Chev SSR: better collectible than performer
The Chevrolet SSR (super sport roadster) pickup truck introduced in 2003 was a reincarnation of the glamorous pickup theme that Chevy had inaugurated with the 1955 Cameo Carrier. The concept continued with the 1957 Ford Ranchero and 1959 Chevrolet El Camino.
The car-based El Camino and Ranchero sedan-pickups were distinguished from pure trucks by having the appearance and driving characteristics of a car and a cargo box that was fully integrated with the body instead of the separate cab-andbox configuration of normal pickups.
After several iterations the original El Camino finally disappeared in 1987. In reviving and updating the genre, Chevrolet deviated a little with the SSR by using a shortened and stiffened Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT SUV chassis instead of the car frames of the original cartrucks. This made it more rugged but much heavier at 2,161 kg (4,764 lb).
General Motors test marketed the SSR as a concept vehicle at the 2000 Detroit auto show. Public and media reaction were so positive that Chevrolet put it into production at its Lansing Craft Center, GM's specialty assembly facility in Lansing, Michigan. It arrived as a 2003 model, and was chosen as the pace car for the 2003 Indianapolis 500 mile race.
While Chevrolet marketed the SSR as a two-passenger roadster rather than a truck, its utility box and tailgate truck characteristics were obvious. Although it carried only 24 cubic feet of cargo and could tow just 1,134 kg (2,500 lb), it still qualified it as a truck, albeit one of limited capacity.
The somewhat retro look of the SSR was inspired by Chevrolet pickups of the late 1940s and early '50s in such features as the horizontal grille, prominent fenders and rounded hood. As a novelty feature the single grille bar extended out to bisect the headlamps. The tailgate swung down in normal pickup fashion and the cargo bed could be protected by optional wooden strips. It was covered by a forward-hinged lid.
There were a couple of factors that set the SSR apart from other sedan-pickups. First, it was a convertible. Second was its piece de resistance: the metal convertible top that raised and lowered automatically. The top ingeniously folded in the middle, nestled the two halves together like clamshells, then stood on end and slid vertically into a bin between the seats and cargo box. A metal tonneau cover gave a smooth and finished appearance. This slick and clever 30-second mechanical choreography never ceased to amaze bystanders.
Under the rounded hood was a 300-horsepower, 5.3-litre overhead valve V-8 with aluminum block and heads sending power to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission and limited slip differential. Front suspension was independent by A-arms and coil springs while the rear was a solid axle with trailing arms and coils. Antiroll bars were fitted front and rear and brakes were fourwheel disc with anti-lock. Steering was rack-and-pinion and wheels were a very trucklike 19-inch front and 20-inch rear.
Performance was spirited. Car and Driver (9/03) reported zero to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 7.0 seconds and zero to 161 km/h (100 mph) in 20.1 seconds, fast enough to paste your hay bales against the tailgate. Top speed was electronically governed at 203 km/h (126 mph).
In spite of more than adequate acceleration and top speed, hot shots in the enthusiast media judged it against sports roadsters, rather than pickups. In this class C and D declared its performance mediocre and its handling sloppy, pejoratively calling it "a cruiser," rather than "a curve carver."
Chevrolet addressed the alleged power shortage for 2005 with a 6.0-litre Corvette C6's V-8 pumping out a stout 390 horsepower backed up by an optional six-speed manual transmission. This gave the SSR's performance more sparkle by dropping zero to 97 km/h (60 mph) time to the 5.3 second range.
Unfortunately for Chevrolet, sales did not meet expectations. No doubt one of the SSR's main disadvantages was an initial price in the $70,000 (Cdn) range, perilously close to the Corvette. Chevrolet realized this was too high and for 2005 brought it down to $60,000, and then for '06 to $50,000. In spite of these reductions SSR sales continued to flag and production ceased in March, 2006 after some 24,000 had been built. GM then closed the Craft Center.
So the SSR faded away like other specialty vehicles such as the Plymouth Prowler and latest Ford Thunderbird. The SSR was neither a very good truck nor a genuine roadster, but its low production and specialty nature bode well for making it a great future collectible with all the modern technology.
And that attention-grabbing trick top has to be worth a grand or two.