The Chevrolet Impala was the first model to carry the SS performance badge.
Chevrolet introduced the Impala SS for 1961. The initials “SS” stood for Super Sport and identified a performance-oriented package rather than a completely separate vehicle line. The package included sportier trim and could be paired with powerful V8 engines, helping establish a naming tradition later used on the Chevelle, Camaro, Nova, and other Chevrolet models.
The 1961 Impala SS was available as a full-size Chevrolet, including sport coupe and convertible body styles. It helped connect the Impala name with performance during the early 1960s, before Chevrolet’s smaller muscle cars became the main focus of SS marketing.
A common mistake is to credit the Chevelle SS or Camaro SS because those models became more closely associated with muscle-car history. They followed the Impala’s original use of the badge.