Car Reviews

The Volkswagen GTI belongs to a much larger clan of models in Europe than it does in the United States. On the other side of the Atlantic, the GTI sits above the workaday Golf that we no longer get and below the latest all-wheel-drive Golf R that we’re anxiously awaiting to hit our shores later this year. There also are electric GTE and diesel GTD models. More interesting, though, is another higher-performance Golf positioned in the narrow gap between the GTI and the R, one that’s closer in spirit to the Honda Civic Type R: the GTI Clubsport.

Both Volkswagen and Porsche have used Clubsport and Club Sport monikers over the years, generally for more athletic models intended for semi-regular track use. In the case of the latest GTI Clubsport, that means a significant bump in performance over the standard GTI, with a new turbocharger upping the output of its 2.0-liter inline-four to 296 horsepower. That places the Clubsport much closer to the new Golf R’s 316 horses than the regular GTI’s 241 as well as not far off the 306-hp Type R. As with that Honda, the Clubsport’s output reaches the road exclusively through the front wheels. VW also fits larger brakes, shorter gear ratios for the standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, revised suspension settings, and some subtle visual distinctions to proclaim the car’s specialness. We drove a right-hand-drive example in England to see just how hot these updates make VW’s hot hatch.

Volkswagen

Aesthetic changes versus garden-variety GTIs are subtle but present if you know what to look for. While Volkswagen doesn’t add any Clubsport badging, there is a model-specific front bumper and lower grille, plus a rear spoiler, plastic sill extensions, and striped graphics on the lower edge of the front doors. Updates to the cabin are less obvious and include unique fabric upholstery on the seats, but the interior is pretty much identical to the regular GTI’s. That means the same abundance of dark plastic trim and a rather slow, unintuitive central touchscreen. However, buried deep within the Clubsport’s interface is one key difference versus regular GTIs: an additional drive mode beyond Sport that’s simply labeled Nürburgring.Select ‘Ring mode and the Clubsport adopts the same dynamic settings that VW used to set a 7:55 lap around the 12.9-mile Nordschliefe last year. That time makes the new model just five seconds slower than what the previous-generation Clubsport S managed in 2016 when it set a front-drive record at the track. On the road, the hot setup actually softens the car’s optional adaptive dampers slightly from their firmest Sport position, but keeps the engine, gearbox, and steering in their most aggressive modes. It quickly proved to be ideal for dealing with bumpy British backroads.

Volkswagen

Not that the Clubsport feels substantially different from the regular GTI in normal use. It sounds louder under acceleration, although much of that is the result of tweaks to the cabin’s sound augmentation system. The shorter gearing and snappier mapping for both the transmission and throttle sharpen reactions and give a sense of fiercer acceleration. With adequate traction, the Clubsport surely will beat the 5.1-second 60-mph time we recorded for the normal GTI. The electrically boosted brake pedal also feels better than it does in the regular car, feeling firmer under gentle use. The steering has more weight as well, if no obvious improvement over the limited feedback of the standard model. Pressing the Clubsport harder reveals that the most significant difference is a greater degree of front-end bite when turning into corners. It doesn’t take much enthusiasm to get the regular GTI washing wide in tighter turns, but the Clubsport grips harder and is far better at finding traction, thanks to both its revised suspension and an aggressive electronic limited-slip differential. Understeer is kept in better check and the car is easy to place and hold on a chosen line, even when approaching the tires’ grip limits—perfect qualities for a fast Nürburgring lap. Still, the car’s rear end doesn’t rotate as easily as the Civic Type R’s when you pitch it into corners. This is a car that feels very quick and secure, but its thrills come from raw velocity rather than intimate feedback. Other nitpicks include the Clubsport’s insubstantial plastic paddle shifters on its steering wheel that it shares with the regular GTI. And given the car’s more aggressive character, we wish the dual-clutch transmission would hold gears up to the engine’s rev limiter, yet it upshifts early even in full manual mode.

Volkswagen

But it’s hard to be overly critical about a slightly faster and more agile GTI that doesn’t require any significant sacrifices over the basic car. Even the price premium is pretty modest. The GTI Clubsport costs the equivalent of about $ 42,500 in the United Kingdom when the punitive 20 percent VAT sales tax and registration charges are removed, which is roughly $5K more than the price of an automatic-equipped GTI. That makes the Clubsport an awfully tempting proposition, even from across the Atlantic.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Volkswagen GTI ClubsportVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door hatchback
PRICE (C/D EST)
$42,500

ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
injectionDisplacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3Power: 296 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 295 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.4 inLength: 169.9 inWidth: 70.4 inHeight: 57.7 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 3150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.7 sec100 mph: 11.1 sec1/4-Mile: 12.8 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 25/22/30 mpg

