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S2 Cabrio comparison article?

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Old 04-15-2003, 12:02 PM
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Jfrahm
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Post S2 Cabrio comparison article?

Hi All,
I recall seeing a link to a great article here, comparing the S2 cab and other sports cars. I think there was a Miata, 300zx, RX-7, etc. Does anyone recall the URL? I think it was a scan of a magazine page.

Thanks,
-Joel.
Old 04-15-2003, 12:05 PM
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Luis de Prat
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Wellllll, last year the Brit mag "GT & Purely Porsche" did a comparison between the 951 cabrio and the 968 cabrio, which I found kind of bland.

They were too caught up in the aesthetics of the 968 to give proper credit to the 250 HP topless 951. Okay, maybe I was a bit disappointed because I own one <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> but they really didn't say anything about the "boosted" performance of the 951 versus the torquey 968.

Let us know if you find that link. I'd love to read it.
Old 04-15-2003, 12:37 PM
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Fishey
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It was a comparison between the 944s2cabriolet and the mazda RX7 turbo cabriolet. To sum it up the porsche was superior in everything.I can scan it if you want when I get home.....
Old 04-15-2003, 12:40 PM
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Lumbergs Lackey....MmmmKay
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I'd like to read it. Seeing as my friends girlfriend has a cabrio RX7.
Old 04-15-2003, 12:42 PM
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Fishey
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here is my favorite comparison... I think they should do this again... OR better yet compare some stock old sports(read 80's early 90's) cars to new car's (aka boxster, vette, Integra Type-S) etc...

well here it is.. <a href="http://www.celicasupra.com/media84.htm" target="_blank">http://www.celicasupra.com/media84.htm</a>
Old 04-15-2003, 12:49 PM
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It was a compro between several cars. I'm sure the Miata was in there, and I think the 300zx and the RX-7. It would have been 1990 or 1991 I suppose.

Thanks for the great link to the Supra site though. I had an old Supra MkII as an autoX mule before I got the S2 coupe.

-Joel.
Old 04-16-2003, 11:19 AM
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Tom R.
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i have an S2, and an RX7 "cabriolet" NA, and i don't think the S2 is superior in everything! in fact it's not superior at all.

but what do i know, i just own them on a day to day basis, not just for a few days of testing.
Old 04-16-2003, 11:31 AM
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Luis de Prat
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Tom R, you really should drive an S2 cabriolet before making any affirmations as to its superiority or lack thereof versus the RX7 cab.

The S2 cab is quite a ride and it never ceases to amaze me on twisted backroads or all out on the highway. The RX7 cab was brought out as competition and you really need to check its rival out to see how well Mazda made out <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
Old 04-16-2003, 12:46 PM
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Tom R.
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Luis,
You should drive an RX7 convertible. the RX7 convertible is quite a ride, and it never ceases to amaze me on twisted backroads or on the highway. It is one sweet car, and the seats are better than the 944s, the radio is better, sound of the rotary is probably the sweetest sound when it winds up.....

I believe the RX7 convertible came first in 88. It was rated as one of the best convertibles ever for torsional ridgity, the fit and finish are A1, and reliability is typical japanese.

as a daily driver it is better than the S2 (except for the lousy visibility with the top up that plagues the S2 as well).

lets settle this like gentleman, birng your S2 back to the states, and meet me at high noon on a nice day of course. then we can drive one another's car around some twistys to a fancy steak house and settle it over some brewskys!

one more thing, the sticker price of my 90 convertible with a 5 speed was 27k, what was the sticker of the S2?
Old 04-16-2003, 01:39 PM
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Luis de Prat
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I didn't criticize the RX7, but have you driven an S2 cabrio?
Old 04-17-2003, 01:51 AM
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Sticker price on my 1990 S2 Cab was $53,694. MSRP without options was $48,600. (and now we know why there are only 2400 in the US).
Old 04-17-2003, 02:33 AM
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Tom R, what are you talking about. I absolutely smoke my friends ladies RX7 Cabrio. I mean I really kill her car. On the twisties, in the straights, in everything. What car are you driving?
Old 04-17-2003, 08:58 AM
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Yea the s2 beats the TURBO Rx7 cabriolet. I can take photo's of my friends that owns one when he get's it back on the road (new rotor parts because of rotor tip wear) Its cool its fast but it doesnt handle like the 944. Also the general make of the car is alot cheaper.. (aka the top fabric and body)

Also is that the code for the 944s2 cabriolet = 948?????
Old 04-17-2003, 09:57 AM
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Tom R.
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You guys are entitled to your opinion, and as an owner of both am entitled to mine.

Yes I drove an S2 cabrio and wasn't all that impressed, especially at the prices being asked.

What does smoke mean? Does it mean the seats are more comfortable? does it mean the stock sound system is better? does it mean the car handles more predictably? does it mean the car is more tossable? does it mean the car is more balanced? Or does it mean that at half the sticker price the car does 95% of everything the 944 does?

Or does it mean that when two asses are running flat out 60 hp and wider tires make the car go faster? DUH! Remember, no rx7 turbo convertibles were imported to the US.

When the bosxter came out the reality was I could sell my impractical two seat roadster, add 25k and get another impractical roadster that does everything my impractical roadster does, only a little better.

If i had it to do over again, I would get another RX7 convertible before a 944 cabrio. If I had it to do over again, I would get a 944 coupe over a rx7 coupe (I had a few of those too).

The best convertible is the miata. Why? because after 4 years RX7 convertible production stopped at 22,2?? the same week the miata reached 250,000 units. How many 944 convertibles were there again. 58k on a 944 or 15k for a miata. miata won. How many lincoln blackwoods were made, and how many avalanches were made when blackwood production stopped?

The rx7 convertible, and 944 convertible were flops. in fact every coupes converted to a convertible has been a flop except for the rustang.
Old 04-17-2003, 11:08 AM
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Um, Tom R I think you're jumping to conclusions without checking your sources. It's great that you like your RX7 convertible and all, but saying that the S2 cabrio was a "flop" is plainly untrue.

The car was simply too expensive for the market segment that Porsche had targeted for the 944 product line. Period. Mechanically, however, it is a superior automobile to any RX7 of its day, whether you like it or not.

How many RX7 convertibles out there are in the same condition as yours, considering the tens of thousands produced? Not many. How many decent S2 cabs do you see, considering less than 6 thousand were produced in the entire world? Quite a few.

As we speak, my parents (57 and 58 respectively) are cruising up to the Spanish Riviera in my 13-year-old S2 cabriolet. The car is just as solid and reliable as the day it rolled off the factory floor, not to mention it's also a quite good looking ride. I wonder how many fellow Rennlisters are giving their parents 13-year-old Mazdas to tour around in. Probably not many.

Just food for thought. YMMV


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