Chevrolet "sport" models

[Hoagie]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

I agree that we need Sport models, that said, let's not overuse the SS name...*looks at last-gen Malibu SS*

SS badges belong only on cars that deserve SS badges. Trailblazer SS was one. Malibu SS was not.

Amen

[Slideways]

Originally Posted by Hoagie

The reason is,,,,,,there is no market for SS cars or trucks anymore. the Trailblazers and Silverado's sat on the lots. same as the Colbalts. people today just don't get into it like us old guys did.

That's just not true. There are plenty of younger kids that love to modify vehicles. Mark my words, the 15-20 year olds that are hacking up S-10s and Tacomas today will be the hot rodders 10-15 years from now when they can afford some older, classic iron. Just because a Silverado or Trailblazer SS sat on the lots doesn't mean that there isn't a desire for performance.

[Dr. Show-Me]

SS should mean "the sportiest .... in Chevrolet's line up." The sportiest Impala should be the Impala SS. The sportiest Chevelle was the SS. Nova SS, Camaro SS, and so on. Not on lesser cars, or trucks.

[Slideways]

Originally Posted by Dr. Show-Me

SS should mean "the sportiest .... in Chevrolet's line up." The sportiest Impala should be the Impala SS. The sportiest Chevelle was the SS. Nova SS, Camaro SS, and so on. Not on lesser cars, or trucks.

It seems like you're saying two different things. First you say that the top of the line of every model should be the SS, then you say only the top cars should get it. Nova was a "lesser" car than Malibu which was a "lesser" car than Impala and Camaro was a "lesser" car than the Corvette, yet they all wore the badge. There was also an El Camino SS, which was a BOF ute/truck. Was it not deserving of the badge?

I don't see why people seem to have this haze of nostalgia that makes them think that every SS Impala had a 409 and every SS Camaro had a 427.

[Jamo]

I know that Chevrolet should have something 'SS' for the Malibu. It should have a manual transmission and some tire/suspension upgrade. And maybe a higher output engine.

[solman98]

Originally Posted by T'Cal

^Agreed, especially since we no longer have Pontiac around to offer sporty looking versions of Chevy vehicles.

But Pontiac hadn't offered anything of it's own it decades. There is a reason there gone. Grill swaps does not = sporty.

[solman98]

Originally Posted by Jamo

I know that Chevrolet should have something 'SS' for the Malibu. It should have a manual transmission and some tire/suspension upgrade. And maybe a higher output engine.

They should offer a manual in everything IMO.

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by solman98

They should offer a manual in everything IMO.

And there is no reason on earth that it shouldn't be as slick as the Japanese competition and made here in the once great USA.

[Slideways]

Originally Posted by solman98

They should offer a manual in everything IMO.

Yes, in a perfect would they would, but people don't buy them, so GM won't build them. It's as simple as that. I don't know the numbers, but it must not be worth the marginal customers it loses to make the option available. Have any of you had to commute in city traffic with a manual? I have. It quickly saps the fun of shifting your own gears.

[Hoagie]

Originally Posted by Slideways

That's just not true. There are plenty of younger kids that love to modify vehicles. Mark my words, the 15-20 year olds that are hacking up S-10s and Tacomas today will be the hot rodders 10-15 years from now when they can afford some older, classic iron. Just because a Silverado or Trailblazer SS sat on the lots doesn't mean that there isn't a desire for performance.

I didn't say there was no desire for performance, they just don't want a rebadged sedan.

I'm at the drag strip every weekend racing, I think I know what kids want.

Never seen a Tacoma hacked up and raced.

[Smellhound]

Originally Posted by Hoagie

The reason is,,,,,,there is no market for SS cars or trucks anymore. the Trailblazers and Silverado's sat on the lots. same as the Colbalts. people today just don't get into it like us old guys did.

That may be true, but that is why Chevrolet can use the "sport" label instead of SS. It doesn't have to be a truly super high-performance car at a much higher price. How about instead something with subtle body modifications? one size larger wheels/tires...a slight increase in performance?

My best ideas would be a new Equinox sport, different 19" or 20" wheels, 1 inch lower to the ground, and the DI 3.6 engine.

How about a Malibu Sport, 1/2 inch lower to the ground, and the di 3.6?

Even the Cobalt..if the Cobalt SS didn't exist, they could make a Cobalt sport with 18" wheels, a 6 speed auto, and the new DI 2.4.

While GM may or may not be able to produce any of those 3 examples...those are examples that may be in higher demand than true "SS" models, and would probably only cost a bit more to produce.

Here is one more (not sure what the demand would be for it, but I'll throw it out), a Traverse sport/Outlook Redline/Acadia Denali/Enclave Super. Give them all 20" wheels, SLIGHT ground effects (please don't overdo it), and the 5.3 DOD V8.

[Slideways]

Originally Posted by Hoagie

[/b]

I didn't say there was no desire for performance, they just don't want a rebadged sedan.

I'm at the drag strip every weekend racing, I think I know what kids want.

Never seen a Tacoma hacked up and raced.

And I'm at car shows every weekend and I know that a lot of talented kids are working on whatever they can get their hands on. It's not just drag racing though, there are a lot of avenues of performance.

[spectre]

Because Warranty is everything to some of us and aftermarket parts aren't nearly as widely researched as performance parts from the factory.

Originally Posted by ss1dan12

Why pay the dealer or Gm( their rape fee) for items that you could purchase aftermarket and install yourself

[firefox]

I think the should go back like the old days and offer several performance upgrades in all of their brands. Kind of like mild to wild and several in between upgrades. I don't mean like the latter years when they threw some body mods on and called it a ss. I mean true performance upgrades across the board,handling,power and the whole works.

[HoeyHimself]

No amount of cosmetic enhancements will lipstick cover the pig that is known as the Equinox, so why bother?

If you want "sporty" models, Chevrolet is the wrong place to be looking. All you will get is obnoxious exterior treatment (see. Cobalt wing, Camaro bodykit, Trailblazer's prehistoric everything!) and cheap leather with "SS" embroidered in the headrest, as opposed to just plain-old cheap leather without headrest embroidery.

If you want sporting models, look at Mazda or you wake up and realize that your wasting your time because the sportiest of GM bread and butter will NEVER compare to the driving experience in a base-model BMW...