Reviews

From the July 2004 issue of Car and Driver.
Lake Tahoe, for those of you who’ve never been there, is solid Subaru country. You see the star-badged four-wheel-drive Subies everywhere you go. At a lunch stop during the company’s 2005 Outback introductory drive, most of the staff admitted to owning one Subaru or another.

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Obviously, the snowy winter climate in the Sierra Nevada predisposes Tahoans to durable, four-wheel-drive vehicles, and interest in the fleet of new Outbacks was wholehearted. And when the faithful learn that the midrange 2.5XT tested here has a 250-hp turbocharged engine-based on the unit in the WRX STi-that shrugs off most of the effects of power-robbing altitude, these folks will be standing in line at the dealerships.
There are three basic levels of the 2005 Outback, starting with the 2.5i and 2.5i Limited. A 168-hp naturally aspirated flat-four engine powers both of these, with the Limited offering a higher level of equipment.
The 2.5XT and 2.5XT Limited are intercooled turbo versions of the flat-four engine, with 250 horsepower on tap.
Most expensive are the top-dog Outback 3.0R and 3.0R sedan, powered by a 3.0-liter flat-six featuring variable intake-valve timing and lift. The 3.0R is also available in L.L.Bean livery and as the VDC Limited (for “vehicle dynamics control,” a system that integrates an all-speed, all-wheel traction-control system with variable-torque all-wheel drive). At about $33,000, it is Subaru’s most expensive Outback.

Highs: Turbo performance, refinement, all-weather versatility.

For 2005, the Outback has a slightly longer wheelbase and is 1.3 inches longer overall. It has a wider track, a lower center of gravity, and weighs less than the previous-generation car, despite being stiffer and stronger. Subaru used aluminum panels for the hood, front bumper assembly, and liftgate to reduce weight as well as decrease mass at the car’s extremities for better handling. In the drive toward centralized mass, even the battery was shifted rearward.
At 3640 pounds, the 2.5XT Limited we tested isn’t exactly svelte, but it isn’t too bad for a fully equipped all-wheel-drive wagon, and it certainly performs and feels like a lighter car. A quarter-mile time of 15.6 seconds at 92 mph isn’t too shabby for a nearly two-ton wagon with an automatic transmission.
The low center of gravity helps quell roll motions and reduce that tippy sensation you often get in heavy SUVs. And thanks to a steering rack bolted securely to the front suspension subframe, what Subaru calls a “cannon mount,” the Outback has very direct responses to the helm. To reduce kickback shock, the rack has an integral shock-damping valve that produces a decent compromise between wheel tremor and feel.

Subaru engineers explained at length that horizontally opposed four-cylinder engines have perfect primary and second-order balance, and the new 2.5-liter engine is indeed amazingly smooth and quiet.

Subaru engineers explained at length that horizontally opposed four-cylinder engines have perfect primary and second-order balance, and the new 2.5-liter engine is indeed amazingly smooth and quiet. The layout boasts other advantages, too, such as a crankshaft that is short and stiff and-since no heavy counterweights are needed -comparatively light.
The engine is short, and its longitudinal location provides a straight shot for the transmission and driveshaft. The new five-speed automatic gearbox looks way long in comparison, but that’s because it also houses the front and center differentials, along with the computer-directed multi-disc clutch mechanism that apportions torque in Subaru’s so-called variable torque-distribution system. (Models with other engine-and-transmission configurations come with different center-differential systems.)
The “symmetrical all-wheel-drive” mechanism—as Subaru calls it—is mostly utterly transparent, but you can sense its variable operation in certain conditions. Because the torque is directed to the axle with the most grip, you can alter the car’s handling characteristics in a corner on a gravel road by adding throttle and having the car transition from understeer to neutral or even mild oversteer simply by staying on the gas. For drivers accustomed to correcting slides, the process can be a little counterintuitive, but you soon become reliant on this useful handling tool.

Lows: Slow transmission kickdown, all-season tires.

We could feel the center diff manipulating torque during skidpad testing, too. In third gear, too low on the tach for serious boost, the Outback would squeal around with the front end pushing fairly resolutely. When we tried it again in second, the rapidly inflating boost levels would have the car up on its toes, ready to rotate.
The fact that the 2.5XT only pulled a fairly unexceptional 0.74 g has more to do with its all-season Bridgestones. The Potenza RE92s are engineered to keep those Lake Tahoe residents slogging through the slush, not for cornering at high speeds. Despite that, the Outback handles well, feeling stable and secure in all circumstances, and summer tires would really optimize its act.
In many ways the Subaru approach is paradoxical. The Outbacks (and Legacy siblings) have the necessary hardware, suspension geometry, and balance to be credible performance cars, but they’re tuned for the middle of the road. Although body-motion control is well restrained, the ride is supple and comfortable. A four-into-one-into-two exhaust system is pleasant-sounding but muted to the point of inaudibility in normal motoring.
Control feedback in the cabin is clear but subtle, and you always get the impression that the cars are trying to please the largest possible audience. Yet lovers of high-performance machinery won’t be disappointed with the 2.5XT’s cockpit, which has the requisite instrumentation tidily presented by electroluminescent white-on-black gauges ringed by dimly glowing red circles. The seats in the 2.5XT are as firm and supportive as the furniture you’d find in reputable German sports sedans.

Another thoughtful feature typical of the Subaru approach is that the rear wiper will automatically switch from intermediate to constant speed when the driver selects reverse gear.

Even the Sportshift override system for the five-speed automatic caters to discerning drivers. Like other systems on the market, a sideways swipe of the console-mounted selector lever pops it over into the manual slot, where forward and backward movements provoke up- and downshifts. As in other cars, buttons on the steering wheel duplicate those selections. But in the Outback, you can thumb one of the buttons and get a response even when the center selector is in the normal drive position.
Thus, if you’re dozing along in drive and suddenly spot a stationary car in your lane and a break in traffic, you can thumb the button for a downshift and scoot into the gap. You could also mash the gas pedal and wait for a downshift, but here you’d find a fairly deliberate pause while the computer thinks about the smoothest way to do that.
The system reverts to normal automatic operation within a few seconds, but it’s nice to have the car standing by for further instruction, and we found ourselves taking advantage of the feature fairly often. Another thoughtful feature typical of the Subaru approach is that the rear wiper will automatically switch from intermediate to constant speed when the driver selects reverse gear. And here’s something for those Lake Tahoe drivers: The outside-temperature gauge flashes when the ambient conditions drop below 37 degrees.
Most of what makes the Outback a convenient and pleasurable vehicle to use is less visible than obvious gadgetry. When they found that the previous brake booster was expanding under pressure, Subaru’s engineers used tie rods (like those holding a kettledrum together) to stop it. The result is a more predictable brake-pedal feel.

