08-10 SS Turbocharged General Discussion Discuss the 2008 - 2009 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbocharged. On sale since the second quarter of 2008.

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Old May 30, 2008 | 05:13 PM
  #1  
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Car and Driver review

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...take_road_test
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Old May 30, 2008 | 06:08 PM
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Ok, let's compare C&D's test of both the SS/SC and the SS/T:


BASE PRICE: SS/SC $21,540 ............. SS/T $22,995

205 bhp @ 5600 rpm ........................ 260 bhp @ 5300 rpm
200 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm ....................... 260 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
2936 lb ........................................... 2960 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
0-60 mph: 6.1 sec ............................. 5.7 sec
0-100 mph: 15.3 sec ........................ 13.4 sec
0-130 mph: 32.3 sec ........................ 24.6 sec
5-60 mph: 6.5 sec ............................. 6.2 sec
ź-mile: 14.6 sec @ 99 mph .............. 14.2 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 141 mph .... (drag limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 169 ft .................. 162 ft
300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g ................ 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.92 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 22 ........................... 22 mpg


My comments:

An SC is supposedly down 55 hp and 60 lb-ft tqe from the SS/T, but it's only 4/10 sec and 3 mph slower in the 1/4 mile?

Max Torque is available 2400 rpms lower than in the SS/SC.

Skidpad is better in the SS/T, but notice that they tested the two cars on different size pads.

They say Top Speed of the SS/T is drag limited to 146 mph (vs. a drag limited 141 mph in the SC).

Estimated City MPG is the same.

I'm thinking a Stage 2 SC is gonna be pretty close/equal to the SS/T in straight line acceleration.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 07:45 PM
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Originally Posted by firemanfrank
Ok, let's compare C&D's test of both the SS/SC and the SS/T:


BASE PRICE: SS/SC $21,540 ............. SS/T $22,995

205 bhp @ 5600 rpm ........................ 260 bhp @ 5300 rpm
200 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm ....................... 260 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
2936 lb ........................................... 2960 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
0-60 mph: 6.1 sec ............................. 5.7 sec
0-100 mph: 15.3 sec ........................ 13.4 sec
0-130 mph: 32.3 sec ........................ 24.6 sec
5-60 mph: 6.5 sec ............................. 6.2 sec
ź-mile: 14.6 sec @ 99 mph .............. 14.2 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 141 mph .... (drag limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 169 ft .................. 162 ft
300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g ................ 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.92 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 22 ........................... 22 mpg


My comments:

An SC is supposedly down 55 hp and 60 lb-ft tqe from the SS/T, but it's only 4/10 sec and 3 mph slower in the 1/4 mile?

Max Torque is available 2400 rpms lower than in the SS/SC.

Skidpad is better in the SS/T, but notice that they tested the two cars on different size pads.

They say Top Speed of the SS/T is drag limited to 146 mph (vs. a drag limited 141 mph in the SC).

Estimated City MPG is the same.

I'm thinking a Stage 2 SC is gonna be pretty close/equal to the SS/T in straight line acceleration.
Straight line speed is one thing, but the SS/TC is overall a much better car than the SS/SC.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 08:05 PM
  #4  
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^^^^ hes got a point
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Old May 30, 2008 | 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by davis98
Straight line speed is one thing, but the SS/TC is overall a much better car than the SS/SC.
Which is why I just mentioned straight line speed.

Originally Posted by ss88
^^^^ hes got a point
Your SS/SC is stock.

Try having Stage 2 installed and see what you think then.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 10:36 PM
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But as soon as Stage II come out for TC the game is over! lol
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Old May 30, 2008 | 10:48 PM
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Originally Posted by byerly69
But as soon as Stage II come out for TC the game is over! lol
keep wishing on that one.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by byerly69
But as soon as Stage II come out for TC the game is over! lol
If and when it comes out ... Yes.

