~ SS History ~
RE: ~ SS History ~
Chevrolet Corvette SS spy shots
May 07 Post
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The Chevrolet SSwill debut in the middle of 2008 as a 2009 model and will be priced around $100,000. The Blue Devil comes as a direct response at the Dodge Viper unveiled at Detroit Auto Show. The Blue Devil will also compete with Porsche 911 Turbo and Ferrari’s next F430 Challenge Stradale.
[/align]General Motors said that the Blue Devil will "surp the Viper’s newly won pole position in the race for the title of most powerful U.S. sports car". The Blue Devil will confirm that Corvette is "the most powerful, most capable, best handling sports car in the United States."Chevrolet will increase the LS7’s displacement and bolt on a supercharger to bump output by 145 hp. So the 7.0 litre V8 engine will now deliver 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.
[/align]Body panels for the Blue Devil will be constructed out of carbon fiber. This will help the supercar to reduce the curb weight from 3132 lbs (the 2007 Z06) to 2900 lbs[/align]
RE: ~ SS History ~
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For those who care about the car side of the world, you know GM is expanding the legendary SS badge to vehicles like the Malibu, Cobalt, Impala, and Monte Carlo. Elsewhere in this issue, we've highlighted some of the power changes in the Silverado SS and SSR. Now, GM is reintroducing the TrailBlazer SS. Offered in all-wheel or rear-drive, the TrailBlazer SS uses the Corvette LS2 6.0-liter V-8, which puts out 391 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. Backed up to the new motor are a redesigned 4L70-E four-speed transmission, a new all-wheel-drive transfer case, and a stronger rear axle, the last sporting a strengthened 9.5-inch ring and pinion.
The new setup is reported to send the sporty SUV to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which would make it one of few SUVs to run that low. And to make sure we know this vehicle isn't just about straight-line capability, GM did all the final suspension testing on the famed 12.5-mile Nuerburgring racetrack in Germany. GM tells us the stiffer springs, grippy Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, as well as specially tuned shocks, combine to bias this track racer for energetic romps. The ride height and center of gravity was lowered by almost two inches with a combination of springs and low-profile tires. Larger stabilizer bars and a newly calibrated StabiliTrak program keep the wheels spinning and gripping when pushed, while 12.8-inch rotors and twin-piston calipers give the SS its needed high-performance stopping power. Estimated braking distances from 60 are reported be near 130 feet. With these numbers, expect the TrailBlazer SS to compete with vehicles like the BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 (see our "First Look" in this issue), and Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Although pricing has not been announced, expect a hefty premium for the sporty engine and trans combination.
Given how other SS packages have been priced above their respective up-level-equipped models, the TrailBlazer SS will start somewhere around $38,000 and be in showrooms late this fall. For those looking for the perfect hot-rod tow vehicle, you'll be happy to know the TrailBlazer SS retains its full towing capacities of 6700 pounds for two-wheel-drive models and 6500 pounds for all-wheel drivers.
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Road Test: 2006 Chevy TrailBlazer SS
[align=center][/align]Road Test: 2006 Chevy TrailBlazer SS
More power; more SS flavor
[align=center][/align]More power; more SS flavor
For those who care about the car side of the world, you know GM is expanding the legendary SS badge to vehicles like the Malibu, Cobalt, Impala, and Monte Carlo. Elsewhere in this issue, we've highlighted some of the power changes in the Silverado SS and SSR. Now, GM is reintroducing the TrailBlazer SS. Offered in all-wheel or rear-drive, the TrailBlazer SS uses the Corvette LS2 6.0-liter V-8, which puts out 391 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. Backed up to the new motor are a redesigned 4L70-E four-speed transmission, a new all-wheel-drive transfer case, and a stronger rear axle, the last sporting a strengthened 9.5-inch ring and pinion.
The new setup is reported to send the sporty SUV to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which would make it one of few SUVs to run that low. And to make sure we know this vehicle isn't just about straight-line capability, GM did all the final suspension testing on the famed 12.5-mile Nuerburgring racetrack in Germany. GM tells us the stiffer springs, grippy Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, as well as specially tuned shocks, combine to bias this track racer for energetic romps. The ride height and center of gravity was lowered by almost two inches with a combination of springs and low-profile tires. Larger stabilizer bars and a newly calibrated StabiliTrak program keep the wheels spinning and gripping when pushed, while 12.8-inch rotors and twin-piston calipers give the SS its needed high-performance stopping power. Estimated braking distances from 60 are reported be near 130 feet. With these numbers, expect the TrailBlazer SS to compete with vehicles like the BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 (see our "First Look" in this issue), and Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Although pricing has not been announced, expect a hefty premium for the sporty engine and trans combination.
