2014 Chevrolet SS NASCAR PACE Car In Flames

[ifcar]

I think the "Impala" would have been a great Malibu, and the SS should have been the Impala, but sold in V6 trim as well.

How could today's Impala have gone against the Camry? It's huge and expensive.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

So which holden is this?

I really haven't read anything on this car.

[MrH]

So which holden is this?

I really haven't read anything on this car.

Yeah, this car has a really small market, but GM knows that.  It doesn't compete with the 3 series, ATS, S4, or anything like that.  It's for die hard GM pooprod guys.  A guy at work has a G8 and is super excited for the SS.  No idea why, seems like pretty much the same car, but he's the target market for it I guess.

[2o6]

How could today's Impala have gone against the Camry? It's huge and expensive.

Shrink it a little

[FoMoJo]

Fire would make the SS more exciting to drive.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Yeah, this car has a really small market, but GM knows that.  It doesn't compete with the 3 series, ATS, S4, or anything like that.  It's for die hard GM pooprod guys.  A guy at work has a G8 and is super excited for the SS.  No idea why, seems like pretty much the same car, but he's the target market for it I guess.

actually most of the guys on the G8 forums are keeping their Pontiacs! And you're correct when you say it's basically the same car! Most of the guys thought it would AT LEAST get an LT1! No way I'm gonna pay almost 50 grand for a car that has the same engine an 2009 G8 GXP has! The interior is the only advantage the SS has overt G8....

[Mustangfan2003]

The new LT1 and use the new 7 speed manual and the 8 speed auto would've been a great idea.  It would be more powerful, faster, and likely would've avoided the gas guzzler tax. 

[68_427]

Yeah all the G8 guys can keep saying its the same car but a dif interior...

Its like going from the first gen CTS to the second.  Its better in every single way.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Yeah all the G8 guys can keep saying its the same car but a dif interior...

Its like going from the first gen CTS to the second.  Its better in every single way.

Of course it's 5 years newer! It has more gadgets and mite handle a lil better but it's actually SLOWER than the GXP. Like i said in the other thread the green house and doors are the same as my car! The hood, Front Clip and front fenders will also bolt rite up to a G8. The same cannot be said of the 2 CTS generations you mentioned! The interior is better in every way but all the new gadgets are just fluff to me! Who gives a shit about Parking Assist? For 46 Large I better be able to outrun a 5 year old GXP. Hell the Camaro SS makes more power than the SS!! Since they didn't use the LT1 (as someone mentioned before this would also avoid the Gas guzzler Tax) at least use the L99 from the Camaro.........

[SVT_Power]

Yeah, this car has a really small market, but GM knows that.  It doesn't compete with the 3 series, ATS, S4, or anything like that.  It's for die hard GM pooprod guys.  A guy at work has a G8 and is super excited for the SS.  No idea why, seems like pretty much the same car, but he's the target market for it I guess.

I'm not a die hard GM or pooprod guy and I see some appeal to this. Good ol' 'murrican V8 RWD sedan. I might feel a little redneck-y if I ever owned one, but I honestly would put it along the similarly priced imports if I was shopping in that market.

[MX793]

The VF Commodore (Chevy SS) is just a refresh of the VE (Pontiac G8).  They made some tweaks to the suspension, significantly upgraded the interior, and mildly facelifted the front and rear fascia.  Most of the rest is carry-over.

I don't get why people are bitching about the price.  It's not that much more than the G8 GXP 6AT was 5 years ago (MSRP is $3500 more, the gas guzzler tax went up considerably in the past 5 years which accounts for a pretty big chunk of the reported price difference).  Adjusting for inflation, it's the same price as the GXP 6AT was back in '09.  And for that it has a substantially nicer interior and far more amenities (IIRC, the G8 didn't even have remote locking, which was standard fare on cars costing half the price).  As to performance, per C&D's testing the SS is a smidge quicker (a couple tenths and a couple MPH trap speed) than the GXP fitted with either transmission.

They're not going to put the money into a powertrain overhaul of a rebadge of a fully developed product just for the American version of the car which is slated to sell at a couple of thousand units per year.  Also consider that GM is pulling the plug on Holden, which leaves the fate of the Commodore line uncertain.  Another reason not to dump too much more development money into it.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The VF Commodore (Chevy SS) is just a refresh of the VE (Pontiac G8).  They made some tweaks to the suspension, significantly upgraded the interior, and mildly facelifted the front and rear fascia.  Most of the rest is carry-over.

I don't get why people are bitching about the price.  It's not that much more than the G8 GXP 6AT was 5 years ago (MSRP is $3500 more, the gas guzzler tax went up considerably in the past 5 years which accounts for a pretty big chunk of the reported price difference).  Adjusting for inflation, it's the same price as the GXP 6AT was back in '09.  And for that it has a substantially nicer interior and far more amenities (IIRC, the G8 didn't even have remote locking, which was standard fare on cars costing half the price).  As to performance, per C&D's testing the SS is a smidge quicker (a couple tenths and a couple MPH trap speed) than the GXP fitted with either transmission.

They're not going to put the money into a powertrain overhaul of a rebadge of a fully developed product just for the American version of the car which is slated to sell at a couple of thousand units per year.  Also consider that GM is pulling the plug on Holden, which leaves the fate of the Commodore line uncertain.  Another reason not to dump too much more development money into it.

G8s have remote locking and starting....

[MX793]

G8s have remote locking and starting....

Must have been early ones, or limited to GXPs, because I read 3 reviews that specifically noted that there was no remote locking on them.

