The Chevy SSR (which stood for Super Sport Roadster) was an oddball performance pickup truck produced by General Motors between 2003 and 2006. While the SSR was unlike anything else on sale at the time, it still struggled to generate sales, with GM only moving around 24,000 examples of the vehicle over the course of four model years.
For this reason, it’s highly unlikely that Chevy will ever produce a new version of the oddball SSR, but that didn’t stop an amateur rendering artist from creating their own, fictional second-generation SSR.
This rendering, which was uploaded to the artist’s Instagram page this week, is based on a first-generation Chevy SSR, but has a much different appearance thanks to its Chevy Camaro SS-inspired front fascia and wider front and rear fenders. This rendering also features LED headlights, which the artist says were pulled from a current-generation Bentley Continental, along with LED fog lights, a domed hood and gloss black alloy wheels pulled from a Chevy Camaro SS. The artist appears to have fiddled with the shape of the vehicle’s roof as well, giving it a more upright shape in the rear. This makes this rendering look a bit more like the 1951 Chevrolet Advance Design pickup, in our opinion, which is the truck that the original Chevy SSR was inspired by.
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We could see a second-gen SSR like this utilizing the same 6.2L LT1 V8 engine as the sixth-generation Camaro, as well as the GM 10-speed automatic transmission. As a reminder, the original model was powered by a 5.3L Vortec V8 engine, which was eventually replaced by the 6.0L LS2 for the 2005 model year. The 5.3L Vortec-powered models featured a GM four-speed automatic transmission, though a six-speed Tremec manual was added to the mix for 2005.
Let us know what you think of this fictional second-gen Chevy SSR rendering by voting or commenting below.
Comments
Bring it back electrified!
It would have to be at least 700hp awd with the new no leaking batteries that GM will be manufacturing
I had a 2004 SSR and it was cool back then.It was the rare Ultraviolet paint..The new rendering is sharp,but it would have to be electrified with the new GM Ultium batteries.
SSR 2.0 has my approval just like the rendering. Powertrain wise the DI 6.2 supercharged with either 6-speed manual or 10 speed auto, why not? Bring on ICE before the electrics take over! Will no fun GM do it? Nah!
Should Chevy bring back the SSR, GM fans, or should they bring that SSR? If it is the one in Figure A, definitely NOT. If it is the one in Figure 2 (a.k.a. wb.artist20’s concept), oh ya, baby, bring. it. on. Personally, I need to go a bit against the rage in all the cities of Europe and New York and say that I am not so sure about Mr. Bill’s ideal for electrification. No doubt, that would be cool, but it is a personal-scale pickup truck like the El Camino was, and there is something insanely spine-tingling about watching a truck, of any size or type, really, when it unleashes its pent-up torque. That twist is just too good and there is nothing about an electric vehicle that can get close to it.
Usually I detest these renderings. This ones pretty good.
Yes, bring it back. We need some niche vehicles. Everyone’s product lineup has become almost boring to a fault. It would just need a better front end design than that Camaro mess.
Electrification a non-starter. Lithium reserves, infrastructure not adequate.
Get rid of those goofy PT Cruiser headlights, put Camaro front end on it.
I’d buy one in a heartbeat.
That rendering is ugly. Kill it before it becomes a reality
Totally agree. Too froggy-eyed.
agreed. It needs the fogs vertical, and headlights to flow vertically up the fender, kinda Caddy-ish. Give it its own personality, instead of those bubble headlights.
But I’d settle on a RCSB Sierra over this.
You say you want it to have it’s own personality, but want it to look more like a Caddy, make up your mind I’m confused what do you want it to be, a Chevy SSR that stands out or a bland Caddy wannabe?
Love the new rendering
That’s not the REAL Camaro front end. 2018 was the last good looking FE.
This rendering too much like PT cruiser, Soul, modern MINI.
If GM were to that today with their current logic, it’d be a crew cab. 🙂
You beat me to the point. Everything is 4-door tiny bed. Enough already.
This looks like a Peugeot or Alpine designed Chevy. In other words, as the French say, ugly
no thanks
In 29835 McCormick, SC, there’s a pair of yellow ’04’s. Been on the lot for months. If they won’t sell, why do we think the renderings will?
That is because they don’t have the vette engine
the last year did and those are the only ones that still sell used th quickest.
I owned an SSR, that ship has sailed down the same path as the HHR and XLR. Was a nice try but the first few years were not right out of the box then they try to make a correction, too late the damage was done. Be right the first time or forget it. These are all toys much like the Vette.
