Chevy to bring back the real SS...

[Gewehr98]

My '12 Mustang with the Pony Package 3.7L is 310HP and weighs 400 lbs less than the GT with more HP than the 2011 GT

0-60 under 5 seconds and 30 MPG at steady state 75 mph

PFFFGHAG..............

Yeah, but it's still a Ford...   

(My mom still has her convertible Mustang GT.  I'm equal opportunity!)

[RoadKingLarry]

Nobody needs a car with that much power.

[Brad Johnson]

Nobody needs a car with that much power.

I sees what ya's did therrrr... 

Brad

[Hawkmoon]

Except that as power increases it's more and more impossible to set up that chassis, at least with a front engine/rear drive set up.  And I guarantee that Holden didn't manage to do it. 

AMC didn't do it with the 390 AMX, either -- but I did.

[dogmush]

AMC didn't do it with the 390 AMX, either -- but I did.

I did it with my 96 Mustang GT as well, but it wasn't easy. And I found as RWHP goes north of about 450 it can't really be done to an existing chasis. Above that level it really needs to be set up right from the start. You can make it better, but not really good.

Luckily GM doesn't really care about handling, so this doesn't bug them.

[Gewehr98]

You say that as a former Corvette owner? 

[Brad Johnson]

Luckily GM doesn't really care about handling, so this doesn't bug them.

I disagree.  I had a chance to drive a CTSV last year.  Absolutely wonderful balance, even with will north of 500 HP on tap.

Brad

[Brad Johnson]

I keep forgetting about Ford Performance Vehicles.  They have the perfect counter to the SS.  Unfortunately I've got a better chance at being a tall, blonde, Norwegian supermodel than the US market does of ever seeing a GT. 

I like the GTe.  All the go, but sans the gaudy, garish boy-racer-wannabe stripes.  It's even available with a gin-u-wine manual tranny.

http://fpv.com.au/gt_showroom/gte

Brad

[dogmush]

Well....

Yeah, even as not a fan of GM, the CTSV and the C6 ZO6/ZR-1 handle pretty dang good.  Of course both of them are into the GT-R, S8, and M5's price range.  I know the GT-r outran both on Nurburgring.

what's the old saying? Speed is a matter of cubic dollars.


G98- You mean Mustang owner right?  I got my Mustang to handle great.  It only took replacing........uh.....well I was still using the stock front spindles. And the....no switched that.....yeah pretty much changed everything else on the suspension.

[Brad Johnson]

what's the old saying? Speed is a matter of cubic dollars.

"Speed costs money.  How fast do you want to go?"

Brad

[Monkeyleg]

Erik, I wish they'd put that motor into the 2005-2010 Mustang GT bodies.

It's too bad GM couldn't go retro with the SS the way Ford did with the 2005-2010 Mustangs and Dodge with the Challenger.

[Gewehr98]

They did.

It's called the Camaro.

Although, everybody goes retro for a while, then outgrows it after a period of time.

You'll see the current versions of the Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro drift away from their 1960s-inspired styling as time goes on, and then whaddya know?

Retro again. 

This new whatever-they're-gonna-call-it Ozzie SS may be a departure, especially if it goes by just a solitary SS badge. My gut feeling is that it's not intended to be anything retro, just a fast RWD sedan in a FWD world, with easily-obtainable tooling.

Chevy's not done that before, Super Sport always denoted a trim/performance package on a given platform, something they've previously plastered on the Malibu, Impala, El Camino, Chevelle, Chevy-II, Nova, Camaro, Lumina, Monte Carlo, S-10, HHR, Cobalt, Silverado, 454 pickup, and Trailblazer. 

I would've thought Chevy would piggy-back on the Cadillac ATS chassis, it generates some respectable numbers for a 2.0L turbo.

[Brad Johnson]

My gut feeling is that it's not intended to be anything retro, just a fast RWD sedan in a FWD world, with easily-obtainable tooling.

Bingo.  They're going after the middle-aged guys who long for a little taste of the hot rods of their youth, but don't have the means or time to buy or build a dedicated toy.  This way they can have their hot rod, but in the guise of a sensible family sedan that is decently affordable.

Brad

[Monkeyleg]

I don't think the Camaro is retro-looking at all. I think it looks fat, and the grill looks too stylized.

Compare:

Camaro





Mustang





Challenger

[Gewehr98]

You're being selective, ML.

Compare the current Camaro:



To this Camaro:



And the first-generation Camaro:



I'll call the current Camaro "retro", no problem.

Of course, this is a Mustang, so maybe comparisons of Detroit iron should best be left to one's imagination.



That was fun.  Let's do it again:



 

[Tallpine]

Bingo.  They're going after the middle-aged guys who long for a little taste of the hot rods of their youth, but don't have the means or time to buy or build a dedicated toy.  This way they can have their hot rod, but in the guise of a sensible family sedan that is decently affordable.

Brad

Or just anything resembling a full size four door RWD car of the sixties/seventies/etc 

[brimic]

I think the Challenger is the best looking of the bunch, but its a chrysler product 

[Boomhauer]

I think the Challenger is the best looking of the bunch, but its a chrysler product 

The transmissions suck ass

[Monkeyleg]

GW98, I think they're trying to go for a ~1970 feel for the retro look, not 1975.

The Challenger looks good, but there's just something wrong. It has too much body on the lower part in the rear. Peformance-wise, it doesn't measure up to either the Mustang or Camaro. It looks good, though.

[charby]

A reborn Chevelle would be pretty cool as long as they don't try to make it a 2DR Malibu.

[brimic]

The Challenger looks good, but there's just something wrong. It has too much body on the lower part in the rear.

It might be the ratio of the window size to the body is way out or porportion (too short). The new Camaros suffer from this as well.