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Just as we’ve become comfortable with there being Porsche luxury sedans and SUVs, the company has started to throw more curveballs at us. While the 911 and the 718 sports cars still tug at our heartstrings, they’ve now been joined by an electric Porsche in the form of the Taycan sedan, multiple Cross and Sport Turismo station wagons, and whatever the Cayenne coupe is trying to be. Against this backdrop, the four-door Panamera, even in its most driver-focused GTS configuration, is starting to seem positively conventional—possibly even a bit irrelevant.[editoriallinks id=’cb83bdcf-da25-41cf-87f6-b07ccabe29d0′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Porsche is trying to keep the Panamera in the conversation by updating it for the 2021 model year with a few new configurations and minor styling tweaks. Among those changes, the GTS model tested here now develops 473 horsepower from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, a gain of 20 ponies over last year. Within the Panamera lineup, which ranges from the 325-hp base V-6 model all the way up to the 690-hp Turbo S E-Hybrid, the GTS remains the cheapest way to get a V-8 in a Panamera, and its finely honed chassis setup lends it the sharpest responses of the bunch. As before, the GTS features all-wheel drive and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Also unchanged for 2021 is the exhaust note of the GTS’s mellifluous V-8, which continues to emit a powerboat-like burble at idle that builds to a soulful bellow as the engine spins to its 6800-rpm redline.[image id=’9589adcc-11d7-4579-a332-49adfd2312a9′ mediaId=’0814ed8d-a5bf-48ba-890c-55ada9210579′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image][pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Gripping V-8 soundtrack, more power than last year, impressive braking and handling for its size, the cheapest path to a V-8 Panamera.[/pullquote]Unfortunately, we didn’t see the results of the latest power bump at the test track. Compared with the 2019 Panamera GTS we last tested, the 2021 iteration’s launch-control-enabled 3.2-second zero-to-60-mph run was a tenth of a second slower, a difference it maintained over its 11.7-second, 116-mph quarter-mile pass. That’s hardly to say the latest GTS feels slow—even without launch control the GTS does the 5-to-60-mph sprint in 4.2 seconds—but we would’ve expected at least a slight improvement in acceleration considering that the newer, 4714-pound car weighed a scant 35 pounds more than before. Conversely, the 2021 GTS did beat out its predecessor on the skidpad and under braking. Riding on 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, it outgripped the 2019 model by 0.01 g (1.02 g) and stopped from 70 mph in nine fewer feet (145 feet). Those are sports-car-worthy figures, and they combine with the gutsy V-8, the clairvoyant dual-clutch gearbox, and the GTS’s fluid steering action to produce a stirring driving experience on pretty much any road. [image id=’aca19f37-4b9b-4cc9-85b6-78e7f5cb07dd’ mediaId=’5eb80ee7-eb31-4d0d-866a-7dd1de4f3340′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: No quicker than before, still awfully expensive, looks plain next to the newer Taycan.[/pullquote]Putting our test car’s performance numbers into context is complicated by the strength of its competition, though. For example, the electric Taycan 4S, which starts at $105,150 to the Panamera GTS’s $130,650, is only 0.2 second slower to 60 mph, and it pulled 1.03 g on the skidpad. What’s more, the Taycan packs a greater visual punch for most onlookers. While the second-generation Panamera’s proportions are undoubtedly more attractive than the original’s hunchback design, we think that the Taycan is a far better-looking interpretation of a four-door Porsche, even if it is considerably smaller inside. But if highway range is what you’re after, the Panamera GTS dominates the Taycan 4S’s 220 miles between charges. We averaged 30 mpg at 75 mph, which translates to a bladder-busting 710 miles between fueling.It’s also worth noting that the winner of our most recent high-performance-luxury-four-door comparison test, the Audi RS7, will only set you back $115,045 to start. That 591-hp Audi also beats the Panamera GTS in our acceleration tests, as it should, yet maintains an impressive degree of luxury-car comfort.[image id=’93ca0423-c005-422d-bd26-a6eb8d4bcf2d’ mediaId=’ca32f90c-395e-4019-86e8-bc3dee08d35b’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Porsche’s formula for its GTS models generally includes some value packaging compared to similarly equipped lesser versions. That positioning does apply to the Panamera, but it’s tough to call the GTS variant a smart buy unless it’s in the company of the 620-hp Turbo S model (base price, $179,050) or the 689-hp Turbo S E-Hybrid ($189,050). Even with a relatively light load of options for a Porsche, our test car stickered at $148,800 yet lacked extras such as adaptive cruise control and ventilated seats. It wasn’t long ago that the Panamera was abuzz with attention, both positive and negative, as it brought Porsche into a new, profitable market segment. But as the brand enters a new era, the luster of its once controversial four-door hatchback is beginning to fade as more enticing alternatives crop up both within the Porsche lineup and elsewhere in the high-performance luxury space. Along with the Taycan, we imagine the strength of the Cayenne lineup, including the new-for-2021 GTS model, will continue to hamper Panamera sales, which amounted to a paltry 3870 units last year—less than every other Porsche model except for the 718 sports cars. As engaging as the GTS is to drive for a sports sedan, we won’t be shocked if the Panamera doesn’t return for a third generation.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle]

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From the July 2004 issue of Car and Driver.Riding the range in the Hill Country of Texas singing “Whoopee Ti-Yi-Yo” and drawing bovine stares from longhorn steers ruminating among the mesquite on a 40,000-acre ranch, we wondered if there could be a better place to wring out a new Jeep Wrangler. There could not. This patch of Willie Nelson land is crisscrossed with every kind of road from interstate to meandering macadam to dusty dirt. And for some earnest off-roading, the vast expanse of the YO Ranch near Fredericksburg offers steep escarpments made treacherous by mud, loose shale, and rocks the size of armadillos (and vice versa).

Jeep had chosen this slice of the Old West to preview its new Wrangler Unlimited to the press. But unlike other automakers who use such occasions to focus on the “all-new,” the Jeep posse sought to assure us that the latest Wrangler is just like any other Wrangler-tough, uncompromising, and true to its long tradition-except that it’s longer. It’s a strategy designed not to offend Wrangler traditionalists, who welcome change about as much as did 18th-century French aristocrats, while offering something to people who find existing Wranglers a bit cramped.The Unlimited’s box-section frame adds 10.0 inches to the standard Wrangler’s wheelbase, extending it to 103.4 inches. There’s also an additional five inches of rear overhang, which pulls its overall bumper-to-bumper dimension to 165.1 inches, or 15.0 more than the abbreviated model. The additional space is unequally apportioned in the interior. Leg and knee room in the back seat are expanded by just under two inches. But a whopping 13.0 inches is allotted to the area behind the rear seat. Cargo volume goes from 9 to 29 cubic feet. Out-of-sight cargo space has about doubled, not a bad thing to have in a vehicle that can easily be entered by villains with a box cutter-at least in the fabric-topped version.
Detail improvements to the Unlimited include a “tip and slide” driver’s seat for easier rear access; more padding under the hood, behind the dash, and beneath the cargo area to reduce noise; and the so-called Sunrider softtop, which manually flips back to open a 45-by-23-inch sunroof above the front seats. There’s also an optional hardtop ($795), which would be a prudent buy for people in the Frostbelt states.All this gear, plus the extra metal needed for the length enhancement, adds up to about 200 pounds and requires some fine-tuning of spring and damper rates, the practical effect of which is imperceptible on the road. Although a longer wheelbase should make for a less choppy ride, the long Wrangler runs along on the road much like the short one. That is, compared with a conventional passenger car, it’s harsher, bouncier, and noisier, but not so much so that it blurs your vision or agitates your internal organs.
But a relatively rough ride on the road is the price of agility off the road, and there is no out-of-the-showroom SUV that can match the Wrangler in the rough stuff. And that’s true for either wheelbase version. The longie does yield a few degrees of breakover angle-21.4 versus 28.1-to the shortie and doesn’t turn as tightly (39.2 feet versus a 36.7-foot turning radius). But in practice-negotiating rocky grades steep enough to ground the skid plates and make a sound like razor wire being dragged across a tin roof-these were not noticeable disadvantages. One thing the Unlimited does have to offset what little it gives up to the short-wheelbase, 4.0-liter model is a greater towing capacity-3500 pounds versus 2000-thanks in part to the added strength of an additional rear crossmember.Otherwise, the Unlimited is identical to the regular Wrangler. It uses the same 190-hp straight-six hooked to an automatic four-speed transmission (a manual gearbox comes along for 2005), stout transfer case, and robust four-wheel-drive system. With lots of standard equipment-including air conditioning, AM/FM with CD player, and power steering-the Unlimited bottom-lines at $24,995, a hefty sum for a vehicle we wouldn’t recommend for primary transportation. But with nothing else comparable on the market, its price will likely not deter hard-core Wranglerites who want more space.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited VEHICLE TYPEfront-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door truck or 3-door wagon BASE PRICE$24,995 ENGINE TYPEpushrod 12-valve inline-6, iron block and head, port fuel injection Displacement241 in3, 3956 cm3Power (SAE net)190 bhp @ 4600 rpm Torque (SAE net)235 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 103.4 in Length: 165.1 in Width: 66.7 in Height: 70.8-70.9 in Curb weight: 3700-3800 lb PERFORMANCE RATINGS (C/D EST)Zero to 60 mph: 10.5 sec Standing ¼-mile: 17.8 sec FUEL ECONOMY (mfr’s est)EPA city/highway driving: 14/18 mpg