It was a huge failure originally so why would they spend the money to lose again? With sales of 6000 per year they didn’t even break even, only the largest volume dealers got one for display so half the country never saw one. With the little V8 it wasn’t a performance vehicle. It was like Plymouth’s version of a street rod with a puny V6 that failed miserably.
Only if extensive research shows that GM can make $money with another attempt at bringing it back. GM needs to focus on profitable products.
Niche at best. No way for profitable volume. GM better focus on bettering its 15-17% of retail US sales with volume products. At this level generating profit on EVs will be very difficult. Cloudy days ahead.
Ya…..and Ford should bring back the Edsel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That truck was never my favorite. BUT, as electric comes into play I think there will be more opportunity for niche vehicles like this. The modularity of their electric platform makes the investment much lower for a new model, so it may make some of these low volume cars able to be profitable.
GM can’t even sell a regular cab, standard bed pickup truck in the US.
Something like this is never going to happen.
I went out of my way to locate a SWB reg cab pickup, and finally found what I wanted. 5.3 LS motor, smooth, reliable, and loaded. 5k/year, it’ll last me til I take a dirt nap.
Absolutely stupid that people want an SUV 5 passenger vehicle, and call it a truck.
Drives like a car, not a Titanic barge. Though it’s 4 years old, was lo miles. Peppy.
What’s not to like??!!
If I live long enough, I’ll slip an LS1 or LS4 in there for more giddy-up.
You already have one. A 5.3L LS motor is an LS1. I have a High Country with a 6.2L. Now that’s giddy-up!
And to mention, I have an ’18 SS Camaro, that as a grocery getter, nets 28mpg; and in the 30’s highway.
Never see it advertised. 98% of a C7 Corvette, at 1/2-2/3rds the price. The ZL1 with the LE suspension package will better the ‘vette on the track.
One of the best (blue-collar) sports cars made, bar none. And there’s mention it’s gonna be discontinued (2023?)
Absolutely STUPID.
EV’s are a non starter. Takes 500,000 gallons of fresh water to process 1 ton of lithium ORE, and there are limited concentrations of lithium on the planet. Only about 2-3% of driveways will ever have EV’s parked in them.
Doesn’t anyone reserch this stuff??? Before they state no ICE’s after 2035???. GM needs a wakeup kick in the butt.
Have a 2005 with Tremec 6speed. Problem is weight unibody on trailblazer frame. The rendering of the front end would greatly help with the well documented cooling/over heating issues with the original. That said I people drool all over my SSR when I take it out and that says something especially since I live in Southern California.
LS1, LS3, LS4, LS7….I can’t keep up with all the iterations.
Base LS1 that I know of, is a 430hp 6.2 liter………..???
When I bought the “C” new, it was touted as an LS3-376cid.
(wtf)
As Motortrend says-
Wire ’em up, fire ’em up!
I don’t know how big the market is, but I would be a likely candidate to buy one whether it looked like the original or the version 2.0. I have an older Corvette convertible that I no longer enjoy climbing into and while I am not a truck guy, something that could haul a little bit in or pull a 2500 pound boat and trailer holds real appeal. Combine that with a hardtop convertible and it all makes sense. It could replace 2 of my cars and that would be appreciated at my house since I have 5 cars but only 4 garage spaces. If I could get it with a manual trans. it would be irresistible. Since I think this is unlikely, maybe I should be putting my ’94 vette with 30k miles on the marketing be shopping for an ’05 SSR
The market would be extremely small, which is why it won’t happen.
Old GM did that kind of thing occasionally. They also went bankrupt.
I have a 2004 Chevy SSR and will keep it, not a fan of the newer look.
No one looking for a SSR. But a scsb with 6.2 equipment would be a lot more fun. Would probably sell great also
I had a 2005 SSR with an LS2 AND 6 Speed. It was a terrific all-around automotive toy. It wasn’t a workable pick up – if it was I wouldn’t have bought one. It WAS a great cruiser and car show ride that performed well when equipped with the LS, and was a very comfortable cruiser. It was a great toy in the way that most people drive Vettes like toys, not muscle/sports cars. That said, it could haul a little bit, unless you ordered the carpeted bed.
I wasn’t a fan of the 1st gen, too heavy and the bed too tall and bulky. JMO.
I would prefer a lighter less square box and a 6 cylinder turbo and twin turbo. A more nimble and usable ute.
Love the new SSR rendering! Cannot stop staring at it!