CHEVROLET AND DISNEY SEE POSSIBILITIES IN 'TOMORROWLAND'

By General Motors, Detroit - At their core, Disney and Chevrolet are entities of optimism, believing that with a little ingenuity, anything is possible.  They will come together in the new Disney film "Tomorrowland" to imagine the possibilities.

The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt and EN-V concepts appear in the backdrops of the present day and Tomorrowland.  The film's U.S. debut is May 22.

In Disney's riveting mystery adventure "Tomorrowland", a jaded scientist and an optimistic teen embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space.

"Tomorrowland is a place where nothing is impossible, which is something that Chevrolet believes can exist in the here and now," said Tim Mahoney, vice president, Global Chevrolet.  "The Chevrolet spirit reflects the hopes and possibilities of tomorrow in real instruments of change for today like the next-generation Chevrolet Volt."

The first marketing efforts for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt will be tied to Tomorrowland.  A television spot and digital advertising will debut in early May.

The all-new Volt is an electric car with extended range, showcasing a sleeker, sportier design that offers 50 miles of EV range, greater efficiency and stronger acceleration.  The Volt's new, efficient propulsion system will offer an estimated total driving range of more than 400 miles.  With regular charging, owners can expect to average more than 1,000 miles between gas fill-ups.

Chevrolet and Disney have a long history of collaboration around the globe.

In December 2012, the re-imagined Test Track presented by Chevrolet opened at Epcot in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.  Test Track gives an authentic, inside-the-studio look at the actual automotive design process, while empowering guests to create their own designs, possibly inspiring the next generation of automotive designers.

Shanghai General Motors and Shanghai Disney Resort recently signed an agreement and announced that Shanghai General Motors is a Shanghai Disney Resort long-term strategic alliance participant.  As the resort's official vehicle, Chevrolet will help provide an unparalleled brand experience to the resort guests.

About Chevrolet in Canada

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.8 million cars and trucks a year.  Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value.

About Disney's "Tomorrowland"

From Disney comes two-time Oscar winner Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland," a riveting mystery adventure starring Academy Award winner George Clooney.  Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland".  What they must do there changes the world - and them - forever.

Featuring a screenplay by "Lost" writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, "Tomorrowland" promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.

The film also stars Hugh Laurie as brilliant scientist David Nix, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson.

"Tomorrowland" is produced by Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird and Jeffrey Chernov and directed by Brad Bird, with John Walker, Brigham Taylor, Jeff Jensen and Bernard Bellew serving as executive producers.  "Tomorrowland" opens in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2015.

2016 CHEVY CAMARO TO DROP 200 POUNDS

By Chris Bruce, Autoblog.com - The sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro makes its grand debut on May 16 at a big celebration on Detroit's Belle Isle.  Until then, Chevy's strategy seems to be showing off the pony car's new components piece by piece.  With the exhaust headers and front end already on display, the Bowtie is now giving a glimpse at some of the upcoming model's aluminum components.

The Camaro is going on a diet for its latest generation, and Chevy claims that the switch to the Alpha platform and other new components shed over 200 pounds compared to the current model.  That will put the pony car at around 3,500 pounds.  The lower weight will contribute to better fuel economy, quicker acceleration and more direct handling, according to the automaker.

Among the changes are aluminum front and rear suspension assemblies (pictured above) that weigh 21 percent less than the current units.  Also, Chevy promises in its announcement "links on some models feature an intricate, structurally optimized design made with a rigid composite material that's even lighter than aluminum."  In addition to these improved parts, the Camaro uses the lightweight metal for the beam that supports the instrument panel to save 9.7 pounds more.

The only two pieces reportedly carrying over to the latest design are Chevy's bowtie and SS badges, and at least one engine in the range is known to be a version of the 6.2-liter LT1 V8.  With over a month until the next Camaro's debut, we might get a glimpse of even more of the car's new parts in the coming weeks.

2016 Camaro Does More with Less

DETROIT - For the all-new, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, the team was challenged to improve the handling, acceleration and fuel economy of the award-winning current model.

To meet all three objectives, the team focused on a singular mission: reduce mass.  By obsessively searching for opportunities to save ounces, the team pared more than 200 pounds off the Camaro compared with the fifth-generation model.

