CHEVROLET SS MODELS HERALD NEW ERA

[SilveradoSS.com]

CHEVROLET SS MODELS HERALD NEW ERA OF ATTAINABLE PERFORMANCE

 

Whether it was a "Super Sport" script on the fenders or a simple "SS" badge in the grille, performance enthusiasts in the '60s and early '70s knew that a Chevrolet with the SS insignia meant performance. That storied moniker returns on the 2003 Silverado SS, a special production version of the Silverado Extended Cab that ushers in a new generation of Chevrolet performance.

 

The 2003 Silverado SS is joined at the 2002 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show by the 2003 SSR roadster and several concept vehicles - TrailBlazer SS, Silverado SS (Regular Cab) and Tahoe SS - to showcase several interpretations of the new family of SS performance vehicles.

 

"Chevy SS has always been about attainable performance," said Chevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter. "Super Sports were vehicles enthusiasts wanted, because they had style and performance. Yet, they also were within the reach of millions of mainstream customers."

 

Updated for the 21st century, the SS family of vehicles builds on Chevrolet's legendary heritage of performance, with strong acceleration, enhanced handling and braking, and uncompromised driveability.

 

"In the '60s, SS meant brute horsepower, but today it means a balance of all aspects of a vehicle's performance," said Ritter. "Look at Corvette. It is a high-performance vehicle in every sense of the term, but its performance is a combination of traditional horsepower muscle and contemporary road manners. And it provides a great value compared with any other car with similar performance. That's what we're doing with SS - the philosophy of Corvette in other Chevrolets."

 

The vehicles at SEMA explore the possible variations on the SS theme in different ways: The brawny Tahoe SS demonstrates the performance capability of a full-size SUV, while the regular cab Silverado SS is lean and mean - a stripped-down, souped-up street machine designed to exploit all the engine's available power. The TrailBlazer SS, with its 345-hp 6.0-liter V-8 engine, harkens back to a long line of powerful midsize SS cars that captured checkered flags on the track and bragging rights on the street.

 

Although unique in purpose and performance, each vehicle shares traits that make it instantly identifiable as a Chevy SS, including:

 

 

Increased horsepower and torque

 

Performance-tuned suspension

 

Large, SS-specific wheels and high-performance tires

 

Blacked-out grille or front fascia, with fog lamps

 

Bright exhaust tips

 

Subtle spoilers

 

Unique interior appointments

 

SS badging

These styling and performance cues will be seen in future SS production models. Each new SS represents the highest-output model of the nameplate, employing horsepower and torque increases that are noticeable in almost every driving condition.

 

"Chevrolet SS models mean usable performance," said Ritter. "They're fun to drive and true to the spirit of the first SS model, the '61 Impala Super Sport."

 

Ritter points to another strong attribute of SS - affordability - as a reason SS models will create desire in performance fans. "We want SS models to be attainable to any enthusiast, young or old," said Ritter. "SS variations will ultimately be available on most Chevrolet models, thereby bringing contemporary, affordable performance to any driver who wants it."

 

Concept and production versions of Chevy's new SS vehicles were developed in conjunction with the newly formed GM Performance Division. The cooperative process will be seen in future SS vehicles, as well.

 

"GM Performance Division was established to work with the brands to deliver exciting vehicles that will be in demand by enthusiasts," said Mark Reuss, GM Performance Division's executive director. "It's a long-term commitment that will see great SS vehicles reach our customers in the coming years."

 

The 2003 Silverado SS will be the first production vehicle in Chevy's new SS family, but certainly not the last. Additional models will be introduced in the coming months, as well as subsequent model years.