Edmunds Full Test: 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe

[overst33r]

http://www.edmunds.com/insidel....il.home.photopanel..1.*#2

To ensure the clutch has a shot at surviving the five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty period, the GMPD engineers tell us that they installed the largest, most robust clutch that would possibly fit and even downsized the flywheel to accommodate it. The engineers also did 600 launches on a single test car to verify their work.

* 260 hp, 260 lb-ft of torque
* 14.0-second quarter-mile at 103.6 mph
* "No-lift shift" feature under full throttle
* 69.2-mph slalom speed

..the Cobalt SS is virtually free of torque steer... ...torque curve that peaks at a low 2000 rpm and stays flat up to the 6300-rpm redline.

http://www.motivemag.com/pub/f...vrolet_Cobalt_SS.shtml

That's a mighty quick car with some serious potential once tuners get a hold of them.

 

[BZeto]

That's pretty sweet. Even beats out the Mazdaspeed3.

 

[Ktulu]

Awesome numbers, that being said this car will still go overlooked by most euro and asian fanboys due to its interior quality, 90's exterior and badge.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I need to get that job. "take this car, and beat the hell out of it 600 times!" "Can do, chief. Just give me the keys and some pavement."

 

[Arkaign]

Impressive. Definitely took the torch from the SRT Neon for a domestic pocket rocket. These things look good in black too.

Oh yeah, for those that missed the article itself : 0-60 in 5.8. I think better tires would net a 5.5 or so, and cheap stuff like ECU / Boost controller mods would probably crack you into the high 4s, and mid 13-second quarters.

 

[Wolfsraider]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I need to get that job. "take this car, and beat the hell out of it 600 times!" "Can do, chief. Just give me the keys and some pavement."

LOL OMG I want in 🙂

 

[vi edit]

I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

 

[MBrown]

Awesome value!

 

[Arkaign]

Now they should throw this drivetrain into the Aveo 😉

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: Ktulu
Awesome numbers, that being said this car will still go overlooked by most euro and asian fanboys due to its badge.

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

It's not a concept, it's the real thing.

BTW here's how it looked on the 'Ring:

8:42 --- 142.07 km/h -- Lotus Exige, 179 PS/796 kg, (sport auto 11/00)
8:43 --- 141.80 km/h -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/00)
8:43.52 - 141.55 km/h -- Chevrolet HHR SS, 260 PS/1488 kg (Windng Raod 02/08)
8:44.83 141.30 km/h -- Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, 339 PS, automatic (Top Gear magazine)
8:46 --- 140.99 km/h -- Porsche 993 Carrera S, 285 PS

and here's the Cobalt SS time:

8:22 --- 147.75 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)
8:22.38 147.62 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Best Motoring video "Carrera Invasion")
8:22.85 147.49 km/h -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 260 PS/1349 kg, company test driver John Heinricy
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

 

[Mermaidman]

It's no uglier than various incarnations of the WRX, but perhaps it's better to be butt-ugly than just plain.

 

[Chrono]

Originally posted by: Ktulu

Originally posted by: vi edit
I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

It's not a concept, it's the real thing.

BTW here's how it looked on the 'Ring:

8:42 --- 142.07 km/h -- Lotus Exige, 179 PS/796 kg, (sport auto 11/00)
8:43 --- 141.80 km/h -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/00)
8:43.52 - 141.55 km/h -- Chevrolet HHR SS, 260 PS/1488 kg (Windng Raod 02/08)
8:44.83 141.30 km/h -- Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, 339 PS, automatic (Top Gear magazine)
8:46 --- 140.99 km/h -- Porsche 993 Carrera S, 285 PS

and here's the Cobalt SS time:

8:22 --- 147.75 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)
8:22.38 147.62 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Best Motoring video "Carrera Invasion")
8:22.85 147.49 km/h -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 260 PS/1349 kg, company test driver John Heinricy
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

Dude. That's a fake car. No way is that FWD domestic turd that quick.

 

[Chrono]

Hey Ktulu, why don't you go and do your chevy vehicles in the exhaust whle you're at it you domestic loving #$#@$@#$

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: Chrono
Hey Ktulu, why don't you go and do your chevy vehicles in the exhaust whle you're at it you domestic loving #$#@$@#$

Screw you, you subie nut juggler .

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: Chrono

Originally posted by: Ktulu

Originally posted by: vi edit
I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

It's not a concept, it's the real thing.

BTW here's how it looked on the 'Ring:

8:42 --- 142.07 km/h -- Lotus Exige, 179 PS/796 kg, (sport auto 11/00)
8:43 --- 141.80 km/h -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/00)
8:43.52 - 141.55 km/h -- Chevrolet HHR SS, 260 PS/1488 kg (Windng Raod 02/08)
8:44.83 141.30 km/h -- Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, 339 PS, automatic (Top Gear magazine)
8:46 --- 140.99 km/h -- Porsche 993 Carrera S, 285 PS

and here's the Cobalt SS time:

8:22 --- 147.75 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)
8:22.38 147.62 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Best Motoring video "Carrera Invasion")
8:22.85 147.49 km/h -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 260 PS/1349 kg, company test driver John Heinricy
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

Dude. That's a fake car. No way is that FWD domestic turd that quick.

