2013 Chevy Stocker Will Be SS



First look: The 2013 Chevy SS

Just as predicted, General Motors announced Thursday that their Chevrolet brand will campaign a new model on the 2013 Sprint Cup Series tour. It will be based on the V-8 powered, rear-wheel-drive Holden Commodore that is currently produced in Australia and be called the SS.

Chevy's move will hearken the return of a V-8 powered, rear-wheel-drive sedan that the automaker has not offered the American public in 17 years. It will be the derivative of the Holden Commodore, which we have already seen stateside as a Pontiac G8. The SS will be exported to the US as a 2014 model that will arrive in a showroom near you in late 2013.

After campaigning the Impala in Nascar full-time since 2008, bringing the SS to the United States might be just what the sport needs. Fans being able to purchase a production car with the same V-8 powerplant and rear-wheel-drive platform as Dale Earnhardt, Jr or Jeff Gordon may not only boost ticket sales, but sales for GM as well. The SS badge has always been reserved for Chevrolet's most storied models. Names like Chevelle, Camaro, Nova, Impala, Monte Carlo and El Camino have all been emblazoned with the infamous "Super Sport" emblem at one time and that fact will not be lost on longtime fans of Nascar racing.

"As a passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive Nascar racecar in the SS that is closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale," said Mark Reuss, President of GM North America. "The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage it's global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends beyond the track. I am personally looking forward to driving it."

Toyota will unveil their new body style in the next week or so, but there is no time table for when Chevrolet will unveil their new model. For now, all we have is a photo of a camouflaged version used in a test. But while the major details of the body styling are still a corporate secret, one thing is for sure. This thing sure looks like a racecar.