TommyTwinCams
Track Warrior
I found this on the Cobalt forums and it was an interesting read with many facts. I don't know about you, but I still consider the Cobalt the fastest FWD production car around the Nurburgring.
For those questioning this "Cobalt" I'm referring to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnVK6WOTVmI
On another forum someone mentioned that it's possible because Honda ran an 8:03 in '95 with an NSX-R and that an Evo X GSR ran a 7:57. So here is my long winded response. Most of it's fact. I winged a little like the tires used on the Cobalt. Couldn't find that info:
Neither of those are FWD. The 2008 Cobalt SS is the fastest production FWD car around the 'ring.
There hasn't ever been a stock EVO that has beaten the stock 2008 Cobalt SS around the 'ring. The EVO time of 7:57 is a hoax. Why it's still on Wikipedia I don't know. There are lots of threads on this but the best info is here:
AMS denies it here:
AMS Evo X 7:57 at Nordschleife last month? - Page 3 - EvoXForums.com - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Forums
How whoever posted the time came up with 7:57 is here:
AMS Evo X 7:57 at Nordschleife last month? - Page 4 - EvoXForums.com - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Forums
Now, regarding the fastest production FWD times...
For a while the '08 Cobalt had the fastest FWD production car 'ring record. Since then the Cobalt has only been beaten by two other "production" FWD cars. I use the term production loosely because the only two cars that have beaten the Cobalt since 2007 have both been Renaults made specifically to have the title as fastest FWD car around the 'ring. More below.
The Cobalt that took the 'ring record was exactly as it was available for around $22K at any Chevy dealership. When the economy took a #!#!#!#! in the fall of '08 you could get this car for $18K. The tires used were Continental Extreme Contact DW 225/40/18. All season Continental DWS tires were an option. The record was set in October 2007 using a stock '08 Cobalt SS. The time was 8:22.85. (Later the 2008 Cobalt ran a 9:06 on a wet track with the optional all season DWS tires)
Eight months after the Cobalt set the factory FWD record (June 23, 2008), that record was beaten by the Renault Mégane RS R26.R with a time of 8:16.90. Here are some notes on what it took for that Renault to beat the stock 2008 Cobalt SS:
- A car based on Renaultsport's 230 F1 Team R26, but 271 lb lighter
- Only 450 were made (possibly the minimum requirement to be considered a production car?)
- Not produced at a regular factory on an assembly line but made where Renault made their rally/race cars
- Polycarbonate windows (etched with a map of the 'ring after setting the record)
- Polycarbonate tailgate/hatch
- Carbon fiber shelled seats with aluminium base
- Completely gutted except for a driver and passenger seat.
- Carbon fiber hood.
- There was only one airbag on the driver's steering wheel. (Nowhere near the amount of heavy required safety features on the Cobalt)
- The climate controls, radio and sound proofing were removed.
- A track suspension that was hardly bearable on the street
- Optional Toyo Proxis R888 tires 235/40/18 were used (Michelin Pilot Sport 2s were standard)
- A price tag of over $50K USD
- Because of the limited safety features, crumple zones, reinforcing, etc. the car came with an optional roll cage. Even though the roll cage was an option, very few (I've read less than ten) were actually sold without a roll cage.
- Six bolt seat harnesses came stock (again, likely due to the lack of heavy safety features required for the Cobalt)
- Optional titanium exhaust
So basically it took a racecar disguised as a production FWD using technicalities to beat the Cobalt. Even then the the Renault only managed to beat the Cobalt by less than six seconds around a 14 mile track.
Since the Renault Mégane RS R26.R "ringer" beat the Cobalt record, it has been beaten again by another Renault. The new record holder is the Renault Megane RS Trophy with a time of 8:07.97 on June 17, 2011. (Less than 15 seconds faster than the record set four years earlier by the 2008 turboed economy/rental car mass produced by GM)
You can see the specs on the current recordholder here:
Renault Megane RS 265 Trophy lap times and specs - FastestLaps.com
I know a lot about this because I own a 2008 Cobalt SS. I don't really care that much. Anyone who knows about cars or researches the FWD production car 'ring records will know that the Cobalt really is the fastest. Plus, he Cobalt has been dead for over two years now.
There's a lot of excitement these days over the 2013 Ford Focus ST. It's a turbocharged direct injected version of an econobox. The suspension is tweeked and Recaros are thrown in and it has a more colorful interior along with an exterior enhanced by sportier bumpers/sideskirts. It only took Ford five years to offer the equivelant of the 2008 Cobalt SS. LOL (I absolutely love the Focus ST btw)
IMO the 08-10 Cobalt SS is the most "bang for the buck" car you can get. It really depends on what you like though. There have been other cars over the past five years or so that are better or worse, depending on how you look at them.
The closest contenders are:
- Mazdaspeed3 which is slightly slower in the straights and turns but has a far better interior and build quality (except for the engine) and has a better resale value.
- GTI which is slightly slower than the MS3 but has the best interior in the class and is just a really well rounded car with excellent resale value.
Then there are others like the Mini Cooper S, Civic Si, WRX, Mitsubishi Ralliart
I'd love to see more hot hatches/economy cars. Hopefully we do. I just hate all the hype about automatics, hybrids, plug ins, NGVs, etc.
Gas+stick = win. I don't care if a dual clutch can shift 5000x faster than me. I want to interact with my car.
ook. Bored and watching football. If my Cobalt had nuts I'd be swinging on them.
For those questioning this "Cobalt" I'm referring to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnVK6WOTVmI