Six years and many a poor review later, the Chevrolet Cobalt is ending production this week at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio plant.

Based on GM’s global Delta platform, the Cobalt was introduced in 2004 and went on sale as a 2005 model year vehicle, replacing the (terrible) Chevy Cavalier. The Cobalt was never a true sales leader in its class but sold almost one million copies to date, surviving the bankruptcy of the old GM and many recalls. That’s not to say that the Cobalt was a terrible vehicle, especially in the all-mighty SS trim that yours truly adores.

And we can’t discuss the Cobalt without at least mentioning the old GM’s rebadging addiction: for a short while, the Cobalt also had the pleasure of wearing a Pontiac badge, carrying the G5 nameplate. Fortunately, it went away with the demise of the Pontiac brand last year.

Today, Chevy is getting ready to replace the venerable Cobalt with a much more solid vehicle – the Chevy Cruze. In fact, the Cruze is GM’s first truly global vehicle and will be available in the United States in multiple trim levels, including the RS and Eco packages. No words can explain how badly the entire GM Authority team is looking forward to the day that we can walk into a Chevy dealership and drive out in a Cruze. But while we wait for that to happen (GM tells us that the Cruze will be available by the end of the year), you can reminisce the Cobalt and check out the Cruze in the gallery after the jump.

[Source: Vindy.com]

2011 Chevrolet Cruze RS

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt