2005 Sports Car Comparison Test

First Place: 2005 Porsche Carrera S

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Driving a 2005 Porsche 911, internally known at Porsche as the 997, is an offer you should not refuse. Firing up its flat six-cylinder is always special. The ignition is still to the left of the steering wheel, just as it always has been, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Twist the key to the right, and the Porsche Carrera barks to life, waking its bank of cleanly styled gauges and anyone within earshot. The tach needle, which is perfectly placed dead ahead of the driver, quickly falls to a lopey idle. The car is ready. It wants to make a late night diaper run, even if you don't.

The driver door closes with a solid thud, as it ought to at this price point. From the door, your hand moves to the three-spoke steering wheel, which is covered in soft hide and shaped for hard driving. The shifter is precisely where it should be, its knob shaped to perfection. The firm seat is comfortable on the highway, supportive on the track, infinitely adjustable and heated if you wish. The pedals are spaced right.

Overall, the interior is nearly all new and it's a huge improvement over the interior of the 996. It's loaded with small details, such as aluminum trim, a suede headliner and two cupholders that stash out of sight brilliantly when not needed. Plus the window switches have been moved back to the door panel, like in the old days. Good move, Porsche. The only flaw we found is a sound/navigation interface, which has too many small buttons, and is needlessly complex, like setting the clock on your VCR.

The 911's driving position, which is much more upright than the Corvette's, hasn't changed for decades. And it hasn't changed for good reason. The view out is better than many SUVs and this has to be the easiest sports car on Earth to get in and out of. On the road, the Porsche Carrera S isn't flawless, but it's close. The steering is alive at any speed, the brakes are the best in the world and the gearing in the six-speed is perfectly matched to the quick-revving engine, which is remarkably torquey considering its small displacement, and provides a nice kick at 3,000 rpm.

Even more remarkable than the Porsche's performance is its smoothness. This car is as refined as it is thrilling. There's never any unwanted vibration in any of its controls, but it's always visceral. It's always communicating clearly with its driver.

Its one flaw is its highway ride, which some might find too stiff. After an hour or so on the concrete freeways of Los Angeles, anyone but the most committed Porschephile would call the ride busy, and the 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tires noisy. It's actually hard to hear the radio, or talk on the cell phone as the road noise reverberates through the tight chassis.

Those big sticky tires, however, along with the Porsche's wide track, short wheelbase and rear engine layout, give this car awesome response, incredible acceleration and tremendous handling. Drive it right, and 0-60 mph takes just 4.5 seconds and cornering forces strain neck muscles.

But that rear engine layout also gives the 911 a sharp edge, which is why mere mortals should always keep the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system activated. With the system on, the Carrera S is idiotproof. PSM makes even the most ham-fisted pilots look like Hans Stuck. When it's off, crashing into hard objects unintentionally isn't hard to do.

Good drivers should find the "sport" button. Pushing it not only loosens the PSM, but tightens the suspension and quickens the throttle response to levels 993 enthusiasts will appreciate. Then the Carrera S can really boogie.

Great drivers, like I've-won-rallies great, should shut down the PSM altogether, which puts you alone in control of the car. Then tire-smoking powerslides and/or the quickest lap times are obtainable.

Driving the 2005 Porsche Carrera S, whether on the road or the racetrack, is really one of life's great pleasures. It is, without any doubt, the cannoli. No, make that the strudel.