Fifty members of the Western Automotive Journalists gathered a few weeks ago at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey to drive several dozen brand-new, high-performance cars on the track.
Some might wonder whether journalists and auto manufacturers worry about the track performances of new cars when so few owners will ever drive them on tracks and at such high speeds. The answer can be wrapped up in our experience with three 2015 Chevrolets: the Camaro 1SS Coupe, the SS Sedan and the Corvette Stingray Coupe W/Z51.
In brief, the best way for a manufacturer to improve a car’s overall performance is to develop and test it in extreme situations. The best way to safely determine how well the manufacturer has done that job is to test the car’s acceleration, braking, handling and cornering within the controlled circumstances of a closed course normally used for racing.
That’s what we were able to do with these new Chevys, which proved to be examples of the excellent cars that General Motors has been developing since weathering the dark days of the last recession.
The bottom line of what was admittedly a fun and exciting day out of the office is that in each of the three broad categories of cars on the track – contemporary muscle cars, family-size sedans and high-performance sports cars – the Chevys provide the best performance for the price. These cars offered 400 horsepower from their 6.2-liter V-8 engines while still returning approximately 20 mpg in combined driving.
On the track
The Camaro 1SS Coupe, with its optional SS 1LE Performance Package, is priced at $41,730. It includes suspension, ride and handling upgrades, manual transmission and 20-inch wheels, plus Recaro seats, performance exhaust and the parking assist and rear-vision camera needed to compensate for the coupe’s rear visibility limitations.
The four-door Chevrolet SS Sedan, derived from the Holden Sedan built by GM-Australia, sells for $46,740 with its extensive list of accessories. They include Brembo brakes, navigation, Bluetooth audio, Sirius radio and OnStar support services.
But what our colleagues were raving about was a no-cost option – the smooth six-speed manual transmission (almost an anachronism in today’s automobile world) and the “stabilitrak” suspension system that is tight on high-speed corners, smooth on the highway and soft over potholes on city streets.
In the no-compromise sports car category – a segment created by the brand more than 60 years ago – the Corvette Stingray with the Z51 Performance Package sports a price of $66,170. That includes performance suspension, electronic limited-slip differential, staggered track-width tires and dry-sump oil system, along with an extensive list of optional performance enhancements.
On the track, the racing heritage of this seventh-generation ’vette was obvious – this isn’t a street car trying to offer racing performance; it’s a race-bred sports car that’s been smoothed out for comfortable, daily-driver street use. It’s capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, then stopping in only 107 feet. The car’s potential top speed is more than twice any legal limits. Yet the car was still fun and easy to drive – even with the seven-speed manual transmission. And to think, this is the “entry-level” Corvette.
Across the board, we could see how a diversified company like General Motors has been able to improve its cars. Steering and handling on every model benefit from GM’s experience building race-winning Corvettes for motorsports competition. The magnetic ride control system – taut when appropriate and smooth when necessary – was developed initially for Cadillac and is so good that it’s been licensed to Ferrari. In addition, the chassis and body engineering for the sedans and coupes were developed at GM-Holden in Australia.
The ultimate beneficiaries of this development are customers who will only ever experience their cars on city streets and public highways. But for those few who do take the opportunity to drive these cars nearer their limits under track conditions, their capabilities are amazing.
Longtime Los Altos residents Gary and Genie Anderson are co-owners of Enthusiast Publications LLC, which edits several car club magazines and contributes articles and columns to automotive magazines and online services.
