ITT: I speak blasphemy. (The Chevy SS needs a V6)

[MinisterofDOOM]

Details for pricing on the Chevy SS are now available. And, to be perfectly frank, Chevrolet must have found some GOOD spice beer to be serious about the car's pricing.

Here's the thing: the new 4-door, RWD, automatic-only, V8-only Chevrolet SS sedan STARTS at FORTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.

That is, by all certifications that count, INSANE.

Way, WAY too much money for a non-luxury sedan, regardless of power output or drivetrain layout.

The problem here is the same old problem: options. Specifically, a LACK of options. SSs (what a stupid name for a car--at least Nissan retired "GTR" as a trim before making it a whole model...Chevy's SS sells along side other SSs of all varieties...asinine, but anyway, I'm getting off topic) come in one trim with two options: a sunroof and a spare tire. This is silly. I know it's a "flagship" but that doesn't mean it needs to be inescapably burdened with pricy options. Again: it is NOT a luxury car. It doesn't need touchscreen this and automatic that.

So, I propose two things:
1) Make all the lane departure s***, backup cameras, touch-screens, heated seats, BOSE audio, satellite radio, and all the other garbage most of us interested in an SS would never ever miss OPTIONS. That should drop the price a good $5k-$7k for those who desire.
2) (And this is where the blasphemy starts) Drop the price another ~$7-10k and offer it with the amazing, brilliant, outstanding, world-class, best-of-the-best LF3 twin turbo V6.

I am as pro-V8 as anyone ever was. I love the format. I honestly believe it to be superior in every measurable way that matters. BUT when you are making one of the best V6 engines in the history of the automobile, and it's a PERFORMANCE engine, and you're selling a PERFORMANCE car...how the HELL do you fail to add a to b and end up at c, being the most obvious answer in the history of the world.

If the LF3 is good enough for the half-step hot CTS, and the full-on hot ATS, it's sure as the hottest Hells good enough for the SS. And it would not cannibalize V8 sales at all, because as much of a V8 fanatic as I am, a lot of would-be SS buyers are more extreme and less realistic. However, there are plenty of us who would happily buy a TT V6 SS for $10k less and never regret it, not for a second. If I could knock that price down to $30k without all the electronic garbage? I MIGHT just be in the market for a new car next year. Charger, 300, and Taurus SHO would be doomed.

Anyway, there's my crime for the day: advocating a V6 in a currently V8-only sport sedan. My pennance will be watching 15 minutes of Toyota advertisements on Youtube.

[Looneybomber]

I'm with you on the options in order to cut costs, and to reduce the amount of things to fix in the future, make it a convenience package, but I doubt using the LF3 TT would provide much savings. Couple thousand if that? Once you add in the turbos, intercoolers, labor require to install more things, and the R&D expenditures that must be taken into account to get that engine to bolt in during the assembly process, the savings probably aren't worth the complexity of adding that option.

[krash]

[Bubba1]

Anyway, there's my crime for the day: advocating a V6 in a currently V8-only sport sedan.

I had to double check the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1st.

[gwoods]

As long as its the twin turbo 6 from the CTSV Sport that makes 420 real HP and gobs of torque your still okay here

[Loki]

I really doubt dropping in a V6 TT would do anything but increase the price, but I agree with you on pricing. No way in hell I'd pay 40k for a sedan that looks like the SS, RWD or not. I'm not surprised it only comes with an automatic though. As much as enthusiasts whine about the death of manuals, they generally don't sell in America. BTW, don't count the Taurus SHO out; that 365 HP number is going to get considerably more exciting in a few years.

[Bubba1]

I really doubt dropping in a V6 TT would do anything but increase the price, but I agree with you on pricing. No way in hell I'd pay 40k for a sedan that looks like the SS, RWD or not. I'm not surprised it only comes with an automatic though. As much as enthusiasts whine about the death of manuals, they generally don't sell in America. BTW, don't count the Taurus SHO out; that 365 HP number is going to get considerably more exciting in a few years.

I think Ford's gonna have to get aggressive with the current gen SHO pricing in addition to bumping horsepower if they want to be counted back in. The combination of the big, heavy, current Taurus platform, lack of a man pedal option and too high MSRP has resulted in poor sales. You'd think GM would notice Ford's dilemma and not do the same thing.

As far as manuals go, I agree those looking for a new plain jane Taurus would not likely want an automatic, but I don't think that's necessarily the case for sports/sporty cars. I think it's more a case of manufacturers unwilling to spend the extra money to offer it as an option than enthusiasts unwilling to buy them with manuals.

[Jesda]

SS is just a way of keeping Holden factories slightly busier.

[Kompresshun]

BTW, don't count the Taurus SHO out; that 365 HP number is going to get considerably more exciting in a few years.

