Is the 2014 Chevrolet SS everything we hoped for? Is it what we wanted? We’re going to say almost. It’s not like our budget-minded behinds are going to be in line for one anytime soon, but there are at least five factors which we feel will turn off a few customers with the necessary coin from saying “yes” outright. Here they are:
No Manual Transmission At Launch
This one is tough to get over. A lot of people were expecting a complete reincarnation of the Pontiac G8 GXP — which had a manual transmission — in the Chevrolet SS performance sedan. In fact, nearly half of all GXP models sold were equipped with a row-it-yourself gearbox. Granted, there was less than 2,000 ever sold, but it’s not like the SS is intended to be a volume seller, either. In addition, the Holden Commodore SS V will launch with a stick shift, and while it’s still unconfirmed, most likely cradle the same LS3 V8 engine. Maybe it’s a supplier constraint. Maybe it’s a price issue. Or maybe it’s something else entirely. Whatever the case, it could be a deal breaker for many potential customers who were looking for a four-door Camaro SS.
The Lack Of Variety
It doesn’t seem that the Chevrolet SS will launch with the typical LS, LT and LTZ trim hierarchy. Instead, the limited-production RWD sedan will hit the market as loaded as it can possibly be. Put simply, this is in an effort to maximize the profit margin — which is a big part of what made the business case for the SS — and therefore, there might be some impending sticker shock. How much? We’ve heard as much as $40,000 and change, which seems like a lot for a Chevy. Though in the car’s defense, a V8-powered Camaro can exceed that price point. Still, this puts the SS out of range for many potential customers.
The Name
The simple “SS” title sounds cool. But it also doubles as a trim package on the Camaro, and has heritage in the Chevrolet brand as being a performance trim package, and never a model. We have to ask: what was so wrong about resurrecting the Chevelle name? Dodge pulled a parallel move with the Charger, despite adding an extra set of doors from the original, and has seen moderate success in doing so. The Chevelle name alone would have drawn customers. It’s also why the Camaro isn’t called anything else — there’s loads of equity in the name, just as there is in the Chevelle.
The Late Launch Date
The fourth quarter of 2013. Just in time for the summer… of 2014. Launching a vehicle of this nature in the cold months is a head scratcher, but we figure it might have something to do with it being the spring and summer months south of the equator, where Australia is located. Oh well. We’ll just have to throw on some Blizzak tires and get over it.
The Exterior Looks
We know that we counted this as a plus in the Five Things We Like About The Chevrolet SS, but here’s the rub in the conservative looks: there’s more drama in the design of the front-wheel-drive, far less athletic Chevrolet Impala. Kind of a bummer that there weren’t more visual changes from the Holden Commodore SS V, though we should still be thankful that the SS is even going to be offered.
Comments
No hint from GM about growth of this superb family sports sedan . It is so much like the BMW 3 series , but in that series for 2013 has are turbo v6 , turbo 4 cyl. , the 328xi all wheel drive , and a wagon . Perhaps GM is waiting for sales figures to even hint at growth . Have confidence fellows , I’m sure this size and design wasn’t intended to be a one-off creation , right ??
It’s more of a rival for the 5 series than the 3.
I was expecting the styling to be more like the Aussie SSV & why can’t we call it what it is, A Commodore! That name is kinda catchy “Chevy Commodore SS” ok Chevelle is probably better.
Maybe GM went to the conservative look to attract buyers in the age group that can actually afford one!
Chevelle is perfect. I have heard car manufactures are running out of names & numbers to call cars, I personally would like to see more old names come back & am not sure as to why they won’t/don’t.
As a car enthusiast and a purists, a four door Chevelle, not unlike the Dodge Charger, would be blasphemous in my opinion. I’d say call it Impala SS (and offer all-wheel-drive as an option on all lower models) or Caprice SS (all-wheel-drive optional on all lower models). Caprice would be the better choice of the two in my opinion because an American Zeta bodied sedan called “Caprice” already exists, so why not make the two one and the same? The Police Interceptor would essentially be the same exact car as the SS, just a longer wheelbase and a some extra horsepower. It would make sence to me if GM were to do this.
Does adding 2 doors to a coupe really make THAT much of a difference?
The Charger did it and it’s better now then ever before. Is it really blasphemous?
