For Release: April 1, 2004, 12:01 a.m. EST

Ecotec Engine Lineup for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt

GM Delivers High-Performance for Chevrolet's New Premium Small Car

DETROIT - The all-new 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt relies exclusively on Ecotec power from GM. Standing out as one of GM's most prolific families of engines, the Ecotec powers every Cobalt from the base to the Cobalt SS Supercharged model.

GM’s Ecotec four-cylinder engine family - GM’s first truly “global” engine design - was launched in 2000. For the 2005 model year, a new, larger-displacement 2.4-liter variant with variable valve timing (VVT) joins the original 2.2-liter and recently introduced 2.0-liter supercharged engines.

Cobalt Model	I-4 Ecotec Engines	Standard Transmission	Available Transmission
Cobalt SS Supercharged	Ecotec 2.0L SC 205 hp @ 5600 rpm 200 lb-ft torque @ 4400 rpm	FGP F35 5-speed manual	N/A
Cobalt SS	Ecotec 2.4L VVT 170 hp @ 5600 rpm (est.) 170 lb-ft torque @ 4400 rpm (est.)	Hydra-Matic 4T45-E 4-speed automatic	N/A
Cobalt, Cobalt LS, Cobalt LT	Ecotec 2.2L 140 hp @ 5600 rpm (est.) 150 lb-ft torque @ 4000 rpm (est.)	Getrag F23 5-speed manual	Hydra-Matic 4T45-E 4-speed automatic

Ecotec 2.0L SC: Reliable supercharged performance.
The supercharged Ecotec 2.0-liter powerplant is now available in the Cobalt SS Supercharged coupe. The Ecotec 2.0L SC coupe produces 205 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 200 lb.-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm. Development of this high performance Ecotec variant leveraged several areas of GM engineering expertise, including GM Racing, GM High Performance Vehicle Operations (HPVO) and Saab.

To attain the durability targets GM engineers require of every GM engine, the Ecotec 2.0L SC received upgraded components in critical stress areas. Experience in the National Hot Rod Association’s Championship Drag Racing series told engineers where the Ecotec would most benefit from heavy-duty components. Modified Ecotec engines routinely produce more than 1,000 horsepower in drag racing trim. Additionally, the supercharged Ecotec 2.0L borrows knowledge gleaned by Saab engineers when they adapted the Ecotec to the demands required by high-output turbocharged engines. A turbocharged variation of the Ecotec 2.0L in a Saturn ION coupe raced into the record book at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Oct. 17, 2003, establishing a new mark in the G/Blown Fuel Altered class at 212.684 mph.

At the heart of the Ecotec 2.0L SC is an Eaton M62 helical roots-type supercharger. “Engineers selected the Eaton unit because of its optimum response characteristics and ease of ‘packaging’ with the Ecotec architecture,” according to Grant Brady, design system engineer. Maximum supercharger boost pressure is 12 pounds per square inch (psi), and the system includes an air-to-water intercooler that cools the incoming air charge to increase intake-charge density, which in turn enhances power and reduces the engine’s propensity to “knock” at high boost levels.

The Ecotec 2.0L SC is fitted with numerous upgraded components to assure reliability and superior performance:

• Sodium-filled exhaust valves more effectively dissipate exhaust heat
• A forged-steel crankshaft with induction-hardened fillets and four counterweights
• Oil jets that cool the underside of each piston with a continuous oil bath
• A block-mounted oil cooler and a higher-capacity seven-quart sump
• Forged steel connecting rods with a larger I-beam section
• Heavy-duty pistons with a 23-mm piston pin for increased bearing surface
• High-capacity cooling system with larger radiator core and larger dual cooling fans
• Coil-on-plug ignition ensures optimum spark under all operating conditions
• High-flow, 2.5-inch exhaust system – an almost 50-percent increase - with increased muffler volume reduces power-robbing exhaust backpressure
• Electronic throttle control (ETC), which eliminates the cable connection between the accelerator pedal and the engine throttle and provides improved performance, economy and emissions performance.

The 2.0L SC engine is built exclusively at the Fiat-GM Powertrain (FGP) engine-manufacturing facility in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This plant uses a lost foam production technique that yields a block that is well suited for high-stress applications including turbocharging and supercharging. Variations of this block are also found in various Saab and Opel models. Compared to the original 2.2-liter Ecotec, the 2.0L SC features the same cylinder bore with a shorter stroke (94.6 mm vs. 86.0 mm). The shorter stroke helps the engine rev quickly and deliver lively throttle response.

All-new Ecotec 2.4L VVT: Torque-rich driving experience
The 2005 Cobalt SS features the new Ecotec 2.4L VVT built at the Spring Hill, Tenn., facility. The largest member of the Ecotec family delivers a demonstrable horsepower and torque upgrade over the standard Ecotec 2.2L. Equipped with variable valve timing and a host of new features and improvements, the Ecotec 2.4L VVT generates an
impressive 170 horsepower (estimated) at 5600 rpm and 90 percent of the 170 lb.-ft. (estimated) peak torque over a wide 2400-5600 engine rpm range. The engine's infinitely variable camshaft phasing contributes to this high torque plateau, and the responsive engine performance that results.

