Following its debut at Daytona early this year, Chevrolet has announced that pricing for the new 2014 Chevrolet SS performance sedan will start at $44,470, including a $995 destination charge.
The U.S.-exclusive Chevy goes on sale later this year and is the American carmaker’s first rear-drive performance car since 1996, the last year of the popular Impala SS.
Hoping to appeal to buyers who crave power but likely can’t swing selling the idea of a Corvette as a family car, the SS comes equipped with a 415 horsepower V8 with 415 lb-ft of torque with an estimated 0 to 60 mph time of around five seconds. The engine is matted to a six-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted manually using steering-wheel mounted shift paddles.
“The all-new SS is engineered for performance enthusiasts who’ve been clamoring for a rear-wheel-drive sedan,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing, in a company press release statement. “Adding the SS to the lineup further solidifies Chevrolet’s position as America’s best-selling performance-car brand that also includes the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray and Camaro Z/28.”
Although, it still would be interesting to track some of the response to the car on sites like the 20,000 plus member Impala SS Forum considering Chevrolet probably won’t be building a new SS based on the new the Impala.
The carmaker, however, must clearly be aware of the appeal of the “SS” badge as a means of enticing people to consider the Impala. Chevrolet’s own consumer site for the new Impala includes the words “Sports Sedan” in the html link, which implies that there might be an actual Impala SS model available – or at least one on the way.
Okay, maybe I’m just reading too much into it due to my disappointment after recently test driving the 2014 Impala (which I like a lot) that Chevy isn’t building a SS model of the car. I’ve always been a big fan of the Impala SS, which still holds a lot of clout as a classic big body American muscle vehicle.
Of course, none of those throwbacks ever had features that come close to the kind of technology offered in Chevy’s latest reincarnation of a rear-wheel-drive sedan.
Standard tech equipment in the new SS includes a high intensity discharge headlamps with light emitting diode daytime running lamps, automatic parking assist and Chevrolet MyLink with a color touch screen and GPS-based navigation system. The new Chevrolet SS will also offer General Motor’s new standard services to be offered with RemoteLink app equipped with OnStar vehicles that enables drivers to remotely start their car and unlock the doors using a smartphone.
Other technology features include rear-vision camera with rear park assist, keyless access and push-button start and side blind zone alert and lane departure warning. It also features a Bose audio system.
Still, I’m wondering what die-heart Impala SS fans will think of Chevrolet’s new performance sedan? Or, does it matter considering that the car is likely aimed at a new generation of buyers?
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