2011 Porsche Boxster

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Porsche Boxster
The 2011 Porsche Boxster ranks 4 out of 8 Luxury Sports Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 87 published reviews and test drives of the Porsche Boxster, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The automotive press has always considered the Porsche Boxster a great sports car, but after test driving the new 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder, reviewers are floored. They say it’s one of the best luxury sports cars they’ve driven in a while.

The Porsche Boxster has always been a favorite -- it’s luxurious, powerful and the perfect companion on the race track. With the introduction of the 2011 Boxster Spyder, Porsche has revolutionized the Boxster lineup.

In comparison to the Boxster and Boxster S, the Spyder is a completely different animal. It produces 320 horsepower, 65 more than the base model and dropped 176 pounds by loosing basic amenities like air conditioning, a radio and cloth bucket seats. Why did this Boxster undergo such a strenuous weight loss program?  Porsche wanted to make it faster and more agile. After test driving the Spyder, reviewers say it’s more than agile -- it’s one of the best handling sports cars on the market.

INTERIOR
The Boxster's interior boasts premium materials and proper sports car seating, particularly if you ante up for the optional full-power seats. The oversized center-mounted tachometer conveys the Boxster's high-performance DNA, although the analog speedometer's tiny numbers and huge range make it more decorative than functional -- the trip computer's digital speedo readout is more useful. Some controls are a bit fussy, but the current center control stack is much friendlier than those in past Porsches. The base stereo's sound quality is laughable, but the optional systems are worthy upgrades.

The optional wind deflector mitigates buffeting at speed with the top down, but top-up motoring is marred by excessive wind noise and gigantic blind spots. While the Boxster's soft top keeps weight and complexity down, its competitors' retractable hardtops are far more pleasant to live with. Unlike the spacious BMW Z4, the Boxster's cabin is merely average for a roadster, meaning taller folks may feel constrained. The Boxster's midengine design spawns two trunks -- one front, one rear -- that can hold about 10 cubic feet of cargo between them regardless of whether the top is raised or lowered.

For the Spyder, Porsche takes out some features to reduce weight. The air-conditioning and radio are options, the narrow sport seats are thinly padded and have fixed backrests, the door handles are cloth straps and even the plastic hood that shields the gauges has been tossed. Most notably, though, the power-operated soft top has been replaced by a manual two-piece roof that requires practice, patience and the pity of Mother Nature.

EXTERIOR
Typically, the “spyder” moniker denotes a roofless model. But given that the Boxster is already a convertible, “spyder” is simply a marker that this iteration is unique. (A version of the Cayman could wear the spyder badge properly, but what sense would that make?) With the reworked-for-2009 Boxster S serving as the starting point, Porsche engineers set their sights on a distinctive design and saving weight, pulling out a claimed 176 pounds. Ditching the conventional convertible-top mechanism was the first step. In its place sits a 13-pound, manually operated, two-piece bikini-like cover that can be fully sealed in dire weather—it’s not approved for carwashes, though—flanked by newly shaped windows that match the pitch of the new lid.

With the top stowed, the most visually alluring detail becomes the new one-piece aluminum decklid with two aero humps like those found on the Carrera GT, saving 6.5 pounds over the regular car’s rear trunk and half-tonneau. Aluminum doors from the 911 Turbo and GT3 shave 33 pounds, and the 10-spoke, Spyder-specific 19-inch wheels are actually lighter than the Boxster S’s 18s. The gas tank is reduced in capacity by 2.6 gallons to 14.3, and an optional 13-pound lithium-ion starter battery ($1700!) can save 22 pounds. Additionally, the LED running lamps are smaller, the side scoops are done in black mesh, and the standard exhaust is now finished in black. Porsche says its engineers improved the aerodynamics of the Spyder through a modified front lip and fixed rear spoiler, and a lower trim bar bearing the Porsche name is affixed to recall the 908 and 909 race cars of the ’70s.

ENGINE
With brisk 50-degree temperatures, our California environment has declared its intention to remain chilly. Nonetheless, the top is down as we begin our journey on scenic Highway 1 near Monterey. With the Pacific Ocean crashing into the cliffs below us, we waste no time putting the Porsche to work. Any doubts about the Spyder’s performance enhancements drift out to sea among the breakers as the extra 10 ponies in the now 320-hp, 3.4-liter flat-six are put to work. Carving through the tight and twisted sections of Highway 1, we find that the reduced weight of our six-speed-manual Spyder—at about 3000 pounds, it’s the lightest in the entire Porsche fleet—is easily apparent. The 0.8-inch lowered suspension includes shorter and stiffer springs, firmer dampers, modified front and rear anti-roll bars, and a slightly wider track, and it all combines to noticeably improve the Boxster’s already stellar handling. The car is just itching to turn in at every corner, and the steering is effortless, as if it had been engineered just for this road. Well, that impression could also be because the suspension work did lighten the steering, but the rack is quicker and even more communicative than before, allowing us to feel the pavement texture more intimately.

