SILVERADO ENGINES INTEGRATE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, DEPENDABLE DESIGN

 

• Engines operate on four cylinders to save fuel during light-load driving
• Best fuel efficiency of any gas V-8 pickup - as low as 10.3 L/100 km highway
• Proven dependability - more than 100 million Small Blocks built to date

By General Motors of Canada, Oshawa - When it comes to trucks, customers place dependability near the top of the list.  And when it comes to truck engines, more than 100 million engines' worth of continuous improvement and trillions of kilometres support the Chevrolet Silverado V-6 and V-8s claim to delivering on that requirement.

"The Silverado has become the most dependable full-size pickup truck through many generations of grueling durability testing and real world driving," said Michael MacPhee, brand manager, Chevrolet in Canada.  "The new generation of Small Block engines has benefited from many years of customer experience to improve the performance, refinement and efficiency valued by demanding truck customers."

The 2015 Silverado offers a trio EcoTec3 engines with advanced fuel-saving technologies enabling customers to choose the performance and fuel efficiency that best meets their needs:

• 4.3L V-6; 285 horsepower; 305 lb-ft of torque; 9.9 L/100km highway
• 5.3L V-8; 355 horsepower; 383 lb-ft of torque; 10.3 L/100km highway
• 6.2L V-8; 420 horsepower; 460 lb-ft of torque; 11.4 L/100km highway

 

Every EcoTec3 engine features advanced technologies such as direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing and Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) to provide power, torque and efficiency across a broad range of operating conditions.

"The latest Small Block engines are ideally suited to Silverado and to the tough jobs that pickup customers do every day," said Jordan Lee, global chief engineer and program manager for Small Block engines.  "We give customers the power and torque of a full-size truck engine when they need it, then use Active Fuel Management and other advanced technologies to seamlessly shift to four-cylinder operation when the truck is under light loads, making the most of fuel efficiency."

Silverado's EcoTec3 engines are direct descendants of the original Small Block Chevy V-8, and benefit from more than 60 years - and more than 100 million engines' worth - of continuous improvement.

"Small Block engines have been used, abused, modified and raced in almost every type of car and truck imaginable," said Lee.  "Our engineers are able to draw on that experience to build stronger, more efficient, more dependable engines for Chevy truck customers."

The latest Gen 5 Small Block engine has endured tough testing, including a grueling performance durability procedure, where it was subjected to a high-speed/high-load torture session that simulated full-throttle blasts from the equivalent of 0 to 190 km/h.  With simulated transmission shift points inserted during the high-load test, the engine cycles non-stop between peak torque and peak horsepower for hundreds of hours.

Testing on the Gen 5 Small Block that contributes to the legendary durability of the modern Small Block engines include:

• Severe thermal cycle testing, which quickly cycles the engine between extreme cold and hot coolant temperatures to validate the durability of engine components such as the head gaskets, exhaust manifolds and more
• The "hot scuff" test, in which a brand-new engine - or "green" engine to the engineers - is run at wide-open throttle with no break-in period, helping test critical engine parts such as bearings, piston ring sealing and bore scuffing
• Active Fuel Management validation, which cycled the engine in and out of the cylinder-deactivating feature hundreds of thousands of times at a variety of engine speeds to ensure the performance and durability of its unique valve lifters.

 

Fuel-saving AFM technology reaches 10-year mark

2015 marks the 10th anniversary of Active Fuel Management (AFM), the cylinder deactivation technology that improves fuel economy in trucks by seamlessly switching to four-cylinder mode to help save fuel during light-load driving.

Introduced in 2005, it is currently available on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Camaro and Corvette.

STEPHEN K. CARLISLE TO LEAD GM CANADA

 

By General Motors of Canada, Oshawa - Stephen K. Carlisle has been named president and managing director of GM Canada succeeding Kevin W. Williams, who has led GM Canada since 2010.  Williams will assist in the transition through the end of the year.

Williams has elected to retire from General Motors, effective December 31, 2014.  Williams joined GM in 1983, holding progressively more senior roles in manufacturing, supplier quality and development, purchasing and service and parts operations in multiple locations around the globe including Canada, Mexico, Germany, and the United States.  Immediately prior to his Canadian assignment, Williams served as vice president and general manager, Service and Parts Operations where he led all GM's global aftersales businesses.  Williams also served as president and managing director of GM de Mexico; GM North America vice president of Quality and Global Quality Process Leader; and global executive director, Supplier Quality, Development and Supplier Diversity.

