Online Article

Results PDF

C63, M3, IS-F, CTS-V, all participants. The results were surprising to say the least, and left me a bit confused. I'll reserve judgment until you guys chime in. Thoughts?

 

i am surprised at the new cts-v , it put up decent numbers. the is-f did ok

 

InterestinG. I thought the Lotus would do much better

 

Kudos to the S2000. I wish I could have kept mine but i will get another one so help me God!

 

Yes surprising to say the least ! So the Cobalt SS (front wheel drive, 260 HP) is 1 sec faster than the IS-F (rear wheel drive, 416HP). Honestly that's BS.
Most of the reviews and tests give the IS-F in between the M3 and the C63 on the track (between 3:05.6 and 3:06.5 not 3:14.0), there are almost 9 second missing on the IS-F time.

They found the IS-F "scary" so I guess they lift off the foot...

Just another brick in the C&D wall...

 

^ That's exactly what I was thinking as well. This particular test is very inconsistent with the car's performance potential. Maybe they left traction control on and turned on snow mode? The lap time they put up for the IS-F is more consistent with a IS350..or even worse. And something is definitely fishy about the Cobalt numbers.

 

Hmmm I agree with Timetoy....something seems a little off. I don't think they really pushed the car, like the article and primecut say, it seems like they were a little scared to push the F to its limits. I'm a little surprised it didn't do better

 

I can't believe the cobalt beat the IS-f or for that matter a stock 135i... Very strange..

 

I mean of course IS-F owners will call foul at these results. But outside of the Cobalt and IS-F results, all the others are pretty much on par with what I would've expected.

 

^ witch is exactly the point of this thread (Cobalt and IS-F)

 

I don't believe C&D, I think they are biased!

 

This is a crap article. To think that a cobalt SS goes faster around a track then any of the cars listed is rediculous. Seems like they need some better drivers that actually have the ***** to open up half of these cars. B/c whenever you are getting such scewed times from cars that arent even in the same league that has to say something about your credibility.

First we have to compete with BMW, now Chevy Cobalt SS's!! What next Ford Taurus takes the crown???

 

But y'all are calling BS/Bias etc... I think the results of the Cobalt show that they were driving the snot out of the cars... and would do that for all the cars in the test.

 

I'm a bit disappointed at the results - but at the end of the day, how many IS-F owners actually take their car to the track? I take mine to the strip and I *MIGHT* consider a track day here and there but for the most part, it's just my DD. I don't need to go that fast in my DD.

 

We go to VIR pretty regularly; in fact my wife was there for an event when they were setting up shooting for this article a couple of months ago (she had pictures of the cars lined up; not all of them were there yet based on this list).

I wish they had run the 'regular' full course instead of the 'Grand' course which is a bit unusual... I'd have some comparison lap times for other cars to see how much was the driver not pushing and how much was the car. Two of our track buddies just got new M3s (one coupe, one sedan) and had them there on the track two weeks ago. Could have done apples to apples.

PS anyone in the SE that wants to do a track day, click on the link in my signature for one coming up.