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The upcoming electric 2022 BMW i4 likely will have many asking: What exactly makes a BMW a BMW? With no internal-combustion engine under its hood, is the i4’s Bimmer-ness defined by its handling, its engineering, or perhaps its grille? To get a better grasp of that concept and to see some of what we can expect when the i4 goes on sale early 2022, BMW allowed us a brief drive in a final-development mule in the canyons around Malibu, California.Although BMW wouldn’t confirm the particular specification of the prototype we drove, we’d guess it’s the more powerful of the two i4 variants, the M Performance i4 M50. We arrived at this conclusion because, unlike the standard eDrive40 version that will be rear-wheel drive only, we could feel the prototype’s additional front motor helping to pull us out of tight corners. The verve with which our test car accelerated also was more in line with the M50’s 536 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque output, rather than the eDrive40’s 335 horses and 317 pound-feet of torque. BMW quotes a believable zero-to-62-mph time of 3.9 seconds for the roughly 5000-pound M50 and 5.7 seconds for the eDrive40.
The numbers that might matter more to EV buyers are the estimated 300-mile range for the single-motor eDrive40 and 245 miles for the dual-motor M50 from the 81.5-kWh battery. BMW claims the 11.0-kW onboard charger can refill the battery from empty in eight hours when connected to a properly equipped wall charger. Find a fast-charge DC hookup and the lithium-ion pack will accept a 200-kW charge and will add a claimed 90 miles in 10 minutes.

Largely based on the 3- and 4-series, the i4’s 188.3-inch length is a few inches longer than a 3-series sedan and the 112.8-inch wheelbase is fractionally longer. BMW claims the M50’s center of gravity is 1.3 inches lower than the 3-series and 2.1 inches lower in the eDrive40, something we picked up on as we chased a BMW development engineer around undulating switchbacks. The i4 showed little body roll and a fair amount of compliance to the suspension’s motions in Normal and Comfort drive modes. In the more aggressive Sport and Sport+ settings, the heavy i4 danced with an agility similar to that of a 3-series. All i4s feature front coil springs and rear self-leveling air springs, with the M50 adding adaptive dampers. The electrically assisted steering is a bit quiet on feedback but always precise in its responses, regardless of the selected driving mode. Like it or not, regenerative braking is becoming a defining feature for EVs. In the i4 prototype, the strength of its regen feels akin to the deceleration you get when you lift off the throttle in a conventional manual-transmission vehicle, which is to say it’s fairly strong but not quite a one-pedal-driving setup. BMW says you’ll be able to tune the amount of the regenerative braking to suit your tastes as well as turn the feature off entirely. Step on the i4’s left pedal and the brake-by-wire system transitions from regen to clamping the rotors at all four corners in an all but imperceptible manner. You really have to go out of your way to sense it. Beyond its handling and performance, the i4’s quiet interior should bolster its potential as a soothing daily driver. That this quality was noticeable in a prototype is impressive, what with its camouflage wrapping producing an uptick in wind noise. Plus, there was an entire rack of test equipment in the expansive cargo area that made its own symphony of humming electronic sounds. In production trim, the i4 should be quite quiet indeed.
What little of the interior we could see beneath the camouflage draperies appeared upscale in terms of material and design. All should be familiar to existing BMW customers, nothing too out there in either form or material. A 12.3-inch instrument cluster displays the gauges and driver-pertinent information, while a 14.9-inch screen shows the infotainment controls. The glare-resistant screens are beautiful with crisp shapes and text and deep, saturated, and high-contrast color. Although I only had a double handful of minutes to tap through it, BMW’s latest user interface is simple, clear, and easy to use. Again, all should be either familiar or intuitive to those familiar with BMW’s non-electric cars. There’s even a fair amount of rear-seat legroom and headroom in the i4, despite the fastback design. With the driver’s seat adjusted for my own 6-foot-2-inch frame, I was able to (barely) fit comfortably in the rear seat immediately behind. I wouldn’t want to take a road trip that way, but I’d gladly ride across town. Behind the rear seats (which can be laid down for even more cargo space) is the cargo area, which itself lies under a hatch-style rear liftgate, not unlike BMW’s GT vehicles. The result is a large and easy-to-access cargo area. Ah, the practical wonders of hatchbacks. In all, the i4 seems to be exactly what it ought to be: a BMW that is electric. Unlike the i3, which wore its early adopter nerd pride on its bodywork, with the exception of its massive 4-series-style grille the conservatively styled i4 represents the arrival of the electric car at the mainstream of modern performance luxury. It shows us how far along the electric game has moved toward the mainstream now that brands such as BMW are taking it seriously. In that sense, the i4 just might, like the 3-series before it, become a benchmark for the electric sports-sedan segment. And what could be more BMW than that?

Specifications

Specifications
2022 BMW i4Vehicle Type: rear- or front- and rear-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICEBase: eDrive40, $56,395; M50, $66,895
POWERTRAINS
Motors: 1 or 2 permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Power: 335 or 536 hpTorque: 317 or 586 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 81.5 kWhTransmissions: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.8 inLength: 188.3 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 57.0 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 4800–5000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.8–5.6 sec100 mph: 9.6–14.0 sec1/4-Mile: 12.4–14.3 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 118–140 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 90–100/95–105/85–95 MPGeRange: 245–300 mi

