No more Chevy Cobalt blues

The Germans have their VW GTI, the Brits have their Mini Cooper S (which, coming from BMW, might also be construed as Teutonic, but, hey, the British royal family name used to be Saxe-Coburg) and the Japanese have their Mazdaspeed3. But now the Stars and Stripes is fluttering with fresh automotive pride — Chevrolet has revamped its Cobalt SS.

No ironic sense of humor required here. The 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS has a new turbocharger for its 260-horsepower 2.0-liter engine, an all-new suspension that was tuned on one of the world’s most demanding tracks (Germany’s Nürburgring), high-quality Brembo brakes up front and a highly reasonable sticker price of $22,995. Add a limited-slip differential, for only $495 extra, and the Cobalt SS becomes one of the best-handling compacts on sale today.

The standard price includes those smart 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control and side-impact air bags. An additional $195 scores the flashy rear wing. Sports seats liven up the interior, along with an A-pillar–mounted turbo boost gauge.

The car’s impressive 5.7-second zero-to-60-mph time is helped by a "no-lift-shift" function, a kind of launch control that lets the driver keep his or her foot on the throttle from standstill and change up to second without using the clutch. The transmission is programmed to dip the clutch momentarily to allow the shift. This is an unusual feature, especially on a car in this price bracket. Cobalt SS, we salute you.

— Colin Ryan

Photo: General Motors

Comments

[G Walker]

Well, as the VW (Golf) GTI is German, and so is the MINI, then so too is the Cobalt. Based as it is in body and mechanicals on the Opel Astra. Maybe the Germans and Japanese are the only people to be trusted with automotive engineering.

[H. Cheung]

Sounds like a nicely engineered car. What a shame the styling is so bland - from the company which makes Corvettes?

[Dave Zaccagnino]

Sorry, G Walker, the Cobalt SS has NOTHING to do with the Opel Astra. You may be confusing the Cobalt with the new SATURN Astra, which comes from the same factory in Brussells. But the Cobalt is about as all-American as they get. And what's with the ignorant comment abou trusting only the Japanese and Germans?!?!