Cobalt SS is faster than the Exige S

[delise]

Originally Posted by mopho

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.

Was waiting for you to chime in on the Ring, I hold the same opinion

[mopho]

To add about the Ring, a good time is also dependent on how good the driver is and how well the driver knows the course (which could take years to master), so with different drivers doing the testing for each respective manufacturer, we don't know how much of a factor the driver played in the time.

Personally, I think lap times are mostly meaningless anyway and are only good for internet arguing, you could be driving the fastest car in the world and get blown off by some really good driver in a Miata

[spf4000]

Originally Posted by mopho

To add about the Ring, a good time is also dependent on how good the driver is and how well the driver knows the course (which could take years to master), so with different drivers doing the testing for each respective manufacturer, we don't know how much of a factor the driver played in the time.

Personally, I think lap times are mostly meaningless anyway and are only good for internet arguing, you could be driving the fastest car in the world and get blown off by some really good driver in a Miata

As Sabine proves all the time.

[serpent]

Sabine is a hell of a driver. Who saw the top gear episode with the van on the ring? and Sabine did it in 11 minutes? or something like that. Her in a lotus would own an SS on the ring.

[aschen]

I think the cobalt ss is a great car and GM is really doing a good job of improving there cars. They have some pretty decent sports cars and sporty cars: Corvette (one of the greatest cars on the road), Cobalt, solstice/sky, some decent caddies, and even the g8 doesent seem to bad for what it is. I am however a bit skeptical of the ring times published they are 2 dependant on tires and driver. I dont think there is anyway a cobalt ss is faster than an exige s on any reasonable track. The same argument came up on the subaru boards (compared against an sti) and I am still not convinced. The ring is cetainly an hp course. In an autocross which is all handeling exige S > Sti >>> cobalt I dont care what the slalom numbes say.

[Bavarian Motorist]

Not that I take 'Ring times seriously for all the reasons mentioned, but maybe Lotus needs to step up their game? Better aerodynamics, rear swaybar, better suspension tuning, maybe wider tires?


Seems Lotus cars are becoming a benchmark and if you can reach it, you've accomplished something. So let's raise the bar!

[Bgwilly31]

The factory backed Chevy Cobalt won many timeattacks on circuits around the US. Beating out the likes of Highly tuned EVO V!!! subbys and other big time tuner cars.

[liggy]

Kudos to Chevy for making a fast, inexpensive car. I'd consider one if I had a really limited budget but would likely go for the Mazdaspeed3. As previously posted the overall package is much nicer.

It's funny - this thread reminds me of another forum where the Porsche guys are sh*tting all over the GT-R

[mopho]

Originally Posted by liggy

Kudos to Chevy for making a fast, inexpensive car. I'd consider one if I had a really limited budget but would likely go for the Mazdaspeed3. As previously posted the overall package is much nicer.

It's funny - this thread reminds me of another forum where the Porsche guys are sh*tting all over the GT-R

You must be new
We sh!t all over the GT-R too.
Every forum is arguing about that car

[Bane]

I was seriously debating one of these as a daily driver. I may go test drive one this weekend... the only experience I have with Chevy's is the Corvette (which I love) and rental cars (which I absolutely hate).

[liggy]

Originally Posted by mopho

You must be new
We sh!t all over the GT-R too.
Every forum is arguing about that car

Straight up newbie here

I'm thinking about replacing my S2000 with an Elise so I figured it was time to start with some research. Took a quick drive in my pal's Elise and it really was everything I love about the S2000 but more narrowly focused.

I have a daily so the Lotus would be purely for fun/auto-x/lapping days.

And for the record - the GTR is fugly but I'd try and find a way to fund one if I could find one @ MSRP.

[mopho]

Originally Posted by liggy

And for the record - the GTR is fugly but I'd try and find a way to fund one if I could find one @ MSRP.

I wouldn't and I have driven one

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by liggy

Straight up newbie here

I'm thinking about replacing my S2000 with an Elise so I figured it was time to start with some research. Took a quick drive in my pal's Elise and it really was everything I love about the S2000 but more narrowly focused.

I have a daily so the Lotus would be purely for fun/auto-x/lapping days.

And for the record - the GTR is fugly but I'd try and find a way to fund one if I could find one @ MSRP.

Seems the Cobalt is your best choice now-

[Tintin]

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

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.

I thought the Elise SC only had Yoko AD07s not the A048s. That would hinder its slalom, skidpad and braking performance.

