Cobalt SS/TC vs Mazdaspeed3

[Stotrupp]

Well i can definitely say this, the Cobalt SS/TC SURPRISED ME! My buddy mike had just gotten one right about the time i finished the BPT swap on my Escort GT.

My EGT did 200whp, 225wtq, weighed 2300lbs, and we got in ~ 8-10 40mph 2nd gear pulls... All with the same result.

Dead even all the way to about 145mph. My EGT would pull a fender ahead, SSTC closed the gap.

Shift, EGT up, Cobalt close the gap, every run! I'm not a GM fan at all, but I give them props for this one! 5 different Cobalt SS/SCs would be 4 cars+ behind me, so its a hell of an improvement w/ the turbo!

Now when i ran an MS3, which had TBE and a BOV on 19psi i stayed on his back bumper but started creepin by top of 4th bottom of 5th.

Sorry but that story doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

A MS3 running 19psi would hand you your ass (You wouldn't be creeping by the top of 4th) if a Stock Cobalt’s/TC was about even with you until 145mph. A stock MS3 holds ~14.5psi, upping the boost to 19psi alone will yield about 25-35whp over stock which is plenty enough to walk a Stock Cobalt SS/TC. It just doesn't add up...

Other than the fact I think it looks like a “steaming pile” inside and out I don’t think it’s a horrible car. However, some of you are making sound like it’s the second coming of Christ.

P.S. The MS3 has a by pass valve "BPV" by the way, not a blow off valve "BOV".

 

[jnr5005]

What is a BPT Escort?

 

[bluelion]

bpt is a turbo motor swap that is popular in the escort community.

 

[jnr5005]

Is that the Cosworth engine? That sounds like an interesting Escort.

 

[bluelion]

nah, i believe it's a mazda 323 motor.

 

[Super Unique]

Premium Gasoline,

Why is saying a Cobalt ss looks like "a steaming pile" inside and out offensive to you? You work for GM? (Government Motors)

You provoke a question but you're "not going to get into it either way"? Lol okay so you made that statement for +1's and for people to jump on your bandwagon, got it!

I own a mazdaspeed 3 because I appreciate it's value for the $ spent. The cobalt might not be something I would purchase, but I can appreciate it for what it is. You see I have an interest in cars of many types. I can appreciate the choices. Without competition in the marketplace, we would all still be driving very poor quality cars like those in the early 70's and 80's. Instead, we now enjoy cars that equal or better the performance of many a supercar of the 70's and 80's. I remember dreaming of owning a Porsche 911 turbo when those first hit the roads. Guess what? Our mazdaspeed 3 equals it both in a straight line, AND around the corners. This would never have been possible without the benefits of a thriving and competitive auto industry. Granted, the speed 3 doesn't hold a candle to the new 911 turbo of today, but it's still damned fun car to drive. The same holds true for the cobalt, and the neon srt4 when it was being produced. You have to hold some respect for what they are / were. The neon srt4 was a bold move on the part of Chrysler when they introduced it.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I knew GM made the stage 2 kit for the Solstice and the HHR but were not giving it to the Cobalt. If that didnt change then only the older S/C cobalts get the stage kits and are no competition.
Also, arent our ECU's adaptive? They dont necesarily "learn" around the mod they learn to perform based on your driving habits.

 

[///M Compact]

I own a mazdaspeed 3 because I appreciate it's value for the $ spent. The cobalt might not be something I would purchase, but I can appreciate it for what it is. You see I have an interest in cars of many types. I can appreciate the choices. Without competition in the marketplace, we would all still be driving very poor quality cars like those in the early 70's and 80's. Instead, we now enjoy cars that equal or better the performance of many a supercar of the 70's and 80's. I remember dreaming of owning a Porsche 911 turbo when those first hit the roads. Guess what? Our mazdaspeed 3 equals it both in a straight line, AND around the corners.

I agree. I'd never consider a Cobalt SS, but it is definitely a great car for the money. BMWs and Porsches are my passion, but I enjoy driving and reading about sports and performance cars from just about any automaker. As from hot cars of the 1980's, I loved my 1988 M6. With a Turner/Conforti and no cat it made @310 bhp at the crank. I wish I still had it...(bang)

 

[EGTT91]

Sorry but that story doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

A MS3 running 19psi would hand you your ass (You wouldn't be creeping by the top of 4th) if a Stock Cobalts/TC was about even with you until 145mph. A stock MS3 holds ~14.5psi, upping the boost to 19psi alone will yield about 25-35whp over stock which is plenty enough to walk a Stock Cobalt SS/TC. It just doesn't add up...

Other than the fact I think it looks like a steaming pile inside and out I dont think its a horrible car. However, some of you are making sound like its the second coming of Christ.

P.S. The MS3 has a by pass valve "BPV" by the way, not a blow off valve "BOV".