The Spyder can tackle 25-mph switchbacks at double that speed. The grippy seats hold you in place and the body shows no signs of pitching or rolling, yet the ride is never harsh. Traction into and out of the turns is hardly lost, with the standard mechanically locking differential enabling high exit speeds. And in a straight line Porsche is claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds on PDK-equipped cars with launch control, which seems a bit conservative considering we managed 4.3 in a less-powerful Boxster S weighing 3220 pounds with the PDK. Figure 4.1 or quicker to 60 and about 12.7 seconds in the quarter-mile once we strap test gear to a Boxster Spyder.

Carbon-ceramic discs are optional, although the standard iron rotors carried over from the Boxster S work fine, as we found out when a Mini Cooper one car ahead of us attempted to overtake slower traffic at the same time we did and nearly ran us off the road as we neared our destination.

SAFETY
Standard safety features for the 2011 Porsche Boxster include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, dual thorax and head side-impact airbags and rollover safety hoops above the headrests. In Edmunds brake testing, the Spyder came to a stop from 60 mph in a superb 102 feet -- the other Boxsters are likely to only take a few feet longer.

Driving Impressions

Thanks to its petite size, modest weight and midengine layout, the 2011 Porsche Boxster handles superbly, managing to feel glued to the road and light on its feet at the same time. Body roll is virtually nonexistent, and the variable-ratio steering is among the best systems on the market. It's all that and more when considering the sublime Boxster Spyder.

The base Boxster's 2.9-liter engine sounds glorious, and most roadster buyers will never feel wanting for power. Having said that, more thrust is never a bad thing and the 310-hp Boxster S will certainly not disappoint. Driving enthusiasts will still feel more of a connection with manual-equipped Boxsters, but the PDK transmission is a revelation, providing faultless automated-manual shifting performance for those who would rather not row their own gears. We're not particularly fond of the steering-wheel-mounted shift buttons, so the optional shift paddles are a must-have.
reference:usnews.rankingsandreviews.com,www.caranddriver.com,www.edmunds.com

2011 Porsche 911

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Porsche 911
Here are the first decent spy shots we’ve seen of the 2011 Porsche 911 in something resembling its own metal; it’s the car which Porschephiles call the 998, although it's actually being referred to internally as the 991. Clearly, this prototype wears the expected placeholder front lighting elements—these ones cribbed from a pre-face-lift version of the current 997-gen Carrera—bulging from tacked-on front fender extensions that conceal a flatter, Panamera-like nose. The roofline and doors appear very close in design to the current model—no surprise there—but the rear fenders of this car conceal a vastly wider track than the current 911, leading us to believe that this car could be an all-wheel-drive 4 or 4S model.

INTERIOR
Build quality is exceptional in the 2011 Porsche 911. Even those surfaces not swathed in soft hide are made with material that's pretty consistent with the cow-sourced stuff. Other material highlights include a standard Alcantara headliner and deep carpet that extends up onto the doors, eliminating the possibility of scuffing any sort of lower door plastic.

As far as interior space goes, it doesn't get much better in the sports car realm. Sure, the 2+2 rear seats are mostly useless, but when folded, they provide a large cargo space that complements the frunk (front trunk). Up front, the supportive bucket seats do a great job of holding both driver and passenger in place while cornering.

Roomy footwells and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel mean the 911 can accommodate drivers of nearly all sizes. Interior controls are relatively simple to operate, and items like navigation, Bluetooth, the iPod interface and ventilated seats help make this sports car a viable daily driver.

EXTERIOR
With its signature sloping rear, the 911 has always needed all the aero help it can get. Thus, the appendage on this prototype’s back end, which appears to be sprouting the grille of a Kenworth, is in fact merely shrouding the latest iteration of the deployable rear spoiler that has helped keep the rear end of every standard Carrera since 1990 on the ground at triple-digit speeds. New, however, is the roof-mounted spoiler that deploys from the leading edge of the rear window. Front active spoilers are also said to be in the works, which this car’s odd, droopy lower front air dam and hash-style flaps on the fascia must be intended to impersonate.