"I'd like to than Kevin for his leadership and significant contributions throughout a long and distinguished career with GM," said Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors Company.  "In his most recent assignment, Kevin helped rebuild GM Canada after one of our most challenging periods and has established a solid foundation for growth into the future."

In his new role, Carlisle will report to Alan Batey, president, GM North America, General Motors Company.  Carlisle most recently served as the vice president of global product planning and program management based in the United States, and previously, held positions as vice president, U.S. sales operations, responsible for dealer network, retail sales support and fleet & commercial; as well as president and managing director, GM South East Asia Operations in addition to leadership positions in Singapore and China.

"I'm honoured to have the opportunity to return to Canada and build on the winning foundation established by Kevin and the team over the past four years," said Carlisle.  "Having worked intensely on GM's world-leading new products and technology strategies, I am excited to bring my enthusiasm and product focus to Canada.  I look forward to working with our employees, dealers and other key stakeholders to continue to build an organization that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do."

HOW GM'S ONSTAR IS BUILDING A BETTER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

Cars will warn of failures before they happen

 

By Chris Paukert, Autoblog.com - Soon OnStar will be used to mine your car's systems and compare its findings against vast pools of data in the cloud.
We've all become accustomed to our cars' dashboards warning us of an impending calamity, be it low fuel, low tire pressure or even the dreaded nonspecific "check engine" light.  But what if your car could tell you specifically that your alternator is going, or that your water pump is about to fail?  That technology is coming, says General Motors' executive vice president of global product development, Mark Reuss.  In a Thursday media luncheon, Reuss confirmed to us that GM is working on the technology using cars equipped with its OnStar communications network.  According to Reuss:

"Being able to predict about when that (a failure) is going to happen prevents walk homes.  If there's a problem with a brake rotor, if there's a problem with a brake system or a steering system - being able to predict that (failure) and inform the driver that they need to go to a dealer and have that service performed before it happens, that's really good R&D."
Today, OnStar is best known for its subscription services that help drivers deal with inconveniences and problems, from turn-by-turn navigation to automatic emergency services notifications in the event of an accident.  But soon, OnStar will be used to mine your car's systems and compare its findings against vast pools of data in the cloud.  If it finds variations in the performance of your vehicle's systems that are indicative of impending failures, OnStar will then be able to automatically notify you of the potential problem utilizing in-car screens, either via the infotainment system or gauge cluster display.  OnStar presently has the ability to notify owners of vehicle maintenance intervals using email, so conceivably notifications could be delivered in this way, too.

So, will this be yet another subscription-based service for GM?  Not necessarily.  Reuss says:

"We're figuring out the business model right now.  But theoretically, we'd like to offer that to all of our customers.  We already give away a ton of money on that equipment of OnStar in the car that nobody really pays for.  So we're going to use it."
So, is this pie-in-the-sky technology?  No, Reuss says.  "We're testing the system now with our employees," he says, which suggests it's coming soon.

Now, how long will it be before OnStar checks to make sure your preferred dealer has the required replacement part in stock and reserves a service appointment for you? 

CHEVROLET JOINS GRASSLANDS PROJECT

Auto manufacturing company Chevrolet is the first
corporate participant in an initiative that pays farmers
not to convert rolling grasslands, like those pictured
here in North Dakota's prairie pothole region

 

First corporate participant.  As part of program, carmaker has purchased carbon credits equal to taking 5,000 cars off the road.

 

By The Associated Press - Chevrolet is the first corporate participant in a public-private initiative that pays farmers not to convert natural prairie to large-scale crop production, which would release gases that are warming the planet, officials said Monday.

The automaker, a division of General Motors, said it has bought more than 39,000 metric tonnes of carbon credits from North Dakota ranchers in the prairie pothole region, a broad expanse of grasslands and wetlands reaching across the northern Great Plains and parts of Canada.

"The amount of carbon dioxide removed from our atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking 5,000 cars off the road," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

Grasslands store huge volumes of carbon dioxide, one of the gases most responsible for climate change.

