Sketch Competition #14 - Next-Generation Cobalt

[Flybrian]

Welcome to Sketch Competition #14!

The Cobalt is getting old. Well. No. Not entirely, though with the competition constantly evolving and GM's own sister divisions getting hot new products like Saturn's Astra, it doesn't seem like a mere three years have gone by. Its not arguable that the current Cobalt brought Chevrolet into a level playing field in the crowded small compact market, but aside from the supercharged SS coupe, the rest of the line seems little more than competent.

Let's change that.

Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to create the next generation of Chevrolet small car. Remember that the Cobalt should remain tidy in exterior dimensions, but the rest is up to you. Small cars come in a plethora of bodystyles from 2-door coupes to five-door wagons and everything in between. Maybe you want to sketch a hot factory tuned sportcoupe or a forward-thinking sedan. It may even be time to resurrect the spirit of the Cavalier convertible for a fun little ragtop. Do with it what you wish and use existing Chevy design cues or make up new ones of your own. Your sketch should include at minimum 2 (two) of the following:

-3/4 Front View
-3/4 Rear View
-Interior View

Remember, people will be voting based on the overall presentation of your entry, so the more views, the better, including ones not specifically listed above. Also, if you want to include special features, by all means point them out!

Aside from 800x600 size guidelines, remember this must be a Chevrolet vehicle.

The winner will recieve a GM-related prize!

Deadline is Friday, February 23rd @ 11:59PM your local time.

Good luck!

[MRDETROITMETAL]

Nice concept...im thinkin RWD on this one .

[Peugeot_206]

Nice concept...im thinkin RWD on this one .

Ummn.......... unless it's riding on a different platform, the Delta Platform doesn't handle RWD..........

[rjbartrop]

Here's a sketch for a sport coupe version.

[Peugeot_206]

Nice! Remindes me of the Beretta.

[Sixty8panther]

Ummn.......... unless it's riding on a different platform, the Delta Platform doesn't handle RWD..........

So ditch Delta. Throw it in the dumpster and come up with your own idea.

It's just a sketch, we're not asking GM to invest money in it. I for one

would love to see GM go 95% RWD with FWD being only for the TINY little

Korean based econoboxes. AWD optional (rear bias) in most everyhing.

[MRDETROITMETAL]

So ditch Delta. Throw it in the dumpster and come up with your own idea.

It's just a sketch, we're not asking GM to invest money in it. I for one

would love to see GM go 95% RWD with FWD being only for the TINY little

Korean based econoboxes. AWD optional (rear bias) in most everyhing.

Aye Capitan !....FWD can walk der plank !...off with it to Davy Jones says I.

RWD/AWD Cobalts comin UP !

[rjbartrop]

Aye Capitan !....FWD can walk der plank !...off with it to Davy Jones says I.

RWD/AWD Cobalts comin UP !

My two cents:

True, you can design any kind of platform you want, and maybe there are some performance benefits to driving the rear wheels over the front. we are talking about a relatively inexpensive vehicle whose primary purpose is to get your body, and a number of friend, relations, and/or significant others from one place to another as efficiently as possible. You want to make the most efficient use of the limited interior space available, and for better or worse, right now that means front wheel drive. Cars like the Mini Cooper, and the Golf GTI show that desirable performance cars and FWD are not mutually exclusive. Making a fun, desirable car for the everyman, is certainly more of a challenge compared to something that retails fo rhte price of a house, but I think it's a worthy challenge.

Just something to think about.

Edited February 7, 2007 by rjbartrop

[Zulehan]

I think FWD is definitely viable for affordable, practical performance. But to get back on topic, I will be trying to design one for this. I like yours rj, even if it's a little 80's.

[MRDETROITMETAL]

RWD.....FWD, no matter to me really, tho I prefer RWD personally, so heres one for each :

Cobalt LS Coupe

Cobalt SS "Monza" edition Coupe

[rjbartrop]

Looks good. The top one reminda me of a Camaro, which is not a bad thing at all.

[rjbartrop]

Here's a sportwagon/hatch version of my sport coupe design. The idea was a compact version of the Dodge Magnum, though I keep getting this nagging feeling that I've reinvented the Gremlin.

[Turbojett]

MUahahahahaaaaaaa...

Edited February 10, 2007 by Turbojett

[Burns]

[Cory Wolfe]

I suppose I'll give this one a shot. I have many ideas, just not sure how I want to put them on paper...

[ocnblu]

Pencil?

