With the addition of the 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible to its stable, the Chevrolet Performance lineup grows to include 14 vehicles. These include nine variations of the Camaro, the Australian-made SS sedan and four Corvette models, with engine output ranging from a respectable 323 horsepower to the Z06’s stratospheric 625 horsepower.
“Chevrolet has been America’s best-selling performance brand for four consecutive years, due in part to the breadth of our lineup,” Mark Reuss, executive vice president of Global Product Development, said in a statement.
The Camaro variations make up the majority of the Chevrolet Performance roster. The lineup starts with the 323-horsepower V6 coupe and convertible models, which offer a good balance of performance and fuel efficiency, capable of returning up to 30 mpg on the highway. The next level up is the SS coupe and convertible, which are powered by a 423 horsepower 6.2-liter LS3 V8, followed by the ZL1 coupe and convertible, which deliver 580 horsepower from a 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V8. The race ready, limited edition COPO Camaro dragster and the track-prepped Camaro Z/28 account for the highest performance Camaro variations.
The SS sedan is the first rear-wheel drive, V8 performance sedan from the bowtie-brand since 1996. It is based on General Motors’ race-proven Zeta architecture that underpins the Camaro, and in Australia where the SS is built, the high-performance Holden VF Commodore. It also shares its LS3 V8 engine with the Camaro.
Finally, the flagship of the Chevrolet Performance lineup, the Corvette Stingray. The most awarded vehicle of 2013 comes in both convertible and coupe flavors. Both are equipped with Chevy’s all-new 455 horsepower LT1 V8 engine, which can deliver up to 17 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. These are now joined by the Z06 coupe and convertible, which makes 625 horsepower and 635 lb-ft from an all-new supercharged LT4 engine. Both variants will be offered with either a seven-speed manual or eight speed automatic transmission. The latter of those two will eventually make it onto the standard Corvette for 2015.
“For 2015, we will have the best range in our history, offering a performance car for virtually every enthusiast, from the 30-mpg Camaro LS and the COPO Camaro drag car to the 625-horsepower Corvette Z06 Convertible supercar,” Reuss concluded.
Comments
Let’s be clear – it’s three cars.
GM at its last-decade zenith had performance models of SSR, HHR, Impala, Cobalt, Camaro, Corvette, Corvette Mini (Solstice & Sky), Malibu (via G6 GXP), and even the new SS (via G8 GT & GXP). The loss of Pontiac drills GM’s 2010-2020 non-luxury performance lineup to three. Four if you count Regal GS as non-luxury… I don’t.
GM today argues some of those cars weren’t worthy of the badge. I’m sorry, I find that trying to make the best of a bad situation – anyone that Stage 2’ed their HHR and got 300 hp out of that hatch was driving a tried and true SS.
15 models? No, 3… with bits of trim, engines, and tops swapped around.
GM doesn’t care about go-fast on the cheap anymore, but they sure love to use new math at times.
I think they better have cruze ss, sonic ss, or maybe Malibu ss or something
Impala SS powered by GM’s twin turbo V6.
Why is it that to GM performance always means 400 hp V8s? I don’t want a big, heavy thirsty V8 powered monster. Where is that Code 130R? Where is the Opel OPC? Come on GM the rest of us have grown up.
Now let me qualify my point.
I am a past owner of several Big Block Chevy SS vehicles and a present owner of a HHR SS with the GM Turbo upgrade.
This is how it is. The old cars are fun and great and could be built in to speed machines. But in stock form they were not as fast as some would like to think and they did not stop and turn all that well. But back then that is how they all were accept for some of the most powerful models.
Move to present day. While GM did move the SS to non traditional models some were worthy and some were not.
The FWD Malibu SS of a few years back was a joke. As were several other models. Now once you get to the GM Performance Division tuned models like the Cobalt SS, HHR SS, Trailblazer SS and the like they did the whole package with these vehicles. They did not just have a F41 with the stock engines in these. The division tuned them with the F5 suspension and added better brakes and handling. Lutz said it has go, turn and stop to the top degree before the badge went on.
While some hate the FWD SS models there is a place for them if they are done right. The only reason I bought the HHR was because after driving one I was thrilled with the fun to drive of it. If I can get the front wheels to hook up I can make a Mustang owner ask what I have in my car when I tag right in with him.