The Verdict: High-end image and high performance in one package.

Subarus have always had sashless windows, and the new Outback is no exception. If you ask a Subaru engineer, such as Martyn Harding, why, he’ll answer that it’s better to add that metal to the door-aperture surround, where it forms part of the body’s impact-absorbing cage structure. Not coincidentally, Subaru foresees a five-star rating in all the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crash tests.
We’re drawn strongly to the idea of a wagon that drives like a good car yet has nearly nine inches of ground clearance (along with pretty respectable approach and departure angles) and a four-wheel-drive system that will scramble up a rock-strewn grade like no leather-lined, quiet, smooth-riding luxury vehicle has a right to. We like that this Subaru is fast and stable on the road without ever suggesting its dual-purpose mechanicals. And we like very much that there is now a turbo Outback. Subarus were always cool. Now more of them are fast, too. That’s progress.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5XT Limited
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED $32,470
ENGINE TYPE Turbocharged and intercooled flat-4, aluminum block and headsDisplacement: 150 cu in, 2457ccPower (SAE net): 250 bhp @ 6000 rpmTorque (SAE net): 250 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
TRANSMISSION 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 105.1 inLength: 188.7 inWidth: 69.7 inHeight: 61.6 inCurb weight: 3640 lb
C/D-TEST RESULTS Zero to 60 mph: 7.1 secZero to 100 mph: 19.2 secZero to 120 mph: 32.0 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 7.8 secStanding ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 92 mphTop speed (governor limited): 130 mphBraking, 70-0 mph @ impending lockup: 204 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.74 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA fuel economy city/highway driving: 19/24 mpgC/D-observed: 19 mpg

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Marc UrbanoCar and Driver

In just the second year of the latest generation, Porsche already offers the 911 in 14 varieties, which is about halfway to where it will probably end up once they’ve rolled out every possible iteration. The latest mutation of 911 DNA spawns the 2021 911 Targa, which features a power-retractable targa panel, but it isn’t a full-on convertible. It does, however, cost just as much as the cabriolet, thus raising sound questions about the point of this roof reengineering exercise. To which the answer is: Don’t overthink this. We’ve got a new 911 Targa 4, and seemingly the whole back end of the car pops off to hide a little piece of roof. And if you don’t think that’s cool, you’re welcome to peruse one of the many other 911s or just go down to the nearest pond and yell at the ducks.

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The Targa’s top operates just as it did on the previous generation: The rear window cantilevers back as the top folds itself and tucks behind the rear seats, the glass then returning home on a 19-second round trip. On the previous Targa, it was possible to pop the top and smash that pricey piece of formed glassed into a brick wall or the Cayenne parked in the garage. In the newest generation, if the parking sensors detect any threats within 1.6 feet, the top will halt its disappearing act and alert the driver to the imminent danger. The Targa bar comes standard in silver and can be optioned in black. And be sure to keep this latest edition rubber side down or the two magnesium bars fitted to keep the targa panel taut would likely create a dazzling sparkler show.

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The Targa is propelled by a familiar powertrain, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six mated to Porsche’s magnificent eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Starting at $120,650, the Targa 4 cranks out 379 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. Upgrading to the 4S will run an additional $15,900 but bumps the power output to 443 horses and 390 pound-feet. Sadly, the Targa is only offered with all-wheel drive, but there’s a little morsel of redemption. As with the other S variants, a seven-speed manual transmission is offered as a no-cost option. The do-it-yourself gearbox replaces the electronically controlled limited-slip differential with a conventional limited-slip unit and includes the otherwise optional Sport Chrono package, which adds drive modes and dynamic engine mounts. Curious how the Targa will perform? Check out these tests of the Carrera S, Carrera S with the manual, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S and Carrera S Cabriolet.

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Marc UrbanoCar and Driver

Because it’s a Porsche, a plethora of performance goodies and dress-up items are available à la carte. The German-spec Targa 4S we drove had all the fixings, which, at $181,840, inflated the sticker price into capital-T 911 Turbo range. A 911 is beautiful to drive at any price point, but the Targa 4S’s extra performance gear certainly didn’t disappoint. The adaptive dampers (standard on both models) adeptly smooth the wrinkled pavement of old country roads, and the steering operates with impeccable precision and provides useful feedback. The brake pedal is perfect, and the optional carbon-ceramic rotors are unbothered by any abuse you can throw at them. The active anti-roll bars paired with rear-axle steering (both only available on the 4S) seemingly grant the Targa cornering superpowers and the driver instantaneous confidence. If launch-control starts don’t induce belly laughs, keep doing them until they do. The car won’t mind.
Of course, even a $180,000 Targa comes with a few caveats. The 911 coupes are stiffer than the convertibles, and the Targa feels a little more like the latter. The structure trembles a touch more over high-frequency washboard, and the tremors are amplified through the steering column. With the top peeled back and the wind deflector deployed from windscreen frame, there’s a bit of booming wind buffeting that occurs around 50 mph. And then there’s the additional mass. This loaded Targa 4S tipped the scales at hefty 3765 pounds, nearly 250 pounds more than the last Carrera 4S coupe we tested.

