Searching for Super Sport Performance in the Tahoe, Trailblazer, and Silverado
GM's Performance Group is serious about bringing the SS muscle badge back to the brand
By Mark Williams
Photography by Wesley Allison
Like few other automotive insignias, Chevrolet's SS badge rings loud and clear with car enthusiasts.
Performance fiends with good memories will recall the '60s and early '70s, when Chevy buyers could check a box on the order sheet for more no-frills genuine performance.
It's clear, with the emergence of the '03 Silverado Extended Cab SS (now in production) and the Chevy SS concept (March 2003) seen at the Detroit auto show, that the GM Performance Group is serious about bringing the SS muscle badge back to the brand.
Cars like the Impala, Chevelle, and Camaro were huge favorites for those who appreciated the SS magic. And now a different crowd of enthusiasts might get to savor the best of Chevy style and performance. But this time around, the choices are not cars.
Tahoe SS
"Chevrolet has a strong history with rear-drive four-door performance vehicles--most recently, the Impala SS ('94 to '96)," says former Chevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter. "The Tahoe SS builds on that history by delivering a four-door rear-drive performance vehicle that meets the demands of today's performance-SUV customers." Although mostly a cosmetic option package, sharing the clean front grille and wide-mouth air intakes under each headlight with other SS models, the Tahoe does offer a lowered stance (two inches in front, four in back--similar to the Tahoe's Police Package), the 345-horsepower Vortec V-8, and HID headlamps. Much of the beauty of the Tahoe SS lies in its production simplicity: Just a few add-ons and option-deletes give the Tahoe SS its stealthy look.
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