H3llphyre
10-22-2003, 01:09 PM
Saturn on Steroids: GM Builds ION Red Line for Bonneville Speed Record Run
Bonneville, Utah - Sometimes to turn a corner, you have to go in a straight line. In this instance, the GM Performance Division has taken a sharp turn toward performance with a production-based Saturn ION Red Line quad coupe that set a speed record in its class on the vast Bonneville Salt Flats in northern Utah.
With the launch of the Saturn ION Red Line, Saturn - the brand known for satisfying its customers -- is targeting performance enthusiasts in the small car market. Powered exclusively by a supercharged and intercooled 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine and equipped with a racetrack-bred suspension, the production ION Red Line is ready to take on the red-hot sport compact segment.
The GM Performance Division is taking Saturn to places it has never been before to demonstrate the ION Red Line's capabilities. Bonneville is hallowed ground, a sanctuary of speed and the spiritual birthplace of American hot rodding. Competing in the G/Blown Fuel Altered class on the Salt Flats, the front-wheel-drive Saturn ION Red Line was aimed squarely at the 183.086 mph mark set in 2001 by a Honda Civic.
"We intentionally chose a class that made sense for the ION Red Line, not a class with an easy record," said GM Concept Vehicle Project Manager David Bolognino. "The production ION Red Line uses a 2.0-liter engine with forced induction, and so does the Bonneville-modified ION racer. The land speed record car is essentially a stock Saturn on steroids."
The Bonneville ION record runner began life on a Saturn assembly line in Spring Hill, Tenn., as an ION Red Line quad coupe - so named for the dual rear access doors that provide easy access to the rear seats. The ION was delivered to So-Cal Speed Shop in Pomona, Calif., where it was outfitted with a modified Ecotec engine that drives the front wheels through a heavy-duty 4T65-E automatic transmission. The suspension was upgraded to racing specifications, and mandatory safety equipment installed to protect driver Jim Minneker, a GM High Performance Vehicle Operations engineer.
"The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) rulebook essentially defined the safety and performance modifications that were made to the Bonneville ION racer," said Bolognino. "We retained most of the stock suspension components, with a few upgrades to improve safety and stability at racing speeds. The engine and transmission transferred directly from the championship-winning powertrains developed by GM Racing for sport compact drag racing. The experience and skill of the So-Cal Speed Shop crew brought the whole package together."
Construction began with the installation of a full roll cage that surrounds the driver in a cocoon of steel tubing while strengthening the chassis structure. Heat exchangers for engine oil and transmission fluid and a 15-gallon tank filled with ice and water for the turbo intercooler were mounted alongside the driver. An engine coolant storage tank displaced the rear seats, and a racing fuel cell took up residence in the trunk.
The production Saturn engine cradle was changed to accommodate a modified 4T65-E transmission; this heavy-duty gearbox is original equipment with many high-performance GM V6 engines in front-wheel drive applications. The front suspension was outfitted with coil-over springs and adjustable caster/camber plates. The stock ION Red Line steering rods, control arms and stabilizer bar were retained.
The production ION Red Line rear axle's five-lug hubs and disc brakes were modified to withstand the loads imposed by 200-mph runs at Bonneville. Air bags replaced the stock rear coil springs to allow fast, accurate changes in ride height.
The Bonneville Saturn racer benefited from the ION Red Line's standard aero package that includes unique front and rear fascias and rocker moldings. A session in the GM Aerodynamics Laboratory wind tunnel in Warren, Mich., with GM Racing engineer Terry Laise refined the Bonneville's aerodynamic performance.
"The ION Red Line has an inherent aerodynamic advantage," Bolognino noted. "The SCTA rulebook prohibits non-production body kits, so we had a head start on aerodynamics with the stock Red Line package."
The record-setting ION Red Line project was the result of a collaborative effort that brought together the technical and human resources of General Motors. Led by the GM Performance Division, the ambitious project involved Saturn, GM Powertrain, GM Performance Parts, GM Racing, and the GM Design Studios in Warren, Mich., and Los Angeles. The So-Cal Speed Shop in Pomona, Calif., brought its decades of experience to the program.
The Saturn ION is the forerunner of a series of new vehicles based on the GM Delta architecture. Thus the ION Red Line project heralds the beginning of a program to develop performance-oriented chassis, suspension and powertrain technology for small cars. The Saturn speed record run at the Bonneville Salt Flats is designed to demonstrate the capabilities and strengths of the Delta platform - and that of the ION Red Line.
Saturn ION Red Line LSR Specifications
Chassis: Steel space frame with tubular steel roll cage
Body: Steel roof and decklid; polymer doors, fenders, quarter panels and fascias; fiberglass hood
Height: 50.5"/1282 mm
Length (including parachutes): 195"/4953 mm
Width: 67.9"/1725 mm
Wheelbase: 103.5"/2629 mm
Track: 58.8"/1494 mm front; 58.4"/1483 mm rear
Weight (including driver, fuel and ballast): 3900 lbs.
Engine: 2.0L Ecotec I-4
Displacement: 122 ci/1998 cc
Horsepower: 700+ @ 8700 rpm
Torque: 575 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Turbocharger boost: 22 psi
Transmission: GM Racing modified Hydra-Matic 4T65-E 4-speed automatic
Suspension: Modified ION Red Line strut-type independent with coil springs front; modified ION Red Line semi-independent torsion beam with air springs rear
Wheels: Budnick billet aluminum
Tires: 26.0 x 4.5 - 15 Goodyear Eagle Frontrunner
Brakes: Disc front and rear
http://media.gm.com/servlet/Gateway...n=35&docid=1586
Bonneville, Utah - Sometimes to turn a corner, you have to go in a straight line. In this instance, the GM Performance Division has taken a sharp turn toward performance with a production-based Saturn ION Red Line quad coupe that set a speed record in its class on the vast Bonneville Salt Flats in northern Utah.
