~ SS History ~
RE: SS History : )
[:-]Great Gift for SomeOne or Self [:-]
[hr]
Chevy SS: 50 Years of Super Sport (Hardcover) $34.00[/b][/align]
Editorial Reviews
On the 1957 auto show circuit Chevrolet unveiled a show car based on its Corvette and dubbed the "Super Sport." The performance car world took one look, and never looked back. A combination of styling and performance upgrades, the SS package could turn something as mundane as a 6-cylinder Malibu into the fire-breathing Chevelle SS396. This book traces the long line of legendary SS models from Chevy’s Super Sport version of its popular Impala, which marked the dawn of the muscle car era, to today’s Impala SS. Featuring the work of acclaimed photo ace David Newhardt, Chevy SS: 50 Years of Super Sport [/i]provides a close-up, detailed, full-color look at such beloved muscle cars as the Chevelle, the Camaro, the El Camino, the Malibu, and the Monte Carlo. The book is a fittingly elegant celebration of the cars that redefined “high performance” and defined an era.
[/align]From the Inside Flap
During the classic muscle car era, American cars meant performance[/i]. Driving an American muscle car meant driving the baddest machine on the road. Every detail of the cars backed this up. Engine badges gave other street racers a clue as to just how badly they were about to be stomped in a stoplight drag race. Even the striping meant something, and no stripes meant as much as the twin skunk stripes running from the hood to the trunk of Chevrolet’s mighty Super Sports. Regardless of which Super Sport model those stripes graced—agile Camaros with lightweight small blocks and fabulous F41 suspensions, luxurious Impalas with their monstrous big-block engines, or LS6-equipped Chevelle 454SSs with the most powerful engine of the entire muscle-car era—the name “Super Sport” screamed mind-bending performance.
Super Sport: 50 Years of Chevy Muscle[/i] relives the complete story of these iconic automobiles, from the Corvette racing prototype of 1957 to the V-8-powered Super Sports of the 21st century. With new photography of all major Super Sport models, this book is the first book to do justice to Chevrolet’s fantastic Super Sports.[/align][/align]http://www.amazon.com/Chevy-SS-Years.../dp/0760329796
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RE: SS History : )
Future SS
Finally, GM puts the SS (Super Sport) Emblem back on a Performance Vehicle [:-][/align][align=center]
[/align]Chevrolet announced that the Blue Devil will officially be called Corvette SS (Super Sport). The 2009 SS will be powered by a 7.0 litre V8 engine with an output of 650 hp. This will help the car to make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.5 seconds and have a top speed of 215 mph.WOW, The SS will feature carbon ceramic brakes. Some spyshots of the new Corvette SS surfaced but we had to remove them. GM contacted several website already. "To Dare 2 Dream " `Space
RE: SS History : )
Holden Commodore SS V from OverSea's
At a glance...
[align=center]A very big car indeed [/align][align=center]Thirsty when pedalled gently and bloody thirsty when driven hard [/align][align=center]Excellent ride, handling, steering, brakes [/align][align=center]Well equipped [/align][align=center]Incredible value for money [/align][/ul][size=4]
The VE Commodore is an enormous car. Huge. Gargantuan. When the VT Commodore was released, we said that there was room for a small person to sit on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Now, with the front seats positioned for normally sized people, you could have a bloody party in the back.
On the floor.
Going through the McDonalds drive-through within half an hour of picking up the car (yep, very sophisticated) we winced at the narrowness of the lane and the tightness of the corners. In fact even a current limousine like the Lexus LS460 is within 3 per cent of the Commodore in length, width and height. Compare the VE to previous Commodore models and you’d have to figure that in the last few decades, all humans have all grown 200mm and 30kg ....
In fact, unless the VE is designed for extremely tall, fat people, we can see no reason why the car is so enormous. Doesn’t matter? Well perhaps less so in the run-of-the-mill models, but in the SS V – a car with seriously sporting pretensions – we’re talking about lugging that extra mass when you want to accelerate, want to brake or want to go around corners.
The fact that the SS V does so well on the road is a triumph of engineering over design. If the Commodore lost perhaps 20 per cent in external dimensions and 400kg in mass, we can only guess how fantastically the car would go, stop and corner. And how much better fuel economy could be with a smaller engine delivering the same performance...
But clearly Holden believe there’s a market for people who don’t care about size - and care little about fuel economy. And if you’re one of these people, let’s be absolutely clear: the SS V is a brilliant car.
[/align]Over the more downmarket SS, the SS V scores projector headlights, 19 inch wheels, a colour central LCD, curtain airbags and a few other good bits. In as-tested 6-speed auto form it comes in at AUD$53,990 - an amount which is simply astonishingly good value for money. Include sat nav on the standard colour LCD (and nav is a relatively cheap option), glue on a Euro badge, and in nearly every aspect the Commodore could be a $100,000 car. Remember, this car is now sophisticated from top to toe, from suspension to chassis control electronics to braking to interior to performance. And yet it also has the ruggedness that cannot be denied of the local product, is supported by one of the best service networks in the country and – arguably – looks very impressive.