As supposed to an imported FWD turd you mean. Plenty of those around.

 

[Chrono]

Originally posted by: zoiks

Originally posted by: Chrono

Originally posted by: Ktulu

Originally posted by: vi edit
I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

It's not a concept, it's the real thing.

BTW here's how it looked on the 'Ring:

8:42 --- 142.07 km/h -- Lotus Exige, 179 PS/796 kg, (sport auto 11/00)
8:43 --- 141.80 km/h -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/00)
8:43.52 - 141.55 km/h -- Chevrolet HHR SS, 260 PS/1488 kg (Windng Raod 02/08)
8:44.83 141.30 km/h -- Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, 339 PS, automatic (Top Gear magazine)
8:46 --- 140.99 km/h -- Porsche 993 Carrera S, 285 PS

and here's the Cobalt SS time:

8:22 --- 147.75 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)
8:22.38 147.62 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Best Motoring video "Carrera Invasion")
8:22.85 147.49 km/h -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 260 PS/1349 kg, company test driver John Heinricy
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

Dude. That's a fake car. No way is that FWD domestic turd that quick.

As supposed to an imported FWD turd you mean. Plenty of those around.

I fully agree with that as well. Imported FWD turds equally suck.

 

[AdamK47]

Originally posted by: Ktulu

Originally posted by: vi edit
I still am intrigued by the HHR SS concept and wish to subscribe to it's newsletter.

I've always been a fan of homely looking little hatchbacks with a bunch of grunt under the hood.

It's not a concept, it's the real thing.

BTW here's how it looked on the 'Ring:

8:42 --- 142.07 km/h -- Lotus Exige, 179 PS/796 kg, (sport auto 11/00)
8:43 --- 141.80 km/h -- Honda Integra Type R (sport auto 12/00)
8:43.52 - 141.55 km/h -- Chevrolet HHR SS, 260 PS/1488 kg (Windng Raod 02/08)
8:44.83 141.30 km/h -- Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, 339 PS, automatic (Top Gear magazine)
8:46 --- 140.99 km/h -- Porsche 993 Carrera S, 285 PS

and here's the Cobalt SS time:

8:22 --- 147.75 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)
8:22.38 147.62 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Best Motoring video "Carrera Invasion")
8:22.85 147.49 km/h -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 260 PS/1349 kg, company test driver John Heinricy
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)
8:23 --- 147.44 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

What this tells me is that Sport Auto and Top Gear Magazine drivers suck.

 

[ayabe]

I dunno, I'm glad GM is really trying but.....

It is plain and it is a Cavalier no matter what they call it. It will take years of producing this kind of car to dig them out of their hole in the mind of many enthusiasts.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: BZeto
That's pretty sweet. Even beats out the Mazdaspeed3.

But the mazdaspeed3 is a car you would actually want to live with. 😛

I test drove the 07 Cobalt SS and the interior was a steaming pile of shit. Thin, hard plastics EVERYWHERE. The clutch pedal gave little feedback, since I'm new to MT I almost stalled the car a few times, at 2.5K+ rpm, whereas the Civic Si was easy as hell to drive. I admit the MS3's clutch was also hard to operate, but the interior is decades ahead. The giant ricer wing in the back of the SS greatly limited visibility. I left the Chevy dealership reminded of why I will never buy a domestic car. But not before I drooled over an orange Z06 in the showroom. 🙂 The Z06 is perhaps the only domestic I would consider buying, if I had the cash.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

OMG HARD PLASTIC INTERIOR!!!! I stroke the interior of my vehicles daily. You probably think the interior of scions is awesome and the greatest thing ever.

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: BZeto
That's pretty sweet. Even beats out the Mazdaspeed3.

But the mazdaspeed3 is a car you would actually want to live with. 😛

I test drove the 07 Cobalt SS and the interior was a steaming pile of shit. Thin, hard plastics EVERYWHERE. The clutch pedal gave little feedback, since I'm new to MT I almost stalled the car a few times, at 2.5K+ rpm, whereas the Civic Si was easy as hell to drive. I admit the MS3's clutch was also hard to operate, but the interior is decades ahead. The giant ricer wing in the back of the SS greatly limited visibility. I left the Chevy dealership reminded of why I will never buy a domestic car. But not before I drooled over an orange Z06 in the showroom. 🙂 The Z06 is perhaps the only domestic I would consider buying, if I had the cash.

So you don't know how to drive a stick. And you blame it on the car?
Funny, I used to stroke the dashboard when I drove but somehow the fun all went away.

 

[helpme]

In comment to the above about the clutch...

The old supercharged Colbalt's clutch was pretty bad, it had no feel and was really really light, almost like not being connected.

 

[Chunkee]

looks like an old cavalier...good lord...are they just plain retarded or what...? Goodness sakes. what an ugly car with a zoom zoom engine.

jC

 

[krunchykrome]

There's no way I'd pay more than $15K for a Cavalier; I don't care how fast it is.