VIDEO: 2008 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbo runs the ring
For you Cobalt fans, GM race driver and director of high-performance vehicle operations, John Heinricy, gives the 2008 Cobalt SS Turbocharged a sound thrashing on the Nurburgring. Even better, he talks you through it for much of the way. There's an interlude where he gets quiet, and if you didn't hear the car's tires squealing you'd think he was doing nothing more than going grocery shopping. So the car doesn't best the Nissan GT-R's lap time -- the track was wet, see -- but you can at least get a good idea of what the quite-capable Cobalt can do. That is, if you have a professional racer at the wheel. Follow the jump to check out the whole video.
[Source: GM Inside News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jeremy B 2:49AM (1/30/2008)
I no its a lil late but: Thank u Thank u THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have had enough of most of u so-called car enthusiasts downing chevy cuz of its more flexible use of the SS badge!!! On the other hand, i have also had enough of u chevy, always not putting enough elbow grease into bringing the SS out of a vehicle!!! Every single model chevy made could have an SS for all i care, as long as they have more than a 25HP boost and autostick!!! The cobalt SSTC is a goog example of the improvement of what im talkin about! There could have been an equinox SS, another malibu SS, hell even an Uplander SS!! As long as chevy makes the SS what it supposed to be, thats all that matters!! And another thing, okay so FWD may not be the best thing in the world, u people act like a FWD vehicle turns a vehicle inside out!! I've been holdin that in for a while, and figured that it needed to be said. Dont get me wrong, all hail the new G8, and i pray that they improve of a RWD impala, but there is nothin wrong with the grand prix or the current impala! I own a pearl white GP GXP on sum 22's with flowmaster exhaust, and i luv my whip! This cobalt looks like a good whip 4 my lil sis for her graduation present...
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Franz 2:44PM (1/20/2008)
I wonder what the "ring times don't mean anything" crowd and the "just because it has a good 'ring time doesn't mean it's a good car" crowd will have to say about this. The mere fact that all the major manufacturers use the Nurburgring for suspension development says a lot.
Oh, and this car doesn't look half bad on the 'ring either.
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zamafir 7:25PM (1/20/2008)
hopefully the same thing, otherwise they'd be 'flip flopp'n'
Sean Morris 2:57PM (1/20/2008)
Bow down to John Heinricy . Hes no joke of a driver.
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Tom Winch 11:09PM (1/20/2008)
Heinricy won the 2007 SCCA National Championship in Showroom Stock C class in a Cobalt SS.
TriShield 2:58PM (1/20/2008)
It's a shame about the styling on those, and the name.
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aman 2:58PM (1/20/2008)
I thought it was killed.
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MemphisNET 3:06PM (1/20/2008)
the super charger was killed. this is a turbo.
aman 6:51PM (1/20/2008)
there was a turbo? Since when?
Talisman 8:00PM (1/20/2008)
its brand new
Mr. Blake 3:06PM (1/20/2008)
Wow, the title of this article is funny.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 3:24PM (1/20/2008)
Stupid John Heinricy driving an FWD car as if it were a performance car. Doesn't he know anything? He should get on autoblog and get wise.
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Punkcrisis 7:50PM (1/20/2008)
This is a sub-compact market car never was it advertised as a sports car, so it being fwd is of no real concern, it is made to compete with the SRT-4 Caliber and the Mazadaspeed 3, and the WRX on some smaller level. To this degree I think GM has done a super job. My one question is have they brought in DI yet? If not then those horsepower and torque numbers are even more impressive. Gotta love the ecotec that's all I can say!
BigRedSpecial 9:18PM (1/20/2008)
Punkcrisis: Yes, this motor has DI; it's the engine from the solstice GXP/Sky redline turned sideways. The beautiful thing about it is it gets even better economy than the 2.4 ecotec(which gets better mileage than the 2.2 ecotec).
whofan 3:27PM (1/20/2008)
You know what what really sucks is if this were any ole car built by Toyota it would be praised as a great fun car to drive.
GM tries to give us something more than a vanilla compact car an people are ho hum about it.
Thank you GM for giving us the option of something more than the typicle Corolla.
A young person can buy a fun car thanks to you. The Cobalt blows the doors off Scion or whatever Toyota calls it.
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psarhjinian 5:11PM (1/20/2008)
::smallest violin playing just for GM fans::
On a serious note, the chassis isn't bad at all. I've driven the Ion Redline, which bears some similarity to this and it's a pretty good drive. About the only letdown was the dead-stick steering, which (hopefully) they've fixed by now.
It's not a Mazdaspeed3, or even a Focus SVT, in terms of pure sporting enjoyment (GM just can't do econocar chassis tuning like Ford can) but it's not bad, either.
hunterUnknown 8:03PM (1/20/2008)
You must be smoking something.
In case you've been absent from the car world for the past 10 years, Toyota hasn't had anything ring-worthy. What, are you talking about the AE86 Corolla? You must be out of your mind. That car is better known as a DRIFT car. And I don't even know how you compare a Cobalt SS to any Scion, and I own a Scion.
And also, in case you've ever read Autoblog, they'd never praise a Toyota. If a turbo tC was in this video instead, you'd see something along the lines of "Is this all Toyota could muster up? Where's the real sports car?" but it's an American car, so it reads sympathetically: "So the car doesn't best the Nissan GT-R's lap time -- the track was wet, see -- but you can at least get a good idea of what the quite-capable Cobalt can do."
So, once again, are you smoking something? Please have some kind of logic or reason behind your words. You make car enthusiasts look bad, as most commenters here do.
MAOR 3:30PM (1/20/2008)
GM listen and listen good. Great little car who's specs should line up well against the mazdaspeed3, GTI, SRT4. But cars are not purchased on specs alone. This particular budget performance crowd needs some style which all the SRT4 and Cobalt sorely lack. The GTI and mazda, while plain, look refined and solid. The Caliber SRT4 is just plain gaudy and nasty inside and out regardless of its budget perfomance value. The Cobalt is somewhere inbetween and thats a shame. We're rooting for you GM, but lose the chrome for G-d sakes and look and borrow from the design leaders like Audi (with their gorgeous upcoming A4, S5, R8) and give us cars that look as great as they drive. Great job so far on the Camaro! Though with gas prices headed where they are I really hope you have some great innovations to make those wonderful small blocks fuel efficient.
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Maxzillian 4:01PM (1/20/2008)
Chrome? Are you blind? Aside from bordering the logos, this car is devoid of chrome.
MAOR 4:05PM (1/20/2008)
For the record, I admire the cobalt's performance value, but am put off by its economy car design. The chrome comment was intended as a general comment regarding GM design not particualry this car. Look at the new ZR1 wheels, the new CTS, the Escalade, the Enclave, etc. In fact almost ALL new GM vehicles.