Super Sport Through Time

1957: Zora Arkus-Duntov names a special racing Corvette "SS." Asked whether the car is a sports car, he replies, "No, it's a Super Sports car."

1961: The Super Sport launches as a $54 trim and suspension package available for any Impala with any engine. Chevy sells 453.

1963

1963: The Impala SS gets bucket seats and a floor-mounted shifter, with 153,271 sold, 18 percent of Impala sales. A new SS appearance option for the Chevy II Nova sport coupe is $161.

1964: The SS becomes a subseries for the Impala and for the all-new Chevelle/Malibu. You can only order SS coupes and convertibles, with either I-6 or V-8 engine.

1968

1965: The Impala SS sales reaches nadir, at 243,114 coupes and convertibles. The new 396-cubic-inch big block is offered in both the Impala and Malibu SS. We time the Z-16 Malibu SS396 at 6.7 seconds 0-60 mph and a 15.3-second quarter at 96 mph.

1966: The 396 is the only Chevelle SS engine. A rebodied Nova SS is available with an optional L-79 350 horsepower from a 327-cubic-inch V-8.

1967: The Camaro debuts, and a Rally Sport appearance package can be combined with the SS performance option. Chevy builds 2124 Impala Super Sports with the optional big-block 427 V-8.

1969

1968: Chevelle coupe and convertible and El Camino are offered as SS396s. But the Impala SS is downgraded to a $179 package option. Just 38,210 are sold.

1969: The last year of the Impala SS package. Just 2425 are sold, at a $422 option price. The Camaro version gets even more popular.

1972

1970: The new SS454 package is available on Chevelles, El Caminos, and the new Monte Carlo. A few Novas are badged as SS396s, but had 402-cubic-inch V-8s.

1972: Chevy sells 6562 Camaros with the $306 SS350 package.