top-down 2-seat roadsters:the players & the poseurs

[sikuya]

from the motor trend august 2004 issue comparison test among 4 top-down 2wo-seat roadsters:

fourth place
NISSAN 350Z Roadster Enthusiast 3.5L V6 287hp 274torque $34,000
hot- powerful V6 engine,good value/dollar,self-booting tonneau
not- odd proportions,low-grade interior materials,vibration in shifter/drivetrain
bottom line- does what a sports acr should for thousands of dollars less than euro brands


third place
BMZ Z4 3.0i 3.0L I6 225hp 214torque $48,000
hot- buttery-smooth inline-6, 50/50 weight distribution,tactile clutch and shifter action
not- overwrought exterior design,numb and too-quick steering,harsh ride
bottom line- basic excellence foiled by overdesign and overengineering


second place
AUDI TT Roadster quattro DSG6 3.2L V6 250hp 236torque $47,000
hot- rorty VW narrow-angle V6,high-grade design details inside and out,AWD
not- excessive cowl shake,bounds over rough pavement,econo-sedan origins
bottom line- a fun sportster that's more than the sum of its parts


first place
PORSCHE BOXSTER S 3.2L F6 258hp 229 torque $59,000
hot- dedicated,sports-car platform;potent,flexible boxer engine,timeless sheetmetal
not- pricey pedigree,downmarket interior plastics,tinny-sounding doors
bottom line- sure it's expensive,but it's worth it

[silverbx986]

that 'screamin' yellow' looks nice!

[AC]

bakit po 59t$ yung boxster.. diba 43t$ sa us yan?

[glntVR]

baka loaded with options yung boxster. ganda talaga ng boxster kahit matagal na sa market.

[27th_Faktory]

bkt wla yun ASTON MARTIN dyan???? well
the AUDI TT looks good

[AC]

kahit s2000 wala din eh.. hehe btw.. totoo 2.7m sa pinas porsche boxster? hehe.. ok ah.. kung ganyan lang sana budget ko sa mga cars... hehehe

[caloyski5]

the Zed would be my vote..why??

"does what a sports car should for thousands of dollars less than euro brands"

[empy]

the Z4 has a harsh ride??! maybe if you're 60 years old...

Originally posted by AC
bakit po 59t$ yung boxster.. diba 43t$ sa us yan?

they tested the boxster "s" model - with a highly uprated engine, as well as a highly uprated pricetag

[kyle618]

ang liit ng mags ng boxster ang pangit! jeez. pero most fun to drive daw talaga un boxster

[chieffy]

i like the numbers of Nissan 350Z...287 hp and $34k pero if i have the money i would buy the boxster...

[mazdamazda]

Originally posted by 27th_Faktory
bkt wla yun ASTON MARTIN dyan????

aston martin doesn't have a roadster in its line-up.

yes, it has top down variants in its DB line-up but it is properly classified as a cabriolet.

=======

timeless talaga ang porsche! btw, its looks doesn't even look dated (the boxster debuted way back 1997) yet. and the new boxster is already in the works (and will probably come out next year so as not to steal the limelight from the 997 launch).

even though countless other cars can accelerate faster and lap quicker than a boxster (like the evo viii or the 350z), but porsche still has the best driving experience.

[pissword]

totoo nga bang 2.7M lang ang boxster dito sa pinas?? mas mahal pa ang 350Z kung ganun hehehe....

pero ang powerful ng nissan noh... parang ang sarap ihataw. but then pag class ang pag uusapan, porsche pa rin hehe

[theveed]

Ako, i'd take the boxster siguro, even if i do love the TT a lot...

[mbt]

Bring on the Boxster hehe!

[sikuya]

the Z4 has a harsh ride?

apparently the run-flat tires used by BMW in all of its Z4s are the culprit in the "ride" story. here's a quote from the magazine:

"the run-flats are self-supporting and heat-resistant and mount on positive-retention wheels.after losing pressure,these can be driven on at a maximum 50mph for up to 90 miles.but the penalty is a full-time one:a choppy ride and lots of impact harshness with a suspension already short on travel"

[empy]

Originally posted by sikuya
apparently the run-flat tires used by BMW in all of its Z4s are the culprit in the "ride" story. here's a quote from the magazine:

"the run-flats are self-supporting and heat-resistant and mount on positive-retention wheels.after losing pressure,these can be driven on at a maximum 50mph for up to 90 miles.but the penalty is a full-time one:a choppy ride and lots of impact harshness with a suspension already short on travel"

i've had a lot of seat time in a Z4 and have to disagree with the testers. it isn't as cushy as a 745li but still wonderfully firm and precise without being harsh.

a member on here (forgot his exact s/n) has a full schnitzer-ized Z4. maybe we can ask him how harsh his ride is on super-low profile tires?

although i will have to agree that run-flats do make a difference in ride harshness. on the mini cooper, i noticed from test drives that there is a noticable difference in ride quality between the run-flat tires and aftermarket, non run-flat tires.

however, i still wouldn't call the ride harsh. jmho.

[Prometheus]

Boxter for me, give me 10 years more to buy the latest model. :car:

[ryan]

I'm curious, any idea how much is the going rate for a 2nd hand Porsche Boxter or Boxter S? I'm thinking since its been around here for years na, price might be a bit "reasonable" already.

I remember 1st seeing it during my college days (like 5 years ago) and the non-S Boxter was like 4.5M brand new. Even though its been around for like 8 years already, I think the Boxter has that classic car appeal.

Btw, I test drove a Z4 matic last week and its a blast to drive. Just the right power with excellent handling but medyo matagtag ang ride which is understandable since you sit quite close to the ground. Personally, di ko sobrang type ang design cuz rear seems too short and interior quite simple (no offense to the Z4 owners or fans).

[notEworthy27]

driving experience and class? porsche parin. speed and race? 350Z na!

[niky]

Audi TT as 2nd? I wouldn't think so... I'd put it fourth!

Are the reviewers septagenerians? They put the "handling" cars lower on the bracket because of "ride"... which is the only reason I can think of that they'd put the TT that high up.

But no question about the Boxster being first... :D