HHR SS

[AQUA2LT]

Traded in one for the camaro.Great all around car,i miss it on home depot runs.Looks alot nicer then pt loser.i would buy another in abm.

[JDP Motorsports]

Originally Posted by Revo1

Not a huge fan of this PT Cruiser knockoff to begin with, but here's where my real beef is.

I'm definitely not a fan of Chevy slapping SS all over cars that just aren't worthy. And to clarify- if it makes less than 300hp, it's not worthy. And that's just a ground rule. There should be other conditions as well, (platform, vehicle type, etc) but a car that does not produce at least 300hp (classic cars excluded) should not be get an SS badge. Sorry, my opinion.

I just happened across this thread and figured I'd add my .01. The Ecotech engine used in the HHR SS, Cobalt SS 08'+ and a few other applications. They are rated at 260 HP and 260 ft/lbs which was under rated for insurance reasons. My 09' Cobalt SS made 252 WHP and 264 ft/lbs stock, they are close to 300 HP at the crank where all OE vehicles are rated.

I've owned everything from 1000+ HP Camaro's to a VW Corrado so I've experienced a lot of platforms. I've driven C5 and C6 Vette's on the road course as well as growing up cart racing. These cars are flat amazing! I live in Utah at 4k+ feet and I run with SS's and beat LLT's. Once we do a few bolt-on mods the SS Camaro doesn't stand a chance. With that said a blown Camaro would win! LOL!

I look at it this way, if it has a bowtie and it's a monster in it's class it should be able to run the SS badge's. The Cobalt SS holds the front wheel drive lap record at the Nurburgring by over 13 seconds. The SS Camaro beat it by less than 1/2 second on that same course which has huge straightaways. I've had some track time in the Camaro SS as well as the Cobalt SS, they are both awesome cars!!

The HHR SS is a mean machine also and it does wear a bowtie! With a few simple mods they are very quick and handle awesome!!





Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by bigearl

Interestingly enough for Revo1, Mark Reuss the VP of blahblahblah for Chevy said this:

Technically he's President of GM North America...

[bigearl]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Technically he's President of GM North America...

Haha, I start reading those titles and tune out. What I read is "Joe Shmoe- bigwig" and then get on to the content.

Either way though, impressive little car.

[TahoeCamaro]

My brother has one, that thing is surprisingly very fast and has tons of pickup.

[305pride]

i like it. i think its a good car. i like it as much as the cobalt ss and i think the cobalt ss is beastly.

[bigearl]

I just read a similar post in the main section where someone was complaining that the SS name has been watered down. I think people really are going to have to move past the cylinder count when they say things like that. Performance in it's category has got to be how the SS gets applied or Chevy is going to end up with only 1 or 2 fun cars to drive.

I've got no problem with a 4cylinder being called an SS as long as that 4cylinder can actually hustle and isn't just a styling exercise. My understanding is the Cobalt SS was the best handling car in it's class in 08-09 (and the HHR SS is the same platform?).

[SSOOCH]

One thing that is amazing with the Cobalt SS and HHR SS is the way Chevrolet designed the suspension to eliminate torque steer. You really have to drive one to appreciate the job they did with it. It's amazing.

[Revo1]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

Revo1 I feel like you're just picking on me now. Here are pics of my 2002 Monte Carlo SS!

LMAO SSOOCH! Truth is, I've been peering thru your garage window for months now, plotting out how I'm going to steal all 3 cars

[Revo1]

Originally Posted by bigearl

Looks pretty nice Ssooch, I like it. I've never been in one but I've been in the turbo cobalt and it was pretty damned fast.

Interestingly enough for Revo1, Mark Reuss the VP of blahblahblah for Chevy said this:

"Reuss told reporters Thursday that instead of smearing the SS across Chevrolets "like peanut butter," the "new" GM will carefully consider which models get the SS designation at all, which ones will get SS as just a trim level and which ones will get the full SS treatment.

He noted that throughout Chevrolet's history, SS has been used as a sporty trim package as well as on a full-blown model with a powerful engine and all of the accompaniments. But mixing the two strategies as GM did with the Cobalt was "a mistake," he said.

"We probably didn't do a very good job on the Cobalt SS," said Reuss, who headed GM's performance operations before taking over GM's Holden operations in Australia, just prior to his newest job. "We came out with probably the best sport compact tuner with the 265-horsepower Cobalt SS. That car was an amazing track car, it was fun to drive and it was very affordable."

But then GM also put the SS label on a Cobalt as a trim package but without the engine and other performance hardware.

"That was confusing — confusing to me and confusing to the customer," said Reuss. "It's like trainspotting, figuring out which SS has the 265-horsepower engine."


So basically Chevy agrees with you going into the future. But it's not a flat 300hp thing, but an overall worthy thing.

And there we go. Great post Earl, this is essentially what I'm getting at

[305pride]

since ive been looking for a new car, just incase my old 4th gen breaks down. there hasnt been much that i like. i am very picky with cars. the only one i would buy would be a gto. but ive come to the conclusion that i would get the hhr. i like it because of the utility and it is pretty affordable. the hhr isnt a good looking car but i like that it looks different compared to other cars on the road. the hhr ss i think looks good and its a pretty fast car like the cobalt ss. i think i would have an hhr untill i could save up for a 5th gen camaro

[hunter19707]

Mine moves pretty good, but here is a video of a cobalt by ZZP on a stock turbo at the track.

[guiLT]

It looks weird...

[305pride]

http://www.cars.com/go/video/player....alt_vs_HHR.flv idk about you guys, but im starting to really like the hhr ss. i think it would be a good car to have next to your camaro if you need a car to take people are cargo around for the price. im starting to like how it looks. i really like it in black.