FT-86 may be comparable to... a Saturn Sky?

[Dimman]

Sky/Solstice is also a good example at how different the Subaru/Toyota/Scion versions could look.

[bigbcraig]

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

The 370 is not all too fast, the SCCA classes it with a non turbo Solstice. This car.. FR-S, should beat the 370z on paper but a ROAD course that has long sweepers and straights, it won't. Autocrossing it should stock for stock beat it. This weekend Husband and wife in their black Solstice(nonturbo) BOTH put down faster times on the course then the 2 370z by 4 seconds by husband 2 seconds by wife. All pro drivers of both cars. Same course as the white MR2 youtube link from this weekend.

The non turbo C-Stock Solstice was OOONLY 2 seconds slower than the wild D-prepared mr2 4age. Stock class means only front swaybar, shocks(not springs), dropin intake filter, catback with stock cats, hoosier dot slicks. That's all allow to change in stock class. Prepared is like unlimited, lol. Husband and wife were at least in the late 40s.

What tires were on the 370? Stock classes allow slicks, as you said, which can be worth a solid 5 seconds on a 60-sec autocross versus a high wear rating summer tire.

The Kappa platform (Sky, Solstice, Opel GT) is quite capable, with pretty good geometry and dual wishbones all around (good camber curve). With an alignment and tires, they can corner very well.

Age has nothing to do with how well someone can autoX. What's the experience of each driver? You said they're all pro level but how long has the 370 owner been driving the 370? no more than one season...

It's very very hard to bench race with autox times, even with the same driver driving two cars.

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by bigbcraig

What tires were on the 370? Stock classes allow slicks, as you said, which can be worth a solid 5 seconds on a 60-sec autocross versus a high wear rating summer tire.

The Kappa platform (Sky, Solstice, Opel GT) is quite capable, with pretty good geometry and dual wishbones all around (good camber curve). With an alignment and tires, they can corner very well.

Age has nothing to do with how well someone can autoX. What's the experience of each driver? You said they're all pro level but how long has the 370 owner been driving the 370? no more than one season...

It's very very hard to bench race with autox times, even with the same driver driving two cars.

This was a National Pro event. Anyone running stock class would use Hoosier a6 or Kuhmo v710. Hoosier a6 are the current tire to be had. Little over a thousand dollars and a set of Hoosiers($1200+) are at stake, along with big trophy and bragging rights.

Running a Z without dot slicks is useless. No1 serious runs a Z in street tire classes, unless they are just having fun.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

It's interesting that you say that, and even more amazing that this thread somehow got back on topic , I never payed much attention to the Solstice as a serious driving car .

It's got one of the best sports car chassis released in the last 20 years. INCREDIBLY stiff. That's the reason why it weighs 2800lbs even though it's Miata sized. It's even stiffer in coupe form. I would have preferred it to be 200lbs lighter, but damn if you can't get some amazing results because of the solidness of the chassis.

GM didn't release it with a good suspension set-up, even in GXP/RED LINE form, but an aftermarket set of springs and dampers can turn it into an absolute track animal. The 2.0L turbo engine is also extremely well made, and it can handle boost better than the engine family in the previous gen EVOs.

I really hope that GM decides to release another small roadster/coupe built on a modified version of the Kappa platform. Built it with a larger trunk so it's more usable as a real car, and people would line up to buy it. I'm ALL for the Miata/FR-S segment getting some more competition.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

This was a National Pro event. Anyone running stock class would use Hoosier a6 or Kuhmo v710. Hoosier a6 are the current tire to be had. Little over a thousand dollars and a set of Hoosiers($1200+) are at stake, along with big trophy and bragging rights.

Running a Z without dot slicks is useless. No1 serious runs a Z in street tire classes, unless they are just having fun.

The Z-cars also require significant brake upgrades. There's insufficient cooling, the brake pads and fluid are not even remotely close to track-grade, and there aren't even cooling ducts built into the front bodywork!

Say what you will about the heaviness of the Camaro (it really is freaking heavy), but the 20 inch rims allow some MASSIVE factory brembos to fit under there and it comes standard with a track-grade brake cooler and transmission cooler. You can lap all day in a stock SS Camaro....and even though it doesn't feel all that nice, it will turn in lap time essentially on par with the new 5.0 Mustang or M3 Coupe. From what I've heard, the 2012s are coming with a completely re-done suspension set up (as well as a new flatbottom steering wheel of much smaller diameter) and the handling is supposed to feel pretty good.

If you want to see something amazing, look up youtube videos of the "pedders" camaro. It's a tuning company and they release extremely well made track and street worthy suspension mods for the Camaro. They've achieved 1.2+Gs on the skidpad using street legal tires and massively reduced braking distances. The Camaro is like a plus-size Solstice. Heavier than it should be for the class of car it is, but the weight is due to an unbelievably stiff chassis, and thus it responds far better than average to suspension mods.


This is one area that I'm really looking forward to with the FR-S. Subaru/Toyota need to embrace the tuning scene just as much as Hyundai did with the Gen coupe. Whether that means relying on aftermarket companies or investing a whole crapload into well-designed official aftermarket parts....

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by Maxim

The Z-cars also require significant brake upgrades. There's insufficient cooling, the brake pads and fluid are not even remotely close to track-grade, and there aren't even cooling ducts built into the front bodywork!

You can lap all day in a stock SS Camaro....and even though it doesn't feel all that nice, it will turn in lap time essentially on par with the new 5.0 Mustang or M3 Coupe. From what I've heard, the 2012s are coming with a completely re-done suspension set up (as well as a new flatbottom steering wheel of much smaller diameter) and the handling is supposed to feel pretty good.