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From the October 2008 issue of Car and Driver. Just past the curve in which Bruce McLaren bought it, and right before the corner where Niki Lauda had his face burned off, we ­realize the truth: General Motors must still be mad about our review of the 1980 Olds Omega Brougham. The company is trying to kill us.[editoriallinks id=’e08f5a0c-42fa-410f-bd86-88c124177124′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Back in 2004, GM rolled the last steaming clod of asphalt onto its Milford Road Course (MRC), a 2.9-mile handling circuit at the company’s proving grounds an hour northwest of Detroit. The “Lutzring,” as employees have dubbed it in honor of GM’s meat-eating vice-chairman, Robert Lutz, plunges 135 feet from hilltop to trough and was pieced together like bathroom plumbing from some of the more treacherous corners in motor­sports. The 20 elbows, kinks, and blind whoop-de-dos are crowned by the 45-degree banked “Toilet Bowl,” which resembles the Nürburgring’s Karussell and which has already had its guardrails replaced at least twice. Only 16 of GM’s 266,000 employees are permitted to drive the MRC.Naturally, a man-eating track you’ve never seen before is just the place you want to be in a 638-hp Corvette you’ve never driven before.[mediaosvideo align=’center’ embedId=’714d5004-6265-435e-adb3-463b49a4dcbd’ mediaId=’a6844220-2415-458e-95d6-5378caa1279e’ size=’large’][/mediaosvideo]Speaking of Corvettes, our February 2008 cover story on the new supercharged ZR1 all but supplied you with blueprints to build your own. Hoping to squeeze the slavering media like ripe kumquats for more ink, GM invited us to the Lutzring for a brief half-day nibble of the $105,000 ZR1 before the full feast of testing commences this fall. Obviously, the gambit worked. The track’s nefarious reputation notwithstanding, the ZR1 is just the aluminum-frame, carbon-fiber-paneled, balsa-wood-floored Corvette Z06 with afterburners, right? Which means it will be a little vague in the steering and a bit floppy at the apex but basically fun and, above all, safe. Turn up the A/C, tune in the XM, and let the electronics make us heroes on a track where something like 265,984 people dare not tread. [image id=’89264653-8409-429b-8f45-c33073894bbc’ mediaId=’57f7d645-64ef-476c-9300-68d04448a61c’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Certainly, the ZR1’s cockpit has the familiar Bat Cave atmosphere of the regular Corvette, except for the manifold-pressure gauge where the voltage meter normally lives. That, and the carbon-fiber hood’s window, which lets you watch the engine twitch in rhythm to the gas pedal. So far, so what? Then, while exiting the pits on our first lap, the ZR1’s 6.2-liter LS9 V-8 suddenly cracked the heavens with a feral wolf call. The accelerative g’s rolled into us like the breakers of a Category Five, and breathing became strangely difficult. Uh-oh.Turn One of the Lutzring starts as a long, seemingly predictable sweeper. Then it kinks inward, then jerks straight, then suddenly cramps in again before lurching up a blind hill that death-drops the car into a ditch. After that you’re tossed over another blind crest with a negative camber pitched to slide the Corvette sideways into next Christmas. Assuming the car doesn’t go airborne. [image id=’5051d418-d6c1-4d81-ba89-6ec57317f84d’ mediaId=’b79be4b7-b03f-4f6f-8ebc-8ad58f848b20′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]In the ensuing Toilet Bowl, there were safety cones—which we scattered, ingesting some and dragging others to the next turn, which looked suspiciously like the patch that claimed Jimmy Clark. Then our first lap got uglier. There were screams. Here’s what we learned: The ZR1 is about as suitable for a Lutzring virgin as an alcohol-fueled Funny Car is for driver’s ed. We also learned that the ZR1’s mufflers are smaller and their flaps slam open earlier than a Z06’s, waking the dead from Milford to Sleetmute. And the LS9’s accelerative violence will be terrifying to anyone who hasn’t saddled up a Tomahawk cruise missile. Many passengers will simply freak out. Even engineers who’ve done thousands of miles in ZR1s stiffened up and went for the handholds when we floored it (okay, maybe it was just us). Exactly 170 pounds heavier than the Z06—most recently, 3180 pounds on our scale—the ZR1, GM claims, will knock big, hairy 10ths off the 505-hp Z06’s times. GM also says the ZR1 will rip to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, to 100 mph in 7.0 seconds, and through the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds at 131 mph. It’ll go 205 mph and pull 1.05 g on a skidpad. [image id=’01ddacd9-480c-4742-a440-0b4208f88915′ mediaId=’beea841b-0d15-45a2-882a-dd398e02f873′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]We don’t doubt it. Uh-uh. No sir.Vague? Floppy? Here, too, the ZR1 seems to stride past the Z06. To help suck up the steering flex, engineers replaced an aluminum steering-column shaft with a stiffer steel link, a change for all ’09 Corvettes. There are also ZR1-specific bushing changes in the suspension, as well as a new variable-ratio steering rack that enlivens the response.But perhaps the most credit for the ZR1’s feistier helm should go to the Michelin ­Pilot Sport PS2 run-flats. In comparative tire tests during the ZR1’s development, GM engineers say they were “blown away” by the Michelins. We felt a breeze, too. The ZR1’s steering still doesn’t have the leanness or data-bit flow of a Porsche 911’s, but placing and holding the nose where it’s needed is easier and takes less guesswork and prayer. Tail twitch is more control­lable, and the Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors (15.5 inches front, 15.0 rear) and monoblock calipers have the familiar, progressive bite of iron brakes without much danger of fade or shimmy.[image id=’ce6d5cb8-8847-4c02-b34c-ba37ac30ab83′ mediaId=’1130f52a-9751-4120-b85b-bc5db437b8db’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]On a pizza-pocked public road, the ZR1 rumbles more quietly on its wider tires and shows less body heaving and impact crash than the Z06. An early “Attaboy!” seems in order for the Magnetic Selective Ride Control, the system of fast-as-electrons variable shock absorbers that costs $1995 on the base Corvette, is not available on the Z06, and comes standard on ZR1s. One cool nuance: On hard launches, the computer turns rear rebound to zero to hold the back end down for better traction. Yet, flip as we might, we couldn’t tell much difference between the ZR1’s sport and touring settings.The double-plate clutch is light, just an undetectable few ounces stiffer than the Z06’s, GM confirms. Rollouts and upshifts happen with doughy smoothness. A long throttle pedal puts the Hulk trigger toward the back, so you can cruise lazily in the ZR1 through town returning perhaps 20 mpg. (GM boasts that the ZR1 is the thriftiest 600-hp car on the market, so back off, Greenpeace!)[image id=’29ad536d-b355-4a0f-8528-74b3f0ee0087′ mediaId=’9999dc89-860f-40b2-9f0b-51286f163fce’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]All this Ferrari-stomping power and Z06-shaming refinement comes in two basic flavors, order code 1ZR for $105,000 (including the $1700 gas-guzzler levy) and the 3ZR for $10,000 more. The latter adds a Bose sound system, navigation, and a leather dash wrap. Chrome wheels ($2000), extra-cost paint ($300 to $750), and Corvette museum delivery ($490) are the only other options. GM figures it can build 1800 copies a year if the current worm-eaten market will take them.A few years ago GM management wondered what a $100,000 Corvette would be like. You have the answer. If only they had thought up a similar trick for the Omega Brougham. Oops.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle]

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From the April 2001 Issue of Car and Driver.This is not your routine Car and Driver comparison test. To just get our hands on these three cars at the same time—Ferrari’s new 360 Spider F1 and an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante and a BMW Z8—we had to go a little out of our way—to Italy. Not just Italy, but to the ancient Grand Prix racetrack at Monza, where we could gather the hard performance numbers without attracting unwanted attention from the carabinieri.

