What’s available?
Mustang GT500, Camaro ZL-1, and what else?
Not turbo, not a truck or SUV.
There must be more than the two I mentioned.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170.
Charger and Challenger Hellcats
The first few years of the Chevy Cobalt SS and the Saturn version of it had a supercharged 4 cylinder.
C7 Z06
I had a ZL1 & don’t think you can touch a better car for the $$$$…especially when it comes to the twisty’s.
Chevy did a hell of a job for your $70k…shame they wouldn’t market the camaro.
The 1LE is #15 & the standard is #37 @ the Ring’
I know a guy with a SC SS Cobalt. Too bad it’s FWD though. They were impressive at the time.
I’d forgotten about that one.
Yea the ZL1 is quite the pkg for the money.
But I’d trade 250 hp if it weighed 800 lbs less.
Eh.
I respect fun cars. I enjoy the effort people put into making them better.
But there was no comparison to a S197 4.6L Mustang.
Oh, yea, duh. Can’t believe I forgot about those.
I had a 6.4L Challenger. It was just too big & heavy and I didn’t keep it long. Plenty of power to be fun.
I’ve ridden in Hellcat Challengers and they’re nuts. They need 4 wheel drive badly.
I’ve had SN95 Cobras & an 03 Cobra. The SN95’s need a complete suspension replacement.
The '03 was great fun, but heavy with a flimsy chassis and some reliability issues.
That '03 engine is my favorite. Power everywhere.
What I’d love is a 2800-3400 lb car with a supercharged engine, great suspension, and manual transmission. Only need 300-450 hp to be fun. These days a lightweight 4 or 6 cyl engine can do that. A supercharged straight 6 would be great.
But it doesn’t exist.
Any reason you are stuck on the SC forced induction vs say the ZR1 Vette / Nissan GT-R turbo if wanting something more nimble??
The big 3 are known for being overweight…although the ZL1 1LE did a good job shedding pounds for the track. Unless you want something to race in the local parking lots, the extra 250hp the 1LE has is going to smoke anything with longer straights (real race tracks) vs shedding 800lbs.
I forgot about the teen years model Audis had a supercharged 3.0 liter V6.
I hate turbo lag.
You’re correct about the extra 250 hp being nice on tracks like Daytona. It probably has the aero for it, too. I keep it to about 140 mph there because I’ve only been on it in Mustangs / Mustang Cobra’s with no aero mods.
I actually enjoy the slower tracks a little more. Less stressful and it’s not a big deal when the car slides a little at 35-55 mph.
On the street when you want power NOW it’s nice to not have to downshift because you’ve got a super charger. Or when you were accelerating casually but decide to step it up due to traffic conditions and find yourself in the wrong gear. And on the track you can sometimes skip a downshift because you’ve got that wonderful blower to pull you out of the hole.
I’ve read people complain about the way the power comes on quick in late-model Magna-Steyr-BMW-Toyota-Supras and those are turbocharged of course. But I haven’t even sat in one yet and they are difficult to get. I’m not willing to pay over MSRP, either. I think BMW quality is shit (no better than the average VW) based on the experiences of family members and that makes me hesitant.
What models?
You could expand your search by looking at what car models that meet your needs have supercharger kits available. Make what you want.
Ford had the Super Coupe for a few years in the 90’s.
What kind of experience do you have with modern turbo engines? I’ve found the direct injection and the newer smaller dual scroll turbos to be close to power on demand. That’s making sure you have something with a sport mode turned on, otherwise the emissions / MPG nanny limits your power coming up fast.
Your weight complaint isn’t likely to be addressed as it’s all crash safety mandates. If it wasn’t needed to meet Gov safety mandates, manufacturers would cut weight to meet Gov emissions / MPG mandates.
On a totally impractical but fun to learn about detour, look up anti-lag. Used on turbo rally cars it dumps fuel through the engine or has injection after the engine so it burns in the exhaust pipe before the turbo. Keeps the turbo spooled when off throttle and backfires like crazy.
Does anyone use an electric motor assist to get the turbo spinning at low engine RPMs? Kind of an electric-supercharger/turbo-charger. I know moving all the air all the time in a pure electric supercharger can be a big energy suck at larger volumes, but just to get the thing spinning until the revs get higher? The BMWs are to different rpm range turbo systems to IIRC.
Late model Turbo VW’s, Veloster N, Audi TT, old RX7, old Z, Mustang SVO, T-Bird SVO, Mazda MX-6 come to mind as sporty cars with turbos I’ve driven. Probably others I’m forgetting. But those have small engines and small turbos. They should be the ones that spool up fast. Especially the newer vehicles.
I am familiar with anti-lag, but I don’t know what vehicles employ it.
Family member had an '89 or '90 Thunderbird SC. Was actually quite advanced for its day. I haven’t seen one of those in decades!
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing