GM's Reuss Talks 2014 Chevrolet SS Sedan - Motor Trend

[Z284ever]

Camaro cost $500M to get to job 1, only about $150M of which was R&D because it sat straight on top of Zeta for which engineering was complete. Apart from creating the body, the rest was tooling. .

BB, do you think it cost $350 million to outfit Oshawa for it's production?

[inov8r]

I really wish this car had a proper name in front of the rather generic SS badge. Chevelle would be great place to start. I also wish this wasn't being pitched as an over priced halo type car. Chevy could use something to compete with the Charger in RWD larger sized form in both V6 and V8 trims starting right around the 29K mark well equipped. I just don't understand why GM in it's constant excuses just can't develop a pair and just bring this car over to NA and sell it in both V6 and V8 trim levels. If marketed properly and priced reasonable it will sell.

Now I know why they are only calling it the SS. The obvious name for a fast RWD V8 powered 'intermediate' sedan is Chevelle. But they cant name this niche expensive limited availability ultra exclusive sports sedan Chevelle. It isnt for the masses who would like a sub $40,000 RWD V8 or V6 sedan which is where a Chevelle would come in.

That said GM should still consider to design and build Chevrolet AND Buick RWD sedans in North America and stop being sissies.

Chevelle is tied at the hip with Malibu--non-starter.

A more recent name that makes as much or more sense, if there MUST be a name other than "SS Performance Sedan": Monte Carlo

Another name in Chevrolet's past that could be used: Monza

Anyone saying either of those is qualified to be for a 2-door only model is quickly dismissing the most recent and arguably successful RWD Impala SS.

The die is cast, so get over the notion of "it shoulda been Chevelle" (shades of "I coulda had a V8"?) - while I've got a 2011 Caprice that won't hold a candle to the coming SS, it would be a bit odd for it to carry the Chevelle name, while Monte Carlo SS or Monza SS would evoke a much sportier image/heritage, in my mind.

[WX39C1]

GM's Reuss Talks 2014 Chevrolet SS Sedan
More Details on Chevy's New Tire-Scorching "Halo" Four-Door Emerge
By Nate Martinez | December 05, 2012

Excerpts........

While exact details are under wraps until its world reveal in February (likely at the Daytona 500), we'd be stunned if the street 2014 SS didn't have a version of GM's 6.2-liter V-8 under its hood -- possibly a derivative of the new C7 Corvette's upcoming powerplant -- with at least 400 horsepower on tap, mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. "It'll be a halo car for Chevrolet because we really don't have a high-performance four-door sedan. It fills that niche," Reuss said of the new sedan.

Reuss wanted to build upon the G8 GXP's capabilities for the new SS. A 2009 model powered by a version of GM's 6.2-liter V-8 we tested hit 60 mph from a standstill in 4.5 seconds; a quarter-mile in 13 seconds flat at 109.6 mph; and achieved 0.90 g average on the skidpad. "The chassis of the VE Commodore is phenomenal. But I think the refinement and user interface things will be quite different.
Full Article at Link........
[/I]

Perfect!!!!! I can hardly wait!

[Railfan]

Chevelle is tied at the hip with Malibu--non-starter.

A more recent name that makes as much or more sense, if there MUST be a name other than "SS Performance Sedan": Monte Carlo

Another name in Chevrolet's past that could be used: Monza

Anyone saying either of those is qualified to be for a 2-door only model is quickly dismissing the most recent and arguably successful RWD Impala SS.

The die is cast, so get over the notion of "it shoulda been Chevelle" (shades of "I coulda had a V8"?) - while I've got a 2011 Caprice that won't hold a candle to the coming SS, it would be a bit odd for it to carry the Chevelle name, while Monte Carlo SS or Monza SS would evoke a much sportier image/heritage, in my mind.

I fondly remember the 1964 Impala SS with the 409 in it. Why not name this new car the Impala Super Sport? To me, it brings to mind more than Monte Carlo SS, and certainly fits better than Monza SS().

[BBDOS CV8]

BB, do you think it cost $350 million to outfit Oshawa for it's production?

On these very pages it was posted that Gen V was a $500M project to bring to production status, and elsewhere I've seen $100-150M bandied about as the cost of turning the concept into a production ready car. So I am surmising. It cost Holden $550M for VE tooling for the intiial sedan and WM Caprice, not including wagon or ute and the auto-tooling and presses at Oshawa look very similar. So $350M for coupe-only tooling seems reasonable.

