description
detroit, 1997 : dodge unveils the sidewinder concept car, an aggressive mixture of pick-up truck and high-performance roadster / three years later but still in detroit, chevrolet shows off its own hot-rod reinvention : the super sport roadster, better known as ssr / sidewinder's spirit has been kept, but chevy's designers have added an extra / ssr's retractable hardtop is far more fashionable than sidewinder's fabric roof
ssr's overall sobriety makes it almost an exception in the world of concept cars / flared wheelarches and huge 19" or 20" wheels are enough to make the car look dynamic / the whole front end and especially the grille are inspired by chevy pick-up trucks from the fourties / the windshield's fake split-window look is another retro-design styling cue / as for many hot-rods, the small side mirrors are hinged on the top of the a-pillars / probably the most unusual feature of the ssr, if not the most convincing, is the headlamps and taillights splitted in two parts
the cockpit design is in total harmony with the exterior design : old-fashioned overall shape with hi-tech details / the two arches certainly please early-corvette owners, but the detailed counters and the steering wheel bearing gearbox knobs are up-to-date items / the ssr is packed with air conditioning, hi-fi system, navigation system and internet access, but all the controls are hidden behind traps for a sleek design
as a genuine hot-rod, ssr's powertrain is extremely conservative / big v8 engine, automatic gearbox, rear wheel drive : no surprises / don't push the car hard on tricky roads, it has been designed for low-pace cruising along californian shores

photos
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video
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data

identification	chevrolet ssr (super sport roadster)
country	usa
appearances	2000 detroit naias
body	2-door 2-seat roadster pick-up / power retractable hardtop
designer	brian baker
engine	front-mounted v8 / 6.0 liters / 16 valves / 300 bhp @ 4800 rpm / 481.3 nm (355 ft lbs) @ 4000 rpm
transmission	rear wheel drive / push-button sequential 4-speed automatic gearbox
suspension	unknown
brakes	unknown
steering	unknown
wheels	front 19" / rear 20"
dimensions	wheelbase 295.9 cm (116.5") / length 472.7 cm (186.1") / width 193.3 cm (76.1")
performances	unknown
production	1

last updated 28/10/2001