Yes, it makes a big difference whether or not it’s got two doors. I don’t need four doors, so there’s no need for me to buy a sedan. I have no kids and don’t want any until I’m in my mid 40’s, nor do I need to haul people around. Coupes are lighter, thus faster and handle better. And about the Charger being better than ever; Some might say that, but I don’t. That car wasn’t ment to take little Johnny to and back from soccer practice, it was ment for the Old Man to have fun at the dragstrip. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate four doors at all. I just hate when cars are turned into what they weren’t ment to be. I’d be fine if the Charger at least had a coupe option. You, Grawdaddy, are clearly not a car enthusiast.
“I don’t need four doors, so there’s no need for me to buy a sedan.”
You’re surrouned and outgunned by millions and millions of people globally who do.
You are the minority consumer.
You, Brew City Bill, a clearly not rational.
There are plenty more people who would agree with me. Scion has more two doors than four doors, examples; xB and the xD have four doors while the tC, iQ, and FR-S are all two doors. BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer a coupe version of very nearly every model. If luxury brands can do that then for Chevy to have two or three coupe models isn’t too much to ask for. Besides, I’m only saying that a Chevelle would have to have a coupe option. I don’t hate sedans at all, I just think that certain car models should be true to what their essence originally was. I actually think a coupe ATS might be a bad thing because, judging from how cramped it already is in the back, I can only see it being a two seater. If I’m honest, I still wouldn’t object to the idea of a two seater ATS. I am not rational at all, I just see things in a different perspective than others.
“I am not rational at all, I just see things in a different perspective than others.”
….
The prosecuton rests, your honour.
If the new 2014 Impala came in SS trim (like they did with stuffing that 5.3L V8 in the performance versions of the GP GXP, Impala SS, and Lacrosse Super), I would rather have that. LOOK 1000 times better. Don’t know if the Aussies like this vanilla styling but it won’t work AT ALL over here. GTO AND G8 are proof. Great vehicles, snoozefest styling.
If I want a “performance car” I’ll go two door. Sure I want power but in four doors, all it needs is straight line go. So yea, unfortunately the platform can’t accept a V8 (I’m speaking new Impala, Lacrosse, XTS) otherwise I’d shoehorn one of GM’s 8’s in the new Impala and be as happy as can be.
Coupes are lighter, faster, handle better yada yada yada. Most roads have posted speed limits 70mph>… Where would you legally be pushing the limits of any car without being a prick to other motorists…?
I think you are right- things have changed. I used to be all hung up on two doors, but in the last 15 years they started styling them more like “gran coupes.” I thought the ’99 Grand Prix looked bad in the 2 door version. I think the Cad CTS/ATS would look dumb as coupes. Who thinks the BMW Gran Coupe 4 door doesn’t look awesome?
There is no American bodied zeta Caprice. The Caprice PPV is a stripped down version of the Holden Caprice luxury vehicle. Both are made and designed in Australia.
The Caprice Police Interceptor and the SS arn’t actual American cars, I didn’t realize that I said that about the Caprice. I should of proof read that before posting it. I meant to say “because an American sold Zeta bodied sedan called Caprice already exists”…. The Camaro is built in Canada, so that’s almost an American bodied Zeta haha, but not quite. It will be built in Michigan by 2015, but as an Alpha which is better, and American all the way through. I can’t wait to see that, I’m all for smaller lighter V8 muscle cars.
This Dog owning family guy needs the wagon version. Stick shift please but don’t tell the wife that there was a mistake on the order sheet. She only drives auto.
I think the lack of the variety is due to that if you did put varieties like LS LT etc then it will overlap with the impala and it also make sense for the manual trans because of the low take rate that was found on the G8 GXP
46% of GXP’s were manual. That’s not a “low take rate”.
I’m saying that because I did some search of the G8 GXP and pretty much the ones on the lot are automatics and not manuals
That tells you the most desired ones (maintaining the highest resale value) are the 6-speed manuals (lower mileage ones, more than 3 1/2 years after the last GXP was sold, command $5000 less than MSRP. Tell me any other GM car you can say that about! Which is why a manual SS should have been GM’s FIRST priority, not an afterthought… #stupidity
uhm lets see the G6 with the manual??… btw over here is not twitter DUDE!!! #Stupidity
This SS iS fugly other than that its an adequate vehicle for consumers who have a Camaro but want 4 doors (G8)
The biggest downer for me is no stick. It is a deal breaker for some people. Not me though. I’d still order one up this second if I had the cash. I love love love that interior. It’s beautiful. It looks like it slots above the Impala just as it should and makes the G8 look like it was thought up in the year 1999. An LT1 would have been baaad but then again it would make the car more expensive. Either way I would be happy with the car. Plus I’d rather see the LT1 in a Caddy
Kids, once upon a time there was a Chevelle four-door, and, get this, a wagon, too! Sold right here in the USA. 😉
Seriously, I forget myself sometimes. I don’t like the idea of calling this car a Chevelle either (but it would still be better than SS, IMO). A “Nomad” wagon would be cool, though (if the price wasn’t insane).