[SCCA1995]

The magic number for importing Holdens to the US is $40,000. They will finally make money on it. The truth is that cheaper models barely costs anything less to make. A 376cid thumper V8 is one of the cheapest HiPerf mills out there.

Holden did make money on the GTO & G8 projects. They may make more money with the SS, but the previous Holden/Pontiac ventures weren't "freebies".

As some others have said, I hope the car itself is better than most of us are imagining. I'm sure I'll give the SS a once over when it arrives at the dealership. I so far don't see an immediate purchase in my future.

[inov8r]

So, just for the sake of the argument, what is so awesomely wonderful about "Chevelle SS" (name last used in 1977, or earlier)? Other than it's birth in 1964 and the SS package being available from the beginning--2-door coupe & convertible only, I recall--the name was a creation of the division's desire to have all their cars start with a "C", at least after 1960, with a full-size Chevrolet (including wagons and El Camino) and Corvette roadster prior to that - Corvair, Chevy II, Chevelle, Caprice (first as an Impala derivative) Camaro (all models introduced through the 60's), and Chevette in 1976, then Citation, Cavalier(>Cobalt>Cruze) & Celebrity (1980-82)....Corsica/Beretta (really?) then LUMINA????

At some point, the naming protocols took a turn, with sub-models, and other separate models based on the same or similar platform, and unique models that even spawned spin-offs: Chevelle-based Monte Carlo (1970), Vega (1971), Monza (2nd time around after Corvair as a Vega derivative) (1975), and so on. 1978 brought the downsized Malibu, with Chevelle now retired from naming anything--and Malibu was handed off to a FWD platform, where it remains (original origin being the Chevelle line). RWD cars suffered greatly--Monte Carlo went away with Lumina taking it's place in 1988, then returned again later, and is now absent, after establishing a stellar record in a racing environment (RWD silhouette in NASCAR). Impala went away in the 80's in RWD, to return again in 1994 as an SS, then went away again, to return as a FWD model in 2000. Camaro goes away after 35 years and comes back 8 (EIGHT!!!) model years later......at least Mark Reuss seems to be an actual "car guy" and understand the enthusiast market!

Take a look at the number of VE-based "Commodore" models at the Holden website---as recently announced on this board, this will change with the rollout of VF, so Omega, Berlina, Calais, and other names now available may be history.

Previous discussion even suggested that Commodore SS would have been a reasonable name to use for the new Chevy version--it gets back to the naming protocol of "C"-names....interesting that the name Commodore appears nowhere on the car itself.

It's GM's decision. It's not the 1960's & 70's anymore. Live with it.

[zete]

If it's better than the G8 GT it'll be an awesome ride. I hope they put MRC into it, so it'll be worth any extra coin they're surely going to demand for it.

Making it v8 only is probably a good choice and allows the differentiator from the Impala that so many people were clamouring for.

I think this makes sense.

And like others, I wish it was called something other than just SS. But I can live with it.

[Slideways]

Yeah, that 3.9L Malibu SS was a BEAST.

Was the 3.9L Malibu SS RWD?

That is simply not true.

Do you know what engine was in the 1963 Nova SS? A straight six.

What were the hood scoops on a '67 SS Camaro used for? I'd like to know, because they weren't functional.

What about the majority of the 1960s when you could order an SS Impala with any engine, including the straight-six?

How about '71 and '72 Chevelles?

Much of what made a car an SS boiled down to emblems, badges, center consoles, and gauges.

[germeezy1]

There's a lot of extreme nitpicking and using unfounded/unsubstantiated/blanket statements going on around here...as usual. Wah, wah, wah!

I'd prefer that this car be called Impala or Chevelle SS but that's not gonna happen. We're going to get the zeta-based fullsized V8 powered sports sedan WITH STICK that a huge contingency of GMI members have been collectively whining for. Me, I'm going to hope they get the package right on the whole. I can't wait to see it in production trim and read about its performance. I'll read the comparos in the magazines and I'll consider the posts from people who actually have the car rather than a bunch of nay-sayers who have done nothing more than sit in it at an auto show. I'll test drive it along with the Charger/Challenger R/T and Taurus SHO, and then I'll decide with my checkbook.

If you have never driven a SHO you will be quite amazed at how bad it is in comparison to proper RWD V8 performance sedans.

[Cajun G8]

On these very pages it was posted that Gen V was a $500M project to bring to production status, and elsewhere I've seen $100-150M bandied about as the cost of turning the concept into a production ready car. So I am surmising. It cost Holden $550M for VE tooling for the intiial sedan and WM Caprice, not including wagon or ute and the auto-tooling and presses at Oshawa look very similar. So $350M for coupe-only tooling seems reasonable.

