Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe Time Attack

To turn a street machine into a track racer you need the right pedigree: a hot, lightweight performer with plenty of handling capabilities, and a team of battle-tested racing engineers to make it happen. That explains why Chevrolet and GM Performance Division have taken the sizzling Cobalt SS Coupe Supercharged coupe and turned it into an Unlimited Class Time Attack machine, which already bested the legendary Nissan Skyline’s times by seven seconds in Street Tuner Challenge’s Time Attack on July 21.

The premise behind Time Attack is to take a street vehicle and – using tires that are legal on public streets – turn in the fastest lap on a racetrack for the vehicle class. The vehicle must be from a model originally produced for legal street use and it must have a silhouette largely faithful to the original.

Because Time Attack challenges involve multiple runs, the engine must be powerful and durable. The Time Attack Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe’s Stage 2+ Ecotec engine is certainly up to that challenge. Developed by GM Performance Division and GM Powertrain, it features an Eaton M-62 Gen 5 Hybrid supercharger and delivers 264 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 230 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. When nitrous boost is added, performance jumps to 344 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 350 lb.-ft. of torque at 3600 rpm.

Because weight is the nemesis of performance, many of the production Cobalt elements have been replaced with carbon fiber counterparts. These include the fenders, hood, doors, roof, decklid, spoiler, side splitters and Sparco car seat. The vehicle’s glass has also been replaced with Lexan, and interior trim has been kept to a minimum. The result is a vehicle that weighs a mere 2,350 pounds.

Inside, the Time Attack Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe incorporates safety systems per National Auto Sport Association (NASA) race rules, including a full roll cage, side net and fuel cell. It also features a full complement of race gauges, as well as a Sparco race steering wheel and GM Accessories pedals.

The Time Attack Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe runs in NASA’s Unlimited class, which includes FWD, RWD and AWD vehicles. Following SEMA, it will race on Nov. 8 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in central California – the same track where it beat the best times of an 801-horsepower AWD, twin-turbo Nissan Skyline and a nitrous-charged Volkswagen Jetta.

General specifications
Country of origin United States
Produced in 2005
Introduced at 2005 SEMA
Numbers built N/A (Prototype)
Body design N/A
Weight 1066 kilo / 2350.1 lbs

Drivetrain
Engine Ecotec Straight 4
Engine Location Front , transversely mounted
Displacement 2.000 liter / 122 cu in
Valvetrain 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel feed Fuel injection
Aspiration Eaton M62 roots-type supercharger
Gearbox 5 speed Manual
Drive Front wheel drive

Performance figures
Power 264 bhp / 197 KW @ 7000 rpm
Torque 312 Nm / 230 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm
BHP/Liter 132 bhp / liter
Power to weight ratio 0.25 bhp / kg
Top Speed N/A
0-60 mph Acceleration N/A