2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Sedan

The turbocharged Cobalt SS is good. Not just not bad, but genuinely good. We took a coupe down to Virginia for our annual Lightning Lap track-fest, and it dominated its class, setting a new front-drive record and lapping VIR’s 4.2-mile Grand Course more quickly than either a Subaru WRX or a Mitsubishi Evolution MR, not to mention plenty of higher-pedigreed and far-pricier machinery, including a Honda S2000 CR and the 416-hp Lexus IS F. And now it’s available with four doors.

Like the coupe, the Cobalt SS sedan is blessed with a 2.0-liter, direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder stirring up 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual is the only transmission available. All the SS extras that come with the coupe are included on the sedan, meaning the same suspension treatment, the same Brembo front brakes, and the same body mods.

And just like the coupe, the SS sedan works remarkably well. GM is not known for small-car excellence, but if it keeps this up, it will be. A stable 0.92 g on the skidpad is outstanding for this class. At the limit, the Cobalt remains responsive and easily controlled, without sacrificing comfort and confidence on uneven roads the way the Mazdaspeed 3 does. With such excellent wheel and body control, the ride-and-handling balance demonstrates a level of expertise—dare we say passion?—Chevrolet has heretofore only achieved with the Corvette.

Primary-control feel, too, is class-leading. Often, the words “speed-sensitive electric power steering” on a spec sheet mean feedback as clear as Charlie Brown gets from his teacher, but not so in the Cobalt. It’s tight, quick, and pretty chatty. The brake pedal is easy to modulate, and the binders haul the Cobalt down from 70 mph in just 163 feet—2 feet longer than the last Evo we tested.

Mighty as the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS’s performance may be, it still springs from the lowly Cobalt, so those who overlook the unique fascia and SS-specific wheels will still see a rental special, and the interior is constructed primarily of plastics cheap enough to be rejected from a Chinese toy factory; the Tata Nano probably has a fancier parking-brake lever. It’s offensive to think Chevrolet can do no better. And our taller drivers report that the SS desperately needs a telescoping steering wheel, an item several in this class include as standard equipment but one that the Cobalt doesn’t even offer as an option.

© Source: caranddriver
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2008 Chevrolet Cobalt NHRA Pro Stock

(from General Motors Press Release) Chevy Cobalt Continues Chevy's Winning Tradition in Pro Stock

Chevrolet's ongoing American Revolution came to NHRA Pro Stock with the introduction of the Chevy Cobalt at Bristol Dragway on April 29, 2005. It didn't take long for the new Chevy to earn a place in the NHRA record book. On June 18, 2005, Kurt Johnson qualified his ACDelco Cobalt in the No. 1 spot at the K&N Filters Super Nationals in Englishtown, N.J. One week later, Johnson put his Cobalt in the winner's circle at the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals in Madison, Ill. In 2007, Chevy Cobalt drivers combined for seven victories in 12 final-round appearances, with Dave Connolly finishing third in the final Pro Stock standings and Johnson finishing fifth.

"Chevrolet's performance heritage promises cars that are dependable, capable and exciting to drive," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "The Chevy Cobalt puts the fun back into driving by delivering an experience never before seen in the compact-car segment. Chevrolet races to win: Chevy has a strong heritage in drag racing and is one of America's most successful automotive brands. The NHRA Pro Stock Cobalt is designed, built and engineered to continue that winning tradition."

During this initial design phase, NHRA officials mandated more than 20 minimum dimensions for the construction of Pro Stock cars, including the new Cobalt. The new specifications covered such areas as the height and width of the car, the front and rear overhangs and other critical dimensions.

The production version of the Cobalt provided a solid foundation for GM Racing engineers to begin the planning and construction of the Pro Stock version. Extensive research was conducted in the GM wind tunnel in Warren, Mich., evaluating various greenhouse shapes, decks, roofs and fender flares to determine the most aerodynamically efficient design.

GM Racing engineers had two objectives for the Cobalt program: The first was to create a one-piece body, or unibody, that would make it more efficient for chassis builders to mount and work with, and for the NHRA Technical Department to inspect. The second was to reduce the weight of the body while maintaining its stiffness, strength and structural integrity.

After the molds were completed, Five Star created a Cobalt body that was sent back to Ness Racecraft, where it was mounted on a chassis. NHRA inspectors again went through the process of checking dimensions, and at this point the templates were made.

© Source: seriouswheels
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2008 Chevy Cobalt SS Coupe

Everything looks better with proper lighting. The 2008 Chevy Cobalt SS just stepped into the studio for its glamour shots and they didn't come out half bad. Though the Cobalt itself is somewhat ancient compared to other small cars that have been significantly redesigned in the past few years, it still sells well and the Cobalt SS will likely be the cheapest cost of entry into the wonderful world of direct injection technology when it goes on sale. Its motor is the same one used in the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line and Chevy HHR SS.

The turbocharged, direct-inject 2.0L four cylinder produces 260 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque, though is tasked with towing around a lighter weight package than other inexpensive pocket rockets like the Dodge Caliber SRT-4 and Mazdaspeed3. Torque steer, of course, is always an issue, but the FE5 sport suspension package was tuned on the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany and GM promises a ride you can live with on a daily basis. As for the design, it's 95% Cobalt and 5% go-fast tomfoolery. That combination makes for a great sleeper car, as the Cobalt SS does not announce itself on arrival. The 10-split-spoke wheels, subtle (and still useless on a FWD car) rear spoiler, new fog lamps and side sills are extremely tasteful.

© Source: autoblog
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2007 SEMA Show: Chevrolet Takes the Wraps off 2008 Cobalt SS Coupe

LAS VEGAS — General Motors used the 2007 SEMA Show to reveal the details about the upcoming 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, which promises to have more kick than the previous Cobalt SS Supercharged.

GM says the '08 Cobalt SS will churn out 55 more horses than the Cobalt SS Supercharged. The new model uses the 2.0-liter Ecotec turbocharged and intercooled engine with 260 horses linked to a GM Powertrain Sweden five-speed transmission with a short-throw shifter. It sprints from zero to 60 mph in about 5.7 seconds, according to Chevrolet. The coupe was developed by GM Performance Division, which put it through its paces at the Nürburgring circuit.

Chevy noted that the Cobalt SS coupe has powertrain and chassis enhancements that are similar to the new Chevrolet HHR SS, "but with larger Brembo brakes, a slightly taller final-drive ratio and other variances." The Cobalt SS coupe gets a new FE5 Sport suspension with specific stabilizer bars, spring rates and damper tuning. A "no-lift shift" feature on manual-transmission models is said to "achieve the best acceleration time via an algorithm in the engine controller."

What this means to you: The most powerful Cobalt yet.

© Source: edmunds
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