Tilling the soil for agriculture releases the gases into the atmosphere.  Preserving grasslands keeps carbon bottled up and preserves habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.

CORVETTE Z06 PARTS MAY BE COMING TO CHEVY CATALOGUE

 

By Chris Bruce, Autoblog.com - With 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque pumping out of a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 and starting at $78,995, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a performance powerhouse for its price.  However, not everyone wants to drop that much cash on a sports coupe, especially when the base 2015 'Vette is a pretty potent package already ... for tens of thousands of dollars less.  However, for buyers wanting a taste of the Z06 in their regular C7, the Chevrolet Performance catalogue might be more than ready to help in the near future.
According to Car and Driver, Chevy displayed one of these kitted up C7s at SEMA, although the brand still wasn't sure whether it would go through with actually offering the components.  The parts included many of the Z06s special suspension bits that sharpen its handling like the shocks, anti-roll bars, control arms, carbon-fibre underbody bracing and the whole transverse leaf spring rear suspension.  For better stopping, the quicker coupe's larger brakes and calipers were also available.  To keep things running cool during hard driving, there was the high-flow radiator and rear transaxle oil-cooler.  Finally, to get a little of the Z06's look, the model's front brake ducts, rear spoiler and rear vents were available, as well.

Bringing the parts from a limited-edition model down to something a touch more plebeian isn't a new move for Chevy.  The company also offered some bits of the Camaro Z/28 to customers, though on a restricted basis.  Even more components from the ZL1 could be ordered to hop up a lower-tire Camaro, too.  So while adding the Z06s parts to the Chevy Performance catalogue might just be an idea for now, it would hardly be a shock to see them for sale in there eventually.

CHEVY SHOWS CHAPARRAL VISION GRAN TURISMO CONCEPT

 

By Brandon Turkus, Autoblog.com - Well, this wasn't something we expected.  We knew Chevrolet was going to be getting in on the Vision Gran Turismo party, but it was kind of just assumed that the concept would be based on one of the brand's production performance cars, with the still-newish Corvette seeming like the obvious choice.  Instead, though, Chevy has thrown one hell of a curve ball with its teaser for the Chaparral Vision Gran Turismo.

For those not up on the history of racing cars of the 1960s and 1970s, Chaparral came from the combination of Hap Sharp, Jim Hall and Chevy race engines, and was a genuine innovator in one of the wildest eras in racing.  The team was particularly known for its pioneering work in ground effects, with its 2J, the so-called "sucker car," forcing rulebook changes eight years before the Lotus 79 arrived.

Now, Chevrolet has revived the name for 2X Vision Gran Turismo.  Penned by the GM Advanced Design Studio and with input from Jim Hall, the 2X looks to be extreme even by Vision Gran Turismo standards.

"It will serve as an example of what our designers are capable of when they are cut loose, no holds barred," GM design boss Ed Welburn said.  "A fantasy car in every send of the word."

We'll be on hand when the 2X Vision Gran Turismo makes its debut on November 19, at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show.  While you wait for that, check out the press release from Chevy, which provides a pretty thorough history of Chaparral, as well as a small gallery of three of the team's most distinctive cars, the 2, 2E and 2J.

Chevrolet to Show Chaparral Vision Gran Turismo ConceptBoundary-pushing, Chevy-powered race cars changed motorsports design

DETROIT - When racers Jim Hall and Hap Sharp founded Chaparral Cars in 1962, few could have guessed how they would shake up the conformities of the racing world - and fundamentally change it.

Through pioneering applications of aerodynamics and aerospace technology, and a partnership with Chevrolet Research and Development, Chaparral Cars advanced the science of racing cars.  It also triumphed on the track over well-established sports car companies from around the world, using Chevrolet horsepower.

It was that spirit of innovation that inspired the Chevrolet Chaparral 2X VGT concept race car developed for the Vision Gran Turismo project, which celebrates the 15th anniversary of PlayStation racing game Gran Turismo by inviting manufacturers to give fans a glimpse into the future of automotive design.  It will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Nov. 19, and gamers will be able to race the Chaparral 2X VGT following the release of an online update for Gran Turismo 6 during the holiday season.

