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look like they are takin a hint from all the import tuners like us ...

article in Auto Week

 
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haha

 
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Interesting. Wonder if honda will do the same. Ya right.

 
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Not a new thing. Lots of cars have Aluminium hoods for the light weight. BMW used Aluminum for the retracting hard top option on the 3 series convertible. The new M3 CSL has CF roof panels... yes... a Carbon Fiber Roof. You heard me right.
Besides... Ferrari has been playing with the stuff for years.

 
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wow 11 pounds less than fiberglass hood :P

Eat a bunch of quarter pounders and BAM that 11 pounds is used right up.

 
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i think it's cool, it's just not the "american way" american cars tend to suck a-lot and all the imports tend to be much better (for the most part) the fact that GM is gonna do something that the rest of the world has done or is already doing, I think is GREAT ...

 
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Yeah that just about says it all. I think that minimal weight loss is kinda silly considering that you can just gain a little weight and there it goes. Of course if you didn't lose the 11 pds. to begin with and you gained 11, then you are just 11 pds. heavier.

 
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STFU if it was a s2000 coming with a cf hood everyone would be praising it not saying "whatever everyone is already doing it"

 
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"Nobody has wanted to be the first to really bring it out, but now that GM has made that move, we expect there will be others," Pottish says.

 
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no I wouldn't, I'd say they are anticapting that the tuners would like it and it would be a good marketing ploy for Honda....

oh and BTW I hate domestics with exception of the Vette, Cobra R, and everything made in or before 1959

 
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why?

 
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what a shame...

 
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rice strikes again huh 75shot

 
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you know it.... The only reason ppl bag on domestics is so they can justify owning a slow *** car. plain and simple.

every NSX vs. z06 thread, even the damn saturn ion with 140 hp. It will outdistance this car easy, cuz it has TORQUE. BUt it can't be fast...cuz it's a saturn, right?

this is the epitome of ricer bullshit, not APC, not stickers, not neon lights, but this mindset that you are such hot ****, when you're not.

 
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My car only looks fast.

So I do other kinds of **** to it so:

1. I don't have to slow down in the corners as much (suspension work) meaning I won't have to speed up as much afterwards

2. I can be entertained along the way since I'll the be the last one to show up somewhere that all my friends are driving to. (ICE)



Of course, I'm a 31 yeard-old divorced guy who drives a modded Civic and has a teenage girlfriend. . . . some might say I'm rice's very essence. I'm okay with that.

 
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your car isnt rice by any strech of the imagination. and as long as your girl isn't >17 there is nothin wrong with that.

 
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Nah. . . that's not a problem, she's old enough.

I keep joking that I AM the rice. Mr. Midlifecrisis, at your service.


Agreed, though. . . the thing I can't stand the most is when some of the import crowd totally shuts-out the domestics, merely because they're domestics.

Chevy Prism = Toyota Corolla
Chevy Metro = Suzuki Swift
Chevy Tracker = Suzuki Grand Vitara
Chevy (GEO) Storm = Isuzu Impulse
Ford Probe = Mazda MX-6
Ford Aspire = (God knows what - I forget)
Dodge Stealth = Mitsubishi 3000GT

I think many of the import folk who slam domestics are one or a combination of the following:

1. Ignorant to the facts of what some Domestics really are
2. The fact that today's domestic is usually at least 20% imported parts
3. Blinded by their own superiority complex, therefor whatever isn't like them sucks
4. Reluctant to face the facts, and therefor hate instead of cope
5. An abused child. . .
6. An abused red-headed step-child . . .

Oh, and the vehicle rebadging goes the other way, too. All you import folk who hate domestics better listen-up.

Mazda B-Series pickup = Ford Ranger
Isuzu Hombre = Chevy S-10
Mazerati Convertible = Chrysler LeBaron Convertible

Personally, I think it's great that some of the domestics are taking more leads from the import models. When it comes to weight reduction and basic physics, why should the advantages be limited to only the imports?

 
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so japan was the first to start using weight reduction? let me answer my own question NO.

japanese imports did not start alot of things even the rotary engine that some of you think is a import thing was first used in a corvette variable timing was not even started in japan. as for imports having an advantage cmon give me a break stock v.s stock a ss would hand a supra its *** and a ls1 is even more modable. japan makes the best ecno boxes not the best sports car , not by a long shot.

 
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So a Camaro SS would own an S2000 on an autocross course? Perhaps. . . guess it all depends on which of the many suspension setups are chosen from GM, and that would depend on which year the Camaro was produced.

