![]() The Stage 1 package reflashed the factory ECU and increased the injector size for a 235-horsepower output. Nearly from the beginning, GM Performance Parts offered dealer-installed Stage kits to boost the power of the supercharged engine without voiding the factory warranty. Wheelspin and torque steer were present, but thanks to a price of less than $22,000, most everyone seemed to agree that the good outweighed the bad in this new GM pocket rocket. It easily clicked off sub-6-second zero-to-60 times in contemporary reviews, and was roundly praised for its taut handling and stout engine. The little coupe was quite a dynamic improvement over the ordinary Cobalt. A gigantic spoiler was standard equipment, as on many sport compacts at the time. Available options included a Quaife mechanical limited-slip differential and Recaro seats in the available Performance Package. How did the SS’s equipment differ from a regular Cobalt’s? It sported unique, stiffer suspension tuning, larger anti-roll bars, and 18-inch forged alloy wheels. Behind the Euro-sourced engine was a five-speed transmission, which was also cribbed from various European GM cars–including the Saab 9-5. For packaging reasons, a liquid-to-air intercooler with a separate coolant reservoir handled charge cooling. It was similar to the one used in the Saab 9-3 since 2002, but with supercharging instead of a turbo. Under the hood was a sweet 2.0-liter Ecotec engine. The first out of the gate was the 205-horsepower Supercharged Coupe. The Cobalt SS badge actually graced three very different cars. Even if few Cobalt buyers understood its history, the Super Sport name carried some historical weight. Chevy entered that ring by giving the Cobalt a youthful kick, creating a series of enthusiast-targeted models under the Cobalt SS nameplate. 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. For most consumers, Chevy’s Cavalier was a totally forgettable denizen of rental car fleets and subprime borrowers. ![]()
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