT enables the engine to remain at steady revs, instead of spinning up to the top of a gear before shifting. Audi’s 1.8 liter turbocharged four-cylinder is also offered.
In spite of the impressive build quality, luxurious appointments and excellent performance, the bottom line came as something of a shock, and not in a good way. Although the handsome and elegant A4 line has a reputation for being something of a bargain (prices for V6-equipped A4 sedans start at just over $31,000), the A4 Cabriolet starts at $41,500. With its leather interior, 17″ wheels, heated seats and BOSE sound system, that pushed the pricetag on our friendly little Cabriolet perilously close to $45,000. It’s a very impressive alternative to relentlessly sporty convertibles, but unfortunately executive ragtops don’t come cheap.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet, which we tested.
Length: 180.0 in.
Width: 70.0 in.
Height: 54.8 in.
Wheelbase: 104.5 in.
Curb weight: 3814 lb.
Cargo space: 10.2 cu.ft.
Base price: $41,500
Engine: 3.0 liter 30-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain: continuously variable automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 220 @ 6300
Torque: 221 @ 3200
Fuel capacity: 18.5 gal
Est. mileage: 20/27
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle convertible
Jul 21st
Don’t panic. Someone hasn’t gone and installed one of those horrible aftermarket vinyl tops on a Volkswagen New Beetle! This is the real deal. After five years on the market, the New Beetle finally gets the inevitable convertible version for 2003. Even though winter is already in full swing, Volkswagen has sent us a reminder of more pleasant seasons to come.
The original Beetle convertible was almost as iconic as the Beetle itself. Introduced in 1953, its compact shape and big, ungainly folded top became hallmarks of all future Volkswagen convertibles, from the Rabbit to the recently departed Cabriolet. The New Beetle convertible replaces the Cabriolet in the lineup, but the compact shape and tall top stack are still there.
Expect the kids to take notice first. While most of us boring old folks have gotten used to the New Beetle’s arched shape over the past five years, the Pokemon generation is still very enamored with the round-eyed little cutie. Shouts of, “I like your car!” and “Nice Slug-Bug!” from preadolescent throats punctuated our test drive. And that was just fine. There’s something inherently cheerful about the New Beetle, and the cabriolet simply amplifies that. Top up, it’s the same as a New Beetle inside, with a bit less rear seat room and the blind spots to the rear that are common to all convertibles. Drop the top, and everyone smiles, not just the kids. The top mechanism takes a bit of learning; the yoke-like latch has to be pulled and then twisted before the top is released. From there, it depends on whether you’ve chosen the manual or the optional power top. It’s a large top, and manual closing is more cumbersome than on little roadsters like the Miata. The power top opens the side windows and does its dance in 13 seconds. It takes a big chunk of the windshield header with it, too. In fully lowered position, the New Beetle’s top stands up alarmingly, but never fear–it’s supposed to look like that. After all, the original Beetle convertible featured a big, ungainly-looking top stack as well. Look close–there’s handsome chrome trim that runs around the passenger compartment, accenting the New Beetle convertible whether it’s top-up and top-down.
You won’t be claustrophobic when the top’s up, either. The New Beetle convertible retains the coupe’s shape, so there’s more headroom than most minivans provide. A noisy 10-speaker sound system is standard equipment, the better for showing off when the top’s down. There is comfortable seating for two, and slightly uncomfortable seating for four. The trunk is miniscule, so pack light. Minor ergonomic complaints, such as the air conditioning controls that are placed perfectly to whack the driver’s hand while shifting, are shared with the Beetle. The center console is lockable, an important feature for any droptop. Naturally, there’s a huge blind spot with the top up, but that’s also a common convertible feature.
Unlike the one-model lineup of its predecessor, the New Beetle convertible is available with a choice of engines and trim levels. A 2.0 liter four-cylinder starts the lineup, but the New Beetle convertible can also be had in 150-hp 1.8T form, with the same turbocharged engine that powers the frenetic New Beetle Turbo. We drove a 2.0, and found its 115 hp to be more than adequate for around-town cruising or freeway jaunts. The 2.0 was retuned specifically for the convertible, with a healthy torque curve. Buyers who have been turned off by the 2.0′s anemic attitude in the Golf will be pleasantly surprised by its performance in this car. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and it drives, well, just like a New Beetle. No surprise there. New Beetle convertible buyers can also opt for a six-speed automatic tranny with Tiptronic manual shifting. Once found only in Porsches and high-end sports cars, Tiptronic’s appearance in the New Beetle convertible means that this bit of technology has officially trickled down to the affordable cars.
The New Beetle convertible certainly doesn’t feel like an “affordable car.” That’s a good thing. Volkswagen’s fantastic build quality ensures that the New Beetle convertible is free of cowl shake or any hint of looseness. Handling is surprisingly good, too. MacPherson struts in the front and a torsion beam axle in the rear aren’t anything special, but Volkswagen includes unique track-correcting bushings which keep the tail in line with the nose during hard cornering. The ride is a bit stiffer than that of the New Beetle coupe. Anti-lock brakes are standard. On Turbo models, locking differentials, traction control, and Volkswagen’s Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) yaw-control system are standard.
On the safety front, a cool rollover support deploys automatically should the New Beetle convertible turn turtle. The Automatic Rollover Supports, as VW calls them, deploy from their position behind the rear seats whether the top is up or down, and work with the front seat headrests to improve passenger protection. Front and side airbags are also standard.
Here’s another cool thing about this cute little newcomer; it’s just about the lowest-priced European convertible out there. The New Beetle convertible starts at $20,450 for the 2.0 liter GL model. Want a power top? Step up to the GLS and top-of-the-line GLX convertibles. New Beetle convertibles can be further dressed up with bigger and louder sound systems, Xenon headlamps, leather interiors and, curiously, a Cold Weather package. If you like the New Beetle, you’ll love the convertible. If you’re sick of the New Beetle, try not to let your sneer spoil fun for the rest of us, okay?
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2.0 convertible, which we tested.
Length: 161.1 in.
Width: 67.9 in.
Height: 59.1 in.
Wheelbase: 98.8 in.
Curb weight: 3082 lb.
Cargo space: 5.0 cu.ft.
Base price: $20,450
Engine: 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 115 @ 5400
Torque: 125 @ 3200
Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 24/30