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Chevrolet Cavalier spins affordable issue with racy RS coupe
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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AUSTIN, Tex. -- Chevrolet's budget-minded subcompact, Cavalier, spins off a new coupe issue that sports racy styling touches borrowed from the souped-up Z24 edition.
Call it Cavalier RS, as in Rally Sport.
The new coupe looks slick in an 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 spoiler lifted from Z24 and mounted across the tail.
Other sporty paraphernalia from Z24 also decorate the exterior, like curvy bodyside moldings, body-color fascia and larger wheels and tires.
Inside, tightly bolstered front bucket seats suggest a sporty personality, as does the standard 5-speed stick shifter and small steering wheel.
Prime the pump and you'll find further proof of this car's tilt toward forward progress, as it whips into action and runs quickly up to redline in each lower gear.
Still, there are significant systems for safety aboard, like 4-wheel anti-lock brakes and twin airbags, plus a steel safety cage to insulate passengers with integrated crumple zones fore and aft.
To sweeten this deal, Cavalier RS comes with a bottom line that's quite attractive.
Chevy lists it for less than $13,000.
Of course, installing value-oriented hardware and safety systems in a responsive package bearing low sticker figures becomes the big idea behind Chevy's subcompact line, which includes three forms as sedan, coupe and convertible.
Within the 2-door coupe segment, Cavalier also contains three choices now, beginning at $11,500 with a base issue, followed by the new RS and a zippy Z24.
For power, the base Cavalier and RS use a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine outfitted with single overhead cam and multi-port injection.
Horsepower totals to 120, and fuel economy numbers run as high as 37 mpg with manual stick and a light pedal foot.
Cavalier carries two optional automatic transmissions.
A 3-speed automatic may be added to either base or RS edition for $550, but for only $245 more you can install an electronically-controlled 4-speed variation -- the best yet from General Motors -- and it has a built-in traction control system to help corral the car on slick pavement.
Chevy's twin-cam 2.4-liter four, rated at 150 hp, becomes the standard plant for sporty Z24 or an option for Cavalier LS convertible.
All of the current Cavaliers trace to a radical remake in 1995 which included a chassis expansion that added three inches to wheelbase and two to track, producing a vehicle that feels more rooted to pavement.
These expansions also carved out 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: Cupholders in back as well as front, integrated heat ducts for rear riders, interior lighting that fades dramatically after start-up, a back window defroster zoned to clear vital center section first for prime visibility.
Spend time behind the wheel, as did this writer in tests through the Texas hills west of Austin, and Cavalier can fool you: If you didn't know this car had been born and bred in America, you could easily assume its precise handling attributes and comfortable interior fittings came from a coupe imported from Asia.
Does this suggest that Cavalier performs as precisely and functions as user-friendly as a Japanese sport coupe?
Yes, it does.
And it adds some fun for the driving experience.
Recent tests -- rolling across a variety of pavement conditions in Austin plus snaky routes through the western hills and romps down multi-lane I-35 cut through the heart of the Texas capital -- revealed that Cavalier RS comes with an eager 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 to isolate front wheels and remove harshness and that shake-rattle-and-roll effect.
The rear suspension, in coil-over-strut design, arranges both elements in a straight line to transfer any wheel movement resulting from road bumps directly onto Cavalier's rigid structure. By dispersing such jolts throughout the body, passengers enjoy a smoother ride.
Anti-lock brakes in 4-channel format, a rare standard safety asset for vehicles in this price range, work fast to arrest Chevy's coupe when prompted.
The RS showed off its fun side when steered through curves draped across the hills beyond Austin.
Shut the doors and roll up all windows to test this coupe's ability to filter out engine noise and sounds of surrounding traffic. The resulting calm and isolation in the passenger compartment is the result of that rigid chassis when combined with sound-damping materials concealed throughout the structure.
At speed on a freeway my Cavalier remained quiet with little evidence of wind noise, thanks to its slick styling.
All of these good traits must be measured against low price tags, and all of the refined hardware that comes with Cavalier RS also show up on the base edition.
Each version provides favored interior items like the four cup holders, plus map pockets on both doors, a folding rear seatback, front center console with storage bin, a theft deterrent system and intermittent wipers.
Cavalier RS adds a tachometer and trip odometer, an AM-FM radio package, remote decklid release, easy-entry front passenger seat, plus those sporty exterior elements taken from Z24, with the automatic transmission choices and extras like air conditioning listed as options.
1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER COUPE
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER COUPE Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact notchback coupe |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact notchback coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
104.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
180.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 2.2-L I4
DOHC 2.4-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/3/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
2.2-L: 25/37 mpg
2.4-L: 23/33 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 11,000 to $ 16,000 |
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