Whatever your opinion of NASCAR, there’s no denying the similarity of the Chevrolet SS sedan and its NASCAR namesake — the Chevrolet SS Race Car — as seen in the image above (the green outlines the production model).
Granted, the four-door Zeta-based sedan and the tube-framed NASCAR race car are as mechanically similar as a Chevy Camaro is to an F16 jet — which is to say not at all. But the general shape of the SS, especially in the position of the headlights, the roofline, the overall profile, and even the wheel arches is, indeed, strikingly similar to the sedan U.S. drivers will be able to buy in showrooms.
According to those responsible for the design of the SS race car, details like the ones seen here haven’t graced a NASCAR in over a decade. And coincidentally, only Chevy can (currently) say that it races what it sells in the showroom… even though that would be stretching the actual relationship of the street car to the track car. But the fact remains that the general design-based similarity between the two vehicles brings more commonality to the SS nameplate… even though it would be so much cooler if NASCAR raced real cars based on production models. Wouldn’t you say?
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Comments
Interesting, the silhouette is almost exactly the same. Now if they could just get it to actually LOOK like a SS sedan instead of “any stock car USA” with stickers as brand and model identifiers.
with build to order only, not many will be found in showrooms unless a dealer is willing to buy a car outright and then display it as a demo, a lot of unhappy people on ssforums about the build to order which means you can’t test drive without buying one first, one post commented about reaching out to G8 owners to see how their car feels before paying a deposit.
another big issue for this crowd is no MT6 option.
the people who will buy a chev SS are the same type of people who buy HSV here in aus and MT is a big factor in their choice,
GM needs to look at who will buy this car and what options are most important them.
The truth is the race car is more like the SS street car not the other way around.
There will be more than enough here as GM will bring them into the country unsold as they will not ship them from down under every time someone buys one.
Most larger dealers will buy several to keep on the lots and If needed dealer trades will be done so they can get the color you need.
If you really want one you will be able to find one to drive and there will be enough to be found in most areas. Now if you live in small town USA where a dealer may never get on sale request I would not expect them to have it just as they would not have a Corvette.
This car will sell in numbers similar to a Corvette and we have no issue finding them if you really want one.
I expect the manual take rate to be 20%-35% like the Camaro. Keep in mind most G8 V8 models were Auto since not many can drive a stick anymore. .
ALL G8s were auto (except for the minuscule # of manual GXPs) because manual was NOT an option from the get go.
The SS has no manual option. It’s not even an issue of GM saying we’ll make 20-30% as manual because the demand is so low. They simply don’t offer the option at all.
If the street version had a 2 door design and rear wheel drive then u could say it is an SS………
The street car is RWD, and if it were a 2-door coupe, it would be the Camaro basically
I just wish the cars were closer to production than the tube frame racer we have today. Love watching the Australian race series and the Group 1 touring car racing.
It is a sad day when you allow NASCAR design your customer cars.
GM did not let NASCAR design the SS!
The SS was done and NASCAR let them fit the race car form to better match the street cars. All the cars in NASCAR are similar in specific points to keep them close but they let the companies get more advanced with the shape to better match the street cars.
I think you will find while it is close is some specs that the street car is far more different than the street car than the GM media wants you to believe. I have seen the both cars and they are close but not identical not will they ever be. NASCAR just let the companies have more room to work to get a more stock looking vehicle. GM was the leader here as they made threats.
The fact is with this kind of racing you will never see stock based cars again just for safety let alone all the other factors. Even back in the day of the Superbirds and GP 2+2 companies fudged the rules.
Technology and safety has rules out the old ways. If we returned to what they once did more people would get hurt and the cars would be so slow to keep them safe no one would pay for the ticket.
As for the Aussies series and Touring cars don’t be fooled there wither as they are now a tube based car and not stock anymore. On a road course you can keep things more stock since aero is not as much a factor. This is why they still look stock.
Think the V8 Super Cars are coming to America either this year or next. I’m a fan of the late ’60’s early 70’s Trans-Am cars. They were production cars modified for racing. Pure speed alone doesn’t make great racing, it’s the side by side and back and forth passing that makes great racing.
THIS YEAR! It’s on in like two weeks. May 17 – 19. circuitoftheamericas.com for tickets!
They are here this month and they are no longer production based.
They have moved to a car of tomorrow kind of deal where they are similar under the skin. Do not be fooled that they are like they were last year. Same on the German series. This is why other MFG’s are getting into these series now and they are all not Ford and GM.
I love this racing but they would be difficult to use on a circle track.
I would watch as NASCAR has taken over American Lemans they are looking at doing a similar series here like that. If you notice many of the NASCAR drivers have gone down under or will be in TX to drive these cars. I expect them to intro a series here in the next year or two and many NASCAR teams may be involved.
DTM is coming too!
No one is saying disregard the safety and tech (what little of it there is) that comes from modern NASCAR racing. I think the biggest complaint about NASCAR race cars stems from the fact they barely look like the cars they are based off if at all.
If the rumors are true and a V8 supecar style series is planned for the future; then please keep the body and overall diminsions of the cars as close to the street cars as possible.
Wait what!? I thought the Camry NASCAR and road car were interchangeable!
The present car is as close as you can come. If they used the stock bodies on oval tracks we would have little to no passing and one brand winning all the races.
Contrary to what you state these cars are engineered inch by inch for more down force vs. drag. It is NASCARs job to keep them all close in competition as the race is the main interest in the cars not the technology follow the leader in F1. Both series have their merits but both attract for different reasons. If only two teams were competitive and there was little passing NASCAR would never sell a ticket.
I love road racing but I also know I am in the minority in this country. Same there as just look at Trans Am’s history of being there and going away and coming back and going away.
Also look at the class in the Daytona Series where they race stock bodied Camaro’s, Mustangs and other cars with stock power plants. They have to restrict the engines to keep them close. They put on a hell of a show but few people watch if and when they are on Speed Channel.
The Sedan series is coming, the cars are very similar to NASCAR just with bodies closer to stock and they will have to grow the series here. We need to teach people how this works and how to enjoy it. Too many Americans will not even attend a road race because they can not see the whole track. They have no idea tracks like Mid Ohio and the Glen are some of the nicest tracks in the world.
I do hate street tracks as out side of Long Beach they generally are just crash fest of follow the leader.
Scott I’m sorry, but just using the V8 Supercar series as and example proves that u can have awesome close racing with production, factory based engines as well as a body (over a purely spec chassis mind you) that looks almost exactly stock.
NASCARs have looked like sh#t for decades. The last “good looking” race cars in NASCAR were in the early 70s. Currently it’s a league of 200mph, interchangeable, bill boards.
I’m not alone when I say most car guys don’t get into NASCAR because the cars just aren’t interesting. It’s evolved into a Motorsport for non Motorsport people.
I’m a car fanatic; and to be frank find nothing relatable to my interest in all things automotive or fast in NASCAR. It’s too sanitized and too focused on anything but the cars. They could be pushing shopping carts around Daytona and it would be the same at this point. Everything exciting and awesome about cars and high speed driving has been sanitized or dumbed down for the audiance. Not the least of which is cars that look next to nothing like their street counterparts.
As for your reference to the World Challegne cars, those cars are just as fast and safe While being “production based” (although we all know that’s highly subjective). The racing is much better while being just as close. Unfortunately, the money behind the series is not. So it gets far less exposure vs NASCAR.
But “car guys” know about it!