CAR Performance Car of the Year 2002

[nsx1164]

CAR magazine (December 2002) recently published its "Performance Car of the Year", featuring 20 world-beaters, 6500 hp and 1 winner. Criteria included Design, Engineering, Safety, Value and Driver Appeal

Honda NSX had favorable reviews (placed 14th), with key highlights including:
- on the track: great fun, with balanced chassis marred only by a bit of understeer
- on the road: as user-friendly as a Civic adound town; can fit stuff in, see out of it...

Review on Porsche Boxster S (#12) was surprising... "Yes it's nice. But you know what they say about nice guys... The Boxster S might be as quick as a Honda NSX -- and considerably cheaper -- but it just doesn't have that supercar sizzle."
(note: tested results were similar: 0-62 (100 kph) in 5.7 sec and top-end at 164 mph; compared with 5.7 and 168 mph for the NSX

Review on Lambo Murcielago (#8) was kinda down... they broke the gearshift lever on it (!) -- "it seems incredible that almost a decade on and with the the engineering resources of the VW Group at its disposal, Lamborghini still can't get it right."

The top 5...

[5] Mitsu EVO VII FQ300 (4.7s, 157 mph)
[4] Mini Cooper S (7.4s, 135 mph)
[3] Mercedes SL55 AMG (4.7s, 155 mph)
[2] Ferrari 575 Maranello (4.2s, 202 mph)
[1] Pagani Zonda C12 S (3.7s, 200+ mph)

They did not test top-end speed... on-track the Zonda had best handling, brakes, and had highest speed at the end of the straight (160 mph -- fastest by 40 mph).

[This message has been edited by nsx1164 (edited 09 December 2002).]

 

[fangtl]

Do you have the complete list?

 

[nsxtasy]

Gee, a magazine that rated the Mini above the NSX. And the magazine is from the U.K. - what a surprise.

And those test numbers - who was driving, Margaret Thatcher?

 

[nsx1164]

Originally posted by fangtl:
Do you have the complete list?

[20] MG TF160 Supersport (6.9s, 137 mph)
[19] Bentley Arnage T (5.5s, 170 mph)
[18] Caterham R300 Supersport (4.7s, 130 mph)
[17] Jaguar S-Type R (5.3s, 155 mph)
[16] Renault Clio Cup (6.8s, 138 mph)

[15] Seat Leon Cupra R (7.2s, 147 mph)
[14] Honda NSX (5.7s, 168 mph)
[13] Maserati coupe (4.9s, 178 mph) -- "track suprise of the day. fast, neutral and very trustworthy"
[12] Porsche Boxster S (5.7s, 164 mph)
[11] Lotus Elise (5.1s, 131 mph)

[10] Audi RS6 (4.7s, 155 mph)
[09] Alfa Romeo 156 GTA (6.3s, 155 mph)
[08] Lamborghini Murcielago (3.8s, 205 mph)
[07] Subaru Impreza WRX STi (4.6s, 155 mph) -- "it does the heroics, but it makes you feel like you are"
[06] Ford Focus RS (6.4s, 144 mph)

[5] Mitsubishi EVO VII FQ300 (4.7s, 157 mph)
[4] Mini Cooper S (7.4s, 135 mph)
[3] Mercedes SL55 AMG (4.7s, 155 mph)
[2] Ferrari 575 Maranello (4.2s, 202 mph)
[1] Pagani Zonda C12 S (3.7s, 200+ mph)

 

[nsx1164]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
And those test numbers - who was driving, Margaret Thatcher?

There were 8 test drivers, and their overall picks were:
- Pagani Zonda C12S : 5
- Ferrari 575M Maranello : 2
- Mercedes SL55 AMG : 1

#################

of the top three, the SL55 had the "value"

The "hero car" of PCOTY 2002 was the Mini Cooper S. It finished among the top 3 votes of at least half the judging panel. No mean feat for the car the with least power and one of the lowest top speeds of the entire field.

The cars that most earned our respect?
The Maserati won friends despite the clunky gearbox with its surprising pace, poise and charismatic V8. The Audi RS6 won votes at Caldwell Park (track)... this understated estate was supercar quick, capable of hot-lapping with the Ferrari and Lamborghini in the right hands.

 

[Dirty NSX]

the cooper s seems a bit out of place being mentioned on a list with those types of cars.

i agree with nsxtasy. those numbers are way off. someone has to tell them to shift at redline next time they test the NSX's 0-60.

 

[8000RPM]

That is a very odd list. Those brits sure have interesting views.

Where is the Prosche GT2 / 996 Turbo? The 360 Modena? Chevy Z06? Viper?

Oh, and it took them 5.7 sec to get to 60mph in an NSX? Please.

 

[JaguarXJ6]

Very odd and definitely incomplete list.

If anyone has read the article, what were the criteria for selecting these particular cars?

Sunny

 

[Brian Bailey]

Originally posted by Dirty NSX:
i agree with nsxtasy. those numbers are way off. someone has to tell them to shift at redline next time they test the NSX's 0-60.

What's wrong? It's obvious they used a '91 Auto in the test. Personally I'm impressed the slowest NSX ever made finished as well as it did. ;-)

 

[ncdogdoc]

Originally posted by JaguarXJ6:
Very odd and definitely incomplete list.

If anyone has read the article, what were the criteria for selecting these particular cars?

Sunny

They tested cars that were "new" to the public for 2002. That is why the "new" NSX was included.



