"472CID" (472CID)
12/27/2013 at 08:09 • Filed to: None
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"472CID" (472CID)
12/27/2013 at 08:09 • Filed to: None | 0
| 3 |
Everybody seems to be doing this ranked lists at the end of the year. Here's most of the cars that wore to Super Sport badge, some good, some bad, and some just ok.
1) 70-72 Chevelle SS - The epitome of what a Super Sport could and should be. The '70 Chevelle contends with the '69 Camaro for rights to be the poster boy for Chevy muscle cars. Believe it or not, to this day the 450hp 454 cubic inch LS6 is the highest rated Super Sport ever sold (of course that's gross hp, but still).
2) 65-67 Chevy II SS - I don't think most people would put this guy up so high, but few cars nail the muscle car formula like this car. 300hp in a compact was unheard of at the time. Even the hot new GTO, which was a much bigger car, was putting out 325hp.
3) 61-64 Impala SS - Meet the original SS, the one that started it all. Of course in the beginning the SS package was just a basic option package that could be had even an entry level 6 cylinder, but the 409 cars did a great job of building up the SS reputation.
4) 67-69 Camaro SS - Chevy's iconic engine size made it's debut in the 67 Camaro SS. Ever since then it's proved indispensable as a great option for big power without big weight.
5) 68-71 Nova SS - Big blocks in small package.
6) 64-67 Chevelle SS - My personal favorite lines on Chevy's midsize.
7) 94-95 Impala SS - This car was a shining beacon in a sea of dreadfully boring 90s GM. The car would be higher on the list if 260hp was half as impressive today as it was then.
8) 65-69 Fullsize SS - The body builder in a tuxedo.
9) 05-10 Cobalt SS - Many enthusiasts would cry foul seeing a fwd sport compact so high on the list, but the Cobalt SS (more specifically the turbo charged cars) were some of the fastest fwd cars ever. They're accomplishments are better than most of the other cars here.
10) 10- Camaro SS - The new Camaro does the past proud with the latest SS. Sure it's not as small and light as the original, but it's got power and classic lines in spades.
11) 70-74 Camaro SS - Arguably not as cool as the first gen, but bitchin all the same.
12) 68-69 Chevelle SS, and all El Caminos - I'm lazy so I'm going to put this body style and all El Camino SSs here.
13) 13- Super Sport - This car could have been higher if it A) had a manual B) had a proper name.
14) 98-02 Camaro SS - In the last days of the Camaro the SS's 325hp LS1 kept the car ahead of the Mustang.
15) 70-71 Monte Carlo SS - Basically a longer Chevelle with slightly different styling.
16) Chevrolet SS (South Africa) - A Chevy badged Holden for the South African market.
17) 06-09 Trailblazer SS - The only SUV to ever be called an SS, the Trailblazer's 360hp and all wheel drive made it a competent if not amazing performer.
18) 03-07 Silverado SS - The Silverado offered a similar powertrain to that of the Trail blazer. It didn't make nearly the splash that the SVT Lightning or Ram SRT10 made, but it's livable and affordable package made it a good seller.
19) 06-11 HHR SS - Basically a goofier looking version of the Cobalt SS.
20) 90-92 Silverado SS 454 - This was a pretty slick looking truck, but nothing too special. It's crazy to think that it makes 30hp less than the HHR above!
21) 83-88 Monte Carlo - The only Super Sport of the 1980s the Monte Carlo SS made 180hp, not bad for its time, but bad for any other time.
22) 73 Chevelle - One last pathetic gasp of performance for the muscle car era, the 73's 454 was rated at little more than half of what it was only 3 years ago (again gross v net ratings).
23) Opala SS (Brazilian) - Seems to get the look down, but the performance isn't there.
24) 03-06 SSR - The concept that seemed like a good idea at the time turned out to be a less than stellar performance truck.
25) 06-09 Impala SS - The '06 Impala is an odd duck. They brought back the V8, but without the power going to the correct wheels the car ends up being pointless.
26) 04-05 Impala SS - Truly one of the worst vehicles to wear the SS badge the 04 Impala SS borrowed the Buick's supercharged 3.8 V6 for 240hp.
27) 94-98 S10 SS - The S10 SS is similar to the Silverado SS 454, only instead of looking bad ass and having a big block, it looks platicy and has an untouched 4.3 V6.
28) 06-07 Malibu SS - Mercifully this little bugger is mostly forgotten, but that doesn't stop it from being one the worst Super Sports ever. The half-assed hatch boosts the already awkward styling to new heights.
Late model Monte Carlo SS - just look at it
Honorable Mentions: Corvette SS concept, Monza SS concept, and 2003 SS concept
jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
> 472CID
12/27/2013 at 13:48 |
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3) 61-64 Impala SS - Meet the original SS, ...could be had even an entry level 6 cylinder...
And yet today we have people who get annoyed at things "tarnishing the SS nameplate." I'm sure I've even heard it about the new SS Sedan.
5) 68-71 Nova SS - Big blocks in small package.
But the reality is by far, most of these economy cars (yes, they were economy cars in those days. And cheap, too) had much more pedestrian power plants. Kind of like old Camaros, having the old Chevy 6cyl was common. Big blocks make for better stories. ;)
17) 06-09 Trailblazer SS - The only SUV to ever be called an SS, the Trailblazer's 360hp and all wheel drive made it a competent if not amazing performer.
Small correction here, 395hp . It was a Corvette LS2 with the truck intake manifold. Silverado SS was 345hp with its fully-truck 6.0L. Spiritual successor to the Typhoon (only without the turbo) and I like it for that.
26) 04-05 Impala SS - Truly one of the worst vehicles to wear the SS badge the 04 Impala SS borrowed the Buick's supercharged 3.8 V6 for 240hp.
And yet, faster than the 94-95 B-body Impala SS... At least they were making good with what they had available before they got to kick out the majority of the bean counters... I guess that's the best I can say about them tho. Good cars, but not competitive like they "could have" been.
Not a bad list. Between my dad and I, we've had quite a few examples from it. I'm a little surprised that I hadn't realized the 454 LS6 was still the highest rated engine in an SS. Bring on the next ten years!
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472CID
> jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
12/27/2013 at 14:38 |
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Fair enough point that the '04 Impala was roughly as fast as the '94. However the W body was a much smaller car, and for being 10 years newer didn't really push the needle much, not to mention it's an ugly sob.
JerseyJoey
> 472CID
02/18/2014 at 15:14 |
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#21 Should definitely be ranked higher than the HHR SS! My God.