Boxster Spyder: power windows?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/automobiles/autoreviews/01boxster.html

Mildly interesting review in the NYT today. As an uber-purist, I admit I'm a little surprised and maybe disappointed to see that although Porsche went with the classic red tape door straps (a la 1973 RS) the Boxster Spyder still has power window motors, which must weigh more than the usual plastic door grab. It doesn't ruin the car for me, but kind of like the fake grilles on the TR, 348/355 it bumps the authenticity down a notch -- i.e., they never would have done this back in the days of the real Spyder, real 250 TR, etc.

Most interesting was the paragraph where the reviewer and his wife enjoyed installing the manual top. There seems to be about zero tolerance among today's car buyers for doing anything more than pressing a button. I admit I agree with them -- I never minded the manual aspects of the tops on my 328, 993, etc.

Also surprising is the section where they have the PDK version on the track and the reviewer gets excited about the sounds the car makes -- calling it superior to a manual gearbox in aural stimulation.

 

Lotus Elise also has power windows.

 

The whole idea is a modern throwback...so there's going to be trade-offs on both sides of the coin. I wonder if anyone else had that thought too...?

Also the door straps are really a unique cool look...the manual window handles wouldn't really add anything in the way of looks.

 

The door straps weigh about as much as the handles, but they do look cool. The top is cake to install.

 

how about side curtains instead! no handles/motors/glass

modern cars (even an Elise or Boxster) are so big and heavy that arguing over the weight of electric windows is somewhat pointless.

 

Elise is <2000 lbs IIRC - very close to the classic sports cars. Porsche could have tried harder here.

 

Porsche doesn't do manual windows on any of it's track-oriented, lightweight cars (Spyder, GT2, GT3, etc.) for two reasons: 1) a manual crank does not save significant weight over the modern electric mechanisms, and 2) the manual handles in the vicinity of the front and side airbags would require Porsche (as per DOT regulaton) to repeat the crash testing regimen, to certify the window cranks do not interfere with air bag deployment. Porsche has decided its not worth it for the US market, and I'm inclined to agree.

 

Manual Windows on the elise actually weigh more than there power counter parts... hard to believe... but true

 

There is always a reason that new cars will never be the same as older cars; and driven by a bean counter or government mandated safety regulation.
How safe are new cars when you have heads up display, "I Drive" to play with, big nav screens and other driver distractions. No wonder we need "intelligent cruise control", the driver is paying less attention to the road. Not to mention reduced forward and side visibility in most new cars...
"Safety first!" I raced motorcycles for 22 years and to me safety and control are everything.

 

Interesting, hadn't thought about the airbag issue...