But only if the Stage kits for the SS/T are warrantied by Chevy, as it is with the Stage 2 on the SS/SC.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:07 PM
  #9  
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The ss/tc is almost 2 full seconds faster to 100. Stock SS/TC vs Stage 2 SS/SC is = SS/TC by 2 cars, but that is my opinion. We will have to wait untill a few guys get some races under their belts to find the real answers. Also, another mag tested the SS/TC at 13.9 @ 104mph I believe.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:07 AM
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All I know is I've had mine at the 140 mark once already and it was still pullin like a bitch. (not on a public road) The fuel cutoff is 160. Mine sure didn't feel like the halts were going to come on at 146. Jus sayin
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:16 AM
  #11  
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i'd say the 13.9 in the quarter is more accurate for a good driver, i got 14.2's in my stock SS/SC. magazines usually get slightly slower times than the car is really capable of.

Gettinausernamesucks, you're talking about the SS/TC right? it shouldn't have a fuel cutoff, as long as it has Z rated tires, which im nearly 100% sure it does. i know the SS/SC's are only limited in their top speed by the final drive ratio.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:25 AM
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yes I am talking about the TC and it is fuel cutoff set at 160 in Software. This I know for fact as I know the lead calibrator at GM for this program. Thats all I can say bout that. If CD found it drag limited I'm not going to argue that fact as I havent taken mine beyond 140 and it was just a burst run after 500 miles on the odo. Its quite possible it may hit the wall at 146 in thick air at sea level. Fuel cutoff isn't always set based on tire rating though in most cases it is. It can be set due to vehicle stability or for legal liability reasons. HHR turbo's are cutoff at 155. weather they get there or not is another story.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:08 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by ls1fbody
magazines usually get slightly slower times than the car is really capable of.
At my track, I've found the opposite to be true.

Mag times are usually a couple of tenths quicker than what most people can normally run at LVD.

At our local dragstrip the track prep is usually so good that there is tremendous wheel hop in our cars.

I've found that it's much easier to launch on the street than at the track ...

Originally Posted by 07 SS/SC
... Stock SS/TC vs Stage 2 SS/SC is = SS/TC by 2 cars, but that is my opinion.
Maybe ... maybe not.

We will have to wait untill a few guys get some races under their belts to find the real answers.
Yup.

Last edited by firemanfrank; May 31, 2008 at 01:08 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:23 AM
  #14  
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i have come to find that different drag strips will yield different times. just for instances there are 3 drags strips in my area and going from the slowest to the fastest can yield a difference of .5 seconds with using the same car in all the same conditions at all tracks. now that takes care of the C/D drag times.

next section. the ss/tc is a better overall car then the ss/sc. this is caused by gm looking into the issues that arouse from the ss/sc. gm then looked at this data and improved upon what they had to make a better overall package. from what i can see the ss/tc seems to be a better car in the handling and straight speed versus a stock ss/sc. now throw in stage 2 and you you have a different comparison all together. i believe a ss/sc stg2 car will out pull a ss/tc in a 1/4 mile drag. but i also believe that gm has plans to offer stg kits for the new cobalt as they have in the past with the ss/tc.

as far as the fuel cut off. i know in my cobalt ss/sc that the car will do more then 141 i have had it up to 157 mph myself. but i'm not up to date on what this drag limited analyst is. but i would suspect the new cobalt to be roughly the same setup in the ability to go just as fast on the top end.

some ideas that i would like to see gm take into account.
1) make the car lighter, i feel there are unneeded pounds that can come off.
2) offer stg kits for the ss/tc
3) look at a AWD version of the cobalt.
4) have a wiper for the back window. to much slope and a wiper would help
5) offer sirrus satilite radio instead of xm
6) trunk opening a little bigger
7) side impact air bags


thats about all. sorry for the long post. these are all my opinions and nothing offical
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:40 AM
  #15  
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well number 7 is standard now. full length curtain air bags, front to rear.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:44 AM
  #16  
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sorry about that. guess i should have read up on that
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Old May 31, 2008 | 11:30 AM
  #17  
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I have been reading up on the Westers race tune that is out for the 07 Soltice GXP. Over 300HP and Torque, very nice.
Of course, no warranty and they are still working on the 08 version, but it I hope it works on the 08 Cobalt SS.

Edit: I should have said that it appears GM has left a little/lot of room on this setup for performance

Last edited by fubar993; May 31, 2008 at 11:50 AM.
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