Volt Birth Watch 163: Sportier Than a GSXR

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Audi of America’s Johann De Nysschen calls the Volt “a car for idiots,” in an MSN interview. “No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a (Toyota) Corolla,” he tells Lawrence Ullrich. “So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.” And you have to admit that the guy has a point. For all the Volt’s hype, GM has offered little in the way of an explanation of the Volt’s potential appeal to people who don’t merely “want to show what enlightened souls they are,” as De Nysschen puts it. But don’t worry, GM has a meme for that! Specifically, that deep down the Volt isn’t an overpriced hair shirt . . . it’s a performance car!

Alex Cattelan, GM Powertrain Assistant Chief Engineer, Voltec Electric Propulsion System, wrote a post over at chevroletvoltage.com, describing tests of the Volt’s mountain performance. “Driving the twisty, winding roads of Knoxville, Tennessee,” she writes, “you really get to see what a car is made of. That is why I was there last week putting the Chevrolet Volt electric plug-in vehicle through its paces. ”

And what can she reveal about the Volt’s Tail Of The Dragon capability? We get some boring information:

Cabin conditions and under-hood temperatures all stand up to the heat and grade challenges put to the battery pack. System testing to date verifies that we can properly balance vehicle requirements such as drive performance, drive feel, thermal conditions and efficiency. Everything we are doing proves the Volt is right on track.

And we also get our moment of inspiration:

As I stood next to the Volt on top of a mountain last weekend, I felt overwhelmingly enthusiastic about its capability. I’m confident that Chevy Volt drivers will feel invigorated like I do by its exciting, smooth, quiet, and fuel-efficient performance.

You know, because it’s her job. But the best (and by best we mean least plausible) detail is saved for last.

For now, I look forward to hitting the open road again – but this time on my Suzuki GSXR 750 motorcyle. Somehow, I suspect my upcoming vacation to Georgia along some of these same roads will be somewhat less exciting – since nothing will top the experience for me of cruising along in a high performance electric car.

The implication is that the Cruze econobox-based Volt is somehow more fun than what is widely considered to be the best road-going supersport bike on the market. And even if that were true (it’s not) the GSXR750 starts under $12K. Oops.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Tcwarnke Tcwarnke on Nov 25, 2009

    Alex Cattelan is female. The post should be updated to reflect this.

  • Blindfaith Blindfaith on Dec 07, 2009

    When a person is paid to support a position, they will say anything this proves it. Al Gore is more proof Scientists that are paid to find support data for global warming I could go on but,,,,,,,,,,,,,

  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
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