GM Dominates "Lightning Lap" 2008

[Squachy]

Isnt C&D Bias?
GM must have paid off a pretty penny to make some magic happen......

[AndrewGS]

The results chart is here: http://www.caranddriver.com/content/...08+Results.pdf

The Cobalt SS was 3 tenths faster than the EVO X, a second faster than the IS-F, 3.3 seconds faster than the Challenger SRT-8 and 6 seconds faster than the WRX STi.

[97ultra]

Originally Posted by nsap

GM Dominates "Lightning Lap" 2008
Car And Drivers annual performance test indicates GM is packin' when it comes to performance.
www.gminsidenews.com
September 24, 2008

(Photo Courteous of: Car And Driver)

Every year Car And Driver magazine pulls together some of the hottest, best-performing cars at the time and pits them against each other; dividing the cars into specific classes based on retail price. This, of course, being their annual "Lightning Lap" feature article. For 2008 "Lightning Lap" brings three General Motors vehicles to the track. Those three: Chevrolet Cobalt SS (Turbocharged), Chevrolet Corvette Z51, and the all-new Cadillac CTS-V. GM is always represented in the "Lightning Lap" feature, but this year is particularly interesting as all three GM products did extremely well in their respective classes. Actually; the only two Chevrolet cars in the group took the number one spots in their respective classes. Cobalt SS took the top spot in the "LL1" class; beating out the Dodge Caliber SRT-4 and Volvo C30 T5 Version 2.0. On top of that, the Cobalt SS was just shy of beating an overall "LL1" record set by the Nissan 350Z back in 2006. GM's perennial performance king managed to solidly keep it's gold in the "Lightning Lap" of 2008. The Z51-spec Corvette beat out a slew of cars within the "LL2" class; not that any of that is a surprise. As for the new kid, CTS-V, well...let's just say the General should be honored that this year's "Lightning Lap" made it clear that performance is still a staple at GM.

For all the details on all of the "Lightning Lap" cars and full results on the CTS-V and Chevrolet products, Click Here.

Cobalt SS Results

Corvette Results

CTS-V Results

I'm not sure what you all are thinking or smoking. You all tell us the Cobalt is terrible and that it can't compete with other cars.
Now you all going to say the Cobalt SS is worthy of wearing the SS... Shame on you all.....
Cobalt SS 4 door is #1 not the Cobalt SS 2 door is #1. Will wonders never stop???? Go Chevy

[Rocket 88]

GM has clearly done an outstanding job with the Cobalt SS. I know Cobalt sales have been up lately, but I always wonder why GM can not get the regular Cobalt to be a bit more class competetive. Its seems like it could really be made into a really good car.

One more gripe... Why the heck isn't there a G5 4dr.? I'm not saying the G5 was a great idea, but its here. As long as its in the showroom why no 4dr??? Pontiac sells several models of 4 door cars... including thousand of G6's. In fact, you see relatively few G6 2 Coupes compared to Sedans.

[E. Haskell]

Originally Posted by free_energy0

The GT-R ran two seconds faster than the Z06. After all the bickering over the past year...

You can't compare results from one year to another year.

You fail at bench racing.

__________________________________________________ ________________

The Cobalt dominated this test. The $22k Cobalt was faster than the following cars:

- EVO MR
- STI
- ISF
- 135i
- S2000 CR
- Elise SC
- G37 Sport
- Challenger SRT8
- S5
- R32
- Mugen Si

I still can't believe it. I'm in shock.

The CTS-V and Corvette did well too. I wonder how fast the Corvette would've been on better tires?

[MadTruckMan]

wait a second here....is that the STIG driving that cobalt??? hmmmmm

[ne_one]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

One more gripe... Why the heck isn't there a G5 4dr.? I'm not saying the G5 was a great idea, but its here. As long as its in the showroom why no 4dr??? Pontiac sells several models of 4 door cars... including thousand of G6's. In fact, you see relatively few G6 2 Coupes compared to Sedans.

Once again... they sell them by the boatload in Canada:

http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/vehicles...tiac/g5/models

[63GrandSport001]

Here is a list of these times combined with the last 2 lightning lap.

