SEMA: Chevy dresses up Commodore

Chevrolet has revealed a quartet of performance concepts for the world's largest automotive aftermarket parts and accessories convention, the SEMA show in Las Vegas over November 4-7, including sportier versions of Holden's Commodore, Cruze and Barina.

While Chevy says some of the upgrades are being evaluated for production, most of them are genuine accessories available in the US from Chevrolet dealers.

In the case of the SS Sport concept – which is based on the Holden Commodore's US export twin, the Chevrolet SS – all of the extras are genuine Chevy accessories.

They include an official grille kit, fog light bezels, side fender vents, rear spoiler, bonnet and deck-lid stripes, high-gloss black 20-inch wheels, sports pedal kit, Holden wheel caps, Holden carpet mats and a Holden cargo tray.

"Inspired by Chevrolet’s motorsports heritage and its Australian lineage, the SS Sport concept gives the V8-powered sports sedan a makeover that reflects its performance capability," said Chev.

The SEMA show car wears the MY15 Commodore's new Some Like It Red Hot exterior paint and the latest Commodore SS Redline's Brembo rear brakes.

There are no changes to its HSV-spec 310kW/563Nm (SAE) 6.2-litre LS3 V8, which for 2015 is available with a new six-speed manual transmission, alongside a six-speed auto with the same steering wheel paddle shifters that are now fitted to Australia's MY15 Redline auto, and will soon become available across the Commodore sports range.

Also new for the MY15 Chevrolet SS in the US is standard Magnetic Ride Control, which is fitted to HSV models and claimed to be the world’s fastest-reacting damping system.

Alongside the SS Sport at SEMA will be a tarted-up show version of another GM vehicle made in Australia by Holden – the Cruze RS Plus concept.

For 2015, Chevrolet's volume-selling small sedan in North American – and its global best-seller – receives revised exterior styling, enhanced interior convenience and greater connectivity, including new Text Message Alerts, Apple Siri integration and OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.

While some of those upgrades could be applied to Australia's Cruze before it's replaced by an all-new model already on sale in China, the Cruze RS Plus concept also wears an RS styling package offered in the US.

It comprises unique fascias, rocker moldings, rear spoiler and fog lights, while an "uplevel" instrument cluster includes chrome accent rings in place of the standard silver finish, and "opaque cluster bezels that allow the cluster’s ice blue backlighting to shine through for a sporty night-time appearance".

Inside, the Jet Black interior features a Chevrolet Accessories ambient lighting kit, illuminated door sills, sport pedal kit and a Kicker subwoofer and amplifier kit.

Under the bonnet there's a performance-enhancing stage kit from Chevrolet Performance, as well as a concept fresh-air intake system for the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine.

All this and unique lower body moldings and a custom rear spoiler come wrapped in a custom Wildfire Metallic paint colour, plus a matt-black twin-stripe package from Chevrolet Accessories.

Also at SEMA will be the Sonic Performance concept, based on the vehicle sold here as the Holden Barina, featuring engine and chassis upgrades.

The Performance concept package includes a Chevrolet Performance Stage Kit, cold-air induction and high-flow exhaust system for the 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, plus lower and firmer track-tuned suspension system developed by Chevrolet Performance.

The hot Barina RS is painted Synergy Green with a white offset stripe package, while Chevrolet Accessories extras include white 17-inch alloys, headlight and tail-light rings, a grille surround, mirror covers, rear spoiler floor mats, door sills and sports pedals.

The Sonic Performance concept also features an advanced safety package including forward collision alert, lane departure warning and a reversing camera.

Finally, the Chevrolet Impala Blackout concept adds blacked-out styling cues to create a more sinister look, including a Chevrolet Accessories black grille surround, rear spoiler, painted mirror caps and 19-inch alloys.

Inside, there's an all-black, leather-trimmed interior with custom trim plates with a wire mesh pattern and Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel sills and a sport pedal kit.

Carried over from the 227kW/358Nm 3.6-litre V6-powered MY15 Impala is an optional 11-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System with Chevrolet MyLink and eight-inch colour touch-screen.

Chevrolet Marketing vice-president Paul Edwards said the four accessorised SEMA concepts we designed to show how buyers can customise some of the bow-tie brand's most popular passenger car models.

“Chevrolet’s 2015 passenger car line-up is one of the strongest and most competitive in the industry, offering customers a wide range of great-looking, great-driving and well-connected choices,” he said.

“They’re personal cars, too, and these concepts suggest possibilities of how to amplify Chevrolet’s heritage of performance and fun-to-drive spirit to make them even more personal.”