[BonzoHansen]

OK, just finished reading the whole Lightening Lap article in the new C&D.

What is worse, their description of the Challenger?

As track cars go, VIR proved that the Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a lovely street rod. It did turn better times than the Charger SRT8 of the 2006 Lightning Lap but largely because of its higher-performance tires and lower curb weight.

At 4146 pounds, the Challenger was 95 pounds lighter than the Charger, but nonetheless, the driver never, ever ceases to be aware of its mass, aggravated by numb steering. And the automatic transmission didn’t help, either (Memo to Dodge: Enlarge the IP gear-selection readout—it’s almost invisible).

We’d hoped for a manual model, available for ’09, which would have made a difference. But even so, if the Audi S5 isn’t overjoyed to be on a racetrack, the Challenger is downright miserable.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...e+page-14.html

..or the fact that it got slapped by a Cobalt SS, which ran 3 seconds faster around the track at VIR?

We’re massively impressed with the new front-wheel-drive champion of the LL1 class, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Not only did it lop three seconds off the Mazdaspeed 3’s 2007 front-drive record of 3:16.0, it was only a half-second behind the overall LL1 record of 3:12.5 set by the Nissan 350Z Track in 2006.

Two years ago, a supercharged Cobalt SS with 205 horsepower recorded a respectable 3:20.6. We invited the ’08 Cobalt SS because it has a new 260-hp, 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder turbo engine and a host of chassis upgrades including wider tires and larger brakes.

The changes made a huge difference at the track as the Cobalt’s new brakes resisted fading, its wider tires maintained their hold lap after lap, and its compliant and balanced chassis made it easy to exploit the phenomenal grip.

Gobs of power from the new engine and an optional limited-slip diff allowed the Cobalt to take most of the track in third gear. The SS hurtled forward with an anger missing in the rest of LL1 and much of the LL2 group. Despite the explosive power and front weight bias, the Cobalt SS resisted the typical understeer found in front-drive cars. The SS goes about its business with almost no drama. You only realize how quick it is when you arrive at start-finish and wonder, “How’d I get here so fast?”

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...re+page-2.html

And Camaro fans may be happy with the results of the new CTS-V given the suspension similarities...

If the Corvette was predictable as the LL2 champ, the car that put up the second-best lap time in the category was a surprise. Yes, the CTS-V’s 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V-8 makes 556 horsepower, 120 more than the Vette, and, yes, horsepower definitely counts on this circuit.

But the new super-Caddy also weighs 996 pounds more than the Vette, and weight is never an asset on a racetrack. Which makes the Cadillac’s performance nothing short of remarkable. Remarkable thrust from the LSA with no hint of the angry bull bellow that afflicted the previous CTS-V. Remarkable, too, is its six-speed manual gearbox, providing precise shifts and crisp engagements. Remarkable balance, allowing the driver to drift and pivot this big sedan with ease. Remarkable brakes, offering formidable stopping power without a hint of fade, lap after lap.

You may also find it remarkable that the BMW M3’s best lap trailed the big Caddy’s best time by 1.6 seconds. The CTS-V does enjoy a power-to-weight edge over the M3, 7.7 pounds per horsepower versus 8.8, and the Cadillac’s chassis and suspension are good enough to exploit that edge. But the real difference was the M3’s automated manual gearbox, which didn’t want to downshift on command, and our best lap was achieved while driving the car in pure automatic mode.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...re+page-6.html


To be honest, I am surprised at all of this, especially the Cobalt. But there it is.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...p_2008_feature