Who said Japan was the first at anything? I'll tell you right now they were the first at NOTHING. They simply take ideas and improve upon them, sometimes to perfection. But why haven't domestics been doing this? They don't have to. The typical domestic buyer doesn't care. Perhaps more and more of them are. . . . which is why you'll start seeing more things like CF hoods on certain models, etc.

The advantage I was referring to is that the imports' advantages lie in the fact that while many US models of cars have been neglected in the area of weight reduction, many of the import performance models have been using it, extensively.

I was never trying to contradict anyone here, merely stating that the US car makers are still playing catch-up to the imports, in some respects. Besides the term "There's no replacement for displacement", name ONE technological advantage the domestics have over the imports. Vague, but I'm sure you won't find a single one that at least one import is well-known for.

AWD?
Substantial use of V.V.T.?
HP per CI or L of displacement, NA?

For sheer fun factor I would totally agree there's nothing like a Mustang GT, Camaro SS or Corvette. . . . but as far as comparing who's got what in the way of innovations and technical supremecy, I think the domestics still have some catching-up to do. Doesn't mean I won't buy a domestic. . . . hell no. I would LOVE my next sportscar to be a Viper. I don't care that it's a domestic. . . those things kick total ***.

Hell, I totally agree with you, Sadboy. In fact, I'll bet many of the users of this site have no idea that the Z06 uses Magnesium for its wheels and dashboard substructure. Weight reduction? Hell yes! Will you find that in the imports? Hell no. At least none come to mind, at the moment. Was just saying that CF is an area the domestics should have been using a lot more. . . and seems they're looking at it, again. Extremely lightweight, fairly strong, and quite cheap. . . when compared to magnesium and titanium.

 
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ok but just to let you know a ls6 is very high tech its considered one of the best engines ever built by many.

 
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Hey. . . you'll get no arguement out of me, my good man.

Overall, the Z06 impresses the hell out of me. It's fast, handles like a dream, and it's got dead-sexy styling. Nothing would make me happier than to someday drive one. As you were making some points, so was I. No hard feelings, I was just offering some point-counterpoint.

 
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i would take a z06 over almost any japanese car made, including the skyline r34 gt-r vspec II

i would rather have a Toyota Vitz though....those things are pimp.

 
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yukonart its all good. and 75shot i would take a zo6 over a skyline to.(if i could not sell them if i could sell it i would take a skyline sell it and mod the hell out of a zo6)

 
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werd

 
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The LS6 is a pretty nice engine, although it's still a pushrod V8. Nothing wrong with it at all, it's an amazing engine, but I think GM could do even better if they took from some of the imports. Also, people forget, the main reason companies like GM and Ford don't put a lot of time and money into innovations is because they know that even if you put every damn trinket and technological marvel into a ford, people still wouldnt care much, and would rather buy a BMW if it had the same stuff. They're smart in that sense, but only just recently did they realize that it's becoming affordable, practical and cost effective to introduce some of these things into their vehicle lineup. Look at the new XLR coming out. Cadillac is trying to break into the high-powered roadster market currently dominated by Merc and BMW. Ford is trying to break into the supercar market with the GT, finally offering the Corvette some worthy competition, as well as all of the other amazing sports cars out there. These 2 cars are an excellent way for the domestic manufacturers to take back some of their market share. Build quality is also expected to improve, so in time (perhaps maybe a lot of it) domestics won't be so primitive or stodgy. As people start to recognize these american flagship models like the XLR, the GT, and obviously the Vette, people will begin looking at other domestic models. If GM offers a well-priced, stylish alternative to the imports in their lower price ranges, they'll be able to compete, which is something they've done horribly for the past 15 years. I know this because, I look at a Sunfire or a Cavalier, and I have never once wondered why I bought my civic. Even if theyre faster, or built better (the former is probably true, the latter is uncertain to me), I like my civic more. It's just more stylish in my opinion. Anyway, this is a ridiculously long post. Time to cut it off.

 
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I'll take one car with all the following:

1. Z06 powerplant
2. R34 GT-R drivetrain
3. Lotus Esprit handling
4. S2000's universal appeal and reliability
5. McLaren F1 brakes
6. Ferrari styling
7. Cadillac ballerness
8. Hummer ruggedness
9. Insight's fuel economy

and

10. All at the price of a Hyundai



That's all I'm asking for.

 
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yeah sign me up for 2

 
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kia rio is going for MSRP like 9.3k

 
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any stock domestic car would pwn a stock import..but domestics are usually impossable to tune or get parts for, but import parts are found ANYWHERE... so they both have their pros and cons

 
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you must be joking me, there are thousands upon thousands of parts available for any given domestic engine. plus, a lot of them carry over. i.e. i could use corvette pistons in my 2004 gto.

edit: so you wont find them in the super street aisle of pep boys!!!!