Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged sport coupe
2002 Mercedes SLK32 AMG
Jul 21st
So it’s Saturday night, and my wife isn’t home. I decide it’s a good night to rent a “guy” movie of the sort she normally doesn’t like to watch, with lots of explosions and bad dialogue. I go outside, hop into the Mercedes SLK32 AMG I’ve got to test this week, and head for the video store, which is about a mile away. And then a voice, maybe it’s the car’s, murmurs something about putting the top down. It’s a nice night, after all, and there’s a full moon…
Seventy-five minutes later, I return home.
I never did rent that movie.
Some time during the past decade, Mercedes found a way to infuse their cars with honest-to-goodness spirit. Most of the current Mercedes lineup consists of the sorts of cars that will drive you around until you feel better if you’re in a bad mood.
The SLK32 AMG is no exception. Although during curbside drag races cars like the Honda S2000 and Porsche Boxster S tend to trounce it six ways till Sunday, Mercedes’ little roadster makes a strong argument as being the most fun, despite its boulevardier reputation. It doesn’t hurt that Mercedes’ in-house hot-rod department AMG has stuffed a supercharged 3.2 liter V6 under the hood. The SLK32 AMG may not look it, but it’s capable of trading licks with a Corvette. This little Benz has 349 horsepower on tap. That’s more than enough to propel this 3,220-pound car to sixty in 4.8 seconds, according to Mercedes. The seat of my pants agrees. The supercharger comes on instantly with a rush that’s smooth or shattering, depending entirely on how how much pedal you give it. The SLK32 AMG’s throttle body is unique compared to other SLKs, and it’s got lightened internal components and performance cam timing as well.
When it’s not playing hot rod, the SLK32 AMG is amazingly tractable. It’s possible to tool around town in this car without realizing how much power is under your right foot. The SpeedShift five-speed automatic transmission is programmed by AMG to respond to the demands of high-performance drivers. It avoids clumsy upshifts during corners, and will select the proper gear under heavy braking as well, lending itself to on-track smootness. During normal road duty, it changes gears without a hint of roughness–with barely any hesitation, in fact–whether the SLK32 AMG is going soft or hard. Unlike other hot rods (BMW’s M3 pops to mind) the SLK32 AMG doesn’t demand constant attention to keep things under control.
Connecting the car to the road is a suspension that’s heavily modified over that of a standard SLK. The SLK32 AMG has half-inch wider wheels than its brothers all around, for improved stability. Springs, shocks and swaybars have all been retuned. The 17″ wheels are unique to the SLK32 AMG, and show off massive 13.5″ brake discs up front, and 11.8″ units in the rear. Needless to say, the SLK32 AMG stops very, very well, even if the anti-lock brakes don’t kick in. Mercedes Electronic Stability Program (ESP) stability control is along for the ride too. It’s one of the reasons that the SLK32 AMG hides its 349 horsepower so well. The traction control is also appreciated; without it, the SLK32 AMG tends to spin tires with the slightest provocation. ESP isn’t a complete fun-killer like BMW’s traction control systems can be. It cycles on and off quickly, quashing wheelspin without interrupting forward momentum much.
At a glance, you can be forgiven for thinking that the SLK32 AMG is a boulevard pussycat like the other roadsters from Mercedes. Boy-racer cues are entirely absent from this car, as they are on most AMG-modified cars. The SLK32 shares the SLK line’s wedgy styling, of course, and its low, wide stance looks best with the retractable hardtop in the down position. The SLK32 gets a unique front air dam and fog lights, a little spoiler and twin chrome exhaust pipes, and that’s it. But really, it doesn’t need anything more, does it?
Inside, the SLK32 AMG’s modifications from standard are minor. Since the SLK is already a nice place to be whether the top is up or down, this isn’t a bad thing. The cabin offers more space than that of most roadsters, and a quieter ride thanks to the retractable hardtop. A special AMG leather interior is included, as are a six-speaker Bose sound system, front and side airbags and Mercedes’ Tele Aid emergency service system.