Given how other SS packages have been priced above their respective up-level-equipped models, the TrailBlazer SS will start somewhere around $38,000 and be in showrooms late this fall. For those looking for the perfect hot-rod tow vehicle, you'll be happy to know the TrailBlazer SS retains its full towing capacities of 6700 pounds for two-wheel-drive models and 6500 pounds for all-wheel drivers.
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RE: ~ SS History ~
Replacement Killers: GM To Nix Mid-Size SUV Successors?
May 17th, 2007 [:-][/b][/b]
Is General Motors on the brink of killing replacements for its mid-size SUVs? Automotive website The Car Connection seems to think so, and it has some non-committal GM executive statements that suggest that doing so is very much on the table.
This would seem to make a good deal of sense, as the present Chevrolet Trailblazer and its ilk are growing long-in-the-tooth, and GM has filled its sport-ute and crossover stable since its GMT-360 -based vehicles first came on the market. Models like the Equinox, Pontiac Torrent, and new Saturn Vue all offer similar on-road utility for most consumers, and the General has also built its larger GMT900-based SUVs and Lambda-platform crossovers that have been well-received in the marketplace. Other GMT-360 platform vehicles like the Saab 9-7x and Isuzu Ascender have failed to find buyers, while the remaining models have moved in merely respectable numbers in recent years.
So consider it no surprise that the company is rethinking replacing its mid-size entrants, particularly with escalating gasoline prices and seemingly ever-growing SUV backlash threatening to hurt sales even further.
What do you think, is this a good plan for GM, or will these bread-and-butter models be missed? Click through to the link for more details on GM’s product planning, then come back and leave a note in
General Motors is prepared to move ahead with a new round of rear-wheel-drive vehicles but it is taking a hard look at the replacements for the traditional mid-size sport-utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer.
Fritz Henderson, GM's chief financial officer, said in response to an analyst question that GM would move forward with a family of rear-wheel-drive cars based but also was taking a hard look at its future options.
"We have some rear-wheel-drive vehicles in the pipeline and we're going to execute those," he said.
However, Henderson also told the analyst that GM was mindful of the new challenges over the horizon.
"We need to step back and think about fuel prices and regulation as we develop our portfolio," Henderson said. "We shouldn't just leave it static. We obviously need to consider the dynamics of the market as we thinkfuture choices," Henderson added.
"I'd say sitting here to day given the uncertainty it's something we're looking at. But I wouldn't say I have anything to announce today.It's just natural that we should be looking at our portfolio choices in a different regulatory/fuel economy environment," he said.Robert Lutz, GM vice chairman for product development, said in a television interview that aired in Detroit over the weekend the company had "hit the pause button" on a family of new rear-wheel-drive models. However, GM isn't going to scrap the vehicles, though it is rethinking the powertrain options it plans to use in the various models, which would be spun off from the architecture being utilized for the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro.The business case for the new Camaro, due out in 2009, has already been reviewed and approved, which means most of the fixed investment required for the other rear-wheel-drive models has already been committed, Lutz added. Thus, the other models would be less expensive to develop, Lutz added.
[li
May 17th, 2007 [:-][/b][/b]
Is General Motors on the brink of killing replacements for its mid-size SUVs? Automotive website The Car Connection seems to think so, and it has some non-committal GM executive statements that suggest that doing so is very much on the table.
This would seem to make a good deal of sense, as the present Chevrolet Trailblazer and its ilk are growing long-in-the-tooth, and GM has filled its sport-ute and crossover stable since its GMT-360 -based vehicles first came on the market. Models like the Equinox, Pontiac Torrent, and new Saturn Vue all offer similar on-road utility for most consumers, and the General has also built its larger GMT900-based SUVs and Lambda-platform crossovers that have been well-received in the marketplace. Other GMT-360 platform vehicles like the Saab 9-7x and Isuzu Ascender have failed to find buyers, while the remaining models have moved in merely respectable numbers in recent years.
So consider it no surprise that the company is rethinking replacing its mid-size entrants, particularly with escalating gasoline prices and seemingly ever-growing SUV backlash threatening to hurt sales even further.
What do you think, is this a good plan for GM, or will these bread-and-butter models be missed? Click through to the link for more details on GM’s product planning, then come back and leave a note in
General Motors is prepared to move ahead with a new round of rear-wheel-drive vehicles but it is taking a hard look at the replacements for the traditional mid-size sport-utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer.
Fritz Henderson, GM's chief financial officer, said in response to an analyst question that GM would move forward with a family of rear-wheel-drive cars based but also was taking a hard look at its future options.
"We have some rear-wheel-drive vehicles in the pipeline and we're going to execute those," he said.
However, Henderson also told the analyst that GM was mindful of the new challenges over the horizon.
"We need to step back and think about fuel prices and regulation as we develop our portfolio," Henderson said. "We shouldn't just leave it static. We obviously need to consider the dynamics of the market as we thinkfuture choices," Henderson added.
