Every year, both aftermarket suppliers and the OEs bring their latest hardware to put on display at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Not only does this allow us media types to preview tomorrow’s performance products, but to also take a peek at potential production cars from automotive manufactures, like Chevrolet.
With SEMA 2014 just around the corner, Chevrolet released a selection of images of the cars that they plan on bringing to the show. While there will undoubtedly be a handful of customized Camaros on hand, like the 2015 Spring Edition, we’ll be seeing a few other models as well.
This year’s lineup includes:
SS Sport
Looking reminiscent of the car Jeff Gordon had a hand in designing for last year’s show, the SS Sport (Super Sport Sport?) gets a few styling details borrowed from the Holden Commodore in which it’s based. The color, for example, is just such a case. Called Some-Like-It-Red, it definitely helps the pedestrian-looking SS stand out.
Sporting black wheels, stripes, and trim, the SS Sport is intended to increase the wow-factor of the standard car, and Jim Campbell, GM’s U.S. VP of Performance, was quoted saying that there’s a possibility it could come to market. Mechanically, it’s standard-issue SS with the 415 hp/415 lb-ft LS3 and backed by the 6-speed manual.
Impala Blackout
Based on the fully-loaded LTZ trim level, the Impala Blackout packs the 305 hp 3.6L V6 engine, without any enhancements. Performance notwithstanding, the Blackout is exactly what it sounds like.
Featuring black paint, interior and exterior trim, wheels, and even a black bow-tie, it’s as murder-out as you can get for a family sedan. Based on the feedback from SEMA attendees, this car could very well, and very easily, reach production status. We’ll see…
Sonic Performance
The popularity of the Sonic continues to grow and grow, thanks to popular rally drivers and road racers buying these up like hotcakes.
Wanting to continue this trend, and desperately wanting you to forget the horrific Aveo the Sonic replaced a few years ago, Chevrolet has been getting serious about its entry-level hatch.
This one, packing an upgraded suspension, low-restriction catback exhaust, cold-air induction system, and a Stage 1 kit for the factory-installed turbocharger, these modifications increase horsepower count by 15 and torque by a peak of 10 lb-ft. Keep in mind, these only put out 148 hp at the flywheel stock, so that’s a decent increase, considering. Since it’s a tuner car, cosmetic tweaks are a given.
Sonic Accessories
To compliment the Sonic Performance, is the Sonic Accessories. Other than a similar suspension upgrade, this one is purely cosmetic. It’s essentially attending the event to provide another example of what can be done to the Sonic.
With the micro-hatch segment heating up, reaching out to the youth market with cars like these is a smart move by Chevrolet. We just hope it works.
Cruze RS Plus
Little is known about this one. Sporting some obvious cosmetic upgrades like wild paint, trim, rear spoiler, and a lowered ride height, we can only hope it sports a 300 hp, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission.
We won’t hold our breath, but Chevrolet is known to pull out a wild card from time to time, like the LS-swapped ’78 Cheyenne pickup from last year’s event. Time will only tell.
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the brand’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
