SS, Impala, Sonic and Cruze demonstrate possibilities of personalization

DETROIT – Chevrolet today previewed several performance-oriented concepts of some of the brand’s most popular passenger cars, including the SS Sport, Sonic, Impala and Cruze. They will debut Nov. 4-7 in Las Vegas at the SEMA Show, the world’s largest convention of automotive aftermarket parts and accessories.

“Chevrolet’s 2015 passenger car lineup is one of the strongest and most competitive in the industry, offering customers a wide range of great-looking, great-driving and well-connected choices,” said Paul Edwards, vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. “They’re personal cars, too, and these concepts suggest possibilities of how to amplify Chevrolet’s heritage of performance and fun-to-drive spirit to make them even more personal.”

The SEMA concepts feature accessories designed to allow personalization while maintaining excellent refinement and ride characteristics. General Motors’ engineers developed most of the accessories shown on the concept vehicles. Some accessories are available from Chevrolet dealers, while others are being evaluated for production.

The available accessories are designed, engineered, tested and backed by Chevrolet to be installed by a Chevrolet dealer, which maintains the vehicle warranty – a claim aftermarket manufacturers cannot make.

Leading Chevy’s SEMA charge is the SS Sport concept, followed by a pair of street-savvy subcompact Sonic concepts, a sinister-looking Impala Blackout concept and a sportier take on the Cruze RS. 

SS Sport concept

Inspired by Chevrolet’s motorsports heritage and its Australian lineage, the SS Sport concept gives the V-8-powered sports sedan a makeover that reflects its performance capability.

Unique features include:

• Enhanced Some Like It Red Hot exterior with body-color door handles and mirrors

• Chevrolet Accessories grille kit, fog lamp bezels, side fender vents and rear spoiler

• Chevrolet Accessories stripes for the hood and deck lid

• Chevrolet Accessories high-gloss black 20-inch wheels – 20 x 8.5-inch in front and 20 x 9-inch in the rear

• Chevrolet Accessories wheel caps with the Holden logo       

• Chevrolet Accessories sport pedal kit and cargo net

• Chevrolet Accessories floor mats and cargo tray with the Holden logo.

Power for the Chevrolet SS comes from the LS3 V-8, delivering an SAE-certified 415 horsepower (310 kW) and 415 lb-ft of torque (563 Nm). For 2015, it is available with a new six-speed manual transmission, along with a six-speed, paddle-shift automatic.

Additionally, the 2015 SS receives standard Magnetic Ride Control – the world’s fastest-reacting damping system – which provides more precise body motion control that correlates with a more responsive, more refined ride. Also new are Brembo rear brakes that complement the Brembo front brakes that have always been part of the SS’s equipment.   

Sonic Performance concept

This performance-oriented Sonic hatchback concept draws on the legacy of Chevrolet’s high-performance vehicles reimagined for a new generation of enthusiasts. The Sonic Performance concept features engine performance, suspension/brakes and appearance upgrades designed to be installed by Chevrolet dealers for quicker and easier personalization. 

The Performance concept package includes:

• A Chevrolet Performance Stage Kit, cold-air induction and a high-flow exhaust system allowing the 1.4L turbo engine to produce more power for a more exciting driving experience

• A track-tuned suspension system developed by Chevrolet Performance. The suspension kit lowers the ride height for a sportier stance

• Synergy Green exterior color accented with white, offset stripe package

• Chevrolet Accessories white headlamp rings, tail lamp rings, grille surround, mirror covers and rear spoiler

• Concept ground effects package

• Chevrolet Accessories 17-inch aluminum wheels in white

• Chevrolet Accessories carpeted floor mats, door sills and sport pedals.

The Sonic Performance concept features an advanced safety package including forward collision alert and lane departure warning – crash-avoidance technologies typically found on cars costing more – as well as a rear vision camera. It also features 10 standard air bags and Bluetooth phone connectivity – just like every production Sonic in the 2015 lineup.

Sonic Accessories concept

Built to highlight the personalization possibilities, Sonic Accessories concept allows mixing and matching of the latest accessories for unique treatments. 

Sonic Accessories concept highlights include:

• Summit White exterior color with an offset matte black stripe

• Chevrolet Accessories white headlamp rings and tail lamp rings

• Chevrolet Accessories black grille surround, mirror covers and rear spoiler

• Chevrolet Accessories black 17-inch aluminum wheels

• Chevrolet Performance suspension kit with lowered ride height

• Chevrolet Accessories carpeted floor mats, door sills and sport pedals.

The Sonic Accessories concepts also packs a Kicker^® subwoofer and amplifier to complement its street-smart style with the appropriate decibels.

Under the hood is the Ecotec 1.4L turbo rated at 138 horsepower (103kW) and 148 lb-ft of torque (200 Nm) of torque between 1,850 and 4,900 rpm. The wide rpm range for the maximum torque – a specific trait of turbocharged engines – helps the engine deliver a better driving experience and performance.

Chevrolet SEMA Impala Blackout

Impala Blackout concept

Redesigned a year ago, the 2015 Chevrolet Impala builds on the attributes that made it one of the most acclaimed new cars of 2014 – including being named the Cars.com Best Car of 2014 and one of Kelley Blue Book’s 12 Best Family Cars for 2014.

The Impala Blackout concept builds on the car’s aggressive, acclaimed styling with blacked-out cues that lend it a sinister attitude – all accomplished with paint and accessories available from Chevrolet. The simple-yet-effective formula includes:  Chevrolet Accessories black grille surround, rear spoiler, painted mirror caps and 19-inch aluminum wheels.

The all-black, leather-trimmed interior features custom trim plates with a wire mesh pattern, along with Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel sills – with the Impala logo – and a sport pedal kit. The Impala Blackout also rocks with the production model’s available 11-speaker Bose^® Centerpoint^® Surround Sound System, which connects to the Chevrolet MyLink system via an eight-inch-diagonal color touch screen.

The Impala’s available 3.6L V-6 engine, rated at 305 horsepower (227 kW) and 264 lb-ft of torque (358 Nm), powers the Blackout concept. It is the segment’s most powerful naturally aspirated V-6 engine.

Cruze RS Plus concept

Cruze is the cornerstone of Chevrolet’s North American small-car lineup, which is attracting a greater share of the market and more young, first-time customers visiting Chevy showrooms. It is also Chevrolet’s best-selling car around the world, with more than 3 million units sold globally since its launch in mid-2010.

The 2015 Chevrolet Cruze in North America receives revised exterior styling, enhanced interior convenience and greater connectivity – including new Text Message Alerts, Apple Siri integration and OnStar 4G LTE with available built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.

An available RS package includes unique fascias, rocker moldings, rear spoiler and fog lamps, while an uplevel instrument cluster includes chrome accent rings in place of the standard silver finish, and opaque cluster bezels that allow the cluster’s ice blue backlighting to shine through for a sporty nighttime appearance.

The Cruze RS Plus concept accentuates the distinctive, upscale styling cues of the 2015 Cruze RS with a custom Wildfire Metallic exterior, along with unique lower body moldings and a custom rear spoiler. A twin-stripe package in matte black is available from Chevrolet Accessories.

Inside, the Jet Black interior shines brighter with a Chevrolet Accessories ambient lighting kit and illuminated door sills. It also features a sport pedal kit and a Kicker^®  subwoofer and amplifier kit.

Under the hood, the concept’s aggressive styling is matched with a performance-enhancing stage kit from Chevrolet Performance, as well as a concept fresh-air intake system for the 1.4L turbo engine.