"I'd say sitting here to day given the uncertainty it's something we're looking at. But I wouldn't say I have anything to announce today.It's just natural that we should be looking at our portfolio choices in a different regulatory/fuel economy environment," he said.Robert Lutz, GM vice chairman for product development, said in a television interview that aired in Detroit over the weekend the company had "hit the pause button" on a family of new rear-wheel-drive models. However, GM isn't going to scrap the vehicles, though it is rethinking the powertrain options it plans to use in the various models, which would be spun off from the architecture being utilized for the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro.The business case for the new Camaro, due out in 2009, has already been reviewed and approved, which means most of the fixed investment required for the other rear-wheel-drive models has already been committed, Lutz added. Thus, the other models would be less expensive to develop, Lutz added.
[li
RE: ~ SS History ~
[align=center][:-]Interesting Review of the 2007 IMPALA SS[:-][/align]
By Terry Cole
1/15/2007
While Chevrolet has seemingly been the last one to board the ship -- so to speak -- throughout history, it never really has seemed to hurt them. The first Camaro came two years after the first Mustang, and although there may be more of the Blue Oval’s first Pony car galloping around America’s highways, there’s no question which is more enamored by the performance enthusiast family.
But if the old adage “learn from your mistakes” doesn’t apply to The General, it’s clearly history repeating itself when it comes to the Camaro-Mustang saga. Will the Bow-Tie brigade suffer for coming to market too late with the F-body? Only time will tell on that one.
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But wait, a recent turn of events may have reignited the belief that the Impala SS can offer performance and comfort, just like the legends of yesteryear did. With the Corvette-inspired 5.3-liter, 303-horse V8 powerplant now fitted nicely between the new car’s front fenders, although the front-wheel drive layout still remains, there is proof that it can withstand tire-smoking thrust and hold its own against much of what the performance world has to offer. I know, I’ve driven it!
By Terry Cole
1/15/2007
In many ways the Detroit auto industry is reinventing itself. And to do that they are revisiting the past. Does this make sense, to go where you’ve gone before? Just look at the popularity of Ford’s Mustang and ask no more!
While Chevrolet has seemingly been the last one to board the ship -- so to speak -- throughout history, it never really has seemed to hurt them. The first Camaro came two years after the first Mustang, and although there may be more of the Blue Oval’s first Pony car galloping around America’s highways, there’s no question which is more enamored by the performance enthusiast family.But if the old adage “learn from your mistakes” doesn’t apply to The General, it’s clearly history repeating itself when it comes to the Camaro-Mustang saga. Will the Bow-Tie brigade suffer for coming to market too late with the F-body? Only time will tell on that one.But the company has subtly stepped up in other ways to try and recapture the allure of performance, most notably with the reintroduction a couple of years ago of the SS line of enthusiast-directed machines (albeit most models first appear to be more aesthetically appointed). Save for the awesome Corvette lineup, Chevy still seems to have,
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perceptually, at least, missed the boat.
But one shining star amidst the sea of SS emblems is the one that has the most heritage to live up to. The Impala nameplate is as storied as any marque in automotive history. Starting as an entry level machine that grafted its way into the annals of muscle car lore with such Herculean bulges as the 409/409 and 427 Rat motors, the Impala has been an enthusiast family favorite for generations. And while the performance line basically ended with the demise of the big-blocks and the raising of gas prices, it did show us a glimpse of its heritage in the early to mid-â€90s when the LT1-powered Impala SS roared to life. But that rising star burned out in an enthusiast’s blaze of glory when corporate stupidity killed it after only a couple of years. Today, it’s a cult machine for sure, with enthusiasts collecting them as if they were the last remaining magic key to the past. And certainly when the current model was introduced, the belief in the foregoing seemed cemented in fact.
But wait, a recent turn of events may have reignited the belief that the Impala SS can offer performance and comfort, just like the legends of yesteryear did. With the Corvette-inspired 5.3-liter, 303-horse V8 powerplant now fitted nicely between the new car’s front fenders, although the front-wheel drive layout still remains, there is proof that it can withstand tire-smoking thrust and hold its own against much of what the performance world has to offer. I know, I’ve driven it!And unlike the gas-guzzlers (LT1 included) this mini-bruiser gets an estimated 27 miles-per-gallon on the highway. Wow, power and economy at the same time!
[center][b]Bu
RE: ~ SS History ~
[align=center]SS HHR[/align][align=center]
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Photo Gallery
2008 Chevrolet HHR SS - Car News
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A turbocharger roosts under the HHR’s retro-styled hood.