But Porsche may think that even those measures are not enough, and rumors have swirled about how Porsche plans to make this one slip through the wind even better. Some suggest that Porsche may use active vents that open and close in order to stabilize the car in corners, and others claims that the 911 could be the first car to do away with side mirrors in favor of some other rear vision devices. Indeed, could cameras—not parking sensors—be peering through those small dimples in the corners of the rear bumper.

 ENGINE
Porsche set the stage for the RS 4.0 as nothing less than an all-out performance machine, noting that it packs the largest displacement engine ever to come in a factory-baked 911. As the name suggests, that engine is a 4.0-liter version of Porsche's flat-six, equipped with forged pistons, titanium connecting rods, and the same crankshaft as found in the GT3 RSR racer. The result is a solid 500 horsepower at 8250 rpm (and an eyebrow-raising 125 horses per liter), with 339 pound-feet of torque available at 5750 rpm and a power-to-weight ratio of 5.99 lbs/hp.

The car is, natürlich, fitted only with a six-speed manual transmission, which has gear ratios specifically designed for track work. Porsche says the car can hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 124 mph in 12.0 seconds, with a maximum velocity of 193 mph. Of course, those are the exact same benchmarks as Porsche specifies for the standard GT3 RS, which offers 450 horsepower from its 3.8-liter flat-six. That means the 4.0's quoted times may be on the conservative side, but we'll have to wait until we're offered some track time with a RS 4.0 to know for certain.

Straight-line blasts aside, the car should be just as competent on the track as its GT3 RS progenitor. Porsche says the RS 4.0 reportedly lapped Germany's famed Nürburgring in 7:27, a time that will no doubt light up Internet forums for the next six months (look out, Nissan GT-R). The rapid time was facilitated in part by a low curb weight of 2998 pounds, 22 fewer than the GT3 RS. Dietary measures include carbon-fiber front fenders and front trunk lid, lighter carpeting, and carbon-fiber bucket seats. The large rear wing and front "dive plane" aerodynamic add-ons keep the car stuck to the road at speed, conspiring for a claimed 426 pounds of downforce at 193 mph.

SAFETY
Every 2011 Porsche 911 comes with antilock ventilated disc brakes, stability control and front, side and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the Carrera 4 and the Turbo came to a stop from 60 mph in 104 feet. The GT3 stopped in 99 feet. Given this excellent performance, you'd only need the available ceramic composite brakes if you frequent high-performance driving events.

Driving Impressions

For a car with an exaggerated rear weight bias, it's always impressive how beautifully composed this classically designed Porsche remains in corners. While 911s of yore earned a reputation for tricky at-the-limit handling, with the exception of the hard-core GT2 RS, those demons have long been exorcised -- especially when you get an AWD model. The 2011 Porsche 911 is all about composure and man-machine communication (that goes double for the phenomenal GT3), and it has a lightweight finesse to it that no bruising Nissan GT-R can match.

The PDK transmission is a welcome happy medium for those who desire the traffic-friendly nature of not having a clutch, yet still want the rapid shift performance of a traditional manual. However, we're not fans of the awkward shift buttons. These can be replaced with optional shift paddles on the Turbo, but sadly you can't get them on other models.
reference:www.caranddriver.com,www.automobilemag.com,www.edmunds.com

2011 Pontiac Torrent

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Pontiac Torrent
As more consumers look to get out of large, gas-swilling SUVs, they're realizing that compact and midsize crossovers strike an appealing compromise between practicality and fuel efficiency. The 2011 Pontiac Torrent is a good example of this burgeoning crossover breed. Like its twin, the Chevrolet Equinox, the Pontiac is aimed at buyers who want the rugged look of an SUV but the drivability and smaller footprint of a car. The Torrent neatly splits the difference between "cute utes" and traditional trucks, boasting decent cargo and passenger space along with superior maneuverability.

Although the Pontiac Torrent looks as if it could tackle the wilderness, this car-based crossover is much more adept on pavement than it is off the beaten path, thanks to its light-duty all-wheel-drive system and minimal ground clearance. Still, the Torrent offers plenty of utility. Its versatile interior offers an adjustable, split-rear-seat design, and there is also a choice of two V6 engines under the hood. The GXP's 3.6-liter engine, in particular, puts the Torrent at the top of the segment in terms of acceleration, and the available all-wheel-drive system provides sure-footed traction in foul weather.

