2014 Chevrolet SS Will Offer Rear-Wheel Drive Sedan Performance
Chevrolet has taken the wraps off of its new flagship sedan, the 2013 Chevrolet SS, and the model looks poised to light a fire in the hearts of high performance fans who have felt abandoned by the brand's move away from rear-wheel drive, four-door automobiles. The Chevrolet SS in fact represents the first rear-wheel drive sedan to wear the Bowtie badge since the Caprice-based Chevrolet Impala SS left the scene in 1996.
Like the Pontiac G8 that preceded it, the Chevrolet SS borrows its platform from GM's Australian subsidiary Holden. The SS is based on the Holden VF Commodore SS, and it is powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine that produces 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. As with the 90s-era Impala SS, the only transmission choice available is an automatic unit (featuring six forward gears), which has been lamented by sports sedan enthusiasts hoping for at least a limited production run of manual-equipped cars in the fashion of the Pontiac G8 GXP.
The lack of a manual transmission might be heartbreaking to anyone seeking an alternative to hotted-up Euro sedans like the BMW M3 and the Audi RS4, but it makes sense in the context of the Chevrolet SS' market positioning. Chevrolet clearly intends to take on Dodge's full-size charger sedan with its new effort, and although the SS doesn't offer the same malevolent styling the performance is definitely there: the run to 100 km/h should take only five seconds from a standing start. Attention to weight balance when putting the vehicle together can be seen in the SS' aluminium hood and trunk lid, and Chevrolet is claiming that the car will feature close to 50/50 weight distribution.
Pricing for the 2014 Chevrolet SS has yet to be released, but it is expected to top $38,000 in the United States. Although that might seem like a lot of money for a non-premium domestic sedan, Chevrolet is hoping that the vehicle's 415 horsepower (and full equipment load that will include leather seats, MyLink, and the availability of a self parking system) will sway customers and help pull them into showrooms.