Cobalt SS is faster than the Exige S

[XPcarguy]

That's based on Ring laptimes according to a post on Autoblog. That makes me wonder why the Ring is the benchmark for performance cars. It has such an obvious bias for HP cars that even a 260 bhp box of poo can outlap a real track car - if that real track car is hamstrung with a 220 bhp "lackof" power plant.

On any normal road circuit (in Europe or in the US), the Exige S would show the Cobalt a pair of tail lights and then quickly ride off into the sunset. My take is that the very reason I find the Ring to be irrelevant is the reason others find it a temple. It rewards high speeds. And let's be honest. That's what the guy on the street asks us isn't it? Nobody asks how fast it can corner. Or how low is your laptime. People always ask "How fast will it go?" And in a world where dipsh**s focus on top speed, a good Ring time adds validity to their TOPsy turvy metrics. If you live near an autobahn, or frequently drive the Nurburgring, or just don't care about jail, by all means, enjoy your top speed. If you "play" a bit but keep things reasonable and autox and track at the sort of road courses that exist everywhere else on the planet, top speed means di*k and the Ring times mean just barely more.

[Noen]

I mean, let's be super honest. The Lotus IS lacking in top-end speed, for it's car class. Doesn't take away from my love of it at all, but give the SS the credit it's due. If it's faster, it's faster.

If you don't want to reward speed, stick to Auto-X. The 'ring, like it or not, IS a great test of a car's abilities on the road and the track. If you REALLY want to look into it, look at the section times on the ring, to see how care match up against each other in the different areas of the track. My guess is the Lotus killed the SS in 4/5 of the track and then got blown out on the winding straights.

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by XPcarguy

That's based on Ring laptimes according to a post on Autoblog. That makes me wonder why the Ring is the benchmark for performance cars. It has such an obvious bias for HP cars that even a 260 bhp box of poo can outlap a real track car - if that real track car is hamstrung with a 220 bhp "lackof" power plant.

On any normal road circuit (in Europe or in the US), the Exige S would show the Cobalt a pair of tail lights and then quickly ride off into the sunset. My take is that the very reason I find the Ring to be irrelevant is the reason others find it a temple.

It gets better. In this month's R & T, they have a feature on the 10 Hottest Cars Per Gallon, cars that offer both performance and some semblance of fuel economy (the Vette makes the list).

Performance wise, how the Elise SC (which essentially is the same as the Exige S) and the Cobalt SS compared.

0-60 Elise SC: 4.7 Cobalt SS: 5.5 Nod to the Elise
700 foot slalom Elise SC: 71.0 mph Cobalt SS:72.4 mph
Skidpad: Elise SC .95g Cobalt SS: .92g
60-0 braking Elise SC 120 ft. Cobalt SS: 117 ft.

Jim Hall, yes THAT Jim Hall, is quoted in the feature as saying about the Cobalt "Calling it one of the best handling front-wheel-drive cars ever doesn't do it justice--it's one of the best -handling cars, period."

Of course, he's always been a Chevy guy.

[SteveLevin]

The Cobalt is far from "a box of poo." It's the European Astra-based, and an excellent car.

As far as being FWD, well, just check out the WTCC or BTCC results and you'll see that well-designed FWD cars can keep up quite well these days, especially when we are talking about fairly low (in today's world) power outputs.

Steve

[tsunami racer]

i love cobalts. i rent them all the time from Avis

i say the cobalt SS is the new Neon SRT-4. in all regards, including the one regard with regards to the drivers....

[antinym]

When the $24k beats the $55k car you're mad? But when the $45k car beats the $80k you're happy?

[Monsi]

something is wrong with those slalom times... the elise is faster than that in the slalom

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by XPcarguy

That's based on Ring laptimes according to a post on Autoblog.

Cobalt SS 0-60 in 6.4 seconds, & top speed of 143 mph-

So, I guess it's chasis is tuned better than our Lotuses? It's making up for its short-comings in the turns, right??

[Monsi]

on Road and track they have an article with the S240... but in the autocross they complain about it being too soft and rolling alot... WTF? do they have the adjustable suspension set as soft as possible?

[kestrel74]

Put a big block Ford engine in a Fiesta and it would be faster too. Who cares ? Car magazines are all the same.

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Cobalt SS 0-60 in 6.4 seconds, & top speed of 143 mph-

So, I guess it's chasis is tuned better than our Lotuses? It's making up for its short-comings in the turns, right??

Uhhhh.... current Road and Track Road Test Summary, and the article cited above, has the current Cobalt SS at 5.5 sec. to 60, with an electronically limited top speed of 160 mph. Motor Trend got the same numbers in its tests.

And apparently it keeps up in the turns.

[Exigest]

Could an SS beat you on a tight track?

I didn't think so. Let them revel like Lotus owners revel in beating better cars. Who cares what the mags say. It doesn't change the truth, and that is all that matters.

[Chili Red]

Originally Posted by Monsi

on Road and track they have an article with the S240... but in the autocross they complain about it being too soft and rolling alot... WTF? do they have the adjustable suspension set as soft as possible?

The stock cars do have lots of body roll. This is why so many people put on after market shocks/springs.

[Uncle Sam]

Let me stir the pot. The new Evora should've had the 300 HP Chevy engine in it. This engine is the t*ts (British slang!) in an Atom. "Lotus ... is that made by Chevrolet?"

[Monsi]

Originally Posted by Chili Red

The stock cars do have lots of body roll. This is why so many people put on after market shocks/springs.

I've just never heard anyone call the elise/exige suspension "soft" before

[Chili Red]

Originally Posted by Monsi

I've just never heard anyone call the elise/exige suspension "soft" before

I wouldnt say its soft, but there is a considerable amount of body roll due to lack of sway bar. On my car the Nitron suspension cured the problem.

[Monsi]

doesnt the track pack come with an anti roll bar?

[gmendoza]

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

Uhhhh.... current Road and Track Road Test Summary, and the article cited above, has the current Cobalt SS at 5.5 sec. to 60, with an electronically limited top speed of 160 mph. Motor Trend got the same numbers in its tests.

And apparently it keeps up in the turns.

Correct, the new Coblat SS is turbo and much faster whereas the old SS was superchaged

[Chili Red]

Originally Posted by Monsi

doesnt the track pack come with an anti roll bar?

I believe there is only a front swaybar and no rear swaybar.

[mopho]

I have driven the Cobalt SS extensively, I took it on some serious canyon carving as well as a road trip to Phoenix and back from LA. It is a great car, handles fantastic and quite quick. I did an impromptu "drag race" from a roll (as in he took off and I gave chase) with my father in his Elise (w/BWR supercharger, Forcedfed race header, and Argray exhaust) and he could not pull away from me in the SS.
By the end of the week I had it, I was liking it quite a bit. Would I buy one? Probably not, I would lean towards a Mazdaspeed 3 or a GTI because they are better packages overall and offer a bit more in the fit and finish/ergonomic/practicality departments.
If I was 20yo, I would be all over it though



I agree that the Ring is a silly benchmark, with the huge straights it has it is not going to reward any car that does not have a seriously high top speed. I believe the new ZR-1 was hitting 179mph on one of the straights.