Written byIn a Detroit garage in early 2025, a gearhead tugged the dusty tarp off his dad’s 1970 Chevy Nova SS. As soon as he turned the ignition, that V8 purr reminded him why this car used to rule the American streets. Fast-forward to May 2025 and Chevrolet again brought that feeling to life, announcing that the 2026 Chevrolet Nova SS was real — a V-8, rear-wheel-drive muscle car made for purists. According to the official Chevrolet Newsroom, the new Nova SS won’t be an EV, or a crossover, not a trucklet or micro-crossover—it’s the real deal.
Release Timeline: When Is the Nova SS Coming?
The 2026 Nova SS was officially unveiled at a private media event broadcast to select media in May 2025 by Chevrolet. Although the automaker has not released definitive timing for when it will go on sale, multiple sources including have reported production is set to start in early 2026 with dealership deliveries in the spring or early summer.
Pre-orders are expected to begin late 2025, which is roughly consistent with its recent muscle cars, the Camaro and the Corvette.
Powertrain: Naturally Aspirated Muscle
Never mind hybrids and electric boost, the 2026 Nova SS has a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V8, which should be good for about 560 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. It’s an engine in the spirit of the original Nova SS, raw power with a modern attitude. Preliminary performance testing indicates a 0–60 mph time of 3.7 seconds’ – putting it squarely in the company of the likes of the Mustang GT500 and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
As reported by, the Nova SS will have both a 6-speed manual transmission for purists and a 10-speed automatic for added appeal to the masses.
Design: Retro Outside, Tech Inside
The new 2026 Nova SS is Retro with Attitude! Look for an aggressive black mesh grille, sculpted body and fenders, LED halo headlights, and available dual racing stripes—styling that perfectly resembles the original SS, only with 21st-century detail. The look is pure muscle, though, with sharper aerodynamics and lightweight composite panels.
In a change from Corvette tradition, Chevy provides an interior designed for the modern driver: a 13-inch digital display for instrumentation, analog-style gauges, SS-embroidered seats, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The Nova SS, said J.D. Power, is just the right mix of old-school and the future, creating a car that is perfect for anything from the collector to the commuter.
Trims + Features Breakdown
Chevrolet hasn’t released the specifics for all the trim levels yet, but there are at least two main variants if early reports are to be believed: the base SS car and a hardcore Track Package model.
| Features | Base SS | SS Track Pack |
| 6.5L V8 Engine | ✅ | ✅ |
| Launch Control | ✅ | ✅ |
| Brembo Brakes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Adaptive Suspension | ❌ | ✅ |
| Carbon Fiber Hood | ❌ | ✅ |
| MagneRide Dampers | ❌ | ✅ |
With that kind of setup, the Nova SS won’t just be a collectible, it will be a full-blown performance car perfect for weekends at the track and dashing out for your morning coffee as well.
Pricing and Market Position
Chevrolet has not announced official pricing, but industry insiders expect the base SS to be in the area of $65,000, while a Track Pack car will be close to $80,000. That puts the Nova SS value-wise respectively under cars like the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and right in line with the V8-driven Mustang Dark Horse, especially considering standard V8 motivation and available manual shift option.
Car and Driver both say they see this pricing as perfectly on par with Chevy’s other recent performance-car debuts, and that it places the Nova SS right into a heritage/value sweet spot.
Video Insight A Deeper Dive
For a live tour of the 2026 Nova SS completely inside and out, the Driving Drift YouTube channel has great race coverage and driving impressions.
The video has interviews with GM engineers, an inside look at the interior finishes, exhaust note, and live comments from muscle car enthusiasts.
Why the Nova SS Matters in 2026
At a time when the market is being flooded with electric crossovers, Chevrolet’s decision to revive a rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered muscle car is not just nostalgic — it’s ballsy.. Well, this car is one of the last great, American gasoline-powered muscle cars, and for a lot of people, that’s quite a legacy.
For example even the detailed Chevrolet Nova history on Wikipedia singles it out as significant to Chevy’s muscle heritage. It’s nice to see GM bringing back the actual coupe, not a watered down one of those badge deals, and this signals GM’s desire to keep performance enthusiasts happy.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Chevy Nova SS is not just a car—it’s a statement. It has a thundering 560-hp V8, classic design and current-era performance tuning, rehooking drivers into the muscle-car era in a way no electric crossover possibly could. But if you want a car that offers driving thrills, a significant place in history and future collectible coach, the Nova SS needs to be on your radar.
Note: Chevrolet hasn’t officially confirmed the engine yet, but early reports suggest the 2026 Nova SS could feature a strong 6.5L V8 under the hood.
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