Ah, Monza, home of the Autodromo Nazionale, the oldest Grand Prix track. It still follows the shape of the 1922 original. Some of the corners have been reprofiled, and several chicanes have been added to slow the modern cars, but with almost spooky accuracy it’s the same circuit that has been the scene of 65 Grands Prix. There is a 3.6-mile oval portion of the track that is no longer in use, and it is banked so steeply—38 degrees—that you can’t walk up it. The oval was last used in the Italian Grand Prix of 1961, and it made the times at Monza faster even than at Spa or Reims. The rough concrete banking is still there, quietly decaying as it is slowly reclaimed by nature.This great racing cathedral was also the undoing of drivers Ronnie Peterson, Jochen Rindt, Taffy von Trips (and 14 spectators), and Alberto Ascari, all of whom perished in competition there. You can’t drive this narrow ribbon of blacktop, blasting through famous corners with the exotic names of Lesmo, Curva Grande, Variante Ascari, and Parabolica, or walk the old pits, where director John Frankenheimer filmed part of the ’66 movie Grand Prix, without sensing the ghosts that haunt this place. Most weekends, before the racing season starts in March, it’s open to the public. Bring a car, fork over 50,000 lira ($25), and it’s yours for 30 minutes of glorious driving.After our testing at Monza, we lit out across the straight roads of the Po Plain and down the A26 autostrada that for a while allows a 150-mph cruising speed, then winds through mountains to the port city of Genoa, through tunnel after tunnel running high above the Mediterranean coast. And then we headed inland again, up the twisty Passo della Cisa, where on October 5, 1919, a young Enzo Ferrari finished fourth in class in his first motor-racing event, the Parma-Poggio di Berceto, a local hill-climb, in a 2.3-liter CMN. Add fine food and the constant excitement generated by our convoy of exotics as we passed through villages, and clearly, this was no ordinary comparison.These cars, brilliant in all the great stuff—performance, handling, driving pleasure, and (mostly) styling—deliver almost obscenely poor fuel mileage. In a country where high-octane runs about $5 a gallon, low-to-mid-teens consumption thins your wallet in a hurry. And even if you’re willing to ignore the fuel costs, you can’t begin to explore the twilight zone in any of the trio without putting your license at risk.All three exotics also display an exceptional level of packaging inefficiency. The V-12 Aston Martin weighs well over 4000 pounds. In fact, a 2400-pound Mazda Miata offers pretty much the same alfresco motoring on winding roads and provides the same level of grin factor. And it costs a fraction of the Ferrari 360 Spider F1’s $176,512, including more than 10 grand for the paddle-shift gearbox. Or the Aston’s $159,732 base price, or the BMW’s $134,455, including the gas-guzzler and luxury taxes.And yet we love them all.This is precious metal, the only circa-400-horsepower sporting convertibles on offer to dot.com or old-money millionaires, discounting the soon-to-be-replaced SL600 Mercedes-Benz and the way-over-the-top Bentley Azure. They are, above everything else, automotive indulgences, bought not because the 360 Spider generates marginally more lateral acceleration than the Aston does, but on purely subjective grounds. Hell, at this rarefied level, you buy the Aston simply because none of the neighbors’ garages houses a DB7 Volante. Emotions run high.We immediately discovered, upon gathering them together for their first collective public outing, that these are very different automotive animals, their characters closely mimicking the national personalities of their countries of origin. The Ferrari is excitable, passionate, arousing the body’s every sense. The BMW is beautifully finished, as solid of body as it is strong of engine. The Aston Martin is reserved, tailored, rich in clublike leather and wood, and it spoils the passenger almost as much as the driver.As always, we’ve ranked the combatants and emerged with a clear winner—no prize for guessing, as we were in Italy, after all—but the distinctive personalities of these cars mean they transcend objectivity. We’d perfectly understand why you’d want to buy any one of this gorgeous threesome.
Third Place: Aston Martin DB7 Volante The Aston is the elder statesman of this group. Even though the Vantage V-12 has only been around for two years, the enchantingly curvaceous DB7 dates to 1994.

Highs: British club-room ambiance, hearty V-12, swallows more than one Louis Vuitton suitcase.

The formula is British traditional: front-engined, solidly built, with quality furnishings. That might suggest that the DB7 Vantage Volante is an old person’s car. Not so. As the performance figures show, this convertible has the power and exuberance to run with the best. It is a weighty beast—at 4264 pounds, some 200 pounds heavier than the coupe—but it can still sprint to 60 in five seconds flat, even with an automatic transmission. Top speed is limited to 165 mph. (The Vantage coupe we tested last year is unrestricted and ran 182 mph.)Remember that this mighty 5.9-liter V-12 is effectively two Ford Duratec V-6s, although the aluminum block and heads are produced by Cosworth, which also assembles the Vantage engines. The motor in this Volante felt really strong in our acceleration tests on Monza’s main straight. Its 398 pound-feet topped the torque on hand in the BMW and Ferrari, and it made great music as well as impressive numbers.

Lows: Too bulky to be a hustler, instant posing spoiled by fiddly roof tonneau.

It is the only car here with a conventional automatic transmission—a ZF five-speed, in this case supplemented by Touchtronic, which provides manual shifting via buttons on either side of the steering-wheel spokes. This is a convenient arrangement, but when running to the redline, we found that the transmission responded sluggishly to the button commands, allowing the V-12 to pick up another 300 rpm before the shift was completed.On ordinary roads—if we can call the twists and turns through the Italian hills ordinary—the Aston grips and stops well and handles precisely, but it’s too heavy and bulky to be truly agile. A softer suspension setup than the Vantage coupe’s doesn’t help, resulting in greater body roll and limiting performance in sudden maneuvers such as our lane-change test. The benefit is in ride comfort, which is superior to that of the other cars here.The DB7’s forte is high speed on the highway.

The Verdict: Luxury cruiser with a big punch and old-world opulence.

This is a car that cruises effortlessly at 120 mph while remaining rock steady. It would be our choice of the three for a 1000-mile dash across the European continent, which is what we did, bringing the car from its English homeland to meet its rivals in Italy.Second Place: BMW Z8
True-blue enthusiasts tend to be suspicious of cars that make too much of a fashion statement. There’s always the inkling that the flashy looks are there to distract the discriminating driver from less than perfect mechanical underpinnings.BMW’s Z8 certainly looks sufficiently flamboyant to raise such concerns. Its muscular vintage lines are as rakish as a Borsalino hat, and when you slip behind the wheel, you are transported back in time.

Highs: Silky and effortlessly muscular drivetrain, superb assembly quality, distinctively vintage feel.