For us the most remarkable aspect of the car is its poise on the road. The steering – controlled by a wheel with a rim too thick for all but large hands – is superbly weighted, has excellent on-centre feel and a directness that is a good compromise between sports twitchiness and lethargic limousine. The suspension is extremely well sorted, with linear body roll (and not much of it) and a beautifully engineered match with the stability control system. Basically, the SS V is a safe and reassuring machine to point and squirt, lair-arsing in the bellow of the V8 - or to use as a weapon to analytically and quickly despatch a
[align=center]A very big car indeed [/align][align=center]Thirsty when pedalled gently and bloody thirsty when driven hard [/align][align=center]Excellent ride, handling, steering, brakes [/align][align=center]Well equipped [/align][align=center]Incredible value for money [/align][/ul][size=4]
The VE Commodore is an enormous car. Huge. Gargantuan. When the VT Commodore was released, we said that there was room for a small person to sit on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Now, with the front seats positioned for normally sized people, you could have a bloody party in the back.
On the floor.
Going through the McDonalds drive-through within half an hour of picking up the car (yep, very sophisticated) we winced at the narrowness of the lane and the tightness of the corners. In fact even a current limousine like the Lexus LS460 is within 3 per cent of the Commodore in length, width and height. Compare the VE to previous Commodore models and you’d have to figure that in the last few decades, all humans have all grown 200mm and 30kg ....
In fact, unless the VE is designed for extremely tall, fat people, we can see no reason why the car is so enormous. Doesn’t matter? Well perhaps less so in the run-of-the-mill models, but in the SS V – a car with seriously sporting pretensions – we’re talking about lugging that extra mass when you want to accelerate, want to brake or want to go around corners.
The fact that the SS V does so well on the road is a triumph of engineering over design. If the Commodore lost perhaps 20 per cent in external dimensions and 400kg in mass, we can only guess how fantastically the car would go, stop and corner. And how much better fuel economy could be with a smaller engine delivering the same performance...
But clearly Holden believe there’s a market for people who don’t care about size - and care little about fuel economy. And if you’re one of these people, let’s be absolutely clear: the SS V is a brilliant car.
[/align]Over the more downmarket SS, the SS V scores projector headlights, 19 inch wheels, a colour central LCD, curtain airbags and a few other good bits. In as-tested 6-speed auto form it comes in at AUD$53,990 - an amount which is simply astonishingly good value for money. Include sat nav on the standard colour LCD (and nav is a relatively cheap option), glue on a Euro badge, and in nearly every aspect the Commodore could be a $100,000 car. Remember, this car is now sophisticated from top to toe, from suspension to chassis control electronics to braking to interior to performance. And yet it also has the ruggedness that cannot be denied of the local product, is supported by one of the best service networks in the country and – arguably – looks very impressive. For us the most remarkable aspect of the car is its poise on the road. The steering – controlled by a wheel with a rim too thick for all but large hands – is superbly weighted, has excellent on-centre feel and a directness that is a good compromise between sports twitchiness and lethargic limousine. The suspension is extremely well sorted, with linear body roll (and not much of it) and a beautifully engineered match with the stability control system. Basically, the SS V is a safe and reassuring machine to point and squirt, lair-arsing in the bellow of the V8 - or to use as a weapon to analytically and quickly despatch a
[/align][align=center]$ 34.00 Great Gift for SS fan : )[/align]
RE: SS History : )
ORIGINAL: rj
"50 Years Of SS?"
There was a '57 Chevy SS? Why haven't I ever seen one?
I WANT ONE!!!!
"50 Years Of SS?"
There was a '57 Chevy SS? Why haven't I ever seen one?
I WANT ONE!!!!
Yes RJ, it was a 1957CORVETTE SS
In 1957 the Corvette SS was developed to be the Corvette race car that would beat the best of the European sports cars; the Ferraris and Maseratis. It took Zora Arkus-Duntov only 6 months to develop this purpose built racer. The SS engine deveoped 307 hp at 6,400 RPM from it's 283 c.i. iron block.
The aerodynamic drag of the SS was similar to that of the famous D Jaguar and it's frame weighed only 180 pounds and was patterned after the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The instrument panel was functional and elegant. A clock was included which proved useful in the endurance races. The car was a spectacular hit at Sebring in 1957. The SS legend has grown ever since!
The aerodynamic drag of the SS was similar to that of the famous D Jaguar and it's frame weighed only 180 pounds and was patterned after the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The instrument panel was functional and elegant. A clock was included which proved useful in the endurance races. The car was a spectacular hit at Sebring in 1957. The SS legend has grown ever since!
