No music, no introduction for this video, just a shot of the back end of a Nightfall Gray Metallic Chevy SS, and the sound of a deep, rumbling exhaust note of the LS3 at idle. That low rumble instantly explodes into a raucous, shrieking roar as the rear tires begin to spin, roasting rubber, smoke pouring from rear meats howling from their torque-induced torture. The brake lights are still illuminated, as the driver holds the impending launch.
This won’t last long as the heat and adhesion build. The tail begins to step sideways, hot, melted rubber staining the pavement, as the driver lifts from the brake pedal. The 2017 Chevy SS moves away with haste and is enveloped in a cloud of white tire smoke. There is just no holding back this much asphalt rippling power.
Cue the funky rock theme, as we get a look at the Chevy SS from multiple angles. The paint is glossy, looks wet. We see the bright neon badge that announces a Supercharged LSA lurks beneath the shiny hood of this four-door beast. We get a look at the Brembo brake calipers that come standard on the Chevy SS, but these have been custom painted a retina-searing shade. They sit behind ACE Alloy AFF-02 wheels finished in satin black.
As the camera pans around the back of the car, we see tinted windows with a Boost District sticker running vertically down the driver’s side of the rear glass (which may give an indication as to some of the car’s secrets). A Hoonigan license plate trim tag surrounds a California vanity plate that reads, “SRY BRO.” Smash cut to the front view and we see the stock Chevy SS grille and emblem have been swapped for a custom set with a Holden badge.
The engine shot shows the LS3 has been topped with a ported LSA supercharger. More on that in a bit.
A quick cut shows the Chevy SS coming toward the camera under acceleration. As it passes and the camera pans to follow it, the sound of supercharger whine is overtaken by a loud, luscious, rowdy exhaust note reflecting off of the surrounding buildings. It makes you lust to hear it daily, neighbors and local constabulary be damned.
The AutotopiaLA badge flashes across the screen, and we are introduced by host Shawn Davis to the Chevy SS owner, a sizable man named Anthony. They briefly discuss Holden building the SS in Australia, then shipping them to the US. Anthony has swapped all the Chevy emblems for Holden.
Shawn inquires about all the work Anthony has done to the car. Anthony responds, “The car already comes with a decent amount of stuff. It came with with Brembo brakes, Mag Ride, bi-modal exhaust, plus the interior’s nice as well. The only things I did to it was the custom front badge, the custom front grille, and the LSA supercharger.” Shawn asks, “So this car comes with an LSA motor already?” Anthony says, “The LSA and the LS3 are pretty much the same motor except the internals are forged on the LSA. We can get the LSA supercharger and slap it on the LS3. It’s bolt-on.”
As they speak further, we learn that the LSA supercharger has been ported. The engine is currently running a stock cam, has a 2.75-inch pulley, and is “very tame for what it is.” Anthony expounds, “I could easily crank it out over 750 (horsepower), but it’s my daily.” With the addition of the supercharger, the Chevy SS that produced 415 stock horsepower at the crank now churns out 550 horsepower at the rear wheels on 91-octane pump gas. When Anthony switches to E85, that number jumps to 650 rear-wheel ponies. Impressive, indeed.
The exhaust responsible for that intoxicating roar is an ARH long-tube 1 7/8″ cat-less full exhaust with X-Force Varex controllable system.
Anthony claims it is a sleeper. Okay, it’s a rather unassuming dark gray. It is a sedan. It’s a little under the radar, unless you catch the neon chartreuse Supercharged LSA badges, or neon chartreuse Brembo calipers, or hear that I’ve-come-to-eat-your-children-and-gnaw-on-your-dead-skull ripping exhaust roar. The people who would mistake this for a Malibu would never be involved in a stoplight drag race. Those who would, would certainly think twice about coming after this beast.
The guys take the car out on the streets for a little test driving. Shawn is understandably impressed with the Chevy SS. They talk about how cool the car is. They switch drivers, and with Anthony behind the wheel, we get to see the car dance like James Brown. The back end slides, it glides, it positively gets on down, even with the benefit of traction control. It even catches a third gear scratch.