Now for the bad news. As always, Mercedes wonderfulness comes at a dear price. The SLK32 AMG retails for $54,900, and that’s before adding Xenon headlights and headlamp washers. Our test car, wonderful as it was, carried a staggering $56,640 pricetag, which is high enough to limit the dreams of many buyers as surely as ESP cuts down wheelspin.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Mercedes SLK32 AMG, which we tested.
Length: 157.9 in.
Width: 67.5 in.
Height: 50.4 in.
Wheelbase: 94.5 in.
Curb weight: 3220 lb.
Cargo space: 9.5 cu.ft. (top up)/3.9 cu.ft. (top down)
Base price: $54,900
Price as tested: $56,640
Engine: 3.2 liter supercharged and intercooled V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear wheel drive
Horsepower: 349 @ 6100
Torque: 332 @ 3000-4600
Fuel capacity: 15.9 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/24
2003 Hyundai Tiburon GT
Jul 21st
Into the hotly contested front-drive sports coupe market comes a new challenger. The Hyundai Tiburon’s name means “shark” in Spanish, but this review won’t contain any icthyological puns, because they’ve already been done and frankly, the 2003 Tiburon deserves better.
It’s been changed so thoroughly it skipped a year. There is no 2002 version of Hyundai’s front-drive sports coupe. Instead, the Tiburon has jumped ahead to ’03, and metamorphosed from an awkward-looking, moderately fast four-banger into a sleek, V6-powered coupe that’s more than ready to compete with the Mitsubishi Eclipse and short-timing Mercury Cougar.
The biggest reason for this is of course the 2.7 liter V6 engine under the hood. Instead of trying to compete with the ultra-high-tech four-cylinders used by Honda and Toyota, Hyundai has given the Tiburon the torque and great freeway manners of a V6 engine. The V6, which is borrowed from the Santa Fe SUV, puts out 181 horsepower and 177 foot-pounds of torque. Like most V6 engines, it provides a much more relaxed feeling around town because the engine doesn’t have to work particularly hard. The new Tiburon is noticeably less frenetic than the high-revving Acura RS-X or Toyota Celica, but it’s still eager to chirp the tires and make the steering wheel dance with torque steer. A six-speed manual transmission is also available, making the Tiburon one of the least expensive cars so equipped. The six-speed’s action can be a bit notchy at times, and the Tiburon’s V6 doesn’t always need the flexibility that the extra gears offers. Still, six-speeds are in vogue, so the Tib has to have one too. More interested in fuel economy than V6 power? The base Tiburon is available with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder that produces a resepctable 140 horsepower. Both powerplants are available with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission as well.
The Tiburon is also excellently balanced. The all-new body has a unique chassis, unlike previous Tiburons which shared underpinnings with the Elantra economy car. MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear form a fully independent suspension. The Tiburon’s low center of gravity also helps, and the car hugs the road with impressive tenacity. Stiffer springs on the Tiburon GT improve road feel. Low-profile 215/45 series tires on 17″ wheels are sometimes a bit rough around town–avoid the worst of your local potholes.
The new design is a home run. It resembles a chubby Ferrari from some angles, but the Tiburon won’t be mistaken for any of its competitors. To be honest, it won’t be mistaken for a Ferrari, either, but the influence is obvious from the front fender “gills” to the heavy slope of the C-pillar. If the lumpy, bumpy previous car was starched and ironed, it still wouldn’t look this good. Up front, quad round headlamps under glass covers lead the way. The door sills are high, which gives the Tiburon a low-roofed appearance, and the “gills” up front form the base of a character line which rises at the rear for a muscular, poised-to-launch look. The rear spoiler is tall and blocky, but doesn’t block vision as badly as it could. Overall, the curbside accountant will think it’s more expensive than it is.