"Jim Hall and Chaparral blended the art of racing with science in an unprecedented way, changing the sport forever and inspiring a new generation to experiment with aerodynamics and unconventional materials," said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.  "His race cars were four-wheeled physics projects that proved innovation - and a strong Chevy race engine - could drive you to the winner's circle."

GM's Advanced Design Studio, with input from Jim Hall, designed the Chevrolet Chaparral 2X VGT concept.

"It will serve as an example of what our designers are capable of when they are cut loose, no holds barred," said Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design.  "A fantasy car in every sense of the word."

The first Chaparral, a conventional, front-engine race car, was built by Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes in 1961.  In 1962 Jim Hall and Hap Sharp - who had purchased one of the original Chaparral racers - formed Chaparral Cars, Inc. and immediately began the design and construction of Chaparral 2, a mid-engine car with an aerospace-inspired semi-monocoque fiberglass chassis.  It was powered by a 327-cubic-inch Chevrolet small-block V-8 engine and would later incorporate an innovative torque-converter transaxle.

In its first race at Riverside, in 1963, Hall qualified the Chaparral 2 on the pole position and set a track record in the process.  In 1964, he won the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) and, in 1965, the Chaparral 2 scored its biggest coup on the racetrack, winning the prestigious 12-hour race at Sebring - upsetting historically dominant international teams.

Chaparral Cars soon partnered with Chevrolet Research and Development to help develop the pioneering methods and materials Hall envisioned, including the composite monocoque chassis, lightweight-alloy powertrain systems, automatic transmissions for racing and progressive, active aerodynamics.  The partnership also spawned ground-breaking vehicle data acquisition technology.

In 1966, Chaparral introduced the radical 2E race car for SCCA's Can-Am series.  With a large, highmounted wing to produce downforce, it represented a milestone in aerodynamics applied to race cars, providing as much as 240 pounds of downforce at 100 mph.  Phil Hill and Hall scored a 1-2 finish that year at Laguna Seca.  A year later, the Chaparral 2F, a high-winged coupe built for World Championship Endurance competition, set the fastest lap in five of the eight races that season.

Hall's pursuit of handling-enhancing downforce, which allowed a race car to enter and exit corners faster, while ensuring high-speed stability on the straights, reached its zenith in 1970, with the introduction of the radical Chaparral 2J.  In addition to a thundering Chevrolet big-block V-8 engine, it featured a separate motor to drive a pair of fans that exhausted air beneath the car, essentially producing suction-derived downforce.

The Chaparral 2J's unconventional, fan-driven downforce system was as effective as it was controversial.  In four races it grabbed three pole positions - and then it was banned by the race series' sanctioning body.  Hall and Chaparral continued racing throughout the 1970s, including the 1970 season of the Trans-Am Series, when Hall drove a Chaparral-prepared Camaro Z-28.  The company scored a win at the 1978 Indianapolis 500, with Al Unser Sr. driving a Chaparral-prepared Lola racecar.  In 1979, Chaparral built its own Indy car, the 2K, which powered Johnny Rutherford to the Indianapolis 500 win in 1980, along with the USAC and CART series championships that year.

The Chaparral 2, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2H, 2J and 2K are displayed in the Chaparral Gallery of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas.



GM CANADA RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF CANADA'S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS

Four Consecutive Year of Recognition
for GM Canada

 

By General Motors of Canada, Oshawa - GM Canada has been selected as one of Canada's "Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc. in its annual survey of Canadian businesses.  This is the fourth consecutive year that GM Canada has been included.

"All of GM Canada's employees are working together to make GM the most valued automotive company by building great relationships both inside and outside GM and acting with integrity," said Kevin Williams, president and managing director, GM Canada.  "Our employees are encouraged to be accountable for results and driven to win.  Together we have all created a workplace where both what we achieve and how we achieve it matters."

GM Canada was recognized for a number of important initiatives benefiting employees and their families including:

• Career planning services and tools
• Tuition assistance program
• Professional association memberships
• In-house apprenticeships and skilled trade training
• Product evaluation program
• teamGM recognition program
• employee health and wellness programs

The Canada's Top 100 Employers competition is the largest editorial project of its kind in Canada, with thousands of employers taking part in each year's application process.  The distinguishing feature of the project is that its editors publish detailed reasons, providing transparency in the selection of winners and practical guidance for jobseekers about exceptional workplaces.  Each employer is graded by Mediacorp editors on eight key areas: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement.  The same eight criteria have been applied since the competition was launched 15 years ago.

