Open-top fun in five flavors.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)

The long-awaited 2002 Ford Thunderbird, styled after the original 1955 Thunderbird, has caused such a stir that dealers have long waiting lists of buyers. Six months after its introduction, the car was still commanding as much as $10,000 over the sticker price. But in our tests of five roadsters in the $40,000 to $55,000 price range, the T-Bird was easily outscored by the other four, the Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche Boxster, Mercedes-Benz SLK320, and Audi TT.

Roadsters are two-seat convertibles that are designed to be fast and fun. Typical drawbacks are limited space, noisiness, and a stiff ride. Each of the five cars here packages these characteristics in different ways. In this group, the Corvette and the Boxster tied at the top of the Ratings. Identical scores, however, don't mean identical cars. The muscular Corvette is big, relatively roomy, and very fast. The Boxster is designed more for driving precision. While both performed well in our tests, both have also shown below-average reliability in our subscriber surveys, so we can't recommend them.

The SLK320 and Audi TT also tested well but finished far back of the top two. The SLK, with its retractable hardtop up, provides a quiet, refined driving experience. The TT exhibits artful styling, but its driving experience was unexceptional. Finally, the retro-styled Thunderbird is a nice cruiser for routine driving, but it's heavy and lacks the precision handling and responsiveness of a true sports car.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The current, fifth-generation Chevrolet Corvette, with its powerful 350-hp, 5.7-liter V8, set a new acceleration record in our track tests: It rocketed from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. It also proved nimble for such a wide car. The ride is firm and well controlled. It is the only one in this group in which tall people will find plenty of room. On the other hand, the wide, 42-foot turning circle makes it hard to park, the view to the rear is poor, and lowering the manually operated top is a clumsy, tedious chore.

The Corvette comes as a coupe, hatchback, or convertible. The convertible starts at $48,205. With a six-speed manual, adjustable suspension, and a telescoping steering wheel, our price came to $55,465, with shipping. The CR Wholesale Price--which includes buyer rebates and what the dealer paid after incentives--is $46,421. (All CR Wholesale Prices were effective as of April 2002.)

The Porsche Boxster has a midengine layout, with a 217-hp, 2.7-liter horizontally opposed Six. (The higher-trim S version comes with a 250-hp engine.) The Boxster is one of the best-handling cars we've tested. Taking fast turns is ...