The all-new fifth-generation Chevy Tahoe introduces a long list of updates and changes for the SUV nameplate, but critically, enthusiasts looking for extra speed with their SUV are left out in the cold. Now, it looks like that might change, as GM Authority just caught what could be a new Chevy Tahoe SS prototype undergoing a little real-world testing.
Recently spotted on the streets of Metro Detroit, this Chevy Tahoe is equipped with a variety of components from the Police Pursuit Vehicle package, including telltale PPV wheels and a Z71 front fascia. We also spot running boards and a huge single-exit exhaust behind the passenger-side rear tire, while manufacturer plates, layers of camo, and a red GM prototype sticker on the driver’s side window prove that we have a genuine GM prototype on our hands.
So then, what leads us to believe this may be a pre-production Chevy Tahoe SS? Well, for starters, it was quick – very quick, even outrunning our Chevy Camaro LT 1LE spy vehicle, which means we could only grab a single image of it.
What’s more, this Tahoe was loud, even abnormally so. It’s possible that the prototype was not properly configured with the odd single-outlet exhaust, or perhaps it was running a dual-mode exhaust system in the loud setting. Even so, the high decibel levels this thing throwing out go beyond a dual-mode exhaust setup.
So then, if this is indeed a Chevy Tahoe SS prototype, we would expect to find the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 under the hood, the same powerplant found in the C7 Corvette Z06, third-gen Cadillac CTS-V, Chevy Camaro ZL1, and now, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Previously, it was believed that a new Chevy Tahoe SS model could be created using a proposed supercharger kit for GM’s latest full-size SUVs, but now, the LT4 seems like the more likely candidate.
With the LT4, output could range around the 650-horsepower mark, similar to the upcoming high-performance Cadillac Escalade-V.
So what’s up with the PPV gear? One possibility is that GM dropped an LT4 under the hood of a PPV prototype in order to take advantage of the latter’s extra-heavy-duty cooling system, which includes a higher capacity radiator and engine oil cooler.
If a Chevy Tahoe SS does make it to production, we would also expect upgrades like more aggressive styling, better brakes, bigger standard wheels, stickier tires, and shaper suspension in the form of a special tune for the Magnetic Ride system.
We’ll keep our ears to the ground for any further updates. In the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Tahoe news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock General Motors news coverage.
Comments
Gm is leaving money on the table by not offering an S/C SUV to the Germans
Sure would be a nice a package for the “Gear Heads”. Only problem would be cost. If GM was to use “Off the shelf” already manufactured parts, it should not be too bad. But, they will STILL charge a premium for this ride. Because, they can! Then the lending institutions will of course, lend the stupid money to buy these things. One question… when will this cost craziness stop? The USA is heading in the wrong direction for the “working class” to be able to keep spending this kind of cash. Things gotta change for the average person to keep buying all these overpriced toys.
Wrong on those accounts, I say that due to the past offerings. Even the “good ol days” of the Muscle era you have to have money to get a ZL1, SS anything, Buick GS, Hemi anything, late ’70s -’80s for a T/A, Jag, Porche or full deck PLC.
Obviously the Germans are selling their 6 figure stuff, Americans need to get out this cheap thinking stuff. OTOH yes “value” performance is always welcomed.
Pete, I agree. European and Japanese exotic cars and now SUVs are everywhere… on the highways, in grocery store parking lots, and at fast food chain lines… Unfortunately, these exotics are influencing price changes that are near what the exotics are selling for in today’s market. Why…each have an engine, brakes, leather interior, custom wheels, custom electronics, and cheap steel under a pretty paint job…just to get from point a to b.
So gm is just coming up with the next “best thing” to keep the revenue coming in with a price increase – knowing people will pay due to Lexus, BMW, Audi, Infiniti, Jaguar, Acura, Porsche, Maserati, Mercedes and now Lamborghini, are selling high 350 to 550 HP SUVs starting at 45k to 200k, which are everywhere…so gm has a wide girth to price economical vehicles in a wide gap.
Example, Jeeps new SUVs, Wagoneer will top 100k, the Trakhawk 707hp is 105k, the latest 707hp Durango tops at 107k to complete with European exotics. If Jeeps word is true, a 472hp Rubicon will top 75k…jeez… and they are selling these vehicles like candy.