[Intrepidation]

[silverss/sc]

Heres where I want the Cobalt to go . To be real I used GM's own concept cars to make this one . The sedan needs to be bigger , so this one is about in between a Jetta and Focus size wise . I chose to do Sema type versions .

Cross the Volt with the WTTC rally car =

Edited February 13, 2007 by silverss/sc

[Peugeot_206]

Here's my Contest sketch (still a WIP)

blew my mind that I could do something like this.

It's partly WTCC , and partly current cobalt and silverss/sc's volt/WTCC sketch.

Here it is, the Cobalt SSC (super sport supercharged)

232HP, AWD, I-4 ecotec.

Sport Model gets only 173HP, and FWD (AWD is an option on all model grades) (173 is in the current N/A cobalt)

LS, LT and LTZ gets the Current 148 Ecotec.

[Peugeot_206]

Cobalt LTZ Rear Shot....... (a WIP)

[Autoholic217]

Heres where I want the Cobalt to go . To be real I used GM's own concept cars to make this one . The sedan needs to be bigger , so this one is about in between a Jetta and Focus size wise . I chose to do Sema type versions .

Cross the Volt with the WTTC rally car =

That has my vote

[GMan]

Edited February 17, 2007 by GMan

[Burns]

i hope you like!

[ZL-1]

Heres where I want the Cobalt to go . To be real I used GM's own concept cars to make this one . The sedan needs to be bigger , so this one is about in between a Jetta and Focus size wise . I chose to do Sema type versions .

Cross the Volt with the WTTC rally car =

That's pretty neat! It gets my vote.

[dwightlooi]

-- Deleted --

I decided to add interior view, make some minor tweaks to the front view and change the accompanying text somewhat.

Please see the new entry.

Edited February 21, 2007 by dwightlooi

[Flybrian]

Wow. When I read that, I thought you posted it in the wrong forum - as in, that's real data not a concept. Impressive work!

[Supremus]

Your presentation is very sharp.

But your design... I dunno, seems similar to what Ford made with the 2008 Focus: it's different from the previous one, but you still can see the old car in some areas. And this is supposed to be a new generation. But it would be a great MCE.

[american_revolution_2005]

Very good presentation. Change the grille and rear shape in front view. Rear decklid looks too boxy and that grille makes it look like a Prius.

[matt41]

Very good presentation. Change the grille and rear shape in front view. Rear decklid looks too boxy and that grille makes it look like a Prius.

I thought the same exact thing. Amazing presentation. How'd you DRAW that, though? What program wa sused (if any?) Looks great.

[NOS2006]

Not what I was hoping for, but I'm entering.

[dwightlooi]

2009 Chevy Cobalt SS coupe – A Design Study

Design Details

The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt design conveys a strong, modern and sporty stance. The lines are uncluttered and flow smoothly from one geometric entity to another. There is no boundary line or curve that does not line up with another feature. The roofline is a swooping all glass green house flanked by uninterrupted front to back arches. The lower ends of both the front and rear windscreens are recessed in a display of solidity and strength. The recessed front windscreen treatment also eliminates the need to expose a big swath of black plastic between the hood and the windscreen.

The front fascia is deliberately given long, relatively narrow, openings to widen the apparent stance of the car to counter the somewhat tall and narrow nature of the Delta platform. The headlights firmly anchor corners and are fitted with a projector low beam and complex reflector high beam. The crystal turn signal lights penetrate down into the upper bumper for an added touch of aggressive candor. There is no ornate grille, and chrome makes an appearance only as a thin strip on the lip of the hood. Both the upper and lower grilles have airfoil shaped lower lips to convey a sense of aerodynamic refinement. In the SS model, the lower grille proudly displays the front mounted intercooler. It is also flanked by a pair of integrated fog lamps and the brake cooling intake accommodations whose lines flow into those of the main headlights.

The flanks of the car feature a pair of side vents which originate from the part line between the front fender and the door for minimum clutter. A pair of body colored vertical strips serve as a gentle punctuation for these slender but functional excavators and the car proudly wears the GM emblem squares just ahead of the top of these strips. The side view mirrors feature integrated turn signals. But, apart from these subtle touches, the waist of the car is left clean cut and unadorned by extraneous trinkets.

The rear of the car preserves some styling heritage from the out going Cobalt in the overall shape of the tail lights. The strong, vertical backup lamps mirror the turn signals in the front of the car in their placement and disposition. Perhaps the most unique feature is the inward facing dual exhaust outlets which vent sideways into the diffuser channel. The car does not don any wings or spoilers as these are not deemed necessary or complimentary for a car that is already conspicuously sporty.

