Corvette ZR1 Review and Test Ride - Modifed for More Power

The highest horsepower car for sale in the history of General Motors at a whopping 638 is in itself a beast. Add American Racing headers and a smaller Lingenfelter supercharger pulley and snout and suddenly the Corvette ZR1 is just plain scary. It's not only how hard your neck is snapped back, but how long it takes to get back to vertical. Some call it a butt dyno when guessing horsepower but in this car its a head dyno because its so fierce.

The owner, Ben Treynor, is a familiar name among fans of modified performance cars. His Renntech Mercedes S600 was profiled in the October 2003 issue of Car & Driver magazine. From a Supra Twin Turbo, multiple Vipers including what might be among the first (or first widely known) over 1,000 horsepower in a modern car. A previous owner of an 2006 Corvette Z-06 with LG Headers, he can attest to its disconcerting rear suspension movements and being nearly undrivable due to the excessive sound in the cabin from thin-walled exhaust headers.

His commuter car, which is allowed in carpool lanes, is a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport. I think the Corvette should be allowed in any lane it wants due to its "awesomeness".

This ZR1 produces approximately 590 rear wheel horsepower after mentioned modifications. Notice the stock airbox with the muffler in the slideshow. The LPE supercharger snout is lower than the stock location so there is a crimp that will be soon fixed for an additional horsepower increase of about 30hp at the rear wheel.

America's Sports Car really isn't. The Corvette ZR1 is actually America's Grand Tourer. The Viper ACR is the pure sports car king now where the ZR1 does everything extremely well. Everything. Refinement, ride quality, sound levels and of course obtainable ultra-performance with low maintenance costs make it a top choice in the world. Especially if the MSRP of approximately $120,000 is included in consideration vs. alternatives. Not convinced? Over 18mpg isn't too bad either. That's a good figure for 400 horsepower cars.

Five stage traction control (TC) with a launch control feature is integrated into the powertrain and suspension. Of the two stages demonstrated, one allows for excessive wheelspin and tail-out antics. When it activates, it bogs a bit, almost as if it knows a big save is needed from whatever put you there. The second stage is so well tuned and quick acting, it's the preferred setting. A brief pop is heard while power is very momentarily reduced with near relentless acceleration is enough, and actually perfect on the street. I never thought Id ever think there was enough power but I wasn't acclimated to its furious rate of acceleration.

The factory launch control allows the rear suspension to squat and the front suspension to rise for weight transfer to enhance rear traction. An added benefit of the magnetic shocks.

The compliant ride with the magnetic (magnetic-rheological) shocks that have tour and sport settings make for a very comfortable ride. Even with the headers the car is very quiet, more so than the Porsche 997 Twin Turbo I reviewed. Another difference is the ridiculously large Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes do not squeal either.

The luggage compartment is nearly cavernous. Some complain about the size of the Corvette in comparison to other sports cars but taking into account its practicality, it's hard to match. Yes, a Corvette is practical for two people.

A common complaint about the car is the styling is too closely related to the common base model and Z-06. On its own it looks great except for the ridiculous window in the hood, which has a view of another cover. It's no Ferrari from that standpoint. However the vents, bulges and carbon fiber roof and other CF pieces are tastefully done and really spice it up nicely. Without the window on the hood, the bulge would be ominous.

Ben's has a few complaints are the seats offer too little lateral support. This has been pointed out for years in Corvettes. Why GM doesn't improve upon them is beyond me. Well maybe not. Cost reduction and more profit. Its not like its one of the mysteries of the universe, it's a corporate mantra. The other is twitchy steering over bumps and uneven road surfaces which is not uncommon with very wide front tires. Wide as in 285/30/19s which is a rear tire width on other very powerful cars.

One of Bens favorite things about the ZR1 is the exhaust note. It really rips and I'll try to get a video because it needs to be included in my Best Exhaust Sounds series.

He did state a wish-list item would be a dual clutch transmission. More aggressive gearing would be hard pressed to change the 0-60mph time because the car is so powerful and would translate to even easier wheelspin. But faster shifting and even more closely spaced ratios are always welcome. Traction management is an issue in 2nd gear as well. That means tire spin at speeds well above 60mph on dry pavement with sticky 335 series tires.

