2005 Chevrolet SSR Roadster

SSR

Powers Up

A year after debuting its retro SSR roadster pickup with an anemic 300hp 5.3L V-8, Chevy is stepping up the SSR's performance several notches with the addition of a 390hp version of the new all-aluminum LS2 6.0L V-8 and an optional Tremec M10 six-speed manual transmission for the '05 model year, adding much-needed oomph to go along with the SSR's muscular looks. Revised intake ducting and exhaust account for the LS2's down-rated power in the SSR, but a stint at the wheel of a six-speed-equipped SSR proved that the SSR now packs the punch to go along with its hot rod styling.-Matt King

This Is Starting to Look

More Like It

After slow sales in their first year as rebadged Holden Monaros, '05 GTOs are bulking up in the looks and performance departments with the addition of more aggressive styling and the C6 Corvette's 400hp LS2 V-8 engine. Despite excellent performance, great ride quality, and wonderful interior appointments, the new GTO's lackluster styling undoubtedly kept GM's mid-priced entry into the sport sedan segment from being a bigger hit among American performance enthusiasts, especially those old enough to recall the signature look of the original GTOs. But the addition of a functional ram-air hood along with the LS2's 50 extra horses should keep buyers in the pipeline until a restyled '07 model hits the showrooms. As much as we like our own project GTO, here's our suggestion to GM: build it with four doors. Sound ridiculous? Well, GM says its target market for the GTO are buyers of 3- and 5-series BMW sport sedans, at least half of which are sold with four doors. So stop laughing.-Matt King

Handbuilt Engines From Gm

Until now, the one thing General Motors, the world's largest producer of automotive engines, could not do efficiently was build low-volume, high-performance niche engines a la Ford's supercharged 4.6L Cobra and 5.4L GT V-8s and Chrysler's Viper V-10. That will change once production at GM's brand-new $10 million Powertrain Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan, begins in mid-2005 with assembly of the Gen IV LS7 V-8 slated for the upcoming '06 Corvette Z06. Production flexibility will be the hallmark of the new facility, where a specially trained 80-member workforce drawn from UAW Local 653 will be capable of assembling up to 15,000 engines annually. Each engine will be hand-assembled by a single technician working at a series of build stations along the facility's production line, which will allow extremely flexible production of small-volume niche engines.-Matt King

Haul More Than Just Attitude

If the Dodge Ram SRT-10 is good for hauling nothing more than ego, the new '05 Quad Cab version lets you share greatness with a couple of extra buddies. Like the original, this four-door version packs the same Viper-sourced 500hp V-10, 15-inch four-piston front brakes, and a similar performance suspension. However, a beefy 48RE automatic trans, heavy-duty torque converter, two-piece driveshaft, and 4.56:1 rearend gears enhance driveline durability, earning a 7,500-pound tow rating.-Stephen Kim