If the next generation car has the right look I’m okay with Chevelle, but only if it’s perfect.
Don’t tell brewcitybill that. You’re not a car enthusiast if don’t want a coupe!
You, sir are taking what I’ve previously said out of context. I said only certain car models should be or have coupe options, not all cars built. And I never once said that to be a car enthusiast, you must only want coupes. I actually prefer the CTS sedan over the coupe version because I think the sedan looks better. The back of the CTS coupe looks too bulky for me, but it’s still a cool car. There is a market there for budget coupes if cheaper brands are doing it.
I knew that, Joe, but I forgot haha. I always forget that the Chevelle was also available in sedan and wagon forms. Infact, I’ll probably end up forgetting again in five minutes haha….. Now that I think about it, you don’t see ’em much anymore. Getting a bit rare they are….. If they use the Chevelle name, then I think they would have to briefly make a coupe option too to make car enthusiasts happy. The sedan version clearly living longer than the coupe. I still think “Caprice SS” would be a better name choice since the Caprice Police interceptor already exists on the same platform. There would be no need for a Caprice coupe at all. I would still love a coupe, but it isn’t necessary if it was badged as a “Caprice”. The Police interceptor version of the “Caprice SS” would, as I’ve said before, be on a longer wheelbase and have a more powerful motor.
Don’t feel bad, I said the same thing on another forum years ago, which is why I half remember now. And the four door was a monstrosity, without a doubt. The Caprice name would work for me, too.
The Caprice PPV/Holden Caprice is already on a longer wheel base. The Holden Caprice is the luxury long wheel base version of the Holden Commodore/Chevy SS. The Holden Caprice is already 5.2 metres in length!!!
SS is the name Chevy chose start liking it!
Great/correct list. Price point is what will kill it- a Hemi Charger R/T starts at $30K, a Super Bee with all the fins on it starts at $42K. Monza, Chevelle, Caprice SS, Biscayne, Bel-Air, Nomad, Concours, StarFire, JetStar, GSX, Greenbriar- any name would be better than calling a car a trim level.
I agree with you, Michael W. The GSX would be a killer trim level for Buick to bring back. I hear that GNX may come back on the Alpha platform and would be, of course, rear-wheel-drive with V6 and/or V8 power options. It’ll be a four door which is a bit blasphemous, but being on the small Alpha platform, I can easily accept a GNX sedan. I’d be happy as long as we get it back on the Alpha, or any rear-wheel-drive platform for that matter.
And just in time for $4.00/gal unleaded gas!
You can never have too many coupes or convertibles in the range, and yes in some ways it’s wrong to have a 4dr Charger and possibly a Chevelle. However as nice it would be for a 2dr and hopefully one day they may return, has anyone considered (perspective owners would be 35 to 60) and in that some may need a 2dr and others with kids will need a 4dr. Just because life has changed with kids don’t mean people want a boring SUV or similar.
I was expecting, hoping for a tougher, more muscular look. Just doesn’t have enough “grrrrr” factor for me.
I think the #1 thing you dislike is that the US didn’t design it….(as far as I know)
I hate how we all trade cars and just rebage them doesn’t seem loyal/distincted to the brands
having seen many new release models i can say chev have had influence in this model, the streering wheel controls on the calais V has non english thumb control signs, holden have always used english on their control signs.
only one I agree with is the manual transmission which unfortunately is a big one.
This is bull#$*% is this damn thing supposed to be the new chevelle!?! What was gm thinking its supposed to be a big block two door muscle car monster and they turned it into a f-ing sedan like they did with the impala I’m getting tired of this because I freakin love muscle cars. All I’m. Saying is look at what they used to be now look at them, they’re pussyfide!