With the launch of the Saturn ION Red Line, Saturn - the brand known for satisfying its customers -- is targeting performance enthusiasts in the small car market. Powered exclusively by a supercharged and intercooled 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine and equipped with a racetrack-bred suspension, the production ION Red Line is ready to take on the red-hot sport compact segment.
The GM Performance Division is taking Saturn to places it has never been before to demonstrate the ION Red Line's capabilities. Bonneville is hallowed ground, a sanctuary of speed and the spiritual birthplace of American hot rodding. Competing in the G/Blown Fuel Altered class on the Salt Flats, the front-wheel-drive Saturn ION Red Line was aimed squarely at the 183.086 mph mark set in 2001 by a Honda Civic.
"We intentionally chose a class that made sense for the ION Red Line, not a class with an easy record," said GM Concept Vehicle Project Manager David Bolognino. "The production ION Red Line uses a 2.0-liter engine with forced induction, and so does the Bonneville-modified ION racer. The land speed record car is essentially a stock Saturn on steroids."
The Bonneville ION record runner began life on a Saturn assembly line in Spring Hill, Tenn., as an ION Red Line quad coupe - so named for the dual rear access doors that provide easy access to the rear seats. The ION was delivered to So-Cal Speed Shop in Pomona, Calif., where it was outfitted with a modified Ecotec engine that drives the front wheels through a heavy-duty 4T65-E automatic transmission. The suspension was upgraded to racing specifications, and mandatory safety equipment installed to protect driver Jim Minneker, a GM High Performance Vehicle Operations engineer.
"The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) rulebook essentially defined the safety and performance modifications that were made to the Bonneville ION racer," said Bolognino. "We retained most of the stock suspension components, with a few upgrades to improve safety and stability at racing speeds. The engine and transmission transferred directly from the championship-winning powertrains developed by GM Racing for sport compact drag racing. The experience and skill of the So-Cal Speed Shop crew brought the whole package together."
Construction began with the installation of a full roll cage that surrounds the driver in a cocoon of steel tubing while strengthening the chassis structure. Heat exchangers for engine oil and transmission fluid and a 15-gallon tank filled with ice and water for the turbo intercooler were mounted alongside the driver. An engine coolant storage tank displaced the rear seats, and a racing fuel cell took up residence in the trunk.
The production Saturn engine cradle was changed to accommodate a modified 4T65-E transmission; this heavy-duty gearbox is original equipment with many high-performance GM V6 engines in front-wheel drive applications. The front suspension was outfitted with coil-over springs and adjustable caster/camber plates. The stock ION Red Line steering rods, control arms and stabilizer bar were retained.
The production ION Red Line rear axle's five-lug hubs and disc brakes were modified to withstand the loads imposed by 200-mph runs at Bonneville. Air bags replaced the stock rear coil springs to allow fast, accurate changes in ride height.
The Bonneville Saturn racer benefited from the ION Red Line's standard aero package that includes unique front and rear fascias and rocker moldings. A session in the GM Aerodynamics Laboratory wind tunnel in Warren, Mich., with GM Racing engineer Terry Laise refined the Bonneville's aerodynamic performance.
"The ION Red Line has an inherent aerodynamic advantage," Bolognino noted. "The SCTA rulebook prohibits non-production body kits, so we had a head start on aerodynamics with the stock Red Line package."
The record-setting ION Red Line project was the result of a collaborative effort that brought together the technical and human resources of General Motors. Led by the GM Performance Division, the ambitious project involved Saturn, GM Powertrain, GM Performance Parts, GM Racing, and the GM Design Studios in Warren, Mich., and Los Angeles. The So-Cal Speed Shop in Pomona, Calif., brought its decades of experience to the program.
The Saturn ION is the forerunner of a series of new vehicles based on the GM Delta architecture. Thus the ION Red Line project heralds the beginning of a program to develop performance-oriented chassis, suspension and powertrain technology for small cars. The Saturn speed record run at the Bonneville Salt Flats is designed to demonstrate the capabilities and strengths of the Delta platform - and that of the ION Red Line.
Saturn ION Red Line LSR Specifications
Chassis: Steel space frame with tubular steel roll cage
Body: Steel roof and decklid; polymer doors, fenders, quarter panels and fascias; fiberglass hood
Height: 50.5"/1282 mm
Length (including parachutes): 195"/4953 mm
Width: 67.9"/1725 mm
Wheelbase: 103.5"/2629 mm
Track: 58.8"/1494 mm front; 58.4"/1483 mm rear
Weight (including driver, fuel and ballast): 3900 lbs.
Engine: 2.0L Ecotec I-4
Displacement: 122 ci/1998 cc
Horsepower: 700+ @ 8700 rpm
Torque: 575 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Turbocharger boost: 22 psi
Transmission: GM Racing modified Hydra-Matic 4T65-E 4-speed automatic
Suspension: Modified ION Red Line strut-type independent with coil springs front; modified ION Red Line semi-independent torsion beam with air springs rear
Wheels: Budnick billet aluminum
Tires: 26.0 x 4.5 - 15 Goodyear Eagle Frontrunner
Brakes: Disc front and rear
http://media.gm.com/servlet/Gateway...n=35&docid=1586