Of course, the Torrent faces a number of solid competitors in the mid-$20,000 range. The Hyundai Santa Fe, Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota RAV4, for example, all offer optional V6 power as well as a third-row seat (though the actual usefulness of this feature is debatable on these compact vehicles). Customers should also think about the Saturn Vue and Honda's perennially popular CR-V. Overall, the Torrent doesn't quite match up to the all-stars in this segment due to its interior faults, but it's still worth including in your small and midsize crossover search.

INTERIOR
Getting in the Pontiac Torrent is easy. The door openings are wide, and you need neither climb up nor stoop down to get in the seats. Simply slide in. The seats are comfortable, though we'd prefer more side bolstering in the base model.

The cabin looks nice, though the materials vary in quality. The standard cloth upholstery on the seats and door trim is attractive. One of our test vehicles came in light-colored cloth and with a matching roof liner this gave the cabin an airy feeling. The available leather seats are also nice. The plastic used for the dash and other trim is at best average for the class, however.

The optional leather-wrapped steering wheel comes with stylish but bulky stitching that felt rough to our hands. We found the instruments uncluttered and easy to read. The Pontiac-trademark red lighting doesn't improve legibility but might help with night vision. The dashboard is low, affording good forward visibility. Big side mirrors improve rearward visibility. The inside door handles are easy to operate. The switchgear works well, with one exception: The power window buttons are awkwardly located on the center console, not on the driver's door, so you'll have to look down to find them; and lowering the window at toll booths demands a shift of hands on the steering wheel, to toss coins or take a ticket.

The center console flips up and out of the way, making space between the front seats for a tote bag or purse that would otherwise flop around in the passenger's footwell. On the floor is a single cupholder that works well for cans and water bottles; just aft of this on the floor are slots for CDs angled forward for easy access. Flipping the center console back into place provides an armrest and a small amount of storage, though the storage cubby is located far enough rearward as to be awkward to access. A pair of cupholders can be popped out of the end of the console, but they're flimsy and obstruct the floor-mounted handbrake lever; we avoided using them, preferring the floor-mounted cupholder. Your passenger will just have to hold his or her drink. The door pockets are narrow, though there are map pockets on the sides of the center tunnel.

The optional Pioneer sound system is deep and rich, something we discovered while listening to XM Satellite Radio's Cinemagic station, which features movie soundtracks. When ordered, Bluetooth capability is integrated with the standard OnStar system. This wireless technology enables hands-free phone calls for safer, more convenient connections.

The rear seat slides forward or back eight inches, a nice feature. Sliding it forward adds five cubic feet of cargo space. Sliding it back offers rear passengers more legroom. The rear seat is split 60/40 for cargo versatility, and the seatbacks recline, so passengers back there can really lie back.

The front passenger seat folds flat, turning it into a tray or work space or for allowing long items, like a surfboard, to stretch from the tailgate to dashboard. It's a nice setup, but you have to get out of the car and walk around to flip the front-passenger seat back into position because the release lever is only on the right side; it'd be much more convenient if a redundant lever was on the left side so the driver could reach it. If you really need cargo space, the passenger and/or rear seats can be deleted for commercial and fleet applications.

We found the cargo bay quite generous and it easily handled a big box we put back there. A clever polycarbonate tray is available that pulls out of the floor and can be slotted into one of three height levels, so it can be used for different things, including concealment. It allows two levels of grocery boxes or bags, for example. It's an interesting feature, though we've wondered how many people use shelving systems on other vehicles. The tailgate lifts high enough that all but the tallest owners can stand fully upright beneath it.

EXTERIOR
The Pontiac Torrent is relatively large for the class, with a wheelbase that's 9.4 inches longer than that of the Ford Escape. The Torrent is based on a car platform, and shares its basic structure with the Chevy Equinox.

Torrent shares its shape with the Equinox, but a twin-nostril grille with arrowhead divider announces it's a Pontiac, and gives Torrent some distinction, though it still looks similar to most other compact SUVs.

Overall, the Torrent has a pleasing, subtle design, with clean lines and a forward wedge shape to its sides. The trapezoidal twin-beam headlamps look strong (reminiscent of the previous-generation Saab 9-3), and so do the silver-colored pseudo-skid plates that wrap up onto the front and rear fascias, coming from under the car. The B-pillar is flat black, so it's barely visible between the tinted glass of the front and rear doors. This accentuates the thick, body-color C-pillar, and the pleasantly tall, arcing shape of the rear side window.

