2014 Chevrolet SS Sedan

[asoomal]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars ... t-ss-sedan

RWD

Four doors

V8

Over 400HP.

Not available in Canada

[nissangirl74]

I'd drive it.

[PEZi]

Hmmm.... promising

[VQpwrdSE-R]

The article doesn't say anything about a manual option. Before reading the article and seeing the picture a few days ago I was like "The G8 lives on!" The upper greenhouse area with A,B,C pillars looks very similar. The other rendering seeing more of the trunk line it looks different and longer. All in all I'd be excited to see one of these. The US needs more rebadged Holden's driving our streets.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Right now, there's no Manual option. I suspect it will be added later. Same mistake GM made with the G8. Early G8s were auto-only, and it wasn't until a while into the car's (short) lifecycle that the GXP model began offering a manual trans option.

The article doesn't say anything about a manual option. Before reading the article and seeing the picture a few days ago I was like "The G8 lives on!" The upper greenhouse area with A,B,C pillars looks very similar. The other rendering seeing more of the trunk line it looks different and longer. All in all I'd be excited to see one of these. The US needs more rebadged Holden's driving our streets.

It basically is a 2nd gen G8. Both are rebadged Holden Commodores, but the G8 was a VE (last-gen) where as the SS is a VF (brand new generation). The late GTO was also a rebadged Holden (that one a Monaro).


Also on the subject of Big American Rear Drivers: I was in Ammon last weekend and watched someone get stopped by a cop driving a new Caprice (which is a G8/VE Commodore sibling). Good to see them finally making their way into service.

[Loki]

On paper this just looks like the bee's knees and I am glad it is being made, but on the outside I could not be more bored by the styling. It looks exactly like a Malibu with hint of the horrible boring looks that plagued the final generation of Pontiac (save for most of the actual G8). I really hope they make the 1st gen a great driver's car, and then make it look like a fun car for the second gen.

Edit: I think this is why I just don't care for Chevy outside of the Corvette and (to a lesser extent) the Camaro:






Four different models, and I would have a hard time telling them apart driving past a dealership.

[Ace2cool]

This thing looks sweet. It's been a while since a sedan gave me a funny feeling in my pants like this.

[alms24sebring]

Its about time, but it needs a manual trans option. I mean why is that not even an choice with a car like that.

[MinisterofDOOM]

but on the outside I could not be more bored by the styling.

I'm not entirely bored by it, but the details are definitely softer than I had hoped for. I think what REALLY kills it for me is the rounded I35-lookalike headlights. They soften up the fascia A LOT. They should have kept them rectangular with a clean, straight line underneath. Tail lights are the same thing. Goofy droopy round spots rather than clean, sharp lines.

It's a testament to how bad styling is these days that a car can have tame-looking headlights alongside outrageous-looking chrome..."vents" (they're not vents! They don't DO ANYTHING!) on the fenders. And factory body damage on the doors like the Charger. But at least it's not 350% out of place like the Charger's. At least on the SS it sort of works with the rest of the bodywork. The worst thing about fenders vents (beyond being unnecessary blingy idiocy) is that they reduce the visual length of the nose. From a certain angles, the SS appears to have FWD midsize sedan proportions because those fender vents are mucking up the space between the fenders and doors. This will probably be exaggerated in non-silver colors that better disguise the panel gaps.

[alms24sebring]

I like the styling overall alot. I could agree with the functionless vents, but I like the aggressive fascia because the look matches the power underneath. It needs a name better than The Chevy SS. Corny.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It needs a name better than The Chevy SS. Corny.

Absolutely agreed. SS is a stupid name. What are they going to call the higher-performance versions of it? The SS SS? Fail.
What Chevy needs to do is put the Impala name back on a big flagship rear driver where it belongs, and call that new overweight XTSalike the Biscayne or Bel Air or something other than Impala.

Who names a car after a trim level, anyway? Oh...wait...

[VQpwrdSE-R]

This thing looks sweet. It's been a while since a sedan gave me a funny feeling in my pants like this.

[gwoods]

SS-R MOD come on just ad an R to anything makes it faster. Then if you come out with something faster then that ad nother 2? SS-RS see now its even faster because it has another S. XF, XF Supercharged, XFR, XFR-S they all do it $10,000 per trunk decklid letter.