BEFORE, DURING, AFTER A CRASH: #CHEVY SAFETY

 

By Garry Sowerby, The Chronicle-Herald - "Are you OK?"  Hearing that question coming from the speakers of your vehicle means you've been in a car crash.  Hearing it also means you're conscious.  And alive.

Your vehicle has crashed and its airbags have deployed.  If you drive a Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick or GMC vehicle and subscribe to OnStar, GM's unique vehicle-integrated provider of safety, security and connectivity services, a signal has been sent to an OnStar Call Centre.

That voice asking 'Are you OK?' is one of OnStar's 2500 advisors and if he or she gets no response to that question, emergency vehicles are deployed to your exact location.

Catherine Bishop, OnStar's passionate Manager of Global Emergency Services Outreach and Strategy, tells us that upwards of 185,000 daily calls from all over North America are overseen here at the OnStar Command Center.

My visit here was the final stop on a busy two-day tour last week.  As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, General Motors Company had invited a group of media to Detroit to show what the company does to keep vehicle occupants safe, with a particular focus this week on teen drivers, before, during and after a crash.

The U.S. National Safety Council released a list of the top 10 things most parents don't know about their teen driving.  Here are a few:  Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens.  Teen passengers pose one of the biggest distractions.  Just one teen passenger raises a teen driver's fatal crash risk by 44 per cent.  More than half of teens killed in car crashes were not restrained by a seatbelt!

Our group discussed these sobering statistics with a panel of speakers which included Torine Creppy, Chief Program Officer for Safe Kids Worldwide and John Capp, Director Global Safety Strategy and Vehicle Programs for General Motors.

Safe Kids Worldwide and its partner Parachute Canada are organizations dedicated to preventing injuries in children.  Safe kids has been working with The GM Foundation for 17 years to support safe teen driving through education, promoting seat belt use and teaching ways to avoid driving distractions.

The best accident is one that doesn't happen.  John Capp talked to us extensively about the Active Safety Crash Avoidance systems that General Motors builds into their vehicles to keep eyes on the road, hands on the steering wheel and prevent a crash.

We saw some of these 'before' systems at GM's storied Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan.  GM has been purposely crashing and collecting data on their vehicles here for 90 years.

Last week we got a sneak peak at their almost-completed Active Safety Test Area.  There are 130 miles of roads at the Proving Grounds, including a highway with eight lanes of varying widths and markings that represent countries around the world, like the blue lines used in Korea.

The new 16-acre test pad is where we tried out crash avoidance systems like Lane Departure Warning, Side Blind Zone alert, Adaptive Cruise Control (which adjusts your set speed if a vehicle appears in the lane in front of you), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Alert and Automatic braking.

This last one was the most dramatic.  As an oncoming obstacle gets closer, the vehicle will stridently beep, flash red LED lights on the instrument panel and insistently vibrate the GM-exclusive haptic seat beneath you.  If there is no driver response, the vehicle will apply hard braking and bring itself to a complete stop.

Obviously, teens need to learn to drive the 'old-fashioned way', without all of these systems, and, like all drivers, should never rely solely on them but to know that your vehicle has these systems to help them avoid a collision can be reassuring to a parent.

After seeing these safety technologies in action, developed by GM's very smart engineers, we moved to the Vehicle Safety and Crash Worthiness Lab where we met some pretty amazing dummies.

The official name of this unsung hero, the crash test dummy, is Anthropomorphic Test Device, or ATD.  The original Hybrid III crash dummy, used all over the world, was designed by GM.

This lab is where crashes are executed and the 'during' of a crash is evaluated.  Because a crash happens so fast (150 milliseconds, approximately 1/7 of a second), every crash is photographed and filmed in order to collect data.  Each dummy records data through all the instrumentation they have installed in the 'bodies."  GM conducts over 2,000 dummy impact tests annually.

During a crash, the main goal is to maintain the integrity of the passenger department.  The energy of the crash needs to be absorbed by the engine compartment.  Airbags and seatbelts must work together.  When an airbag deploys, it's similar to the lift-off of a rocket.  Airbags need to deploy in the right instances and they must not harm the occupants.

