SS Colbalt sets new record!

[lanowoo]

IT'S FAST AND GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT


This is a article that appeared in the December 2006 Hot Rodding Magazine. GM Performance Division's Ecotec-powered Bonneville Student Project Chevy Colbalt SS set a 172.680-mph land speed record in the G/FCC class (G Class/ Unblown Fuel Competition Coupe). The SS set the new record at the Bonneville Salt Flats during speed week in its final run using E85 ethanol.

Wednesday's record was the culmination of a week's worth of accomplishments for the car, which was converted to run on E85 by three female engineering student interns--19-year-old Heather Chemistuck from Virginia Tech University, 21-year-old Lauren Zimmer form Purdue University, and 21-year-old Sandra Salivar of new Mexico State University.

Runnning only on E85, the Student Project Colbalt broke the previous 19-year-old record of 152.626 mph set by Doc Jeffries in 1987. It then upped that record twice using E85 combined with nitrous oxide to hit its final mark of 172.680 mph.

"Most people know that environmental story behind E85 ethanol, with its lower emissions and capability for helping reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil." said GM Performance Division executive Al Oppenheiser, whose team heads up GM's efforts at Bonneville. "but there is also a performance story for E85, since it burns cooler than gasoline and has a higher octane rating."

The Student Project Colbalt is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Ecotec LSJ engine, which is suited to all levels of off-road racing competition and in the past four years, has now set Bonneville land speed records in eight different classes. (Hot Rodding .19)