Unfortunately a giant, rather ugly, rear spoiler is mandatory with the Cobalt SS. It provides essentially zero downforce while simultaneously blocking about half the rearward visibility. There may be some 16-year-olds who are convinced that such spoilers are necessary, but for those of us who see shaving as a daily chore instead of a monthly nuisance, it's the sort of thing that kills a sale. But we like the Auto Meter gauges and optional Recaro front seats, and as an expression of GM's seriousness about the small-car segment, the Cobalt SS is a success. It's not perfect, but the car it succeeds in Chevy's lineup wasn't even in the same galaxy as perfect. The Cobalt SS is on sale now with a base price of $21,995. It should also be making its debut as a Pro Stock car around the time you read this.But is it an SS?-John Pearley Huffman
Top 10 List
Hackneyed Jay Leno Press PhotosWork in automotive media long enough and it's tough to avoid cynicism over the endless repetition of press-release hype. You know, the same old photos with the same old poses with slightly different cars and slightly different people. It's all so predictable, as is the industry's newly revisited Jay Leno fetish. Leno will apparently show up for damn near any automotive event-from the SEMA show to the opening of a glove compartment. Every month we're buried under an avalanche of Leno-centered press releases and photos from OEMs, aftermarket manufacturers, and trade associations. Hot Rod mag can't seem to print an issue without him. We've got photos of Leno standing next to every bad-ass car on Earth-twice-and often receiving the keys to it at the time. So here we present our Top 10 Hackneyed Jay Leno Press Photos, or at least the top ten we had within reach.-John Pearley Huffman