Karl on Cars
Porsche
November 3, 2009
This list isn't very long, but it's getting longer every year.
The first vehicle to earn the distinction of "Cars I Want to Hate...But Can't" was the BMW X5, and I still consider it the poster child for this category.
Why would I want to hate the BMW X5? Because it was slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient than a BMW 5 Series wagon when it debuted in the late 1990s. The car made no logical sense on any rational level.
Then I drove one and quickly realized that, as slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient 5 Series wagons go, the X5 was an awfully nice vehicle.
Since then I've experienced a similar love-hate relationship with several models, including the (new) Dodge Challenger, the Porsche Panamera and -- as of last Thursday -- the Honda Crosstour.
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- Karl Brauer November 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- BMW, Dodge, Honda, Porsche, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Honda Crosstour
December 16, 2008
Believe it or not, my job doesn't always allow for as much seat time in shiny dream machines as I'd like. The demands of testing, evaluating, photographing, video recording and writing about test cars means there often isn't even a single night left over for "editor in chief driving."
But last week a combination of circumstances allowed me to experience four full days of Porsche 911 C4S bliss in a brand new 2009 model. What's more, in those four days I utilized the 911 under a wide variety of circumstances, furthering my understanding and appreciation for the model. That's particularly good because in a car like the Porsche 911 you can't simply blast down a mountain road and assume you've got it all figured out.
During my 96 hours in the 911 I commuted three times, I shopped four times, I transported my kids once and I drove through heavy rain for over 50 miles (even Mother Nature was helping me experience all aspects of this sports car).
So without further delay, I present my 11 Reasons I Love the Porsche 911:
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- Karl Brauer December 16, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Porsche, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Porsche 911 Reasons to Love
May 20, 2008
You may have already heard this, but BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine took home the International Engine of the Year award for 2008. If you've experienced this powertrain you know that title is well and properly earned, as the 3.0-liter's combination of horsepower, torque and even fuel efficiency make it one of the best engines in history.
But that got me thinking: What are the best engines in the history of the automobile? There are no internationally recognized test parameters to answer this question, so it's basically a judgement call. With that said, here are the 10 engines I would place in the annals of "Best Engines of All Time."
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- Karl Brauer May 20, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Porsche, Vehicle Awards
September 12, 2007
Here's the follow-up to our look at Europe's future product as predicted by Automotive News. Yesterday we hit Alfa Romeo through Maybach, so today we'll start with Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz: Lots of activity for 2008, most of which we've already seen (SLR Roadster, S65, all-new C-Class, etc.). Next year we get the C63
(457hp), a CLK convertible, an E-Class update, an SLK restyle and an SL freshen. In 2009 we get a CLS freshen, an AMG E-Class, an S-Class convertible and -- believe it or not -- a small crossover called the GLK.
Mini: The Clubman
just debuted in Frankfurt, and we'll see how the small-car brands fares with a larger model. The new John Cooper Works model
looks cool (and makes 207 horsepower while weighing 66 pounds less) and the convertible gets a full redesign, to catch up with the coupe, for 2009.
Porsche: Both the Boxster and the Cayman get freshened next year, while the titanic 911 GT2
debuts with 530 turbo-charged horsepower. A full redesign of the Cayenne happens in 2009, while Porsche's first sedan, the Panamera, hits town in 2010 (and yes, the company will still have a "soul" -- along with a stronger bottom line).
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- Karl Brauer September 12, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Auto Shows, Future Vehicles, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Saab, Smart Car, Volkswagen, Volvo
September 6, 2007
I have a scary proclamation to make, but that's never stopped me before:
Cars are losing their "fun-to-drive" factor.
There -- I said it, and I feel better. Actually I feel better in having finally faced an undeniable fact, but worse that this is a fact of today's automotive reality. Yet after recent stints in the latest Dodge Viper and BMW 5 Series (to name just two) I can't deny the trend.
Sure, the Viper is still quick, loud, brash and bold -- but it ISN'T more fun to drive than before. In fact it's less. The steering response is too slow, the shift action is too clunky (yes, even for a "raw, manly car" like the Viper), and the driving position is not only uncomfortable but uncooperative when driving fast, which is supposedly the whole point of the car. And while the 5 Series is still luxurious, refined and stable around corners, it's also less entertaining on a twisty road than it used to be (I blame active steering primarily).
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- Karl Brauer September 6, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Cadillac, Dodge, Driving, Porsche, Toyota
August 13, 2007
Since my first encounter behind the wheel of a Ford GT pre-production car in the Fall of 2004 there have only been two cars that have made me think, "Okay, if someone stole my GT in the middle of the night and left one of these in its place I wouldn't cry too much." The first was the Ferrari F430, the second (much more recently) was the 911 GT3. The GT3 is just so pure and so immediate that, although quite a different experience from the Ford GT or the Ferrari F430, that 911 is simply too much fun to ignore.
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- Karl Brauer August 13, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Porsche, Retro Revivals
March 12, 2007
We're not sure who PO'd Porsche's new 911 GT3, but it's an undeniably angry little car. However, in this case anger is a good thing because the GT3 has effectively channeled its aggressions into a stunning driving experience. And when you think about it, just being able to call a 911 model "angry" and "little" is a revelation. For nearly a decade Porsche's iconic sports car has lacked the visceral thrill that made it an icon in the first place. Drive the new Cayman and you're like, "Oh, yeah, this is why I originally fell in love with the 911." I'm not saying the current 911 isn't still a fabulous car, because it is. But few would argue that the car's inherent nature has remained true to the original model's philsophy. As a fun and functional daily driver it scores. As an inspiring sports car...well...I think you could replace "angry" and "little" with "domesticated" and "rotund."
