Chevrolet Adds Rear-Drive Performance Sedan

General Motors Co. says its Chevrolet brand will add a V-8-powered rear-drive performance sedan late next year.

The limited-production vehicle, to be called the Chevrolet SS, will be a variant of the next-generation VF Commodore due late this year from GM's Holden unit. Both models, which share the platform used by the Chevy Camaro, will be produced at Holden's plant in Adelaide, Australia.

This isn't the first time GM has modified a Holden car for the American market. The now-discontinued Pontiac G8 was an earlier variant of the VE Commodore.

The Adelaide plant, which produced about 90,000 vehicles last year, has annual capacity to make 100,000 units. GM has provided no details about the SS/VF Commodore powertrain. It says the SS will be produced in very low volume.

The new SS will be the first rear-drive sedan in Chevy's U.S. lineup since GM phased out retail sales of the Chevy Caprice and Impala sedans in 1996. The car also will inspire the brand's next NASCAR Sprint Cup race car, which will debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 next spring.

Chevy first used the SS moniker, which stands for Super Sport, on a production vehicle to signify a performance option for the rear-drive Impala large car in 1961.