I am impressed with the 0-60 in 4.5 seconds for $38k. I brought this up in another thread but this must be the fastest 5 passenger new car for under 40k? Wouldn't the G8 be faster though?

[MinisterofDOOM]

SS-R

Too late.

(I still go through occasional bouts of SSR lust. V8 B.O.F. impractical nonsense.)

[DrewH]

Four different models, and I would have a hard time telling them apart driving past a dealership.

Umm.. Have you not driven past a Nissan dealership recently?!.. and you think Chevrolet's lineup looks the same.

Justin I think you need to look at the rest of the Holden lineup. Pretty much looks exactly like what we already have here minus the Maloo but I know what you mean. The SS could really benefit from Aussie SSV styling. Considering what the G8 GXP offered as options from the G8 GT vs what comes on the SS I will be looking forward to a performance model. LT1 and a manual is realistic but god I'd love to see a Walkinshaw SC.

[Rev_D21]

It looks good and is headed in the right direction unlike some manufacturers we know. hint hint hint Nissan cough.

[Bubba1]

This thing looks sweet. It's been a while since a sedan gave me a funny feeling in my pants like this.

Since we're talking about GM, is the funny feeling in the front or rear of your pants....? j/k

the straight line performance numbers given the low estimated price certainly raises eyebrows. It'll be interesting to see the final version.

[DrewH]

What should also raise your eyebrows is that it was designed to go around corners as well.

[Loki]

Four different models, and I would have a hard time telling them apart driving past a dealership.

Umm.. Have you not driven past a Nissan dealership recently?!.. and you think Chevrolet's lineup looks the same.

Uh...really? I can pretty easily tell the difference between an Altima and a Sentra. Every other model looks vastly different from each other. Not to say I LIKE Nissan's current line-up, but there's no way you can say that their models are as boringly similar as Chevy.

[DrewH]

but there's no way you can say that their models are as boringly similar as Chevy.

Brace yourself.... wait.. for.. it.... cause I'm saying it. It saddens me to say that I think GM is making better looking (exterior) cars but that's not saying much for either. Not to mention Nissans lineup has gotten to be a disheveled mess. The new Altima is once again a better buy than the Maxima and while I understand that we're expecting a new version the current one (that with the exception of the front end strikingly resembles the new Sentra/Altima) is priced so high that anybody would be crazy to buy a nice one over a G37. Not to mention how disappointed I was with the 2012 we just had for a couple weeks. We've talked about it on here before but Nissan better get their **** together.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Not to say I LIKE Nissan's current line-up, but there's no way you can say that their models are as boringly similar as Chevy.

I would actually argue that they're MORE similar than Chevy's models. Especially the front ends. I was struck by this thought many times while walking through Nissan's booth at the Salt Lake Auto Expo last month.

[gwoods]

SS-R

Too late.

(I still go through occasional bouts of SSR lust. V8 B.O.F. impractical nonsense.)

RIGHT! Okay since its Chevy SS-V06 how is that? sounds like a motor oil weight?

[Bubba1]

What should also raise your eyebrows is that it was designed to go around corners as well.

We shall see.

[AZhitman]

This development interests me.

The appearance is classic GM fail. Hey Chevy, walk across the street to Cadillac and ask their designers if you can bring them coffee - You might learn something.

I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent on the manual trans issue. I'm a firm believer that a properly-sorted automatic is well-suited to a high-hp car. Most people fussing over the lack of a manual option have never driven a 400+ / 500+ hp car, and they'd be outperformed by the guy in the automatic anyway.

Blast away - but be advised, you'd best have some track time, significant 400+ hp seat time, and perfect grammar to bring any dissent worthy of reading.

Chris, you just shut your mouth right now.

[Bubba1]

This development interests me.

The appearance is classic GM fail. Hey Chevy, walk across the street to Cadillac and ask their designers if you can bring them coffee - You might learn something.

I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent on the manual trans issue. I'm a firm believer that a properly-sorted automatic is well-suited to a high-hp car. Most people fussing over the lack of a manual option have never driven a 400+ / 500+ hp car, and they'd be outperformed by the guy in the automatic anyway.

Blast away - but be advised, you'd best have some track time, significant 400+ hp seat time, and perfect grammar to bring any dissent worthy of reading.

Chris, you just shut your mouth right now.

