[s-cars] LAF Weakend NAC

[Theodore Chen]

i have to check it out when i go to vegas again.  hope it's still around
by then.

i believe you mean the C6, which is the newest corvette.  there is no 
C7... yet.  at least not on the market.

i'm rather surprised you liked the GTO better than the vette.  i've gotten
a fair amount of seat time in both cars on autox courses, and the vette
has it all over the GTO in every performance aspect.  i thought the GTO
was a little too ponderous and softly sprung - no doubt GM's attempt to
prevent the GTO from cannibalizing vette sales.  also, the trunk in the
GTO isn't very usable because of the fuel tank.  except for the addition
of the rear seats, i'm not convinced the GTO has that much more space than
the vette.  however, the GTO does offer serious bang for the buck.  a
400 hp, 6 liter V8 in a good chassis for $32k list (street price likely
significantly lower), and if you buy used, these things take a big 
depreciation hit.  i'm rather tempted myself, but i still think the
suspension is too soft.  you can get performance parts for the holden
monaro, which is the same car in australia, but you'll probably have to
import them.

as for the CTS-V, i love the performance.  i drove it back to back with
a C6 vette, and the CTS-V felt like a 4-door version of the vette.  slightly
slower, a little bigger and heavier, but i didn't think it gave much away
in handling.  the C6 was the base package and may have been more softly
tuned than the CTS-V.  but the CTS-V has the heart of a C5 Z06 ('04-'05
with the 5.7 liter LS6 engine) or a C6 ('06 with the 6 liter LS2) and it 
sure as heck isn't slow.

of these cars, i'd take a CTS-V, mainly because i like having a 4-door
for stealth.  i don't need any more speeding tickets, and yes, i'm getting
old.  i like having a little luxury and refinement, which is why you don't
see me driving a WRX or lancer evo.

you missed one of the best things about the C6 and CTS-V: the stability
control.  normally, i hate stability control and i turn it off in any
vehicle i drive.  BMW's DSC is especially annoying, because it aggressively
cuts throttle when it detects a little sliding, and takes a long time to
give it back.  i drove a C5 Z06 and the LS6 CTS-V with the stability
control set to competition mode (the guy next to me wouldn't turn it off,
but he set it to competition), and damned if the stability control didn't
actually help to go faster.  i could feel it intervening as i trailbraked
into corners, and as i accelerated out of corners.  the stability control's
intervention was minimal, and i only noticed the slight pulsing in
the pedal at extreme moments.  in the corners, when you'd normally get
understeer from entering too hot, the stabilitrak pulses the inside rear 
wheel brake to help rotate the car.  that's not something anybody, not even
michael schumacher, can do.  there's an SAE paper about GM's "active 
handling" technology, and it's an interesting read.  unfortunately, i don't
seem to have a copy any more.

GM's stabilitrak is far better than the offerings from BMW, audi, mercedes,
etc.  it's the only one that didn't make me want to turn it off.

if i owned a vette or CTS-V, i would drive it with the stability control
in competition mode.  i don't think the GTO offers it.

-teddy

--- pkrasusky at ups.com wrote:

>  
> Taka-
>  
> Book flight to LV?  Right outside the Sahara 8-)...
>  
> Heh, OK, maybe do a net search on "The Drive"?  That's all it was
> called.  Very well organized, run, executed.  And did I execute 8-).
> Well worth attending, no wait around all day for crap seat time here,
> like I said in and out in 1/2 hour.  Maybe they do a tour?  Wish all the
> events I attend were run so well.  Tho having to do a breathalyzer prior
> was rather comedic yet understandable considering you can walk the
> streets of LV with open container.  Yes I blew a 0.00 - it was early.
>  
> I'm certain the C7 stick coupe is a superior car.  Hard to explain, I
> just sorta dig the GTO's for some reason.  Cracks me up every time I see
> one on the road they're being putzed along by secretaries.  So much car
> there, and I really like the looks to boot.  4 seats 6 spd. 400 horse
> RWD a trunk and, cheap.... what's not to like I say.  Lot of car / oomph
> for the dough.  
>  
> I'm sure I'd 'take' a C7 over the goat given the choice, sorta a no
> brainer.  I just like the goat better for some odd reason.  Mostly cause
> I don't don a moustache and gold chains maybe?  But I could play
> secretary in the GTO, sure...
>  
> -Paul
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: Taka Mizutani [mailto:t44tqtro at gmail.com] 
> Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 9:51 AM
> To: Krasusky Paul (WQQ2PXK)
> Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com; james.pasqualoni at gs.com
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] LAF Weakend NAC
> 
> 
> Paul-
> Any info on how I can do this event?
> 
> Funny how you liked the GTO- that would be my pick for a daily driver,
> although
> I'd take the Vette regardless. Drive a stick coupe and I think you would
> have been
> a lot more impressed.
> 
> Taka
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> S-CAR-List mailing list
> S-CAR-List at audifans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> 


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