2005 Chevrolet Lacetti (Optra) WTCC R+ Concept

While Suzuki has had a fair bit of experience dressing up its GMDAT-based products by reworking the exterior and interior and calling

The Lacetti WTCC R+ has the grunt to back up its looks. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

it a day (Reno Intruder, Reno Tuner, Forenza Chroma, etc.) the Lacetti WTCC R+ has the grunt to back up its looks. Swiss tuner and partner to Chevy Europe, Delta-Motor, has created a mechanically-driven supercharger and intercooler setup to provide the compact car with additional power.

An air-to-air intercooler, in combination with the 0.5-bar boost that the supercharger cranks out, is enough to bump up power and torque by over 40 percent, from the car's rather pedestrian 123-horsepower and 120 lb-ft of torque ratings. Chevy claims that their hopped up Lacetti pumps out 172-horsepower and 170

Chevy claims that their hopped up Lacetti pumps out 172-horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

lb-ft. While that's some ways off the racer's 275-horsepower output, it's plenty for a car its size.

With body kit, supercharger, plenty of R+ badges scattered about and the throaty burble of a performance exhaust system providing the vocals, the package as a whole begs the question, what is this factory-tuned pocket rocket capable of? Simply put, it's quick; the car can easily sprint to 100 km/h in under eight seconds and has a top speed of over 215 km/h. But there's more. In order to ensure that the extra power gets transferred to the ground effectively, the Lacetti WTCC R+ also has a limited-slip differential, and larger four-piston Alcon calipers clamping 325-mm ventilated disc brakes.