Spied: 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt

[jetsetter]

North of GM’s Desert Proving Grounds: These camouflaged prototypes are the first hint as to what the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt will look like! Based on what was once called the Delta 2 platform, the all-new Cobalt will ride on GM’s Global Compact Vehicle Architecture.

The primary engineering and development will come from GMDAT — General Motor’s Korean partner (although there will still be a strong input from the North American and European planning groups). The next Cobalt will share many components as well as styling features with the next Daewoo Lacetti, including a large portion of sheetmetal.

Obviously Chevrolet’s Cobalt and the Daewoo Lacetti will not be 100% identical, as each will have different styling cues on the front and rear clips, headlamps and taillights, although these prototypes do appear to have a grille that strongly resembles the new Malibu and upcoming Transverse.

Chevrolet will also offer another version for markets outside of the United States, know as the Optra. In addition to these, there will likely be up to 15 different cars for GM’s global markets based on this new “Global Delta” architecture.

Codenamed GMX071, the next Cobalt will begin production in July or August of 2009 at the Lordstown plant. The coupe and sedan will carry the same name, but the coupe is expected to carry a sportier look with a turbo option.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrole...html#more-7313

[Prost264]

I like the shape of it, if its not just camo providing the shape, that is.

[jasonof2000]

Well, it can't look any less bland than the current model.

[Prost264]

Oh wait, just noticed where the bowtie is.

DO NOT APPROVE. (too high)

[jetsetter]

The one on top may be the non US Chevy model.

[NecroJoe]

It looks like they are modeling their front end on the Volt concept. I will say that the side-view is an enormous improvement over the current model which is 2nd ugliest only to the Chrysler Sebring.

[_HighVoltage_]

Woow what's with that exhaust pipe!

[Vector]

I hate how the sides of these cars is basically just a big verticle wall with little cutouts for wheels.

[Blind_Io]

I am not enthused by this one.

And GM really needs new badging.

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by Prost264

Oh wait, just noticed where the bowtie is.

DO NOT APPROVE. (too high)

Blame the Euros for mandating those high hoodlines...

Supposedly it's for pedestrian safety - but...

1. Apparently they don't realize that unless the car has a giant permanently deployed airbag in front of it, getting hit by a car is going to suck for the pedestrian no matter what, and

2. With low hoodlines, if you get hit by a car, you get tripped up by the bumper (broken leg) and flipped/dumped into the windshield/roof (head and chest injuries, usually limited to cuts and concussion) as a minimum injury. With tall hoodlines (proven by trucks) you get a broken leg, broken hip, broken pelvis and possibly broken lower spine as a minimum injury. Anyone who's seen a locomotive with a cow-catcher in action, or seen pictures, could tell you that. Anyone who's done stunt driving or worked with stuntmen (who stage car accidents) could tell you this.

Who thought this was a GOOD idea again?

[Cobol74]

^ Loads of overpaid buracrats desperate to justify themselves and their inflated, pension protected salaries.

[bartboy9891]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Blame the Euros for mandating those high hoodlines...

Supposedly it's for pedestrian safety - but...

1. Apparently they don't realize that unless the car has a giant permanently deployed airbag in front of it, getting hit by a car is going to suck for the pedestrian no matter what, and

Has the "airbag on the hood" idea ever been tried out? I remember several years ago Volvo had a concept called the SCC (safety concept car) that had a bunch of safety ideas incorporated into it. I remember because I did a report about car safety in middle school and the SCC with an airbag located in the hood was mentioned. Have there been tests to see if this idea is plausible and whether it could actually save a pedestrian's life in a collision?

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

Has the "airbag on the hood" idea ever been tried out? I remember several years ago Volvo had a concept called the SCC (safety concept car) that had a bunch of safety ideas incorporated into it. I remember because I did a report about car safety in middle school and the SCC with an airbag located in the hood was mentioned. Have there been tests to see if this idea is plausible and whether it could actually save a pedestrian's life in a collision?

I don't think it's been seriously tested, if you're talking about a deployable airbag in the hood. I would think it would just add additional forces to the impact on the pedestrian (as car airbags work counter to the energy impulse the car receives.

Besides, that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about an airbag of the kind that stuntmen jump out windows and land on.

+ YouTube Video

Short of that being stuck on the front of every car, there is NO way that getting hit by a car going normal surface street speeds is NOT going to suck for the pedestrian.

[Mark355]

Wouldn't want it for free.

[jetsetter]

General Motors has officially announced that it will produce the upcoming Cobalt replacement, the Chevrolet Cruze, at its Lordstown, Ohio facility. The Cruze will make its worldwide debut at this October’s Paris Motor Show.

The car will hit the European market in the spring of 2009, with U.S. production at the Lordstown plant — where the Cobalt is currently made — beginning in June 2010. Although the Cruze will replace the Cobalt, GM will produce both vehicles for a short time together.

GM has yet to release any specs on the all-new Cruze, but it is expected that the new compact will use GM’s new 1.4L turbocharged engine. Fuel mileage should at least equal that of the current Cobalt, with figures in the 40 mpg range likely.

Based on what was once called the Delta 2 platform, the all-new Cobalt will ride on GM’s Global Compact Vehicle Architecture. The primary engineering and development will come from GMDAT — General Motor’s Korean partner (although there has been strong input from the North American and European planning groups).

Codenamed GMX071, the Cobalt shares many components as well as styling features with the next Daewoo Lacetti, including a large portion of sheetmetal.

Obviously Chevrolet’s Cobalt and the Daewoo Lacetti will not be completely identical, as each will have different styling cues on the front and rear clips, headlamps and taillights, although earlier prototypes do appear to have a grille that strongly resembles the new Malibu and upcoming Traverse.

Chevrolet will also offer another version for markets outside of the United States, known as the Optra. In addition to these, there will likely be up to 15 different cars for GM’s global markets based on this new “Global Delta” architecture.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-cobalt-2010.html

The next-gen Cobalt — whether you call it the 2010 Chevy Cobalt or the 2010 Chevy Cruze — is going to be an important vehicle for GM, meaning the interior is going to have to stand up to some stiff competition from other automakers. The spy shooters at AutoScoop have snagged the first really good interior images we've seen, showing off a strong three-pod gauge cluster and a steeply-raked center stack with audio controls below a recessed screen, not dissimilar from what they've been doing with those Opel-Saturn-Vauxhall cars as of late. There's also a collection of new exterior shots, though these 2010 Cobalt photos are a touch closer and more revealing.

Though the Coblat appears to be getting a major enhancement in the styling department, details about the platform and powertrain are limited. It would probably be safe to assume the popular Ecotec powertrain is going to remain in some version.

http://jalopnik.com/398237/2010-chev...f-its-interior

[RUU-CHAMA]

It looks better than the current Corolla and I like the new engine specs.

[thedguy]

Hmm it looks as though GM may have a quality interior design in it. It's a shame it's still horribly ugly, hopefully even no thrills models will have a chassis as good as the current SS turbo.

[jetsetter]

It really isn't that ugly.

[Cobol74]

Looks like it is aimed at the Jetta/Passat buyer, trouble is it looks like a Passat rather too much IMHO. Still get the pricing right the I4 Eco Tech engine looks frugal but strong, and it should do OK. Supposed to have the front independent suspensiona and rear semi-independent suspension so it should (all other things being equal) go around corners OK.

[thedguy]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

It really isn't that ugly.

You forgot to put in your contacts this morning didn't you?