page 2 - Hot Sixes - Comparison Test

Porsche Boxster S
186.6 points

At a Glance:
0-60:	5.5 sec
1/4 mile:	14.0 sec
Lap time:	1:38.88
Slalom:	68.7 mph
Skidpad:	0.92g
60-0:	120 ft
80-0:	197 ft

It certainly was surprising to find that the Porsche ($58,195 as tested) had the kindest street ride of all, smooth, bordering on supple, yet never out of sorts. The feedback that is so rich on the racetrack makes its presence known on the street too. It's just a car that wants to have a lively conversation with you all the time.

Even with the top down, body structure was quite sound, with minimal flex and no shimmy or shake. It didn't even occur to us during track testing to put the top up on such a fine, sunny day, because open-air motoring is the best. All the better to smell the tire smoke too....

The Porsche felt like magic on the track. Its 3.2 liters and 258 bhp of VarioCam urge offered plenty of torque (229 lb.-ft. at 4600 rpm) to jump off corners even when the driver was forced to short-shift. Don't try that in your Honda S2000! Bottom-end power is good, but the show really gets going when VarioCam starts to open the intake cams sooner. By 4000 rpm, the symphony of power begins, and the Boxster breathes more and more freely until the 7200-rpm redline. Grab another quick shift and you're right back in the fun.

The Porsche may be only slightly quicker than the Nissan in a straight line (just 0.2 sec. separates their quarter-mile times), but by virtue of its lighter weight, freer-breathing engine and higher redline (the Z only revs to 6600 rpm and seems to strain over 6200), it feels much faster.

But such feelings can be deceiving, which is why we go out and burn rubber for the Cause.

Chrysler Crossfire
194.4 points

At a Glance:
0-60:	4.8 sec
1/4 mile:	13.3 sec
Lap time:	1:35.09
Slalom:	66.9 mph
Skidpad:	0.90g
60-0:	113 ft
80-0:	201 ft

It's a long way to the Streets of Willow Springs from Osnabrück, Germany, especially when you start in Auburn Hills, Michigan. But that's the story for the Crossfire, because while all the principal design, suspension tune and build-quality are handled by Chrysler folks, assembly is done in Germany at the Karmann plant.

So, yes, the Crossfire uses a whole lotta Daimler. What you're looking at is basically a heavily reengineered previous-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK platform with a hand-built, AMG-tuned, supercharged 3.2-liter V-6. Not that there's anything wrong with that....

Seriously, there is very little wrong with that. If this is the kind of car the partnership yields, let's have a blown Hemi and some Cragar rims on the next SL500.

Until then, we've got one killer Chrysler. The SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology. For the Crossfire, street definitely comes first, which is just what SRT Director Dan Knott intended.

"While Dodge SRT performance is extreme, SRT performance for the Chrysler brand is a refined, subdued, but very confident level of performance," says Knott, as we note how many times he works "performance" into a single quote.

Confident performance, indeed. There are 330 blown horsepower (up 115 bhp over the standard model) mated to a truly excellent 5-speed automatic transmission. From a standstill, 60 mph comes in just 4.8 seconds. No muss, no fuss, just mash the loud pedal and watch the world blur around the crisp, straked, art deco lines of that long, flat hood. It is a striking car, no doubt, but the best view is from the driver's seat. Just don't try to see anything in the rear three-quarter view!

But what is behind doesn't matter when you have an engine like this. Corner exits were thrilling in the $46,895 SRT-6 (as tested), the engine sounding like a blast furnace and those big 19-in. rear alloys with 255/35 Michelin Pilot Sports straining against the tarmac. Good thing there is so much power, because it could be used to help counter marked understeer at the track.

The street bias is clear when you're really pushing it, for there is a lot less feedback here than with either the Boxster or the 350Z.

"The Chrysler is the most distant-feeling, but it shows you what a lot of tire and loads of horsepower can do for you," said Mitani.

Not to mention the impressive automatic transmission with AutoStick "manual" gear selection. You can try to push your right leg through the firewall to unleash the fury of the engine, and upshifts still are wholly civilized. Downshifts, too, are nearly seamless, causing no upset at the racetrack.

"The gearbox is so smooth, up or down," reported Yasukawa. "It's a totally different experience than the others."

Of the two manual boxes, the Nissan's 6-speed offered a tighter feel and shorter throws than the Boxster's 6-cog cable-actuated unit. Add in better heel-and-toe pedal positioning, and the Nissan was the manual standout, and more engaging at the track than the SRT-6 as a result.