That steering wheel, for example, employs spokes built up from steel rods, as in a mid-’50s MG. The dashboard forward of the wheel is bereft of instruments because they all reside in a central pod angled toward the driver. At night, those gauges are illuminated by a yellowish glow that looks as if it were produced by a bulb from Thomas Edison’s day.Yet underneath its sensuous curves and polished chrome accents, the BMW Z8 is impressively modern and sophisticated. The chassis consists of an aluminum space frame, which provides a foundation for the front and rear suspensions, borrowed from BMW’s redoubtable 5- and 7-series sedans. The sculpted body panels are formed from lightweight aluminum.The finished product weighs just under 3500 pounds. That’s a mass that causes no difficulties for the Z8’s 394-hp, 4.9-liter V-8 powertrain, which is transplanted virtually unchanged from the powerful BMW M5 sports sedan. The combination produces enough thrust to light up the rear tires at will, but there’s still sufficient traction to rocket to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and click the quarter-mile traps at 110 mph in 13 seconds flat. That’s as quick as the Ferrari up to 60 mph — and at higher speeds, the Z8 actually pulls ahead! The electronically governed 155-mph top speed comes up in a big hurry.Csere pointed out that “the company isn’t called the Bavarian Motor Works for nothing.” The Z8’s builder could also just as easily be called the Bavarian Clutch and Transmission Works, judging by how smoothly those two driveline components do their jobs. “Not that you need that many shifts,” Winfield said. “It pulls from anywhere on the dial.”The chassis is rigid enough to harness this thrust without any creaks or groans.The suspension also makes good use of its wide and grippy 18-inch Dunlop SP Sport 9000A tires. But despite this firm grasp on the tarmac, most of us felt slightly timid about pushing the Z8 to its limits.”The feel of the car at speed doesn’t impart immense confidence, so you’re not encouraged to let it really hang out,” noted Winfield. Csere suggested that “it doesn’t generate the cornering mastery of the Ferrari.” But Robinson found that the Z8 was “easier to drive quickly immediately than the Ferrari.”We all agreed that the convertible top was perhaps the BMW’s weakest point. With the roof erected, the Z8 was easily the noisiest of the three cars on the highway, with wind roar becoming prominent at 70 mph.

Lows: Excessive wind roar with the top up, excessive wind with the top down, distinctively vintage feel.

Lowering the top is easy enough, requiring only the press of a button on the console. But fitting the tonneau is a two-person job requiring a particularly difficult, and largely invisible, insertion of two retaining fingers into a pair of narrow slots recessed between the two seats.With the tonneau in place, the Z8 looks gorgeous, but airflow in the cockpit is not very well managed. Even with the wind blocker in place between the two headrests, gale-force backdrafts abound. If the day is cold when you put the top down, you will appreciate the powerful seat heaters.These top-down shenanigans are directly related to the Z8’s vintage, upright stance. “You seem to sit on this car, rather than in it.” Several of us who liked the Z8’s vintage fashion statement “loved the interior treatment and finish” and found the steering wheel to be “a work of art.” Hutton complained about the “awful ‘spring’ steering wheel” and “the blank space where I want the rev counter and speedo to be.”

The Verdict: 427 Cobra swagger with modem sophistication.

Robinson summed up the Z8 as “a hugely refined and sophisticated Cobra.” That’s about right, and if that blend appeals to you, the BMW Z8 is very hard to beat.First Place: Ferrari 360 Spider F1
In our September 2000 issue, Ferrari’s 360 Modena F1 coupe took on Aston Martin’s DB7 Vantage and Porsche’s incredible 911 Turbo, and won. But is that any reason to expect a similar victory from Ferrari’s 360 Spider in a contest with these two elegant competitors, given that convertibles are required to fulfill a different set of expectations?Obviously, the answer is yes. Ferrari has somehow taken all the sensory delights from the Modena and transplanted them, undiluted, into the Spider, and then capped the whole deal with a convertible top that proves irreproachable in appearance and operation.

Highs: Exhilarating performance, spine-tingling sounds, sensual tactile feedback, awesome convertibility.

It isn’t just that the one-touch automatic operation deploys and unfurls the top in a spectacular dance of levers, covers, and flaps. It’s also that the car looks great with the top up, and it drives with the solidity and isolation of a coupe.Then, when you consign the top to its lair beneath the gleaming hard tonneau covers—completely concealing its presence under a long rear deck—the loss of a roof profile and its critical C-pillar volume is balanced by such visual details as roll hoops, fins, and a glass engine cover.Equally important, the aerodynamic characteristics of a top-down Spider are extraordinary.Whether it’s due to the long, raked windshield or the little mesh wind blockers you see in the mirror—or a combination of both—the Spider provides a remarkably draft- and buffet-free environment.Climb from the BMW Z8 on a chilly day on a fast autostrada, and the Spider feels like a warm and secluded refuge from the elements. Said C/D’s normally skeptical editor-in-chief: “The 360’s top-down cockpit comfort is unbelievable. At 125 mph, a sheet of paper sitting on the passenger seat doesn’t even flutter.”Plus, you can carry on a conversation without yelling yourself hoarse at speeds that would have you on a Cops episode in the U.S. Better yet, you can dive into one of the many tunnels that enclose Italy’s coastal autostradas, flick the left-side paddle for a two-gear downshift, and let ‘er rip to the redline. This produces a wail like that of an F1 car from the ’70s and even has the guys in other cars laughing like schoolboys.

Lows: Maybe the roll hoops and rear-deck fins would look better if they aligned.

Peter Robinson wrote: “The Ferrari should get 11 out of 10 in the fun category.” He’s right. Everything in the Spider has been crafted to provide maximum fun. The engine rasps, snarls, and howls its way to the 8500-rpm redline, ticking past 100 mph in 11.7 seconds on the way to its redline-limited top speed of 175 mph. The steering wheel thrills with messages from the front wheels and transmits its responses to your hands in genetic code. And the F1 transmission—although requiring some practice to achieve optimal smoothness—allows you to play boy racer without the need for any tricky pedal boogie.Being mid-engined, the Spider turns in with an immediacy that is notably different from the two front-engined cars. Unlike the Z8, which kind of swings the nose around the driver, the Ferrari rotates car and driver in one piece. With excellent road feel, strong brakes, and its mass centralized between the axles, the 360 will corner very hard indeed, offering linear response at the helm until the meaty Pirellis begin to push wide.To keep a driver’s enthusiasm from overreaching his capabilities, the Spider has ASR—a stability program—that steps in to cut the power and selectively apply brakes to control yaw. A sport switch alters the threshold of the stability system while also altering the variable-damping shock menu.

The Verdict: Worth selling the house for.

Thus, Ferrari’s electronics protect the inexpert driver and cater to the expert at the same time. When you add this contemporary technical sophistication to a car that offers a surprising amount of passenger space, decent ergonomics, fairly generous room in the front trunk and behind the seats for luggage, plus peerless visual and tactile delights, you end up with a car that is paradoxically versatile and charismatic. As Hutton noted: “The surprising thing is that it is the most extreme car, yet it’s also, in many ways, the easiest to use.” Putting it another way, that means we have a winner on our hands.

