The Chevrolet SS is one of GM’s performance cars that flies below the radar of most enthusiasts. It’s fair to consider the SS as a continuation of the high performance spec G8 from the defunct Pontiac brand—while the G8 was rebadged as Commodore by GM’s Holden brand in Australia.
General Motors has mixed success bringing Australian models to the United States. With many heralding the 2009 G8 GXP as an E39 BMW M5 for folks on a budget—before Pontiac’s plug got pulled—we were anxious to see what Chevrolet’s latest take on the platform would be, and whether or not the subsequent six years of development yielded any surprises.
In its second year of limited production, the SS now comes standard with GM’s fantastic Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension and Brembo brakes at all four corners. Along with a six-speed manual transmission and an LS3 V8 under the hood that makes 415 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, the SS looks to be something of a four door C6 Corvette—at least on paper.
Inside and Out
Much like the G8—and the Pontiac GTO coupe, for that matter—the SS’s outward appearance doesn’t show a revolutionary rethink of the Holden design. The tweaks are subtle. It’s actually tamer looking from the outside than the car it’s derived from, arguably bordering on rental car placidity. Of course the aftermarket has solutions to remedy this if a potential buyer is hankering for a little more visual flair, but as it stands now, the SS does is definitely in the sleeper category.
Inside, we’re greeted with a solid assortment of sporty bits and pieces, like a flat-bottom steering wheel; a handy toggle on the center console to change driving modes; and, perhaps most importantly, three pedals on the floor. With the SS’s only real competition in the segment coming from the Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack, the SS has the notable distinction of being the only American rear-wheel drive V8-powered sedan available with a manual transmission. However, we could do without the faux racing harness slots on the seats though.
Behind The Wheel
The promise of a poor man’s E39 M5 starts to become convincing when you push in the clutch, press the start button, and hear that 6.2-liter V8 rumble to life. But that concept cuts both ways. That clutch, for instance, has remarkably light uptake with inconsistent feel throughout its travel, making it feel vague and difficult to modulate. A bit of time at the helm makes it easier to contend with, but we couldn’t help but wonder if the entire driving experience would be improved if the clutch operation were a bit heavier and more linear.
The inclusion of magnetic ride control makes the SS a remarkably capable handler. We have no doubt this car would turn faster lap times at most tracks than the aforementioned Charger, despite being down 70 horsepower to the Mopar’s 6.4-liter Hemi V8. Adjusting damping stiffness between the Tour, Sport, and Performance modes is as simple as rotating the driving mode knob on the center console left or right. That’s particularly useful if you often transition between spirited driving and urban crawl.
While the SS’s exhaust system offers a nice crackle when you let off the gas, we found it to be a bit too quiet, particularly since it’s paired with a manual transmission in our tester. If the radio is up at an audible level it easily drowns out the motor, making it difficult to discern the revs by ear.
Bottom Line
Despite its imperfections, there’s a great performance sedan here. Still, the $46,740 as-tested price tag might be a bit hard to swallow. Then again, if you demand a manual gearbox from your American V8 sedan, the SS is basically the only game in town.
See Chevrolet SS Sedan Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