Oh, wait. You're serious

The Taurus SHO is a huge, overweight, gas guzzling pig. It's not going to get considerably more exciting unless it goes on a diet and I doubt that will happen. The Taurus is now Ford's flagship so it's likely going to continue to be positioned as their largest sedan offering. Sure, 365 HP sounds great on paper but it's definitely not even on the same planet as the SS, CTS, or similar.

If you're going to compare it to something, you'd do better comparing it to the new Impala and the Cadillac XTS - both of which are still better cars with better engines and better fuel economy numbers.

As far as the SS goes, I think even the base 3.6L wouldn't be a terrible offering in it either. It makes over 300hp without the turbos on it. That would set it up to be at a much lower pricing point too.

[gwoods]

BTW, don't count the Taurus SHO out; that 365 HP number is going to get considerably more exciting in a few years.

The Taurus SHO is a huge, overweight, gas guzzling pig. .

wrong wheel drive

[Bubba1]

wrong wheel drive

The current gen SHO's are AWD.

[ScrapMetal]

What makes you think the Twin Turbo V6 in the Cadillacs is any cheaper for GM to build than the V8 in the SS? Because it has two less cylinders? Heck it might be an even more expensive engine than the V8.

[gwoods]

Wasn't aware they were AWD now. makeing a FWD car AWD is so unsexy.... it like a beautiful girl who used to be a man

[MinisterofDOOM]

wrong wheel drive

The current gen SHO's are AWD.

Ford's "AWD" system leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't really elminate any of the downsides of FWD and is supposedly also no better in adverse weather conditions. It's a lot of weight so the press pamphlets for the car can claim it's not FWD. It does not drive like a proper AWD car, it drives like a FWD car. That's because, functionally, most of the time, it is exactly that.

They're useless pigs. Overweight, oversized, lacking in space, handles like the offspring of a Crown Victoria and an aircraft carrier, weighs as much as a half-ton pickup truck. The SHO is a damned joke. It's not in the same category as the SS regardless, as was already pointed out. It's an Avalon/Impala fighter.

[Looneybomber]

The SHO is a damned joke.

The Explorer sport is a damned joke. It's built from the Taurus chassis, shares its drive train, but has a much bigger body and weighs more. Yay! Ehh...we can laugh at the SHO too.

[Kompresshun]

^Yet another thing Ford I hate these days. I nearly wrote off Ford for doing that to the Explorer. I really do not see the purpose of calling something an SUV when it's based on a car, car barely tow a Barbie Jeep, and has zero offroad capability.

I really don't get the whole SUV brand anymore with more and more true SUV's disappearing from the market. Most women say they prefer an SUV and won't even consider a wagon(including my wife), but yet that's what they are these days. SUV's are becoming the wagon version of sedans.

So basically to sum it up, women want a wagon that's not called a wagon because it's far too embarrassing to drive a wagon. Makes sense

[Bubba1]

^Yet another thing Ford I hate these days. I nearly wrote off Ford for doing that to the Explorer. I really do not see the purpose of calling something an SUV when it's based on a car, car barely tow a Barbie Jeep, and has zero offroad capability.

I really don't get the whole SUV brand anymore with more and more true SUV's disappearing from the market. Most women say they prefer an SUV and won't even consider a wagon(including my wife), but yet that's what they are these days. SUV's are becoming the wagon version of sedans.

So basically to sum it up, women want a wagon that's not called a wagon because it's far too embarrassing to drive a wagon. Makes sense

Is Ford's fattening wagonization of the Exploder...er Explorer any worse than Nissan de-balling the Mall...er...Pathfinder? Seems to be an industry trend, and I think it's driven by a combination of toughening CAFE standards, bragging rights for interior room/comfort, and the sad fact that so few SUV buyers actually take their vehicles off road, yet want to give the impression that they do.

[frapjap]

So basically to sum it up, women want a wagon that's not called a wagon because it's far too embarrassing to drive a wagon. Makes sense

I bet this changes in the next 5-10 years since the perception of "wagon" is going to be different. The "wagons" your wife, you, and I rode in were the old Chevy Celebrity, Buick, or Oldsmobile station wagons with fake wood panel & low budget options; inherently uncool until you reach the age of reason. I'd LOVE to have one now, especially in ski season.

The "wagons" kids know today are Mazda 3's, Focus wagons/hatch back, Subaru Imprezza 5 doors, Subaru Legacy Wagons, Subaru Outback (I see a trend here of Subaru making the wagon cool), Volvo V50, Volvo XC70, the list goes on. These wagons are freggin' awesome, luxurious, and even fast in some model trims.

Subaru is on the right path, the wagon is coming back!

[MinisterofDOOM]

So basically the conclusion drawn by this thread:
Chevy needs to build a 7MT wagon SS with the LF3 TT V6 just because awesome.

[gwoods]

So basically the conclusion drawn by this thread:
Chevy needs to build a 7MT wagon SS with the LF3 TT V6 just because awesome.

And wood panels

[Looneybomber]

Ugh, 7MT? I think my shifting limit is 6. At 7, I want an auto, too much work...yes I am getting old.