Specifications

Specifications
2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante
VEHICLE TYPE
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE AS TESTED
$159,732 (base price: $170,137)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement
 362 in3, 5935 cm3
Power
 414 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque
 398 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
5-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar/control arm, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Brakes (F/R): vented, cross-drilled disc/vented disc
Tires (F, R): Bridgestone S-02, 245/40ZR-18, 265/35ZR-18
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 102.0 in
Length: 183.7 in
Width: 72.0 in
Height: 49.6 in
Passenger volume: 68 ft3
Cargo volume: 5.0 ft3
Curb weight: 4264 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.0 sec
100 mph: 11.9 sec
130 mph: 21.6 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.5 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.7 sec
¼-mile: 13.6 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 165 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 175 ft
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
City/highway: 11/18 mpg
— 
2001 BMW Z8
VEHICLE TYPE
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE AS TESTED $134,455 (base price: $134,455)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement
302 in3, 4941 cm3
Power
394 hp @ 6600 rpm
Torque
368 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar/control arm, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Brakes (F/R): vented disc/vented disc
Tires (F,R): Dunlop SP Sport 9000A, 245/45WR-18 96Y, 275/40WR-18 99Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 98.6 in
Length: 173.2 in
Width: 72.0 in
Height: 51.9 in
Passenger volume: 51 ft3
Cargo volume: 5.0 ft3
Curb weight: 3494 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.6 sec
100 mph: 10.9 sec
130 mph: 19.2 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 4.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 6.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.8 sec
¼-mile: 13.0 sec @ 110 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 164 ft
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 13 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
City/highway: 13/21 mpg
—
2001 Ferrari 360 Spider F1
VEHICLE TYPE
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE AS TESTED $134,455 (base price: $134,455)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 40-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement
219 in3, 3586 cm3
Power
395 hp @ 8500 rpm
Torque
275 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): control arms, coil springs, adjustable shocks, anti-roll bar/control arm, adjustable shocks, anti-roll barBrakes (F/R): vented disc/vented disc
Tires (F,R): Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico, 215/45ZR-18 89Y, 275/40ZR-18 99Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 102.3 in
Length: 176.3 in
Width: 75.7 in
Height: 48.6 in
Passenger volume: 52 ft3
Cargo volume: 7.0 ft3
Curb weight: 3424 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.6 sec
100 mph: 11.7 sec
130 mph: 21.9 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 7.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 7.8 sec
¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (redline limited): 175 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 175 ft
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
City/highway: 10/16 mpg

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From the January 2005 issue of Car and Driver.As we floored the accelerator in the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, there was a brief snap of wheelspin before the electronic stability control stepped in to balance the sudden tidal wave of torque against the grip of the car’s 295/30ZR-19 rear Michelins. After that it was just a matter of listening to the deep staccato beat of the 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 hurtling the SLR down the relatively short runway at Malmsheim, near Stuttgart (where Mercedes organized this performance test for American magazines), and then tapping the shift button on the steering wheel each time the tach reached for its 7000-rpm redline.

Do that with any degree of proficiency, and you are rewarded with 0-to-60-mph sprints in just 3.6 seconds. The quarter-mile is dispatched in 11.6 seconds at 125 mph, and even that result might improve on a warmer surface. C/D’s test session was the last of four and took place in the late afternoon, when October temperatures were on the decline.Skilled testers can equal the launch performance of the SLR’s stability-control system (ESP in Mercedes-speak) by switching to its second, less intrusive position and finessing the gas pedal for traction, but they can’t beat it. In the normal ESP mode, you have very effective launch control, and since the SLR has 575 pound-feet of torque from 3250 rpm, that system is worth its weight in gold-plated connectors. It was also reassuring to know that the huge ceramic brake rotors and equally substantial calipers would quickly slough off speed at the end of each 130-mph run on the relatively short Malmsheim airstrip.
Dig into the loud pedal any time out on the road, and you’ll be gob-smacked by the sheer ferocity of the AMG engine’s response. It might involve a downshift to do it, but a big dig at the throttle produces the kind of thrust that had everyone in our group shaking their heads in awe. Just check out our 30-to-50 and 50-to-70 times, which at 1.7 and 2.4 seconds are the best pair of top-gear acceleration times we’ve ever recorded for a production car.

HIGHS: Dazzling speed, ubiquitous torque, everyday versatility.

In any situation other than a dry day on a straight road, a deep prod at the throttle will likely be answered by the activities of both engine and electronic watchdogs. The engine wants to give its all while the electronic systems are trying to save your life. Even then, we had a couple of occasions in traffic when a stab at the pedal produced a brief twitch of the tail.That explains why Mercedes will not allow the ESP to be switched off completely. In fact, while we were pondering this strategy during a break at the test session, someone asked why one even needs 617 horsepower in a street-going car. The answer came from another writer: “To reach 207 mph.”

Exactly. If a company with a long motorsports history wants to flaunt its heritage in a car that evokes both the 300SLR of old and the Formula 1 McLaren of right now, it needs to breech the 200-mph mark in the same way Ferrari’s Enzo does. To push a big car like the SLR through an increasingly resistant atmosphere to the 200-mph mark-particularly when it has a flat bottom, front and rear diffusers, and a tail spoiler designed to provide downforce at speed-you need big horsepower.Mercedes performance partner AMG knows where to find it. AMG knows how to package it, too. Looking at a fully dressed AMG SLR engine, one can readily appreciate the unit’s compact size. The 5.4-liter V-8 in the SLR wears single-overhead-cam three-valve heads that are remarkably compact. The twin-screw blower resides in the valley between the cylinder banks, where it takes up very little space. A dry-sump lubrication system allows the V-8 to be housed lower than with a conventional oil pan.

LOWS: Controversial styling, ocean-front price, unavailability.

Even the side-pipe exhaust system, with its vertical mufflers, helps keep the mass centralized. The engine sits comfortably amidships, well behind the front axle line, and contributes to the car’s nearly perfect weight distribution. That lends the SLR some special handling benefits, including a front end that hangs on well after you expect understeer and a chassis that accepts additional steering lock in mid-bend without complaint. Indeed, the SLR pulls an impressive 0.97 g on the skidpad, despite tires that appear to be, at least on paper, less generous than what Dodge might apply to a mere 500-hp car.
Turns out the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 hoops specially constructed for this car work exceptionally well, given their rain-or-shine duty brief. The car does not offer particularly strong feedback at slow to middling speeds, but it steps up the information flow when it begins to work hard, lending confidence to the driver for further dynamic exploration. The only problem here is that you’re already traveling at high speed when the car comes truly alive in your hands.Don’t be misled. The SLR has less of the syrupy layer than most normal Benzes exhibit. Its steering is much more direct, as are throttle response and all ride sensations. But the ride is pretty cushy as 200-mph supercars go, and there is a thin gasket of luxury between mechanicals and nerve endings, all of which was intentional. The car, we were told repeatedly, was always envisioned as a fast GT. And that would explain the generous trunk space compared with other cars of the genre, the three interior storage compartments, the automatic climate control, the high-end stereo system, and the custom-fit leather seats. (Cushions of various thicknesses are fixed to the carbon-fiber seat shells to tailor each owner’s fit to this $455,500 rocket.)
Therein lies the great paradox. Mercedes has tried to balance the SLR somewhere between all-out supercar and civilized grand tourer. This within a swoopy carbon-fiber monocoque chassis that has an unequal-length control-arm suspension at all corners, gullwing doors, an active rear airbrake/spoiler, side-pipe exhausts, and an engine that expresses power with every revolution. Yet all these sporty flourishes are in combination with an automatic transmission, various and sundry luxury trappings, and a substantial 3858-pound curb weight.Clearly, this is a vehicle intended for a flexible role. Luckily for us (and owners with the means), technology allows car designers a lot of leeway these days, enabling less compromise than was possible just a few years ago. A smooth ride and precise handling are no longer mutually exclusive; nor are creature comforts and high power. You can indeed have your cake and eat it, too.
This particular slice of cake has been very carefully baked. According to Le Mans winner Klaus Ludwig, one example of meticulous development is that the windshield wipers on the SLR work at 200 mph. Just what one might be doing at 200 mph in the rain is anyone’s guess, but it’s nice to know that this limited-production GT has had all its systems thoroughly checked out. At a price that verges on half-a-million bucks–and an output of just 3500 SLRs over the next seven years–we expect nothing less.