BBDOS, given that these current VE/VF/WM projects are essentially freebies for Holden and Reuss stated himself that the SS could sell in numbers of 5,000 to 10,000 and that is okay, then what do you think the chances are that GM will import the Ute? Have you heard anything? Most people estimate that the Ute would sell in those kinds of numbers, so is it beyond reasonable to say that the same sales numbers are acceptable for the Ute? Or does no one at GM think that customers will pony up for a $40k El Camino SS (if that's the price point to break even/make a profit)?

[demonspeed]

Yeah, that 3.9L Malibu SS was a BEAST.

Cobalt SS, 04/05 Impala SS, S10 SS, first iterations of SS in the 60's...

[smithb]

[B][SIZE=3]we'd be stunned if the street 2014 SS didn't have a version of GM's 6.2-liter V-8 under its hood -- possibly a derivative of the new C7 Corvette's upcoming powerplant

What??? The new DI V8? I guess the SS won't go into production until fall?!? I thought it was going to be not long after the reveal in Feb, but I guess not until later. The article didn't see an on-sale date that I saw. That would be awesome if we got to see the LS early.

Obviously they are trying to position it like the Impala SS from the mid-90's (vice a full range offering like the Charger). I hope they go for the same subtle aesthetic (ie very little to no chrome, body colored trim, etc.) with the SS.

[BBDOS CV8]

BBDOS, given that these current VE/VF/WM projects are essentially freebies for Holden and Reuss stated himself that the SS could sell in numbers of 5,000 to 10,000 and that is okay, then what do you think the chances are that GM will import the Ute? Have you heard anything? Most people estimate that the Ute would sell in those kinds of numbers, so is it beyond reasonable to say that the same sales numbers are acceptable for the Ute? Or does no one at GM think that customers will pony up for a $40k El Camino SS (if that's the price point to break even/make a profit)?

They're not freebies for Holden: Holden pays for them. They're 'freebies' for GM - I am not implying GM is getting a 'free ride' because Holden is owned by GM and that is money that is otherwise going to the bottom line. What I mean is, Holden has to develop these cars - but it does so once, and as an adjunct they engineer for other markets in both-hand-drive and to meet collision and emission standards. That's cheaper than if GM North America and Holden have two separate, parallel projects. And it ties in with 'one Ford' Toyota's model, VW's model etc. VW shares one plaftorm between 4-5 manufacturers depending on if you count Bentley.

If GM was to take Alpha and re-invent the SS off it, it would cost much more money, including R&D, changing the structure to fit a Chevrolet cost model etc. How much is a V6 ATS? High $30s, and without options it's an entry luxury but not opulent car. Even though they are likely to sell many less SS than ATS, they can do so including selling it with a V8 for similar dollars because they do not have to factor in a second R&D amount and another build facilitiy to make it. Even though the car comes from 1/3 of the way around the world, the transport cost is much less for small volumes than making it. And even if they made it in the US, unless they were making say a Zeta Impala alongside as the donor car, then it makes no sense economically. Whereas, Holden is making the car and was always going to f0r multiple markets. And America and Australia being similar societies that like large V8 cars, it makes sense to do it once and sell it twice.

As far as the Ute is concerned, I do not know why there is no plan to import it. Given many Americans own more than one car - sportscar, minvan, beater, truck - I do not know why anyone thinks a Ute wouldn't work as well there as here. Many people who own one car here have a ute - including women. It wouldn't sell in Camry proportions - but positioned correctly it would seem to be a monty. It can only be, they are worried it might chew some 2-door cab pickup sales at the bottom end. I wouldn't think so personally. Utes are a ton of fun but more a lifestyle thing, not many businesses would take a $30K+ V8 ute over say a $20K Tacoma - except speed shops. Here, the Ute is the gofer mobile but also the mobile advertisement/billboard for performance shops. Ideal for picking up exhausts, tyres, wheels, mod bits but also showing a customer what they can anticpate from tuning.

It's like - BMW doesn't have a Z-series factory in Europe. All it's Z-cars for the world come from America. It makes sense with niche, and a Chevrolet 4-door performance sedan seems pretty niche to me.

[poncho1982]

He said "because at a Chevrolet level there's not a lot of competition". Says that right in your quote.


Regardless, the fact that he said halo car and niche means we will see sales lower than the G8 more than likely. Is it really worth it to keep importing such small numbers of cars from Australia for GM?

Yes, if they make a buck, and 10,000 people are happy, why not?