Because we watch far too much television, we’re tempted to compare the current crop of hot-rod pickup trucks to action movie stars.  Ford’s fast and furious F-150 Lightning puts us in mind of Bruce Lee, taking all comers with unbeatable moves and a signature scream.  The upcoming Dodge SRT-10 is more of a hulking Arnold Schwarzenegger with its powerful Viper-derived V10 and muscular body.  And Chevrolet’s new Silverado SS appears to be the Harrison Ford of the group; a bit frumpy perhaps in comparison, but with a resume that includes more than just chop-socky action and explosions to wow the kids.

Chevy first introduced the “SS” nameplate in 1961 to denote its top-of-the-line performers.  No listing of muscle cars is complete without an SS or two, be it an Impala or a Chevelle or a Nova, and Chevy’s using the name’s star power to act as a halo for its future performance products.  The Silverado SS is, naturally, Chevrolet’s performance-oriented pickup truck.  Unlike the forgettable 454SS of the early 1990s, the new Silverado SS is a full-field performer, with a powerful engine, lowered suspension, all-wheel drive, and full-size truck capacities.

The monochromatic styling suits the Silverado’s angular family look well.  Grille and bumpers are body-color, and subtle skirting around the lower body enhances the lowered look.  The bodywork enhances the aggressive cut of the hood and headlights nicely.  The grille is filled with diamond-pattern mesh, and a big gold Chevrolet bowtie rides out front.  The colors are limited to black, blue and red, so every Silverado SS on the road makes a bold statement.  The massive 20″ x 8.5″ five-spoke wheels got lots of appreciative looks from passersby as well.  Every Silverado SS is a short-bed, extended cab truck.

Inside, leather and special “SS” badging complement a comfortable interior that’s otherwise borrowed from GM’s other luxury trucks.  The only letdown is a dash whose rigid plastic upper surfaces feel cheap.  The dash is backlit in white, but is otherwise the same comprehensive and easy to read setup as in its stablemates.  Standard equipment in the SS includes a Bose sound system and dual-zone climate control.

The heart of this ground-pounder is its 345-horsepower engine.  It’s a high-output Vortec 6000 V8, similar to the one under the hood of the Cadillac Escalade, and a four-speed automatic is the only tranny offered.  The Silverado SS goes one better than the other sport trucks, with its full-time all-wheel drive system.  Torque is split front to rear 38/62 under normal driving conditions, and can be transferred to slipping wheels automatically, at any time.  A locking rear differential is also included.  The big V8′s throttle response is a bit twitchy at low speeds, which can be annoying when stuck in heavy traffic or backing a trailer.  There’s no arguing with the power, though; the Silverado SS will accelerate hard well past the speed limit (you didn’t hear that from us, of course).  From a standstill, the transmission is slow to shift, and at lower speeds it lacks the “sporty” feel of the Lightning.  It takes a fairly serious stomp of the gas pedal to provoke a downshift.  On the other hand, the Silverado SS can tow a 7500-pound trailer.

The ride is good (for a truck) but the Silverado SS’ handling falls short of the Lightning’s razor-quick and very un-truckish responsiveness.  It’s lowered 20mm up front and 50mm at the rear, and the wide tires increase the track for vastly improved roadholding.  The Silverado SS has a surprisingly compliant ride, considering its performance bent.  That it’s got four-wheel disc brakes and ABS is a no-brainer.

Now for the ugly part; as with many special pickup trucks, the bottom line is not for the faint.  Our Silverado SS stickered for $40,620, which puts it right up in GMC Sierra Denali territory–except that Quadrasteer, standard on the Denali, isn’t available on the Silverado SS.  On one hand, this truck is a real truck in addition to being a hot rod–it can haul or tow right with the rest of the Silverado lineup.  Ford’s Lightning, by comparison, is a one-trick pony.  On the other hand, the Lightning’s got a really, really good trick, and that sense of “vavoom!” is lacking in the Silverado SS.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado SS, which we tested.
Length:         227.6 in.
Width:            93.1 in.
Height:            72.2 in.
Wheelbase:        143.5 in.
Curb weight:        5298 lb.
Payload:        1490 lb.
Towing capacity:    7500 lb.
Base price:        $39,205
Price as tested:        $40,620
Engine:         6.0 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain:         four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower:         345 @ 5200
Torque:         380 @ 4000
Fuel capacity:        26.0 gal.
Est. mileage:        12/16