Cobalt Turbo SS Road Test...Top Speed: 160 MPH!!

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/sport_compacts/2008_chevrolet_cobalt_ss_first_drive_review

Car and Driver:
Chevy figures a blast to 60 ought to take 5.7 seconds, but the SS Supercharged took a mere 5.9 in our test, so we’re thinking maybe an additional 10th or two could be squeezed from the more powerful turbo model. Top speed is as high as 160 mph, so long as you forgo that ginormous, drag-heavy optional spoiler.

http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/sport_compacts/2008_chevrolet_cobalt_ss_first_drive_review/2008_chevrolet_cobalt_ss/2008_chevrolet_cobalt_ss_12/1251182-1-eng-US/2008_chevrolet_cobalt_ss_12_gallery_image_large.jp g

That's all very nice. But what's the curb weight?

;) :D

Seriously though. This car definitely kicks up expectations for Chevy's competitors. Job well done by the designers, IMO.

That's all very nice. But what's the curb weight?

;) :D

Seriously though. This car definitely kicks up expectations for Chevy's competitors. Job well done by the designers, IMO.


I didn't see curb weight anywhere in the article, and I didn't see a statistical chart on the test........But the handling improvements are impressive, especially the new record the Cobalt SS holds at Nurburgring.

After dozens of miles on twisty California desert roads and several laps at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, it was clear that the extensive alterations (not to mention four intense weeks of tuning at the Nürburgring, during which the car beat the lap record for its class by 13 seconds) have paid off. The Cobalt SS treats midcorner bumps with indifference and features ride characteristics that remind us of—gulp—the Volkswagen GTI. Lumpy, bumpy roads unfurl beneath the new SS with no drama; this car is very well damped.

i'm liking it.:D

Take the wing off that car and it looks like your run-of-the-mill LS coupe. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Take the wing off that car and it looks like your run-of-the-mill LS coupe. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.i think its a good thing. i'd rather not have a wing at all....total sleeper.:D

Replace the wing with something more tasteful and I would drive it for sure.

curb weight = 2975 lb , I think I saw this on the Cobalt forum...:)

Now if only it was a hatchback id be all over it.

Now all they need to do is swap the turbo-4 for a small natural-8, lose the back seats and the wing, and add a lip spoiler. You will have a good looking quick car for $19,995. Hopefully GM won't wait for Mopar to beat them to the punch though.

The cool thing about this is that it is a budget sky/solstice. the problem is that it looks way to docile/feminine for the performance crowd (but just right for the avg consumer the base model is directed at).

Now all they need to do is swap the turbo-4 for a small natural-8, lose the back seats and the wing, and add a lip spoiler. You will have a good looking quick car for $19,995. Hopefully GM won't wait for Mopar to beat them to the punch though.

The cool thing about this is that it is a budget sky/solstice. the problem is that it looks way to docile/feminine for the performance crowd (but just right for the avg consumer the base model is directed at).
that ain't gonna happen...

I wonder if the LS4 would fit though?

Why would it cost less for the V8 than the turbo 4? That makes no sense.

Personally, I'd like to see a Cobalt win the NHRA Pro Stock division and maybe Chevy will do a homage to those cars. Though it's going to take a LOT to take that away from the Jegs or Anderson/Line, but with Grumpy Jenkins on his team, Dave Connolly's gave a chance. Hell, he won 5 in a row last year!

Anyway, a spoiler based off the ones they use would look nice and would be functional.

Since this is a Camaro board, what do you folks think the chances are the Camaro will make an appearance in professional drag racing? Force is using a mustang-ish body for his funny car and the Camaro looks much more aerodynamic. Isn't the Monte Carlo supposed to be discontinued soon?

I didn't see curb weight anywhere in the article, and I didn't see a statistical chart on the test........But the handling improvements are impressive, especially the new record the Cobalt SS holds at Nurburgring.

Sorry. Should have explained, that was kind of an inside joke by me, referring to all the obsession by some here (not you) about the new Camaro's curb weight.

The new Cobalt SS is going to put a lot of its competitors to shame.

Off-topic #2 - - It also gets very good ratings for low interior emissions:

http://healthycar.org/vehicle.mostleast.php

(background at http://health.msn.com/health-topics/asthma/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100185275&GT1=31005 )

How high is the insurance on those things?

I would think 160 in a car like that would be a scary ride.

How high is the insurance on those things?

Its not bad at all . I pay 302 every six months on mine .