It’s insane…but happening…
Race57. Thanks for your input. However, the point I was making about the high cost was, not only is the rest of the automotive world going nuts on pricing, so is GM. We as consumers, are putting our selves in the hands of the manufactures. And the lending institutions are just as much to blame. I agree, a pretty paint job, some sweet emblems and lots of whistles and bells, and we get pulled in. The other point is, with the current economy on the way down, the inflation rate beginning to climb, we as a Nation, have to start being smarter than dumber. Have you been to a “Repo” Auction, lately? They are PACKED with very new models, not 10 year old stuff. it’s alarmimg. The future is NOT “So bright that we need shades”.
Do I want them to build this yes. Would it be cool yes.
But with that aside there is no that much money in low priced performance. Add to that Chevy can’t charge six figures and sell anything.
GM went broke building the Trailblazer SS. The Raptor is not really a profit center. Even the hellcat and TRX were enough to prevent Chrysler from the need to merge with the French as a minority partner.
Ok Chevy can do this but understand it is not going to be all that you dream. To do this right would run this out of the price they can charge.
Now one thing they could do to get more money is call it a Tahoe Z06 by team Corvette and sell it as a support vehicle for Corvette racing. Let Tadge and team work up their own tune and add a Z06 engine, better Brakes and suspension tuning.
But do not call the Tahoe a Corvette.
We also need to remember the that most of these other companies sell only a few limited range models and need the SUV volume Chevy already has.
The needs of Benz, Lambo and Porsche are much different than Chevy.
Gm went broke with the Trailblazer SS? I owned one and it was mostly a parts bin vehicle. They also sold really well considering how average the gmt360 platform was from 2006-2009.
Also remember that SUVs are more popular now then they were. I’d love a Tahoe SS. Tahoe’s are just too expensive as it is.
I have one now. It’s still great. They’re just hard to find in good clean condition still.
My point is even building cool cars is not going to move the profits much as they have little effect on the big picture.
GM had the GM Performance division and even with all their cars they still went chapter 11. The boring cars pay the bill.
They went broke for a lot of reasons. One of them being union legacy dues, being bullied into paying ridiculous retirement benefits. And also having contracts to build large amounts of vehicles that weren’t in demand necessarily, to meet union contracts. This forced them to over discount, which forced them to cheapen vehicles to meet that volume/price.
They haven’t cured themselves with cheapening vehicles completely, but it’s better. Performance vehicles elevate the entire brand, even if the particular vehicle doesn’t sell. Look at the Raptor, TRX, GT350, Corvette. It helps more than just that particular model.
Outside the Corvette, Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade and a few other decents (including the current trucks) they make a lot of ho-hums. Every year they decontent further.
They need some exciting vehicles. Ford brought the Bronco back and people are foaming at the mouth. GM did the Blazer and people are like “oh, it’s ok – kinda weird though”.
I’m a fan of the Blaze, but you have to take it for what it is. It’s a competitor to the Ford Edge, with sporty looks and no performance to back it up. It’s a styling win, but a boring vehicle.
GM has been on a losing streak with most of its products for a few years. Thtahoe is a bright spot in a sea of failures. GM doesn’t really have any other vehicles that are worthy competitors in their class. Maybe Camaro? I wouldn’t buy a Camaro over a Challenger though. C8 was a disappointment on every level except 0 to 60. Ram and f150 easily best the GM trucks. Traverse isn’t even worthy of being compared to Telluride. The rest of the lineup is a joke.
I agree with you except on the Blazer. I am just tired of the chop top looks and its rear side window makes me cringe. In their quest for some vehicles to be a little different, they just do weird.
Camaro has the best hardware. It walks all over the Mustang and Challenger. But they had to do a silly chop top with some other goofy design elements. Its over styled in some areas and boring in others.
@Mf, I disagree with you. My wife and I test drove the Korean twins along with other varieties and ended up with the Traverse Premier. Best decision made. Seats more, more HP/TQ, tows more, more front and second row room and GMs App is much more functional and user friendly. The Telluride just felt heavy and sloppy when loaded with six people. During takeoff it felt like had to work hard. I was able to recruit 4 sales people for my test drive, as I did with other varieties of SUVs. On the highway, the sales guys were moving in their seats anf the Telluride was wavering side to side much more than the other brands.