BY ERIK JOHNSON,
August2007
As Chrysler uses Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise to roll out another snoozer special edition of the extremely long-in-the-tooth PT Cruiser—this time the Sunset Boulevard Cruiser, inspired by a street 2300 miles and several tax brackets away from Motown’s famed Avenue—Chevrolet has decided to inject a little bit of muscle into the event. Make that a very little bit of muscle, because the bow-tie brand has seen fit to unleash upon the world the Chevrolet HHR SS, which is, of course, based upon the diminutive HHR trucklet.
Where’d A Little Truck Like You Get All Them Horsepower?
Of the many things that distinguish the new HHR SS from its more pedestrian sibling, the most important are the turbocharger and intercooler that reside under its hood. That’s because they boost power and torque from the 2.0-liter direct-injection Ecotec four to a stratospheric 260 horses and 260 lb-ft—as seen in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline—all running through the front wheels. This is a huge boost over the regular HHR’s 143-hp or 171-hp naturally aspirated four cylinders and should keep the HHR SS very competitive with the upcoming 280-hp Dodge Caliber SRT4 in terms of straight-line performance, once either vehicle manages to find traction through the fog of wheelspin and torque steer.
Once it gets a grip, though, GM says the HHR SS should be able to achieve the 0-to-60-mph sprint in 6.3 seconds or so, and the company is claiming a 150-plus-mph top speed when equipped with the five-speed manual transmission. There’s also a four-speed auto, but overall power drops to just 235 hp if it’s fitted. So not only do you get the boring transmission, you get a horsepower penalty—do you really need us to tell you to skip it?
For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Chevrolet HHR, click here for our buyer’s guide.
Related Content:
Comparo: Chevrolet HHR v Chrysler PT Cruiser v Honda Element v Scion xB
[URL=http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests/9753/chevrolet-cobalt-ss-supercharged.html][b]Tested: Chevrolet Cobalt S
[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Photo Gallery
2008 Chevrolet HHR SS - Car News
1|2|3
A turbocharger roosts under the HHR’s retro-styled hood.
BY ERIK JOHNSON,
August2007
As Chrysler uses Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise to roll out another snoozer special edition of the extremely long-in-the-tooth PT Cruiser—this time the Sunset Boulevard Cruiser, inspired by a street 2300 miles and several tax brackets away from Motown’s famed Avenue—Chevrolet has decided to inject a little bit of muscle into the event. Make that a very little bit of muscle, because the bow-tie brand has seen fit to unleash upon the world the Chevrolet HHR SS, which is, of course, based upon the diminutive HHR trucklet.
Where’d A Little Truck Like You Get All Them Horsepower?
Of the many things that distinguish the new HHR SS from its more pedestrian sibling, the most important are the turbocharger and intercooler that reside under its hood. That’s because they boost power and torque from the 2.0-liter direct-injection Ecotec four to a stratospheric 260 horses and 260 lb-ft—as seen in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline—all running through the front wheels. This is a huge boost over the regular HHR’s 143-hp or 171-hp naturally aspirated four cylinders and should keep the HHR SS very competitive with the upcoming 280-hp Dodge Caliber SRT4 in terms of straight-line performance, once either vehicle manages to find traction through the fog of wheelspin and torque steer.
Once it gets a grip, though, GM says the HHR SS should be able to achieve the 0-to-60-mph sprint in 6.3 seconds or so, and the company is claiming a 150-plus-mph top speed when equipped with the five-speed manual transmission. There’s also a four-speed auto, but overall power drops to just 235 hp if it’s fitted. So not only do you get the boring transmission, you get a horsepower penalty—do you really need us to tell you to skip it?
For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Chevrolet HHR, click here for our buyer’s guide.
Related Content:
Comparo: Chevrolet HHR v Chrysler PT Cruiser v Honda Element v Scion xB
[URL=http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests/9753/chevrolet-cobalt-ss-supercharged.html][b]Tested: Chevrolet Cobalt S
RE: ~ SS History ~
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Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
Future Woodward Dream Cruisers: Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
Photo Gallery
Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07 - Features
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Future Woodward Dream Cruisers: Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
August2007
Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07[align=center]Call it the Blue Devil, the Z07, the SS; call it the Pink Chrysanthemum, we can’t wait to get our trembling, fiending hands on one. GM is taking the Corvette Z06—the greatest performance bargain extant—and making it crud tons faster. A supercharged V-8 will endow this Corvette with a horsepower figure “comfortably in excess of 600,” according to Bob Lutz. With, perhaps, even a 100,000-mile warranty. Plan on more carbon fiber, more titanium, and more bits culled from Chevy’s C6.R racing acumen.[/align][align=center][b]Take your Vette to Woodward after taking
[/align]Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
- Features
[align=center]1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11 [/align]Future Woodward Dream Cruisers: Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
Photo Gallery
Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07 - Features
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Future Woodward Dream Cruisers: Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
August2007
Chevrolet Corvette Blue Devil/SS/Z07
i like those cars 