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[/align]You can get a die-cast model for: $69.99
RE: SS History : )
MILFORD, Mich. — Caught flexing its muscle recently outside GM's Milford proving grounds, this 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS appears similar to the car spotted months ago on its way to Germany.
Like the previous car, this Corvette SS wears covers over the hood and side scoops. We assume larger side scoops will be used to cool an even more massive set of brakes, while the hood may have been altered to accommodate the giant intercooler that sits on top of what we expect is a 6.2-liter V8. This car is also sporting a new set of wheels compared to the previous prototype, but there's no way to tell if they're the final production units.
Look for the debut of the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS at next year's Detroit auto show, with production beginning by the summer of 2008.
What this means to you: Start saving your money. The Corvette SS is expected to sticker near $100,000.[align=center]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS is expected to make more than 600 horsepower. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]We can't wait to hear the roar of the mighty V8's exhaust note. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align][/align]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]Minor masking continues to cover the Corvette's side scoops. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align][/align][/align][align=center][/align]
Like the previous car, this Corvette SS wears covers over the hood and side scoops. We assume larger side scoops will be used to cool an even more massive set of brakes, while the hood may have been altered to accommodate the giant intercooler that sits on top of what we expect is a 6.2-liter V8. This car is also sporting a new set of wheels compared to the previous prototype, but there's no way to tell if they're the final production units.
Look for the debut of the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS at next year's Detroit auto show, with production beginning by the summer of 2008.
What this means to you: Start saving your money. The Corvette SS is expected to sticker near $100,000.[align=center]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS is expected to make more than 600 horsepower. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]We can't wait to hear the roar of the mighty V8's exhaust note. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align][/align]
(Enlarge photo)[/align]Minor masking continues to cover the Corvette's side scoops. (Photo by Brenda Priddy) [/align][/align][/align][align=center][/align]
RE: SS History : )
[/align]Coming soon: GM's rear-drive V8 sedan from Down Under
Here's what Americans know about the automotive scene in Australia: nothing.
We imagine horizon-bending roads and rear-drive cars powered by big supercharged V8s, as if Mad Max-style vigilantes were still running amok. Lies. The 2007 Holden Commodore SS isn't supercharged at all. Not to worry. The car that will become the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT does just fine without it.
Back in January, GM's Bob Lutz let the world know that Australia's Holden Commodore SS will be transformed into the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT. Details subsequently released at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show confirmed that the Holden-developed, rear-drive Zeta chassis that underpins the newest Commodore will become the core of not only the Pontiac G8 but also the 2009 Chevy Camaro[b].
In fact, the specifications of the Pontiac G8 are virtually a photocopy of the Holden Commodore SS's specs, right down to the 6.0-liter V8 and six-speed manual transmission. So there was nothing to do but pack up our test gear and head to Australia to wring the neck of a Commodore SS. Let's see what kind of rear-wheel-drive sedan is coming our way.
What's a Commodore?
Holden has been in the automobile business for nearly 100 years. In 1931 the successful coachbuilder was absorbed by GM, and under the name GM Holden Ltd., it's been one of the dominant players Down Under, squaring off against perennial rival Ford and, more recently, Toyota. Sound familiar?
Introduced in 1978, Holden's bread-and-butter Commodore sedan grew from rear-wheel-drive architecture provided by Opel, and Holden modified the chassis to accommodate V8 engines and added extra beef to handle the miles of unpaved roads in the Australian outback. But for the fourth-generation Commodore, Holden had been commissioned by GM to do a clean-sheet design.
Introduced in 2006, the fourth-generation Holden Commodore (code-named VE) is the product of one of the most expensive and thorough automotive engineering programs in Australian history.
Alpha-Dog Zeta
The heart of the Commodore is GM's new Zeta platform, a strong, stiff chassis with a big American-style V8 under the hood. Australian cars have been built around this combination for decades, but now it's been taken to a new level.
The BMW-style front suspension features twin-pivot MacPherson struts, and the steering geometry is set up with lots of castor for excellent straight-line stability. A hydraulically damped tension rod bush is there to improve ride isolation from longitudinal bumps, while the lateral link has a stiff, spherical, rubber inner pivot to improve lateral precision for good handling — just the combination you'd expect from a fine performance sedan.
The innovation lies in a four-link independent rear suspension with coil-over springs and dampers, a major step forward for Australian cars. Here again, the Holden engineers have tried to balance longitudinal compliance for a good ride with lateral stiffness for good handling. The Commodore SS gets a handling-oriented spring-and-damper calibration and 245/45R18 performance tires. Optional 19- and 20-inch rubber can be fitted — the latter available on the very same wheels featured on the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT that appeared at the Chicago auto show.
Holden engineers have done their best to achieve a weight distribution of 50 percent front/50 percent rear, partly by positioning the engine low and to the r