PhxHHR

It doesn't look too different to me, other than the change on the grille. The hood looks the same to me, too - maybe the white color is throwing the lines off for some people?
Anyway, we should expect changes over time - especially with all of the new models coming out this year and in the next few years, as well. I wonder what the HHR will look like in ten years or so.

MOTRV8D

I'll betcha dollars to donuts that that thang is an HHR SS test mule. It's got that intercooler grille thingy down below, which could only mean one thing... TURBO!
That hood may or may not be different as it might just be the way the highlights are blowing out the details.
Pretty exciting though!

GDZHHR

With the blown up pic it doesn't look like the hood changed, except for the grill, must be the way the light is hitting it.

SoCalHHR

This pic is an SS test mule from the R&D facility. The grille is one of several options GM is looking into. Also, note the "wheel" trailing behind - this vehicle is undergoing mileage testing. Funny how reporters will say anything to get a story started - the hood and body sheetmetal is no different - only the proto grille and intercooler on the bumper.

MOTRV8D

the reporter might have had a personal view of the car and maybe that is why they are saying the hood is less rounded off and more trucklike.
I can't wait to see what Chevy does with the SS grille. It might be a billet or mesh-type with a bowtie that features the SS logo. just a guess.

mizzouHHR

I think you are right. Boy is my face red
I stand corrected on the lines of the hood.
Question is why is this being billed as a major facelift?

GDZHHR

Just remember that this came from the same folks who brought us the vacuum cleaner hovercraft!

solman98

Ya know, I see it now. I bet the top bar on the grill is colormatched to look more squared off. Trick the eyes a bit.

I have also seen another version of that grill. It was just brighter.

Snoopy

Picture appears to be taken at the Milford Proving Ground (Michigan)....because of guard rail design and grassey knoll background. And, it also appears to be taken a month or two ago.

If that is so, the photographer was able to get a personal view, but only through a telephoto lens. No test roads are visible, with the "naked eye" from any public property (and GM owns a lot of the property outside their secured fence line) And to use a lens of this magnitude and the scale of the photo, with the angle, would indicate he used a tri-pod, for a very quick shot, in a very limited space.

I'm mentioning this really to kind of support SoCal Mikes statement. The photographer (noticed no credit was given, which is unusual), probably only had the vehicle visible for a second or two. Because test vehicles are "run" on closed, continuous loop courses, it was only a matter of time that it reappeared. So, he set up waiting. I doubt the photographers written comments were from his personal view, more like after the pictures were developed (yes, I use plural...there will be others posted).

Oh, my first couple of years with GM, this is what I did. Provided product security. And, I can assure you GM is trying to discover where this picture was taken.

Mike is also probably correct about the "fifth wheel" but, sometimes they are calibrated for other uses.

Unless it is also a piece of test equipment, it appears that the GPS or other type of sensor has been moved to the passenger side roof line.

MOTRV8D

The more I think about it, I'll just betcha that HHR SS grille is going to be a mesh-type, based on that photo. Kind of along the lines of the Cadillac V series, which uses a mesh grille to accent their performance models, as opposed to the normal model which uses grille bars...

Standard Cadillac STS


High-performance Cadillac STS-V mesh grille


I've seen other carmakers do the same thing. Jaguar comes to mind with their Type R grilles...

Standard Jag S sedan grille...


Hi-po Type R mesh grille...