Thursday, March 6th – I just spent the day driving the latest high-performance car to come from Chevrolet – the 2008 Cobalt SS. The first part of the morning consisted of mountain roads outside of Bakersfield, CA and the afternoon was spent on the track at Buttonwillow just outside of Bakersfield. I wanted to make sure we got some photos and video up and I’ll follow up with a more complete review in a day or two.
The first video is a clip is an example of launch control and the no-lift shift features that are new to this vehicle. Watch and listen closely. The driver puts the traction control system into “competition mode” and at a full stop, it automatically goes into launch control. He hammers the throttle and holds it to the floor, the engine sings up to 5,100 RPM and stays there until the clutch is released. Once engaged, the algorithm in the engine management computer launches the vehicle for maximum acceleration. The driver keeps the throttle to the floor the entire time and when you hit 6,000 RPM, you keep the gas pedal on the floor, nail the clutch and slam it into the next gear. The computer keeps the boost up, doesn’t over-rev the engine and when done properly, you feel like a race-car driver. Best part, this behavior is condoned by GM and doesn’t void the 100,000 mile warranty! The car was designed for it and I swear I heard it begging for more.

The second video is a montage of professional running footage from GM. Enjoy!