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- Karl Brauer March 12, 2007, 7:03 AM
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- Porsche
January 11, 2007
Among the many industry folks I saw at the Detroit Auto Show was one Wolfgang Durheimer, the Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Porsche. He actually took the time to have lunch with Scott Oldham and I (yes, we were pleasantly surprised too). Probably the biggest element I took away from this lunch was a clearer understanding of exactly why Porsches are such fabulous vehicles. Mr...
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- Karl Brauer January 11, 2007, 7:09 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Porsche
August 8, 2006
I'm a huge fan of turbocharging, and between my 1989 Dodge Shadow Shelby CSX and my 1991 Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo I've experienced my fair share of turbo rush. But during the 1990s a good chunk of turbocharged models went away, most never to return. We lost the Supra, RX-7, Eclipse/Talon (the turbo versions), 300ZX, Stealth/3000 GT and Daytona. Some manufacturers never gave up their turbo ways (like Saab, Subaru and Volvo), and others like Volkswagen/Audi have fully embraced this technology over the past decade. As with the diesel engine's transformation in the past 10 years (in case you haven't noticed, diesels aren't noisy, smelly or sooty anymore), computer technology has kept turbos eco-friendly while gradually improving their driveability...
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- Karl Brauer August 8, 2006, 8:43 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, MINI, Porsche
July 19, 2006
We have an automatic version of the Porsche Cayman S in the test-car garage right now, and I drove it home yesterday. If you read our recent Porsche Boxster full test
you know we weren't thrilled with that car's automatic. Much of the same can be said of the Cayman's slushbox, which like the Boxster's isn't horrible but feels somehow wrong in this otherwise briliant sports car. I tend to be more forgiving of automatics than most "enthusiasts" for two reasons: 1...
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- Karl Brauer July 19, 2006, 8:53 AM
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- Porsche
June 15, 2006
In case some of you don't already know, we have a 2006 BMW 330i in our long-term fleet
. We've had it since December and it's at just over 10,000 miles now. We've also just switched our long-term vehicle reporting over to blog format
, meaning you can now read almost daily updates on the 15-plus cars currently in our fleet. Anyway, our 330i is truly a fabulous vehicle on every level...
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- Karl Brauer June 15, 2006, 8:53 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Porsche
March 2, 2006
I just drove the "Saab" 9-7X. So the obvious question is: Why would Saab slap their badge on a Chevy Trailblazer and try to pass it off as one of their own? The supposed answer is: Without taking such action there would be no Saab.
The argument has some merit -- just look at Jaguar. They've never come out with any sort of SUV (heck, they didn't even want to bring their X-Type wagon to the U.S. -- not that it saved them when they finally did) and I think the leaping cat's current financial predicament is clearly related to the lack of "SUVinating" Jaguar. But there is a theoretical upside, that being a lack of any Jaguar-badged SUVs. Confused yet?
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- Karl Brauer March 2, 2006, 9:50 PM
- Categories:
- BMW, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Saab, Volvo
December 31, 2005
It's 2006! (at least on the East Coast...)
What 2006 model, that I've already driven, am I most excited about/impressed by? The Porsche Cayman. Yes, I still think the Solstice is the most significant vehicle for 2006 on an industry-wide basis, but on a personal note I love what the the Cayman represents -- basically a purebred sports car from Porsche, something the 911 hasn't really been for decades.
What 2007 model -- that I've haven't driven yet -- am I most excited about for the coming year? The Mustang GT500. I think it will provide thrilling performance (both straightline and handling), and it will do this while offering exceptional styling and interior quality -- all at a great price...
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- Karl Brauer December 31, 2005, 10:15 PM
- Categories:
- Ford, Muscle Car, Porsche
December 28, 2005
I just spent the last 90 minutes driving a Porsche Cayman and it's everything I figured it would be. That means it feels like a lighter, nimbler, quicker and stiffer (chassis) version of the Boxster. From behind the wheel it's actually got a bit of "Audi TT-ness" to it in terms of outward sight lines and overall greenhouse shape, but the greenhouse is considerably larger so it feels much roomier inside (headroom should not be an issue, even for the very tall). This is ironic when you consider that the Cayman is a two seater and the Audi is, technically, a four seater, but it is a great example of how much influence the roofline and windows play in establishing how roomy (or not) a car feels.
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- Karl Brauer December 28, 2005, 5:11 PM
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- Porsche
December 16, 2005
Our Porsche Cayman First Drive
went up in early October, but that was part of a press trip in Europe (so only one editor got to drive it).
Now we'll have our very own version over the holidays to perform a full road test on. I'm more excited about this car than I was about the Boxster back in 1997 -- and I still love that car. People are suggesting the Cayman could seriously bite into 911 sales...
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- Karl Brauer December 16, 2005, 1:12 PM
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- Porsche
November 27, 2005
I just saw over on Autoblog
that Porsche will be using variable turbine technology on their next 911 Turbo. The idea is to vary the airflow of the exhaust gas by varying the angle and diameter of the vanes in the turbocharger. As you might know, a smaller area requires faster airflow to get an equal amount of air through it. In other words, if you can shrink the diameter of the turbo's vanes at low rpm, the air will naturally speed up. The bottom line -- no more turbo lag. And trust me when I say the system works very well!
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- Karl Brauer November 27, 2005, 4:20 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Porsche