The interior of the car retains the GM corporate switchgear, but the center console adopts a 2 tiered layout to improve on knee room -- the lack of which is a problem which current Delta vehicles suffer from. The seats are well bolstered and feature a separate low density cushion for forward thigh support. The steering wheel is an evolution of 3-spoke affair now common on GM vehicles -- paddle shifters are fitted on automatic transmission equipped cars. Following the uncluttered theme of the car's exterior, the cabin is kept simple and sleek with flowing lines that line up various utilitarian features. The cockpit is largely unadorned other than for the single lacquered chrome or walnut strip that wraps around from the doors across the dash.

The 2009 Cobalt also debutes GM's new hi-fidelity audio system which is standard on the LTZ and SS models. A total of 9-speakers, an external DAC and an integrated amplifier comprise the new Delco Monsoon Stereo. The dash unit is identical to non-monsoon equipped cars, but a little red symbol indicates the presence of this premium audio setup. Hi-fidelity sound is delivered via four 1" silk dome tweeters, four 4" polypropylene mid-bass and a single 8" sub-woofer, all using neodymium drivers. Attention was paid to speaker placement and performance. Unlike most cars, both the tweeter and the mid-bass drivers are angled towards the occupants. The door panel also integrates a proper speaker enclosure with acoustically dimensioned speaker housings. In the case of the mid-bass driver, the enclosure is a reflex design with a tuned port in the door pocket area. The low frequency air driver is hidden under the rear shelf in another a reflex type enclosure with two a serpentine reflex ducts spanning the rear shelf and terminating in a pair of trumpeted reflex ports on the C-pillars. The resonant frequencies of this housing and ductwork were carefully measured and neutralized using a trio of Helmholtz resonators attached to the duct work. The entire setup is driven by in integrated 25watts x 4 + 50 watts x 1 channel (RMS) amplifier under the dash console. High quality digital-to-analog conversion is handled by an external DAC integrated with the amplifier receiving undecoded digital output from the standard head unit. This external DAC uses a Burr-Brown PCM1794 Advanced Segment 24-bit 192kHz DAC chip with a signal to noise ratio of 132 dB.

Technical Details

Despite some early speculation that a rear-drive Cobalt may be created by GM, the lack of an existing compact RWD platform and the 2009 dateline ensured that these remained nothing but unfounded rumors. The 2009 Cobalt is based on an evolution of the Delta architecture that underpins the current Cobalt, G5, and Astra. The enhancements include a die cast magnesium cross beam, tailored thickness/strength sheet steel and increased use of laser welding. Torsion rigidity is up 18% and bending rigidity is up 12%. Quiet steel is employed in the firewall and around the sub-frame mountings. Like before, the car is suspended by struts up front and a twist beam axle in the rear. However, the front suspension now features forged aluminum lower control arms.

At 2870 lbs for the base model and 3057 lbs for the turbocharged SS, the new Cobalt is not a fly weight automobile. This is remedied by a choice between pair of very capable engines. The base model through the deluxe LTZ is powered by a direct injected version of the 1.8 liter Ecotec Inline-4 making 150 hp @ 6200 rpm and 135 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm. Thanks to direct injection, this engine is perfectly happy with a diet of 87 octane gasoline despite a lofty compression ratio of 11:1. Driving enthusiasts however will be pleased with the availability of the SS model with a direct injected and turbocharged 2.0 liter engine similar to that used in the Pontiac Solstice GXP. The 2.0 Ecotec SIDI Turbo produces 260 hp @ 6000 rpm and 228 lb-ft from a rock bottom 2000 rpm to an impressive 5950 rpm. For this front-drive application, the torque rating of the engine had been deliberately lowered to minimize torque steer. A revised turbo enables the lower torque output to be maintained up to a higher engine speed to produce the same horsepower as the Solstice engine. Both engines are mated to the new Hydramatic 6T70 6-speed automatic transmission. The Cobalt SS also offers a 6-speed manual as a no cost option. An open differential is employed with the 1.8 liter engine, whereas a Quaife helical automatic torque biasing (ATB) differential is installed in all turbocharged SS models.

All Cobalt models are fitted with front and rear disc brakes with ABS. Traction and stability control is standard on the SS and optional on other trim levels. The SS model also feature larger ventilated disc brakes (13.1” front, 12.3” rear) grabbed by beefier 2-piston floating calipers. 16 x 6” rolling stock with 205/55 HR16 Goodyear Assurance TripleTred tires is standard on non-SS models. The SS is fitted with 255/40 WR17 Eagle F1-GSD3 tires on 17x8.5” alloy wheels in front, but carries narrower 225/45 WR17 Eagle F1-GSD3 rubber in the back.