As a result, the Camaro does more with less, according to Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer.

"We kept the cornering confidence and control that make the Gen 5 Camaro 1LE so fun to drive, and added a greater sense of agility," he said.  "The new Camaro brakes harder, flicks into corners more quickly, and drives out of the corner faster.  We expect it will set the benchmark in the segment and give many sports cars a challenge."

A new architecture, one of the most mass-efficient ever from General Motors, is responsible for much of the weight savings.

Additionally, dozens of small changes cumulatively contributed to shedding pounds.  For example, the beam that supports the instrument panel is now made of aluminum, saving 9.7 pounds (4.4 kg) over the steel beam on the current generation Camaro.

In addition, the front and rear suspension assemblies are now aluminum, and links on some models feature an intricate, structurally optimized design made with a rigid composite material that's even lighter than aluminum.  As a result, the total weight for the suspension is 21 percent lighter compared to current steel-intensive assemblies.

Chevrolet will introduce the all-new 2016 Camaro on Saturday, May 16, during a special public event at Detroit's Belle Isle Park.

NEW MALIBU TECH HELPS PARENTS TEACH KIDS SAFE DRIVING

 

 

By General Motors, Oshawa - It's hard to hand the keys to a teenager for their first drive alone.

Parents know that coaching a teenager on how to learn safe driving skills is vital.  According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16- to 19-year-olds is nearly three times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over.

The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will debut Teen Driver, a system that provides parents with a tool to help encourage safe driving habits for their kids, even when they are not in the car with them.  Teen Driver supports safe driving habits by muting the audio of the radio or any device paired with the vehicle when front seat occupants aren't wearing their safety belts, and it gives audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is traveling faster than preset speeds.

This feature is the first in the industry with a built-in system that lets parents view on a display how their teenager drove the vehicle.  Maximum speed reached, distance driven and number of times active safety features were engaged can all be confirmed.

"We developed this system so parents could use it as a teaching tool with their kids - they can discuss and reinforce safe driving habits," said General Motors safety engineer MaryAnn Beebe.  "As a mother of two, I know anything that has the potential of keeping one's family safer is of great value to parents."

Malibu can keep track of the following:

• Distance driven
• Maximum speed traveled
• Over-speed warnings issued
• Stability control events
• Antilock brake events
• Forward Collision Alerts, if equipped
• Forward Collision Braking events, if equipped

To use Teen Driver, a parent needs to enable the feature by creating a PIN in the Settings menu of their available MyLink system, which then allows them to register their teen's key fob.  The system's settings are turned on only to registered key fobs.

When active, Teen Driver automatically mutes the radio until front safety belts are fastened.  Additionally, the radio system's maximum volume can also be set to a lower level.  If the vehicle is equipped with active safety features like Forward Collision Alert, they are automatically turned On.  Parents can select a maximum speed (between 65-120 km/h), which, if exceeded, activates a visual warning and audible chime.

If equipped, these are the safety features that are automatically turned On and incapable of being manually turned off when Teen Driver is activated:

• Stability Control
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Forward Collision Alert
• Daytime Running Lamps / Automatic Light Control
• Forward Collision Braking
• Traction Control
• Front Pedestrian Braking

"The intent of the Teen Driver feature is to ensure that all drivers and passengers in the vehicle are safe," said Shane Peever, brand manager, Chevrolet Cars and Crossovers in Canada.  "The all-new 2016 Malibu will feature stunning design advanced connectivity and efficiency, in addition to innovative safety technologies."

Teen Driver is not a subscription-based service, so it remains with the vehicle permanently and will be standard on the Premier trim and optional on LT models if equipped with the Convenience Package and up-level radio.  The 2016 Malibu debuts at the New York Auto Show in early April and is expected to go on sale at the end of 2015.

CHEVY KEEPS TEASING NEXT CAMARO, 70 PERCENT OF PARTS UNIQUE TO IT

 

By Chris Bruce, Autoblog.com - Have no fear that the next-gen Camaro's switch to the Alpha platform is just going to make it a Cadillac ATS with a different look.  After a few recent teasers of the future pony car.  Chevy is finally dropping a few technical details, and they make the sixth Camaro sound even more intriguing.