[Raza]

There's a difference between being able to fit 4 adults to make a 15-30 minute drive downtown for dinner, and being able to comfortably accommodate 4 adults for a multi-hour road trip.  The 3er and A4 have the same rear legroom as a Mazda3, Corolla, or Civic.  These are not big cars inside.  For someone who wants/needs real midsize/fullsize car space but still wants performance, their options are to pony up $55K+ for a 535/A6 3.0T/CTS 3.6/E350/etc... (and even some of those are a fair bit smaller inside, the 5er has only a fraction of an inch more rear legroom than the 3er), or get a Charger SRT8.  And the SS walks all over the SRT8 when it comes to refinement and the interior.

After being in the back of my brother's S4 for 3 hours behind a 6'1" tall person, I would very much have appreciated a little more room. 

[SJ_GTI]

After being in the back of my brother's S4 for 3 hours behind a 6'1" tall person, I would very much have appreciated a little more room.

I actually have been carpooling with my (younger) brother recently, which includes dropping off his kids to daycare.  Getting the car seats in the back seat barely leaves any legroom left in the front seat. I can definitely see someone with a family wanting a larger backseat.

[Soup DeVille]

I actually have been carpooling with my (younger) brother recently, which includes dropping off his kids to daycare.  Getting the car seats in the back seat barely leaves any legroom left in the front seat. I can definitely see someone with a family wanting a larger backseat.

Car seats suck period. No car is big enough for them.

[MX793]

Car seats suck period. No car is big enough for them.

Even the family truckster?

[2o6]

Must have been early ones, or limited to GXPs, because I read 3 reviews that specifically noted that there was no remote locking on them.

That's odd, I've driven several with keyless at my old job.

[Soup DeVille]

Even the family truckster?

No.

I mean, it works, but there's no extra room.

[SJ_GTI]

Car seats suck period. No car is big enough for them.

They're not that bad. Another ~3 inches of room would be plenty. They have no issues with space when driving their Rav4, FWIW.

Luckily its only temporary. I don't plan on having any kids myself. 

[MX793]

That's odd, I've driven several with keyless at my old job.

From C&D's 2009 GXP review:

the simple yet spacious interior feels of no higher quality than that of the last GTO, and the list of amenities is rather short for a $40,000 car, with keyless entry and navigation noticeably absent.

Unless "keyless entry" means something different these days, that's what a remote power door lock is called.

I'd also point out that Navi (typically about $1000 on cars that offer it as an option) is standard on the SS.

[SJ_GTI]

From C&D's 2009 GXP review:

Unless "keyless entry" means something different these days, that's what a remote power door lock is called.

I'd also point out that Navi (typically about $1000 on cars that offer it as an option) is standard on the SS.

I don't think keyless entry and remote power door locks are the same thing. Keyless entry means you don't even have to push a button to unlock the doors, the car senses the key in your pocket and unlocks the doors if it senses your hand approaching the door pull. Remote power door lock means you have a remote that you push a button to unlock the doors. In other words...

All keyless entry systems (that I am aware of) also have remote door locks, but not all remote door locks have keyless entry systems.

[SJ_GTI]

PS. Keyless entry is probably one of the least used features of my car. The S4 has it, but I usually unlock the car as I approach anyway. Mostly habit, but the main benefit is that it unlocks all the doors at once, so other people can also get in the car.

[2o6]

The G8 I drove had keyless and navigation! The key is a switchblade key from GM of Europe's catalogue.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The G8 I drove had keyless and navigation! The key is a switchblade key from GM of Europe's catalogue.

None of the G8 models were offered with Navi in the US! They all have the same Dillard screen as the Navi equipped Aussie versions tho....

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

PS. Keyless entry is probably one of the least used features of my car. The S4 has it, but I usually unlock the car as I approach anyway. Mostly habit, but the main benefit is that it unlocks all the doors at once, so other people can also get in the car.

i always did the same when I had my C6....

[MX793]

I don't think keyless entry and remote power door locks are the same thing. Keyless entry means you don't even have to push a button to unlock the doors, the car senses the key in your pocket and unlocks the doors if it senses your hand approaching the door pull. Remote power door lock means you have a remote that you push a button to unlock the doors. In other words...

All keyless entry systems (that I am aware of) also have remote door locks, but not all remote door locks have keyless entry systems.

Anything that allows you to unlock the door wirhout inserting a key into the lock is "keyless entry".  What you're describing is a smart key or proximity key.  A remote that allows you to unlock he doors without inserting a key into the lock has been called "remote keyless entry" pretty much since the feature was created.  Ford also offered a non-remote keyless entry via a keypad on the door that you could punch a combination into to unlock the door.

[Raza]

I actually have been carpooling with my (younger) brother recently, which includes dropping off his kids to daycare.  Getting the car seats in the back seat barely leaves any legroom left in the front seat. I can definitely see someone with a family wanting a larger backseat.

I think if we had switched seats, it wouldn't have been as much of a problem. But four grown men in an S4 for three hours of bumper-to-bumper is a little too much. My knees were tender from being pressed up against the seatback.

[Raza]

PS. Keyless entry is probably one of the least used features of my car. The S4 has it, but I usually unlock the car as I approach anyway. Mostly habit, but the main benefit is that it unlocks all the doors at once, so other people can also get in the car.

That's still keyless entry.

[giant_mtb]

PS. Keyless entry is probably one of the least used features of my car. The S4 has it, but I usually unlock the car as I approach anyway. Mostly habit, but the main benefit is that it unlocks all the doors at once, so other people can also get in the car.

You can toggle whether it unlocks just the driver door or all doors. I also have mine set to unlock all doors with one click instead of needing to push it twice.