The Chevrolet SS sedan was like that distant relative you always heard about, vaguely remembered, and rarely ever saw. It’s a shame because the SS was a rear-wheel-drive sedan with a V8 engine under the hood and the option for a six-speed manual transmission. It was gone just as quickly as it arrived, which makes us wonder: What happened to the Chevrolet SS?
For those not in the know, Holden is the automobile marque of General Motors over in Australia. They have been building really cool cars since the 1940s and one of the best cars to come from there was the VF Commodore; a rear-wheel-drive sedan offered with either a V6 or a V8. Due to popular demand, GM finally decided to bring the Commodore over to the U.S. in the form of the Chevrolet SS. So basically, it’s a rebadged Holden.
Back in 2013, GM decided to close the Holden engine and vehicle manufacturing plant in Australia in 2017. So part of the game plan was to import the Commodore and sell it in the U.S. as the SS from 2014-2017 in an effort to appease those who missed the defunct Pontiac G8, which died with the Pontiac brand in 2009. Their plan was to sell 12,000-15,000 Chevrolet SS units each year that it was in production. Unfortunately, they only sold around 3,000 per year, in reality, thanks to a lack of advertising and, as a result, a lack of public interest.
The SS is still an amazing car
Although it was only here for a blink of an eye, the Chevrolet SS was still an amazing car. It was a large family-sized sedan that was only offered with a 6.2-liter V8 engine which put out 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The small-block 8-cylinder was mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, a combination good for a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 13.2 seconds, according to Edmunds. Not bad, considering this family-hauler weighed nearly 4,000 pounds.
To back up all this power, the Chevrolet SS rode on a magnetic-ride suspension that could soften or stiffen up the ride at a moment’s notice, and the stopping power was taken care of by massive Brembo brakes. The SS’ interior exuded quality as well as spaciousness. It had ample seating for five and came standard with leather seats that were embroidered and luxuriously stitched. It was everything that anyone could expect out of a $45,000 American sedan.
A good deal on a used Chevy SS can be found
Now that the Chevrolet SS is history, they still come up a lot on the used market. A quick search on Cargurus reveals that pricing will land between $25,000 to the high $30,000 depending on the location and mileage. Considering there’s not much you can get with this type of power and performance out of a large, unassuming sedan, we think that anyone interested should probably make a move on one. If anything, you can think of it as a great American car that’s part of Australia’s automotive history.
Chevy didn't do much marketing for this car, and you basically had to find out about it through word of mouth. The name didn't help much, either, as “SS” is typically a trim level on Chevy models, and it remains one today.
Lows A bit pricey, poor fuel economy, outdated infotainment system. Verdict The Chevrolet SS is a rare large sedan with neck-snapping acceleration and an available manual transmission, making it the ideal sleeper.
This car is rare, though, unlike the VehiCROSS, it's not because it was built in a manner that would naturally limit production numbers. Instead, just 12,924 examples of the Chevrolet SS exist and of those, only 2,645 were equipped with a manual transmission.
Starting in 2021, the copper content in these Camaros' Brembo brakes becomes illegal. Chevy wouldn't say why the brakes didn't change prior to the rule change. Chevrolet won't be able to sell the Camaro SS, 1LE, and ZL1 in California and Washington beginning next year due to the copper content of the brake pads.
These remain relatively rare cars, so you'll either need to be flexible about color, or you'll need to be willing to travel a bit to find the exact car of your dreams. There are about 180 SS sedans for sale on Autotrader across the country, fewer than 10% with manual transmissions.
Super Sport, or SS, is the signature performance option package offered by Chevrolet on a limited number of its vehicles. All SS models come with distinctive "SS" markings on their exterior. The SS package was first made available for the 1961 Impala.
Chevy claims a respectable 4.7 seconds to 60 mph, not supercar fast but good enough. By the numbers, though, the SS won't offer much in the way of bragging rights. That 6.2-liter engine, lacking forced induction or even direct injection, only makes 415 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque.
How much is a 2017 Chevrolet SS worth? The value of a used 2017 Chevrolet SS ranges from $26,276 to $36,429, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.
There are no plans to replace the niche vehicle, Batey told reporters after an event to introduce the all-new Chevrolet Traverse, a seven-passenger crossover that, by contrast, is in a hot segment.
The Chevrolet SS is essentially the sequel to the G8, effectively taking over where the G8 left off. The Holden Commodore / Chevy SS was built on the GM Zeta platform and came in a front-engine, RWD layout.
In honor of the revival of the SS badge for the 2014 Chevrolet SS rear-wheel drive sedan, which debuts this weekend, we have rounded up our favorite 10 SS-badged Chevys from over the years.
Super Sport, or SS, is the signature performance option package offered by Chevrolet on a limited number of its vehicles. All SS models come with distinctive "SS" markings on their exterior. The SS package was first made available for the 1961 Impala.
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