Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

[Stuart F.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

John;

As you are no doubt aware, Walt Thurn did an excellent interview published in the July issue of Corvette Magazine entitled "Hail To The Chiefs" with the new leaders of the Corvette Program. Therein they touched on the nuances of working with exotic light weight materials (which you no doubt can identify with) on the current three basic Corvettes (standard w/steel frame, Z06 w/alum. frame and Carbon Fiber, and ZR1 w/alum. frame and more Carbon Fiber), all on the same production line. Very interesting glimpse into how far they have come.

Stu Fox

[Chuck S.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

More "fuel" for this mileage mandate fire...A second hand report of what Da' Man himself sez.

It appears GM will introduce the Volt to the market as a 2010 model; I thought the comment about the "artificial exhaust sound" on the Volt electric car especially humorous . It reminded me how, back in the day, we clothes-pinned playing cards and ballons to our bicycle wheels for that "motor sound" (HaHaHa...):

The following post by tjackson82 copied in it's entirety from Corvette Forum (I split it into paragraphs for easier reading):


Bob Lutz says big-horsepower cars in danger

I just got back from a lunch where Bob Lutz, GM co-chairman and the keeper of the speed flame at GM (spoke) (as if we should expect anything else from a guy with two jet warbirds and a jet helicopter in his personal fleet).

Bob, as always, was entertaining and provocative -- he spun a wild tale about how Soviet disinformation the 1960s and '70s derailed nuclear power here and in much of Western Europe as a way to keep us dependent on foreign oil.

But he issued this warning about the new Camaro and, by extension, though not mentioned specifically, the Corvette: You better buy these cars now because when we have to meet the new federal 35 mpg mandate by 2015, we can't do that and keep producing high-horsepower cars.

Now before anyone flames me about what good gas mileage the Corvette gets now, Lutz is looking at the big picture, which means GM will have to produce a lot of small, fuel-efficient cars that get 40 or more miles per gallon to offset the inevitable fleet of crossover SUVs and the like that will get 30 mpg.

He says that in that environment, cars like the Camaro and "OTHER V8 VEHICLES'' (emphasis mine, but Bob's words) will have a short lifespan. Again, no mention directly of the Vette, but it's not hard to see that at least the new ZR1 could be short-lived and the basic Vette could get scaled back to a V6 at some point.

Lutz remains a big believer in ethanol, though he's now put the emphasis on celulosic (sic) ethanol rather than corn-based ethanol. He believes that if Washington would put greater emphasis on E-85, by 2015 we could be free of imported oil and still provide the types of cars people want. I'm not sure I agree with him on that, but his points are worth considering.

The other interesting tidbit -- GM is working on a way to make the 2010 Volt electric car have an artificial exhaust sound to satisfy drivers who don't want their cars to be silent. He also said the Volt, which he maintains is on track for the year 2010, will "be affordable,'' but will "cost a lot more'' than he'd like when it comes to market. He also
said that GM won't make a dime on the first generation of these vehicles.

[Duke W.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

The noise deal is real. I walk around my neighborhood streets a lot to do my normal errands - grocery store, bank, library, etc. Many of the streets are very narrow and some don't have what you could call sidewalks, so I have to walk in the street.

On several occasions I have been "surprised" by Prius that came up on me from behind. In electric mode they are virtually silent. On my block alone there are three or four of them.

I guess that makes up for me dumping my used oil in the gutter... JUST KIDDING!

Duke

[Chuck R.]

Re: Have to get up pretty early in the A.M. Duke

to keep up with my method.

I just dribble a capfull of used motor oil on every weed I have on my lawns and before you know it, the five quarts is long gone.

Of course my lawns look like a green and white pokadotted dalmation, but I can live with that...........

Oh yeah, not a grub in sight either

Chuckster

[Chuck R.]

Re: A Prius is sneaky quiet

My neighbor across the road traded her "beater" Saturn in for one.

Now instead of hearing the familiar resonance of the Saturn's muffler, I have to actually catch the movement of the car as it whispers by.

Even running on the engine it's pretty darned quiet.

Now if Toyota can get it to muster up 350 foot pound of tourqe, I just might consider looking at one.

I say that in jest but they probably already have a prototype on the design boards.

Chuck

[Scott S.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

.... GM is working on a way to make the 2010 Volt electric car have an artificial exhaust sound to satisfy drivers who don't want their cars to be silent....

Do you suppose Magnaflow will make an aftermarket....uhm...MP3(?) for this thing?

[Stuart F.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

Actually, antifreeze in the gutter works best. You not only get rid of it, but all the unleashed pets as well, and other kinds of vermin. Besides it's pretty! (also, just kidding BIG TIME!)

Sounds like a whole new market for sounds. Do you suppose they will modulate the volume to correspond to the car's speed or a hypothetical engine speed? Getty yup Getty yup 409!

Stu Fox

[Duke W.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

They should add the sound of an F1 engine going up and down through the gears with throttle and brake, respectively.

Duke

[Stuart F.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

Yaa! Screaming at umteen thousand RPM. That will get you attention. Heck, you wouldn't even need a horn. Just blip the throttle (rheostat) a couple times, that will get their attention.

Stu Fox

[Chuck R.]

Re: OK GUYS, NOW STOP IT!!!!!!

I'm just about in convulsions with all this talk of high winding engines and such.

[Paul G.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

I believe this is the next serious chapter in performance cars; small displacement and either turbo or supercharged or...........maybe even a hipo diesel. I drive a 2006 Cobalt SS with a supercharged 2.0 litre and 5 speed. It gets 30mpg on the highway and between 25-26 around town. I had it at the local track (Milan Dragway) and ran 14.7's all day. Recaro seats, limited slip and a chassis tuned by John Heinracy. 205 horse doesn't sound like much but the gas pedal is like crack. Getting on the I696 every morning puts a smile on my face. Not bad for a car that weighs around 3200 lbs. The 2008 version is pretty much the same except it's now turbocharged and makes 260 horse and has Brembo brakes on the front. EPA numbers are the same as my 06. The HHR SS is basically the same except you can get a 235 horse automatic version. I realize it's not the same as 600hp but for me it's the next best thing.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

But can you feel it in your chest?

Stu Fox

[Paul G.]

Re: Dark Days Ahead For Performance Cars (Again)

Nope, not in the chest..........it's more like the ears, kind of like a mosquito.