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Marc UrbanoCar and Driver

But all of those quibbles are rooted in logic, and the Targa is, at its core, an illogical machine. Sun worshippers are better off with a 911 Cabriolet; track rats will want a coupe. With so many models in the lineup, every 911 has a particular, focused mission—except this one. The Targa is the 911 that comes closest to whimsy. It’s here just for fun, to present an overly complex solution to a simple problem, and to deliver a throwback open-air experience without the hassle. If you don’t get it, don’t get it. The Targa and its audience will find each other, just as they always have.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Porsche 911 Targa 4/4S
VEHICLE TYPE rear-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door targa
BASE PRICE 4, $120,650; 4S, $135,550
ENGINES twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter flat-6, 379 hp, 331 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter flat-6, 443 hp, 390 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 98.5 inLength: 177.9 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 51.1–51.2 inCargo volume: 5 ft3Curb weight (C/D est): 3650–3750 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 3.0–3.8 sec100 mph: 7.3–8.6 sec1/4 mile: 11.3–12.0 secTop speed: 179–188 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST) Combined/city/highway: 19–20/17–18/23–24 mpg

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Marc UrbanoCar and Driver

To wake the daydreamers, a high-school teacher of mine would slap a broken goalie stick on the desk of the offender and shout, “A picture is worth a thousand words!” In addition to learning to pay attention, we learned that visual aids are indeed very helpful—and the photos you’re seeing of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe are indeed visual aids. But the headlights, giant grille, and design look better in person than they do in photos.

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Besides, the big news is hidden away in the back and beneath the skin. General Motors engineers finally put an independent rear suspension into Chevy’s large, three-row human haulers, the Tahoe and Suburban, as well as the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL. The independent rear suspension—a trailing-arm design—requires less space than a live axle, allowing for a lower floor. In previous Tahoes, third-row riders sat close to the floor, beach-chair style. Chevrolet has also extended the new Tahoe’s wheelbase by 4.9 inches, and overall length is up by 6.7 inches.

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HIGHS: Librarian-approved interior ambience, adult-approved third row, can tow four tons.

These changes mean that, for the first time, the Tahoe’s third row is a great place to sit. Legroom increases by more than 10 inches, and it will now be tolerated by full-grown adults for more than five minutes at a time. The second-row seats move and fold forward to provide good access to the third row. And to ensure that the third-row riders’ knees aren’t crunched when the second row is re-erected, the second row automatically returns to its most forward position. From there, second-row occupants can decide whether or not to kneecap the third-rowers with the seats. It’s a smart design that makes the third row that much better.
Other convenient ideas include the five USB-C plugs as well as a rear window that opens independent of the hatch, something that’s dying out in today’s SUVs. Popping the window can make it easy to load smaller items, and leaving it open can help maximize the 25 cubic feet of available space behind the third row should you want to haul something long, like a ladder. GM tells us that there are 10 more cubic feet back there than before. To put that in perspective, we found that it’s possible to carry six carry-on-size bags back there, two more than the old Tahoe.

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Unlike its cousin, the Silverado pickup, Chevy went further with the Tahoe’s interior. A large 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment interface blends cohesively into the dash, and the column shifter is now a push-button-and-slider setup to the right of the gauge cluster. There’s a motorized, retractable center-console lid for those who enjoy a bit of theater before storing their purse or men’s European satchel. It is odd that it’s motorized and perhaps stranger that the control switch for it is on the roof. The rest of the ergonomics are better. Chevy has blended physical controls (buttons, knobs, etc.) with screen inputs. There are some uncouth plastics, but you really have to be out to find them. Otherwise, the touch points have a richness commensurate with the Tahoe Z71’s $76,175 as-tested price.

LOWS: Isn’t the fleetest of foot, benefits from an in-person inspection, Chevys are getting pricey.

Sticker shocked? Tahoes cost how much? That’s enough money to purchase a base BMW X7, and it is within a grand of the Mercedes-Benz GLS’s starting price. We think that the most likely cross-shopped vehicle will be the Ford Expedition. In its most basic and rear-drive form, a Tahoe LS is a little more than $50K. Our Tahoe Z71 tester comes with a 5.3-liter V-8, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and an on-demand two-speed all-wheel-drive transfer case. The Z71 specific skid-plate-styled front bumper protects a real skid plate behind it from scratches.

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Our Z71’s air springs are part of a $2450 Off-Road Capability package that also includes magnetorheological dampers. With them, the ride has the firmness and control you expect of a body-on-frame sport utility with off-road ambitions. It jolts you just enough to remind you that there is some actual off-road hardware between you and the speed bump in the Lululemon parking lot. The air springs can increase ground clearance—to a max of 10.0 inches from 8.0—in their tallest setting.
The familiar 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8 adequately carries the 5866-pound Z71. Adequate in this case means a 7.5-second time to 60 mph. We’d expect the High Country trim level’s 420-hp 6.2-liter to be able to lop two seconds off that time, and all non-Z71 Tahoes with the 5.3-liter V-8—LS, RST, LT, and Premier—should be quicker. GM’s excellent light-duty inline-six diesel will be available early next year, too. What you trade for speed in the diesel you should make up for in fuel economy. With the 5.3-liter, the EPA labels the new Tahoe with four-wheel drive with an 18-mpg combined estimate. That’s 1 mpg thriftier than the ’20 model, and part of that is surely due to the adoption of a more sophisticated cylinder-deactivation system. We averaged 14 mpg with the Z71 and suspect that, as with acceleration, the non-Z71 versions will perform a bit better in this metric.

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Remarkably, those Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT tires don’t produce the drone we’ve come to expect from knobby off-road-friendly tires. The rushing wind, rather than the hum of tire and road noise, are the predominate soundtrack. In our 70-mph sound-level test, the Tahoe’s cabin registers a luxury-car-like 66 decibels. Skidpad grip is Jeep Wrangler-like at 0.63 g, but we should note how we extracted that, err, performance. The only way to permanently disable the very protective stability-control system is to engage low range. In rear-drive mode, we couldn’t get the truck to corner harder than about 0.44 g. This is a low enough threshold that we suspect some owners will encounter it on a cloverleaf. Keep it within its low limits, and the truck goes down the road quietly and competently. The steering tracks arrow straight, and the brakes inspire confidence with both a 184-foot stop from 70 mph and firm feel.
Tahoes have been on sale since June, so it’s possible you’ve seen one or even two on the road. If you have seen it in person, we think you’ll agree that it’s better than how it looks in photos. And if you’re daydreaming about Tahoes in photos, it looks better in person.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED $76,175 (base price: $60,495)
ENGINE TYPE pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement 325 in3, 5327 cm3Power 355 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque 383 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm
TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic
CHASSIS Suspension (F/R): control arms/trailing armsTires: Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT, 275/60R-20 115S M+S TPC Spec 2369MS
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 120.9 inLength: 210.7 inWidth: 81.0 inHeight: 75.9 inPassenger volume: 178 ft3Cargo volume: 25 ft3Curb weight: 5866 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 7.5 sec100 mph: 20.5 secRolling start, 5–60 mph: 8.4 secTop gear, 30–50 mph: 4.1 secTop gear, 50–70 mph: 5.5 sec1/4 mile: 15.8 sec @ 89 mphTop speed (governor limited): 115 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 184 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.63 gStanding-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 18/16/20 mpg