That low roof means that visibility is sometimes compromised, especially to the sides. Otherwise, the Tiburon’s interior has been updated just as elegantly as the exterior. There’s a lot of dull, black plastic, but it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap, and it’s accented with Audi-TT influenced brushed aluminum. The dash is cleanly executed, all in all. A CD player is standard on the Tiburon GT, as is a leather interior. The barrel-shaped shifter has a neat rubberized grip. The seats themselves are average. They’re well-bolstered enough for sporty driving, and fine for commuting, but we wouldn’t want to spend all day in them. Down below, there are cool alloy pedals.
Resemblances to expensive European sports cars aside, this is still a Hyundai, so the base price is safely under $20,000. Tiburon pricing ranges from $15,999 to $19,997. A loaded Tiburon GT features the V6 engine and leather interior, 17″ wheels, anti-lock brakes, and fog lamps and still doesn’t break $20,000. Additionally, Hyundai is still challenging the wags who knock the quality of its cars by offering a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon GT, which we tested.
Length: 173.0 in.
Width: 69.3 in.
Height: 52.3 in.
Wheelbase: 99.6 in.
Curb weight: 3023 lb.
Cargo space: 14.7 cu.ft.
Base price: $17,999
Price as tested: $18.744
Engine: 2.7 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 181 @ 6000
Torque: 177 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 14.2 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/26
2002 BMW M3
Jul 20th
BMW’s sports sedans are perennials on the top ten lists and performance shootouts of all of the major car magazines. In addition to being the darlings of young professionals and car enthusiasts, the German sedans command a high level of respect from well-heeled luxury buyers and the status-conscious. All of this attention naturally elevates the sticker price to a level at which the average car buyer has to ask what makes it so special.
Park a BMW M3 next to a Honda Civic coupe and you’ll notice that they’re about the same size. Both cars have two doors, four wheels, and so on–all of the components in the proper places. So what makes the BMW so special? Why does BMW call their cars “Ultimate Driving Machines,” with a straight face?
I’ll try to explain.
To the casual observer, the M3 is benign. It’s just another European luxury coupe, right? Wrong. It’s a monster. The familiar BMW 3-series sedan’s conservative shape–twin-kidney grille, moderately athletic, aerodynamic design, rounded-off trunk–is rippled with additional wheel flares and hood bulges, as if a 330 had spent several weeks at the gym bulking up. The M3 seems to hunker at the curb. Unlike some other sports cars, it’s not all posing, either. The flared wheel wells are there to cover race car sized 18″ wheels and tires. The hood bulge quietly reminds onlookers of the powerplant beneath. There are gill-like vents in the sides, for ventilating underhood components. The front bumper has been modified from that of a standard 3-Series with an integrated spoiler and a wide, mesh-screened grille for the oil cooler. You may have to be careful over some speed bumps, but at least it’s for a good cause.
The multi-textured interior is a nice place to be, with choices of several leather and cloth, and a special three-spoke steering wheel. Bright metal rings accentuate the instrument panel, and all of the instruments have ominous red needles. The various panels and colors make the M3′s interior seem like it was formed rather than manufactured. The seats are aggressive, poking and prodding your body until you’re exactly where the M3 wants you to be. Don’t let the fancy leather fool you; the M3 would be just as happy with the carpet stripped out and a roll cage installed. The steering wheel is thick, like a strong dog’s leash. The M3 makes it clear that it’s not a car to be taken lightly. You don’t just sit in this car, you wear it.
BMW’s “M” cars have all been developed as directly as possible from factory racers. The M3′s unique sport suspension is all-independent, with special forged aluminum lower arms in the front and a “thrust plate,” which helps to absorb the lateral forces generated by hard cornering. With a stiffer front end, the tires keep better contact with the road at the limits of handling, resulting in more confident performance. At the rear you have a multi-link setup which is wider than that of the standard 3-Series. There’s a stiffening brace whose task is similar to that of the thrust plate. The M3 is designed to go around corners as hard and fast as possible. Rack-and-pinion steering is also part of the package. As a result, the M3 has a highly balanced, sticky chassis that’s reminiscent of Honda’s race-bred S2000, but it’s not evil enough to make the CD player skip when you hit a bump in the road. The M3 doesn’t follow the crown of the road either, a common complaint among big-tired sports cars. It tracks without wandering and turns as if it was reading your mind.
