| Chevrolet Cobalt | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Manufacturer | General Motors |
| Production | 2005–present |
| Assembly | Lordstown, Ohio |
| Predecessor | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Class | Compact |
| Body style(s) | 2-door coupe 4-door sedan |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Platform | GM Delta platform |
| Engine(s) | 2.0 L Turbo LNF I4 2.0 L S/C LSJ I4 2.2 L L61 I4 2.4 L LE5 I4 |
| Transmission(s) | 5-speed F35 (MU3) manual 5-speed GETRAG F23 manual 4-speed 4T45 automatic |
| Wheelbase | 262.4 cm (103.3 in) |
| Length | 458.5 cm (180.5 in) (coupe) 457.9 cm (180.3 in) (sedan) |
| Width | 172 cm (67.9 in) |
| Height | 145 cm (57.1 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 49 litres (13 US gal/11 imp gal) |
| Related | Chevrolet HHR Saturn ION Pontiac G5 Opel Astra |
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced the Cavalier as Chevrolet's compact car. The Cobalt is intended to compete with compact cars like the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3. It is available as both a coupe and sedan and is based upon the GM Delta platform, along with the Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac G5, Saturn Astra, Opel Zafira (a seven seat van). All Cobalts are currently manufactured at GM's Lordstown Assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, Although the EPA lists the Cobalt as a subcompact, the Cobalt is still a compact car. In 2009, the Cobalt and its sibling, the Pontiac G5 will get a restyling, with production being moved to Mexico while GM Lordstown gets the next-generation, U.S.-spec Cadillac BLS, a Pontiac sibling, and a small crossover based on the next-generation Chevrolet Aveo.[1]
Contents |
Specifications
The front suspension is independent with MacPherson struts, while a semi-independent torsion bar is used in the rear. The wheelbase is 103.3 in (262.4 cm), longer than its competitors, and the width is 68.4 in (173.8 cm). Weight is average in-class, at 2681 lb for the coupe and 2747 lb for the sedan. (1216-1246 kg), and best EPA fuel economy is 25 mpg–U.S. (9.41 L/100 km / 30 mpg–imp) city/34 mpg–U.S. (6.92 L/100 km / 40.8 mpg–imp) highway. The car is notable for its use of an electric power steering system developed by Koyo Seiko, rather than a conventional hydraulic system. It is built at the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio.
Year-to-year changes
- 2006: A non-supercharged Cobalt SS was added to the lineup. This car is equipped with a 2.4 L naturally-aspirated Ecotec inline-4. The LS became the base model while the LT was marketed as a mid-range package; the top level trim was now the LTZ. In addition, as with most other GM vehicles that year, GM's Mark of Excellence symbol was added to both front fenders near the doors.
- 2007: Both engines were retuned for more power while retaining the same fuel economy. The 2.2 L Ecotec is now rated at 148 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) with the 2.4 L Ecotec rated at 173 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW). Other changes include a new console, new steering wheel and new radio head unit that features an audio input jack. In addition, all models except the LS and LT1 now use a 5x110 wheel bolt pattern. The LS and LT1 retained the standard 4x100. In addition, the 2007 model year marked the introduction of a new 32-bit computer that replaced the 16-bit unit from 2006.
- 2008: Supercharged SS dropped from the model lineup, while the SS coupe and SS sedan were renamed to "Sport Coupe" and "Sport Sedan" respectively. XM Radio, side-impact air bags for improved safety, and MP3 player are now standard instead of options. StabiliTrak stability control system introduced. Other changes include the adding and removing of several exterior and interior colors. GM will be releasing the Cobalt as an SS package with a 260 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) turbocharged engine (LNF) rather than the Supercharged engine (LSJ) from 2005-2007.
Performance
The Cobalt is available with the SS performance package. There are two engine choices: the naturally-aspirated 2.4 L Ecotec rated at 173 bhp (130 kW) and the 2.0 L supercharged Ecotec engine rated at 205 bhp (153 kW). GM currently offers dealer-installed performance upgrade packages called "stage kits" that are covered by factory warranty. The Stage 1 kit consists of new fuel injectors and a reprogram of the ECU, and yields up to a 30 bhp (22 kW) improvement. The Stage 2 kit consists of new fuel injectors and the same reprogram with a smaller serpentine belt and pulley for the supercharger, producing a 40 bhp (30 kW ) improvement and 30 ft·lbf (40 Nm) of torque. Both stage 1 and 2 kits increase the engine redline to 7000 rpm. The Stage 3 kit consists of a smaller, 76 mm (2.79 in) supercharger pulley, a 2-pass intercooler end plate and a customizable replacement ECU. The Stage 3 ECU allows for the use of a 50-shot of nitrous, 100 octane fuel and an adjustable redline from 6750 to 8000 rpm. Stage 3 produces 248 bhp using 93 octane fuel, up to 260 bhp using 100 octane fuel, and much higher bhp with nitrous. Stage 3 is for off-road use only, and to emphasize this, air conditioning is disabled with the Stage 3 ECU.
 Chevrolet Cobalt LS sedan |
 Chevrolet Cobalt LTZ sedan |
 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS sedan |
 Chevrolet Cobalt SS/SC |
Engines
| Years | Engine | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | 2.2 L Ecotec L61 I4 | 148 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 155 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
| 2007-present | 2.2 L Ecotec L61 I4 | 148 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 155 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
| 2005–2007 | 2.0 L Ecotec LSJ S/C I4 | 205 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 200 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
| 2006 | 2.4 L Ecotec LE5 I4 | 171 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 163 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
| 2007-present | 2.4 L Ecotec LE5 I4 | 173 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 163 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
| 2008-present | 2.0 L Ecotec LNF Turbo I4 | 260 hp (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" kW) | 260 ft·lbf (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" N·m) |
Sales
| Model Year | Sales |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 212,667 |
| 2006 | 211,450 |
Racing
Chevrolet Cobalts are currently used in the KONI Challenge Series.
References
External links
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