The Traverse handled all of above much better… The foundation frame is wider to handle left to right movements without getting sloppy and no comparison on take off, much smoother. Two of sales guys were 6′ and no issues with leg and headroom. The seats were made for people over 200lbs, not the Korean twins comfortably…
People make the mistake of testing SUVs with 2 – 3 people and call it with out stressing the specs including 0-60 and 55-75, turning radius, under carriage clearance when loaded, and interior noise under max weight.
So, the Korean twins IMO did not match the Traverse.
Great point. GMP was mostly parts that engineers tweak, what drove GM to BK was mismanagement from decades of bad choices and overall quality of vehicles, not due to performance.
You also forgot their extremely burdensome benefits that were a relic of a time when Americans would buy American made cars out of pride, and understanding that shipping money and profits overseas was a bad long term strategy.
GM went bankrupt because they weren’t able to reduce their labor costs to offset their declining market share. All the other misdeeds, the lower quality, the reliability issues, being slow to catch on trends, that all follows from having costs higher than others and losing the market share to support it.
If there are plans for a performance-oriented Tahoe, I hope the ride height would be significantly lower than the standard Tahoe. I would also like at least a 5,000 lb tow rating and available AWD. Bring it on! I want a vehicle to replace my Trailblazer SS.
Agreed, I love my TBSS and this would be a potential. But I’d want full tow capacity.
The legalities of taking the photo isn’t the point. This person stupidly admitted to trying to chase the Tahoe on public roads in their Camaro
And the person I know had his life put in danger because of the need to get the photo. Im simply reminding them there are more important things than photos for a blog
Chasing after it could be as simple as “we saw it go by so we followed it straight instead of turning right”. It could just be journalistic exaggeration to get people hyped that “this Tahoe is fast”.
Your friend put his life in danger, not the people taking photos. Your friend could have driven around like a grandpa on his way home from the early bird special at Dennys, if he chose to engage in a high speed chase with a photographer, that was his choice. Just because someone is taking a photo doesn’t mean you have to pretend you’re in an action movie.
I sure hope this means that the 6.2L V8 and 3.0L Diesel will find their way in to the AT4/Z71 Yukon/Tahoe for MY22 and beyond if they managed to drop an LT4 in while those two wouldn’t fit because of the approach angle requirement modifications for these front-ends.
They need to offer the 6.2L in the RST again as well.
I suspect the 3.0L will be a harder sell due to its packaging. Likely similar issues to why you can’t get a Cummins power wagon.
Is this the same gm that wants to be your New Green Deal mobility company? Mary-Mary sweetheart of the climate change pimps yet inexplicably engaged in a hot and heavy ongoing affair with Communist China?
Could this Super Slurper simply be a last blast for the faithful who own massive stock in Big Oil? Or is it true what so many say that gm management’s so focused on earnings that it doesn’t know what the Hell it stands for anymore? Just follow the money…
A lot of us have no use for an electric. We just did a 2 day road trip that would have been 3 or 4 in an electric with recharge times. We need 400+ miles of range in 3 to 5 minutes. And thats 400 miles of highway speed, loaded up, any weather, no compromises or excuses because it’s not ICE.
I personally have zero interest in electric. Merely pointing out the hypocrisy. We are lectured endlessly about how our gasoline V8s are destroying the planet while corporations like gm fall all over themselves to show the world how “woke” they are but the reality is… THIS.
It really isn’t unreasonable to expect gm to either sh!t or get off the pot. Yet no one’s calling them out for constantly ramming bogus far-left talking points down everyone’s throat while riding a wave of fuel swilling 6000 lb. land yacht popularity and cashing in on non-Union sweatshop labor in totalitarian ruled countries abroad. All while putting more Americans out of work every day with a green light from our new America Last administration.
I’m not giving up my LS2, but in this age of comedic blindly woke ideology and the accompanying US loathing government inflicted punishment of skyrocketing gas prices, it does beg the question how much sense a 650+ hp V8 Tahoe actually makes.
Give it a few years and the administration and regulation will have changed and you’ll have to forget all about what they said today.
I think it’s a great idea. As the owner of a TBSS, this vehicle class of vehicle appeals to me a lot, the Americans have been out of this game except for Dodge way too long. Explorer ST is an option, but the new platform they cheaper out on, and 400hp is the new 200hp.
The downside is I’m sure this will be a 100k vehicle, seeing as the Tahoes we are looking at are nearly 70k. Either way, hopefully it will bring the Durango Hellcat into a more reasonable price range, haha.
