All, I've been test driving SE's and SL's, both with the 5-speed automatic. The SE's seemed a little more "peppy". Everytime I floored the SE it would downshift, the RPM's would jump way up and it would launch.

A couple times with the SL, it wouldn't downshift but it would still accelarate nicely.

Am I imagining things? Or did I just catch the SL at a different RPM than the SE when I happened to floor it?

 

Danted - too many variables to say much for certain.

Both cars have exactly the same engines and transmissions. Those are the constants. These cars have different diameter wheels, different size tires, different suspension, etc. Unless the axle ratio was changed in the SL when they converted to the 5 speed Feb 5th, these cars have different axle ratios.

But there are other more subtle differences. I remember driving two supposedly exactly alike (except for color) SEs back when I was buying my 2K. On one of them, pushing hard on the accelerator while cruising at 60 MPH dropped the car down one gear. On the other, it dropped all the way to second and peeled rubber. I tried it again, and duplicate the result. Clearly, the factory adjustments on the trannys and shift points, etc, vary widely.

The fact the two cars you drove, both with the same engines and trannys, behaved differently suggests the downshift points may have been set differently. The question is whether that was intended, or resulted from irregular quality control at the factory.

I would feel the difference in acceleration between these two cars would be too small to be of significance, especially considering all the variables in driving habits, etc.

As far as I am concerned, these cars should essentially behave very similarly in straightline acceleration. The major differences are that the SL will ride less harshly at all times (softer suspension), while the SE will be more maneuverable at speed (18" wheels/45 profile tires) and has the 'mystique'. Just depends on what is important to the buyer.

 

It anything i'd think the SL would be quicker. Much less weight at the corners with the 17's. As for kickdowns, there shouldn't be too much difference between the SE and SL unless they have a different software rev between them. It's possible that the SE could have a different shift map with a little more aggressive fuzzy logic.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the SL has a less aggressive shift map than the SE but I'm guessing that at WFO they are about equal. Is shift mapping something the "learning" ECM looks after?

I'm not buying the 17 v. 18 thang in this case. I understand the theory and I don't argue with the physics but I don't believe you could squeeze more out of an SE by bolting on a set of SL wheels and tires. Adhesion is the ticket to getting this pig down the road.

OT...I took a WRX/STI for a test drive last night. Now that's adhesion! What a hoot! I'm getting cold feet though, it's just too damned small. I’ll look at it again tomorrow but I doubt it.

 

my moneys on the SL but hey i dont know diddle ?

 

Well...when you gonna get that SL to the track? Tell her you're going to the car wash.