Equal parts vroom and boom - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS

[91 s-10baja]

Fri Apr 22 2005
By Graeme Fletcher

GENERAL Motors' launch of the Chevrolet Cobalt -- and the Pontiac Pursuit -- was long overdue, as the company's popular Cavalier/Sunfire had remained essentially unchanged since 1992. Along with the more pedestrian versions of the Chevrolet comes the outrageous SS, a car that's equal parts vroom and boom.
The vroom part comes from a tailpipe that's only marginally smaller than a trash can and a 205-horsepower, supercharged engine. The boom is supplied by a 228-watt audio package (with seven Pioneer speakers) that gives the SS a "holy cow" quotient whenever it's cranked to the max.


For those really into the boom thing, well, you only have to max out the bass and the 10-inch subwoofer in the trunk makes the SS's whale-tail spoiler shake and shimmy like a belly dancer.

The Cobalt's look is equally loud -- the SS gets deeper front and rear air dams, rocker panel extensions and the aforementioned spoiler, which is not only a little over the top, it renders the rear-view mirror all but useless because of its size and position. To highlight the look, the tester came finished in a seriously vibrant coppery-orange paint job and large gunmetal grey wheels. It is a look not for the faint of heart.

However, if getting noticed is the name of the game, the Cobalt has real potential. Only something costing several times the coin comes close to garnering the attention the SS commands. The supercharged version of GM's 2.0-litre Ecotec engine means the SS never comes up shy when the gas pedal is prodded with enthusiasm. This can be chalked up to the low-end torque the engine slams to the pavement -- 200 feet-pounds that feels as though it's available from rev one. The nice part is that when passing a slower car, there is no need to downshift out of fifth gear.

The SS is as fast as it feels, requiring just 6.6 seconds to sprint to 100 kilometres an hour and 4.9 seconds to bridge the 80- to 120-km/h gap.

The GM transmission is also remarkably refined. True, the linkage feels a little too mechanical at times, but the throws are short and slick, the clutch is light and progressive and -- for the first time in a very long time in a GM -- the bite point is in the right spot.

As a result, what could have been a temperamental drive proved to be remarkably civilized, even at slow speeds. Indeed, the SS is as happy tooling about town as it is dragging away from a stoplight.

Braking comes from discs at all four corners and a decent anti-lock system.

While the stopping distances are commendably short (37.1 metres from 100 km/h), it is the system's performance in the extreme that impresses. Even after several back-to-back high-speed stops, the pedal remained firm under foot. Fade only began to surface after the fourth hard stab at the pedal -- again, a far cry from GMs of old.

Ditto the handling, as the SS acquits itself very nicely. Having a solid chassis, suitably stiff springs, well-controlled damping and large anti-roll bars means body motion is controlled, understeer is benign (it will understeer noticeably if liberties are taken) and the response to steering input is both fast and accurate.

The latter surprises given the electrical assist -- it usually leads to a lot of on-centre numbness.

Not to be left out are the oversized P215/45R18 performance tires. These things provide gobs of grip (although the supercharged motor still manages to light them up whenever the driver takes a fancy) and good straight-line stability.

Inside, the exterior's loud theme is, thankfully, muted. The tester's ****************pit was lined in basic black and accented with polished aluminum trim.

For those wanting bling, a two-tone interior is available.

It is also functional, at least up front. The leather buckets offer enough support and bolstering to keep the riders planted and there's enough adjustment to accommodate those with longer legs.

As for the instrumentation, it's complete and includes a boost gauge for the supercharger and a comprehensive trip computer that showed a test fuel economy average of 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres (26 miles per gallon).

Given the urgency with which the car was driven most of the time, this is pretty darned good. However, there is a cautionary note to add: Keep the boost gauge's needle pegged on the positive side of the dial for prolonged periods and you can actually see the gas gauge drop. The back seat, which is representative of most coupes, is best described as a convenient spot for the front passenger's luggage. Headroom and legroom are at a premium and getting back there requires limber limbs.

Despite the sporty nature of the SS, trunk space is generous at 14 cubic feet.

The Cobalt is a long-overdue addition to Chevrolet's portfolio -- the SS makes it more so. It wraps balanced handling, power and, for those with a love of life in the fast lane, a great turn of speed in an outrageously loud package.

If this is a harbinger of things to come, GM may not be as far out of touch with the automotive world as many analysts suggest.

-- CanWest News Service

The Specs

Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive sport coupe
Engine: 2.0L supercharged DOHC four-cylinder
Power: 205 hp 5,600 rpm; 200 ft-lbs of torque, 4,400 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires: P215/45R18 all-season performance
Price: base/as tested $24,995/$26,720
Destination charge: $930
Fuel economy: L/100 km 10.4 city (27 m.p.g.), 7.4 hwy (38 m.p.g.)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/aut...-3159810c.html