Porsche vs. Porsche, or more aptly, big Porsche vs. little Porsche. Which is better? Which is a better value? Which is a better performer? Which do you prefer? Which would you drive? All good questions.

The comparo is run using one of Club Sportiva's vehicles, the 2006 Porsche Cayman S, in Member-approved yellow. The second is a 2006 Porsche 911 C4S Cabriolet provided by one of us at Club Sportiva who uses it as a daily driver. The Cayman S stickered at $63,000 and the 911 C4S Cabriolet windowed at a whopping $112,000. For starters, the Cayman S takes the lead straight out of the gate based on the price/value equation. At an eye-popping $112,000, we are talking exotic car territory...well, no longer these days, I guess.

Styling? It is tough to call which car is better. This is very subjective. Each car has strong attributes. The Cayman is a newer, fresh design, whereas the 911 has amazingly evolved for over 40 years. The 911 has meaty rear tires that look aggressive and the new headlights recall the ever-popular and timeless 993 911. The Cayman shares the beautiful and curvaceous rear haunches with the Boxster, which harkens back to the 550 Spider. I also like the fact that you can raise the rear spoiler on the Cayman, even when parked, as it looks cool, as though it should still be in motion. I'd say styling between them is a draw, based on very individual preferences (see my 911 dead end design post on April 1st). For me, I'll take the Cayman by a hair.

Exhaust and engine note? Without even driving the cars, I'd assume the prize goes to the sportier 911 and this assumption holds accurate in practice, as well. The 911 has a snortier exhaust note that borders on a raspy growl that just sounds mean at idle and gets better under revs. The Cayman has a good rasp but lacks some of the grunt at idle. Under acceleration, with the mid engine inside the cabin, the engine blends out the exhaust note for the most part. The one disappointing thing on both Porsche's exhaust is that the sound is superior from outside the car, which means the driver gets the least gratification from the ordeal. The engine note is, however predominant, which is a good thing in my book.

Road holding? The Cayman is tremendously well balanced due to the mid engine configuration and the rear drive layout gives the car some edginess that fills the gaps left by missing torque. The 911, in this case being AWD, has an intuitively planted feeling that offers the driver a sense of invincibility, even with the rear engine layout that would otherwise taunt the driver. In a corner, you can continue to gently press the gas and at the turn's apex, hit the gas hard. You couldn't drive that way in a Cayman and certainly couldn't do it in a C2 911. Choosing one over the other is tough. Which is better, the Cayman's agile balance and svelte finesse or the 911's gobs-'o-grip in the twisties? I love both car's features, but would choose the sure-planted AWD of the 911 over the lithe Cayman. Because this was a close one, I am sure I will contradict myself as some point since I am generally a bare bone, raw, agile sports car guy and here I am choosing the heavier 911 C4S for its grip.

Power and torque? This is a no-brainer. The 911 C4S wins hands down, as you would expect and as Porsche engineers carefully planned it. The 911 has a lot of grunt and power that makes it a thrill to drive. The Cayman S, on the other hand, is more a revver that requires you to row the gears a bit to get the grunt needed. This isn't to say the power band isn't easy to find with 295 horses on tap, it just isn't like the 911 with 355 horsepower.

Interior? The Cayman radio blows. And it is worse at night finding the preset buttons, which is stupefying. I would ordinarily say the true enthusiast shouldn't even turn on the stereo, as in any Ferrari or Lamborghini or a Lotus Elise with Stage 2 exhaust, but...since the exhaust is muted from the cabin and the famous Porsche engine note is refined, stereo use is permissible. Porsches are great for ease of ingress and egress, 360 degree visibility, seat comfort and position and generally good ergonomics. As simple as this sounds, Porsche has always done an excellent job of balancing the sporty driving nature and styling with the drive-ability of an everyday car. Both cars share a strong family resemblance and jumping from one into the other is simple. I'd take the uprent 911 interior.

Other features? Both gear boxes are great. They are crisp and direct, if not joystick-like in their action when flicking through the gears. Reliability? We've had zero problems that weren't easily covered by warranty with either car in the past 12-15 months since new. Wow factor? Well, in California, practically everyone has a Porsche, so you see them on every corner; so neither car is a unique sight - which is a great endorsement for living in California.

Final thoughts? Porsche has done an excellent job perfecting each car to excel in its performance category without overlapping with the other. The Cayman S is without doubt the little brother. The Cayman S leaves me yearning for more from the aspects of torque, exhaust note and the planted AWD option. Because of its price, significantly less than the 911, I am willing to forgo those attributes for an otherwise incredibly well balanced sports car. The 911, on the other hand, provides a more full-tilt sports car experience with its performance but comes with a heftier price tag.