0-60 mph in the SS is estimated at 5.8 seconds with the automatic transmission and 6.2 seconds with the manual. From a drag launch, the ¼ mile mark is expected to be reached in 14.4 seconds at about 96 mph. EPA fuel economy is estimated at 21 mpg City, 28 mpg on the highway.

Edited February 21, 2007 by dwightlooi

[the_yellow_dart]

dwight has my vote

[rjbartrop]

OK, here's my official entry, prettied up in Photoshop.

[Spacecowboy]

Hi! Been watching these contests for some time. Never joined in- 'til now. So here it is.

[Spacecowboy]

Didn't scan as well as I'd hoped. Oh, well.

[dimitri0917]

I know I should save this for the voting thread, but Dwightlooi, that is amazing... not so much cuz of the car, but the obvious effort and quality is AMAZING!

[prototype66]

Are GM employees allowed to enter stuff from HQ? jk

really dude, what program do you use, that is a very professional presentation.

I do like the new front end treatment.

Edited February 22, 2007 by prototype66

[dwightlooi]

I don't want to clog up this presentation thread so I am going to be brief...

(1) The designs were manually drawn in Adobe Photoshop using a graphics tablet. Mainly the pencil, line, brush, marque and fill tools were used.

(2) I did not intend this to be an extravagant "concept" car, but rather something I envision to be as close to production reality as possible. The wheel spacings and other proportions are based on the "real" Cobalt so, it is proportionally and perspectively very accurate for the Delta platform which I believe the 2009 car will use.

(3) The styling is, simply put, centered around the sleek, clean and simple elegance of a high level of coherence between understated but highly aligned elements. I deliberately avoided "loud" styling themes, monster grilles and/or exaggerated proportions which are more frequently polarizing and/or offensive than anything else. Personally, I like designs like the A4, E60 5-series, G35, G6 (non-GXP), Solstice, TL and IS250/350. I do not like the G6 GXP, the new Camaro, the Chrysler 300, the Mustang or the Lincoln MKR concept.\

(4) There is a blooper in the instrument cluster animation if you haven't noticed. The speedo space went from 140 to 180 instead of the correct 20 unit step between each numbering. I screwed up, and I realized it AFTER I have already created over 40 of the 50 or so frames of the animation. I was just too lazy to go back and change it and redo the already finished frames, so I let it be.

Edited February 23, 2007 by dwightlooi

[Flybrian]

One more day, gentleman. Get those entires in!

[Zulehan]

You know, given the extra day I was going to enter something, but I'm just not feeling it. Never really liked what they did with the Cobalt, and yeah that usually drives me to change things, but this time it just wasn't ruling out over the fact that there are two or three very impressive entries this time around. I'll surely be in the next one though.

[dart]

I think any use of Photoshop for a sketch competition should be banned. Whether Photoshop is used to clarify a hand-drawn entry or generate a line drawing embellished with shading tools, it should not be allowed. Either its apen or pencil to paper competition or its not. Can we have some clarification on the rules?

[rjbartrop]

It was my impression that using graphics programs to create your own images, as opposed to piecing together and modifying someone else's was allowed, going by Flybrian's posts here and here

Now if you want to restrict future competitions to pencil only, or have a competition just for computer rendering (as opposed to chopping), I'm good with that, but it looks to me like the rules are pretty clear on this.

Edited February 24, 2007 by rjbartrop

[NOS2006]

The rules have always been that if it's an original depiction, be it by pencil, pen, or graphic drawing machine, you are free to enter as long as the original template was a blank sheet. All entries may be modified with a graphics program, such as Photoshop. However, simply taking a picture and photoshopping it then removing the color is not a valid entry.

Every entry submitted looks fair to me.

[matt41]

Could I have an extention to Mon or Tues? Left my other drawings (interior, rear, ect.) elsewhere.

front view:

Edited February 23, 2007 by MarioBro88

[SuperSport623]

mariobro88, i gotta say.. your skills are improving!

[Peugeot_206]

I like everyone's entry.

Mariobro88, you really are improving.

Here's my final.

The Cobalt SSC (front)

And Cobalt LTZ AWD.

SSC gets AWD and 257HP.

[matt41]

here was the other stuff........

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Nose is too tall and the greenhouse is too small in the last one, but I gotta say, you are making progress so keep at it. The rear view actually isn't too bad.