Acura NSX 2000 Introduced for the 1991 model year, the NSX offered levels of docility, quietness and refinement approaching those of its luxury-sedan brethren . . . that is, until you unleashed the full fury of its transversely mounted 90-degree V-6. With its intake tract a foot behind your head, the NSX remains the champion of delivering the most bone-chilling induction noise, a sound so pure that you'd swear it was synthesized and not the result of pressure waves hammering around inside ducting. Seeing out of mid-engine cars has often been problematic, yet the NSX's wraparound rear window and slim B-pillars make changing lanes and reversing a pleasure, while its forward-raked cockpit and deep windshield offer a view of the road rushing up at you that's unparalleled by anything short of a motorcycle. The NSX's interior trappings uphold Acura's commitment to luxury-with a proper level of sportiness. Enormous gauges set in a Ferrari-esque hooded pod, seats with side bolsters that generously extend up to shoulder level and spacious footwells (a rare commodity in mid-engine machines) uphold the side of the equation. Though it's been criticized for a lack roll stiffness and perhaps a bit too much high-speed understeer, the NSX remains one of the world's best-handling cars, with forgiving at-the-limit behavior that's approached in a very linear way. It's also pivotal for Honda enthusiasts everywhere, as the NSX's engine first showcased the VTEC (variable valve timing and lift) system that is found throughout the Honda and Acura lines, in both performance and economy applications. Douglas Kott Road & Track December 2000

BMW Z8 2000 On the track, the black Z8's potent and smooth-revving 400-bhp V-8 is evident. The car emits a low guttural growl that would make any American V-8 envious. Because the BMW is ostensibly limited to 155 mph (250 km/h), we knew it would not win the top-speed crown. However, our professional drivers still manage to go just a few ticks quicker. After Taylor's top-speed stint in the Z8, he says, "Well, I've got to tell you, even though this car is not as fast as the other cars here, it feels very stable. At speed, there is so much wind noise through the convertible top that you can't hear the engine. This car would go faster if not for the limiter coming in at around 260 km/h at 6000 rpm in 6th gear." Frere comments after his turn in the car, "The engine is very powerful, and it can accelerate very quickly. The lift-off response from the car is slight, a good indication of stability at high speeds and at its limits. However, I still would have preferred more tuck-in." Thos L. Bryant Automobile Magazine March 2001

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2000 Our yellow Z06 flies past the timing lights with a low-octave rumble similar to the Z8's, sounding a bit rougher but with a more visceral sense of horsepower and brute force. The 385-bhp 5.7-liter American V-8 pushes the car to its top speed without much apparent effort. For Frere, his maximum speed in the Vette comes in 5th gear with the pistons pumping at about 6500 rpm. He says, "The car could be faster if it had another gear between 5th and 6th. For me, in 6th gear, the tachometer never registers past the 4000 mark. The car feels steady, and the brakes are good." Taylor's first words after his attempt in the Z06: "The Corvette gives you instant confidence. From 6000 to 6500 rpm, it takes quite a long time to reach terminal speed. Also at top end, the engine appears to hesitate and starve of more air or fuel. I don't think it is the rpm limiter; maybe it's in the air/fuel mixture management. Overall, the car is very easy to drive, and there are no surprises. I feel very safe in it." Peter Egan Car & Driver November 2000

Ferrari 360 Modena 2001 While Ferrari's current flagship, the 550 Maranello, pays homage to the classic front-engine/rear-drive layout, the 360 Modena proudly carries on the mid-engine lineage of its road cars that started with the Dino 206GT. And what a work of art it is, with much of that artistry beneath the lovely Pininfarina-penned, Scaglietti-formed aluminum body. Take the chassis, for example, an extremely rigid space frame formed of aluminum extrusions and castings. Or kneel beside it, and take a look at the undertray whose carefully shaped tunnels can generate 397 lb. of total downforce at 180mph. Yet the heart of any Ferrari is its engine, and the Modena's flat-crank 3.6-liter V-8 rips out 395 bhp at 8500 rpm, its breathing assisted by five valves per cylinder, plus both intake and exhaust systems whose lengths can be varied to widen the torque band-and create some of the most unearthly shrieks this side of Formula 1 car. Zero-to-60 sprints require just 4.3 sec. Inside, there is tradition (the seats' shapes and stitch patterns could belong to virtually any Ferrari of the past 10 years) and progress, in the form of optional F1 paddle-shift 6-speed transmission that will even blip the throttle on downshifts for perfectly matched revs. There's also a nod to modern ergonomics, with center-dash bulge that positions vents and climate controls closer to the occupants. Aluminum trim abounds, from the center console to the door panels to the instrument panel, which presents a 10,000-rpm tach at its center. Roadholding has always been a Ferrari strength, and the 360 Modena's suspension-upper and lower A-arms all around, expertly tuned-does not disappoint. Neither do the brakes, which feature 13.0-in., cross-drilled, radially vented rotors at all four corners. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that the 360 Modena holds two production-car records in our Road Test Summary: braking from 60 and 80 mph (110 and 188 ft., respectively). Matt DeLorenzo Car & Driver July 2001

Ferrari 550 Maranello 2000 A "Triath1on Plus" would not be complete without an Italian-bred V-12 Ferrari shrieking by at speed. The 485-bhp yellow Maranello was trucked to Ehra-Lessien from the factory. And it's scheduled to fly to the States as soon as we are finished with it. Taylor has driven many Ferraris, including the Le Mans-winning Ferrari 333 SP prototype in 1998, but he has never been at the helm of a 550 Maranello. After his drive in the car, he notes, "It's as impressive as everybody has told me. The car is very smooth, and I can hardly feel the engine. The car keeps accelerating effortlessly through the gears. There is a little bit of instability when there is some crosswind. Compared with the Vette, the Ferrari is much faster and has more road feel." By the time Frere took his turn in the Ferrari, the rain had already soaked part of the track. "I am glad that I took this car last," he comments. "I think I would not have dared to push the others flat-out at the end of the track because it is raining very hard there. With this car you feel like nothing can happen. Also, you never have the sense that the engine will break. It feels like it could go 300 km/h till the end of the world. At top speed, I am in 6th gear revving about 7000 rpm." Sam Mitani Road & Track August 2000