It's outrageous but not exotic. A superb performer and easily upgradeable to be among the quickest cars on the street with handling to match. It can be driven cross country without hesitation with plenty of luggage capacity and get decent mileage. I can't think of any other car that can do that. It can be a daily driver, driven hard and put away wet. And yes, I want one.

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Flawed octane rating testing by Consumer Reports

Recently Consumer Reports published a piece how premium grade gasoline may not be needed for vehicles due to manufacturer recommendation versus a requirement. The article has several flaws and omits some key factors. One aspect is the testing used two vehicles that had recommendations for premium grade gasoline but not a requirement. The recommendations are usually only for performance, but the testing was lacking in a variety of situations.

It was suggested that if the feel and the sound of the engine indicates knocking, it’s a good idea to use gas with higher octane. Feel and sound are not good indicators of knocking or pinging. It is more serious when it is audible but using the human ear as a guide is deeply flawed. A data logger for the knock sensor and reading how the engine fuel mixture reacts is the only way to determine if the octane is causing knock. Knock is detrimental, audible knock is very bad.

Consumer Reports claimed the power difference using premium versus regular grade gas was measured with a zero to sixty mile per hour timed acceleration test.  A 0-60mph time is a very poor comparison of horsepower. It is too launch dependent and only runs through the first two gears typically. A more powerful car may have a more difficult and therefore slower launch due to managing traction. This confounds the data even though it makes up the time once rolling. There are two reliable ways to measure horsepower without removing the engine; a chassis dynamometer and full throttle acceleration from a roll at a given speed and gear selected. The testers cannot feel a few more or less horsepower either. Not many people are able to accurately.  

The article never mentioned mid-grade fuel nor the premium octane rating ranges. 91 octane is prevalent in California but 92 and 93 octane is available in other areas. Are factory stock vehicles tuned for 91 or 93? The difference can be significant. Are any production cars tuned for 93 versus 91? In powerful cars, especially with forced induction, just what would the difference be? An estimate is it can be a ten to thirty horsepower difference.

The last sentence hinting at reliability is irresponsible. It is implying a vehicle requiring premium is less reliable. Yet a performance engine is highly engineered with extra robust components. Also a first tier gas supplier may have a superior formulation in its premium grade. For instance Shell's V-Power Nitro+ has seven times the government mandated additive package that is proven to reduce valve deposits, corrosion and cause less wear versus other brands. That would imply superior reliability. 

It should be noted that the testing didn't vary atmospheric conditions and temperatures. Nor take into account the summer versus winter grade of gasoline. Engine output varies significantly based on intake air temperature also called altitude density. It also should be disclosed that vehicles with forced induction tend to require premium fuel, and not simply recommended unless specifically noted. Especially when the engine is tuned for performance rather than economy.

Measuring performance differences demand proper instrumented testing and procedures. It also requires disclosure of testing conditions and more than a cherry picked facts and tests.

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Audi S4 the Bank Vault on Wheels

When first hearing about how the supercharged Audi S4 performed so well, I was immediately skeptical of the 333hp rating and stated as much on April 29th, 2010. When owner Greg Helstrup of Collateral Resources contacted me asking if I wanted to check out his 2011 S4, I immediately made arrangements to get behind the wheel.

Greg’s impressions of the car are smooth, comfortable, solid, quiet and “go-kart”. It isn’t a “go-kart” like a Lotus, but compared to floaty and boaty sedan or an SUV, it feels like it.

This current generation referred to the B8, is significantly larger than the B7 visually and for the driver, most apparent in the driver legs area where more room was desperately needed. This is truly a proper sized sedan and the impression is that this is a do-anything automobile. It’s fast, practical, all-wheel drive and full of luxury and technology. With a long list of options and technical features that are covered in a 66 page brochure, a lot of time is really needed to fully review and appreciate what the Audi offers.

The 7 speed dual-clutch transmission shifts (not an “automatic”!) with a brief, audible “zzz” from the revving engine. I’ve stated before the car is undoubtedly underrated at 333hp despite the dual clutch transmission. The 3.0 liter supercharged engine is very responsive but a sudden start off the line has a momentary hesitation while the clutch engages automatically It’s not quite as fast as the BMW M3 but the interior is more inviting with its layout and features. Yet again the Audi MMI (Multi Media Interface) makes for a an enjoyable experience with the logical controls, layout and features. It’s another capable car that can sell itself once you sit in it, instrumented test results quickly pushed aside.