If I said BOV, its because the car had a BOV, an HKS SSQV to be exact... dont reply to my post trying to make me look like a dumbass/NOOB cuz i'm far from it,

As far as the boost on the MS3, I can only tell you what the MS3 driver told me he had, and as i stated b4 i stayed on his back bumper and crept by in 4th,

My escort ran 13.8 with wheelspin thru most of 2nd on Bald kumho ecsta AST's, woulda been a 13.4-13.5 with good tires.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Escort? How in the world did we get into cars that arent even in production any more?

 

[GoFast]

If I said BOV, its because the car had a BOV, an HKS SSQV to be exact... dont reply to my post trying to make me look like a dumbass/NOOB cuz i'm far from it,

As far as the boost on the MS3, I can only tell you what the MS3 driver told me he had, and as i stated b4 i stayed on his back bumper and crept by in 4th,

My escort ran 13.8 with wheelspin thru most of 2nd on Bald kumho ecsta AST's, woulda been a 13.4-13.5 with good tires.

SO you are telling me that you arent one of those street racers that line up, beat the other car, and post with all the details about what the car had? You can't tell that the eclipse you raced have a gt28, 19psi of boost, greddy bov, lightened flywheel, and a stage 3 tune just by seeing the car drive?? geeesh(fuoops)

Please know that I am being very very sarcastic....

 

[Stotrupp]

If I said BOV, its because the car had a BOV, an HKS SSQV to be exact... dont reply to my post trying to make me look like a dumbass/NOOB cuz i'm far from it,

As far as the boost on the MS3, I can only tell you what the MS3 driver told me he had, and as i stated b4 i stayed on his back bumper and crept by in 4th,

My escort ran 13.8 with wheelspin thru most of 2nd on Bald kumho ecsta AST's, woulda been a 13.4-13.5 with good tires.

Well if he was running a BOV and not a BPV like it was designed for maybe that was the problem.

An MS3 running 19 psi would would well under 13.8 with traction, most likely in the high 12's low 13's with radials/ slicks. Hell I ran a 13.9@100 stock which is 14.5psi on street tires.

 

[Stotrupp]

I own a mazdaspeed 3 because I appreciate it's value for the $ spent. The cobalt might not be something I would purchase, but I can appreciate it for what it is. You see I have an interest in cars of many types. I can appreciate the choices. Without competition in the marketplace, we would all still be driving very poor quality cars like those in the early 70's and 80's. Instead, we now enjoy cars that equal or better the performance of many a supercar of the 70's and 80's. I remember dreaming of owning a Porsche 911 turbo when those first hit the roads. Guess what? Our mazdaspeed 3 equals it both in a straight line, AND around the corners. This would never have been possible without the benefits of a thriving and competitive auto industry. Granted, the speed 3 doesn't hold a candle to the new 911 turbo of today, but it's still damned fun car to drive. The same holds true for the cobalt, and the neon srt4 when it was being produced. You have to hold some respect for what they are / were. The neon srt4 was a bold move on the part of Chrysler when they introduced it.

I just said It looks like a "steaming pile" inside and out. In no way does this statement take away from the fact the cobalt ss performs well. I simply don't like the way it looks and the cheap materials used as well as fit and finish. You took my statement and blew it way out of proportion! If you want to talk about the revolution of performance cars I do believe the MS3 was the first sport compact here in the states to come with over 250hp. When I see the new Cobalt SS I can’t help but think it’s just a case of 1 up men ship.

They were like oh no! the MS3 comes with 263hp and weighs 3152lbs we got to do something about that! So they ended up taking the same 2.0L turbo charged motor used in used in the solstice and stuck in a light POS rent a car cobalt SS. They then stiffened up the chassis / fine tuned the suspension and added LC and no lift shift and kept it 5-speed manual so it excels at 0-60 and runs. Surprise surprise you now have a car slightly quicker than a MS3 but looks like s***.

 

[Nismothecat]

They were like oh no! the MS3 comes with 263hp and weighs 3152lbs we got to do something about that! So they ended up taking the same 2.0L turbo charged motor used in used in the solstice and stuck in a light POS rent a car cobalt SS. They then stiffened up the chassis / fine tuned the suspension and added LC and no lift shift and kept it 5-speed manual so it excels at 0-60 and runs. Surprise surprise you now have a car slightly quicker than a MS3 but looks like s***.

constantly trying to one up each other is what makes these kind of cars. if there is no competion then there is no reason to constantly changing things.


and the Cobalt SS can do way more than 1/4 and 0-60. in the Lightning Lap the Cobalt SS out ran the Evo X.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

This is a lost thread. Everyone reading or posting knows the ins and outs of both vehicles and what they appreciate in a car. When one weighs more than the other that is probably what you will find yourself driving regardless of 0-60 and 1/4 mile times...

