Quote:
Originally Posted by mesarius
The R/T may not be the top of the range, but AWD cars are still quicker off the line with less energy lost to wheel spin. Of course an AWD system will add a good $5000 to the price of the car but it's worth it. I have an AWD Talon right now and I've driven Turbo FWD DSMs as well, off the line a FWD car with the same power couldn't hold a stick to the AWD, it just leaves the FWD cars in the dust. The only two disadvantages come in the form of price and weight, otherwise AWD cars provide the usability of a FWD car, the sportiness of a RWD car (especially with an adjustable center diff), and the stability and control that makes AWD the choice for inclimate weather. Since the Cobalt is originally a FWD car, it wouldn't be too hard to convert one to AWD. Minor tweaks to the transmission, exhaust, rear suspension and floor pan are all it takes, GM could easily handle that.
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I'm afraid your Talons are also a little bit out of date. the Cobalt SS comes with a Traction Control System to counter spin happy wheels. So it really costs the driver a lot extra to get an AWD system in the car. He gets
at least as good a launch, without dropping at least an extra $5000 or adding all the weight, and it comes out to be cheaper for GM because they don't need to drop the extra money that, lets face it, no one can really afford these days, let alone the American car companys.
And before anyone starts off on American cars being inferior to Japanese ones, let me just say I've had at least one of each, and it'll be a long time, if i ever do again, before I look forward to getting another Japanese car. I have never seen a thermostat that was as hard to replace as on my '89 Integra. And i don't think it was as reliable a car as the rotted '91 Dodge Shadow
America, and certainly not as comfortable. Not to mention it doesn't handle as well as my '97 Cavalier with KYB shocks and struts. But then, i don't remember the last time i saw a car crumple the way it did when it went head on into the lumina that turned left in front of me.