When you're browsing through the Chevrolet->ke199 lineup for a high-performance vehicle, the SS is likely to get overlooked in favor of the Corvette->ke1280, the Camaro->ke248, and maybe even the Sonic RS.

While those models deserve to be mentioned (the Sonic RS to a lesser extent), the hidden performance jewel of the Chevy lineup is the car with the shortest name: the SS.

The Smoking Tire took a Chevrolet SS for a test drive and you immediately know that the SS impressed the heck out of them. It's not so much that the car itself used to be just a trim level instead of an actual model, or that Chevrolet doesn't go out of its way to promote the same way it does the more popular models.

The true characteristic of the SS is its performance, it being given a massive 6.2-liter V-8 that produces an impressive 415 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, good enough to hit 60 mph in under five seconds to go with a top speed of around 165 mph.

It's not going to be as eye-catching as the Corvette or as angry and loud as the Camaro, but for all its worth, the Chevrolet SS gives you a sedan that hits all the right spots, even if it means doing so in the shadows.

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