Chevy could offer hotter SS if there's demand

When the Chevy SS hits showrooms in the coming months, it will only be offered with one powertrain choice – a 415-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 and a six-speed automatic transmission – with just five colors to choose from and two options. That's it. And we should be happy for it.

Chevrolet is reportedly intent on keeping things simple, projecting sales of less than 3,000 units per year – less than a tenth of what it initially projected for its predecessor, the Pontiac G8, which offered three engine options. But if those modest sales targets are met, there's no reason why GM couldn't offer more powerful versions as well.

This according to John Fitzpatrick, who is responsible for marketing Chevy's high-performance models, in speaking with Automotive.com at the SEMA Show last week. If there's enough demand beyond those 3,000 units, GM could bring over the 455- or 580-horsepower versions offered by its HSV division in Australia, whose Commodore forms the basis for the Chevy SS, much as it did for the Pontiac G8. A manual transmission could also be in the mix, but again, only if there's enough demand.