We Hear: Chevrolet SS Replacement Is Possible

When General Motors confirmed that its Australian arm, Holden, would cease production in 2017 we assumed that we’d be saying out goodbyes to the low-volume Holden Commodore (our Chevrolet SS). Would GM make room on another product line, or move the model onto the Alpha platform? For enthusiasts it would be good fun, but with sales figures fewer than 3,000 units a year in the U.S. the business case seemed a little weak.

When Australian-based Car Advice interviewed GM Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser, who heads development of the Chevrolet Camaro as well as the SS sedan, he seemed to suggest that all hope for the SS was not lost.

“[The SS] sells what it’s supposed to … And we haven’t announced an end date to it, so we’re just … we know that there are some decisions made on the Zeta [platform], that are imminent, and right now we’re just focused on the new ’17 model, which is great. It has the LS3 with the manual and the active exhausts, and it’s a great car.” (Emphasis ours).

Did you catch that? No official end date. It’s not over until it’s official, and as of now: it’s not official. What do we know now? When asked if a global sedan could fill the void Oppenheiser said, “Maybe” and when questioned further about whether it could have a V-8 he responded, “I don’t know that either. I’m not at liberty [to say]. I’m going to leave you hanging…”

But what about that business case? Oppenheiser, speaking about Holden Managing Director Mark Reuss, said, “If anybody understands what we could do and if we could do it, it would be him. And I don’t make those decisions – I support whatever the leadership looks at, and if there’s opportunity, we will take it. If there’s not, we would communicate that.”

Anyone else think the idea of an Alpha Platform-based Chevrolet SS with the LT1 from the Camaro SS sounds like a good idea? Yes, please, we’ll take two.

Source: Car Advice

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