Filed under: Trends, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM
Staying Special: Chevy to tone down use of SS label
How often do we see a so-called "sports" version of a car where the manufacturer has clearly forgotten the "sports" part? The Chevrolet Malibu SS comes to mind (along with many others), but GM says "No more!" having over-diluted the SS label.
According to global design VP Ed Welburn, "Not every car that has some extra features and fancy racing stripes can be an SS".
Witness the new Equinox Sport, whose lack of an extra "S" on the label seemed conspicuous when we reported on its debut just days ago. Although it's packing a throaty 263-hp V6, Chevy evidently wanted not to over-sell it and over-use the SS label, and so they didn't. (The thought that they could bolt on s supercharger or shoe-in a V8 for a future SS is mouthwatering, though pure speculation at this point.)
We just hope the Equinox Sport (and other modestly-named performance models) will be met in the marketplace with enthusiasm, because this is the kind of integrity we could stand to see more of from manufacturers.
[Source: Detroit News via Motor Authority]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
AMcA 9:26AM (12/17/2006)
Amazing to see that kind of restraint from the geniuses at GM, whose consistent practice in the last half century has been to build great car names at the top of the line - Bel-Air, Sedan de Ville, Cutlass, Impala (until they revived it) etc, etc - then run them down to bottom of the line before killing them.
Maybe SS will survive, even thrive.
Reply
Greg 9:37AM (12/17/2006)
With the re-introduction of rear wheel drive cars coming in the next few years, it's only wise to keep the 'SS' for special run vehicles.. (Impala), or a rear wheel drive (Chevelle).
Cruising by one of my local Chevy Dealers, all I can say is whoever is behind the design of the 2007's had some heavy experience with 'Ecstacy' or some Synthetic drug that had a lousy sex life because I just see nothing but 'Angry Vehicles'.
I'm serious, the Trailblazer, the Equinox, the Suburban, I swear, they all look 'Angry'.
I'd say the same thing with the new concept of the 'Camero'... it's an Angry looking car.
I wish em all good luck.
Reply
Pola 9:50AM (12/17/2006)
Not a correct step I think they do.
Reply
Jason_801 9:52AM (12/17/2006)
Too late, guys, SS is already a joke.
"Not every car that has some extra features and fancy racing stripes can be an SS".
Yes, it can, you dumbasses at GM have been proving it true for years.
Reply
Mr_Oak 10:53AM (12/17/2006)
No, it's not too late.
The Mustang survived the PintoStang era, and made a helluva return as a Studmobile.
Remember the late 70s to 82 'Vettes? the 180HP 2 door sedans. Today, only people with penis envy don't worship the Z06.
This can be revived, as long as the next cars that wears the SS badge, rolls off the showroom floor with a badass take no prisoner attitude
Only the young and the ignorant, who don't know crap about cars will say it's too late.
Reply
JSFORBES 12:07PM (12/17/2006)
No more Shitty Sport?
Reply
Jaymez 12:19PM (12/17/2006)
The SS Badge lost everything when it was slapped on the body of a Cavalier/Cobalt.
As for the angry design comment, I love that theme. In fact, lack of that theme in the '07 line-up is my biggest complaint. The last Neons had that same angry look and it was the first time they ever looked good.
Reply
Matt 12:19PM (12/17/2006)
Something about how a fricking PICK-UP TRUCK shouldn't be availible in a "sports" package? Leave the icky candy-coated weirdness that is "sports trucks" to Dodge. =P
Reply
BCM 12:24PM (12/17/2006)
They could always use the "Eurosport" badge again ;-)
Reply
Kowell 12:34PM (12/17/2006)
AH.....I was still waiting on the use of the Aveo SS.... there goes a 50$ bet...
Reply
doglet 4:19PM (12/17/2006)
good move chevy, ss should not be a big engine option. the ss suvs and fwd family cars were a mistake. ss will have to earn back its reputation with performance.
Reply
Old Joe 4:52PM (12/17/2006)
Smart Move,since Chevy has been putting the SS Moniker on everything,diluting the SS logo from "Super-Sport" to "Super Stupid".Hopefully Chevy will restore the SS logo to its glory days,meaning you are bringing a high horsepower, rear wheel drive,two door CAR to the table.Not a truck,not a sport utility,not a 4 cylinder buzz-box.
Reply
syd 11:54PM (12/17/2006)
Cobalt killed SS? WTF man? you do realize a Cobalt SS, on the track, can keep pace and/or beat with a Mustang GT, right? wheres your v8 rwd power now? the two cars i can think of that should not be SS are the Malibu and the Trailblazer. thats it. and the only reason the TB is on there is due to the fact that its an SUV...otherwise higher output, much sportier handling than stock; fits the damn bill. and you know what, tell GM to keep SS on the Malibu...except take the saab 3.2L turbo v6 recipe and put it to use on the 3.6L version. hopefully the tranny can take that torque.
Reply
sfast 1:01AM (12/18/2006)
Finally, some sence! SS should have never been on any vehicle without a V-8 or anything other then RWD.
