several things to consider here.

How many people would have bought one had there been no gouging at dealers ??

Will the coupe be lighter? I hope so, by the time it comes out, I should have the money to get it in addition to the others I want to get at that time.

If GM puts a 260+ hp aluminum V6 in it, will it throw off handling a lot?

I would personally like a 270 HP V6 5M Hard Top, orange. Then mod it, even 350 hp in that thing would put a smile on my face a sandblaster couldn't remove.

 

Why bother with that when it already gets a 260HP Turbo Ecotec this summer.

 

If it can indeed put up better numbers then yes thats cool get the better performer...but sometimes feel can be so much better that you can more easily push a car to its limits and the result is better times...

For example if a race car is loose its almost always capable of faster times, but because it can feel just downright ****ty with a loose condition its harder to squeeze a better time out of it. The same can be said for a variety of cars....no you give me a slightly loose car that doesn't feel quite as good as another but I'm getting 2 or 3 tenths a lap better, I'll definately take the slightly loose car.

 

Add another 1,990 Solstices sold in January.

 

That's what I'm thinking.

I'd love a high powered, rear drive, 4 cylinder.

I feel if you add a V6 to Solstice, you'd ruin what it's all about. kind of like adding a V8 to an RX8 or a V12 to a Corvette.

A normally aspirated, high power V6 might be good for a Chevy version, though.

 

V6's are soo much harder to mod than turbo 4's. A simple reflash will net you 30 hp. Add Exhaust and cams and you'll be hitting 350hp with the turbo 4. I'll take a factory FI over a NA anyday.

 

I think it's going to take a while for people to learn DI tuning. That is unless GM gives out the code to tuners, which I doubt.

 

I don't think DI will pose any real problem, but GM horidng the key to the ecu definatly will. Thats the problem with the current IRL and Cobalt SS. People are being force to tune them by fooling sensors and other shenanagins. Thats why the IRL is in its fourth model year and has yet to catch on. The ECU prevents you from doing anything with it.

 

well yes, I guess a 260hp V6 would be a waste if the turbo 4 will get 260.

But maybe they will develop a next generation of Supercharged V6s and make a 325-350 hp V6 SC engine, which would be nice in that platform.

Maybe a Solstice GTX or something.

As for the chevy version, I'll wait til I see what it looks like.

 

Actually, your A4 is a 14.9 - 15.1 sec car at around 94 mph. It feels faster because it has a flat torque curve, delivering 100% of its torque from 1800 RPM to 5500 RPM.

 

I've never seen a stock A4 listed at 14.9-15.1... where have you seen that?

FWIW my GS4 was listed at ~14.1 @ 99 but I ran about 6 tenths and 2 mph slower than that on my best run.

I can tell you that my GS4 used to flat out rape my friend's 05 Acura TL automatic at any speed (stop, roll, highway, whatever). My A4 on the other hand either barely hangs on beside him or gets slightly pulled on depending on the speed.

 

GS4????

GS400 maybe?

 

Was that hard to figure out?

I said the full name in my first post.

GS4 is what most of the Lexus guys refer to it as... just short hand like C5 or 3 DSM or whatever.

 

I didn't read your first post, I just say GS4 and was ummmm...gotta be the lex its the only thing i can think of.

 

There was one comaprison I read in a major car mag (could be R&T, MT, or C&D) a few months back about A4 versus Volvo S40. Both are turbo, and the times printed for the Audi were 14.9x @ 94.1 mph. It was Quattro (yes, AWD), manual 6-speed. It could be a typo, who knows, but the A3 FWD (which is about 200 pounds lighter) has been posted at 14.8-14.9 @ 94 mph as well.

So low 15's at the very worst, I would imagine. Take it to the track , you beat the hell out of it anyways.

edit: I also drove a manual A3, and I felt the car was definitely a high 14 second car. SOTP though, so take it for what it's worth!