LOL, I won't flame you, because I agree with you that a well sorted new generation automatic will be quicker on track, and probably safer, especially for a less experienced driver as the big horsepower cars can get you into trouble so quickly. The two issues I see with them is that they sacrifice some of the connection you feel with a car equipped with a manual (assuming you're proficient at it), and the scary costs to fix those automatic trannies when they break post-warranty.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Chris, you just shut your mouth right now.

I do what I want! (Assuming you weren't talking to one of the many other Chrisses around here.)

My LS (my first non-Nissan automatic in a decade) has certainly taught me that a well-done manumatic can be quite tolerable. Years of enduring Nissan's shockingly terrible automatics have probably jaded me more than most. I will NEVER EVER even CONSIDER owning another automatic Nissan again. But other brands are another story. I know that GM's transmissions are historically in a whole different league from Nissan's, so an automatic Chevy isn't so offputting.

I still think it's silly not to even offer the OPTION of a manual, especially when the Commodore the SS is badge-engineered from (and built alongside) gets one. Goes along the same lines as Nissan with CVTs. As an option it's fine. As the only choice it's disappointing.
I would not be surprised if GM plans to offer a manual transmission in whatever sportier trim follows a few months to a year after the car's launch.

Still, there are some things I miss about a manual. And, honestly, a lot of them are not even related to "driving involvement" as much as to convenience. I know that sounds backward, but I got used to being able to knock the shifter into neutral and let off the brake when stopped on level ground, or the ability to roll downhill just by releasing the clutch (great for 3-point turns without changing gears). Stuff you can't do in an auto. I still find myself reaching to the shifter to tap it sideways for neutral when waiting in drive-throughs, even though I haven't regularly driven a manual car in years. I also miss rev-matching...it just felt right. I really genuinely MISS the lever and clutch and the driving behavior that went with them.

As far as claims that "the auto is faster," I restate what I said in that thread about the manual trans article: speed only matters if you're getting paid to win. I don't care if I'm faster. I care if I'm having fun. If the auto doesn't interfere with that, it's fine.

So I'd still buy an SS with an auto if it was the only choice. And I'd still enjoy driving it. But I'd also still rather have a clutch pedal.

Anyway: how many people are actually going to drive the SS on a track? Let's get real here: 80% of SS sales will go to former owners of Monte Carlo SSs with number 3 stickers on the back windows. Not exactly the highest standard for driving ability.

[Loki]

Chris, you just shut your mouth right now.

I do what I want! (Assuming you weren't talking to one of the many other Chrisses around here.)

Thought he was yelling at me

[AZhitman]

Anyway: how many people are actually going to drive the SS on a track? Let's get real here: 80% of SS sales will go to former owners of Monte Carlo SSs with number 3 stickers on the back windows. Not exactly the highest standard for driving ability.

Point taken.

[Jesda]

I have yet to drive an automatic engine/trans combo as perfectly mated as the Hydramatic 4T80E and the Northstar V8 or the 4T60E and Cadillac 4.9. I'm sure the automatic Corvette is just as satisfying. A lot of it, of course, is due to the big lump of torque that makes constant up and down shifting unnecessary.

Chrysler's Pentastar 3.6L + ZF 8-speed is pretty good but there's a bit of a delay between hammering the throttle and getting down to the gear you want, partly because 8 gears might be too many.


The more power you have, the less annoying it is to have an auto, but there's nothing quite like the interaction of both feet and both hands when driving a car. It's very mechanical, and mechanical stuff is fun.

[gwoods]

because 8 gears might be too many. fun.

Oh just wait till 2016 when ZF comes out with a 12 speed

Anything more then 6 is wasted on me. But to meet the new CAFE standards motors will get smaller and less powerful transmissions will get bigger and have more gear ratio's. Eventually the performance transmission will be a CVT, V8 will only be a tomato drink and the only thing manual on a new car will be the seats.

My Jag has a ZF 6spd and unless you manually put it into 1st gear or use full throttle leaving a light it starts in 2nd gear from a stop. I also jumps into 6th as soon as your doing 45+ mph and under 1/4 throttle. I like to mess with it in traffic if there is too many other cars for me to drive fast. Once it gets into 6th I try to see how much throttle it takes to get it to jump back into 3rd. It makes funny noises with part throttle acceleration in 6th. Kind of like giving your dog a spoon full of peanut butter.

I think the problem with the 8spd in your Chrysler is the Chrysler software.