Wraps come off new Chevy SS

Fans on both sides of the Pacific are sure to be watching the launch of Chevrolet’s first rear-drive sedan for 20 years, writes Dave Moore.

CHEVROLET WILL reveal its Holden VF Commodore- based V8-powered SS sedan at the Daytona 500, where the racing Chevy SS will have its first competitive outing, on February 24.

This subject is dear to Drive-Times readers’ hearts, as we’ve had many emails about the Holden-Chevy after our earlier coverage.

All along, Chevrolet has said it has modest expectations for sales of the SS, which will be the company’s first rear-wheel-drive sedan for 20 years, but demand may well be pent up since the demise of the similarly configured, well-received Pontiac G8, which was itself based on Holden’s previous VE model.

Nascar team owner and North Carolina Chevrolet dealer Rick Hendrick was interviewed by ESPN and said his showroom had already seen significant interest.

The production SS, which is effectively a VF Holden Commodore with a United States face, shares its looks only with the Nascar SS race car, but Chevy expects potential buyers will see a connection between the two.

However, unlike previous Chevrolets and current Ford and Toyota Nascar entries, at least the pro- duction SS has the same number of cylinders and rear-wheel-drive, like the track cars.

Disguised versions of the production version of the SS have been seen and photographed around Detroit (see picture), but Chevrolet is keeping mum about when the car will reach showrooms, beyond saying it will be ‘‘late in 2013, as a 2014 model’’, as is the habit in North America.

The Chevy SS, like the company’s fast-selling Camaro coupe and Hol- den’s VE and VF Commodores, will be built in Australia. It has been revealed that the car will be available with a non- specified V8 engine, putting out 420 horsepower. This is 309 kilowatts in metric speak, which is about what a naturally aspirated HSV Commodore makes at the moment, so the current 6.0-litre unit might continue under its Chevrolet snout.

It is possible that a new C7 Corvette- derived V8 small- block unit will reside under the hood, with its advantages in terms of emissions and fuel efficiency.

The VF Commodore, which will lend the Chevrolet SS its basic styling and design, will be revealed next week in Australia.

Green light: The SS makes its race debut this month at the Daytona 500, but only its looks resemble the production car.

Chevrolet SS: The new United States market car, to be built in Australia, will look something like this.