Thick aluminum roof rails are suggestive of those on the Nissan Xterra and help give this car-based SUV a more rugged appearance. The outside door handles are of the big grab variety, making it easy to open the doors and climb in without breaking fingernails.

You'll need a sharp eye to distinguish the GXP from the standard Torrent, but the front hood, grille, and front and rear fascias are all different. Most noticeable is the absence of the base model's ersatz skid plates; instead, the rear bumper is clean, and up front the GXP wraps a protruding lip of body-color plastic around its lower air intake, vaguely suggesting an oil cooler on a race car. Above that, the GXP's grille nostrils are deeper and lined with more brightwork. To achieve that effect, the fascia around them has to stand out a bit more, which requires a slight exaggeration of the central bulge in the engine hood for it all to flow together.

From the side, you might notice that even though both models roll on five-spoke alloy wheels, the spokes on the GXP's wheels taper outward instead of inward, for a more pleasing effect. The GXP hunkers one inch closer to the road, and buyers can leave off the roof rails to further emphasize the look of sport over utility.

ENGINE
Kelley Blue Book says the standard 3.4-liter powerplant "has more than enough horsepower and torque to provide a nice balance between good acceleration and reasonable fuel economy." MSN Autos vouches that the Chinese-built engine is “as reliable as sunrise, but also call this pushrod engine a yawner.” The base Torrent is equipped with a 3.4-liter V-6 with 185 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. Edmunds notes that "though the output of GM's familiar 3400 V6 is uninspiring, it offers adequate low and midrange torque for most situations."
The 3.6-liter V-6 engine powering the GXP delivers 264 hp and 250 pound-feet of torque. Edmunds calls the engine “powerful,” and Pontiac reports the front-drive GXP Torrent hits 60 mph in about 6.9 seconds. All-wheel-drive versions are maybe a tenth of a second or so slower. Either way, this is a huge improvement over the 3.4-liter Torrent, which needs closer to 10 seconds to make the same run. ConsumerGuide says "the 3.6-liter V6 engine provides very good power delivery from a stop and for highway passing and merging."
Where the GXP gets a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control, the base Torrent only has a five-speed automatic. In their testing, ConsumerGuide observes the Pontiac Torrent GPX’s six-speed transmission has a "tendency to hunt between gears at highway speeds." Kelley Blue Book notes that "Pontiac's adaptive five-speed automatic transmission delivers near-seamless shifts and its fifth gear helps maximize fuel consumption at highway speeds." Edmunds adds it offers “manual shift control.”
Kelley Blue Book recommends that "those seeking more performance should look to the 3.6-liter engine, which features variable valve timing for better fuel economy." Cars.com notes, surprisingly, "the more-powerful engine has nearly the same mileage ratings as the smaller one." The slight difference in fuel economy has a lot to do with the transmissions and the fact that the 3.6-liter engine is more modern and refined. The Pontiac Torrent has EPA-estimated fuel economy that is identical for both front- and all-wheel-drive versions: 17 mpg city, 24 highway for the 3.4-liter engine and 16/24 mpg for the 3.6-liter V-6.
In regard to handling, although the GXP edition is the sportier of the two 2009 Torrent models, its handling leans more toward comfort than nimbleness. According to Kelley Blue Book, "the quiet-running Torrent is easy to drive, stays on course easily and body lean through curves is less than for some of its competitors." ConsumerGuide tests only the GXP model and declares that "despite the aggressive suspensions and tire combination, the GXP's handling isn't what we would call sporty." They notice that the tracking and straight-line stability are good, as are the braking control and overall grip, but "there is quite a bit of body lean in turns," and the steering feels "numb." Edmunds believes that the GXP's "performance-tuned chassis is calibrated to handle more power and offers greater potential for speed." Edmunds notes "most small SUV shoppers will find the Pontiac Torrent's ride and handling balance reasonably carlike and quite acceptable." They note the Torrent’s body roll while cornering, as well as the power steering's lack of "responsiveness."

 SAFETY
Antilock disc brakes, traction control, side curtain airbags, OnStar telematics and stability control with trailer-sway-mitigating technology are all standard on the 2009 Pontiac Torrent. Front-seat side airbags (for torso protection) are not available. In government crash tests, the Pontiac Torrent earned a top five-star rating for the protection of front occupants in a frontal impact, as well as five stars for front and rear occupant protection in side impacts. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the Torrent scored the highest possible "Good" rating in frontal offset testing.
reference:www.edmunds.com,www.thecarconnection.com,autos.aol.com