2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE DIESEL

 

By Seyth Miersma, Autoblog.com - Volkswagen has gotten pretty comfortable hogging the (admittedly small) non-premium diesel car market in Canada.  With Golf and Jetta, the German automaker has been the one and only choice for those interested in the torquey, high-efficiency merits of turbocharged diesel power.

However, Canadian drivers seem to be growing more and more interested in the technology that has been the primary mode of propulsion in most of Europe for many years now.  Mazda is quite close to bringing its Skyactiv-D diesel engines to our shores, and Chevrolet has finally maneuvered to re-purpose its European 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine for North American specification, which means it's cleaner here than overseas.

The first application of this rather impressive diesel engine is in the compact Chevy Cruze, which I spent a recent morning testing out.  General Motors asa whole has high expectations for its new TDI-buster -- see below to find out why.  Canadian pricing and availability can be found below.

Driving Notes:

 

• Since the Cruze Diesel has the Jetta TDI squarely in its targeting computer, allow me to start off with a tale of the tape for the two engines.  Chevy's diesel displaces 2.0-litres, makes 151 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque (with an overboost mode that allows for brief moments of 280 lb-ft), consumes an EPA-estimated 5.1 L/100km (46 mpg) on the highway and 8.7 L/100km (27 mpg) in the city, and launches the Cruze from 0-60 miles per hour (0-96 km/h) in 8.6 seconds.  The Jetta TDI has a similar 2.0T diesel, with 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, is rated at 5.6 L/100km (42 mpg) highway and 7.8 L/100km (30 mpg city, and will 'sprint' to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 8.7 seconds (with DSG transmission).  Chevy only offers a six-speed automatic with the Cruze Diesel, while VW will sell you a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual clutch gearbox.
• Turn the key on the Cruze Diesel and, if the windows are down, you'll hear a rather loud, clattering noise from the engine bay, at idle.  The sound isn't worse than other small diesels we've heard, but it is surprising since the sealed-cabin quiet of the Cruze is remarkably good.  With loads of attention paid to refinement at speed, the Cruze is all but silent on the highway (there's some wind noise), and the exhaust note only intrudes when approaching the 5,000-rpm redline.
• Power from the diesel engine feels super strong from even very low revs, as is expected, I guess.  Peak torque is available at just 2,600 rpm, and a full 250 lb-ft can be had over the broad expanse between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm.  Much like the Jetta, the Cruze isn't fast from a dead stop, but the acceleration from middle to high highway speeds (60 to 80 mph, let's say), is fantastic.
• I drove or rode for about 145 kilometres (90 miles) in total over this very short preview program, but early returns on the fuel economy are good.  Cruising at around 120 km/h (75 mph) on the highway saw the fuel econ meter settle at around 5.3 L/100km (44 mpg) after just 24 kilometres (15 miles), so my guess would be that the estimated 5.1 L/100km (46 mpg) or better is easily within reach.  (We know from experience that better than 4.7 L/100km (50 mpg) was possible with out long-term Jetta TDI.)  On the second leg of our trip, which started on country roads and headed back to the highway, I saw roughly 7.8 L/100km (30 mpg) after starting really aggressively and then settling into speed-limit driving around 60 km/h (40 mph).  Again, with an EPA City rating of 8.7 L/100km (27 mpg), I'd guess that the Cruze is set to have better real-world numbers than its window sticker would suggest.
• The overall ride characteristic of the Cruze matches its noiseless cabin, insofar as the car really smoothed out the road underneath me.  I drove over some pretty broken down backroads in the car, and found that only the worst potholes and pavement breaks filtered through the softish suspension setup.
• That softness in the suspension, combined with low rolling resistance tires, meant that when I did try to corner aggressively in the Cruze I was met with a lot of vertical motion from the corners and loss of grip.  The small Chevy does have a nicely balanced front-wheel-drive chassis for the most part, but handling is only satisfying up to a warmed-up point.
• In all, I think that the new Cruze Diesel presents an interesting counterpoint and alternative to the Jetta TDI, without being dramatically better or worse than the default diesel standard bearer.  You can buy the Jetta for a cheaper starting price at $24,190 with no options, but Chevy has, for better or worse, piled on a good amount of kit to it's $24,945 basic Cruze Diesel.  That sum will get you remote keyless entry and start, heated front leather seating, MyLink with its Bluetooth connectivity and a touchscreen interface, 17-inch aluminum wheels and more.
• What you get with the Jetta is an ever-so-slightly sportier package (thanks mostly to the better manual/DSG transmission options) and a little bit more brand prestige in the minds of most buyers.  This diesel Cruze will need some time to penetrate into the land of enthusiasts and derv-geeks, I'm guessing, but it's a fine sedan in its own right, and worth at least a look from even the most ardent TDI supporter.
• According to GM Canada, the Cruze Diesel will be arriving in Canadian dealerships in the next two weeks.



