The Chevy SSR features a proven General Motors powertrain, including the first application of GM's new aluminum-block Vortec 5300 V8 engine coupled to the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission. Output and fuel economy data have yet to be finalized. Here are additional details on the key attributes of the SSR powertrain.
Lightweight Aluminum Construction. The engine block is 45.4 kilograms (100 pounds) lighter than the current Vortec 5300. Cast of 319-T7 aluminum alloy, the engine capitalizes on the lower mass and superior thermal efficiency of aluminum.
Durability.
The all-aluminum Vortec 5300 V8 builds on the small-block tradition started by the
5.7-liter V8s featured in the Chevrolet Corvette. The engine block is produced by the
gravity-poured precision sand casting process. This process allows cylinder liners to be
cast in place and yields exceptional cast quality. The engine is tested to identical
levels of endurance as the cast iron Vortec 5300 engine.
Quietness.
The engine features new quiet-profile pistons to ensure that the pistons track
straight in their bores, minimizing clearances as the pistons rock under gas pressure.
The pistons are polymer-coated to reduce cold scuffing and engine noise. Polymer-coated
pistons, long a mainstay in luxury car engines, enable tighter bore clearances, provide
enduring wear surfaces between pistons and cylinder walls, and further reduce piston
motion.
Proven Engine Design.
The aluminum Vortec 5300 benefits from the design of the latest version of the
cast-iron 5.3-liter V8 in a variety of ways.
The deep-skirt engine block design, with six-bolt main bearings, allows cross bolting of the bearing caps, limiting crank flex, stiffening the engine's structure and reducing overall vibration.
In addition to the aluminum block the V8 garners other mass reductions through use of a new oil pan design. Due to the lower, shorter design of the SSR, the new "pan-axle" design allows the front differential to pass through the oil pan, resulting in weight savings, while optimizing the use of under-hood space.
Exhaust catalyst and emissions control system calibration have been improved to allow the engine to meet federal emissions and California Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) standards without an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system.
The aluminum engine, like its iron sibling, uses platinum-tipped spark plugs to extend plug life up to 100,000 miles, while the coolant maintains its cooling and corrosion-inhibiting properties for up to 150,000 miles. Scheduled maintenance is limited to oil changes when indicated by the engine oil life monitoring system or at 10,000 mile intervals (whichever comes first).
GM's small block engines continuously prove that cam-in-block aluminum engines meet the performance and durability demands and increasingly stringent emissions standards of a new century.
Hydra-Matic 4L60-E Automatic Transmission.
Transferring power to the rear wheels is done via the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E transmission. The
4L60-E, also used in GM trucks and the Chevrolet Corvette, was selected for its
durability, low weight, and the ability to optimize its electronic controls for
performance oriented shifting. The electronic controls are calibrated to give the
dependability of a pickup and the performance of a supersport vehicle.
To multiply engine torque, the 4L60-E uses a 300 millimeter torque converter. The converter is enclosed in a 360-degree-mount structural bell housing for powertrain rigidity. Overall transmission weight as shipped from the Toledo, Ohio, transmission assembly plant is 88.3 kilograms (194.6 pounds).