Car draws raves from insiders

It shows more promise than any previous GM small car, one writer says.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
LOS ANGELES -- They love the Chevrolet Cobalt in Los Angeles.
Auto writers and industry insiders raved over the new model after it was unveiled Monday at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show.
"There's more promise in this car than anything General Motors has done since they started doing small cars," said John Pearley Huffman, a free-lance writer for Car & amp; Driver Magazine.
Promise is the key word, though. While onlookers at the auto show loved the looks, no one could sit in the car, let alone drive it.
GM should be able to deliver on the car, which is to be built at GM's Lordstown Assembly Plant, said Kenneth Chester Jr., president of Motor News Media Corp. With its all-new Chevrolet Malibu introduced last summer, GM showed that it understands how to combine performance with excellent fit and finish in car for the mass market.
"If they can build upon the Malibu, GM has a serious butt-kicker here," Chester said of the Cobalt.
Attention to detail
Cobalt promises much because of the attention that GM paid to fine details, Huffman said.
The satin finish on the wheel covers, the chrome on the front, and the dual, round taillights on the coupe all lend a luxurious look that GM has never tried to bring to small cars, he said. It also shows that GM is serious about being successful in small cars, he said.
GM says the Cobalt is intended to be a premium small car when it arrives in showrooms next fall to replace the Chevrolet Cavalier. Prices have not been set. GM plans for the Chevy Aveo, which is being built in Korea, to be its economy small car with a starting price of just under $10,000.
Marty Padgett, editor of TheCarConnection.com, said he likes the Cobalt, especially the two-door coupe, and expects it to succeed. Giving it a big boost is the industry buzz that Chevrolet is creating with all of its new models.
He said Chevrolet is improving its image with 10 new or restyled models in the next 22 months, including a new Corvette being introduced soon and the retro HHR.
Variety of models
Brian Chee, editor of Autobytel.com, said he thinks the public will respond to the Cobalt because it offers a variety of models to suit different tastes.
The sedan is designed for a more traditional buyer, while the coupe has a racier look. Then there is the supercharged model, which offers 18-inch wheels and an engine that can generate more than 200 horsepower.
While most observers didn't see much resemblance to the Cavalier, Chee said he thinks the Cobalt coupe does look a little like the model now being built in Lordstown. The lines of the car and details such as the taillights show a refinement that the Cavalier doesn't have, he said.
Chee said he was disappointed he couldn't open the doors and take a good look inside but, through the glass, the interior seemed better. GM officials said they didn't want people to get inside yet because the parts installed are pre-production parts.
Chee said he likes the Cobalt so much that he wonders if the Aveo will succeed.
"Why wouldn't you spend a few thousand more and go with the Cobalt?" he asked.
Question
As for the Cobalt, the design seems so good that it appears headed for success, he said. The biggest unanswered question is whether the assembly plant can deliver cars with superior fit and finish qualities that the market will demand, he said.
"I'm sure they can do it. GM has made great strides in that area," Chee said.
shilling@vindy.com