Plenty of other cars do that, however. Where the M3 leaves them behind is with its wonderful 333-hp straight-six cylinder powerplant. The 3.2 liter straight-six has a cast-iron engine block, rather than aluminum, to better enable it to spin at Formula One-engine speeds and remain compact. BMW’s VANOS variable valve timing (if you must know, VANOS is an acronym for the German “Variable Nockenwellen Steuerung”) has separate programs for low and high engine speeds. Other race-track bred tricks include an incredibly high compression ratio (to more fully burn fuel), machined combustion chambers and intake ports (for smoother airflow into the engine), individual throttles for each cylinder (to reduce throttle lag) and a special valve mechanism that reduces reciprocating mass inside the cylinder head. What all of that engineer-speak adds up to is this: the M3 is a stunningly powerful road car. It’s never a car to be taken lightly. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) aside, it takes a measure of vigilance just to keep it from ramming the car in front of you whenever you touch the accelerator. Power is seamlessly available at any time, in any gear. Driving the M3 in traffic is like walking a hungry wolf through a flock of sheep. It’s almost an addictive feeling.
BMW’s six-speed manual gearbox can be challenging. The M3 seems to be annoyed if you don’t get each up- and down-shift just right, as if the car is trying to train the driver even while it’s taming the road.
The complex Sequential M Gearbox (SMG II) is a $2400 option. It’s basically a Formula One-style clutchless manual. Unlike “manumatic” transmissions like Porsche’s Tiptronic and Chrysler’s AutoStick, the SMG II is more than just a way to shift an automatic transmission up or down manually. The SMG II is directly based on the straight-line transmission used in BMW’s very successful European race cars. It’s similar to a motorcycle’s transmission, and moves directly from gear to gear via a central shift lever rather than requiring the driver to follow a shift pattern as in conventional transmissions. The fully automatic clutch keeps the driver’s input basic; push forward to shift down, and pull back to shift up. Shifts are lightning fast, and only the most hard-core gearheads will feel like they could do it faster. Once you’ve mastered it (and remembered not to punch the lever forward for 3rd or 5th gear), the SMG II is a quick, if less satisfying, way to go fast. Missed shifts are impossible, unless your hand slips from the steering wheel paddle. The SMG II likes to be driven hard, offering crisper shifting when the M3 is driven in anger. Unlike Toyota’s similar system, SMG II has a fully automatic mode as well. It doesn’t make a particularly good autobox–the gearchanges are slow–but it’s nice to have an alternative for days when you don’t feel like playing with the sequential shifter, or get sick of trying to master it. Our test car spent much of the week in automatic mode; it’s a neat toy, but we prefer the traditional three-pedal M3, and the price savings that goes with it.
Of course, BMW will turn your M3 into a luxury tourer if you’d like. In addition to the SMG II, there are rain-sensing windshield wipers, reverse-sensing parking assist, a Harman Kardon audio system, and satellite navigation to drive the bottom line up.
For the driver who wants to master its capabilities, the M3 is almost unbeatable. Nothing else with a sub-$60,000 price tag matches its all-around athletic ability. It’s available in coupe and convertible form only, and pricing starts at $45,900 for the coupe. Buyers who prefer a less “committed” drive will probably be happier with the M3′s 330i siblings, which share its good ergonomics and well-above-average handling, but offer a slightly less caffeinated driving experience.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 BMW M3, which we tested.
Length: 176.9 in.
Width: 70.1 in.
Height: 54.0 in.
Wheelbase: 107.5 in.
Curb weight: 3415 lb.
Cargo space: 9.5 cu.ft.
Base price: $45,900
Price as tested: $55, 695
Engine: 3.2 liter DOHC 24-valve inline six-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission , rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 333 @ 7900
Torque: 262 @ 4900
Fuel capacity: 16.6 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/23