Lamborghini Diablo GT 2000 One Look at the Diablo GT with all of its air intakes pointed toward the front suggests a seriously fast machine. Only 80 copies of this yellow Lamborghini will leave the Sant'Agata Bolognese factory. Down the straightaways, this Italian speed demon's thirst for air is heard well before you ever see the car appear. Nearly every cubic foot of oxygen in front of the Diablo is gulped into the combustion chambers through its scoops, and then explodes into 567 horsepower sent to the rear wheels. In fact, the Lamborghini sounds more like a jet engine as it speeds by. And if you try to follow it with your eyes you better be careful not to snap your neck. Frere's opinion of the car: "It's very noisy. It gets a bit rough when you reach 7000 rpm, but it's very stable. Of course, everything in a big car with big powerplant requires some force. The clutch and the gearshift are both heavy, very typical of Lamborghini. The car reaches its peak speed in top gear [5th] with the engine revving at 7500 rpm." Rob Walker Automobile Magazine June 2000

Lotus Esprit V8 2001 The car . . . was the Lotus Esprit, a Giugiaro-designed, 4-cylinder doorstop whose folded-paper sliver of a shape ushered in a new era of design. Fast-forward nearly a quarter-century, and the Esprit's Type 907 inline-4 has been replaced by a compact twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-8. Though its shape was softened somewhat in 1988 by an in-house restyle by Peter Stevens, the bodywork still proudly displays the essence of Giugiaro's work. The chassis remains largely as it was in 1975, with engineer Cohn Chapman's favored backbone chassis and pure race-car suspension: double wishbones in front, with rear uprights located by lateral and trailing links. There is nothing dated about the Esprit V8's performance, though. Turbos at full shriek, the Esprit can blister off 0-60 times of 4.4 sec., approaching the rarefied realm of the 911 Turbo's 4.0-sec. posting. The Esprit's driver will experience that acceleration in the classic semi-reclined position, separated from the passenger by a tall, wide sill, inhaling the opulent aroma of leather . . . and working around significant intrusion from the left front wheel well. Perhaps it's in the area of handling where the Esprit shows its crow's feet. Driven by no less than Mario Andretti in our story, "The Best-Handling Cars in America" (June 1999), the racing legend commented that at the limit, "the rear begins hiking up, disrupting the feeling and balance of the car, and the inside rear tire lifts off the ground . . . only if you hold back a little does the car reward you with good cornering feel and response." Andrew Bornhop Car & Driver February 2001

Porsche 911 Turbo 2001 The long-awaited and much-anticipated Porsche 996 Turbo finally made its worldwide debut a few months ago. And we wasted no time in inviting it to participate in our event. (also see our road test in this issue). The factory Turbo seems more relaxed around the track than the others. The 415-bhp twin-turbo flat-6 based on the racing GT 1 engine sounds almost too quiet to be able to push the car to such high speeds. Even the wind blast from the car as it speeds by is modest by comparison with the others. Taylor notes, "Of all the cars here, the Turbo is the easiest to attain top speed. It has a very comfortable ride. At 300 km/h-plus with crosswind, I can feel some instability, but it's easily correctable. Under deceleration, while other cars would move a little with turbulence, the Turbo feels rock-solid. This car inspires a lot of confidence. As an everyday car, the Porsche has everything that anybody could ever want." Frere's impressions of the factory Porsche are similar: "The Turbo is very stable and civilized. The steering response at high speed is small. I need to turn the steering wheel quite a bit to get the car to react. Compared with the Lamborghini where everything is done with brute force, the Porsche does the same thing with more smoothness. The Turbo is a real GT sports car." Douglas Kott Road & Track December 2000

Ruf Porsche RGT 2000 The RGT began life as a 996 Carrera 2. As is their custom, Louis and his staff took the car apart and rebuilt it from the ground up, replacing the stock 3.4 liter flat-6 with the 911 GT3's 3.6-liter six. (The GT3 was not sold in the U.S. because of lack of manufacturing capacity.) The extra 213 cc of displacement, with the added help of Ruf's exhaust system, accounts for an additional 89 bhp, bringing the total to 385, peaking at 7700 rpm. Torque is rated at 273 lb-ft at 5200 rpm. This particular engine is based on the one that powered the GT1 Le Mans racer; therefore exotic metals abound in its construction, including titanium connecting rods that help allow the engine to redline at 7800 rpm. Turn the key and the flat-6 comes to life with a distinct growl. The GT3's 6-speed manual gearbox feels a bit imprecise at first, but once you get used to it, shifting becomes natural. Rev the engine about 3200 rpm, drop the clutch and whoosh, the RGT takes of from a standstill like a European soccer fan from pepper spray. But the real fun comes when the tachometer needle brushes past the 4000-rpm mark. The engine lets out a high pitched howl, and the silver Ruf surges forwards with teeth-clenching abandon. And it keeps going. On the Autobahn, 150 mph is like a walk in the park, 170 mph a light job. Ruf claims the RGT tops out at about 190 mph. I've driven a number of 911 variants in the past, and I must confess that the RGT has thus far left the biggest impression on me . . . and perhaps I was a bit premature in harshly judging the current 911's water cooled engines. Douglas Kott Road & Track December 2000