Regarding the Cayman, it is hopefully only a matter of time before Porsche comes out with a club racer version that is louder, lighter, even more raw, with a dab of extra juice to motivate the car. That is the Cayman I will order for Club Sportiva. Then again, the Cayman I'm dreaming of here might bump into the 911 and begin to cannibalize its sales - so we may not get to see this uber-Cayman, like I hope.

Porsche has done an excellent job ensuring the Cayman will never be viewed in history as the undesirable dog that the Porsche 924 is remembered or the fading memory of the mid-pack Porsche 944, as it has proven to be over the years. The Cayman has likely, already, cemented its reputation as a true Porsche for the books and the 911 continues to forge ahead with its evolution, now several generations old.

It isn't an easy choice because the two cars are both winners that really aren't competing with one another. Give me the 911, even for the price difference. The Cayman is really just the starter car for the person who isn't ready just yet for the 911. Try them both out back-to-back with a car share club and see what you think! Feedback welcome.

Labels: car comparision, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Porsche 911 C4S Cabriolet, Porsche Cayman S, sports car

It is pretty exciting, but an article I wrote was just published in Ferrari Life Quarterly comparing my driving experiences in the F430 to the Gallardo. I suppose this is my first article to be published! Kinda cool... The article started life intended as a blog post, but then Ferrari Life got wind of the topic and picked it up for the publication.

In the article, I compare the Ferrari F430 to the Lamborghini Gallardo while driving on the German Autobahn during a recent trip to meet our German business partner. The notion is, Drive and Decide between Ferrari and Lamborghini. Most of the photos were taken my me on the trip, too.

Read the article in PDF form. My article starts on page 10, right after the 430 Scuderia article.



Ferrari Life also recently wrote a Ferrari Buyers Portfolio on V8 and V12 Ferraris from the 360 Modena to the 308 and the 550 Maranello to the 365. The book has been periodically sold out on Amazon, so it is selling well. It is well illustrated and contains some very cool insight into 13 Ferrari models that we all want to drive... I've read it cover to cover and recommend it. The book was published by Brooklands Books, ISBN 1.85520.7478

Here is the direct link to the article in case you need it:
http://www.ferrarilife.com/library/download_pdf.php?type=flq&id=91

Labels: Club Sportiva, drive and decide, Driving experience, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Ferrari Life Quarterly, Lamborghini Gallardo

If you saw my previous post this month about Fireball Tim's recent visit to Club Sportiva to film a segment of his show on Autobytel's MyRide.com, wait until you see the segment. Get ready for the goods!


For a 7 minute video, it will keep you riveted and wanting to book an outing in a Club car once you finish watching it. I think you will agree. Check out our video...

Fireball and his team did an incredible job filming and editing the piece and we are proud to have it live! I found it to be a very entertaining and exciting video. The cars look awesome and the crew got some very impressive footage with some great scenery. Even the music is cool.

It is also posted on YouTube, but the resolution is far better on MyRide.com.

Here's the full link in case you need it: http://community.myride.com/kickapps/_Fireball-Tim-Club-Sportiva/video/193831/3898.html

Labels: Bentley Continental GT, car video, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Fireball Tim, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

Who offers the wildest factory custom interiors? I'd say Lamborghini takes the cake. It's hard to argue otherwise. Not only do they offer a lot of interior panel options, they also offer some crazy colors that buyers actually choose on a regular basis. Between the carbon fiber and florescent colored leather panels inserts, you can really make your car a one-off. Here are just a few I've found interesting over the past couple years!

The ones shown here are just a few I've seen. Some help resale by being well appointed in a unique and tasteful way, while others probably (certainly) hurt resale with garish color combos that narrow the number of potential buyers who share the original owner's special passion for being extreme. Lamborghini owners are more flamboyant and are flashier risk takers than the more conservative Ferrari-set who are wild when compared to the understated Bentley and Aston Martin owners. Same concept goes for Lamborghini's exterior colors, with yellow, orange and lime green being among the most common. Interesting, red isn't a common Lamborghini color and I suspect that is because red is for Ferrari and thus Lamborghini owners shun red to stand out from their perceived cliche Ferrari-red counterparts. Lamborghini owners have never been know for being wall flowers. They achieved their success with hard work and now they are going to enjoy it and let you know it!


