The curious thing about tombstones is how they represent a lifespan with just a hyphen. "John Wick; 2014 – 2023." That’s kind of sad. Thankfully, discontinued cars don’t get a tombstone; they get a chronicle. Some cars like the Chevy SS have their beautiful lives cut short in their prime. The SS has siblings who are still kicking it. The Suburban, for example, is older and still rising and shinning for nearly a hundred years. So, it wouldn’t hurt to slide down the memory lane a bit.
The Chevy Impala was the first to wear the SS performance badge in 1961. Only 453 units of the Impala SS were built. Others that got to carry the SS package include the Camaro, Chevelle, El Camino, Monte Carlo, Nova, and the Chevy Pickup Truck. The SS, which is short for SuperSport, was- and still is- all about performance. After 42 years of sticking the SS initials to various Chevy brands, GM finally unveiled a rear-wheel-drive concept to own and embody the SS nameplate. It was named the Chevrolet SS.
The Chevy Super Sport was powered by a V8 engine exceeding 400hp. As thrilling as that sounds, the monster wasn’t planned for the production line. Until 2014. Notably, 2017 saw the arrival of the last Chevrolet SS in a full-size rear-wheel sedan. The new SuperSport lived a quiet, powerful four years before mournfully withdrawing in 2017. The hyphen on its tombstone says, “The World’s Best Sports Sedan.”
How The Chevrolet SS Became The World’s Best Sports Sedan
Like the China-made Trumpchi GS5 rebadged as the 2022 Dodge Journey, The Chevy SS series was the Holden-made Commodore rebadged as the SS after GM decided to close its manufacturing plant in Australia. With the Australia plant closed, the Commodore would live on as the SS, a reincarnation of the shelved Pontiac G8. But the SS didn’t live very long, sadly. The most succinct description of the 2017 Chevy SS is a 4-door Camaro.
With that picture in mind, you can easily guess who’d love this car; almost everyone. Vrooming at 108.9 mph, the 2017 SS could complete the 440-yard dash in 13.2 seconds. That’s just a bit faster than the 2015 SS model. The 4-door sedan could make that sprint, powered by a 6.2L V8 engine churning out 415 horsepower at 5900 rpm and 415 pound-feet of torque at 4600 rpm.
Eight cylinders equal two valves per cylinder and a 16-valve 4-inline push-rod engine. In other words, you’re looking at a very fast, high-performance 4-door sedan. Going from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, the SS can go toe-to-toe with the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT. If you’re still not convinced, consider that it sends all that hp and torque we just mentioned to the rear wheels.
GM switched the large quad pipes for four smaller-diameter exhaust pipes. These don't look as cool, but they sound much better. It’s not just power that makes the 2017 SS the best sports sedan, though. It wore that crown by pairing the V8 with a roomy 5-passenger interior.
The events of the Chevy SS’ short-lived reign reinforce the cardinal rule; timing is everything. The new SS series first introduced in the US in 2014 were fantastic sporty cars from the GM Performance Division, but the timing of the launch, along with other factors such as lukewarm marketing, led to the quick demise of the SS bloodline. The Chevy SS series, especially the 2017 offering, had the elements of a successful sports sedan.
Why The Chevrolet SS Will Be Missed
We don’t just miss the SS because it is hard to find. Due to its limited production volume, hence, the rarity, the SS, for most of us, is more like a cousin you’re fond of but rarely see. The SS sold around 12,000 units in all the four years it was in production, a far cry from the 12,000 to 15,000 units GM had hoped to fly off dealerships each year.
You can be sure that the SS was not to blame for the low sales. Sales of the SS hung on rave reviews and word of mouth, which says a lot about the experience of owning one. Official marketing efforts for the SS were nothing to write home about. Whatever business sense it made to GM to discontinue this beloved sport sedan is only known to them.
The price may also have contributed to the low sales. With a $48,000 price point, the SS cost almost double the 2017 Dodge Camaro and Dodge Charger, while lacking the flashy looks to boot. It’s no wonder the Chevy SSR sold much better than a performance sedan packing a naturally aspirated V-8 motor tied to a six-speed stick transmission (auto-transmission was also available).
However, not the Camaro or any sedan at the SS’ price point offered the same level of performance and value. On top of all that, the SS is a sleeper car. So, only fans and gearheads knew what lay beneath the muted design.
Besides the powerful motor, the SS had plenty more; keyless entry, heated sports seats, leather interior, automatic climate control, MyLink infotainment system with 8-inch touchscreen, optional power sunroof, Brembo brakes, 4-wheels Rack & Pinion steering system paired to GM’s MRC suspension, etc.
GM’s MRC (Magnetic Ride Control) adapts and adjusts a vehicle’s shock absorbers in real-time to improve shock damping in response to changes in terrain. The SS comes with three driving modes: Normal, Sport, and Performance. The Chevy Super Sport has just one trim, featuring all an enthusiast would want in a sports sedan.