GM Finally Releases Cobalt SS Sedan Pic

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by Dave05GTP

I am looking to get rid of my GTP to get a smaller, 4 door, still fun to drive, car that will get better gas milage. I thought the cobalt sedan ss turbo was going to be the answer. The problem is that it looks like an Enterprise Rent a Car special with bigger wheels. My guess is that this approx 20k car will cost $400+++ a month to lease. Without any style differences (or excitement) how do they expect the car to retain any resale value. I thought the HHR SS turbo would be great...have you taken a look at what it would cost to lease one of those .

Looks like I am leaning towards a Honda Civic SI...similar gas milage, performance, and cost around $320 a month to lease...because they hold their value better.

Similar performance? Huh? If you mean similar as in they can both do the highway speed limit, sure, but the Cobalt will hand the Civic Si its ugly, Pontiac Transport looking ass. Keep dreaming that that high-winding Civic is a performance car. 197hp is nowhere near 260hp...not to mention the 139lbft of torque is about half of what the Cobalt SS/TC puts out. If you see the Civic as a better performance car, then you aren't interested in performance.

[TheAstrolabe]

sedate to say the least. yeah it may whip you into the back of your seat, but it takes more than specs and horsepower to make a car appealing. Its still a dated looking sedan with interior made by Playskool. The biggest thing going for it is price...what i worry about is reliability down the road
Ill take a slower yet more attractive Mazda3 or CivicSI personally

[N8s07ss]

why'd they forget to put the rear grounding effects on it that the coupe has? The bumpers must be different I guess.
I think that would help a lot to lower the rear of the car so it doesn't look like it has the ground clearance of an SUV.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by TheAstrolabe

but it takes more than specs and horsepower to make a car appealing.

No kidding.

[prowlerjc]

I really like the understated looks of th sedan. I don't want the attention the boy-racer wing and ground effects bring.

[Dave05GTP]

Let me just start by saying that people are not buying Civic SI Sedans, VW GTIs, Mazda 3speeds, Subaru WRX STIs, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, etc... because the look like their boring siblings.

To all that say the love the sleeper look. I thought a sleeper was a boring everyday car that you make fast....not the factory. Maybe I am wrong.

I just think Chevy should have made the car different looking, if you are going to spend the bucks for a top of the line, performance model...it should look like it.

[blkwrxsti]

Originally Posted by Dave05GTP

Let me just start by saying that people are not buying Civic SI Sedans, VW GTIs, Mazda 3speeds, Subaru WRX STIs, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, etc... because the look like their boring siblings.

To all that say the love the sleeper look. I thought a sleeper was a boring everyday car that you make fast....not the factory. Maybe I am wrong.

I just think Chevy should have made the car different looking, if you are going to spend the bucks for a top of the line, performance model...it should look like it.

The cars you cite basically DO look like their boring siblings. Your point is the same that I've been making - it's not about how it looks in this segment. The reason that Cobalt carries so much negative baggage is the base versions. Making the cars look similar is also a good way to enjoy the halo benefits. Do you think Mitsu would sell any Lancers if it wasn't for the EVO? Besides, It's not like there's no difference between a run of the mill Cobalt and the SS:

vs.

A sleeper is any car that's faster than it looks, whether you made it that way or not. In this case, it helps that there are a million Cobalts on the road that look similar, but are WAY slower than this.

I for one agree with GMPD - don't spend any of my money on parts that don't make the car any faster. If I want a huge wing or a widebody kit, I'll go get them from GM accessories or JC Whitney. Also, if the Cobalt SS cost 25K because they needed $1500 worth of dress up, I'd probably prefer the Mazdaspeed 3 (mainly for functionality and refinement, not a "turbo wing").

Also, others have mentioned that there's a new one on the way in 2-3 years - implying that any money GM invested in developing an "appearance package" would probably have to be taken from the next gen car, and would have to pay for itself in 3 years. Sounds like a waste of money for customers - that's a surefire recipe for an expensive spoiler kit.

[Archangel]

Originally Posted by vandy0419

I have a feeling it will be a rebadged Astra

A Cobalt SS hatch sounds about right as long as it isn't a shameless re-badge. A re-badge like the lambda Cross-overs, not like the Cobalt-G5 re-badge. Imagine a Cobalt SS hatch competing against Mazdaspeed 3 and GTI all over car magazines.

[vandy0419]

Originally Posted by Archangel

A Cobalt SS hatch sounds about right as long as it isn't a shameless re-badge. A re-badge like the lambda Cross-overs, not like the Cobalt-G5 re-badge. Imagine a Cobalt SS hatch competing against Mazdaspeed 3 and GTI all over car magazines.

Well in the last 90 days, from what I heard from a Saturn rep at an auto show two weeks ago, Saturn is releasing the Astra RL with the LNF. Thing is, the Astra is being redesigned so it will probably have more curves than the one out now. Looking at the tail lights and everything, I have a feeling it will probably be a shameless rebadge and a new grille to go with the Chevy style.

I only assume it will be shameless because there isn't much variance now in the car where the Astra is really just the Astra from Europe. Unlike the Cobalt and G5, it's compatability of switching out the tails and stuff like that doesn't seem like it will happen.

I myself will probably stick with the Astra RL vs going for a Cobalt SS only because I owned an ION RL...loved how more rare they were than the Cobalt SS and I also own a 2008 VUE RL so just keep it going with a RL family

Oh, and as for the change, the rep wasn't sure if it would be released as a 2010 model or if it would make it as a late 2009 model, just like the release of the 08 Cobalt SS/tc is in the late part of the 08 model year.

[vandy0419]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

LMAO, maybe its different for me. But if I put 2500 down on a fully loaded turbo cobalt, I can buy it in 60 months for 315-320$/month, granted my family gets a GM discount....though if you take that away, it still only costs me ~350-360 TO BUY, not lease. Shouldn't leasing be cheaper than buying?

CobaltSS

No...you're wrong...leasing isn't always the cheapest way. There are so many factors that are taken into account with a lease. Also, he was looking at 15k miles a year lease. If you go on edmunds and do a valuation on your car, it will show the avg value and then all the positives and negatives. If you go beyond 12k a year, they factor in additional drop in value for mileage. GM does the same for how many miles are estimated to be put on a lease.

Also, even though there is no interest rate given...there is an implied interest rate when factored in. Then the ballpark figure of what the car will be worth at the end for a buyout option.

On the upside of a lease, once it is fulfilled...you're hands are washed of it unless there are penalties. If you are buying the car, you have to worry about how the auto market could change over that period of time and what kind of a hit you will have to take on it when selling it for something else.

[Beau]

"Its still a dated looking sedan with interior made by Playskool' - Yeah its, not a Malibu, or an Accord, but have you SEEN the interior of a new Civic? Its setup by a cross eyed guy.

"but it takes more than specs and horsepower to make a car appealing."
You mean like a short shift 5 speed, optional limited slip, and tuned suspension in a light sleeper chassis?

I know what you mean, the car isn't.... HOT, or really something somone would desire. Thats what I have my Supra for. But if I want to get 26 combined MPG I'm considering a 08 SS. Shrug, they aren't that bad looking.

[Jim Altemus]

Any idea when we'll be able to order one?

- Jim

[AmericanRevolution]

2004 GTO all over again. lol