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FOR RELEASE: 2005-10-06 Besting a 600 HP Nissan Skyline and nitrous-charged Volkswagen Jetta BUTTONWILLOW, California - Timing is everything, and the timing of the new Cobalt SS Supercharged's introduction couldn't be better. As Chevy's new sport compact performance car debuts in dealer showrooms, it already has a record-setting pedigree. Driver John Heinricy piloted a race-prepared Cobalt SS Supercharged on a challenging road course at the Buttonwillow Raceway Park, besting both the legendary Nissan Skyline and the new Volkswagen Jetta by more than seven seconds. The Cobalt SS, which is based on Chevy's new factory-built front-wheel-drive Super Sport, posted a time of 1:58 around Buttonwillow's #13 track configuration, which was fast enough to eclipse the marks set by the All-Wheel-Drive, twin-turbo Skyline (2:05) and the nitrous-charged Jetta (2:07). "It was an absolute blast to run the Cobalt SS flat-out on the Buttonwillow track," said Heinricy, current SCCA driving champion and GM Performance Division's Director of High Performance Vehicle Operations. "GM Performance Division and the Powell Motorsports crew gave me a perfectly prepared car, and the Ecotec engine ran flawlessly." A television crew from Speed Channel's Street Tuner Challenge was on hand to direct the day's competition at the track. The Street Tuner Challenge chose three vehicle makes representing North America (Chevrolet Cobalt SS), Europe (Volkswagen Jetta) and Asia (Nissan Skyline) and followed each team throughout a 13 week build competition. The Cobalt build team was comprised of engineers and designers from the GM Performance Division and Powell Motorsports, while the Nissan Skyline was built by XS Engineering and the Jetta was assembled by Autobahn Designs. The final time attack race served as the build completion and the culmination of Speed Channel's taping. For program times, please check Speed Channel's web site at http://www.speedtv.com. The production Cobalt SS Supercharged has strong performance credentials in factory trim. Powered by a supercharged and intercooled 205-horsepower, 2.0-liter Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine and equipped with a tenacious suspension developed on Germany's famed Nurburgring race track, the production Cobalt SS Supercharged will bring more heat to the already red-hot sport compact segment. GM Performance Division created the Cobalt SS for this time attack competition to demonstrate the ultimate capabilities of the four-cylinder, supercharged Ecotec engine and Chevy's new front-wheel-drive "tuner" car. The program was led by the GM Performance Division, in collaboration with Chevrolet, GM Powertrain, GM Performance Parts, and GM Design. Powell Motorsports, in Blackstock, Ontario, Canada provided vehicle preparation and logistical support for the successful assault on the time attack. "The Cobalt SS surpassed every expectation we had going into this competition," said GM Performance Division Executive Director Mark Reuss. "We came to Buttonwillow to demonstrate the performance and reliability of the Ecotec engine on one of the most demanding tracks in the world. The Cobalt SS, driver John Heinricy, and the entire team performed to the highest standards. We're out here to be the best, and today we proved that Chevy and GM race to win." Enthusiasts will be able to catch a live glimpse of the Time Attack Cobalt SS Supercharged this November at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. It will also run on Tuesday, November 8, 2005 in Super Street magazine's Time Attack at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Time Attack Cobalt SS Supercharged Specifications Body/chassis structure: Uni-body Body material: Two sided galvanized steel, carbon fiber doors, hood, decklid, rear wing, front splitter, roof Chassis material: Two sided galvanized steel, carbon fiber roof Suspension Front: Macpherson strut, no front bar, increased spring rates, Ohlins adjustable struts Rear: Twisting beam with adjustable sway bar, increased spring rate, Ohlins adjustable shocks Wheels: 9.5 x 18, 9.5 x 17 Tire size Front: 245 40 17 Rear: Same as front Tire brand: Hoosier DOT Brakes: 111.6 / 296 x 1.02 / 26; vented discs front 0.6 / 270 x .55 / 14; solid discs Powertrain Engine: ECOTEC LSJ Supercharged With Stage 2 Kit: Larger injectors, 77.9 mm pulley Engine displacement (cu. in / cc): 2000 cc Horsepower maximum (hp / kw): 265 hp (SAE) Torque maximum (lbs-ft / Nm) 270 lb-ft Transmission: F35 5 spd mt with 4.45 final drive Dimensions Height (in / mm): 55.7 Length (in / mm): 180.3 Width (in / mm): 67.9 Wheelbase (in / mm): 103.3 Track Front/rear (in / mm): 57.1/58.1 nominal Weight (lbs / kg): 2300 lbs From GM.Com

perhaps the product cant come out soon enough to help the giant... how much cash does the company have again? in may it was around 20 billion, with a 1 billion dollar loss 2nd quarter, we are looking at 19 billion, add 650 million for Suburu, almost back up to 20 Billion, Assuming it does another 1 billion loss in 3rd quarter, down to 19 billion... ohh yea had to seperate ties with Fiat, when did that happen? are we down to 17 Billion? how long will this last?