IS CHEVROLET READYING A NATURAL GAS POWERED IMPALA?

By Jeffrey N. Ross, Autoblog.com - When it comes to fleet vehicles, the Chevrolet Impala definitely plays an important role for General Motors, and it looks like GM is hard at work developing the next-gen Impala for bulk-buying businesses.  The Motoring Journal recently spotted a handful of Impalas testing in Colorado with minor camouflage, but upon closer inspection, these appear to be test mules for a new compressed natural gas (CNG) model -- a powertrain combination far more likely to find favour with fleet buyers than everyday consumers.

Aside from the obvious "CNG" stickers affixed to the decklid, these cars also have different exhaust outlets than what we saw on the V6-equipped Impalas during our first drive of the sedan back in March.  Images also show under the hood with a different engine cover and plenty of exposed wiring as the CNG system continues testing.  There was also an electrical connector poking out of the front fascia, and at least one of the sedans had a receiver-style trailer hitch.

During the launch of the 2014 Impala, Chevrolet said that it is looking to flip the current fleet-to-retail from 70:30 to a more profitable and resale-friendly 30:70 ratio, and this new CNG Impala could be a good way to retain some of that 30 per cent fleet business.  We reached out to GM for word on when a CNG Impala might arrive, and received this response:

We do offer a CNG van and a bi-fuel pickup truck, but still studying the demand for CNG powered passenger cars.  Infrastructure is a consideration for anyone buying these types of vehicles.  Unfortunately, there's nothing to announce today on this front.Our best guess is that it could debut for the 2015 model year, since the ninth-generation model is carrying over for fleet-only sales as the 2014 Impala Limited.

2014 CHEVY CORVETTE STINGRAY 6.2L LT1 RATED AT 460 HP, 465 LB-FT

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Chevrolet has officially dropped power figures for the 2014 Corvette Stingray.  The sports car's 6.2-litre V8 can crank out up to 460 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 465 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm.  Most of the torque, up to 316 lb-ft is available from just 1,000 rpm, and wide open the LT1 V8 produces just 5 lb-ft less than the outgoing LS7 in the Z06.  Mercy.

Using the standard exhaust, the engine yields 455 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.  Chevrolet estimates that's good enough to get the 2014 Corvette to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds.  Even with all that thrust on hand, Chevy says the LT1 is more efficient than ever.  Active Fuel Management, direct injection and variable valve timing help cut emissions by 25 per cent.

In addition, engineers threw a spate of advancements at the mill, including four-into-one exhaust manifolds, a new intake manifold design and an oil system with piston squirters to keep the cylinders cool under hard use.  The system also allows for an available dry-sump oiling system.

FORMER GM SITE IN PONTIAC TO GET TRACK, CAR CONDOS?

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - Michigan entrepreneur Brad Oleshansky, working with private partners and the RACER Trust, is planning to purchase the 80-acre parcel in Pontiac, MI that once housed four General Motors factories.  Instead of the vacant lot there now, Oleshansky plans to build the M1 Concourse car country club that would have 338 car condominiums, a clubhouse, restaurant, events center and amphitheater and a 1.6 kilometre (one-mile) test track.  The RACER Trust was set up at the time of GM's bankruptcy to help redevelop abandoned sites and facilities.

Oleshansky has said he wants to beghin condo pre-sales this Summer and break ground this year on the first phase, which would be the restaurant, retail outlets and a number of condos.  Pricing for the condos hasn't been revealed, Oleshansky says he'd like to announce it in six to eight weeks.

The sale transaction doesn't appear to have been finalized yet, but the US$50-$60-million development has preliminary approval from the Pontiac authorit8ies, and could include an additional 7.5 acres devoted just to parking.