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From the May 1998 issue of Car and Driver.
Okay, we know the prices of these two cars are too far apart—more than 30 grand apart—to be con­sidered equal rivals in a comparison test. But let’s face it, these two have been fighting it out on the track for decades, and they have enough in common that they’re clearly on the same mission.
For one thing, both are high-perfor­mance sports cars that are sufficiently practical to be driven on a daily basis. That’s not something you can really say of a Lamborghini Diablo, or even a Dodge Viper. The Corvette and the Porsche 911 also share a long motorsports heritage, which in turn has allowed them to incorporate meaningful performance, handling, and durability tweaks.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

From previous performance testing, we knew the two cars were right on top of each other in the numbers game. Add to that the giant tires, brakes, and high-output engines that these cars share, and it’s obvious they have a common purpose, and a common appeal.
Of course, the differences are equally profound. The Porsche is a steel monocoque car with a flat-six engine mounted in the rear, and the Corvette is a fiberglass car with a V-8 engine carried up front. But the most important differences between the two remain the vast $29,677 base-price disparity and the strong partisan support each car enjoys. That’s what makes it unlikely that they’ll be cross-shopped by the same intended buyers. Frankly, Porsche fans probably wouldn’t want to be seen dead in a Corvette, and bow-tie fans probably see the Porsche as a snob’s sports car. But despite this wide divergence of price and sentiment, we wanted to know how they compare.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

Second Place: Porsche 911 Carrera
Yeah, it finished second, but let’s get this straight. The 911 is almost certainly the better car of the two in absolute terms. It enjoys a better overall perception of assembly quality and integrity. Its steering has clearer on-center feel (the Vette’s is a little vague), and its weighting is just about a perfect compromise for high-speed work. The Porsche’s engine has a broad spread of power, thanks to the VarioCam valve-timing system and variable-volume intake plumbing, and it has an exhaust note at 7000 rpm that will prickle your neck hairs faster than a werewolf’s howl at full moon.

Highs: Super quality, magnificent performance, razor-sharp responses.

Developing 296 horsepower, the 911 rips off 0-to-60-mph sprints from a standstill in less than five seconds and runs the quarter in only 13.5 sec­onds, beating the Corvette, though narrowly, in the process. It also circulates the skidpad slightly quicker, posting a neck-straining 0.93 g (the Vette scored a close 0.90 g).
In Don Schroeder’s hot little hands, the 911 lapped the tortuous Streets of Willow at California’s Willow Springs raceway some 0.9 second faster on its best lap than did the Corvette. According to his notes, the 911 feels lighter, more responsive, and more nimble on the track than the Corvette. Some of that is certainly due to a wheelbase that is 12 inches shorter and a curb weight 180 pounds less than the Vette’s, while the rest has something to do with careful chassis tuning. How­ever, the 911 also understeers with some determination on the Streets and requires a quick off/on throttle procedure to get the tail out. But in our emergency-lane-change ma­neuver, the 911’s tail end did step out slightly. It was quickly subdued with a dab of steering, and the 911 was still 1 mph quicker in this test than the Corvette. It seems safe to say that given this car’s enormous grip, these are not maneuvers most owners will need to learn.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

As we’d expect from a 911, the brakes are strong and fade-free, with a beautifully readable pedal. Stops from 70 mph require just 170 feet—three less than in the heavier Corvette, which also wears substantially larger tires.

Lows: Questionable interior design, narrow seats, high price.

As expected, the Porsche is an extreme example of a solidly built car, with con­trols and pedals that operate with palpable precision and no discernible slop. Its sounds and functions are sophisticated and expensive, and the only vice we noted was a clutch that reacted to the snap shifting necessary in acceleration testing with a slow reengagement. We also think that gearshifts with the new cable-shift mechanism feel deliberate rather than fluid. And until it warms up after a cold start, it’s actu­ally quite balky.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

On the road, the Porsche has a ride cal­ibrated for high-speed work, so it’s a little firm on uneven pavement at moderate speeds. Still, it’s a good compromise, and the cabin is fairly quiet, particularly on smooth roads. However, the tires are very texture sensitive and roar quite loudly on certain coarse surfaces.
Inside the car, you’re surrounded by expensive leather and molded surfaces, but we’re not sure that the combination of gray, charcoal, and fine-crackle platinum is as timeless a design as the original 911’s is. The ergonomics are better, that’s for sure, with an interior layout as rational as in any modern car. Broad-shouldered pas­sengers will find the seat backrests a little narrow. It’s odd not having a real glove box, but there’s plenty of stash space in the doors, and the luggage space provided by the fold-down rear seatbacks and the decent-sized front trunk compartment aren’t bad.

The Verdict: Nice, if you have the cash.

We prefer the combination of manual fore-and-aft seat adjustment with power recline to the system in the Corvette, which is the other way around. Drivers are more likely to want to modify their backrest position while driving at speed, so that’s the control to electrify. Although the Corvette has a longer list of equipment, the Porsche offers side airbags and rear seats, however vestigial, which are not available in the Vette. All in all, the new 911 is a worthy successor to its illustrious forebear. But it’s so much pricier than the Corvette.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

First Place: Chevrolet Corvette
The fable of the hare and the tortoise makes the point that you don’t have to be fastest to win a race, and so it is here. We found the Corvette’s combination of speed, handling, and driving pleasure to be enough—at its much lower price—to put the big Yank up front at the polls.

Highs: Powerful drivetrain, balanced chassis, fun to drive.