The dummies that represent teenagers brought us back to the reason we were there:  National Teen Driver Safety Week and the hope that the 'during' and 'after' of a crash will become less and less frequent as education and technology work together to make teenagers aware of the dangers behind the wheel.

Studies show that teens involved in a visual or manual task are eight times more likely to be involved in a crash.  Put down that device.  Parents, we are our children's biggest influence in how they end up behaving in the driver's seat.

Buckle up.  Every ride, every time.  Device down.  Speak up.

ONSTAR 4G LTE WINS POPULAR SCIENCE 'BEST OF WHAT'S NEW'

By General Motors, Detroit - OnStar has been named "Best of What's New" by Popular Science for its high-speed 4G LTE connectivity, the third time the magazine has chosen OnStar for one of the annual awards.

"The Popular Science awards demonstrate OnStar's continued commitment to remain a platform for future innovations," said Mary Chan, president, Global Connected Consumer, GM.  "Our growing list of core services, more than 1 million active RemoteLink app users and upcoming expansion of 4G LTE services to China and Europe echo this."

Earlier this year OnStar announced its shift from a 2G cellular connection to high-speed 4G LTE connectivity, bringing improved advisor services and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot to vehicles.  The new technology allows customers to connect up to seven devices to the vehicle and use simultaneous voice and data.  Currently, more than 30 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac 2015 models are equipped with the technology.

"For 27 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us - those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our view of what's possible in the future," said Cliff Ransom, editor-in-chief of Popular Science.  "The Best of What's New" award is the magazine's top honor, and the 100 winners - chosen from among thousands of entrants - each is a revolution in its field."

OnStar's first Popular Science award came in 1996, the year the brand launched, for its first-generation hardware.  OnStar earned its second award 10 years later for its Turn-by-Turn Navigation, the world's first off-board navigation system.  This year's award is for OnStar's 10th generation hardware equipped with 4G LTE.

Customers using OnStar with 4G LTE can keep in touch with family, catch up on work or stream movies from the backseat.  The service provides access to a powerful antenna that's stronger than that of a smartphone, along with a Wi-Fi hotspot that operates without draining a mobile device's battery.  To learn more about OnStar with 4G LTE, visit: https://www.onstar.com/us/en/4glte/.

2015 COLORADO TAKES PICKUP DRIVERS BACK TO BASIC

By Glen Woodcock, Autonet - After an absence of three years, General Motors' Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins are back, filling a void in the pickup truck segment that's existed since Ford also killed off the Ranger in 2012.

Until the return of Colorado/Canyon for model year 2015, Toyota Tacoma was the only compact or midsize pickup available to North American buyers.

The Colorado extended cab is about as basic a truck as you can buy these days, with a starting price of $22,800.  As tested at the recent Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) competition, it weighed in at $27,515.  Still, that was $9,750 less than the better equipped Canyon Crew Cab, $27,079 less than Ford's F-150 Crew Cab, and a whopping $35,255 under the price of the Ram 150 diesel Crew Cab that also were competing in the pickup category.

All of its rivals had four-wheel drive while Colorado competed in rear-wheel-drive form.

Many people - small tradesmen especially - don't want or need a truck equipped like a luxury car.  These are the folks among whom the Colorado (or Canyon) Extended Cab will find favour.

For CCOTY, GM replaced Colorado's standard 2.5L inline-four engine and six-speed stick with the optional 3.6L V6 and six-speed automatic.  That added $2,365 to the MSRP, but both options are upgrades that many buyers will go for.  So is the $275 trailering package.  Towing capability is a respectable 3,175 kg.

With the bigger 305-hp engine, anticipated fuel economy of 13.0 L/100 km city and 9.2 L/100 km highway beats all rivals except Ram diesel.

The interior is a little slim on creature comforts, and the rear jump seats are occasional use only, but Colorado's driver position, visibility, handling and ride comfort were not blown away by the opposition.

Colorado felt quick when I drove it and the official numbers recorded by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada confirmed that.  With a 0-100 km/h time of 7.8 seconds, the RWD Colorado was much quicker than the bigger and heavier Canyon and Ram, and beaten only by the new light-weight aluminum F-150.  And not even the Ford could come close to its 80-120 km/h passing time of 4.7 seconds.

