The new Cobalt sports a 2.0 liter turbo charged 4 cylinder engine, direct injection, 2 scroll Borg Warner turbo charger, forged crankshaft, and rods. It also has stainless steel intake valves with sodium filled exhaust valves. The LFN engine is a constant torque engine by varying the boost pressure of the turbo for a maximum 21 psi. The 5 speed transmission has an optional limited slip differential. And with 260 hp and weighing in at only 2900 lbs it’s sure to be a fun drive.
The new Cobalt sports two cool features in a car that stickers around $23K.
Launch Control: Hold down the throttle in sport mode and release the clutch. The car will make an ordinary driver look like a pro. I have not seen this in any car in the $20K price range.
No Lift Shift: Hold down the throttle between gear changes and release clutch. This allows the turbo to stay spooled between gears to reduce turbo lag. The car actually launches between gears. I believe the no lift shift may have cut at least .5 sec off the lap times.