Chassis alterations that stiffen the strut-front and torsion-beam-rear suspensions keep the increased horsepower in check without sacrificing ride quality. It doesn't have the tactile feedback that's present in Ford's Focus, but the improvement is a step in the right direction. Throw it into your favorite corner, and you'll find improved steering with more weight and feel than is present in the base car. It is, though, the first Ion that begs to be driven quickly. A new larger and thicker steering wheel improves the mood somewhat, but the Red Line crew kept the gauge cluster over there in the center of the dash, where it challenges vision like an eye chart. Despite slight alterations for 2004, the interior is shiny and flimsy and not a place that will engender envy in the eyes of passersby. Unfortunately, that knob is just about the nicest piece the driver will see. Shifts are direct and require a light touch, and if that shift knob looks familiar, it's the same as the one in the Saab 9-3. Putting the power to the front wheels is a mandatory five-speed manual transmission. Despite tweaks to improve engine NVH, the supercharged Ecotec is still plagued with four-cylinder thrash, although it's fair to say the racket is distant and unobtrusive. Those numbers are slower than the Dodge SRT-4's, but this engine doesn't suffer from the on-and-off turbocharged nature of the Dodge. It makes its power in a laid-back manner as evidenced by our rolling 5-to-60-mph test, which only adds 0.3 second to the all-out 0-to-60 run. The supercharged mill isn't your typical peaky tuner engine. The engine pulls hard at all rpm, dispatching the 0-to-60 run in 6.1 seconds, 2.3 seconds quicker than a regular Ion. Horsepower increases from 140 to 205, and torque jumps from 145 pound-feet to 200. Starting with the engine, the all-aluminum Ecotec four-cylinder is reduced in displacement from 2.2 liters to 2.0 liters, and a Roots-type supercharger that forces 12.0 psi of boost into the engine is bolted on. The makeover so completely changes the Ion's character that you'll say " do svidan'ya" to its proletarian ways and hello to a car you'll actually want to drive.Īs you would expect, transforming an Ion into a performance car takes extensive modifications, a task akin to changing the People's housing into somewhere you'd want to live. An in-house performance division, like Ford's SVT or BMW's M, Red Line started with the Vue sport-ute and now is trying its hand with the Ion. The new Red Line high-performance Saturns seemingly spell the end of the line for the Reds who were running down Saturn. 20 Best Cheap Performance Cars, Trucks, and SUVsīut there is hope.Best Sports Sedans for $15K: Window Shop with C/D.It requires the following parts from the Stage 2 Kit: high-flow fuel injectors, pulley adapter hub and serpentine belt. The vehicle’s air conditioning is disabled by the Stage 3 PCM. The Stage 3 upgrades are meant for off-road use only and are not certified to be emissions-legal. NOTE: The Stage 3 Kit is for off-road use only. The PCM will automatically provide the proper spark and fuel for nitrous up to 500 rpm below the current selected rev limit when the trigger is activated. This PCM is also equipped with a control scheme for the equivalent of a 50-horsepower shot of nitrous. At about 50 percent throttle, the tachometer will show the current rev limit.Pressing the throttle further will adjust the rev limit in 250 rpm increments. The rev limit is adjusted by pressing on the throttle pedal with the ignition on and engine off. This PCM is equipped with a user-adjustable rev limit from 6,750 to 8,000 rpm. For best power, we recommend also installing a high-flow exhaust. In addition to the power increase, you’ll also get an adjustable rev limiter and calibration for a 50-shot of nitrous (nitrous kit not included). Stage 3 takes horsepower output to 248 horsepower on 93 octane fuel and to 260 horsepower on 100 octane fuel. Our Stage 3 Kit will take your supercharged Ecotec 2.0L engine to a whole new level of performance. Unique PCM, which includes a calibration for the smaller pulley, an adjustable rev limiter, a 100-octane mode, and a nitrous control algorithm.The Stage 3 kit consists of the following: Take your Cobalt SS or ION Red Line to the next level with our Stage 3 Off-Road Kit!
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