// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Chevrolet SSR say to its date? "You drive me.

Chevrolet SSR
Overview
Manufacturer	Chevrolet
Production	June 2003 – March 2006
Model years	2003–2006
Assembly	United States: Lansing, Michigan (Lansing Craft Center)
Designer	Design Manager: Brian Baker Design Director: Bill Davis Concept Designer: Doug Ungemach Lead Exterior Designer: Glen Durmisevich Lead Interior Designer: Andre Hudson
Body and chassis
Class	Pickup truck
Body style	2-door roadster utility
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Platform	GM GMT368 platform
Chassis	Body-on-frame
Related	Chevrolet TrailBlazer GMC Envoy Oldsmobile Bravada Buick Rainier Isuzu Ascender Saab 9-7X
Powertrain
Engine	Gasoline: 2003–2004: 5.3 L LM4 V8 2005–2006: 6.0 L LS2 V8
Transmission	2003–2004: 4-speed 4L60-E automatic 2005–2006: 4-speed 4L65-E automatic 2005–2006: 6-speed Tremec T-56 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	116.0 in (2,946 mm)
Length	2003–2005: 191.4 in (4,862 mm) 2006: 191.5 in (4,864 mm)
Width	78.6 in (1,996 mm)
Height	2003–2005: 64.2 in (1,631 mm) 2006: 63.8 in (1,621 mm)

The Chevrolet SSR (an initialism for Super Sport Roadster) is a retro-styled pickup truck with a retractable hardtop manufactured by Chevrolet from 2003 to 2006. The design was inspired by the Chevrolet Advance Design series of trucks.

Design

Rear view

The SSR's design was inspired by the 1947-1955 Chevrolet Advance Design trucks. The frame of the vehicle is a version of the GMT360 platform that GM built exclusively for the SSR, named the GMT368. The SSR featured a bespoke steel body retractable hardtop that was designed by Karmann and built by ASC. The majority of body panels on the truck are steel. Several panels, namely the front fenders, were made with deep draw stampings, a forming technique that had not been used for automotive manufacturing in decades, and required a "relearning" of the forming technique. The production model was based on the SuperSport Roadster concept car shown at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show. In contrast to the production vehicle, this concept car used the chassis from the Chevrolet S-10 pickup. An early-production SSR was the pace car for the 2003 Indianapolis 500 auto race. For the 2006 model year, GM Mark of Excellence emblems adorned the vehicle.

Chevrolet SSR

1954 Chevrolet Advance Design pickup

Features

Standard equipment on all SSRs included power windows and door locks, keyless entry, luxury leather-trimmed bucket seats, front side SRS airbags, an AM/FM stereo radio with cassette and CD players and a four-speaker audio system, carpeted floor mats, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear tires and cast-aluminum wheels, a body-colored rear tonneau cover, a power-retractable hardtop convertible roof, carpeted flooring for the interior and rear cargo compartment area, a driver information center, dual-zone manual air conditioning, a power-adjustable driver's seat, dual front SRS airbags, a leather-wrapped, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, and cruise control, among other features. Options were few, but included the General Motors (GM) OnStar in-vehicle telematics system, polished cast-aluminum wheels, Teak decking and metal strakes for the rear cargo compartment area, rear onboard storage saddle bags, SSR-embroidered carpeted floor mats, dual power-adjustable bucket seats with driver's seat memory, an AM/FM stereo radio with a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, XM Satellite Radio, and a Bose six-speaker premium audio system with an amplifier, steering wheel-mounted audio system and OnStar controls, color-keyed interior accent trim, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, and an auxiliary center gauge package. Many of these options were part of the 1SB Equipment Package, which replaced the standard 1SA Equipment Package.

Powertrain

For the 2003 and 2004 model years, the SSR used the Generation III LS-based small-block 5.3L LM4 Vortec 5300 V8 engine, producing 300 hp (224 kW; 304 PS). Its 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) speed was 7.7 seconds, with 1⁄4 mile (402.3 m) time of a 15.9 second at 86.4 mph (139.0 km/h). The aluminum block 5.3L Vortec ceased production in 2005.

