Oh, So Now You Want One: Chevrolet SS Sales Finally Take Off Just In Time To Say Goodbye

The Chevrolet SS is not what you’d call common. Since launching more than three years ago, only around 9,000 SSs had been sold through the end of February 2017.

There’s always been a righteous hankering for the Chevrolet SS among those in the know. Sure, the bland styling does it no favours. And at nearly $50,000, it lacks any semblance of a premium badge. But there’s a stonking great 415-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, rear-wheel drive, and manual transmission availability. It’s a BMW M5 at half the price.

Yet the Chevrolet SS has never managed to enter the public consciousness, and even in its best-ever month (April 2016) the Chevrolet SS was outsold by low-volume cars such as the Lexus GS, Volvo S60, BMW i3, Lexus RC, Nissan Leaf, Scion FR-S, and yes, even the Lincoln MKS.

Now, however, the Chevrolet SS has come to the end of its run. The chance to snap up an SS is fleeting. Naturally then, U.S. sales of the Chevrolet SS exploded in March 2017.

Explode, of course, is a relative term. With 1,217 sales in March 2017, the Chevrolet SS accounted for just 2 percent of Chevrolet car sales, slightly less than 1 percent of total Chevrolet sales, and around 0.5 percent of all General Motors sales. The Chevrolet Corvette, not exactly a paragon of ubiquity, was twice as frequent an acquisition.

But by the historical standards of Chevrolet SS U.S. sales performance, March’s results were astonishing.

Prior to last month, GM had averaged 228 SS sales per month. March’s total was more than five times stronger.

Prior to last month, the best Chevrolet SS month ever resulted in only 592 sales. March’s total was more than twice as strong.

Prior to last month, only 312 SSs were sold in the first one-sixth of 2017. March’s total was nearly three times stronger.

Order banks for the SS closed in mid-March, GM spokesperson Jim Cain told TTAC earlier today. SS production ends in Australia at the end of this month.

Heading into March, GM had approximately 1,600 SSs in stock, according to Automotive News. As of today, Cars.com shows around 500 SSs in its dealer inventory, enough for you to join the throngs who are acquiring full-size, Aussie/American, rear-wheel-drive, V8-engined sedans.

You’ll pay a price, of course. Including a $1,000 gas guzzler tax, $995 for destination, and a $300 discount for choosing the six-speed manual, official 2017 Chevrolet SS pricing starts at $48,620.

While GM’s current 3.9-percent financing terms over 60 months are nothing to write home about, the SS participated in GM’s 20-percent-off plan in March. Expect at least some help from your local Chevrolet sales rep as you attempt to take an SS off his hands in April, as well.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.