Overview General Motors used five different inline-four engines in the Cobalt over the course of production, and designated three as SS models. The first was launched in 2004 as a 2005 model with a new powertrain that had debuted one year earlier on the
Saturn ION Red Line. It was available as a Supercharged coupe only. The
naturally aspirated 2.4 L
LE5 engine was the next SS to launch in late 2005 as a 2006 model, available as both a coupe and sedan for the duration of its run. GM offered dealer-installed performance upgrade packages called "stage kits" that were covered by factory warranty. The Stage 1 kit consists of new fuel injectors and a reprogram of the
ECU, and yields up to a improvement. The Stage 2 kit consists of new fuel injectors and the same reprogram with a smaller serpentine belt and pulley for the supercharger, producing a improvement and of torque. Both kits increase the engine redline to 7,000 rpm. The non-supercharged 2.4 L Cobalt SS also lost its Super Sport designation for the 2008 model year and was renamed "Sport", leaving no SS in production. However, in fall 2007, a more powerful Cobalt SS was announced for the second quarter of 2008. It would be equipped with the 2.0 L, turbocharged,
direct injected,
VVT,
LNF Ecotec engine, making at 5300 rpm and at 2,000 rpm, remaining mated to the F35 5-speed manual transmission. The engine had been introduced in a
rear wheel drive application for the 2007
GM Kappa platform, which includes the
Saturn Sky,
Pontiac Solstice, and
Opel GT. Also new for the 2008 SS were SS-embroidered sport seats with suede-like UltraLux inserts, several new exterior colors, and wider forged, split-spoke wheels with P225/40R18
Continental AG tires, styled similarly to those offered for the
Chevrolet Corvette C6. The car's electronics were also new, and along with greater assist in poor traction conditions, a "no-lift-shift" feature was added which allows the driver to maintain turbocharger boost during shifts to a higher gear. During a no‑lift‑shift, the driver begins the shift normally by depressing the clutch, but the accelerator pedal is held
wide open while the shift is completed. GM had previously offered a turbocharged four cylinder with front wheel drive in the 1986-1990
Pontiac Sunbird GT and the
Buick Skyhawk T-Type from 1986 to 1988. New for 2009 was the aforementioned four-door sedan option, as well as an optional "reconfigurable performance display" (RPD) for the coupe only. The $295 option replaced the boost gauge in the A‑pillar, and allows the driver to manipulate traction control, stability control, "shift points", and the engagement of Competition Mode, as well as information regarding the car's engine torque and horsepower, g‑force, boost, wideband air fuel ratio, barometric pressure, temperature, and battery voltage. A stage 1 kit which raises power to and was made available in October 2009 after several delays. The kit can be installed by the owner of the car, but final alteration of the vehicle's
engine control unit must take place at a GM dealer. Other changes over the supercharged car are notable but not drastic; 17‑inch broad spoke wheels with narrower P205/50R17 all‑season
Pirelli tires were standard, as was the low profile spoiler. 2.4 L and 2.2 L Sport Package Cobalts have a 140 mph (220 km/h in Canada) speedometer with optional white face gauges. The car rides on the FE3 suspension, superior and more sport‑tuned to that of base Cobalts but less refined than the FE5 on the supercharged and turbocharged cars. Brakes on the 2.4 L naturally aspirated and supercharged model are identical, but the turbocharged model received an upgraded
Brembo braking system. ==Reception==