The new variable valve timing system uses electronically controlled hydraulic camshaft phasers to alter the relationship of the intake and exhaust camshafts as much as 50 degrees relative to the crankshaft. The ability to adjust the timing and the duration of intake and exhaust valve opening and closing expands the operating range where the engine makes its power. This system adds little weight or assembly complexity to the basic Ecotec DOHC architecture because the Ecotec family was designed from the beginning to easily accept such technologies.

Torque is the engine characteristic that benefits most drivers in most driving situations by providing the power to accelerate a vehicle quickly. The Ecotec 2.4L VVT’s expected 170 lb.-ft. of torque surpasses many other normally aspirated, four-cylinder engines of similar displacement that are offered in the United States (based on Ward’s 2003 model-year market data).

But the Ecotec 2.4L VVT story isn’t just about churning out class-leading torque. Numerous component and design upgrades ensure the newest member of the Ecotec family backs up its reputation for unsurpassed durability, efficiency and cost of ownership with a host of technically advanced features:

• Electronic throttle control - the ETC system eliminates the physical connection between the accelerator pedal and the engine throttle. This allows for remarkably precise engine control and response, while simultaneously enhancing the engine’s interface with other vehicle systems.
• An advanced engine control module (E67) – the Ecotec 2.4L VVT is one of the first GM engines to employ this sophisticated controller that leverages 32-bit processing power. It incorporates 32 megabytes of burst flash memory, 32 kilobytes of external RAM and 36 kilobytes of internal RAM, as well as a high- speed CAN bus to deliver optimal networking capability.
• Individual coil-on-plug ignition modules – improves upon the two-coil “cassette” of the original Ecotec 2.2L. The individual ignition modules for each spark plug enhance combustion and engine energy efficiency.

Along with significant technologies, the new Ecotec 2.4L VVT enjoys numerous upgrades to the robust basic Ecotec engine architecture. Leveraging several heavy-duty components and systems borrowed from the high-performance Ecotec 2.0L SC engine program, engineers also added unique components to the new Ecotec 2.4L VVT:

• An auxiliary oil cooler that is approximately 30 percent smaller (dimensionally) than similar-capacity oil coolers used on other engines
• Piston-cooling oil jets that spray the underside of each piston with a continuous bath of engine oil, increasing longevity by reducing engine-operating temperatures
• Redesigned cylinder head with structural improvements and new multi-layer steel gasket
• New camshafts with optimized lobe profiles
• Enhanced lubrication system to provide for the extra requirements of the camshaft phasers and piston-cooling jets, along with a deeper oil sump to handle the higher potential cornering forces possible with the Ecotec 2.4-liter-equipped Cobalt.

For the new 2.4L VVT, both cylinder bore and stroke are increased in comparison to the original Ecotec 2.2L. The new engine’s bore is 88 mm and stroke is 98 mm, versus the 2.2-liter’s 86mm bore and 94.6mm stroke. These increases, multiplied by four cylinders, yield a total displacement of 2,384 cubic centimeters versus the original 2.2-liter’s 2,189 cubic centimeters.

Ecotec 2.2L: The original is better than ever
The Ecotec 2.2L was the first production version of GM’s Ecotec modular, all-aluminum four-cylinder engine architecture. “Ecotec is one of the highest-volume four-cylinder engine programs in the world,” said Jay Subhedar, Ecotec global four-cylinder engine assistant chief engineer. “Its efficiency and reliability are well-established – now we are adding a new variant to prove the Ecotec architecture’s performance potential.” The Ecotec 2.2L engine currently powers 12 GM models in North America and Europe, and is standard on the 2005 Cobalt, Cobalt LS and Cobalt LT.

“In the global engine family, we look at various engine components to evaluate which are the right ‘fit’ for any given engine application,” said Subhedar. “Commonality is a vital part of the Ecotec program - it’s like an interlocking puzzle. We try to choose the best combination of components from the myriad of available technologies.” In keeping with this thinking, Ecotec iterations appear in a range of displacements and include naturally aspirated, turbocharged, and supercharged variants.

Although each Ecotec engine has distinct hardware differences and performance characteristics, all share the Ecotec 2.2L solid basic architecture and all-aluminum construction:

• Dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) and four valves per cylinder
• Twin counter-rotating balance shafts to cancel the second-order shaking forces that cause noticeable vibration in four-cylinder inline engines
• Low-friction, roller-finger follower valvetrain with hydraulic lash adjusters
• Zero-maintenance chain camshaft drive
• Extremely compact dimensions and low mass
• Direct mounting of all accessories to the engine structure to eliminate common sources of noise, vibration and harshness
• Full circle transmission attachment, which is more rigid than most four-cylinder powertrains for reduced noise and vibration.
• GM Oil Life System for optimum oil change frequency
• No routine maintenance apart from oil and oil filter changes
• Innovative cast-in oil filter housing eliminates crawling under the car to perform filter changes. The design also eliminates throwaway oil-filter “cans”.

The Ecotec 2.2L is built in Tonawanda, N.Y., Spring Hill, Tenn., and Kaiserslautern, Germany.

GM Powertrain is a global producer of engines, transmissions, castings and components for GM vehicles and other automotive, marine, and industrial OEMs. Headquartered in Pontiac, Mich., GM Powertrain has coordinating responsibility for General Motors powertrain manufacturing plants and engineering centers in North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, employs about 325,000 people globally. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold nearly 8.6 million cars and trucks, about 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM’s global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company’s corporate website at www.gm.com.