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Chevrolet's Cavalier spawns a sleek Z24 sport coupe edition
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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This one looks slick in aggressive stance with slinky nose and sharp cant of a boldly raked windshield, followed by smooth roof contours which descend rearward to the accent of a thin spoiler foil mounted across the lip of its tail.
Inside, tightly bolstered front bucket seats also suggest a sporty personality, as does the 5-speed stick shifter and small, fat steering wheel.
Pump the peddle and you'll find further proof of this car's tilt toward forward progress.
It runs quickly up to redline, leaps easily into fast mode and shoots through twisty sets like a curve warrior.
Still, there are significant systems for safety aboard, like 4-wheel anti-lock brakes and twin airbags, a steel safety cage which insulates riders, even crumple zones integrated fore and aft into the superstructure.
Best of all, this one comes with an attractive price.
Call it Z24, latest performance coupe variation for Chevrolet's redesigned subcompact Cavalier.
Although the nameplate traces to a 1982 model and once ranked as the country's best-selling car, Chevrolet started over with the 1995 incarnation that's new from frame and fenders to sheetmetal styling and interior features.
Sedans and a base coupe edition emerged last fall, but the pumped-up Z24 coupe rolled off an Ohio assembly line only this spring, as did a cute convertible.
New Z24 contains all of the superlative features built into the revised Cavalier sedan.
Cavalier's remake included a chassis expansion which added three inches to the wheelbase and two to the track, producing a vehicle that feels more grounded and stable. These expansions also create more cabin space for passenger shoulders, legs and heads.
Check out that cabin and you'll discover a variety of comfort and convenience items usually found only on far more expensive labels.
Seats, for instance, feel solid and supportive.
Handy gadgets turn up everywhere you look: The cupholders in back as well as front, integrated heat ducts for rear riders, interior lighting that dramatically fades after start-up, a back window defroster zoned to clear the vital center section first for prime visibility.
Remarkable, for Chevrolet at least, a single key unlocks ignition, doors and rear decklid. Foreign cars long ago figured out how convenient it would be for operators to keep up with but one key, but domestic automakers kept missing this point -- until now, at least.
Spend time behind the wheel, as I did in a series of tests for this profile, and Cavalier could fool you: If you didn't know the car had been born and bred in America, you might well assume its precise handling attributes and comfortable interior fittings came out of a coupe imported direct from Asia.
Does this suggest that Z24 performs as precisely and functions as user-friendly as a Japanese sport coupe?
Yes, it does.
In my own tests, covering a variety of pavement conditions which ranged from snaky mountain back routes to flat out romps down a multi-lane expressway, I experienced an eager, refined and entirely pleasant personality.
It's quick to obey a driver's commands.
This lively response stems from power-assisted rack and pinion steering and independent front suspension components which incorporate dual-path struts.
In addition, Z24's rear suspension with coil-over-shock configuration positions these mechanical elements in direct alignment so reactions to road irregularities like bumps and potholes end up being filtered across the car's entire body structure to even out the ride quality.
Expect quick acceleration too.
Essence of Z24, the element which most dramatically distinguishes it from the base Cavalier coupe, traces to its dual-cam 2.3-liter 4-in-line engine.
This so-called Quad 4 plant from General Motors in past applications man-handled its horsepower but now contains new balanced shafts to tame vibrations and engine noise.
Output climbs to 150 hp.
Standard Z24 transmission is the spry 5-speed manual, but an automatic 4-speed shows up on the list of options.
The base coupe uses an overhauled version of Cavalier's previous powerplant, a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder design with multi-port injection plus platinum-tipped spark plugs designed to fire for 100,000 miles of life.
Horsepower for this installation holds at 120, the same as produced by the original plant, but internal enhancements combine to generate better fuel economy numbers now.
A 3-speed automatic is an option for the base coupe.
Anti-lock brakes in 4-channel format, a rare standard safety asset for cars in this price class, appear on both the base Cavalier coupe and new Z24.
Cavalier's lowest-priced coupe, listing for $10,500 provides favored items like the four cup holders, plus map pockets on both doors, a folding rear seatback, front center console with storage compartment, courtesy lamps and those rear heat ducts.
In addition to that engine upgrade, the Z24 adds more standard stuff, such as air conditioning, the PassLock theft deterrent system, a remote release lever for the rear hatch lid, special external bodyside moldings, aluminum wheels and big 16-inch tires.
The Z24 goes even further by stocking an analog tachometer, headliner-mounted reading lamps and an excellent sound system with electronic AM-FM stereo radio, cassette deck and speakers mounted front and rear.
This sportiest Cavalier also comes in fast and crazy colors like Bright Aqua, Cayenne Red, Raspberry and Metallic Hawaiian Orchid, or quieter tones like black or white.
Sticker figures begin at $10,500 for the base Cavalier Coupe, then jump to a starting figure of $14,400 for Z24. Options like a sunroof will put more dollars on the bottom line, of course, although this is one sport coupe that manages to maintain a bargain-oriented attitude.
1995 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z24 COUPE
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1995 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z24 COUPE Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact 2-door coupe |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact 2-door coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
104.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
180.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
Base: OHV 2.2-L I-4
Z24: DOHC 2.3-L I-4
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| Transmission: |
Base: Manual/5, Auto/3
Z24: Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
2.2-L: 25/37 mpg
2.3-L: 22/32 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 10,500 to $ 16,000 |
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