C&D Comparo: DB9 vs. F430 vs. GT vs. Gallardo vs. SL65 vs. 911 Turbo S Cabrio
07-15-2005, 12:27 PM
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C&D Comparo: DB9 vs. F430 vs. GT vs. Gallardo vs. SL65 vs. 911 Turbo S Cabrio
Lords of Envy - - Armed with six outrageous road cars endowed with racetrack performance levels, we go in search of a place to exploit them. - - BY BARRY WINFIELD - - PHOTOGRAPHY BY PLANET-R/RANDY LORENTZEN - - August 2005 - - Source: CarandDriver.com
Fifth Place (tie)
Aston Martin DB9
Highs: Gorgeous bodywork, torquey V-12, elegant interior.
Lows: Knotty ride, feeble A/C, easily overheated transmission.
The Verdict: A beautiful car for a mature James Bond.
Fifth Place (tie)
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
Highs: God's own engine, high comfort and equipment levels, convenient convertible top.
Lows: Substantial heft, substantial price, substantial appetite for fuel.
The Verdict: The most comfortable high-speed tourer in the bunch.
Fourth Place
Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet
Highs: Exciting power delivery, intimate interior, everyday practicality.
Lows: Dated design, busy ride, slightly untrustworthy chassis.
The Verdict: Still a solid purchase for the Porsche faithful.
Third Place
Ford GT
Highs: Immense thrust, unshakable grip, head-turning looks, great value, easy to drive.
Lows: A hard and noisy ride, wind roar, occasionally tricky ingress, no stash space.
The Verdict: A skillful roadgoing reincarnation of a classic sports racer.
Second Place
Lamborghini Gallardo
Highs: Exotic street presence, great V-10 exhaust note, flexible power delivery.
Lows: A little cramped for beanpoles, stolid control feel, clunky gated gearshift.
The Verdict: An eye magnet for those who must be seen.
First Place
Ferrari F430
Highs: Superb mix of dynamic brilliance, scintillating character, surprising versatility.
Lows: Price, unavailability, annoying beeps.
The Verdict: If we had the money, we'd buy one.
Aston Martin DB9
Highs: Gorgeous bodywork, torquey V-12, elegant interior.
Lows: Knotty ride, feeble A/C, easily overheated transmission.
The Verdict: A beautiful car for a mature James Bond.
Fifth Place (tie)
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
Highs: God's own engine, high comfort and equipment levels, convenient convertible top.
Lows: Substantial heft, substantial price, substantial appetite for fuel.
The Verdict: The most comfortable high-speed tourer in the bunch.
Fourth Place
Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet
Highs: Exciting power delivery, intimate interior, everyday practicality.
Lows: Dated design, busy ride, slightly untrustworthy chassis.
The Verdict: Still a solid purchase for the Porsche faithful.
Third Place
Ford GT
Highs: Immense thrust, unshakable grip, head-turning looks, great value, easy to drive.
Lows: A hard and noisy ride, wind roar, occasionally tricky ingress, no stash space.
The Verdict: A skillful roadgoing reincarnation of a classic sports racer.
Second Place
Lamborghini Gallardo
Highs: Exotic street presence, great V-10 exhaust note, flexible power delivery.
Lows: A little cramped for beanpoles, stolid control feel, clunky gated gearshift.
The Verdict: An eye magnet for those who must be seen.
First Place
Ferrari F430
Highs: Superb mix of dynamic brilliance, scintillating character, surprising versatility.
Lows: Price, unavailability, annoying beeps.
The Verdict: If we had the money, we'd buy one.
07-15-2005, 12:28 PM
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Interesting. I'd still take the DB9 over any of those...
07-15-2005, 12:36 PM
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I was looking at the mag the other day and the performance results and I remember the GT was faster than all of them. I remember the GT doing 3.6 for the 60 and 12.0 for the 1/4 mile. There were 2 or 3 cars at the 4.0 or 4.1 second run for the 60, like the SL65, the 911 and the F430. I remember the Gallardo was not tested because of a failed clutch so they used the numbers from a previous test. The DB9 was pretty slow, high 4s for the 60 and the.
07-15-2005, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by gavriil
I was looking at the mag the other day and the performance results and I remember the GT was faster than all of them. I remember the GT doing 3.6 for the 60 and 12.0 for the 1/4 mile. There were 2 or 3 cars at the 4.0 or 4.1 second run for the 60, like the SL65, the 911 and the F430. I remember the Gallardo was not tested because of a failed clutch so they used the numbers from a previous test. The DB9 was pretty slow, high 4s for the 60 and the.
But they mentioned they took it easy on the F430 which does not come equipped with the European launch control that the car in their previous test did. Sub 4 sec to 60 and sub 12 sec 1/4 mile in that previous test. 4 sec to 60 and 12.5 1/4 mile in this test.
