Other manufacturers were already offering sporty variants of their compacts–cars like the Sentra SE-R, Civic Si, Neon SRT-4, SVT Focus, and even the Evo and WRX. While it was a good start, what the Cobalt really needed was a dose of excitement. In the “minuses” column, the Cobalt’s bland styling was panned, and the interior design and materials were stuck firmly in the Old GM world of cost-cutting and (lack of) product design. Initial reviews were promising: Here was a car that could possibly compete on equal footing with imported compacts. It wasn’t a bad engine, though perhaps it wasn’t as technologically advanced as some competitors’ powerplants. The base 2.2-liter Ecotec carried over from the Cavalier. Like the outgoing car, the Cobalt came in coupe and sedan form, although a convertible was not offered. It was also the basis of the promising Saturn Ion. This was an all-new design to replace the aging Cavalier, endowed with a bit of international DNA: It shared a platform with Holden, Vauxhall and Opel. When the bowtie brand unveiled the new Delta-platform Cobalt for 2005, reviewers were understandably cautious. Sure, there were a few half-hearted attempts at making a Cavalier that was also fun to drive, but there were a lot more flops than successes. For more than 20 years, the nameplate graced ever more downmarket cars as its technology and styling failed to keep up. The Roots-type Eaton blower pumped 12 psi of boost, and that translated into a respectable mid-range torque.For most consumers, Chevy’s Cavalier was a totally forgettable denizen of rental car fleets and subprime borrowers. Under the hood, Chevrolet installed a supercharged 2.0-liter unit. At least, the white dials for the speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge looked better than the regular Cobalt's dials. The material's quality was not top-notch at all, but it was functional. At the front, the Cobalt featured a simple, almost bland, dashboard design. But they were not the kind of seats someone would trust during a high-speed cornering situation. Inside, the carmaker installed bucket seats at the front with some bolstering on the sides and an SS stitching on their seatbacks. The designers installed round taillights in the back and a big wing on the trunk to complete the sporty image. Its raked windshield and sloped rear window enhanced the dynamic look of the car. Behind that, the intercooler was easy to spot by a trained eye. The aggressive bumper design with an A-shaped mesh-grille in the middle flanked by a pair of fog lights was a promise for something sportier. The tear-shaped headlights flanked the one-slat grille at the front. It was a coupe with long lines, compact size, and an arched roofline. It was on par with the Dodge Neon SRT and the Civics and Celicas. But the Cobalt SS was not a slow car in its segment. That badge alone meant something for Chevy fans, and it shouldn't be wasted on a slow vehicle just to speed up its sales. Chevrolet introduced a more potent version for its compact-coupe Cobalt in 2005, trying to beat the Civic Coupe and the Toyota Celica.Ĭhevrolet waited for a few years before introducing the Cobalt Coupe SS (Super Sport).
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