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Chevrolet SSR works as retro-styled truck and airy roadster
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SAN ANTONIO, Tex. -- At a glance, you might mistake the new vehicle for some retro-styled homage to the design of a pickup truck from Chevrolet of the roly-poly fender vintage, circa 1947.
After all, those forward fenders, articulated in bold round bulges covering the oversized front wheels, do resemble the spherical stepped-hood format of that iconic truck bearing the bow-tie Chevy badge.
And the bubble-top shape of the two-seat cab also mimics the style of that 57-year-old pickup, although all curvy lines and convoluted body shapes leading to the crowning cab look cleaner in a modern manner that suggests a vehicle projected toward a future time.
But note the rump-high stance with huge 20-inch rubber on the rear wheels that tips the prow low for a pose like a souped-up Fifties street 'rod.
Also, the abbreviated-length truck box tucked behind the cab wears a rigid lid on top to forge a streamlined design that makes the truck look sophisticated and far removed from the typical work-ready pickup.
But wait, there's even more going on with this thing.
The tap on a console toggle prompts the truck to pop its lid in an electro-hydraulic dance that would impress even Rube Goldberg, the master of contraption engineering.
Two separate roof panels waltz above the cockpit in separate orbits until they align in vertically stacked formation, one behind the next, then cascade like a waterfall into a slot sandwiched between the passenger compartment and truck box.
The lid-exorcising do-si-do takes only 18 seconds but creates an open-top cabin with seats inside for two riders in the style of a breezy drop-top roadster.
So it's a retro-mode pickup that looks like a hot rod but also sheds the top like a sporty roadster.
Chevrolet pitches it as the ultimate crossover concept, one wild set of wheels that can function as a truck, a sports car, a look-at-me Sunday boulevard cruiser and, with a powerful V8 below the curvy hood, a swift performer of the muscle-car mode.
The vehicle bears the nameplate of SSR, which stands for Super Sport Roadster.
Clearly, it has no match as there's nothing else like it on the road.
Motivating the SSR is Chevy's all-aluminum short-block V8, the Vortec 5300 V8 that's the optional powertrain upgrade for a mid-size Trailblazer EXT sport-utility wagon.
The plant mounts longitudinally in the SSR and dispatches all torque to the rear wheels in the classic set up of a sporty car geared for performance.
It produces as much as 300 hp at 5200 rpm with torque tallying to 335 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
To handle such a load of torque requires a heavy-duty transmission, and SSR gets one with the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E HD four-speed automatic from General Motors.
This smooth shifter also shows up in other GM performance vehicles, such as Chevy's Corvette sports car and Pontiac's new rendition of the fabled GTO muscle car.
Frame and chassis for SSR come off the Trailblazer wagon but with modifications, such as an extension of the wheelbase by three inches.
Side boxed rails of the ladder-shaped frame -- each a single piece of seamless tubular steel shaped by water under pressure injected into a mold -- creates an incredibly firm foundation that's stronger and lighter in weight with less welding required and fewer component pieces.
A welded steel superstructure rises from the rigid chassis with multiple body mounts tuned in all directions to boost frame stiffness, absorb impacts from vertical movement and isolate noise.
Then comes the magic: A suspension system mounted on the ultra-stiff chassis that permits superb handling control yet also delivers a refined ride quality on the road.
Suspension elements consist of independent upper and lower control arms in front with a five-link live axle in back teamed to monotube shocks mounted outboard on the frame and steel coil springs.
Added to the rear axle is a Torsen Traction Differential, which works in conjunction with SSR's engine-based traction control system (TCS).
The smart differential channels most of the torque from the engine to whichever of the two oversized rear tires achieves the best bite of traction. It's particularly effective on rain-slick pavement when a driver's lead foot puts too much pressure on the throttle.
Tight control for steering comes from a rack and pinion device with hydraulic booster.
As a match for SSR's go-power, brakes bring a big disc at every wheel with computerized linkage to an anti-lock brake system (ABS) plus dynamic rear proportioning (DRP).
Wheels and tires are the largest stock rollers in the GM warehouse, with 19-inch alloy wheels in front and vast 20-inchers in back and Goodyear Eagle RS-A (Rally Sport-Asymmetric) all-season performance tires (P255/45R19 for front and P295/40R20 at the rear).
Put all of these mechanical elements together in one crazy crossover concoction and the result becomes a swift performance car that's surprisingly nimble through a curvy set and downright daunting on a pavement straightaway.
The hills of Texas in suburban recesses of San Antonio become our playground to test the handling traits of SSR with top-up and top-down laps.
Those big tires cling to blacktop like a cat on carpet, despite a swift pace through all of the twisties, while behind us the chrome-tipped exhaust pipes shout out a tune of power.
The retro-styled theme of SSR's bodywork carries over into the cockpit with liberal applications of satin-finish aluminum trim for a horizontal cross-car bar on dash and doors plus body-colored panels for console and a top ring around the compartment.
Instruments feature large round analog gauges and the console houses the shift lever and switches for operating windows and door locks, plus the TCS and top-popping mechanisms.
Chevrolet packages SSR with extravagant standard features, but still there are options and accessories, such as wood trim for the cargo bed or the LS Preferred Equipment package with heat element in seats, an upgraded audio kit with in-dash CD changer and auto-dimming mirrors.
Base MSRP is $41,370 plus a freight charge of $625.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 CHEVROLET SSR Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size convertible truck
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size convertible truck
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| Wheelbase: |
116.0 inches
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| Overall Length: |
191.4 inches
Box length 048.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 5.3-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 4L60-E
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| Drive: |
Rear
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
ABS/DRP/TCS
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
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| Towing Capacity: |
2500 pounds
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| Gas Mileage: |
15/19 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 41,370 |
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