2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO -- THE FULLSIZE PICKUP, REFINED

 

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - No one's underestimating the importance of the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado.  While General Motors continues to shovel the current generation off dealer lots at an impressive pace, it would be too kind to simply say the old mule has started to show its age.  The GMT900 platform that's rolling along under the 2013 model has been underpinning fullsize GM trucks since 2007, and while the Silverado has stayed competitive through most of the intervening six years, the past two haven't been kind to the machine.

Ford just won't quit sharpening its F-150 in one way or another, throwing interior and driveline updates at the stalwart pickup with the fevered pace of a company possessed.  Like the Silverado, the F-150 is no fresh piece of hardware, but fuel-efficient and powerful engine options and a well-sorted interior put the truck consistently ahead of the now aged Chevrolet.  And then there's the Ram 1500.  Chrysler let loose with both barrels with the 2013 update, tearing into the fullsize market with a beautiful cabin, excellent tech and plenty of clever engineering.

Chevy engineers stood back and watched this happen, biting their tongues and whittling away all the while on the next-generation 2014 Silverado.  There are only a handful of carryover parts from old machine to new, and the result is a pickup that offers more power, efficiency and refinement than the previous generation while holding the pricing line.  This is, without a doubt, the best Silverado ever built, but does that make it the best pickup?

 



Park it beside its forebear and the changes immediately present themselves as substantial.
When the new Silverado first bowed at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the truck faced a chorus of moans.  Critics said the design simply wasn't revolutionary enough to carry the machine forward, but park it beside its forebear and the changes immediately present themselves as substantial.  The half-ton pickup now wears the bold, vertical face of its heavy duty predecessors, complete with an all-aluminum hood boasting a set of twin power domes that stretch from cowl to grille.  As a result, the Silverado looks considerably less pokey than the previous truck from head-on.  Throw in those handsome projector headlamps and the black two-tire grille of our Z71 tester and the new model looks both clean and modern without turning its back on the nameplate's history.

The 2014 Silverado is now 10 mm (0.4 inches) wider than before, and that small nudge in track helps give the machine a more planted look.  Designers took advantage of the added width by slathering the sides with massive, exaggerated fender swells.  The squared-off wheel arches of the previous generation have stuck around, but the look makes sense paired with this more angular design.  The inset doors help give the truck a more modern, clean appearance from the side, while smaller Z71 badges show Chevy is capable of demonstrating some restraint when it comes time to apply stickers.

 

The tailgate now features a torsion spring that cuts the effort of closing it by half.
While base models ride on attractive 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, our tester came saddled with hefty 20-inch chrome rollers.  The Z71 trim affords buyers Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, no matter the wheel size.  The rubber lands more on the civilized side of the all-terrain spectrum, but makes sense for a truck that will likely spend the majority of its time on paved surfaces or light gravel roads.

Move to the rear and the Silverado shows off a massive Bowtie badge as well as a standard corner step bumper in LTZ guise.  The bumper offers a foothold for climbing into the bed, and engineers reworked both rear stake pockets to accommodate a gloved hand for an easier, more secure way to get to cargo.  More importantly, the tailgate now features a torsion spring that cuts the effort of closing it by half.  Opening the tailgate is as simple as unlatching the lock and letting it drop.  The spring gently lets the whole contraption down and into the open position without any help.  We owe whoever came up with that one many, many beers.  The design is brilliant.

 

The Silverado still finds itself half a step behind the Ram 1500 in both material selection and fit and finish.But it's indoors where the 2014 Silverado really differentiates itself from its ancestors.  Here, designers finally gave the truck some much-needed attention.  The dash is both more attractive and better thought out than before thanks to a simple-to-use centre stack.  Buttons and dials have been kept to a minimum, and those present are easy to locate and read at a glance.  All of the controls have been moved higher up on the dash than before, and those that are set low are still within arm's reach without having to lean forward or take your eyes from the road.  We love the big piano key toggles for traction control, cargo lighting, lane departure and the like.

That's not to say everything's rosy indoors.  The Silverado still finds itself half a step behind the Ram 1500 in both material selection and fit and finish.  Where the Ram interior feels substantial no matter where our fingers land, the Silverado comes up short with a cheap-feeling, rubbery dash and arm rest covers.  Add in a few unsightly gaps between bits of plastic trim and a slow, unresponsive MyLink screen, and it would seem there are still some specters of the old truck floating around inside.

