Google tells me 4, MenuMeters tells me 4, but System Profiler tells me only 2.

Thanks.

According to Mactracker and EveryMac the MacBookPro6,2 models have a 2 core CPU. The Apple Discussions thread how many cores? suggests to see for yourself with SP (as you did), but joins EveryMac's description by specifying the MBP6.2 models as having 2 physical cores allowing 4 virtual cores or threads. There's the core of your seeming discrepancy.

Intel makes variants of the Core i7 processor with 2, 4, or 6 physical cores.

Thanks for clearing that up.

I guess MacTracker may be considered deficient for mentioning neither the 2 "virtual cores" nor Turbo Boost.