Actually, from about 100 mph, the Corvette is in front anyway. Although we couldn’t get it to launch as hard as the Porsche, or run the quarter as quickly, its brawny 5.7-liter LS1 V-8 moves it past the Porsche at the 100-mph mark, and it keeps pulling away from there. It reaches 120 mph a half-second sooner than the 911 and 150 mph 3.6 seconds sooner.
The Corvette enjoys other advantages, too. Its optional three-position variable-damping suspension provides a softer ride on the highway than does the nonad­justable 911 undercarriage, although it does add $1695 to the cost of the Vette and has to be switched to its firmest setting for high-speed work anyway, where the car rides about the same as the Porsche. Still, you have that choice.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

The seats are bigger in the Corvette and seem about as supportive, but we are annoyed by a passenger-seat backrest that flops forward during hard braking when it’s not occupied. Ironically, the Corvette’s interior design is now quite European and does not venture into the realm of ques­tionable aesthetics like the Porsche’s does, thus scoring a hit despite cheesy touches such as the crude ashtray-cover molding.
With a lower seating position than in the Porsche, the Corvette feels quite sporting, yet it’s still fairly easy to get into and out of. The analog instruments are as tidy and easy to read but more versatile in that they adjust between English and metric units, and the Vette has a standard-equipment driver-information center.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

Although the steering may not be as crisp as the 911’s, the Corvette is nonethe­less a bundle of fun to drive, with loads of grip, fairly neutral handling, predictable responses, and power oversteer just about anytime you want it. It may have gotten around the Streets almost a second slower than the Porsche, but the Vette can blast onto the straight with its tail sliding wide and with the driver wearing an even wider grin.

Lows: A few cheap touches.

It has more torque than the 911 and cranks out that famous V-8 thunder when wound up. You’re always aware of its size—we had to throw out some of our quickest runs in the lane change because a rear tire had run over a cone. It wasn’t because the car was sliding so badly, but because you kind of forget how broad in the beam this sucker is.
In other departments, too, the Vette isn’t as tightly laced as the Porsche. Its body-motion control isn’t as good, and the controls are a tiny bit more woolly to the touch. But only a tiny bit. And the levels of refinement in this latest-generation car—an area that would have instantly disqualified the previous Vette—are good enough to keep it in the hunt.
Sure, the Corvette is bigger than the Porsche, and it feels it. But there’s little handicap suffered because of it. Just look how close all the test figures are. Then look at the size of the trunk.

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DAVID DEWHURSTCar and Driver

The Chevy has slower responses to the wheel, but it doesn’t push as badly as the Porsche. Its neutrality is a little offset by grip that isn’t quite as prodigious as the other car’s but is nonetheless good enough to generate lots of cornering force.
It’s also fast. So fast that the right-side window was sucked away from its seal and right past the tab intended to hold it in as we approached the Vette’s top speed of 171 mph. If you run 170 mph fairly often, this could be a problem. In the Porsche, the frameless windows retract automati­cally as you shut the door, then seal tight for any speed—any speed, that is, up to 169 mph. But that stuff costs money.

The Verdict: The best Corvette ever, and better value than a 911.

At the end of the day, we concluded that, yes, the Porsche has been immacu­lately engineered and is better able to assume the 911 mantle than we’d origi­nally thought. But the Corvette is now a truly great sports car, and the fine nuances of quality and control that make the Porsche a better car do not, in our book, add up to more than 30 grand. As a result, the Corvette wins.

Specifications

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From the September 2004 issue of Car and Driver.
How much Altima is too much? Nissan dares to find out with the Altima SE-R, cranking up the butch by adding 10 horsepower, a rigid suspension, and forged 18-inch wheels wearing super-stick summer tires. The Altima 3.5SE with 250 horsepower is pleasantly sweet; the Altima SE-R wants to be two Hershey bars washed down with a Coke. Hope you like Nissan’s brand of sugar buzz.

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The Altima SE-R keeps company with the 270-hp Acura TL and 303-hp Pontiac Grand Prix GXP as one of a new generation of sedans whose power languishes in a front-drive cage. Bury the SE-R’s rubber-studded aluminum gas pedal, and the weight leans on the wrong set of tires, the right set of tires making smoke and painting stripes instead of providing traction. The steering wheel develops an urge-albeit less fervent than in some amped-up front-drivers-to seek out the nearest ditch.
Granted, the SE-R’s output, 260 horses and 251 pound-feet of torque, won’t be remembered as a turning point at a time when it takes 500 horsepower to make a headline. But the SE-R lunges down the drag strip, putting 60 mph behind it in 6.1 seconds, rattling off a quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds at 97 mph. The 12.6-inch front discs and 11.5-inch rears bring it to a halt from 70 mph in 168 feet, and double-D soles get it around the skidpad pulling 0.86 g. That’s fairly rabid for a family car carrying 3380 pounds and a $29,930 base price. It is 0.2 second slower to 60 than the last 3.5SE we tested, but the SE-R also picked up 160 pounds.

When squirting bend to bend under less-than-woolly throttle, the SE-R’s steering is delicate and precise.

We said the SE-R is a sugar buzz. Take it to a picture-postcard road to unlock its best flavors. There, the 225/45 Bridgestone Potenza S-03 tires and hewn-from-oak suspension provide real cornering grip, a fierce turn-in response, and tight body control. When squirting bend to bend under less-than-woolly throttle, the SE-R’s steering is delicate and precise. Scribe your corner lines as steadily as your hands can hold the wheel.
Changing gears is a long hand wave, thanks to the tall shifter, but the beanpole slides through its gates tightly if not with the sharpest and most satisfying metal-to-metal feel. This Altima wants to set your best lap time and just might if it had a limited-slip differential to plug all its power into the road. Instead, it relies on an optional $800 electronic traction-control system to suppress wheelspin, which isn’t quite the same thing.
The 350Z cockpit has been reprised in the SE-R with three gauge nacelles, largely ornamental, parked on the center console: oil pressure, charge-system volts, and least useful of all, a twitching pointer indicating instantaneous fuel consumption represents the data points to be gleaned by turning your head 30 degrees to the right. You won’t very often, not until the car hits 100,000 miles and charge voltage becomes a worry.

It doesn’t take many days behind the SE-R’s wheel to develop a detailed mental map of every pothole, frost heave, and pavement fissure in your town.