07-15-2005, 01:46 PM
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hah... this is the comparo I had in mind when I was talking about how C&D isn't "the bible".... tell me what the 996 Turbo S CABRIOLET is doing in there... 
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
07-15-2005, 01:49 PM
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Originally Posted by srika
hah... this is the comparo I had in mind when I was talking about how C&D isn't "the bible".... tell me what the 996 Turbo S CABRIOLET is doing in there...
They had to get the replacement from a private owner. He decided to throw in the 911 Turbo as well.
Or Steve Knappenberger, owner of Porsche Santa Barbara (www.sbautogroup.com; 805-682-2000), who saved this giant street-racer shootout from certain impossibility when he lent us a Ferrari F430 after our anticipated test car was T-boned at a New Jersey intersection by a driver running a red light. Knappenberger also provided us with a Porsche 911 Turbo S cabrio when the Porsche fleet managers pronounced no test cars were available.
That's what you call real generosity, folks. Most Ferrari owners don't permit strangers within spitting distance of their swell cars. This guy let us put his personal silver F430 through all the hard tests we run for comparisons. Ferrari North America and Porsche Cars North America owe him big time, and so do we, so thanks, Steve.
That's what you call real generosity, folks. Most Ferrari owners don't permit strangers within spitting distance of their swell cars. This guy let us put his personal silver F430 through all the hard tests we run for comparisons. Ferrari North America and Porsche Cars North America owe him big time, and so do we, so thanks, Steve.
07-15-2005, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by srika
hah... this is the comparo I had in mind when I was talking about how C&D isn't "the bible".... tell me what the 996 Turbo S CABRIOLET is doing in there...
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
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07-15-2005, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by srika
hah... this is the comparo I had in mind when I was talking about how C&D isn't "the bible".... tell me what the 996 Turbo S CABRIOLET is doing in there...
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
sure they got the SL65 in there, but that car ONLY comes like that - the 996 is available as a coupe as well - and that's what they should have used for the test, if any 996...
07-15-2005, 02:47 PM
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damn - I hate it when those privateers botch up the tests like that 
Porsche owners everywhere do NOT like that privateer....
Porsche owners everywhere do NOT like that privateer....
07-15-2005, 03:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Minch00
for the F430. It's a shame the SL65 didn't do better.Heat is really affecting force fed engine so that' what probably happened. It was real hot C&D wrote. On the other hand, ditto for the GT, yet it still kicked everyone's ass. So...
07-15-2005, 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by gavriil
Heat is really affecting force fed engine so that' what probably happened. It was real hot C&D wrote. On the other hand, ditto for the GT, yet it still kicked everyone's ass. So...
Gav, how do you know Minch was reffering to acceleration?
Stop thinking about nothing but 0-60 and 1/4 mile times 
Its clear why the SL finished 5th.
The thrust available from this 604-hp monster with 738 pound-feet of torque is its calling card, and it helps the SL65 keep up with nimbler cars in the mountains, where its 4480-pound weight starts working against it. The Benz isn't particularly ill-mannered in the hills, understand, it just won't be jammed into corners. Even with the active roll-control system switched to sport, the SL65's large mass produces understeer, and the driver is soon admonished by the electronic stability program (ESP) to back off. As boss Csere noted, the rule here is: slow in, fast out.
07-15-2005, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by dom
Gav, how do you know Minch was reffering to acceleration? Stop thinking about nothing but 0-60 and 1/4 mile times
Its clear why the SL finished 5th.
Stop thinking about nothing but 0-60 and 1/4 mile times Its clear why the SL finished 5th.
If he did not, I apologize. I misunderstood. You're right, he probably meant it from an overall standing perspective. I jumped into concluding too quickly.
07-16-2005, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by srika
damn - I hate it when those privateers botch up the tests like that
Porsche owners everywhere do NOT like that privateer....
Porsche owners everywhere do NOT like that privateer....
07-17-2005, 10:59 PM
#22
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A huge version of this image is available here:
http://www.owners.ferrari.com/esImag...sso_grigia.jpg
07-18-2005, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Minch00
for the F430. It's a shame the SL65 didn't do better.The SL65 really impressed me. Look at the lap times and it's hard not to be impressed. I was expecting a 2 ton vehicle with an auto to get smoked.
07-20-2005, 11:44 PM
#25
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Originally Posted by fdl
A huge version of this image is available here:
[url
A huge version of this image is available here:
[url
http://www.owners.ferrari.com/esImages/Ferrari/20040818/f430_3_4_ant_basso_grigia.jpg[/url]
sorry i know its :offtopic:
Last edited by stangg172004; 07-20-2005 at 11:48 PM.
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