2009 MOTOR TREND'S BEST DRIVER'S CARS

Nethead · August 20, 2009, 01:01:43 PM

http://www.motortrend.com/features/performance/112_0910_2009_best_drivers_car/index.html

You'll like what you read--a whoppin' eighteen pages of it! Raza, go there NOW. GoCougs, take plenty of tranquillizers and blood pressure medicine before clicking on the link...

CALL_911 · August 20, 2009, 01:14:10 PM

Why wasn't there a 911?

That said, 987 FTW.

S204STi · August 20, 2009, 01:21:15 PM

Miata FTW. The fact that only the Audi R8 and Cayman PDK beat it out in the rankings is impressive.

cawimmer430 · August 20, 2009, 01:23:39 PM

WTF? Where was the '76 Eldorado?

S204STi · August 20, 2009, 01:25:26 PM

Quote from: Nethead on August 20, 2009, 01:01:43 PM
http://www.motortrend.com/features/performance/112_0910_2009_best_drivers_car/index.html

You'll like what you read--a whoppin' eighteen pages of it! Raza, go there NOW. GoCougs, take plenty of tranquillizers and blood pressure medicine before clicking on the link...

Hey Netdude,

Your Shelby Cobra got beat out by a Miata. How does it feel?

Cookie Monster · August 20, 2009, 01:29:36 PM

No 911 or Viper ACR?

cawimmer430 · August 20, 2009, 01:30:32 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on August 20, 2009, 01:29:36 PM
No 911 or Viper ACR?

Or S-Class...

MrH · August 20, 2009, 01:44:48 PM

No 911 or BMW 3-series?

I thought the E92 M3 and 997 GT3 were widely considered some of the best driver's cars out there.

Galaxy · August 20, 2009, 01:46:14 PM

I think they wanted the cars to be somewhat affordable. The Boxster is somewhat affordable to the average people with a University degree. The 911 is almost double the price. Note that there are no Ferraris on the list.

Cookie Monster · August 20, 2009, 01:47:34 PM

Quote from: Galaxy on August 20, 2009, 01:46:14 PM
I think they wanted the cars to be somewhat affordable. The Boxster is somewhat affordable to the average people with a University degree. The 911 is almost double the price. Note that there are no Ferraris on the list.

Audi R8?

A 911 GT3 is $6k cheaper than the R8...

GoCougs · August 20, 2009, 01:48:12 PM

Quote from: R-inge on August 20, 2009, 01:25:26 PM
Hey Netdude,

Your Shelby Cobra got beat out by a Miata. How does it feel?

And for ~50% more cost it still can't outrun or out brake the Camaro SS...

Camaro SS / GT500
0 - 60: 4.5 sec / 4.6 sec
1/4 mile: 12.9 sec / 12.8 sec
60 - 0: 108' / 109'

IMO I think it's pretty obvious they tested whatever the heck they could get their hands on in time to get the article to print...

Galaxy · August 20, 2009, 01:50:00 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on August 20, 2009, 01:47:34 PM
Audi R8?

Touch?. I still think price plays a role. Maybe they think everything cheaper at Audi is no good.

CALL_911 · August 20, 2009, 01:50:02 PM

Quote from: MrH on August 20, 2009, 01:44:48 PM
No 911 or BMW 3-series?

I thought the E92 M3 and 997 GT3 were widely considered some of the best driver's cars out there.

Ditto.

Cookie Monster · August 20, 2009, 01:51:52 PM

Quote from: CALL_911 on August 20, 2009, 01:50:02 PM
Ditto.

GT3 RS

r0tor · August 20, 2009, 01:57:26 PM

kinda cool for mazda... the miata ranks third this year and i believe the rx-8 grabber 3rd or so place last year

r0tor · August 20, 2009, 01:58:32 PM

Quote from: GoCougs on August 20, 2009, 01:48:12 PM
And for ~50% more cost it still can't outrun or out brake the Camaro SS...

Camaro SS / GT500
0 - 60: 4.5 sec / 4.6 sec
1/4 mile: 12.9 sec / 12.8 sec
60 - 0: 108' / 109'

IMO I think it's pretty obvious they tested whatever the heck they could get their hands on in time to get the article to print...

you might want to read the mustang part... it was faster around the track by 1.4 sec and tons more enjoyable....

SVT666 · August 20, 2009, 02:03:55 PM

Quote from: R-inge on August 20, 2009, 01:25:26 PM
Hey Netdude,

Your Shelby Cobra got beat out by a Miata. How does it feel?

It better. Isn't the Miata considered one of the most fun cars ever built? Slow as shit, but fun as hell. I am a little surprised at the Camaro's last place finish though, but when you consider the competition, it shouldn't be surprising. There are some phenomenal cars in this group.

I must say though, the 4.5 second blast to 60 mph for the Camaro is more what I was first expecting before any magazines did their testing.

Raza · August 20, 2009, 02:05:05 PM

It crashed my IE. I'm assuming a Mustang of some sort is up there?

Anyway, I saw that the 987 made it.

Obviously.

I guess the MX-5 warrants a spot on my list then, if it is that good. Even though the engine's in the wrong place.

Nethead · August 20, 2009, 02:05:45 PM

Quote from: R-inge on August 20, 2009, 01:25:26 PM
Hey Netdude,

Your Shelby Cobra got beat out by a Miata. How does it feel?

