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by Lyndon Conrad Bell. | 3/19/2008 | Chevrolet
'OK, let's see -- clutch in, throttle to the floor, engine boiling at 5,100 RPM. Clutch out, slight wheelspin, mad acceleration! Wow. Time to shift, foot still to floor, clutch in, bang -- second gear -- slight tire chirp, backfire, STILL accelerating seamlessly. Time to shift again, foot still to floor--clutch in, bang -- third gear -- another backfire, even MORE accelerationnnn ...
Yeeeeeeee-Haaaaaaa-YEAH!
And that’s life with the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, thanks to its two leading technological features––Launch Control and No-Lift-Shift. When employed together, they enable the sleek little wedge of a coupe to accelerate from zero to 60 in just under six seconds by taking full advantage of the 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine’s turbocharger.
Activating launch control enables you to hold revs right at the horsepower peak without modulating the throttle yourself. Just step on it and forget it. No-Lift-Shift then enables you to change gears while still under full throttle––the turbo never falls off maximum boost.
The result, as you saw above, is pretty spectacular––and a whole lot of fun.
Perhaps one of the best kept secrets of the compact sport coupe scene, Chevy’s Cobalt SS is more than just a straight-line terror, the ride’s got serious agility and loads of stopping power too. When rapid changes of direction are called for in quick succession, the car willingly dives into corners at awe-inspiring speeds––carving them smoothly without a single chirp from the 225/40-18 Continental high performance summer tires. When you begin to approach its limits, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS exhibits just enough understeer to keep you in control of the task at hand. Chevrolet claims the 2008 Cobalt SS pulls 0.9g on the skidpad. From our brief testing; we have no reason to dispute the claim.
The steering is nice and direct, transfers good feel up through the column into the palm of your hands, and places the car quite accurately. The braking system, sourced from Brembo up front, responds well to modulation and readily assists the Cobalt SS’s mission of going fast––on a budget.
The motivational device in this endeavor is GM’s 260-horsepower EcoTec inline four-cylinder engine. Also found in the Chevrolet HHR SS, Pontiac Solstice GXP and the Saturn Sky Redline, it produces its maximum horsepower at 5,300 RPM and 260 foot-pounds of torque at 2,000 RPM. The engine redlines at 6,300 RPM. A short-throw five-speed manual transmission conducts power from the engine to the Cobalt’s front wheels.
Estimated fuel economy is 30 miles per gallon, when driven, uh, conservatively.
To our eyes––along with the exhilarating performance––one of the best features about the Cobalt is its stealthy appearance. The svelte angular profile of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS is bereft of oversized aero add-ons, as well as attention-grabbing slots, gills and superfluous air “intakes”. The design is clean, simple and purposeful. Of course, there is a big rear wing option for those of you who just have to be vocal about your capabilities. But in our book, it’s more fun to show up looking all innocuous and then suck the front grille straight out of your opponent’s ride.
And that is exactly what the Cobalt SS does.
Still, that is not to say the look is plain. The Super Sport is distinguished in appearance from its milder mannered siblings by its front fascia's integrated air dam and projector-beam fog lamps. Chevrolet’s SS diamond- mesh forms the pattern in the upper and lower grilles. Along the sides, specific rocker panels and SS badging are affixed. In addition to the rear spoiler, the other cues out back are the split rear valance and the shiny exhaust tip. And while that sounds like a lot, it all comes together in a very tasteful and understated way.
Inside, the sport seats are quite comfortable for long stints behind the wheel and they’re rather handsome in appearance as well. Their two-tone treatment creates a nice contrast to punch up the (admittedly plastic heavy) interior while the seats’ suede-ish inserts work in combination with their additional bolstering to support your frame while you exploit the Super Sport Cobalt’s capabilities.
Comfort and convenience gear is generously apportioned. Air conditioning; power windows, mirrors and door locks; a premium sound system; remote keyless entry; the StabiliTrak electronic stability control system; OnStar and XM Satellite Radio are all standard equipment. If you’d like more thump, $295 will get you the upmarket stereo system. A sunroof, a limited slip differential and the aforementioned big rear wing (which does generate additional downforce at elevated speeds) are all available as options.
Oh, by the way, if you have a need for two more doors, a Cobalt SS sedan will debut this summer. While pricing has yet to be announced for that one, the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS coupe’s pricing starts at $22,995.
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