The Z has brembo option and in stock class your allowed to change pads to whatever you want along with any fluid. Hawk pads and ATE Super Blue.. Problem solved.

The Camaro is a heavy crap handling car from the get go. The m3 and 5.0 are beasts, the 5.0 being the better/cheaper car to race. For only $29-34k for sport package GT and $40k for a Boss302 VS $59k for the M3. Total performance wise nothing can touch the new steed.

The Camaro is a fail in overall performance like the challenger/chargers, only good for straigtht line. The World Challenge is proof of that. The 5.0 is dominating the series with a solid rear compared to the IRS of the M3 and Camaro. Camaro in stock form needs a diet, lower height, and some suspension tuning first before trying to compare to a M3 or 11' 5.0

We are getting off topic though. We are talking about the FR-S and Solstice/Sky and you bring that fail of a car into it.

[PAImportTuner]

First place in C-Stock at National Tour this weekend. That's what the FR-S has to beat. Solstice ZOK non-turbo.

[iff2mastamatt]

^^ Interesting find. I can't wait to see what mods people will do the their FR-S'.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

The Z has brembo option and in stock class your allowed to change pads to whatever you want along with any fluid. Hawk pads and ATE Super Blue.. Problem solved.

The Camaro is a heavy crap handling car from the get go. The m3 and 5.0 are beasts, the 5.0 being the better/cheaper car to race. For only $29-34k for sport package GT and $40k for a Boss302 VS $59k for the M3. Total performance wise nothing can touch the new steed.

The Camaro is a fail in overall performance like the challenger/chargers, only good for straigtht line. The World Challenge is proof of that. The 5.0 is dominating the series with a solid rear compared to the IRS of the M3 and Camaro. Camaro in stock form needs a diet, lower height, and some suspension tuning first before trying to compare to a M3 or 11' 5.0

We are getting off topic though. We are talking about the FR-S and Solstice/Sky and you bring that fail of a car into it.

The Z-car boils it's brake fluid even with the Brembos. IOT successfully race it requires ducting cut into the front bodywork to direct air to the brakes, as well as upgraded brake fluid and pads. It also needs an upgraded radiator (even the NISMO version) and transmission cooler.

These issues may not show themselves during short autocross events but they absolutely do during a road race.

And I agree that the Camaro is an overweight pig, but it's quite fast on racetracks and has stellar brakes and cooling. The fact that they're so fade free even though they're hauling down 3850lbs of car over and over is a testament to both brembo and GM's work on making sure the car is optimized in spite of having to use a full size sedan chassis. I eagerly await the next-gen Camaro, which will be built on the platform underpinning the Caddilac ATS.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by iff2mastamatt

^^ Interesting find. I can't wait to see what mods people will do the their FR-S'.

Assuming it can accelerate on par with something like a new Si or a GTI, I'll be doing intake/exhaust to free up a few ponies (but mostly for the sound), possibly putting in lightweight seats if they're not offered from the factory, putting on some lighter rims with PS2s, and maybe looking at an ECU re-map once the tuners crack the computer open, and if there is any more power to be had out of the engine without changing internals.

I wouldn't change internals for a few years, until the initial warranty is up.

I'm also seriously considering removing the head and tail-lights and putting a matte-black finish on the insides, on all surfaces that do not need to be reflective to maintain light functionality. I hate how headlights look when they're all jeweled and chromed inside. Tacky. Matte black on everything I say!

Once that stuff is done I'd love to get involved with some amateur auto-x events, and enjoy the occasional track-day here and there. I'm not interested in road-racing. If anybody is going to wreck my car, it's going to be me, not some jack-off who thought he could take the inside line while in my blind-spot.

Other than that, I'll be looking up some good drivers-roads in whatever area I'm in and spending Sundays enjoying the car in the environment it's intended for.

[iff2mastamatt]

Originally Posted by Maxim

Assuming it can accelerate on par with something like a new Si or a GTI, I'll be doing intake/exhaust to free up a few ponies (but mostly for the sound), possibly putting in lightweight seats if they're not offered from the factory, putting on some lighter rims with PS2s, and maybe looking at an ECU re-map once the tuners crack the computer open, and if there is any more power to be had out of the engine without changing internals.

I wouldn't change internals for a few years, until the initial warranty is up.

I'm also seriously considering removing the head and tail-lights and putting a matte-black finish on the insides, on all surfaces that do not need to be reflective to maintain light functionality. I hate how headlights look when they're all jeweled and chromed inside. Tacky. Matte black on everything I say!

Once that stuff is done I'd love to get involved with some amateur auto-x events, and enjoy the occasional track-day here and there. I'm not interested in road-racing. If anybody is going to wreck my car, it's going to be me, not some jack-off who thought he could take the inside line while in my blind-spot.

Other than that, I'll be looking up some good drivers-roads in whatever area I'm in and spending Sundays enjoying the car in the environment it's intended for.

I'm waiting for the production tail lights first but I might smoke them if they're ugly. Besides that and a little window tint (and perhaps an upgraded stereo) I probably won't be changing the aesthetics of the FR-S.

[Random_Art]

I feel like I'm going to be labeled a ricer for liking the chrome headlights :hide:

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by Random_Art

I feel like I'm going to be labeled a ricer for liking the chrome headlights :hide:

To be fair, I don't like chrome ANYTHING.

I just consider shiny stuff to be tacky.

[chulooz]

You think matte black is less tacky?

Im going to have to see the lights before I tamper with them, but Im thinking of redding out the rears and clearing the fronts and markers.