Silverado SS - why does GM even bother?

[Hartman]

I was reading a mag the other day that compared the 03 Lightning to the 03 Silverado SS:

Price:
SS: $39,205
Lightning: $32,515
Winner: Lightning

Horsepower:
SS: 345 at 5,200 RPM
Lightning: 380 at 4,750 RPM
Winner: Lightning

Torque:
SS: 380 at 4,000 RPM
Lightning: 450 at 3,250 RPM
Winner: Lightning

Curb weight:
SS: 4,919 lbs.
Lightning: 4,670 lbs.
Winner: Lightning

Towing capacity:
SS: 6,400 lbs.
Lightning: 5,000 lbs.
Winner: SS

0-60 time:
SS: 7.48 seconds
Lightning: 6.37 seconds
Winner: Lightning

Quarter mile:
SS: 16.06 at 86.23 mph
Lightning: 14.68 at 98.37 mph
Winner: Lightning

OK, so the Lightning has more horsepower, more torque, weighs less, has a better 0-60 and quarter mile times, and is almost $7,000 less than the SS. My question is, why did Chevy make this truck to compete in the power truck category when the only thing it has going for it is towing capacity? What in this truck makes it cost so much? After looking at the pictures, the interior looks just like a regular Silverado besides some minor decals. The exterior is OK but not anything special.

I'm clueless.

 

[huskyfan23]

Isn't Ford making a Boss F-series truck? From what I've seen GM likes to take Ford's ideas. There was a 454 SS that they had and maybe this truck is supposed to be a newer version. IMO RIP OFF (like many GM vehicles).

 

[Hartman]

Ford has had the Boss F150 out for a while, I've seen a few at a dealership by my work. They are slower than the Lightning, but the Boss was never meant to be a mass production truck. The new SS is supposed to bring back the whole "SS" gimmick that Chevy had going on in the 90s. But why revive a truck and not make it competition worthy? Doesn't make sense.

 

[dariley83]

lightning: standard cab only
ss: extended cab

lightning : superchargered
ss: naturally aspirated

not that i like the ss more or anything, but ya gotta look from both sides. The ss is more roomy and could be easily fitted with a supercharger and turn out some real numbers.
of course you can always buy a $120 dollar pully and make a lightnig run low 13's high 12's!
I guess that chevrolet just wants a full size quick truck. But i don't think it was bulit to out run the lightning, because if ya wanna be honest with yourself for a second ford fans (me included) We can all remember the typhoon and cyclone now can't we. Ya see what happens when chevy plays with forced injection.....and that was a smooth 5 years earlier than the lighting. (and lets no forget that that was only a V6 )

 

[Rick]

And Dodge should be coming out with the SRT, Ram. 500CI, 500HP and 500ftlbs

Zoooom...

 

[Robb]

Way off topic!!! But I remember when pickups sold for about $8-9K, and I am only 28.

I can't believe that anyone makes a mass produced pickup and sells them for $40K! Two of those could have bought my house!

OK, back on topic.........................

 

[Magicfan25]

I dunno what they were doin with the Silverado SS, im pretty clueless. Even the S/C HD F150 blows it away. That SS ran what my Explorer did.

The Ram SRT10 is an awesome Idea, but I dont think its much threat to the L for a few reasons. One, its gonna cost a ton more (id guess 50k). Two, the manual. I just cant imagine tryin to hook up in that truck with a 6spd. So far the quickest mag time is 13.9. Quickest L time in a mag is 13.27, now the FOURTH QUICKEST VEHICLE
EVER PRODUCED BY FORD. (Behind the 03 cobra, 00R, New Mach 1)

My friends 00 L went 13.9 bone stock (12.9s with under 800 in mods). His 03 went 13.72 with 600 miles on it and a full gas tank. The next L would murder the SRT10.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by Robb
Way off topic!!! But I remember when pickups sold for about $8-9K, and I am only 28.

Robb, I hear ya... It's sick. The way most people pay for them is by taking out 5-7 year loans. When the cars were less expensive a 4 year loan was considered long.