We are treated to some more fly-bys, and a few city street burnouts, until a disapproving woman on the sidewalk starts giving our hot rod heroes the hairy eyeball. They agree it’s time to quit having fun and just do one more epic burnout. The Chevy SS lays down a cloud that takes a week out of the ozone layer, then the boys head back to the garage.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet SS news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Call me old fashioned, but a “SS” should be a 2 door. Nothing against this one, it’s an un-assuming monster. Do like the emblem switch too. To each his own. Sweet ride Anthony.
Buick Regal in 1990 was going with GSS for Grand Sport Sedan. I am happy to say Jack McGettric release ENG. was happy to give me the GSS emblem.
We are very lucky down here in Australia we can purchase these cars stock standard with a supercharger of the showroom floor built with authorisation from GM a company called Holden Special Vehicles or HSV as we know them they have been building these cars for years you can buy them as a four door sedan a four door wagon or a two door what we call a ute (think El Camino) unfortunately GM in their infinite wisdom GM decided to pull the plug on our fun and has shut down GM HOLDEN so these vehicles will never be available again and so will become collectors items and are already selling on the used market for upward of $150,000 AU if you want to find out more search HSV Holden Special Vehicles
All of these cars the Vauxhall, Chev, HSV, Comodore were designed and built in Australia as right hand drive they were then exported to USA and Britain and converted to left hand drive in US and rebadged Holden also exported the long wheel based Holden Statesman with the Chev LS engine these were used as Police Hyway patrol cars in some states Holden also exported the Holden Monaro two door Coupe rebadged as the Pontiac GTO and the two door coupe utility
The cars were designed and built in Oz. They weren’t converted here in the USA. It took 63 days to make the trip but they were built with the steering wheel and pedal on the left before they got shipped here.
Sorry Lynn you are correct HSV did build these cars in left hand drive
Since Holden no longer exists HSV import and convert Silverado Camero and soon Corvette for sale on the Australian market
Unfortunately with half-effort and expensive RHD conversion (except Vette).
How was that car registered in the USA? Holdens can’t be brought over and registered unless they are 20 years old. Is this car RH drive?
GM sold em as a Chevy. Steering wheel would be on the wrong(right) side if this was an Oz car. A lot of guys went for the Holden badging. It would really be cool if they badge the car as a Vauxhall. I owned a 14. No one ever heard of a Holden
Despite the claim that the Chevy SS badging was replace by Holden badging, I’d swear that’s a Vauxhall in the photos. Pity that, when GM owned Vauxhall, before selling off Opel, they did not find it useful to bring over the good stuff. America has always been the ugly stepchild for auto marketing.
Sorry bud. I was typing my reply and didn’t get to read yours. U win on the vauxhall comment. I think it was called the VRX8. Supercharged from the factory.
They are not a Vauxhall they are a Holden Comodore designed and built by Australians right here in Australia and modified by HSV under authorisation from GM America for the most part we are very proud of rhe vehicles that we produce unfortunately some idiots decide to replace the GM Holden lion emblem with a Chev bow tie just because it has a Chev engine so I find it interesting that the owner of this car has decided to refit the Holden badge even when most people in America wouldn’t know who GM Holden is so why should GM badge them a Vauxhall when Vauxhall are not sold in Australia
I have a 2014 Holden VF Commodore SS Storm with Walkinshaw upgrade pack. It’s the best car I have ever owned. The dummys at GM shut Holden down in Australia just when they were making some of the best cars thue have ever produced.
There exuse was they couldn’t justify the tooling to produce the relatively small numbers of right hand drive vehicles for our market but these vehicles were being made in right hand drive here in Australia anyway basically for our own market Now we import American manufactured vehicles in left hand drive and covert them to right hand drive adding around $10,000 AU to the price of the vehicle on the showroom floor go figure
a new Silverado in Australia sells for upward of $100,000 AU a Camero ZL1 around $150,000 AU this includes the luxury import tax we have to pay
wannabe STi
You lost me @ sedan