The suspension is firm and even selecting various modes of the Audi Drive Select, the difference in ride was difficult to detect. The Audi Drive Select controls the vehicle’s adaptive suspension, dynamic steering, transmission shift characteristics and engine response. What was felt was the change in the throttle response. It felt very reactive to the right foot, maybe perfect. No complaint of the throttle-by-wire here. Steering effort is light but there isn’t a lot of feedback.

It’s claimed the 6-speed manual is quicker but unless the gear ratios are whack, I highly doubt it and the faster dragstrip results seem to be from the S-tronic (dual clutch transmission) cars. A performance oriented software tune, intake and exhaust for this car reportedly takes the horsepower up to about 430hp or so. With 114-116mph trap speeds, I’m guessing it’s a little higher than that, 450-460hp with 100 octane gas?

It has BMW M3 and 335i owners making various claims and proclamations but the Audi All Wheel Drive makes it a far more consistently performing car whether it is in the rain or off the line in the shine. The BMW 335i has AWD available but only as an automatic and isn’t as sport oriented.

As a solid and quiet bank vault, it isn’t wind noise that is noticed, it’s the tire noise with the 255/35/19 performance tires. That solid perception also applies to the doors, you have to close them with more authority than normal because the air seal is so tight. The seats are tall yet supportive but not quite as body hugging like the BMW M3. The headliner in black combined with the black leather interior makes for an intimate cockpit. It’s surprising how often dark interiors have light colored headliners. The backup camera is a little slow to show the rear view, but it stays on for a few moments while rolling forward. I would trade that funny quirk for an instant-on camera once reverse is selected.

The car isn’t visceral, it just wants to be and that makes for a nice compromise. Audi continues in its winning ways. The S4 is for those who are more about driving their fast, fun car everyday than going to the track. Adding in the benefits of all wheel drive and the spectacular interior layout and features, this is may be the best choice for a performance oriented daily driver in the price segment.

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Club Auto Sport & Art and Autos Event

Club Auto Sport in San Jose, California, the premier car condominium and club also hosts various automotive themed events throughout the year. On Friday, March 5th, the Art and Autos event was a, “An Exhibit of Fine Automotive Art and Auto Design.”

The San Francisco Academy of Art Industrial Design School presented several futuristic automotive designs with models, story boards and illustrations. The director of the industrial design department, Tom Matano was the special guest. Known as the “The Father of the Miata sports car design”, Mr. Matano was the General Manager of Mazda Design and held other prominent positions within the company.

Besides artwork on display, the automobiles are always pleasant to look at that are being offered by Premier Auto Sales. The condos that are open to public view offer fascinating views of collections, automobiles and artwork. Below is the press release from Club Auto Sport.

Be sure to check out the free Showoff Saturdays car shows including today as well as the Bulldogs, Bentleys, Bangers and Beatles event on Saturday, May 8th from 9am – 4pm at Club Auto Sport!

Pablo Picasso once said “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary” Club Auto Sport proudly presents some of the finest diaries of automotive fine art, artists and auto designs on Friday evening March 5th. Works of art from world famous racing photographers and artists including Bill Patterson, will be on display.

San Francisco's Academy of Art Industrial Design School will be showcasing a number of futuristic, automotive designs. Special guest Tom Matano, director of the industrial design department, also know as "the father of the Miata sports car design" will be on hand as well. San Jose State will rev up the school’s first ever hybrid racing car design. Add to or start your automotive art collection. All art on display will be for sale. Stake your claim to some great art during the silent auction.

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American LeMans Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Part 2

Part 2 of the American LeMans race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

There were 9 races over the weekend in 6 different classes but even if you just attend one, there was much to see and do. The main race is the 3rd longest race in the series and unfortunately even the new date in May vs. October didn't bring much better weather. Although temperatures were bearable in the sun it was quite windy. I know people that stayed home thinking it was going to rain.