The joke of the SS started in 2000 or so with the Monte Carlo SS. SS meaning that the car had the 200 hp 3.8 engine. Yes, a front drive car with 200hp? Is it a Honda Accord, no! A Chevy SS! As the years past they did add the supercharger to that car and for 2006 the V-8, lending more credit to it all. But it was still front drive! Torque steer = SS?????? Of course it is pretty lame when you look at it. The whole time the Grand Prix had more power. Pontiac had the supercharger when Chevy didn't for many years. Hell, Buick had the supercharger when Chevy didn't. Then the Grand Prix had the V-8 before Chevy did. Then they watered the SS name down more by slapping it on the Silverado. But the Silverado SS only had AWD drive. Not 4WD or RWD but AWD. WTF is that? And only 345 hp and only with an extra cab. So it was basically a GMC Sierra C3(which had come out two years before) with 20 more hp. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a Silverado SS, but make it RWD and put more power into then all of the other GM trucks out there. Oh, and at least make it available as a regular cab short bed. That is a truck worthly of the name SS. Then there is the Cobalt SS. Not a horrible car but not worthly of the SS again, even more so when you can get the same package with the Ion Redline. I won't even speak of the Malibu Maxx SS.
But what is up with the "Maxx." A better word would be Estate, Avant or even Wagon! And why the extra 'x'? Now they have the Vortex Max engine for the trucks and it only has one x. The moral? Don't ask GM how to spell because they make it up as they go along.
Okay, time for bed.
Reply
sfast 1:22AM (12/18/2006)
Crap, I missed commenting on #13
LOL
Yes, the Cobalt can keep up with the Mustang GT on one race track. It is impressive. But Chevy missed the boat on a RWD V-8 powered car(not counting the SSless Vette). They surely could have put the same development time into a good RWD platform and had much better results then the sad little Cobalt. The Trailblazer SS really isn't that bad. It is at least as good as the Jeep GC SRT-8. It is RWD(or can be ordered with it) and has enough hp but they could have/should have come out with it years sooner. Saab, lol. Yeah, that is heritage for you, put a Saab engine into an SS. Its a dumb idea even if it had a chance in hell of working. The Saab engine and the 3.6 are two totally different engines. They would need at least a few years to develop a turbo 3.6. The tanny would be the last and the least of their problems.
Reply
drolds1 2:06AM (12/18/2006)
FYI-history revisionists: From 1962, and continuing for years, the Impala SS was just a trim option. Any Chevy engine was available, including the I-6. 135hp and 2-speed Powerglide ATX in a full-size car was certainly no street racer.
So, before you get all exercised, there is some history here.
Reply
syd 2:42AM (12/18/2006)
I rather sorry, but no Chevy could not have come out with a good RWD platform with the same time spent on the Cobalt SS. I'm sure GM spent as much time as the one non-RWD non-vette car, the GTO, and I can't say the results were that impressive, as it wasn't built specifically for the NA market, didn't produce great sales and it didn't exactly look that great. (that list does omit performance which in the 2nd gen LS2's was :0) Your attack on the Saab thing makes you look kinda stupid as you didn't even catch that I messed up which engine they use (the boosted 2.8L high-feature, not a 3.2L) and berated the Saab-aspect. The Malibu is based on the same platform as the Saab 9-3 (as is the G6, Aura) HENCE the inclusion of the turbo engine used in the Saab, which is itself of the high-feature engine line the 3.6L V6 now being used in cars (Aura XR anyone?) designed from the common platform. Although furthur thinking has brought me to the conclusion the direct-injection updates to the 3.6L engine going into the new CTS would be just fine for a Malibu SS. And Maxx? I couldn't care less about that naming...estate, wagon, etc. would not work as it is not one of those; it is a liftback/hatchback. The core of this whole thing is about what Chevy has right now as SS models, not what they should have in your fantasy mind or what they had 10 years ago. It is not necessarily easy for GM to move quickly due to their size and scale. (a new RWD platform deployed to not-miss the "V8 RWD revolucion!" would have had to replace at least 4 different high volume cars) Although it sucks for us that it took so long for the W-Body to be replaced, (although you mentioned "heritage"; wanna keep that platform for us?) it is what happened. And if Chevy can make a respectable SS out of a given platform, who gives a fat one? I guess we'll find out what happens in a year or so when Zeta cars are aloof how their V8 RWD cars are, but I hope they continue to build SS worthy cars on the other platforms; why have Sport when you can have Super Sport?
Reply
AladdinSane 9:06AM (12/18/2006)
Bummer...Here I was expecting to see an AVEO SS debut any day now...LOL...
GM is a joke sometimes...
Peace!
Reply
nubbin 5:24PM (12/18/2006)
I understand putting the SS badge on the 2.0 supercharged Cobalt, it makes sense sort of...but why would they go a step further with the 173bhp 2.4-liter Cobalt SS? >_>
Reply
Victor 2:57PM (12/19/2006)
Don't worry guys- the sunbird/fire name will come back as well - maybe it'll be called the sunhawk with SS option for the extra stiching on the seats and pin stripes along the side, and the glued on SS badge next to the glove box, oh forgot SS for the floor mats. Oh wait, the 2 door SSei arrives with plastic parts which will stay on (inside the car) when you actually look at them!
Also waiting for the Fiero to re-span - with and SS'd hawk on the hood
Reply