On Wed, Mar 14, 2001 at 05:22:50PM -0800, Kelly, Katie wrote:
> Why doesn't Craig just get a new Miata? Don't they come with 155 hp?
Those are both very good questions.
I'll start with the second one. The few 2001 owners who have had
their cars tested on dynomometers have found no difference in power
compared to 1999-2000 cars. That could be explained as being due to
"very heavy wheels", as the cars were measured on inertial dynos.
However, the torque curve is the same, with peak torque and peak power
at the same speeds as the 1999-2000 cars, despite the specs for 2001
claiming the peaks occur at higher speeds. Mazda is looking into it.
Craig, the new Miata is more solid and probably quieter than in
earlier years. Between 1997 and 1999 there was a noticable
improvement in low-speed torque. It's not a Vette, but I can snap the
tail out when shifting into second in a corner (in fact, it lost me
some time in the slalom on Sunday). Give it a try...
Looking at the criteria, even before I saw the list of candidates I
was thinking "M3 Convertible" and "944 Cabriolet". You may just be
stuck with noise in a convertible though. I don't know what magic BMW
may be capable of in that department, but the Miata is pretty darned
quiet with the top up or down, for a convertible. I'm very impressed
by the ability to converse with the top down at 70MPH.
I like the Subaru and a chainsaw idea. Give that a shot; let us know
how it turns out. What class would that put you in?
--
john@idsfa.net John Stimson
http://www.idsfa.net/~john/ HMC Physics '94
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