Holden reveals VF Commodore SS V before Chevy SS bows

General Motors’ Australian arm, Holden, revealed the new VF Commodore SS V before its brother-in-arms, the Chevy SS, gets revealed this weekend at Daytona. The show car is finished in a color named Fantale orange metallic. Unfortunately, Holden and GM kept hidden the most exciting parts of the new full-size, rear-drive platform: the engine and price.

Holden says the car adds a performance edge to the VF Calais V, shown last weekend.

The SS will probably have V6 and V8 variants, similar to the Chevy Caprice PPV. We would love to see an LT1-equipped Chevy SS-S.

As for the Commodore, Holden says it will include a range of electronic firsts for an Australian car, including reverse-traffic alert, head-up display, blind-spot alert, forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning and auto-park assist. We’d bet the Chevy will have most of the same electronics, though it won’t be a first for the United States. The SS will also get MyLink, with apps such as Pandora and Stitcher, as well as Apple’s Siri speech function.

The platform makes us nostalgic for the last Pontiac G8, which was one of the best from the defunct brand’s lineup in years. It had a V6 and two V8 options, the most powerful topping out at 402 hp.

Check out the gallery and come back this weekend for more news on the Chevy SS.

By Jake Lingeman