Cobalt SS Makes Enough Power to Make LS Engines Blush
Cobalt SS with LNF turbo power takes no prisoners on the race track.
When you tune your car down to 450 horsepower for the track, you know you’ve got a serious build.
Respect for a car comes in various forms. Astronomical top speed, all-out power or 1/4 mile times are aspects that demand respect. Performing well above expectations is also a prerequisite for respect. One car which deserves it is this LNF Cobalt. With the entire might of ZZP Performance thrown at it, 600 horsepower is not at all out of the question. But how well does it perform at the track? Well, that’s what I needed to find out.
Ryan’s Cobalt, affectionately called “Snowbalt,” has been an ever-evolving project for several years now. In its current iteration, the setup is squarely aimed at track days and 1/2 mile runway drag races. For the latter, all power is on tap but for the former, a trimmed down 450 horsepower is more in order.
Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois, was the host to our track day, with Ryan and ZZP crew ready to make sure the car was in perfect order for its venture on track. Since I was instructing Ryan, I could take some time to chat about the build and also admire the cars details a little closer. I’d later get in the driver’s seat, but here’s what I initially found out: ZZP has pretty much left nothing on this car unturned. 
What is the 450+ horsepower secret for this LNF Cobalt?
Under the hood, ZZP’s 2.0 Gen-3 race block resides, with a full army of parts to back it up. ZZP’s ported head, valve springs and comp stage-3 LNF cams help the engine breathe a bit better and air is moved around by a Borg Warner S262 custom modified just for this setup. Wiseco pistons ride on ZZP 4340 rods, and a Fidanza aluminum flywheel are the big-ticket items for the rotating assembly.
As we gear up to take our first session out on track, Ryan tells me a little bit more about the car. It has a “big race” ZZP intercooler, oversized radiator, a switch that allows a high and low tune on the fly, and a cat-less downpipe for the Borg Warner turbo.
It’s tough to gauge performance from the passenger seat of a car, but during our first session out on track, I was impressed. Once you’ve overcome turbo lag (and there’s a lot) the pull from the engine is just incredible. “Unexpected” is far more apt as a description. But there’s only so much you can do to feel out a car from the passenger seat. After that session however, Ryan hands me the keys.
Behind the wheel, the Cobalt SS turbo shines bright.
I’m always a bit worried when driving a car set up for the track, because I know it’ll be set up with rock-solid suspension. But that’s not the case with this Cobalt. BC racing coilovers with springs meant more for low than for fast were surprisingly comfortable. Even hitting rumble strips on the track didn’t compress my vertebrae.
Throwing 450 horsepower at the front wheels sure is asking a lot from them, but a helical limited slip differential means that power isn’t turned into a screaming inside tire. Instead, once the turbo catches its stride, the handling becomes sublime. Initial light understeer becomes more of a tug at the wheel once power is applied. Feel through the steering is only slightly covered up by torque steer at times, but by far this Cobalt was one of the better handling front-wheel drive cars I’ve yet to drive in anger.
Hits and misses: but mostly hits.
Speaking of turbo lag, there was one issue: the pedals. Now, I know that doesn’t have much to do with the turbo, but the way the pedals were placed in this Cobalt made for a difficult time with heel-toe downshifting. This meant a 3rd gear run from a slower corner felt as sluggish as a school bus. Well, at least till the turbo caught up and got back to work. With this not being my car, however, I feel that a complaint like that isn’t really justifiable.
The engine, even in its tuned state, proved to be extremely docile. It was loud, but never felt like it would be a chore to use in daily driving. But like any modified car, things don’t always go to plan. During one stint, a spark plug had decided to shatter its ceramic tip, requiring a replacement. That issue with heat was exactly the reason why the E-85 based tune was in its lower power setting. With extended running at WOT, heat would have become a major concern. Once the plug was changed, it got right back out on track.
Overall, Ryan’s “Snowbalt” proved to be an awesome ride and very much worthy of anyone’s respect. I have to thank Ryan and the folks at ZZP for letting me drive this awesome car, and for everyone at GPS Track Time for hosting an awesome event for track day junkies.
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