Saw a much more finished looking HHR today, with the body fully painted, headlights and taillights installed, and an interior that was maybe 75 to 80%. It had plain black steel base wheels, though, and it didn't have the front grille in place.

Anyway, imo, it looks really really good. I wasn't sure about it from the camoed white ones (you've all seen the pics of those in Autoweek, etc.). But this looks really nice. The interior looks good, with a particularly interesting guage cluster. I'm still not 100% about the bulging rear fenders (much more abrupt and in your face than the PT's rear flanks), but I think the HHR's front end is better than the PTs. The front fenders are great. Plus, I think something about the shape and size of the side windows gives it just a bit of that chopped/channeled look vs. the PT (but not crazy like the 300/Magnum with their ridiculously high beltline/squashed greenhouse). It just looks a little longer and lower than the PT, and the rear taillights looked sweet.

I think this car should do great. It actually gave a little more of the old school hot rod feel than even the PT generates, at least for me. That was helped, no doubt, by the choice of color on this particular example, as well as the fact that it is a bit fresher than the PT, it being on the market for several years now.

It may not be rwd with a small block, but as a stylish and utilitarian vehicle, I could see myself sporting one.

 

Sounds good. Looking forward to seeing it.

What's the performance version running with?

 

*shrug* (Not that I could really post about it if I knew, but I'm really not sure).

 

I believe I read somewhere that the HHR was getting the ECOTEC. Perhaps one can assume then that a Performance version (HHR SS?) might get the same supercharged version as the Cobalt SS Supercharged?

 

Yeah, the HHR is off delta, so Im sure we will see the supercharged 2.0 first, then a turbo model.