Nissan offers four exterior colors: gray, silver, red, and black. The bolstered front buckets flare with an embroidered SE-R logo and your choice of red or gray perforated leather accents down the center and matching topstitching. As with the Z, the driver’s seat bulges with a sort of codpiece between your legs. No explanation or diagrams are given to explain its supportive function. Sound gushes from a standard Bose eight-speaker system with a six-CD changer.
Nissan keeps it reserved on the outside. The raciest feature, aside from the blocky chin fascia, modest rump wing, and twin exhaust cans emitting a hearty snore reminiscent of the Z, is the snowflake-pattern 18-inch wheels. The spokes are forged aluminum rather than die-cast—it says so right on the rim—presumably lending extra strength. They need it, because the stiff, 45-series Bridgestones transmit bump energy to the suspension the way a bat transmits Johnny Damon’s swing into a baseball. It doesn’t take many days behind the SE-R’s wheel to develop a detailed mental map of every pothole, frost heave, and pavement fissure in your town.
There are no eurekas! in the SE-R. It offers a more traditional ride-versus-handling trade-off than magazine favs such as the Acura TSX, which seems to do better combining both. The SE-R does offer big V-6 performance in a clean, nicely appointed, and commodious package that will entertain people who like to play. No more Altima is required.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2005 Nissan Altima SE-R
VEHICLE TYPEFront-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED$30,890 (base price: $29,930)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 cu in, 3498ccPower (SAE net): 260 bhp @ 6000 rpmTorque (SAE net): 251 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
TRANSMISSION6-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 110.2 inLength: 192.5 inWidth: 70.4 inHeight: 57.4 inCurb weight: 3380 lb
C/D TEST RESULTSZero to 60 mph: 6.1 secZero to 100 mph: 15.8 secZero to 120 mph: 25.1 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 6.4 secStanding ¼-mile: 14.8 sec @ 97 mphTop speed (governor limited): 141 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 168 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA fuel economy, city driving: 20 mpgC/D-observed fuel economy: 19 mpg 

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From the August 1989 Issue of Car and Driver.
Nissan should rename itself “the Phoenix Motor Corporation.” Like the wondrous bird of ancient legend, the Japanese automaker has burned the weary persona of its past and arisen from the ashes bold, revitalized, and supremely competitive. Consider the sleek new 240SX, the rejuvenated Maxima, the daring Axxess minivan—all proof of Nissan’s newfound talent and awareness. Or scan these pages and drink in the most convincing evidence of all: the breathtaking, all-new 300ZX.

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This is not the flabby, disco-poseur’s 300ZX of old. That tawdry beast is gone, laid to rest in a special graveyard reserved for stretch slacks, musk colognes, and slap-on chest hair. In its place is a car created by designers who understand design, engineers who grasp the needs and wants of enthusiasts, and, perhaps most important, management with the guts and the savvy not to stand in the way of its creative corps. New from the ground up, the new 300ZX is, quite simply, one of the most alluring cars to appear on the United States market in years.
But that’s obvious, isn’t it? Let your eyes wander over the Z’s sensuous form for a moment. The shape is lean, low, and provocative—and, unlike the previous edition, it’s restrained and sophisticated. This is not a flashy, boy racer’s strutmobile. Some viewers say the nose (which houses new flush headlights instead of the old model’s pop-up units) looks heavy, and others find the overall shape derivative and unoriginal. But we aren’t among the naysayers. The new 300ZX is stunning in the metal, a beautiful and exciting car that looks exotic without being quirky. That Nissan designed the car entirely in-house is further proof that it is a company with the resources and audacity to push bold programs into production.

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At present, Nissan offers the new Z only in naturally aspirated form; a twin-turbo version will appear this fall. Two body styles are available: the two-seater pictured here and a slightly longer two-plus-two. Both are shorter, wider, and lower than their respective predecessors. And both body styles are available in the U.S. only with T-tops. The Z’s T-roof is one of the best we’ve ever encountered—tight, leak-free, and easy to remove—but we’re still bewildered and bothered by Nissan’s decision not to offer the even-more-solid Japanese-market fixed-roof coupe in the States.
Under the new Z’s T-roof glass sits perhaps the most beautiful and efficient cockpit in the sports-car kingdom. The instrument panel blends seductive curves and handsome materials. The gauges are clear, conspicuous analog dials. Ancillary controls nestle on easy-to-reach pods surrounding the wheel. The steering wheel itself is a meaty three spoke design that feels hefty and reassuring in your palms. The leather-wrapped shifter sits close at hand. Tasteful fabric trims the doors, the console, and the dash. And the seats are deeply sculptured, easy to adjust, and extremely comfortable. (Our test car’s thrones were covered in optional leather—part of a $1000 option package—but natty-looking cloth seats are standard.) Trust us: sports-car cockpits don’t get any better than this.
We still have a couple of gripes, though. The first concerns the optional automatic climate control system. Designed to be a set-and-forget unit, this system instead behaves as a set-and-reset-and-override-and-get-annoyed unit. It offers only two manual fan speeds, and there is no way to channel the airflow where you want it. Although we didn’t have a chance to try the standard, manual climate-control system, which offers four fan speeds and five options for air routing, it should be far more accommodating.

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We also have a few complaints about the optional Bose sound system. We don’t claim to be audio experts, but we agree as a group that this system, like some other Bose units we’ve sampled, sounds undistinguished. And it has no fade or balance controls whatsoever, obviously implying that Bose knows better than the users of its systems how these parameters should be set. Happily, there is an easy solution to both of our cockpit gripes: skip the optional electronic power package. You’ll give up the heated rear-view mirrors and the power controls for the driver’s seat, but you’ll bypass the automatic climate-control system and the Bose stereo—and save $1600.
Enough talk of sound systems and cabin accouterments. You want to know the serious stuff, the power and the glory, the fury and the dust.
The power is provided by a version of Nissan’s fine 60-degree 3.0-liter V-6, but it’s been so thoroughly reworked that you wouldn’t recognize it. The new engine sports twin cams, 24 valves, pent roof combustion chambers with centrally located spark plugs, electronic fuel injection, new intake and exhaust manifolds, and a variable intake-valve-timing system for improved performance throughout the rev band. Horsepower is up to 222 at 6400 rpm—more than in last year’s Turbo—and torque is increased to 198 pound-feet at 4800 rpm.
The power flows to the rear wheels via a short-throw five-speed manual transmission (a four-speed automatic is available as an option) and a viscous limited-slip differential. Does it ever flow. The 300ZX storms from zero to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and rips through the quarter-mile in 15.0 seconds at 93 mph. It doesn’t feel that quick: the engine always sounds smooth and unstrained, even when tearing up to its 7000-rpm redline. And the big, solid body (the Z weighs s 3341 pounds) insulates the cabin from the furor. In fifth gear, the engine winds to 6100 rpm—good for 143 mph. That means that only a handful of dedicated competitors can outgun the new 300ZX. (Fewer still will measure up to the 300-hp twin-turbo edition when it arrives.)
A new suspension puts that performance to good use. Each front corner sports unequal-length control arms and an additional articulating hub. At the back is a four-element multilink design based on the rear-suspension layout found in Nissan’s 240SX. Coil springs are used all around, and an anti-roll bar is fitted to each end.