Some highlights:

A tribute to racing Corvettes, past and present and serial # 001 2011 commemorative Z-06 in the paddock area.

Walking the starting grid before the main race was a treat, meeting the drivers and seeing the cars up close.

Taking the path up to the corkscrew made for some terrific views and is easier than going straight up. As it turns out, there were more spectators on the hillside than in both grandstands combined. Makes for a great although limited view, louder and protected from the wind. How could you go wrong?

The car corrals were interesting. Ferrari seemed to be missing, BMW looked like a parking lot of sedans, the Porsches were primarily drab colors and the Corvette contingent was quite large again. Acura NSX had a much smaller showing than past years which is inevitable since Honda stopped making sports cars, truly fast ones even longer than that.

The manufacturer displays are always worth a visit. Chevrolet had a great display of a Corvette ZR1 skeleton with the suspension, transaxle and engine. It was the first I've seen such a display and revealed much. It was absolutely fascinating.

The vendor area again had good variety, Piloti shoes has new styles and some leather models that are very cool and classy. Don't forget about the clothing and auto-themed jewelry. There were even purses made from seatbelt straps.

The track souvenir shop has an excellent variety of clothes and styles but I have one problem with much of the items. Despite Mazda's excellent contribution to the track and it's upgrades, I do not want "Mazda" on any of my clothing no matter what I drive unless it's a Mazda. And even then it's debatable. If Ferrari bought the naming rights, what if you drive a Porsche or Corvette? The line has to be drawn somewhere.

Of course, the English beer tent and again the quesadillas from Sundance Southwest Quesadilla and Sausage company deserve special mention. Again.

Got kids? A nice play area and big field of well manicured grass looked especially fun and even inviting for a nap. Yes, a nap is possible at the race track. Those glorious sounds can get you either very excited or lull you too sleep.

The series and the track have put on a first class event. Even the media materials are exceptional and could be offered to the public for sale. However, a six hour race is quite long and while an excellent test for teams and drivers, it's tough on the fans. The beauty is if you stay for only a few hours, there is so much to see and do.

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American LeMans Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Six hours of triple digit speeds wasn't the only story this past weekend on the Monterey Peninsula. Anticipating warmer weather this May vs. past races in October, it was still a little cold and windy. A hardcore race fan may watch the entire 6-hour race, but there is so much more going on the entire weekend. Be sure to check out Part 2 regarding all the other events taking place.

RACE RESULTS:

Most notable was the Highcroft Racing Acura HPD ARX-01C finishing in first place after starting at the back of the grid. It turned it's fastest time on lap 5 with a 1:14.441. Witnessing this lap in the grandstands at turn 4, my buddy and I looked at each other as the car flew by us, knowing were watching something special. This is the fastest turn and Acura states up to 131mph!

The Acura battled the Mazda powered Lola B09 86 throughout the race, which interestingly qualified 2 seconds quicker. Unfortunately the oil filter blew with only 24 minutes remaining, causing the Lola to withdraw, leaving the Acura to finish 7 laps ahead of the non-factory Porsche RS Spyder.

In the LMPC class featuring slightly slower prototypes saw the Oreca FLM 09 taking 3rd overall, only one lap ahead of the Oreca FLM 09 featuring local Los Gatos resident Tom Sutherland, son of accomplished racer Rick Sutherland. Attrition meant the remaining prototype cars to be finished before the end of the race.

The GT class featuring the more identifiable Porsches, Ferraris, Corvettes and a Jaguar was the source of more consistent battles with Patrick Long in the Porsche 911 RSR passing Joey Hand in the Rahal/Letterman (yes, that Letterman) BMW M3 GT and then finally winning by less than four-tenths of a second! Roughly 3 seconds behind was the Corvette "ZR1" finishing 3rd, cleanly this time vs. last October.

I put "ZR1" in quotes because the body is based on the current Corvette ZR1 but the powertrain is a 5.3 liter normally aspirated V-8, not a supercharged 6.2 liter. However, it still sounds as thunderous as the big 427s from the currently retired GT1 class.

The Jaguar looked sharp but unfortunately finished last due to a mechanical problem. The best sounding car was the Ford GT which just ripped and snarled down the track but just was competitive. Sadly, the field seemed smaller this year when previous series competitors such as the Ford powered Panoz and the Dodge Viper didn't show.

