Chevy SS Competed in 2013 Daytona 500
The Chevy SS was a high-performance sedan sold by Chevrolet from 2013 to 2018. It was the United States’ exclusive counterpart of the Holden Commodore (VF). And the Chevy SS was sized between the Malibu and the Impala in the Chevrolet lineup as a performance “Super Sport” sedan, also to fill the void left behind by the Pontiac G8 after the Pontiac brand was terminated by General Motors in 2009. The Chevy SS went on sale as a 2014 model year in late 2013. It was Chevrolet’s first rear-wheel drive V8 sedan available to the general public in eighteen years. Did you know the Chevy SS competed in NASCAR?
Chevy SS Description
The Chevy SS was powered by a 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engine, with power and torque outputs of 415 horsepower. The only available transmission for model year 2014 was a six-speed automatic that could be shifted manually using paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The top speed was limited to 160 mph. The SS was tested in November 2013 by Car and Driver magazine to accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.5 seconds and complete the 1/4 mile in 12.9 seconds at 111 miles per hour.
Compared to the preceding Pontiac G8, the restyled Chevy SS featured a stiffer chassis for improved ride. The addition of high-grade steels resulted in 30 pounds shaved off the core structure. Crash performance was also improved thanks to redesigned front rails, and the electrical architecture was re-engineered from the ground up, allowing for technologies such as head-up display and active safety systems, like blind spot cameras.
The Chevy SS had a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$44,470. There was a single, fully equipped specification level, with two optional extras: a sunroof and a full-size spare tire. The Chevy SS came with Chevrolet’s MyLink system (including Bluetooth, Sirius XM Radio, and Pandora Radio features) and, like the VF Commodore, had auto-park assist, a blind-spot monitoring system, a lane departure warning system, and electronic power steering. The SS was fitted with 19-inch wheels.
On 20 February 2013, GM announced that the Chevy SS would not be sold in Canada. On 6 September 2013, Chevrolet announced that the number of SS vehicles was limited to selected dealerships based on their sales of the Corvette and the Camaro.. Chevrolet projected about 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles a year instead of the much speculated 15,000 to 20,000 cited in the media. Only 12,860 cars were sold.
On 30 July 2014, Chevrolet announced that the Chevy SS would become the first vehicle in the brand’s lineup to feature an automatic parking assist system. Chevrolet added the option of a manual transmission, standard Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), and OnStar’s 4G LTE service to the 2015 model, which debuted at the Woodward Dream Cruise in August 2014.
For the 2016 model, Chevrolet announced that the Chevy SS would receive a facelift. The new features included front and rear fascias, revised LED lighting, a dual-mode exhaust system with quad exhaust tips, functional hood vents, a new “Slipstream Blue” paint colour (replacing “Perfect Blue” and “Alchemy Purple Metallic”), red Brembo brake calipers, and an updated wheel design with cast aluminum construction.
For the 2017 model year, three exterior colours were removed and two colours were added. This was also the final model year of the Chevy SS. Chevrolet announced on January 9, 2017, that Holden was about to end Commodore production in Australia without any plans for its successor. However, the SS would still be in production for one more year before being officially retired, and that was 2018.
Conclusion
Chevrolet competed with the Chevy SS in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. It debuted in 2013. Kevin Harvick won the race in the car’s first season. Jimmie Johnson gave the SS a winning claim at the 2013 Daytona 500 after Danica Patrick took pole in her SS. The SS won the NASCAR Sprint Cup manufacturers’ championship with three rounds remaining. Johnson went on to win the title in his SS. In 2014, the SS again won the Sprint Cup Series championship, this time being driven by Kevin Harvick. In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won the Sprint Cup Series championship in an SS for the seventh time.
