New Holden VF Commodore previews 2014 Chevrolet SS

Although we’ll have to wait for the weekend to see the new 2014 Chevrolet SS Super Sport in full U.S spec, we now know what to expect courtesy of its down-under cousin, the all-new Holden VF Commodore which has just been unveiled in its home market. Built in Australia – as its Chevy alter ego will be – this new Holden flagship 4-door promises to bring "new levels of luxury and refinement to the large car segment" when it goes on sale there later this year.

While GM boss Mark Reuss indicated last May that the Chevy SS version of this full-size/rear-drive performance model will only be available with a V8 engine — and one tuned to produce in excess of 400 horsepower — Holden execs made no reference to what lies beneath the hood of the new VF Commodore at its preliminary reveal. They did, however, confirm the car will make extensive use of aero optimization, incorporate weight-saving aluminum body panels and rely on a host of other econo-enhancing features like electric power steering (and quite likely cylinder-deactivating Active Fuel Management) to help improve its mileage figures.

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Key features on the Aussie-spec VF Commodore includes standard Auto Park Assist and MyLink connectivity along with available Reverse Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Alert, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning and a Head-Up Display. In addition to its bolder and more elegantly detailed exterior, the VF Commodore boasts an all-new and equally upscale interior treatment. Holden’s Director of Design, Andrew Smith calls it "a carefully cohesive design which echoes the detailed aesthetic of the exterior and places emphasis on rich, tactile materials and technical refinement." Based on the photos, it’s probably safe to call it highly functional and user friendly, as well.

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Save for specific exterior/interior trim variations – and the obvious transition to left-hand drive – most of the VF Commodore’s finer points also will be found in new Chevy SS when it goes on sale in the fall. We’ll have more details on the first rear-drive sedan to be introduced here by the division in nearly two decades when the 2014 Chevrolet SS makes its formal debut this weekend in Daytona. The new Chevy SS will replace the Impala as official representative of the Bow Tie Brigade in this-year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup series that kicks off on February 24th with the running of the Daytona 500. Images of the competition-spec Holden Motorsports VF Commodore seen here show a version built to do battle in the 2013 Australian V8 Supercar Series.

Save for specific exterior/interior trim variations – and the obvious transition to left-hand drive – most of the VF Commodore’s finer points also will be found in new Chevy SS when it goes on sale in the fall and becomes the first rear-drive sedan to be introduced here by the division in nearly two decades. We’ll have more details when the 2014 Chevrolet SS makes its formal debut this weekend in Daytona. The new Chevy SS will replace the Impala as official representative of the Bow Tie Brigade in this-year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup series that kicks off on February 24th with the running of the Daytona 500.