------------------
Gary Yates
1995 Red/Tan Boooleevard Cruzer
1992 White/Black Track Rat
2002 Red and White Cooper S - for sale, please inquire

 

[nsx1164]

Originally posted by 8000RPM:
Where is the Prosche GT2 / 996 Turbo? The 360 Modena? Chevy Z06? Viper?

I believe they selected the highest-performing model from a given constructor. Hence the 575M Maranello over the 360 Modena.

P911/996 GT2 was noticeably absent, and mentioned in the article.

Oh, and it took them 5.7 sec to get to 60mph in an NSX? Please.
From the articles, I don't think they actually did too many formal timed speed/acceleration tests.

Am inferring they just published vendor-supplied data, and they mistakenly quoted the 3.0L NSX automatic -- whether this was intentional misquoting is anybody's guess

 

[nsx4fun]

Well, I don't know how they came up with their overall rating, but having a Ford Focus beat a Lamborghini tells me enough to know this is one article I won't be wasting my time reading.

Fritz

 

[NeoNSX]

At least the NSX got a mention. So many of those top car lists forget the "Forgotten Japanese Supercar".

too bad they didn't testdrive mynsx's NSX... 0-60 in 4.6sec easy (in 'wet' conditions!)

 

[gheba_nsx]

I think sometime we see consipracy were it really do not belong. I imagine they really did not care about english/not englich. Look at the end of the table: 4 out of the 4 worst car are (all) british!

I imagine the Mini Cooper S did so well because the price. engine displacement, ... was taken into consideration were driving it. And because it was probably funnier to drive than a 4 times stronger and 4 times more expensive(HEAVY) Audi RS6, for example.

PS: the Mini is a (90%) German car.

 

[nicholas421]

I think sometime we see consipracy were it really do not belong.
i agree with you, but that does not seem to be true here.

I imagine they really did not care about english/not englich. Look at the end of the table: 4 out of the 4 worst car are (all) british!
worst cars? funny choice of words. i suppose they didn't want to be blatantly partial. 6 out of the TOP 20 doesn't seem odd to you? and why is caterham in the mix? since when were kit cars considered in these lists? i wonder if they tested the cobra and gt40 kits as well? (i apologize in advance if caterham i not considered a kit car)

I imagine the Mini Cooper S did so well because the price.
If price was a crucial factor, why is the zonda first?

PS: the Mini is a (90%) German car.
the marque is what defines a car. putting italian wheels on a porsche does not make it 10% italian.



[This message has been edited by nicholas421 (edited 10 December 2002).]

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by nicholas421:
PS: the Mini is a (90%) German car.

the marque is what defines a car. putting italian wheels on a porsche does not make it 10% italian.

Any car has a marque name, which originated in a particular company. It also has a country where its final assembly takes place, and it has parts and components from a number of countries.

If a Rolls Royce or a Bentley is built in Great Britain but the company is owned by a German company, is it a British car or a German car?

If a Chrysler minivan is built in Canada but the company is owned by a German company and the brand name started in the United States, what is the nationality of the car?

The Mini is built in England (final assembly) and the Mini brand started in England. It is owned by BMW, a German company.

 

[gheba_nsx]

The new Mini was designed and prototiped(sp?) in Germany by BMW. I think the UK production is only a fashion thing, done for the nostalgic Mini lovers. Is the Accord assembled in Belgium a Belgian car?

 

[gheba_nsx]

Nicolas " worst cars? funny choice of words. i suppose they didn't want to be blatantly partial. 6 out of the TOP 20 doesn't seem odd to you? and why is caterham in the mix? since when were kit cars considered in these lists? i wonder if they tested the cobra and gt40 kits as well? (i apologize in advance if caterham i not considered a kit car)"

Yes, worst cars. They took the 20 new sport cars available in the UK for the year 2002 and the are not many more than those 20...

"If price was a crucial factor, why is the zonda first?"

Because price (probably) was not the only factor. Come on I think if you reread what I wrote you understand the meaning...

"the marque is what defines a car. putting italian wheels on a porsche does not make it 10% italian."

Read above, my answer to Ken.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by gheba_nsx:
Is the Accord assembled in Belgium a Belgian car?

According to this website, Honda does not have any plants in Belgium.

 

[nicholas421]

Yes, worst cars. They took the 20 new sport cars available in the UK for the year 2002 and the are not many more than those 20...
if this is true, i feel sorry for the average income brit who is in the market for a new sports car.

Because price (probably) was not the only factor. Come on I think if you reread what I wrote you understand the meaning...
yes i understood what you were saying. my point was that cost must've been a major factor for the mini to have ranked where it did. in which case the zonda would need to have had god like performance to offset its enormous price tag.

unless they use a formula to assign a score for each car based on the car's speed, acceleration, price tag, whatever...
these lists have about as much merit as a list produced by a 13 year old.

[This message has been edited by nicholas421 (edited 10 December 2002).]

 

[gheba_nsx]

Ken, my error!

Honda Europe HQ is in Belgium and they also collect the spare parts there (also for the NSX), but I checked and my father '96 Accord was built in the UK. It is a British car too!

 

[gheba_nsx]

Nicholas, I think that no formula was used at all. It is not in CAR's style. The use a lot the "feeling" factor in their judgments. Probably the excitement they had by seeing the Cooper S performing so well sent it so up in the classification! I also think no one else is spending so much time arguing over this list as we are doing!

PS: UK sport cars buyers can also buy '02 model of cars that appeared on the market before 2002. Inexpensive ones, Modena and Porsche TT included!