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Thanks to clever tuning, this suspension combines stability, control, and a reasonably compliant ride. Shod with 225/5OVR-16 Michelin Sport XGTV tires mounted on attractive 16-inch alloy wheels, the Z turned in an outstanding 0.86-g skidpad performance. As you reach the limit the front tires slide first, but the rear end can be coaxed out with a sudden move on or off the throttle, making the Z easy to balance through turns. The fat Michelins offer progressive, predictable handling characteristics, but on some surfaces they howl out enough road noise to scare a Peterbilt pilot.
Beefy four-wheel vented disc brakes with four-piston front calipers and standard ABS stop the Z from 70 mph in 171 feet. We observed no signs of fade during repeated hard trials.
The test track numbers tell you plenty about the new 300ZX, but they don’t tell you nearly enough. Good as it looks to a stopwatch, the 300ZX is even more impressive from behind the wheel. No spec page figures, for instance, could describe the smooth, satisfying feel of the Z’s new variable assist electronic power-steering system. Nor could a bar graph express the sheer pleasure of running the stubby five-speed shifter up through the gears. Nor do we know of any data sheet that is able to convey the stirring sound of the 300ZX’s 24-valve V-6 in full-throttle crescendo.

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And so we arrive at the bottom line. The new 300ZX is not an entry-level GT. The base two-seater wears a $27,300 sticker, and our fully optioned test car carried a $30,160 price tag. But consider the returns on that investment:
1. We can think of no other car that offers more style and sculptured, buttoned-down beauty for the money. The established automotive objects d’art—the Italian exotics—start at twice the price.
2. The 300ZX offers standard amenities galore, decent luggage space, superb seats, and a cabin with an appeal quotient that is second to none.
3. Even the naturally aspirated Z has enough brawn and handling prowess to hold most of the competition at bay. Granted, the 300ZX’s profile reads “performance GT” not “bare-bones sports car,” but only the most dedicated sportsters will be able to defeat it in a straight fight.
4. Our 300ZX test car emitted nary a squeak or rattle during its extended stay with us. And past experience with other Nissans has convinced us that this car will stay tight and trouble-free for the long haul.
Or look at it this way: $30,160 is an awfully small price to pay for a phoenix missile you guide yourself.

Specifications

1990 Nissan 300ZX
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED $30,160
ENGINE TYPEV-6, iron block and aluminum headsDisplacement: 181 cu in, 2960ccPower: 222 hp @ 6400 rpmTorque: 198 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 96.5 inLength: 169.5 inWidth: 70.5 inHeight: 49.2 inCurb weight: 3341 lb
C/D TEST RESULTSZero to 60 mph: 6.7 secZero to 100 mph: 18.6 secStanding ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 93 mphTop speed: 143 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 171 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g
FUEL ECONOMY:EPA city/highway: 18/24 mpgC/D observed: 17 mpg

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JEFFREY G. RUSSELLCar and Driver

From the September 2005 issue of Car and Driver.
During the ’80s, when the news section of this magazine was called FYI, it included a semi-regular subcategory called Diesel Clatter. In the era that followed the fuel hysteria of the ’70s, diesels were offered by a number of automakers, and we dutifully passed the info along to you. This included the first-ever Jeep smoker, a 2.1-liter Renault turbo-diesel option offered for the Jeep Cherokee from 1985 through ’87.
Without wishing to be unkind, this latest Jeep Liberty engine option reminds us of that old FYI heading. In an era when most compression-ignition engines are almost as smooth and quiet as their gasoline counterparts, the Liberty’s 2.8-liter turbo-diesel four takes us back to those innocent days when exceptional fuel economy could make us overlook drawbacks, particularly the racket that went with any oil burner. Light up the Liberty’s engine, close your eyes, and suddenly you’re riding in a Mercedes diesel taxi, Stuttgart, circa 1985. Clatter spoken here, Dieter. Jawohl.

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A little background. With the development of common-rail fuel systems, diesels have changed dramatically in the past two decades. Thanks to massive system pressures-more than 20,000 psi is not uncommon, compared with 50 to 80 psi for gasoline port-injection systems-the fuel is more finely atomized, promoting a more complete and controlled burn, and that pays off with higher efficiency and reduced emissions. Supplied by DDC Cento (previously VM Motori), a subsidiary of Detroit Diesel in Cento, Italy (and 49 percent owned by DaimlerChrysler), the Liberty’s turbo-diesel is consistent with most of the common-rail parameters. The iron-block, aluminum-head DOHC 16-valve four has a compression ratio of 17.5:1, with fuel-rail pressure pegged at 1600 bar-about 23,000 psi. With its Garrett turbocharger blowing at max boost-26.5 psi-the engine develops 160 horsepower at 3800 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 1800 rpm.

No one would characterize this little Jeep as fast, but the turbo motor spools up quickly and holds its own in urban traffic.

This is considerably less horsepower than you get from the Liberty’s optional 210-hp, 3.7-liter V-6, but considerably more torque: 60 pound-feet, peaking 2200 rpm lower. And it’s this trait-low-down grunt-that makes this or any other diesel appealing: grunt, plus relatively high fuel economy. In the case of the Liberty diesel, you get distinctly higher EPA fuel-economy ratings than those of the gas V-6-21 mpg city, 26 highway versus 17/22 (or 18/22 with a manual transmission). Jeep expects the diesel will get about 25-percent-better fuel economy than the V-6 in real-world driving. We got 20 mpg with the diesel, which was exactly a 25-percent improvement over the 16 mpg we achieved with the V-6.
You also get the same towing capacity as that of the 3.7 V-6-5000 pounds, heftiest of all the cute utes. And you get similar acceleration. Our turbo-diesel tester rattled to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds compared with 10 flat for the Liberty Limited Edition we tested in January 2002 (“Canyon Cubs”) and was quicker in the quarter-mile: 17.3 seconds versus 17.5.
No one would characterize this little Jeep as fast, but the turbo motor spools up quickly and holds its own in urban traffic. The engine’s power traits match up well with the five-speed automatic transmission, the latter yielding smooth up- and downshifts, and it lopes along at freeway speeds without undue strain.