If proof was needed that the days of the V8-powered pickup are numbered, all of the 2015 CCOTY contenders were powered by V6 engines.

Even in base form Colorado is no stripper, with four-wheel disc brakes, ABS, traction control, electronic stability control, rear-view camera, air conditioning, and power/windows/locks/mirrors/driver's seat.  It's exactly what a lot of pickup buyers have been looking for.



VOLT'S BATTERY OF UPGRADES

Battery and drivetrain improvements could make
next Volt cruise further and more efficiently than ever

 

By Glen Woodcock, Autonet - A new Chevy Volt is coming for 2016 which will incorporate improvements dictated by the car's nearly 70,000 owners since 2010.

The all-new version of Chevrolet's extended range electric vehicle will make its debut in January at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.  It is expected to be on sale by the second half of next year.

In a press conference in Warren, Mich. last week, General Motors revealed details of the new Voltec propulsion system which includes improvements to the battery, drive unit and range-extending gasoline engine.  The new Voltec system will be more efficient and offer greater EV range and fuel economy compared to the current generation.

Owners say they want more than the 70-km range from the existing Volt's electric drive.  So GM is working on improving that, but says we'll have to wait till the Detroit show to find out by how much.

For operating in extended range gasoline mode, the 2016 Volt is getting an all-new, high-efficiency 1.5L 4-cylinder engine.  It features a direct injection fuel system that burns regular gas, a 12.5:1 compression ratio, cooled exhaust gas recirculation and a variable displacement oil pump.

GM says the new car will have 20% greater acceleration at low speeds, partially due to technology that will enable both electric motors to drive the front wheels, rather than just one of them.

Revisions to the battery pack will mean fewer cells, but more storage capacity and lighter weight.

"The current generation Volt's battery has proven to provide our owners exceptional performance when it comes to quality and reliability," said Larry Nitz, executive director of GM Powertrain's electrification engineering team.

"It would have been simple for us to tweak our existing battery to provide nominally increased range, but that's not what our customers want," said Nitz.  "So our team created a new battery system that will exceed the performance expectations of most of our owners."

Nitz also said the 2016 Volt, built in Michigan, will feature approximately 70% U.S. and Canadian components within its first year of production, a nearly 20% increase from the first-generation.  The new 1.5L engine will be manufactured at GM's Toluca, Mexico engine plant for the first year of production, then shift to the Flint, Mich. engine plant.

"YOU KNOW YOU WANT A TRUCK" WITH TECHNOLOGY AND STUFF

 

By General Motors of Canada, Oshawa, Ontario - Can a truck make you more appealing?  Chevrolet's new "You Know You Want a Truck" web videos suggest that perhaps it can, if the truck is the all-new midsize Chevrolet Colorado, which comes standard with a lot of "technology and stuff."

The trio of videos, available on Chevrolet's Canadian YouTube channel, suggest that owning a truck might change the perceptions of their drivers - even making them more rugged, dependable and dateable.  The spots feature a series of real people, not actors, in focus groups, online dating, and the Health and Beauty aisle of a supermarket to drive home what it really means to be a "Truck Guy."

"In a light-hearted spirit, the films explore the idea that we all harbour a wish to own a versatile truck," said Bob McLelland, brand director, Chevrolet in Canada.  "The all-new Chevrolet Colorado will allow people to discover the truck guy hiding inside all of us."

"Many customers have questions about how a truck fits into their lifestyle, considering if their needs for technical features, refinement and safety will be met.  The Colorado gives a resoundingly positive answer to all those questions by offering the capabilities customers expect in a truck, balanced with the refinement, maneuverability and technology they want."

In the video series, cameras reveal that indeed there is an inner truck guy in everyone including housewives, mature people, kids and men with beards.

With its midsize dimensions, advanced technologies and stuff including class-leading power, towing and fuel economy, Colorado is the perfect choice for customers who want the style and capability of a pickup in a maneuverable, fuel efficient package.

The Colorado began shipping to dealers last month.  With the introduction of the Colorado, Chevrolet will offer customers more choices than any other pickup truck brand, including midsize, full-size light duty and heavy-duty pickups.