But the driver gets a more substantial steering wheel with new redundant controls, and the redesigned gauge cluster is both good-looking and easy to read.  The big, clear TFT screen mounted between the tachometer and the speedometer delivers a spate of vehicle information, from fuel economy and trip readings to the status of the engine's cylinder deactivation.

 

Rest assured: It won't be long before we see a new transmission snugged into the Silverado.
Speaking of cylinder deactivation, GM threw every efficiency trick in the book at the new EcoTec3 engine family.  In addition to active fuel management, which can drop from V8 to V4 power to save fuel, the engine now boasts a direct-injection fuel system and variable valve timing for the first time.  As a result, this is the smartest 5.3-litre V8 to ever find its way under the hood of a Silverado.  With 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, the engine delivers 40 more horsepower and 48 more pound-feet while returning 14.7 L/100km (16 mpg) city and 10.7 L/100km (22 mpg) highway.

Strangely, that new lump is bolted to the company's old six-speed automatic transmission.  While the gearbox still performs as admirably as ever, we can't help but think GM missed some efficiency here by opting to go without an eight-speed gearbox.  Why stick with the old slushbox?  Engineers had to choose where to put their cash for the new generation, and they chose to spend it on nearly every other aspect of the chassis, cab and driveline instead.  Rest assured: It won't be long before we see a new transmission snugged into the Silverado.

 

This is the quietest truck on the road, hands down.
On the road, the 2014 model is a few millennia ahead of its predecessor.  The cabin is phenomenally quiet thanks to a cornucopia of tricks.  The frame is both lighter and stiffer than before.  Crew and Double Cab models boast both sheer and hydraulic body mounts to banish solid axle freeway hop.  Acoustic fender liners keep tire noise at bay while triple door seals make wind noise an unpleasant memory from this truck's past.  Throw in spray-in sound deadening along the firewall and transmission tunnel, and this is the quietest truck on the road, hands down.  There are luxury SUVs with worse noise, vibration and harshness characteristics.

Unladen, the 5.3-litre V8 delivers excellent power, hustling the truck to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) quicker than should be feasible.  Shifts from that old six-speed are solid and well sorted, but the Silverado offers a more pleasant surprise in the brake system.  While the 2014 model technically uses the same size stoppers as before, the entire system has been recalibrated.  As a result, the pedal feels more confident with positive bite and excellent response.  Considering the previous generation had all the stopping prowess of a hog on ice, the change is more than welcome.  The rotors now use GM's Duralife coating, which helps keep rust at bay and significantly increases rotor life in the process.

 

Depending on configuration, the 2014 Silverado will be able to tow up to 5,216 kg (11,500 pounds) safely.
GM has also done an excellent job of implementing an electronic power steering system on the 2014 Silverado.  The wheel is perfectly weighted, and while it isn't the most communicative tiller on the planet, it's a step up and over the over-assisted hardware found on the Ram 1500.

Throw 2,268 kg (5,000 pounds) worth of empty horse trailer behind the Silverado and you'll never know it's there.  Chevrolet says that depending on configuration, the 2014 Silverado will be able to tow up 5,216 kg (11,500 pounds) safely, and engineers worked to make the truck more stable while doing so (for the record, as optioned, our tester could only tow a maximum of 4,354 kg (9,600 pounds).  While the marginally wider track is part of that recipe, so are new wheels and higher specification tires with stiffer sidewalls to reduce squirm and wander under a load.  Of course, a number on a page hardly tells the whole story.  Like most tow ratings, the closer you get to the ceiling, the harder the truck has to work.  We put 3,900 kg (8,600 pounds) of trailer and skid steer behind the new Silverado, and while the truck could confidently pull the load about, we'd think twice about knocking on that 5,216 kg (11,500 lb) number's door.

Step down from LTZ guise, and the truck gets more affordable still.
If you've hung around this long, you're probably wondering exactly how much jumping on this 2014 ride will cost you.  Chevy managed to hold the line on pricing for the truck in the US market, and we expect the same in Canada -- though this has yet to be confirmed.

