We’ve recently touched on the idea Chevrolet is missing out on an important, budding segment, that being a compact sports car. Whether it be a hot hatchback or sport coupe, the bowtie brand is missing out.
In light of those statements, Winding Road recently completed a point-of-view drive featuring a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, and it reminds us the brand is completely capable of producing fun and powerful FWD compacts.
The 2009 Cobalt SS arrived with a 2.0-liter turbocharged LNF four-cylinder EcoTec engine, which produced 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Hardly numbers to scoff at from a compact economy car. Even if it wasn’t the prettiest thing to look at, and interior quality was quite meh, the Cobalt SS was a hoot to drive. Immediately, it became a rival for the cult-classic-status Dodge Neon SRT4.
We hope one day will receive a new pocket rocket from Chevrolet. In the meantime, we can remember the humble Cobalt SS.
Comments
This car is amazing! I’m a huge fan of it.
As I said on another article here, GM needs to get back into this segment. The Cobalt SS was a stout machine! Now GM, take that platform and apply it to a Cruze. I…and many others, want a Cruze SS with ~250-300hp and options like Recaro seats, Brembo brakes and AWD, all while keeping a STARTING price of ~$25k. If you make it, they will come! 🙂
Here is the problem. Do any of you remember how much the SS cost back in 2008-10?
While many here are wanting a starting price of $25K today the SS cost around $25-27K back in 2008 8 years ago on a old Delta platform Cobalt with a very cheap interior. No Recaro seats back then even at a higher price.
Sure VW pushes the GTI for less but it starts with few options and they push the price up with more and more options many other higher priced cars come standard with.
The SS here today is more in line with what the Golf R is today and it starts at $35K not the same class or price of a 200 HP GTI.
I own a SS and know what it is and how much they cost. To replace it today with something as good or little better will take $35K-$42K to get similar power and handling. Yes there are cheaper cars but they do not have all the trick parts and most have no where near the power over 300 HP.
Then comes the real issue. The Cruze is a nice car but still has not earned a rep for reliability and value yet even in standard form. Then you want to hop it up and expect people to pay $35K for one tuned properly? Well the Cruze is not there yet.
Now take an Opel OPC hatch. Bump it over 300 HP add AWD and sell it for $35K-38K and you may just get a really good car that would sell here as a Buick. This could at that price point have better seats, trim, AWD system and other trick parts a low balled Chevy would never get.
Here is the deal. It cost money to build a quality car. If you cheapen it up too much it is either not going to challenge the others in class with too little power and handling or it will be a warranty nightmare.
In the end it is better to spend a little more and get it right than go cheap and screw this up. If you screw this up it will do more damage and lead to an even longer time before they would try again.
I want these cars in the worst way but not to the point to screwing it up with a car just not done right.
Note you get over 300 HP you really need AWD as FWD sucks for traction. While many claim it is all great well you get over 300 in a small car like this it unloads the front end under acceleration and all the weight transfers to the rear. That is why when they drag race they drag wheelie bars to keep the nose on the ground.
Nope. Completely loaded, the 2009 SS cost ~$23,000-24,000.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/13/in-the-autobog-garage-2009-chevy-cobalt-ss-turbo/
that would $26,000 today
It would be over $30k today. You have to consider the content of the Cuze is much more expensive than the Cobalt as they raised the price much between the models.
Also inflation and the higher level of options today.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/. I used this so maybe I put the numbers in wrong
You have other factors as content and raw material cost with cars. Oil adds to price of plastics and rubber. Also Steel cost as they move to more expensive steal, Aluminum components.
In the case of the Cruze they added much better materials to the car and other higher priced features than the Cobalt had. It raised the price of the Cruze more than inflation.
Remember when it came out many claimed the Cruze would never sell at that price.
Case in point my Malibu 08 sold for $27K with all option sunroof and multi disc changer. Today that car would be the around $33K-34K with only the 2.0.
Also the average car is now $35K.
That is why I said a starting price of $25k. The Cobalt SS was $23-24K LOADED to the hilt. Start a stripped down Cruze SS at $25k, then offer a plethora of options. As stated, Recaros, Brembo brakes, Nav/Touch Screen Stereo, Sunroof, Leather?, AWD?, Auto w/ paddle shifters, etc.. Hell, the new 2017 Cruze Premier with the RS Package is priced ~$26-27k. Again, that is fully LOADED. A new stripped down Cruze LS can be had for ~$18k. Why could a stripped down Cruze SS not realistically start at $25k? It would get a younger generation to check out the Cruze because the 4 banger Turbo Camaro isn’t cutting it.
Base price was $23K but once you ordered all the parts the price was coming in at $26K.
Hell my HHR SS was priced similar and mine stickered at $27,898. Now I did not pay that much as I got the dealer down to $21,700 with end of year rebates, discounts and some negotiations.
There also was a sedan that was higher too.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2009-chevrolet-cobalt-ss-sedan-short-take-road-test
Note the test cars were not fully loaded.
The article states: Base price ~$24k Price as tested ~$25k. Again, I’m saying that a good starting point for a Cruze SS could be $25k. That is stripped down, bottom shelf, lowest tier, etc., etc., etc.. If you so choose, you can then add options to your liking to the tune of $35k if you wish. Your money, your car.
What is with the down votes on this site? LOL! The numbers are right there in black and white. That was the MSRP of the car in ’09.
Got my 2010 new (all options) for $22k. One of the last ones made.
I believe there are less buyers interested in performance cars these days than a few years ago. look at the sales of camaros and mustangs. the people who can afford a new car are looking for some type of SUV.
Some of it is less interest but there are other factors.
Higher cost, more competion fighting for less sales, high insurance, and other factors.
Scott3…Was the 2006-2007 Malibu SS any count? Are they worth aything near the other GM SS variants? I know the Cobalt and the HHR kinda over shadowed these cars with the turbo 2.0 but I was just curious about production numbers on the Malibu in relation to the other cars. I see SS Cobalts and HHRs way more than the Malibu versions. I have yet to get any useful data from GM, the Chevy dealer or the web on that. I just acquired an 07 Malibu SS that has the dealer installed HHR SS wheels and it looks sharp. And pretty dang quick for a mom car haha. And just about everyone that looks at it has never heard of an SS variant of the malibu. I have the window sticker and with options came out to almost 28k when new. Now they dont seem to be worth squat but i beg to differ. Thanks
I have never seen numbers on the last bu SS but it was modest.
The last bu SS was just a trim package with some sway bar work and some little larger tires.
The engine was nothing over standard and the brakes and most of the suspension bits were standard.
The Cobalt and HHR got special struts,shocks from Sachs. They got stronger control arms. Modest spring. Disc rear brakes. Bigger wheels. Also special interiors. Lowered and a few other tricks.
One limiting factor on the Cobalt was it was manual only and with so many today never have driven a manual would have limited sales.
The bu SS never was respected and most were used up and scapped. Not many would be restored.
the reason they don’t make engine upgrades as it requires a expensive govt certification tests and it does not pay unless there is a large market for the product
Yes and companies like VW and Ford can do it as they sell the same car globally vs. just the states where the Chevy will mostly be sold.
This is why the Opel OPC package would hold a better business case with Buick.
Put a 3.6 V6 in a sonic and awd and we would have a bad ass sonic ss