But is it the manufacturer who encourages the outrageous color patterns by offering them or is it the preferences of the owners requesting them over the years? I think the fact that Lamborghini designs and builds some of the wildest styled cars, people who like edgy expression are attracted to the Sant'Agata auto maker. The result is that the owners who like to push the style envelope then choose flashier interiors that are made available to them. A match made in heaven. The rest of us can live vicariously (which may be still a bit too much for most people) through the expressive decisions of these colorful risk takers.

Do the wild colors patterns hurt resale? Without doubt, Ferrari holds its value better than Lamborghini, but that probably has more to do with steeped racing heritage, market position and brand strength, overly limited production and other subtle factors than simply the funky colors selected. But yes, Ferrari's classic Daytona seat stitching is ever-classic, regardless of color. Has Lamborghini always offered wild colors or is this a recent phenomenon? Lamborghini and its buyers have always pushed the envelope of social norms on taste, but the institutionalization of florescent color interiors was popularized by the Gallardo, under the watchful eye of Audi (and VW) as a marketing method to further differentiate Lamborghini from under the shadow of Ferrari.

Ferrari also offers a lot of custom choices, but even the wildest combinations are still tasteful and relatively reserved. This might also be part of why Ferrari has the best resale; owners don't go out on a limb. Interestingly, in Europe, Ferraris predominantly have black interiors. Of the 20 Ferraris at Club Sportiva's partner in Germany, about 80% have black interiors, which matches Europe's preference for black leather over tan. The U.S. is all about tan hides. In fact, the dealers strongly recommend tan for a stronger resale. It is funny how different geographies of the world feel different about such simple things - social norms at their snootiest. ;) On the exterior, Ferraris are predominantly painted red and as such, it is rare to see a wild colored Ferrari.

Aston Martin, Bentley and Bugatti all offer bespoke interiors for owners specifying their new cars, but rarely do you see anything that borders daring. In my opinion, the more offensive and disappointing interior is likely to be drab and common black over silver paint. What a missed opportunity on an elegant and sophisticated Aston Martin or Bentley. I have yet to see a florescent lime green interior on a Bentley. I doubt the factory has ever been asked to die a hide a florescent color…

If you were specifying a new exotic, what would you choose? If you were helping Club Sportiva spec a car, as our Members occasionally do, what advice would you offer me? Are you daring or conservative in the way you would custom spec an interior?

Labels: Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Club Sportiva, custom interior, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Lamborghini

Fireball Tim spent a day filming recently at Club Sportiva in conjunction with Autobytel and MyRide.com. Actually, the crew filmed from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. That's a long day on camera! They must have chewed through several batteries with their various cameras. It was certainly fun but grueling work, too. Being mic'd all day with people listening in on everything you say can create some awkward moments. After a while you forget the mic is on, but we won't elaborate on that specifically... ;)

Fireball Tim, for those who don't know him or his brand, Fireballed, is a lively television and brand personality. He's a bit irreverent, with some crazy off-the-wall questions which you can rather glean simply by the photos. He is also a rabid car nut, through and through, so we hit it off immediately. Fireball is actually his first name by the way. Yes, I verified it. After all day saddled up in some exotic cars, I had a great opportunity to talk with Fireball about all of his projects that keep him passionately involved and very busy while sharing my similar experiences with Club Sportiva.

So, among other projects, Fireball has going is modifying Mini Coopers with copious amounts of horsepower. We are talking 400 - 600 hp in a front drive Mini. Nutty, and hard to control he confesses. And yes, he makes the most powerful Mini Coopers out there that make the JCW version look down right diluted. Image a Mini Cooper with 600 hp. Scary fun!

Fireball and I drove a number of cars during the shoot. He drove the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Bentley Continental GT extensively, while putting in some wheel time with the Maserati Spyder, Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Lotus Elise. We'll have to see which he liked most based on the final edited version of the show due out shortly, but I think he liked the Gallardo best based on his feedback.

One of Fireball Tim's best online features is his segment called Auto Disection, where he analyzes the design of some current autos. His is an alum from the famous auto-design-mecca in Pasadena - the Art Center. You can see a few of his critiques on www.myride.com. I recommend watching his take on the Audi R8, BMW 1-Series and the Cadillac CTS Coupe. He also has a hilarious segment on Lombard Street with a Go Car.

Once they complete the editing of our segment and the piece goes live on MyRide.com, I'll post it! Thanks Fireball for spending a couple days in San Francisco and taking time to visit Club Sportiva.

Labels: Autobytel, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Fireball Tim, Fireballed, MyRide.com

Yesterday marked a historic day for open wheeled racing, as Danica Patrick became the first woman ever to claim victory in a top tier open wheeled event, taking first place at the IndyCar - Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

The race, postponed one day due to unsafe racing conditions on Saturday, was Patrick's 50th start of her Indy Car career. She completed 200 laps of the 1.5 mile circuit at an average speed of 164.258 mph, beating Indy 500 winner Helio Castronevas by six seconds using a calculated racing strategy on the part of her Michael of conserving fuel to allow for a strong finish.

Patrick, starting on the third row, made her final pit stop on lap 148, staying close to the race leaders throughout.

Asked about the significance of her victory, the NY Times quoted her as saying "This reaches outside racing. This is about finding something you love to do, and following through with it."

She follows other notable woman in racing in helping to crack the glass ceiling that exists in motorsports. Janet Guthrie was the first to make a notable impact in open wheeled racing, proving that she could run competitively with men, qualifying for the Indy 500 in 3rd position and finishing 9th overall in 1978.

Lyn St. James has the most Indy 500 starts for a woman, with seven and her best finish was 11th in 1992 when she won rookie of the year honors. Current racer Sarah Fisher was the first woman to complete a full IndyCar series, the first to win a pole, and was the youngest woman to ever qualify for the Indy 500 (@ age 19 in 2000). The great NHRA champion, Shirley Muldowney won three Top Fuel season titles in 1977,'80 and '82. Eight other women have won NHRA events.

Yesterday saw another notable achievement for a woman racer, as the Atlantic Championship season opener at Long Beach won by Simone De Silvestro.

Labels: Danica Patrick, Indy 500, IndyCar, Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, Shirley Muldowney

Yesterday a good friend forwarded to me (and at least a dozen other buddies) an email with this subject line "Interesting news on pumping gas". Purported to be from a pipeline company worker, it presents, in pseudo industry jargon, four seemingly compelling reasons to squeeze the maximum value out of each dollar spent for gasoline (backed up with a semi-rant on what companies are buying Saudi or Venezuelan oil).

1. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.
2. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode, always use the slow setting.
   
3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY.
4. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up!

I've reduce each exhortation to it's core claim, but the email goes into convincing (seemingly) detail for all. However a closer look, a little common sense and some investigation shoots down each of these presumably well-intentioned musings.

Item 1: We've probably all aware of root cellars and wine cellars - they're used for their year round constant temperature - and that comes from being underground. In the San Francisco Bay Area the average average annual underground temperature is 60° - coincidentally the temperature at which the gasoline is measured and loaded. The ground surface temperature may vary over the course of the day, but the underground temperature does not fluctuate daily. So if there is an change in the fuel's temperature, it can only occur during transportation, and should stabilize when dumped into storage tanks.

Item 2. The idea here is that delivering gas on the maximum discharge setting creates more vapor that is then recycled back into the station's tank on condensation. Perhaps, but we're talking just a few drops at best. Is it worth hanging around the pump another 5 minutes?

Item 3. First I'm in a quandary as what actually comes first: half-empty or half-full - I guess it's a chicken and egg thing. Perhaps the author of these tips is really trying to speak to both optimists AND pessimists simultaneously. Whatever - the real (specious) point this bonehead is trying to make is that the lower the fuel level, the greater the propensity is for evaporation. This is LOL funny - unless your gas tank is a pyramid, the surface area for evaporation is probably the same no matter what the fuel level (granted gas tanks shapes have gotten creative since they've become molded out of plastic, but you get the point). Plus, since evaporating hydrocarbons are a pollution source, every vehicle sold in the US since 1968 has a sealed fuel system with a mandatory vapor recovery system built in. Most vehicles won't even run with the gas cap loose. Besides who wants waste twice as much time in a gas station? On second thought there is merit to this claim - it'll only cost you half as much to fill the tank! That'll feel good, won't it?

Item 4. This is only one of the four with some merit - that the ingress of thousands of gallons of fuel will stir up sediment in the storage tanks that in turn could end up in your tank. It may have been true in 1966 but hey, we're living in modern times; with the advent of fuel injection sophisticated filtration systems are the norm, both on your vehicle and in the stations plumbing. Nothing to worry about here - except perhaps if it's 6 AM . . . has that tanker driver had his coffee? Is that diesel or regular that he just put in the premium port?

The lesson is that we should all be a bit more more skeptical before we hit that forward button.

For more details on this urban myth (and make it the first place to visit when you get the next forwarded email warning), be sure to check out Urban Legends.

Labels: Gastips, Urban myths