LL1 (under $30,000)
-Nissan 350Z: 3:12.5
-Chevy Cobalt SS (turbocharged): 3:13.0
-Mitsubishi Evo MR: 3:13.5
-Pontiac Solstice GXP: 3:15.7
-Mazda Speed3: 3:16.0
-Mazda RX-8: 3:19.0
-Chevy Cobalt SS(supercharged): 3:20.6
-Dodge Caliber SRT4: 3:20.8
-Ford Mustang GT: 3:20.9
-Mini Cooper S: 3:22.9
-Volkswagen GTI: 3:25.1
-Honda Civic Si: 3:26.5
-Volvo C30 T5 2.0: 3:26.6
-Mazda MX-5: 3:29.3


LL2 ($30,000-$60,000)
-Z51 corvette Coupe (LS3): 3:01.2
-Z51 Corvette Coupe (LS2): 3:03.6
-Cadillac CTS V (2009): 3:04.0
-BMW M3: 3:05.6
-Shelby GT500: 3:05.9
-Mercedes C63 AMG: 3:06.5
-Lotus Elise: 3:09.2
-Porsche Cayman S: 3:09.5
-BMW 335i Coupe: 3:10.5
-BMW Z4 M Coupe: 3:11.7
-Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X MR: 3:13.3
-BMW 135i: 3:13.7
-Lexus ISF: 3:14.0
-Audi S5: 3:14.6
-Honda S2000 CR: 3:15.0
-Dodge Challenger SRT8: 3:16.3
-Lotus Elise SC: 3:16.6
-Infiniti G37 Sport: 3:17.5
-Dodge Charger SRT8: 3:18.2
-Subaru WRX STI: 3:19.0
-Volkswagen R32: 3:21.8
-Honda civic Mugen SI: 3:24.8

LL3 ($60,000-$120,000)
-Dodge Viper ACR: 2:48.6
-Nissan GTR: 2:55.6
-Corvette Z06: 2:58.2
-Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe: 3:01.6
-Porsche 911 GT3: 3:01.8
-Lotus Exige S: 3:04.5
-Audi R8: 3:04.6
-BMW M6: 3:10.0
-Audi RS4: 3:11.2


LL4 ($120,000-$240,000)
-Ford GT: 3:00.7
-Porsche 911 Turbo: 3:05.8

LL5($240,000-up)
-Mosler MT900S (LS7): 2:45.9
-Ferrari F430 Scuderia: 2:54.6

[Xenon]

Originally Posted by 97ultra

I'm not sure what you all are thinking or smoking. You all tell us the Cobalt is terrible and that it can't compete with other cars.
Now you all going to say the Cobalt SS is worthy of wearing the SS... Shame on you all.....
Cobalt SS 4 door is #1 not the Cobalt SS 2 door is #1. Will wonders never stop???? Go Chevy

It still has a low rent interior, horrible exterior design, and the LNF sounds like crap on WOT. I like the performance #s, but not much else on the car. I'd rather have an Evo, 350Z or a Mazdaspeed 3.

[Xenon]

Originally Posted by E. Haskell

You can't compare results from one year to another year.

You fail at bench racing.

__________________________________________________ ________________

The Cobalt dominated this test. The $22k Cobalt was faster than the following cars:

- EVO MR
- STI
- ISF
- 135i
- S2000 CR
- Elise SC
- G37 Sport
- Challenger SRT8
- S5
- R32
- Mugen Si

I still can't believe it. I'm in shock.

The CTS-V and Corvette did well too. I wonder how fast the Corvette would've been on better tires?

At least 7 of those cars are >3500 lbs, most of those cars can, and will bow away a Cobalt in a straight line. Interesting, but this time stands out the most to me:
Shelby GT500: 3:05.9

And this is coming form a front heavy, 4000 lb car with no IRS whatsoever. Interesting...

[E. Haskell]

The EVO and 350z are 25-50% more expensive so their is really no comparison to be made.

The MS3 is slower and the gas mileage isn't even comparable - 18/25 vs 22/30.

Also, according to Road and Track, the MS3 has a sloppy shifting and the power cuts out around 5500 rpm.

[E. Haskell]

Originally Posted by Xenon

At least 7 of those cars are >3500 lbs, most of those cars can, and will bow away a Cobalt in a straight line.
Shelby GT500: 3:05.9

I can't really see why the weight matters. GM engineered that SS to go around the track and it does it well.

[Grymm]

Anyone who cares about perfomance these days just doesn't get it.

As long as GM keeps pushing fossil fuels or even ethanol, they will always be stupid and out of touch.

[tomcat_cool17]

No ZR1 because they couldn't get one from GM. It was stated in another thread.

[zinner]

Originally Posted by Grymm

Anyone who cares about perfomance these days just doesn't get it.

As long as GM keeps pushing fossil fuels or even ethanol, they will always be stupid and out of touch.

Sure a chart topping car that gets 30 MPG. How many of those cars get 30 MPG, not many and certainly not the ones that beat it out.

It's amazing how much performance GM eeks out of that car/platform, GM isn't pushing fossil fuels, our society pushes fossil fuels and GM just enables that. Have fun riding your horse to work