I am trying to lookup what the differences are between the Delta I platform (Cobalt) and the Delta II platform (cruze). Mainly I am wondering which platform would be better for racing.

Is the Delta II stronger/ more rigid / lighter than the Delta I?
Is the Delta II a compromise because its going to be used on so many different cars, would that make it less strong / less rigid / etc. than the Delta I?
To save cost is the Delta II made from less metal? Making it less strong / less rigid / etc. than the Delta I?

I could only find any information on wikipedia. Please only comment if you have facts. I don’t want to start spreading rumors and or misinformation.

 

if you want a shell for racing, you can talk to gm directly. They can answer any questions you might have, yknow, cus it's kinda what they do and stuff.

 

That would be f*cking stupid. GM has done nothing but bash the Delta I platform since a year before the Delta II came out. They won't give a truthful answer.

 

How do we talk to GM directly? I tried to contact them on their websight. HOLY CRAP do you know how much you have to fill out to make a suggestion lol? I would like to talk to GMPD, but it was disbanded.

 

I was thinking, how is chevy going to make a kick ass curze SS if GMPD is disbanded? Also, if they are going to put in the wimpy LHU, I don’t think the cruze ss will be able to keep up with the cobalt ss, in handling (no GMPD) or power (LHU)

 

contact John Powell at Powell Race shop or Bill Duncan at GMPP

Bills username on the site is: More_Torque_More_HP
Powell's is qwikredline

 

I e-mailed John Powell (6 road racing championships)
This is a quote from his e-mail

“The cruze is larger, heavier, and an old daewoo platform, so not a step forward as a race car. Also undeveloped here so expensive to do.”

Looks like if you want a good FWD car for autoX or drag racing the old delta cobalt platform is the way to go!

 

From what I've been able to tell there isn't much difference in the basic architecture. The Cruze is heavier because of all the extra equipment and sound deadening material that if equally stripped out to a bare shell probably isn't much different from a Cobalt. While the exterior design was primarily done by GMDAT the platform is still basic Delta with small updates including things like the Watts linkage on the rear axle and so on. With how well the Cruze and new Astra has done in EuroNCAP crash testing it wouldn't surprise be if the body structure is a little better but it's hard to say how much is from extra air bags and safety equipment changes and how much if any is due to material change like additional use of high-strength steel, different welds, and so on.

 

Interesting I see your point. That got me thinking. I looked up the stats on the curb weight of the J platform roughly 2700lb (Cavalier). That’s is about 200lb less than the Delta platform (cobalt) or 300lb less than the Delta II (Cruze). I then looked up the aveo (T200) platform. It’s curb weight is only 2343lb. So, if you upgrade the intake, exhaust, suspension, brakes, and add a turbo wouldn’t the aveo be the best FWD car for autox and or drag racing? Or am I to obsessed with curb weight?

 

World Touring Car Championship - in Europe, they are supporting the Chevy Cruze, the Cruze itself is a great platform to use in many racing disciplines.. plus the Cruze won both the coveted 2010 WTCC Driver's and Manufacturer's Championship.. a first for new car out of the box - 2010 euro model..
Chevy sells the

 

There's more to a car than weight alone. If certain parts of the suspension geometry can't be modified either due to the rules of the racing series or limitation in the vehicle architecture you might be able to add power but not make it turn and brake effectively.

When looking at the base curb weight such as between the Cobalt, and Cruze you have to factor in the equipment and when comparing to the older J-body Cavalier the structural changes that were made to produce a car much stronger and safer. The Cruze has a lot of sound deadening material, more air bags, more standard equipment, a heavier turbo engine, and so on that will tack on weight compared to the less well equipped base Cobalt.

A good example would be to compare the curb weight of a stripper Cobalt to that of the newer SS Turbo. You're talking a multiple hundred pound difference when the basic body structure is the same. Another example is of the J-body Cavalier. While the architecture did change slightly over the years with addition of stronger side impact beams and other small revisions, the platform itself stayed pretty close to what was introduced in the early '80s. Those early J-body cars started off around 2400 pounds but ended up close to 2800 pounds at the end of life as more equipment was added.

 

our cars are some of the last to be made like this for a reason..

HUGE regulations and CAFE rules set the auto makers guide lines.


NOT consumers.

Allthough they try to manipulate the sales numbers to make up for the big v8's

thats why everything else will get tiny little 1.8's to counterweight the v8's


GM spent a bazillion dollars on the new v8 DI which is supposed to get decent mileage. This will be the flag ship motor for all future high performance vehicles.


This is just my personal opinion but I don't see a Cruze SS that could beat the TC for 5 years+

They could put the Buick engine in it and that would be like having a Cruze with a stock LSJ in it only turbo, effectively keeping weight down and emissions low.. But it will compare more with the SI vs the TC .. You can count on that.

this is all IMO

 

The Cruze should have some good info out there with all the WTCC guys, and the watts linkage would be nice to have. If I were building an all out FWD gm race car I'd start with an aveo and LSJ swap it! The cage will stiffen up the body, plus you'll have more coilover options cause the aveo guys have been adapting parts from older Jettas I think.

All depends on where and who your racing with and what their rules limit you to

 

Hummm interesting. So the future AVEO RS will be more of an import killer than the future CRUZE SS?

Dude if they put an LHU in an AVEO and called it an SS I would get one with out a doubt!