Comparison Tests
A cartoonist would probably depict the Germanic rites of spring as some sort of comic opera involving oompah bands, fat guys in lederhosen, steins of beer, and spear-wielding girls in iron bras bellowing Wagner. Although we don’t necessarily reject the notion of females in ferrous Maidenforms—and we certainly wouldn’t turn our backs on a case of Bitburger—we think a better celebration of spring is a ride in a sweet little deutsche roadster, its top rolled down as its pilot adds aural, olfactory, and solar gratification to the more common joys of driving.
Accordingly, the minute the tundra around Hogback Road showed signs of thawing, we assembled this krautish quartet
and headed for the roller-coaster hills of southeast Ohio, our pallid hides sucking up the April sun. We figured we were probably reflective enough to be visible from outer space. How long does it take to crisp up after a long gray Michigan winter? We weren’t sure. But we were sure we’d chosen the right research vehicles.
We didn’t set out to make this a tribute to topless Teutons, but that’s the way it shook out. Regular readers will recall that we assembled a spiritually similar group last fall (“Bending the Rules,” October 1999). In fact, three of the four contenders in this test were also represented in the last showdown. But here we’ve tested the Mercedes SLK320 for the first time with a V-6 engine, and the Boxster also has been given a power enhancement of 16 horsepower, to 217.
The Audi TT Quattro roadster is the newcomer, while the powerful BMW M roadster has resisted the winds of change.
So since our agenda wasn’t really intended to be motivated by the German automotive Zeitgeist, you may feel that we
got some ’splainin’ to do here. Where, for example, is the Honda S2000, our champ the last time around? Answer (brace yourself): It didn’t cost enough to make the cut. This may sound strange to you, but almost all our comparison fields are defined by close similarities in price as well as vehicle type. We bent the rules to include the S2000 in October, but in this even pricier rematch, despite a vocal minority (your humble narrator), the boss said, “Nein, ve haf our rules.”
With so much emphasis on pricing parity, you might wonder why we didn’t corral a Corvette convertible. Its base price ($46,768) would be tops in this group, but that’s less than the as-tested tariff for both the Benz and Boxster. However, the Vette doesn’t really have much in common with our fanzy panzers. It’s bigger, far more powerful, not quite as refined, and it delivers a different driving experience. So we had the Vette sit out this comparo. Thus, the field wound up being as German as bratwurst, even though the M roadster is built in South Carolina.
One other general observation. As always, we’ve ranked the combatants. But in this case we recognize that our ranking priorities may not be quite the same as yours. Even though we emerged with a clear winner, we were struck by the distinctive personality each car brought to the party and how each excelled in a particular area. As we shall see.