THE VERDICT: A classic in the making.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
VEHICLE TYPEfront-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED$455,500 (base price: $455,500)
ENGINE TYPEsupercharged and intercooled SOHC 24-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement332 in3, 5439 cm3Power617 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque575 lb-ft @ 3250 rpm
TRANSMISSION5-speed automatic
CHASSISSuspension (F/R): control arms/control armsBrakes (F/R): 14.6-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic disc/14.2-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic discTires: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, F: 245/35ZR-19 96Y R: 295/30ZR-19 100Y
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 106.3 in Length: 183.3 in Width: 75.1 in  Height: 49.6 in Passenger volume: 45 ft3 Trunk volume: 10 ft3 Curb weight: 3858 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS60 mph: 3.6 sec100 mph: 7.9 sec130 mph: 12.5 secRolling start, 5–60 mph: 3.8 secTop gear, 30–50 mph: 1.7 secTop gear, 50–70 mph: 2.4 sec1/4 mile: 11.6 sec @ 125 mphTop speed (redline limited, mfr’s claim): 207 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 161 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.97 g
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCombined/city/highway: 15/13/18 mpg
c/d testing explained

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From the April 2005 issue of Car and Driver.Sadly, such cars as Nissan’s estimable 350Z suffer from the flavor-of-the-month syndrome. Because the Z-car lives in a specialized novelty niche in the marketplace, it’s prone to being displaced by the next hot new sporty coupe to come along. Somewhere in the sports-car netherworld is a collection of shirts lost in similar ventures.

Thus, to maintain a vehicle’s sporty allure, you have to keep updating it in some meaningful way. That’s exactly what Nissan has been doing by creating submodels of the basic 350Z concept. The Performance, Enthusiast, Touring, Track, and roadster models all cater to subniches within the realm of wannabe Z-car owners. And now—not entirely to the surprise of industry analysts—comes the 35th Anniversary Edition.It is top dog among Z-cars, with more power, more equipment, brighter colors, and a heftier price. At $36,660, it’s quite a stretch from the entry-level 350Z, which is just $27,060 out the door. That’s nearly 10 grand more for essentially the same car, but the anniversary model does have some compelling reasons for a buyer to drag out the extra dough. One is the 300-hp engine found only in the anniversary and 2005 Track models. That’s a healthy bump up from the base 350Z’s 287 horsepower, even if it is accompanied by a reduction in peak torque—14 pound-feet—to 260.Big deal. The 3.5-liter VQ V-6 has always had so much grunt that drivers of manual versions often burn the clutches by overslipping them when pulling away. There’s still so much torque available in the anniversary car that sixth gear is ample for most highway passing maneuvers. Everyday driving can be accomplished using the venerable old-fart technique of shifting from first to third to fifth. And with that in mind, we’ll happily trade a little torque for some extra horsepower and the extended rev range that comes with it. (This tach redlines at 7000 rpm instead of the 6600 rpm of the base model.)The power increase was achieved through changes to the camshaft profiles, adoption of stronger valve springs as well as variable exhaust-valve timing, and installation of upgraded pistons, rods, and crank pulley. It doesn’t sound like much, but the extra 400 rpm gives you a longer stretch in gears on tight and twisty roads and makes short tracks a bit easier to negotiate.

Ironically, the extra power and range didn’t do much at the test track–producing a slower 0-to-60-mph time, 5.8 seconds, than that of our last 350Z Touring (5.7). Nor was the quarter-mile time shorter, just equaling the Touring’s at 14.3 seconds, but this had a lot to do with the state of the desert test facilities after big winter storms. Grip was in short supply.If you opt for an automatic transmission, you’ll get neither the extra power nor the extended rev range, but you will get a matched-rev downshift program when utilizing the manumatic mode that is now included on all 2005 350Zs. It makes performance driving more enjoyable.Naturally, you’ll want to let everyone know your 350Z is a special edition, so the anniversary car wears some cool kit.Our car was resplendent in Ultra Yellow, and those capital letters don’t begin to emphasize just how yellow this paint is. Think tiny dab of French’s mustard in a vat of Ferrari “Fly Yellow,” and you’re just about there. The anniversary model also comes in Silverstone and Super Black, which are bound to be eye-catching.Unique 18-inch alloy wheels of an exceedingly pleasing design adorn the fender wells of this car, and through them you can clearly see the big Brembo calipers and rotors that share space with them. There’s a unique chin spoiler, but if it’s any different from the usual 350Z fare, it was too subtle for our Ultra Yellow-blinded eyes to detect. However, after donning Ray-Bans, we did notice the exclusive badging just ahead of the doors. Like all 2005 350Zs, the 35th Anniversary Edition (we wish the name were shorter) features a tire-pressure-monitoring system, heated wider-view side mirrors, and a seat-cushion height adjustment. The optional navigation system now has a faster processor for 2005. You can also get a trick two-tone black-and-tan leather seat, but not with the Ultra Yellow paint. Show some restraint, you shameless extrovert. Even in a 300-hp, bright-yellow chick magnet you need to leave something to the imagination.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS2005 Nissan 350Z 35th Anniversary EditionVEHICLE TYPE front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 3-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED $37,160 (base price: $36,660)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3498 cm3Power (SAE net): 300 bhp @ 6400 rpmTorque (SAE net): 260 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 104.3 in Length: 169.4 in Width: 71.5 in Height: 51.9 inCurb weight: 3360 lb
PERFORMANCEZero to 60 mph: 5.8 secStanding 1/4-mile: 14.3 sec @ 101 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 167 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA fuel economy, city driving: 20 mpgC/D observed fuel economy: 22 mpg

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