Orders close for Australian-built Chevrolet SS

Chevrolet is preparing to consign its Commodore-based SS to history, with orders for the sports sedan closing this month.

According to a GM Authority report, February is the final month you can order a Chevrolet SS in the US – well before the Australian-produced Commodore SS equivalent ends production on October 20.

The report correlates with what Holden boss Mark Berhard told motoring.com.au in January: that the Chevrolet’s Adelaide-based production team will simply satisfy orders for the rest of the year.

Unlike the swansong Commodore, which has just been unveiled in Director, MotorSport and Magnum liveries, it seems there will be no special editions to send off for the SS in America.

The final Chevrolet versions will instead persist with a well-received 6.2-litre V8 that pumps out 310kW and 563Nm, available with manual or automatic transmissions, along with standard equipment such as  magnetic ride control.

As revealed by motoring.com.au, Chevrolet has no plan to replace the SS nameplate.

The lack of fanfare is unsurprising. In the US, the Chevrolet SS has received no marketing or advertising since its introduction in 2013, other than its role as the face of Chevrolet’s NASCAR tilt.

As such only 3013 vehicles were sold in 2016 – a reported 4.1 per cent increase on the previous year.

US publications including Motor Trend and Autoblog are already admonishing the demise of the Chevrolet SS, describing it as “world class” and “a true sleeper sports sedan with very few competitors”.

Back home, General Motors has already confirmed the continuation of an “affordable rear-drive V8 sedan” within its Australian range beyond the current Commodore. However, the picture is still no clearer on what that will be.