Take the wing off that car and it looks like your run-of-the-mill LS coupe. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

I took mine off completely . Wouldnt have it any other way . I think it looks hot lowered and no spoiler .

Without the giant wing this is gonna be one stealthy car. I'm liking it, the only thing I'm not liking is the realtively slow 5-60mph rolling start of around 6.5 or higher seconds. I'm not usually one to rip away from a standing start with a drop clutch but I will often do a rolling 5-60 on the road if it isn't busy out. I think I have dumped the clutch maybe once in my Z28 and once in my GT and after that it was not that big a deal to me on the street. Most of the time on the street if someone wants to go they normally don't hit it until 5-10mph just to see if your gonna go.

Its not bad at all . I pay 302 every six months on mine .



I took mine off completely . Wouldnt have it any other way . I think it looks hot lowered and no spoiler .


HUH? 604 a year? I pay 744 every 6 months for a 08 subaru legacy.............

Hell my 05 srt-4 was worse than my 02 Z28. Just depends on how many idiot parents buy there little precious one of these and let them wrap it around a tree within one week like they did with SRT's. I suggest getting them early before the insurance companies figure them out and lock in your rates. I think a few were able to do this with the SRT-4's.

Its not bad at all . I pay 302 every six months on mine .



I took mine off completely . Wouldnt have it any other way . I think it looks hot lowered and no spoiler .

Thats not bad at all. Definitely looks like a fun car.

Its not bad at all . I pay 302 every six months on mine .



Those numbers don't do me any good. What car did you have before that we can compare that to?

I pay just under $100/month for the truck, the GTO was something like $125 a month.

302 every 6 months?
In NJ thats 302 every month.

HUH? 604 a year? I pay 744 every 6 months for a 08 subaru legacy.............

Where do you live? I pay about $800 a year for my GTO.

My Z28 is a little right around $45 bucks a month for full coverage, and my wife's car is a little more:confused:.

Oh man. Can you imagine what Civic and RSX forums are like after seeing this? The original Cobalt SS made them sweat a little, but this just kicks the living crap out of them. They must be furious!

Oh man. Can you imagine what Civic and RSX forums are like after seeing this? The original Cobalt SS made them sweat a little, but this just kicks the living crap out of them. They must be furious!


It doesn't matter, anything that doesn't say Honda or V-Tech is junk in there minds. :rolleyes:

It doesn't matter, anything that doesn't say Honda or V-Tech is junk in there minds. :rolleyes:So true! And when they loose they will spout the same BS about having to have a turbo, or your motor is bigger, etc.... Some people think that if it has a Honda or Toyota nameplate on it somehow it is touched by God himself.

Those numbers don't do me any good. What car did you have before that we can compare that to?

I pay just under $100/month for the truck, the GTO was something like $125 a month.

My 95 Trans Am was $487 bi-annually to the 302 on the 10 year newer Cobalt . My SS has both Onstar and side impact bags ( both are now standard ) , so that may influence the premium a bit .

I would think 160 in a car like that would be a scary ride.

80mph in a base model I rented was rather unerving.

80mph in a base model I rented was rather unerving.


145 in the SS/SC is smoother than my LT1 camaro. Insurance is running me $120. It was within $10 dollars of the GTO I priced it along side.

i think its a good thing. i'd rather not have a wing at all....total sleeper.:D


A car without a spoiler is naked. However, the spoiler on that car just does nothing for me.

A car without a spoiler is naked. However, the spoiler on that car just does nothing for me.Kind of big, huh Cat.;)

The riced out spoiler in that photo (that was standard on the supercharged) is an option now. The lower profile spoiler is the standard one and I think it's much better looking:

http://www.chevrolet.com/cobalt/ssturbocharged/

Thats pretty much the same spoiler thats on our Ion Redline. It blocks rearward visibility and its made of pretty flexible plastic so it flaps up and down quite a bit at speed. Its not my favorite by anymeans.

My old evo had a huge wing, but it was CF making much thinner so it didn't block rearward vision nearly as much and it was rock solid. I think even the new Evo X has a steel spar in its wing to give it some strength. The flapping is really annoying.

The riced out spoiler in that photo (that was standard on the supercharged) is an option now. The lower profile spoiler is the standard one and I think it's much better looking:

http://www.chevrolet.com/cobalt/ssturbocharged/
That's much better.:)

Where do you live? I pay about $800 a year for my GTO.


I live right on the border of MD, VA and WVA. About 60 miles from Baltimore and DC. The Mustang GT I just bought is 180 a month. Funny, my Charger RT was less then my Subaru Legacy.

