On this episode of The Smoking Tire we’re shown just how feasible it is to turn a Chevrolet Cruze Eco into a fun, track-capable sports sedan. Or at the very least, an entertaining canyon carver.
That’s right – a front-wheel drive econobox Cruze, and Matt Farah likes it. He’s particularly fond of GM Delta platform vehicles, describing the architecture as responsive and predictable. Of course the suspension on this Cruze has been moderately tweaked, utilizing Eibach lowering springs with stock shock absorbers.
This Chevy Cruze Eco has also been fitted with an Injen cold-air intake, stainless-steel brake lines, Hawk Performance brake pads, and an aftermarket tune. It makes a spritely 170 horsepower or so from its 1.4L turbocharged engine, and can hold its own at an autocross event.
See the clip for yourself, then let us know what you think of the performance-inspired Cruze Eco that Chevrolet should have built, but never did.
Comments
Transforming a Chevrolet Cruze Eco into a sports sedan can be done two ways, more power or less weight; strip off all of the sheetmetal (fenders, doors, hood and trunk) with carbon fiber composites will drop the weight by almost 300 lbs as this should give any Cruze Eco more punch; although a more logical would be simply to order a Chevrolet LTZ 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo that is rated at 272 horsepower.
This has to be something Chevy engineers must be considering as it would give some competition to Ford’s Focus RS.
While those options are possible, they would probably take more time & money than most Cruze owners want to spend.
If you really wanted to dedicate it to the track, you could start by stripping the interior, doing a full exhaust, tune, Koni dampeners with better springs (Eibach’s aren’t the best for performance, and they tend to sag), EBC brake components, stickier tires, and after all of that still have a lot more time and money to spend elsewhere.
And I think you mean Focus ST – the all-wheel drive RS is in a different category.
Well a lot could be done to this engine as you can easily pick up 50 HP min and much more torque with a tune. Just adding the tune to premium only add more boost and not worry for economy tuning there is much to gain.
My 2.0 picked up 60 HP with two maps and a flash.
Besides many of the intake and exhaust changes will need to be tuned in anyways as the system will learn down again with any changes and it has to be removed.
suspension might not be too difficult either as you may be able to use Opel or Buick parts to set up the suspension. There are after market parts for the Opel too. Some of these should cross over much like the Cobalt did to the G5.
Struts and Exhaust is not an issue. Struts are out there and the Exhaust can be bent.
As for the Ford and their RS packages I really do not see GM doing much with this car. Ford sells the RS globally and make up volume that way. The Cruze is not global in many places the Ford is and I just do not see much of a volume here for a $40K Cruze.
I would love to see one but the Cobalt SS was a good car but hard to sell in great numbers even at $25K.
I still hold hope for a Sub Alpha to come and give Chevy a smaller 4 cylinder turbo performance car. They could do it AWD and make it so that it could be a sedan and coupe. Holden could share in the platform too.
The only real hope I see in America getting a RS challenger is for Buick to share in the OPC models. They are priced in that range and they are sold globally accept for here. At least this way GM could see the needed volumes to make such a car.
People will pay more for a GTI and Mini but I really don”t see anyone paying a Camaro like price for a Cruze. That would be a very tough sale. Now a OPC based Buick would hold some charm and added content that could help sell the car. It could even attract the Jaded German buyers who periodically get mad at VW on quality.