 

[Stotrupp]

constantly trying to one up each other is what makes these kind of cars. if there is no competion then there is no reason to constantly changing things.


and the Cobalt SS can do way more than 1/4 and 0-60. in the Lightning Lap the Cobalt SS out ran the Evo X.

Yeah that extra 500-600lbs the EVO X carries around doesn't exactly help it get around the track all that fast in stock form. This still doesn't mean the Cobalt SS is a superior car, its just light weight with decent power/ chassis. The EVO with its sophisticated AWD system will benefit a lot more from extra power on the race track. The Cobalt like the MS3 is quite limited being FWD and much more power over stock probably won’t help its case too much around a race track.

My point with the 1 up menship is that I'm not as impressed with it like I'm impressed with a company that has the balls to try something new to begin with. It's like the 8 min abs gimmick, a couple months later someone comes out with 7 min abs and boom! Big f'n deal. Sorry but I just don't look at the Cobalt as the 2nd coming of Christ, just a classic case of 1up menship of an orginal idea. To be fair I guess the neon srt-4 sort of begun all of this.

 

[jnr5005]

The Cobalt beat the following cars around the track, in Car and Driver's The Lightning Lap at VIR (2008, Great Article!):

Evo X MR
BMW 135i
Lexus ISF
Audi S5
Honda S2000 CR
Dodge Challenger SRT-8
Lotus Elise SC
Infinity G37 S
WRX STI
SRT-4
VW R32
etc.

 

[Stotrupp]

The Cobalt beat the following cars around the track, in Car and Driver's The Lightning Lap at VIR (2008, Great Article!):

Evo X MR
BMW 135i
Lexus ISF
Audi S5
Honda S2000 CR
Dodge Challenger SRT-8
Lotus Elise SC
Infinity G37 S
WRX STI
SRT-4
VW R32
etc.

Sure and you'll also see one year before on the same course (Different conditions and probably driver) the MS3 finished in 3:16 which is also just as fast or faster than alot of the cars on that list.

http://www.fastestlaps.com/track20.html

26. Chevrolet Cobalt SS/TC
3:13.0
08 260 / 1352 Car&Driver
27. Mitsubishi EVO X MR SST
3:13.3
08 299 / 1675 Car&Driver
28. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX
3:13.5
05 290 / 1482 Car and Driver
29. BMW 135i Coupe (E82)
3:13.7
07 306 / 1485 Car&Driver
30. Lexus IS F
3:14.0
07 423 / 1732 Car&Driver
31. Audi S5
3:14.6
07 354 / 1630 Car&Driver
32. Pontiac Solstice GXP
3:15,7
06 264 / 1337 Car And Driver
33. Honda S2000 Type S
3:15.0
07 242 / 1270 Car&Driver
34. Mazda 3 MPS
3:16.0 06 260 / 1485 Car and Driver

35.Dodge Challenger SRT-8
3:16.3
09 431 / 1904 Car&Driver
36. Lotus Elise SC
3:16.6
08 217 / 913 Car&Driver
37. Infiniti G37 Coupe
3:17.5
08 335 / 1710 Car&Driver
38. Dodge Charger SRT-8
3:18.2
05 431 / 1887 Car and Driver
39. Mazda RX-8
3:19.0
02 231 / 1379 Car and Driver
40. Subaru Impreza WRX STI (2.5l)
3:19.0
07 300 / 1527 Car&Driver
41. Chevrolet Cobalt SS
3:20.6
05 208 / 1273 Car and Driver
42. Dodge Caliber SRT4
3:20.8
08 288 / 1505 Car&Driver
43. Ford Mustang GT
3:20.9
04 300 / 1580 Car and Driver
44. VW Golf R32
3:21.8
05 247 / 1510 Car&Driver
45. Mini Cooper S (Mk II)
3:22.9
06 174 / 1206 Car and Driver
46. Honda Civic Mugen Si
3:24.8
08 200 / 1337 Car&Driver
47. VW Golf GTI Mk V
3:25.1
04 200 / 1303 Car and Driver
48. Honda Civic SI
3:26.5
06 197 / 1330 Car and Driver
49. Volvo C30 T5
3:26.6
06 220 / 1453 Car&Driver
50. Mazda MX-5 2.0 MZR
3:29.3
05 160 / 1150 Car and Driver

 

[jnr5005]

Thanks that is what I was looking for- couldn't download the PDF on this computer so I just broke out the mag haha. ^Good stuff^. I can't believe our car is faster than an Elise S.

 

[Super Unique]

I have said it before, and will say it again. The people who design american cars have always known how to put together a great handling/performing/driving car. Getting it past the comittees and bean counters is the issue for most. We can only hope the recent batch of designs out of Detroit are only a preview of better things to come in the near future.