Well it looks like I can forget about getting one of these. Using the GMAC Affordability Calculator, I can afford a $6500 purchase price, lame.

Kind of big, huh Cat.;)


Yep. I do like the optional spoiler. As I said, a car is just naked without one. :)

Well it looks like I can forget about getting one of these. Using the GMAC Affordability Calculator, I can afford a $6500 purchase price, lame.

:think:

How old are you?

Now all they need to do is swap the turbo-4 for a small natural-8, lose the back seats and the wing, and add a lip spoiler. You will have a good looking quick car for $19,995. Hopefully GM won't wait for Mopar to beat them to the punch though.

The cool thing about this is that it is a budget sky/solstice. the problem is that it looks way to docile/feminine for the performance crowd (but just right for the avg consumer the base model is directed at).

You're kidding, right?

Hell my 05 srt-4 was worse than my 02 Z28. Just depends on how many idiot parents buy there little precious one of these and let them wrap it around a tree within one week like they did with SRT's. I suggest getting them early before the insurance companies figure them out and lock in your rates. I think a few were able to do this with the SRT-4's.

Good point. Good idea.

These Cobalt SSs are now amazingly fast, quicker than hell, and screaming performance deals to boot!

The riced out spoiler in that photo (that was standard on the supercharged) is an option now. The lower profile spoiler is the standard one and I think it's much better looking:

http://www.chevrolet.com/cobalt/ssturbocharged/

I actually see more Cobalt SS with the smaller spoiler than the wing.

:think:

How old are you?

24, working a full time salaried job for 1.5 years now. I don't get why I can't seem to afford a new car....

I actually see more Cobalt SS with the smaller spoiler than the wing.

It's the only Mod I have done to mine.

24, working a full time salaried job for 1.5 years now. I don't get why I can't seem to afford a new car....
Really? I thought I had used one of those things one time and it told me I could somehow afford a Corvette with no income ;)

Really? I thought I had used one of those things one time and it told me I could somehow afford a Corvette with no income ;)

Yeah, yeah.... but you'd think making almost 40k a year you'd be able to afford a 23k car.

Yeah, yeah.... but you'd think making almost 40k a year you'd be able to afford a 23k car.

Depends. If you have a house payment and a few CCs it could be pretty close.

Yeah, yeah.... but you'd think making almost 40k a year you'd be able to afford a 23k car.

It's all a matter of priorities.

Even if you're single or a live-in working girlfriend, housing, food, and the ability to have a good quality of life (occasional movie, trip to TGIFridays once in a while, good road trip, etc..) is IMO more important.

When you add up how much we really spend on stuff like that, you'd be surprised. There's alot of things we spend money on that we take for granted.

I actually see more Cobalt SS with the smaller spoiler than the wing.

On the 2.4 SS or the SS Supercharged? The 2.4 SS has the low spoiler standard. The big wing was the only option on the SS Supercharged in 2005. It became a delete option for the smaller spoiler midyear 2006, but most Supercharged I've seen have the wing.

I live right on the border of MD, VA and WVA. About 60 miles from Baltimore and DC. The Mustang GT I just bought is 180 a month. Funny, my Charger RT was less then my Subaru Legacy.

Wow thats about what I pay for my GT here in SE Va.

On the 2.4 SS or the SS Supercharged? The 2.4 SS has the low spoiler standard. The big wing was the only option on the SS Supercharged in 2005. It became a delete option for the smaller spoiler midyear 2006, but most Supercharged I've seen have the wing.

05 and 06 the big wang was the only spoiler you could get . 2007 the little was standard and the big one was a no cost option . 2008 , if u want a park bench , you gotta pay for it ....not free anymore :D

I dont doubt on bit Guy see's the more supercharged cars with little spoilers ....get on a SS board . I think theres more guys that take the wing off than leave it on . Mine was gone within the first month I had it :lol:

05 and 06 the big wang was the only spoiler you could get . 2007 the little was standard and the big one was a no cost option . 2008 , if u want a park bench , you gotta pay for it ....not free anymore :D

I dont doubt on bit Guy see's the more supercharged cars with little spoilers ....get on a SS board . I think theres more guys that take the wing off than leave it on . Mine was gone within the first month I had it :lol:

You're right - I was thinking it was 06 it became an option because it did in Calendar 06, but it was for the '07 model year.

I've been a member of Cobaltss.net for several years, seems many of the yunguns leave the park bench to me.