In the 2005 model year, GM selected the Generation IV LS-series small-block 6.0L LS2 V8 as the successor to the 5.3L Vortec in the SSR, as the all-new Generation IV LS platform was introduced for 2005. GM also provided the option for a six-speed Tremec T-56 manual transmission. This framework provided an advertised 0–60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration time of 5.29 seconds. For 2006, output of the LS2 increased to 395 hp (295 kW; 400 PS).

Sales

The SSR was introduced as a 2003 model on New Year's Eve 2002 (December 31). In spite of marketing efforts which included the SSR being used as the pace car for the 2003 Indianapolis 500, the model year 2003 SSR sold below expectations with under 9,000 sales at a base MSRP of $41,370USD. Citing a 301-day supply of SSRs, General Motors in December of that year announced five weeks of layoffs at Lansing Craft Center, the factory that made the SSR. On November 21, 2005, GM announced that it would close the Craft Center in mid-2006, implying the production ending for the SSR. The final SSR, a unique black-on-silver model was built on March 17, 2006. Analysts estimate that 24,180 SSRs were produced in total. Inherent to this total production, not all SSR's would receive saleable VINs, and of the SSR's that did receive saleable VINs, not all were released as available for public sale. Of the total production, 24,118 SSR's were endowed with VINs designated as saleable.

Production Information

The Chevrolet SSR was sold in the US market, and also sold in the Canadian market, with the Canadian models receiving the regular production option Z49 trim designation.

Within the VIN of any regular production SSR, the location of assembly can be distinguished, along with the production designation, the sequential value of the individual SSR, and the model year. Every SSR is endowed by a production sequence, with the VIN character "B" used to define the vehicle as a product of the Lansing Craft Center, and every regular production SSR maintains the subsequent character designation of "1" used to define the SSR as a regular production vehicle. The model year of any Chevrolet SSR is able to be distinguished by the number preceding the production sequence in the VIN. Within every regular production VIN, either the "3B1" indicates model year 2003, the "4B1" indicates model year 2004, the "5B1" indicates model year 2005, or the "6B1" indicates model year 2006.

A set of 27 WB9 pre-production model year 2003 saleable VINs were produced. These WB9 vehicles are identified with the characters 3B0 within the production sequence of the VIN. The first 25 of the WB9 SSR's were collectively given the name Signature Series. Coinciding and immediately subsequent to the assembly of the Signature Series vehicles, a set of 69 WD1 Pilot saleable VIN vehicles were produced. These WD1 Pilot vehicles are qualified under the model year 2003 US and Canadian regular production volume. The 2003 WD1 Pilot vehicles retain sequential VINs. As documented by GM on the build sheets of these vehicles, assembly completion for regular production WD1 3B1 SSR's commenced on June 12, 2003.

The model year 2006 SSR experienced an assembly pause during December of the 2005 calendar year. Upon resuming assembly in the 2006 calendar year, the 826 remaining model year 2006 regular production SSR's were bestowed the regular production option R6K Final Production Run designation. These R6K vehicles are qualified under the model year 2006 US and Canadian regular production volume. The 2006 R6K vehicles retain sequential VINs. As documented by GM on the build sheets of these vehicles, assembly completion for regular production R6K 6B1 SSR's ceased on March 17, 2006.

A total of 24,118 regular production saleable VINs were produced over 35 non-consecutive months during the four model year production, with the lowest sequential VIN retaining 3B100001, and the highest sequential VIN reaching 6B124112.

Model Year	Total US Production	Total Canada Production	EX Pre-Production
2003 WB9	27	0	0
2003	3196	161	32
2004	10313	361	2
2005	7195	83	1
2006	2718	91	0
Total	23449	696	24180

Motorsports

SSR with the top down

An attempt was made at a land speed record using a highly modified version of an SSR during the Bonneville Speed Week in August 2011. In spite of the team's efforts, the SSR in question was deemed ineligible to race in the class that they intended to compete in due to an air dam that did not conform to the class rules. They were permitted to race the pickup for "time only" but the pickup proved unstable at speeds approaching 200 mph (320 km/h). The pickup never reached speeds anywhere near close enough to take the record. That same year, a 1996 GMC Sonoma put the class record even further out of reach by running nearly 10 mph (16 km/h) faster than the previous record.

See also

• Chevrolet SS (concept car)
• Chevrolet HHR
• Chevrolet Advance Design, the 1947–1955 Chevrolet pickup

External links

• SSR Owners Group Website - SSRFanatic.com