GM needs to just make sure they don’t lose the practicality aspect of it. It needs to tow the full amount, have great brakes, and ride nice. It doesn’t need to carve corners like a Vette, just needs to have a stiffer suspension that’s lower. A sportier version of the air suspension would be a great choice here too.
Don’t take this too personally as I had a TBSS for about 2 years. The problem is it was a bare minimum approach to a pretty average vehicle. I won’t ever buy another Dodge/FCA/Stelantis/whoever buys them next, but at least they put more effort into their special vehicles, as does Ford now.
They do these BS half baked approaches and then say “see, no one wants these”. Try harder. Also fire most of your design team because a lot of them stink.
The TBSS actually sold pretty decently. I think it had the misfortune to be put on an end of life platform (vs the jeep srt8 that came out well before the end of the WK life cycle), it didn’t get updated with the LS3 or 6 speed auto, and a few other engineering compromises in terms of cooling and exhaust. That all combined to make it be not as fast as the Jeep, which hurt it a lot I think.
I don’t think they need to go as nuts as some companies do. The TBSS is overall perfect for someone with my needs. It’s my daily driver and will soon be my kid hauler. It has impressive towing capacity for my 23′ boat. It’s an overall reliable power train with a few weaknesses that can be mitigated. The interior is nothing amazing, but is functional and durable (though the cup holder situation SUCKS).
I bought my TBSS recently and was debating between it and a host of other vehicles. The WK Srt8 was out because it couldn’t tow my boat (but believe me, I tried to justify it to myself a ton, love those Jeeps). The ML63 was an option, but the reliability scared me. The 6.2L head bolts job is a major undertaking and an expensive job, and it’s a “when it needs done”, not if. The newer 5.5L ML55 was an option, but was going to be a lot more money, and had that reliability worry in the back of my head. The WK2 Srt was a strong option, and what I really wanted, but prices had spiked on them during covid and I felt it a better option to purchase my TBSS for cash and wait for the prices of them to become more reasonable. The x5m wasn’t even a considerationn due to reliability issues, and as much as I liked the Cayenne Gts, it had high prices, reliability issues, and was too rare to find one to drive to really consider it.
Long story short, I don’t think they need to go all out on stuff like this. It needs to be a Tahoe (or whatever) still, with all the capability of one. The TBSS did that the best out of its competition, because they changed the least. I suspect GM will pull the same thing off here.
Some good points and sums up how I felt about mine, the biggest weaknesses were due to the starting point. It wasn’t as fast as an SRT, but it could tow a lot more and had more utility. A next gen version would have been really nice. I can’t think of anything they make now that could take its place. The Tahoe SS would be close but quite large.
I was hoping the next gen Colorado would bring an SUV and with IRS.
Agreed, but the Tahoe SS would work for us because conveniently (and expensively) , my needs keep growing. My TBSS is adequate right now, but almost too small. I’m sure as our family grows, it will be too small.
Ideally I think I’d like something smaller for me, like the jeep trackhawk, and probably a diesel Tahoe for the wife.
I have been posting the performance SS versions for years. Everyone over age 30, those with the real money, knows what the SS versions of GM cars was. Even the 1500 Silverado had an SS version in red or black only and only with All Wheel drive for a couple of model years. They had a lower suspension and the cargo carrying ability was reduced, because of the lowered springs. Girls are much more intro trucks now than 20 years ago, so if you can order the new SS version in peach or a light burgandy colour along with the traditional black or gray and white, it would be a bigger seller. In Calgary, each new car dealer had 80 percent new trucks on the lot for every 20 new cars. Even the banks know that the residual value on a truck is much better than on a car or smaller SUV. The Tahoe is a big muther, with a real frame that can last an owner 20 years or more. GM has all the parts from various other models to put an SS version in the showrooms within about 3 or 4 months. Sidepipes look great, sound great and would add a real sex appeal to any vehicle. You don’t have to supercharge it but sound and looks mean a lot when your payments are hundreds of dollars a month. The Tahoe police version does sit lower both in 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive.
LAW ENFORCEMENT PROTOTYPE
GM’s mandate to go all electric by 2030 looks like it’s coming along nicely.
This would make the ultimate cop car.
Why won’t Gm build a two door Tahoe? they would sell millions if they did