[liggy]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Seems the Cobalt is your best choice now-

you guys are harsh!

I just can't get over how the GT-R seems to defy physics...

I'm pretty much in vulture mode right now since I think the market for these pure fun cars is going to be soft. Was bidding on ebay on a brand new '07 Elise in the 72D color and the first bidder flaked. The dealer offered the car to me for 41.5 but I didn't want to go above 40K

eBay Motors: Lotus : Elise (item 270253631245 end time Jul-15-08 06:38:28 PDT)

This is a pretty fun read/view... I was shocked at how poorly the Exige did in the auto-x and how well the Gallardo did. I thought that it was just a car for Guidos with too much money.

RoadandTrack.com -- Comparison Tests - 4-Track Free-for-All (9/2008)

[Bavarian Motorist]

Originally Posted by Tintin

I thought the Elise SC only had Yoko AD07s not the A048s. That would hinder its slalom, skidpad and braking performance.

And also the AD07s it has are narrower.....


Which would certainly affect its slalom speed.

[CosmosMpower]

Originally Posted by liggy

Straight up newbie here

I'm thinking about replacing my S2000 with an Elise so I figured it was time to start with some research. Took a quick drive in my pal's Elise and it really was everything I love about the S2000 but more narrowly focused.

I have a daily so the Lotus would be purely for fun/auto-x/lapping days.

And for the record - the GTR is fugly but I'd try and find a way to fund one if I could find one @ MSRP.

I like the steering in the S2000 better, the feeling is more numb but the effort at low speed is 100X more linear. Also the brakes in the S2000 DESTROY the Elise, everytime I autocross an Elise and then the S2000 back to back I almost put my face through the windshield in the S2000.

Unless you want to track the car all out don't buy the Elise it's inferior to everything else compared to the S2000. That's an honest opinion from someone that owns both.

[CosmosMpower]

Originally Posted by Tintin

I thought the Elise SC only had Yoko AD07s not the A048s. That would hinder its slalom, skidpad and braking performance.

I'd say the difference in tires would only hinder performance due to the size/width not the model. A048's suck, the AD07 is one of the best street tires you can buy. I bet the AD07's in the same size post better numbers than sport pack A048's.

[liggy]

Originally Posted by CosmosMpower

I like the steering in the S2000 better, the feeling is more numb but the effort at low speed is 100X more linear. Also the brakes in the S2000 DESTROY the Elise, everytime I autocross an Elise and then the S2000 back to back I almost put my face through the windshield in the S2000.

Unless you want to track the car all out don't buy the Elise it's inferior to everything else compared to the S2000. That's an honest opinion from someone that owns both.

That is a very interesting observation. Thanks for that. The brakes on the S2000 are excellent - just Super Blue fluid and Panther + pads are all it needs for track use. In contrast the C2S w/ ceramics needs better fluid - I boiled it on my first time out on the track. You could really feel the extra 500lbs.

I cranked up the caster on my S2000 to see if I could increase the "feel" It cranked up the weight but not the feedback. The steering is very accurate on the S2000 for sure.

I suppose a hardtop and a positive displacement supercharger would be cheaper than selling the S2000 and getting an Elise.

[XPcarguy]

Originally Posted by antinym

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

First, I'm not mad.
Second, I don't get the giggles when a $45k car beats an $80k car.

My point (though missed on plenty of people) was that mfgs manipulate the gullible public. People want to know 0-60 and top speed. Both are irrelevant for the very people that are asking the questions or anxiously reading the mag reviews.

People rarely (if ever) actually run their cars from 0-60. Unless your a stoplight racer (read: idiot) or a drag strip frequenter (read: the vast minority), the cars purported 0-60 time will never show up in your driving. You have to launch a car to get a good run and you have to launch it well. Most people run through the gears from a roll and typically from 2nd gear sweet spot and up. But you still bite on the 0-60 quotes.

Similar beefs go with the top speed. If you run a normal track (any of the 5 in CA, Atlanta, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Road America, Miller Motorsports, etc etc) top speed will not be an issue. Acceleration from corner to corner (usually in the 130 range) and grip will be the limiting factors. Even the ZR1 would have a hard time beating 150 on a road course. Yes, it will hit that 150 more quickly than most cars and plenty of cars are doing 130 on the same tracks. But the value of the top speed potential in and of itself is nill. Save for the Ring, the Silver State Classic, and the countless morons that are distracted by shiny objects and don't even realize when they're being manipulated by our commercialized culture.