There’s something uniquely appealing about the Liberty diesel—appealing, we should add, almost exclusively to guys, particularly guys living in the wide-open West, according to DaimlerChrysler.

But there’s the clatter problem. From the moment of light-off, the Liberty’s four begins emitting a symphony of rattles and growls, richly varied, depending on throttle position, but incessant. We’ve seen numerous recent diesels that allowed us to ignore the nature of their ignition systems. This is not one of them. The Jeep folks cite a number of reasons for the extra racket, namely, the simple fact that the four-banger has large 694cc cylinders that create a lot of noise. Plus, the engine sits close to the Liberty’s passenger compartment, and the exhaust system exits from the back of the engine between the motor and fire wall.
Like other sparkless engines, you pay a premium for this cheerfully raucous powerplant: $3695, including the required five-speed automatic and a more sophisticated four-wheel-drive system with a four-high open mode. The V-6 option in the same model costs only $850, and you don’t have to upgrade to the automatic. This, along with the fact that No. 2 diesel fuel is currently more expensive than gasoline, makes it hard to see an advantage to the diesel. On the other hand, for those who appreciate internal combustion, there’s something uniquely appealing about the Liberty diesel. Appealing, we should add, almost exclusively to guys, particularly guys living in the wide-open West, according to DaimlerChrysler. This probably proves, once again, that women have better sense. But there are enough of these guys to account for about 6000 sales per year, a little beyond DaimlerChrysler’s expectations.
One cautionary note: If you find the notion of a Liberty diesel appealing, buy soon. Barring some dramatic change in technology, passenger-car diesels will disappear by 2007, when Tier 2 emissions regs come on in full force. No current passenger-car diesel meets this new standard.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2005 Jeep Liberty Sport 4×4 Diesel
VEHICLE TYPEFront-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED $26,675 (base price: $25,245)
ENGINE TYPETurbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve diesel inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 169 cu in, 2776ccPower (SAE net): 160 bhp @ 3800 rpmTorque (SAE net): 295 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
TRANSMISSION5-speed automatic
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 104.3 inLength: 174.4 inWidth: 71.6 inHeight: 70.2 inCurb weight: 4324 lb
C/D TEST RESULTSZero to 60 mph: 10.1 secZero to 100 mph: 39.1 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 11.3 secStanding ¼-mile: 17.3 sec @ 77 mphTop speed (drag limited): 111 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 206 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.71 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA fuel economy, city driving: 21 mpgC/D observed: 20 mpg

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JEFFREY G. RUSSELLCar and Driver

From the July 2003 issue of Car and Driver.
You might have noticed that periodically we find occasion to be unkind to a vehicle. The introduction of the Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor “sports coupe” for the 2002 model year was one such occasion (C/D, October 2001).

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Forget for a moment our skepticism about the feasibility of any luxury automaker introducing a hatchback model to the small-car-phobic American public. BMW tried precisely the same thing with the 318ti between 1995 and 1999-with spectacularly poor results.
Forget, too, that this Mercedes looked, with its bulging bum and two-pane glass backlight, like a modern Renault (a company that was shamed out of America after foisting the Alliance on our fair country).

For the 2003 model of the C230, Mercedes has largely addressed our engine complaint with an all-new 1.8-liter, all-aluminum supercharged four-cylinder.

No, we were not rude to Mercedes for these reasons. Our real concerns had to do with the function of the automobile: (1) The engine, a 2.3-liter iron-block supercharged four-cylinder, was a far ruder thing than your humble author is on his worst days; (2) the standard-issue six-speed manual transmission was described by us as ropy, rubbery, and uncertain, not to mention just plain poor; (3) despite its “sports coupe” moniker, the C230 was not very sporty.

Even better, with this engine the C230 is, if not exactly transformed, at least a more pleasant thing to use.

For the 2003 model of the C230, Mercedes has largely addressed our engine complaint with an all-new 1.8-liter, all-aluminum supercharged four-cylinder. On paper, this engine would seem to be a step backward for Mercedes. It’s down about a half-liter of displacement compared with the old engine, and it makes less peak horsepower and torque. And it makes those peaks at higher revs. The old 2.3-liter-still the base engine in the SLK hardtop roadster for 2003-makes 192 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 200 pound-feet of torque at 2500 rpm. The new 1.8-liter engine makes 189 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 192 pound-feet of torque at 3500 rpm. Indeed, the sprint to 60 mph for the 1.8-liter 2003 model is an unremarkable 8.1 seconds-more than a half-second slower than the 2002 model. We attribute this, in part, to an engine-management system that will not allow for abusive standing starts. Try as you might, the engine will not rev above 4000 rpm with the clutch pedal in. This is not something most owners-the majority of whom we don’t anticipate will go bracket drag racing-need worry about.
On the other hand, the new motor allows the hatch to go another four or five miles on each gallon of gas, depending on whether you get the six-speed manual or the $1325 optional five-speed automatic.
Even better, with this engine the C230 is, if not exactly transformed, at least a more pleasant thing to use. The previous engine felt weak at low revs, despite its power advantage and greater displacement. Higher in the rev range, the 2.3 was rough. Worse, it sounded as if it had an acute and chronic case of gastrointestinal distress.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2003 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 3-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED$27,860 (base price: $25,670)
ENGINE TYPE Supercharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 4-in-line, aluminum block and heads, SIM 4 engine-control system with port fuel injectionDisplacement: 110 cu in, 1796ccPower (SAE net): 189 bhp @ 5800 rpmTorque (SAE net): 192 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 106.9 inLength: 171.0 inCurb weight: 3290 lb
C/D TEST RESULTSZero to 60 mph: 8.1 secZero to 100 mph: 21.0 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 8.9 secStanding ¼-mile: 16.0 sec @ 88 mphTop speed (governor limited): 131 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 161 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA city driving: 21 mpgC/D observed: 22 mpg

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