In this months episode they have an article rated cars based on speed, price, handling, and fuel economy. There is a link in red in the link below that details the equation that use to rate the cars they test. Its a fun read (especially because the Cobalt SS win).

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=6871

It beats out:

Honda S2000 club racer
Lotus Elise SC
Corvette w/Z51
Mini Cooper S
BMW 135i
Nismo 350Z
Solstice GXP
MX-5
Audi TT 3.2


So basically reaffirms that the Cobalt SS is the best mix of price, performance, and fuel mileage.

I really like the quote from this Jim Hall character below:

 

sweet, go tc!

 

Nice company the TC is in..

 

The handling is the reason I'm geting a TC. You can have all the straight line speed in the world, but I love corners. God bless this car.

 

why didn't they say all this when the SS/SC came out? as far as i can tell, they just upgraded the brakes and added a rear sway bar, at least as far as the suspension goes.

maybe this'll boost our weak aftermarket.

 

actually they brought the car to th nurburgring and did extensive testing and tuning with the suspesion thus breaking the class record doubt its just a sway bar

just read it thats pretty kick ass

 

A lot more content was put into this car than that.

 

also, gas prices were cheap when the SS/SC was out!

 

The SS/SC was tested and tuned at the nurburgring too. And to be honest most people will never get either car to its handling limits on the street anyways.

 

They changed and upgraded the steering knuckles, which changed the roll center, upgraded the sway bars, stiffer springs, and stiffer dampers(shocks) (more damping on the compression, less on the rebound), and changed the steering response, and probably some minor stuff beyond that (like the 7.5" wide tires). Yeah, they did a lot more than just a rear sway bar.

Ive already had the car to its limits where I can feel the traction control kick in - but never taken it beyond that by turning off the TC.

 

I've hit the ESC a few times in normal mode, havn't found it yet in competition, but I have had all 4 tires singing which was pretty much the limit of the tires

 

See what happens when engineers are embraced and bean counters are mostly ignored?

The result: An affordable, well-sorted, and appealing car that is impressive no matter how you look at it.

All you have to do now, GM, is keep doing what you are doing!

 

The only problem I had with the article is how is it that the Cobalt gets better fuel economy than the Solstice GXP even though they share the same 2.0T? I would think the Solstice were lighter than the Turbo balt.

 

Assumptions are a bitch.

 

No actually I think its called SCIENCE.........

 

Rear Wheel Drive!

 

Yeah, that would explain some power loss, just figured the Solstice was light enough to make up the difference and be a little closer to the Balt as far as fuel performance. I guess 3-4 MPG isn't that big a loss. What I also found impressive is the Cobalt has a better lateral G rating than the Solstice.

 

Since when is the Solstice lighter than the Cobalt?

They are about the same weight.

The Solstice is not a Miata

 

That makes no sense...


You assumed the Solstice was lighter...please explain to me where science comes into your assumptions...

 

Tranny is different - ratios are different. Rear end is different. Maybe the wheel size is different (I dunno what the GXPs run) - 225/40?

It's apples and oranges people. Any science to that?

 

Everything you just mentioned is correct, but the guy still assumed that the Solstice was lighter and based his fuel economy guesstimates on that...


TXRLU basically said, "oh it's lighter, therefore it's science..." which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. He assumed the solstice was lighter and should therefore achieve better fuel economy.

Cobalt SS: 2975 lbs.

Solstice GXP: 3018 lbs.


Not that weight is the largest determining factor of fuel economy.

 

Weight is one of the 500 or so variables that impact fuel econ. So he was 1/500th correct. LOL

 

its also RWD and you take about a 1 mpg hit across the board in the switch

 

yes, read the article this weekend.... fantastic that the cobalt finally gets the repect it deserves.... who would have thought, gas prices needed to break $4 a gallon, to get acknowledged

 

I think gas prices helped, but it would have gotten the respect is deserved when it smacks down the MS3 in a comparo. But now was a perfect time to showcase the great MPG. Its what swayed my decision from a used EVO 9 ($21-24K) to this car. Tuned EVOs get about 17-19 city.


BTW, the original hot sport compact got nearly the same MPG - both city and hwy! My old 1991 Sentra SE-R. Granted, it doesnt compare to the SS. But back then, it was the SHIAT!