The 2013 model Crew Cab with four-wheel-drive and LTZ Z71 package will peg the meter over $50,000.  We likely don't need to tell you that the bottom line is well into three-quarter-ton territory.  Back off of nonsense options and the price falls off with a quickness.  A 2013 model no-option LTZ, complete with leather seats and all the trimmings can be had for $43,015.  That's still a sizable stack of pennies, but it's a good bit more reasonable.  Step down from LTZ guise, and the truck gets more affordable still.  Again, if Chevy holds the line on pricing in Canada as they have in the US, you'll be getting a lot more truck for your money if you hold out for the 2014 model.

GM has done a damn impressive job with the 2014 Silverado, building the truck back into the contender it once was.  The remarkably refined driving dynamics and quiet cabin are enough to earn it a special place in our hearts, and the stout aesthetics, refined V8 engine and sharpened interior all help put the truck ahead of the F-150 once again.  But the Ram 1500 still offers buyers better in-cabin tech, clever fuel-saving tricks, the class's best interior as well as the option of a small-displacement diesel engine.  The new Silverado will certainly help convince longtime fans to hand around, but it may not be enough to keep wandering eyes from strolling toward a Ram 1500.  Now we just have to wait and see what Ford has in store for the upcoming F-150.

FORD, CHRYSLER AND GM GAIN MARKET SHARE SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS

 

By Shawn Molnar, Autoblog.com - While monthly sales figures might be an easy way of tracking the progression of the auto industry and individual automakers, looking at market share might be more indicative of how each company is actually standing up against its competitors.  For the Detroit Three automakers, they have collectively lost almost 30 per cent of the market over the last 20 years, but now, for the first time since 1993, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have each posted market share gains at the same time.

According to Automotive News, Ford's share increased the most by 0.7 per cent, GM was up 0.5 per cent and Chrysler rose marginally by 0.2 per cent, giving the Detroit automakers a total market share of 45.6 per cent.  As for Japan's Big Three, the article reports that Toyota is up by 0.7 per cent, Nissan is down the same amount and Honda has seen "little change".

GM APPLIES FOR LT5, LTX TRADEMARKS ... ARE NEW SMALL BLOCK VARIANTS COMING?

 

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - Recently discovered General Motors trademark applications for LT4, LT5, LT88 and LTX have observers wondering what kind of high-performance offerings could be on their way.  A new LT4 would mark a return of the engine designation first used on the Corvette Grand Sport, SLP Pontiac Firehawk and SLP Chevrolet Camaro SS from 1996 and 1997.  Supposition at Corvette Forum -- which provided advance intel on the C7 including leaked images -- believes a new LT4 could go into the high-performance trim of the next-gen, 2015 Camaro that would be more powerful than the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1.

Seeing an LT5 again would also be déja vu -- in its former life it was a 5.7-litre V8 for the C4 Corvette ZR-1 from 1990-1994 designed by Lotus, producing from 370 hp to 405 hp.  A mix of rumour and hope is that the new LT5 will be a supercharged evolution of the 6.2-litre LT1 placed in the new C7 Corvette, and that it will go into the C7 version of the ZR1 pumping out something like 700 hp.

The LTX trademark is, as with that last letter, a complete mystery.  If the "X" isn't a generic way to denote the whole LT family, it's wondered if LTX could refer to a crate motor offering like the LSX.

SEE WHAT THE CHEVY C7 ZR1 MAY BE BENCHMARKED AGAINST

 

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - One of the greatest things every Corvette has had going for it, and also one of the most re-used arguments against it, is its price-to-performance equation -- long before the Nissan GT-R became the de facto Porsche 911 comparator the Corvette spent decades as Exhibit A.  Depending on which side of the argument you stressed, supporters crowed about how much performance you got for how (comparatively) little, detractors carped on how little you got everywhere else in the bargain.

It appears Chevrolet is working as hard as ever to render the argument meaningless.  Spy shooters at KGP captured a convocation of European birds of prey leaving the General Motors test centre, and aimed at benchmarking the C7 Corvette ZR1.  The road train comprised of two C7 Corvette Stingrays, a 2013 Corvette ZR1, McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi R8 V10 Spyder and Porsche 911 Carrera S, and it was last seen heading down the same kinked-up back roads used to hone the Corvette Stingray.

The C7-series ZR1 and its possible 700 horsepower are still a ways off.  If it really is being positioned to compete with the celestial exotica in the testing group, could it be the first Corvette to regularly be the first answer to the question "Cost no object, which would you rather have?"