3,857 Mile SSR Convertible Truck LS2 6.0L V8 6-Speed Leather A/C

With the stamp of approval from GM design boss Ed Welburn, a computer-rendered design was handed over to concept car creator Jon Moss and the creation of Chevy's Super Sport Roadster was begun. It was built for the 2000 Detroit Auto Show, and unlike most show cars, approved for production within months. The visual cues were drawn straight from the Advance Design Chevrolet pickups of the late 1940s and early 1950s, fat fenders and all. The SSR looks more like a radical custom based on those trucks than it does a fresh model for the new millennium. That said, nothing of the hardware for the SSR was in any way dated when it went into production in 2003. The technology for the folding and disappearing hardtop was sourced from Karmann In Germany and built by ASC. The Trailblazer donated its hydroformed frame, and GM's LS engine family provided the power. Unfortunately, GM saddled the early SSRs (2003,2004) with an underpowered 5.3 liter V8 and an automatic transmission as the only powertrain. This 2005 example is equipped to correct that error. With a 390 horsepower LS2, and Tremec 6-speed manual, it has the required power and fun factor to live up to the promise of its radical custom looks. This is the SSR done right, and it is the spec to collect.

PRESENCE

Finished in Asphalt Black over the curves of the deep-draw stamped front fenders this low-mileage example checks all the right emotional boxes. Silver accents from the distinctive grille bar through the headlights, the Chevrolet callout trim at the leading edge of the deeply domed hood, the rollover hoops behind the bucket seats, and trim along the running boards contrast naturally with the classic black paintwork. Staggered wheels lend an aggressive stance to the look especially when running with the top down. As you step inside, the silver trim continues against ebony leather seats and an ebony dash in Chevy's traditional dual-cockpit style. The look is cohesive and finely trimmed, and on this car, it is capped off by the optional wood and carpet trim in the cargo bed.

POWER

An SSR is a car apart no matter what trim it carries, and what year it was made. The car occupies a category of one. This one however, is packing a punch that its lesser brethren lack: a 390 horsepower LS2 V8 mated to a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission with power sent aft to a limited-slip rear differential with 3.73 gears. Less than 10% of SSRs are equipped this way, and that makes this one the one to own. In its third year of production, GM finally got the SSR right and here it is in all its well-optioned glory. This 2005 has the requisite hardware to live up to the promises the SSR's radical styling, and polished exhaust tips make. It is top down AND go fast.

FOUNDATIONS

Topless vehicles require strong underpinnings, and the SSR boasts a hydroformed frame beneath its showcar exterior for just that reason. Front suspension is of the short-long arm arrangement with rack and pinion steering. Out back a live axle 5-link setup augmented by factory traction control and anti-lock braking to keep things stable. The brakes themselves are 4 wheel disc. The front wheels are wrapped in 255/45/ZR19 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, while the rear wear the same tires in 295/40/ZR20 spec.

RATIONALE

Why this SSR and not another? Because this one not only has all of the proper hard bits in its rare powertrain combination, but it also boasts low survivor mileage and an option list totaling more than $6,000 on the window sticker. Get comfortable in the heated leather power seats, enjoy the premium Bose audio, drop the top and place the optional windscreen behind you to eliminate unwanted buffeting as you row through the gears to the music of the dual-exit exhaust note of your very own LS2 V8, and grin. Less than 10%, that's how many other SSR owners can have that experience. And the last factor? Timing. A sub-four thousand mile LS2 Manual SSR isn't likely to remain available at less than original MSRP much longer. Now would be the time to secure your own.

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HIGHLIGHTS

* Well-optioned, LS2-powered SSR survivor that's logged only 3,857 miles
* 1 of only 2,213 6-speed manual SSRs built
* 6.0 liter GM LS2 V8 / 390 horsepower
* Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission
* Limited-slip differential / 3.73 gears
* Factory air conditioning
* Power rack-and-pinion steering
* 4-wheel power disc brakes
* Leather interior / Heated seats / Bose audio
* Optional wood and carpet-trimmed cargo area
* Original Window Sticker
* All RK Motors vehicles receive a comprehensive, multi-point inspection
* We can arrange shipment of your purchase anywhere in the world