Without the extended loan terms what would you do though? Salaries haven't risen anywhere close to the rate of inflation so they would either have to produce cheaper cars or sell less.

 

[GaSouthern1]

Originally posted by Hartman
Ford has had the Boss F150 out for a while, .

I am not a big fan of the SS but the Boss F-150 is by far the ugliest truck that ford has ever produced, the hood on those things is hideous and the rims...i wont even go there.

Those SS Silverados look halfway descent, but there is no way in hell that I would buy one, way too much money for me.

 

[james t]

the SS was never intended to compete with the Lightning as a "balls to the wall" sport truck. it was designed to be a nice X-cab sport truck that has decent power, thats it. if its supposed to compete with anything, then it would be the Harley and not the Lightning.

the SS thing isnt a gimmick, SS started back in the 60's on many fine GM muscle cars. i will admit the SS truck is not deserving of the SS badge.

with that said, i am mearly playing devil's advocate. i do not like the SS, nor do i really even like GM trucks from 99-up. if chevy wanted to build something to compete with the Lightning or SRT-10, they could. but for some reason, they dont...

 

[Hartman]

I must be mislead by all these car magazines that are pitting the SS and the Lightning against each other.

If you're going to make a truck with a good amount of power and lots of room, why not make it a bit more affordable? I saw a guy driving in one the other day, and I almost stopped and asked him what convinced him that this truck was worth 40 grand.

 

[GaSouthern1]

I think that it is basically a Sierra Denali with rims.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by Hartman
I must be mislead by all these car magazines that are pitting the SS and the Lightning against each other.

If you're going to make a truck with a good amount of power and lots of room, why not make it a bit more affordable? I saw a guy driving in one the other day, and I almost stopped and asked him what convinced him that this truck was worth 40 grand.

I want to ask the same of H2 drivers who are driving $60,000 Tahoes To each his own. For me I'll take the $60k and build two all out Explorers for Char and I and save the rest for a brand new commuter car

 

[DarkFox1]

1 thing you left out .. lightning single cab truck.. SS extended cab truck with a fleet side

the SS is not designed to competre with the lightning or it would have been a single cab truck, its a daily driver truck

also 1 thing you may not have mentioned.. the ligthnin is a RWD vehicle, the SS is an AWD, its an excellent all around truck and if I were to have to get only one.. it woudln't be a lightning

 

[IAmTodd]

To me, the SS and the Lightning are in 2 different classes.

SS: Extended Cab, 5 pass., AWD N/A

Lightning: Regular Cab, 2 pass.(3?) RWD, S/C

To me is quite impressive to get 345hp out of a N/A OHV motor. Just my opinion though!

Edit, Couple seconds to late

 

[williecume]

i think the SRT will be AWD if i heard right, that will be the only way to get traction for the dodge.

 

[Hartman]

Here's my point: In the 90s, the SS was made to compete with the Lightning. Now, Chevy revives the SS, and does not want to compete with the Lightning? What's the point then? If they have the power to make a forced injection engine that would compete with the Lightning, why don't they do it? Wouldn't the new SS make a great platform?

Not to say that I want competition for the Lightning, I just question Chevy's decisions. Not that I care.

 

[DarkFox1]

cos its still a very nice truck, apparently chevy has their eyes on dodge or toyota instead of ford as their competition, they want extended cab n/a trucks it seems

from what I've seen from chevy vs ford latley tho... ford is going high HP.. chevy is putting SS badges on 240hp v6s... I think the muscle crowd wll still flock to ford in the long run, so I guess chevy is making the SS for the chevy truck enthusiast who can't afford the impracticality of a lightning

 

[Magicfan25]

345hp is nice from the NA engine....but the torque is where the slaughter occurs. You just cant get that kinda torque with a gas engine and no boost.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by Magicfan25
345hp is nice from the NA engine....but the torque is where the slaughter occurs. You just cant get that kinda torque with a gas engine and no boost.

You can from the Viper V-10