R-inge: Not as bad as it must feel to ZR1 lovers, huh? How 'bout that Camaro! Luckily for the Camaro, there were only nine other vehicles in the comparo or it woulda finished lower than tenth out of ten!

The MX5 is a terrific little sportscar, today's equivalent to the Lotus Elan of over forty years ago--needing only the Bullitt engine & tranny dropped in to make it a holy terror! Or the Ford GT engine for the Daddy Warbucks among us!

The GT500 is not the driver's car the MX5 is--a 540 HP supercharged & intercooled DOHC V8 is a mite heavier than the MX5's four--but the GT500 does not claim to be an MX5 competitor, you may have noticed, even though .92 G is quite respectable (and microscopically better than the MX5's .91 G). Conversely, the MX5 does not claim to carry four occupants nor to turn the standing-start quarter-mile in under 13 seconds.

Different vehicles designed to different specs--hardly a surprise that they performed differently, eh?

GoCougs · August 20, 2009, 02:16:55 PM

Quote from: r0tor on August 20, 2009, 01:58:32 PM
you might want to read the mustang part... it was faster around the track by 1.4 sec and tons more enjoyable....

I did but it was not relevant in context - I spoke only to acceleration, braking and the large price discrepancy (= highlighting the embarrassing facts WRT to the GT500).

In reality, neither car belongs on the list per the cars everyone has already mentioned.

Again, this was simply an article spun to showcase the performance cars they could get their hands on at any one time to meet publication deadline.

S204STi · August 20, 2009, 02:28:38 PM

Quote from: Nethead on August 20, 2009, 02:05:45 PM
R-inge: Not as bad as it must feel to ZR1 lovers, huh? How 'bout that Camaro! Luckily for the Camaro, there were only nine other vehicles in the comparo or it woulda finished lower than tenth out of ten!

The MX5 is a terrific little sportscar, today's equivalent to the Lotus Elan of over forty years ago--needing only the Bullitt engine & tranny dropped in to make it a holy terror! Or the Ford GT engine for the Daddy Warbucks among us!

The GT500 is not the driver's car the MX5 is--a 540 HP supercharged & intercooled DOHC V8 is a mite heavier than the MX5's four--but the GT500 does not claim to be an MX5 competitor, you may have noticed, even though .92 G is quite respectable. Conversely, the MX5 does not claim to carry four occupants nor to turn the standing-start quarter-mile in under 13 seconds.

Different vehicles designed to different specs--hardly a surprise that they performed differently, eh?

Well, I'm not a Camaro afficianado so my feelings aren't hurt much by it.

True what you say though that the Mustang and Miata lean towards different drivers and different purposes. The did mention in the review that it's kind of under-equipped for what the engine is capable of. But no biggie.

Submariner · August 20, 2009, 03:25:42 PM

Quote from: thecarnut on August 20, 2009, 01:47:34 PM
Audi R8?

A 911 GT3 is $6k cheaper than the R8...

I wonder how the GT3 RS would have fared?

Anyways, from reading what I have on many of the cars tested, I'm not all that surprised at the results. When my dad looks at the Panamara, I'm going to see if I can squeeze a test drive in the Cayman (or S if I'm lucky) and get a small taste of all the love surrounding it.

Cookie Monster · August 20, 2009, 03:26:31 PM

Quote from: Submariner on August 20, 2009, 03:25:42 PM
I wonder how the GT3 RS would have fared?

Anyways, from reading what I have on many of the cars tested, I'm not all that surprised at the results. When my dad looks at the Panamara, I'm going to see if I can squeeze a test drive in the Cayman (or S if I'm lucky) and get a small taste of all the love surrounding it.

I don't think pricing for the new RS is out but isn't it about $130k?

Submariner · August 20, 2009, 03:29:13 PM

The page is crashing my browser. Where did the GT-R place?

S204STi · August 20, 2009, 03:40:38 PM

Quote from: Submariner on August 20, 2009, 03:29:13 PM
The page is crashing my browser. Where did the GT-R place?

I don't think it was tested...

r0tor · August 20, 2009, 04:24:07 PM

Quote from: GoCougs on August 20, 2009, 02:16:55 PM
I did but it was not relevant in context - I spoke only to acceleration, braking and the large price discrepancy

oh right... take those two categories and then ignore the sum of those two plus handling

Gotta-Qik-C7 · August 20, 2009, 06:01:33 PM

That list sucks.

68_427 · August 20, 2009, 06:14:18 PM

Quote from: gotta-qik-z28 on August 20, 2009, 06:01:33 PM
That list sucks.

MexicoCityM3 · August 20, 2009, 06:57:38 PM

I stopped reading as soon as I found out that the M3 wasn't invited. To have the 135i as BMW's representation is just stupid.

565 · August 20, 2009, 07:18:27 PM

Those complaining about the list need to realize that MT didn't want to test the exact same cars they tested last time during the America's Best handling car test 2008. They wanted to test a new batch of cars for 2009 (clearly stated on the first page of the comparo).

Which explains why no GT-R, no ACR, no E92 M3, and no 911 Turbo.

The only repeat car is the R8 which they invited back as a benchmark because it won the previous test.