i'm assuming, Suzuki, is behind Toyota, and Nissan... but how much stock doest GM have in Suzuki? and if its 51% or around that amount, why dont they just buy it all? i guess money is in short supply... what advantages does Suzuki give to GM?

that xlr-v better be almost as quick as the z06... with a hard top its impressive, i know it'll beat the SL55... but it needs to be quick, and probably needs some really nice features at 100k... STS, should be more around 70k... but still if it has plenty of features over the 45k sedan, it might be worth 77... hopefully these vehicles dont see the premiums that other vehicles have seen...

that would also be incorrect, Benz accually was the first Hybrid Diesel in Europe, and it gets impecable fuel efficency...

you mean suburu right?

nice.... so true CAMARO!

silence the rest, like how stunned mazda is by the two GM convertable twins, aka solstice and sky?

if enough people do it, insurance companys wont cover em any more... or it'll be much too expensive to own a toyota

I guess also remember 2004 there was one more GM brand... Olds...

well for my dealership last year (2004) was 451 cars/trucks (chevrolet) but i do believe that includes used... i dont think we hit 300 this month, but I dont know... There is a terrible inventory problem, we have a horrible stock right now... people cant find the vehicles they are looking for... HHR's... good luck even finding the color you want... much less options... Silverados... for a dealership that does a high percentage of buisness with silverados and tahoes, our silverado selection is down to about 12 vehicles... instead of 200-300... tahoes, we have probably 300 tahoes, maybe 5 suburbans, 10 equinox, 10 trailblazers... no inventory... we have a roof and 3 parking lots that are empty... we are selling as quick as GM can give em to us... So whatever losses come... thats because of the summer... Impalas are coming into a good supply...

This is what I'm afraid of... expecially selling of assets... but if product and marketing can turn around the company, and he is confident about that... then biggups to him...

well lets think this out... degree change is bad if it isnt even.... if metal gets thrown water at it, it can crack due to expansion (or the opposite to be more persice) at extremely different rates... now metal is a solid, where as glass is a semi-liquid, meaning its never fully solid... this allows it to move through its life time as a window, unfortunatly I'm unfamiliar with the expansion rates of glass so, if the temerpature where to change from 20* to 174* within 90 seconds, i think the expansion will be fine... thats around 1.75 degrees per second... should be fine...

I think that there should be a small teriff to encourage domestic and make the import market less competative, but for a general porpose, a hefty tax would be helpful for all imported products that did not comply with american minimum wages... would discourage outsorcing (less selling out)...

(Source Edmunds) what about the year or two away 3 valve engines? or the new suspension style to help keep the low bed without a tall truck? hopefully by 2007 everyone buys these vehicles, and 2008 hybrids are out and 2009 the new engine 3 valve thing is out (hopefully its pretty awesome efficency) and 2010 we get the new live suspension... sounds like we've got a few good years for GM trucks...

Lutz even said if The Aztec was a Toyota it would be a great seller...

well it sure is nice, that GM is talking crap about Toyota then :Toyota:

yea we should demand an auto insurance discout... We have Skip Shift! seriously, i thought if you revved it too high, that you couldnt shift, not that u reved it passed a certain rpm...

well you cant take a convertable to some of the road courses and tracks... so in order to define Pontiac as a Pefromance Devision you must know what its capable of... COUPE!!! I'd love to see a Trans Am Solstice... that would be awesome, although it kinda ruins it to have a 4 banger and a v8... when the 4 banger is supposed to be ample... I dont believe it...

AutoExtremest gives GM all the Gears, as we do here... he likes detroit... but just tries to show himself as a know it all... I think its good that GM has readjusted its crosshairs... GM has thrived over the years at being better then its cross town enemy Ford, and always making sure that they were a notch better then ford, and well Ford after 50 years of that, cracked and GM continued to just make sure they were better then ford... and going down with ford... Now that their going toward a much more worthwhile enemy, the battlefeild is on, and when more minds make a better decision and using "SEZ WHO" Stickers, I think GM is going to answer to no one and win the competition of the centry... but we will see how the New General handles PR

doesnt mean they have to advertise it correctly... as long as it has as much power as it advertises... if it has more toodles... let me think of an example here... I mean, if they advertised 550 hp... and a 500 hp car was faster, what would that say for GM?

haha and I'd love to refine the drivetrain process... get those babys out a bit more efficency without compromising quality... but I dont even know where to start because all of my concepts are likely to be on the market place or obsolete by the time i get done with my 8 years of college

the worst thing is they said they had to get it into 2nd to get to 60... had to shift at 58 mph... thats why its so slow... where as everyone else can get it in first gear to 60...

they are journalists... # are #... how do you measure handling? Nuremberg comes to mind... but there really isnt a 70* turn @ 120 mph banked & 1.5 g's of force measuring tool... handling is only really appreciated by drivers... not the bean counters

yes, but look how pro Toyota this bit of media, it doesnt mention what any of the Domestics are doing or not doing... or are the Domestics already in line with regulations?