That's because the same flawed system resulted in this car getting approved. Supposedly, Mr Lutz fixed that system, but this car was too far along....

Car and Driver called it the most dissapointing domestic small car in a decade. They also didn't have much nice to say about the interior materials or fit and finish (interior and exterior). I haven't read any "rave reviews" in that or any other enthusiast publications - the best being something like "It's okay. Sorta." I don't know where the rave reviews are coming from...

Someday, auto companies will learn that they can make a car that is different AND good looking and if you can't do that - boring works better.

 

I would hardly even come close to saying a refreshed J-car , lol . Like I said , everything about the ION is RIGHT , but the exterior and interior appearence .

 

I read a Road and Track review

 

Werm beat me to it, but Car & Driver slammed it pretty badly.


Though the design seems to come from the same design school of how to appeal to youth the Scion did, my understanding is the chassis is designed to enable GM to make this type of car profitably, which is not happening with the J-car anymore.

Has anyone in automotive design actually taken note that the cars youth are going for (ie: Hondas, Nissans, Focus, and even the holy grail, the Nissan Skyline) are all fairly low keyed designs, which youth actually spend money to upgrade, and tend to avoid overstyled and weird looking cars?

 

The gripe I have with it is that it should be a turbo car, not a supercharged car. It'd fly out the door if it was making 220 hp with a factory turbo. That is what the kiddies want.

 

Turbos have a couple of inherent problems in this case.

They cool down the exhaust and slow catalytic converter light-off.

Not a big issue if you are building a race car, but a big deal if you are taking a non-forced induction car and slapping on forced induction and still trying to keep it emissions compliant.

Second, turbos require more cumbersome plumbing than blowers, and are harder to package. This can be a significant issue, ESPECIALLY if you are going to have the dealers do the installs.]

For a dealer-installed, forced induction, full warranty, emissions compliant power addition, blowers are the way to go.

K, that being said, I would expect an equivalent displacement blower motor to be SLIGHTLY down on torque (area under the curve) relative to a turbo motor... BUT methinks that a blown Ion is going to be as quick or quicker than the turbo Neon.

Ecotec is becoming a well-proven motor and has tons of potential. I think the General got their DOHC I4 right.

 

Yes, the engineering standpoint behind it all is much more difficult, but the youth loves turbos, thats about all there is to it. Its would sell just because it was a turbo car as opposed to a supercharger car.

Thats the thing GM isnt getting right. Their mechanics are right on, its just the wrong mechanics to start with. The youth market is just all about image, and sadly turbo is cooler than supercharger to the nongear heads.

 

I think you are on to something here.

Let me also bring up a point on the possibility of dealer installed blowers. If every Ecotec isn't fortified to take some boost...won't the dealer installed package need to be purposely watered down (ie low boost), to let these engines live?

GM actually makes two versions of the Ecotec. The Euro version (which is 2.0 L) is actually very blower freindly. It has heftier pistons and rods, sodium filled valves, and oil squirters to keep pistons cool.

The Euro Ecotec is the "good" motor.

 

The ION they sent to the Houston Auto Show did not have these superior interior materials. It outcheaps all the previous Saturn models, and has an uglier interior to boot.

One of the people who do interiors would do well to actually open their eyes when they sit in a competing (and winning) model.

 

What about an ecotech in the base Camaro with a supercharged options...


*turns and runs from flames burning *** has I finnish typing this*

 

IMO, a 4-cylinder , in any form, does not belong under the hood of a Camaro... and I hope I never see one again... Supercharged or not.

 

Remember, I thought of it first.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...threadid=41297

 

Haha do you think I would bring up such a ridicuous argument if it had no basis?

 

No clue...

 

Stimulated by the other thread on foreign sales...I find this intriguing.

Why not a a S/C or better yet turbo version for overseas.

I think a 250-280 hp Turbo Ecotec Camaro might be just the ticket for Europe or Asia.

Chrysler has been selling turbo versions of their cars (ones we can't get here, due to emissions), in Mexico and South America for years....and with great success.