2005 GM Phase 5 Chevrolet Cobalt

At its beginning, the sport-compact drag-racing scene was a joke. A "race car" was just a gaudy import sporting a loud exhaust, funky wheels, an over-the-top body kit, and (of course) a four-inch-diameter exhaust tip.

That was then.

Today, turbochargers, Pro Stock technology, and seven-second elapsed times are the norm--all accomplished via tiny four-cylinder engines and often with front drive. GM entered the sport-compact scene late in the game, but has quickly grown to be a major player, thanks to its impressive Ecotec 2.2-liter I-4. As competent as the Ecotec (GM's first truly global engine family) engines are, there have been parts failures during dyno and track testing. These represent lessons learned, however, and GM has spent considerable R&D time on new, tougher components. Intended primarily for the new Cobalt, this extensive line of mail-order parts allows you to transform a stocker into an affordably built competitive drag car. GM also has released a "Build Book" that walks you through many of the steps required to build a tire-blazing Cobalt.

MT recently tested one of GM's Cobalt Phase 5 ("5" meaning over 500 horsepower) machines equipped with all the new goodies. While our Phase 5 had been given a "journalist tune" (power turned down to keep GM lawyers happy), we still mustered respectable 12.2-second e.t.s--done with a car equipped with power windows, OnStar, and XM Satellite Radio.

Driving a 12-second front-drive car requires more effort than needed to pilot a nine-second rear-drive drag machine. As you drive, strong turbo boost and copious torque steer mandate aggressive steering-wheel wrestling to keep the car tracking straight. It can be fun, if nerve-wracking.

What types of sport-compact parts are available directly from GM? How about a special Ecotec I-4 block with heavy-duty cylinder sleeves, beefier Saab rods, and forged-aluminum pistons? For intake duties, order up GM's CNC-ported cylinder head, competition sheetmetal intake manifold, an LS1 throttle body, and a set of performance cams (two cam levels available). If you have any notion of getting that power to the ground, opt for one of GM's race-prepped 4T65-E automatics (a beefed-up 4T45-E, stock on the Cobalt, will soon be available), a custom trans mounting plate, and one of two Ecotec-spec racing torque converters. GM doesn't yet offer a turbo kit, but its Build Book has lots of insight and photos on the upgrade.