Now I would not want a Cruze SS or Sonic SS unless it is done right. It has to have the right engine with the right power and the right brakes to stop it with out fade and the handling that makes it easy to go stupid fast. Just please no more Torrent GXP or a Malibu SS with only emblems and a little stiffer bushings.
GM has the RWD market covered and will keep it covered with the coming Alpha Camaro and SS. There is a lot of 300+ Turbo 4 cylinder FWD models out and more are coming and GM need to have something for the people that can not afford the $40K Camaro or the gas for it.
I would like to see a smaller RWD Turbo coupe too but sales have been just ok with the Toyota and Subaru. I am not sure if the market is strong enough to provide the business case for a new smaller platform.
The truth is we really did not lose much a Pontiac as only the G8 was the only car we lost. The Solstice even if Pontiac had lived would not have made it to a second gen since sales were so weak. The rest of the line up was a total lack of performance in a performance division. Yes I am a Pontiac fan and know what it was like when Pontiac really was a performance division.
The truth today performance vehicles are in the minority segment of the market. So we will have them but just do not expect ever model to have a version. Hell if you want a 300 HP Malibu all you have to do is change to 3 bar maps and have it retuned on a dyno and flash the computer. It is neither hard or that expensive to add 40-50 HP and the engine will take it. It is like the good old days like my 1968 SS Chevelle that was a 14 second car stock but with a little tuning would run 12’s.
Sales of the BRZ and FR-S have been tepid because of poor execution – great platform, terrible engines. Why pay $25,000 for that, when I can get a Camaro for the same price.
Or, even better, a Sky Red Line or Solsice GXP for $10,000 less – and with GM’s official tune, a faster car… with better MPG!
I have been a GM fan all of my life. And I want to see an SS variant of a lot of cars in the line up. Sure, the Camaro, Corvette and the SS are awesome cars, but not everyone can afford a car of that nature. GM needs to appeal to the younger buyers. I am 18 years old and I love the current 3 performance cars, but how am I suppose to afford a (even used) Camaro SS? Now believe me I am not a Ford fan but they do have some things on GM. The Fiesta ST is one hell of a car. Also the Focus ST is a serious performance hatch. Not to mention the tuner community for those cars. GM needs to cool it with the huge displacement V8 RWD cars and start focusing on small FWD 4 cylinder forced induction cars. Those along the marks with the Focus ST, GTI, etc. Second, they need something to compete with the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ. A small RWD turbo 4 cylinder coupe is something that I would consider buying. If they put magnetic ride in it, it would be epic. Another thing is with GMs V8 engines. I am not sure how long the Pushrod design is going to remain competitive. I know the LS3 is a very good engine. and the new LT1 and LT4 are epic. But just think of what they would be if they were duel overhead cams instead of pushrods. How smooth and efficient they would be. Ford’s 5.0 is makes only 6 HP less then the LS3 and is 1.2 liters smaller. Plus it does get better fuel economy. All I am saying is that I would like to see the next generation Small block V8 as DOHC and smaller displacement to get more power and fuel economy.
I think the thing that is most frustrating to many enthusiasts is that GM has the engines, hardware and most certainly the know-how to build a performance version of a car like the Cruze. It wouldn’t have to be an “SS” and it wouldn’t need 300hp, 250 would be just fine. Let Oppenheiser and his team put it together, keep the equipment level down (manual cloth seats, manual trans., no overwrought body kit, etc..) and keep the price around $27,500? Almost like a 1LE Cruze? Unfortunately it doesn’t appear that anything like this is coming anytime soon, if ever, under this GM regime.
Al is in charge of RWD so you would have to pass this off to another group. Maybe Mark Steilow as he did the Cobalt SS and HHR SS.
The tough part would be pricing as back in 08 my HHR SS was almost $28,000 and the same for the Cobalt. Today I would expect them to be over $30,000 easy.
Now the question is what could you do to convince people that it is worth over $30K to buy a Cruze.
I think the Opel Astra hatch would have been a good fit here in OPC mode. It was not only a good
performance car but upscale enough to make people willing to pay for it.
A Cruze SS could easily work, just manufacture the Holden Cruze SRi-V as a Chevy in North America and call it Cruze SS or if that isn’t enough, put the Astra OPC engine in it, same platform so it should/could work.
Chevrolet is a best American cars brand in the market….. In the chevrolet model lineup starts with the 323-horsepower V6 coupe and convertible models, which offer a good balance of performance and fuel efficiency, capable of returning up to 30 mpg on the highway……..
Mcloughlin chevy