Cobalts will remain at plant until Nov. 1

A supercharged model will add excitement to the Cobalt line, analyst says.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
LORDSTOWN -- Buyers will have to wait a couple of weeks before getting their hands on a new Chevrolet Cobalt.
The new models are expected to come rolling off the line this week at General Motors' Lordstown complex, but they will be held at the plant until about Nov. 1, said Jeff Haag, Chevrolet marketing manager.
Holding back the first batches of a new model is standard procedure because it gives engineers time to check them over, he said.
Tom Mock, a plant spokesman, said no car will be rushed to market. Officials want to be sure all of the Cobalts have the best possible quality, he said.
The first sellable Cobalts will fill just one of every 10 assembly line spaces to give workers time to get everything just right, he said.
Even the start of Cobalt production has remained flexible for this reason. Plant officials intend to begin making Cobalts for the public this week, but the exact date will depend on when they think the plant is ready, Mock said.
Walt Rokicki, product launch manager, said production will increase slowly and reach full speed -- 432 cars per eight-hour shift -- by Jan. 1.
The plant has been slowly working up to making Cobalts for the public.
Creation stages
Last spring, the plant produced eight test models to validate the engineering of the car. Once those cars were reviewed, the plant started making an occasional Cobalt to test production systems. The plant has made more than 500 of those since June. Those Cobalts have been driven by GM employees for test purposes.
Once production of the Chevrolet Cavalier ended Oct. 6, the plant began focusing solely on the Cobalt. Most workers received a few days off, while team leaders attended training sessions on Cobalt construction.
All workers returned Tuesday for training.
The first cars to come off the line will be sedans, but they all won't be Cobalts. The plant also will be making the twin of the Cobalt, the Pontiac Pursuit, which will be sold only in Canada.
Production of the Cobalt coupe models and the top-of-the-line SS Supercharged is expected to begin before the end of the year, Rokicki said.
Prices
Here are the starting prices of the four Cobalt models:
Base model, $14,190.
LS, $16,486.
LT, $18,760.
SS Supercharged, $21,995.
All Cobalts come with these standard features: air conditioning, electric rear window defroster, AM/FM/CD audio system, tilt steering column and a split-bench rear seat with pass-through to trunk area.
The upper three Cobalt models have these standard: anti-lock braking system, keyless entry system, cruise control, power windows and power exterior mirrors.
"We have a lot of standard features that make the Cobalt stand out," Haag said.
Chevrolet also is playing up the features that customers don't see. Improvements to the engine and door seals are designed to make the Cobalt quiet. Chevrolet also says the suspension, power steering and traction control systems will give the driver a good feel for the road.
The standard engine in the Cobalt has 145 horsepower, more than the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta.
Compared to Cavalier
While Chevrolet says the Cobalt is superior to the Cavalier in many ways, some of its interior dimensions are smaller. The Cobalt sedan, for example, has 2.5 inches less shoulder room in the back seat. The Cobalt coupe has 5.9 inches less shoulder room in the back seat and 3.4 inches less hip room.
Haag said he wasn't familiar with the comparisons with the Cavalier but added that he is confident that drivers and passengers will find the Cobalt has enough room. He said he's 6-foot-1 and found that he had plenty of space in the Cobalt he has driven.
At the top of the Cobalt lineup is the SS Supercharged, which will have 205 horsepower.
This model is aimed at the "tuner market," which are young buyers who like to customize small, four-cylinder cars into what are called "little rockets."
David Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., said the Honda Civic has been the darling of the tuner crowd but its dominance is beginning to fade.
Not only can Chevrolet stake a claim to some of this market with the SS Supercharged, but it also can use the model to build some excitement for the entire Cobalt line.
The supercharged Cobalt has bigger wheels and enhanced brakes, suspension, seats and gauges.
shilling@vindy.com