In the GTC class, a clever way to boost car count, the Porsche GT3 Cup cars had some great racing with Black Swan Racing taking their first win. These cars, also on slicks, turn 1:27s and 1:28s which now makes them faster than the Speed GT series which was greatly missed this weekend due to a conflict in race schedules.

Unfortunately there were 10 caution periods due to cars going off track for a total of 42 laps of 237 completed by the winning Acura. Even though improvements have been made to the track, watching other events suggests the runoff area is just too short for less restrictive. Another change at the track is a 3-sided big screen on top of the scoring tower, a nice addition to see action you normally miss from various vantage points.

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305 horsepower Ford Mustang V-6 Review and Test Drive

In light of the recent controversy of the guest authored Mustang GT 5.0 review, the timing of evaluating this 305 horsepower V-6 model couldn’t be better. After a long weekend and over 200 miles, there is plenty to share. It’s smooth around town, quick and gets very impressive mileage yet still very “domestic”.

The car has nice styling, the polished dual exhaust mufflers a nice touch on the base V-6 model. The taillights are distinctively Mustang with cool sequential lighting pattern when a turn signal is activated.

One thing that has bothered me is the dark, rectangular body strip on the side of Mustang that has been prevalent for years. It seems like a styling shortcut, like a big mudflap.

Of course loading luggage was the first part and although having a high sill, the trunk space is pretty good, far better than the larger and heavier Camaro. The rear badge is enormous which as we learned later, is a recurring theme. A large center console has great storage yet oddly the large doors offer very little. Even though the rear seat cushions are high, the front seat recliner switch on the back of the front seat will hit or scratch you if you’re not careful.

After getting comfortable with seat adjustments, it’s immediately apparent the high hood line gives the car a “big car” feel and yet the windshield is very close to the driver. The hood immediately reminded me of the Hertz Shelby GT I had some seat time in back in 2007. The gauges are large and so are the needles for the speedometer and tachometer. In fact, the needle is so thick it’s about a 4mph guess on the speedo.

Driving the 305hp Pony Car revealed some interesting aspects. It’s very smooth around town, effortless for city driving although the transmission shifts with that seemingly old school audible “whew!”. But if the roads get rough at speed, it gets particularly choppy. The suspension conveys what feels like an extra or exaggerated movement when absorbing bumps, almost as if it shivers. Not sure if this is a function of the also old-school solid rear axle but it does bring to mind a past description used for recent Mustangs, “truck-like”. You would think any coupe making this kind of power is a “highway car.” This one is not. Now I know what my non-car brother was talking about, go figure.

So what is 305hp from the V-6 like? It’s definitely quick, a little hesitant from idle and seemingly long pedal travel. It roars, but sounds coarse and not unlike a vacuum cleaner. Downshifts are delayed but the transmission shifts smoothly, far too smoothly at wide open throttle though. The best description is extremely lazy. A factory adjustment is desperately needed.

More interior observations occur over time. The glove box is rather small underneath a massive front panel. Speaking of massive, the shifter, speaker grills, badges, etc. are very large. They look heavy and as Pretty Navigator observed as if Ford is trying to get guys to buy the V6 by making the base model seem more masculine. The legroom for front passengers is excellent but the driver’s headrest is an abomination. It can’t be tilted back so the driver gets “biffed” often.

The custom color scheme of the lighted door sills (a superb touch), foot wells and dashboard lights is a great feature to personalize the car. Oddly contrasting is the 1980’s style dot-matrix display of the radio and the narrow font of the characters. It does display a lot of information however. It can be controlled with the numerous steering wheel buttons; one was counter-intuitive having one function but only one side worked vs. the others with rocker functions.

Ford has done a nice job updating the Mustang with impressive power and outstanding mileage. At an MSRP of $27,690, it may not be the most refined or well-optioned but it does offer a patriotic and powerful rear-drive alternative to the cookie-cutter masses. The few updates and changes needed are not extensive either. If you think 305hp and 30mpg in a coupe sounds attractive, it is definitely worth a look, and in my opinion more so than the Camaro.

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