Finally the auto manufacturers are getting back to STYLE, CLASS, QUALITY, and LOOKS. Now we can drive something that doesn't look like an egg on wheels. I am a baby boomer and I can remember what it was like to see the new cars when they were something to see. Over the last few years auto companies have forgotten those of us that love cars and want choices, we don't want to drive a car or truck that looks like everything else on the road. Chrysler started it, and now it looks like others are getting the picture. We can start loving our new cars again.  It's a roadster and a pickup truck all in one. Just like the PT Cruiser, the Chevy SSR (Super Sport Roadster) concept is going to define yet another class of vehicle all by itself. How so? Well, the scuttlebutt is that this otherworldly machine is going to see the light of day by rolling off Chevy assembly lines!

Pretty amazing stuff we'd say. According to reports, GM has committed to produce the innovative SSR, an open-aired concept that has captured the imagination of auto show goers the world over. During the early months of 2000, the SSR appeared at such shows as Detroit and Geneva, and GM president and CEO G. Richard Wagoner Jr. said, "Customers will be able to buy this vehicle beginning in 2002." SEE MORE

A hearty boast to be sure, and we can't wait to see it. Speaking to an annual University of Michigan-sponsored automotive conference, Wagoner pointed out that the SSR would be a GM icon for product innovation leadership. He also commented on GM's sense of urgency and the desire to have a renewed commitment to exciting vehicles. "Just 10 months ago this vehicle was little more than an image on a designer's computer screen. But what an image!" he said. Using the resources of one of the world's largest corporations, an SSR was built in three short months just in time for the Detroit Auto Show in January 2000.

It was further noted, however, that the real benefit to the customer is the speedy production decision, which came just seven months after the first public showing. The SSR is the second of nine North American concept vehicles from the 2000 auto show circuit set to move from showstand to owners' driveways. Furthermore, there will be additional concept-to-production announcements coming before another round of showpieces are unveiled at the 2001 L.A. and Detroit Auto Shows.

The SSR, which already has a big following, will have an open-air sports car feel, a retractable hardtop, plus plenty of storage capacity and flexibility. Chevy heritage will also be part of the package with rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine making up the drivetrain. An innovation of many characteristics, the SSR will combine a sports car, pickup and roadster all in one slick-looking machine. 

Wagoner noted that in the past, GM would never have spoken about a planned vehicle this early, yet some details of the SSR are yet to be finalized. Wagoner also said, "How many? How much? Those answers will be decided soon. But the bottom line is, you will be able to buy this vehicle in the not-too-distant future."

The nuts and bolts of the SSR go like this: Combining the open-air excitement of a roadster with the utility of a pickup, a two-piece retractable hardtop will stow vertically between the seat and the rear storage bed. Five-spoke alloy sport wheels will measure 19 inches in front and 20 out back. The lockable pickup box will measure 5'3"x4'7" for hauling and will also be home to leather seats. A button on the key fob of the SSR opens the tailgate remotely, while a latch on the inside of the tailgate can operate it manually. The SSR will be based on an upcoming GM truck platform and will conceal behind a dashboard-mounted panel door, all controls for temperature, sound, and navigation, as well as GM's OnStar system. OnStar is a mobile communication system that combines high-tech GPS tracking with personal service to provide a high level of safety, security, and information services. Keep an eye peeled here for further updates on the SSR as they become available.
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