http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/d...Id=125288?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1.* They went from Super to Turbo, the peak torque went from 4000 down to 2000, it has launch control, runs a 1/4 in 14, still gets 22mpg, and an 'upshift without lifting' feature? all for $25k? Is GM finally becoming relevant again?
Wow. This a damned serious car. It seems like the no-lift shift feature acts as a sort of anti-lag setup. That's pretty amazing. And 600 test launches?! I feel like the best part about this car is that it's built to withstand anything that will be thrown at it. We, sadly, cannot say the same for the first bugeyes (just as an example). It's even got an LSD from the factory! Hell, I would buy one. Chevy finally got it right! Hopefully it'll stick around awhile.
that'll be the new srt for sure...cant wait to pull up to a light and get the "launch control" from them :nuts:
well, my friend was thumbing through an Ion Redline manual and it said something along the lines of 'when racing, one should add an extra quart of oil, then drain it when done racing.' ..ignoring whatever the reasons are for doing that, how often is it you see any factory manual remotely encouraging you to do anything even close to racing??
Hmmm good move for Chevy I guess. I am kinda over the FWD 4banger phase of my life, but I would much rather lose to a Cobalt than a Neon if I had a choice...
Finally they got on the bad wagon after a friggin' decade (or two)! Now all they need to do is put together a bulletproof awd system. Not bad on the launch control etc so they have been doing their homework, BUT still a FWD vehicle.
Unless they changed the seats in the car, who cares what else they did. The older Cobalts had the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in in a car.
Sounds like the new SRT to me. I had the same no-lift shifting in my SRT-4, but a 14 sec. quarter mile isn't THAT impressive. I'm glad they finally switched to a turbo with the SS. And I do give GM credit for seeing that there is still some intrest in cheap speed with a car and not a wagon. I'm just glad I drive a Legacy and don't get revved at all the time. Have fun all you wrx owners :rofl:
I thought you said the EcoTec motors were good engines Will? Same engine the Saturn Sky Redline and the turbo Soltice has.
Looks like an awesome car! I would buy one of these before I would buy an 08 wrx. Should be a decent autocross car also, with the way that GM performance has been supporting the Solstices.
yeah, with GM performance getting into club racing and the national autocross scene, there should be something good for the car. They had talked earlier that they would put out something new for the lower classes, where the Cobalt SS would go.
gearing looks great for autoX too! 260ft/lb of tq at 2000rpms = good 2nd gear that maxes out at 70mph:
Hummmm....think I'll pass, but that is much better that a SRT-4. Lets see how many will find on the HWY trying us out for size.
I believe I read about a engineering teams that was able to get 1000hp out of the block. They must have done something better there than the old QUAD-4. Actually its a completely different chassis. I've driven both; J-bodies and Delta platforms (cobalt and ion), and there is a WORLD of difference in competency.
ALL of them. Just like the SRT4. There will be as many of those in that environment as there are SRT4's. Legal=almost none. Illegal in school zones everywhere=nearly all of them.
not like I have anything else to do! Seriously tho, I only know of 1 SRT4 that autox's regularly....but alas they got rid of that for an S2000. Otherwise, I might see one or two occasionally, but never again. However, I always see them trying to run someone in the interstate, school zones, residential areas....ya know, that guy who's turbo spooled at 12mph? He was racing an SRT4 but the SRT4 was so fast that it make the WRX's turbo spool at 12mph and it went straight into the house.
It's still a Chevy Cobalt... But I'm sure a bunch of high school kids and/or McDonalds assistant managers will love the launch control and the aftermarket BOVs. It's a definite improvement though... I spanked one a couple years ago by a solid second at a drag strip (it got a high 14). If I HAD to buy a "street racing" FWDer, I'd probably go MS3.
I think it is pretty damn awesome. It is nice to see cars like this in the lower price range, with the STi getting close to 40k, and WRX being tamed down. I have always thought that the SRT4 was a cool car (not the first year with the open diff, but the ones with the lsd), and while a significant percentage of the owners were douches, they are really a bargain if you want a decently fast car in a straight line. Hopefully the Cobalt SS turbo car will do better in the handling department. -Brian
I saw one at the autoshow. Interior is crap but I guess it is still a neat car. I read somewhere that it is basically a Saab 9-3, no?
get a stage III upgrade and still have factory warranty, through some Race Gas in and select map, i have to say it is pretty badass for dodge to do something like that
I thought that Stage II let you keep the warranty, but Stage III voided it? I dunno, but those things were fast for a $20k car, and for the price, interior quality is secondary. As for the Cobalt, I am impressed with the Pontiac Solstice GXP in terms of usable power, and it seems to be the same powerplant in the new Cobalt SS. With the small turbo, it makes great tq down low: I do wonder how counterproductive it is having this tq going through a FWD car...
I thought that Stage II let you keep the warranty, but Stage III voided it? I dunno, but those things were fast for a $20k car, and for the price, interior quality is secondary. As for the Cobalt, I am impressed with the Pontiac Solstice GXP/Saturn Sky RL in terms of usable power, and it seems to be the same powerplant in the new Cobalt SS. With the small turbo, it makes great tq down low: I do wonder how counterproductive it is having this tq going through a FWD car...
Oh wow, I didn't realize the GXP had a twin scroll turbo... The upcoming GXP coupe has been on my radar. I guess we'll see about it when it's released.