Over 70 percent of the new Camaro's architectural components are unique to it and not shared with other General Motors vehicles.  In fact, the only two parts carrying over from the previous model are the brand's bow-tie emblem at the back and the SS badge.  The pony car uses a modified front structure to create a wider track and has changes to the front and rear suspension.  The interior and exterior dimensions are also altered compared to other Alpha vehicles.

Even the company's 6.2-liter LT1 V8 gets some tweaks.  Chevy claims that the mill is 20 percent different than other applications, including new tubular exhaust manifolds (pictured above).

The next Camaro makes its grand debut at a big party at Detroit's Belle Isle on May 16.

2016 Camaro is all-New from the Bowtie Up 70 percent of architectural components unique to the Gen 6 Camaro

DETROIT - The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro will be a truly all-new car - from the grille's bowtie to the rear spoiler.

In fact, only two parts carry over from the fifth-generation model: the bowtie emblem on the taillamp panel and the SS badge.

The Gen 6 Camaro is based on General Motors' award-winning Alpha architecture.  Designed to compete with premium European brands, Alpha offers exceptional driving dynamics and refinement, as well as a balance of mass and stiffness necessary for a world-class performance car.

"Our global engineering team is incredibly passionate about Camaro, and they sweated all the details to make Gen 6 the best Camaro we could possibly put into the hands of our customers," said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development.

"Alpha provided a strong foundation, but more than 70 percent of the components are unique to the Gen 6 Camaro, including exterior and interior dimensions, an all-new interior, front and rear suspension, and powertrain components," he said.  "The minute you see - and hear - the Gen 6, you know it's a Camaro, from the stance to the driving experience to the sound of the Small Block V-8."

From the strong Alpha foundation, the Camaro team made the most of every component to create a worthy successor for the Gen 5 Camaro, which has been America's best-selling performance car for five consecutive years.

The front structure, for example, was developed specifically for Camaro.  It is lengthened, to create the dash-to-axle ratio necessary for car's iconic profile, and widened to provide the desired track width for stable, confident cornering.  In addition, 20 percent of the 6.2L LT1 V-8 engine has been tailored to fit the Camaro's packaging, including new, tubular "tri-Y'-style exhaust manifolds.

Chevrolet will introduce the all-new, 2016 Camaro on Saturday, May 16, during a special public event at Detroit's Belle Isle park.

GM'S CHEVROLET INVESTS BIG IN CARBON OFFSETS

 

By Greg Gardner, Detroit Free Press - Ball State University in Muncie, Inc. is applying the new carbon-reduction methodologies and selling some of the carbon reductions from installing the largest geothermal system at a U.S. college.

General Motor's Chevrolet brand was the leading corporate purchaser of carbon offsets in 2012 and 2013, buying credits representing the reduction of 4.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in projects outside their own businesses, according to a report from an environmental research group.

The report by Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace tracks carbon offset activity by more than 250 global companies.  Forest Trends is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to maintain, restore and enhance forests.

By the end of this year, Chevrolet will have spent $40 million to purchase 8 million tons of carbon dioxide offsets, said David Tulauskas, GM director of sustainability.

The second largest purchaser was the bank Barclays (2.1 million metric tons), followed by Pacific Gas & Electric and Brazil-based Natura Cosmeticos (both at 1.4 million metric tons).

A carbon offset is a reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas made in order to compensate for an emission of carbon dioxide somewhere else.

Last fall Chevrolet launched a program with owners of 11,000 acres of North Dakota grasslands that will remain in production for cattle ranching because the automaker purchased offsets for 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Tulauskas said the idea of buying offsets came from a 2009 brainstorming session on how to make Chevrolet the industry's first carbon-neutral automaker.

"Our thoughts were that people who are interested in this probably were not buying Chevrolets at the time," Tulauskas said.  "Now it's part of what Chevrolet is."

While Chevrolet won't be completely carbon neutral, the initiative has built the brand's reputation among environmental organizations that track the offset market.

The most common type of offset project involves renewable energy, including wind farms, biomass energy or hydroelectric dams.

In one project, Portland State University in Oregon is selling carbon credits to Chevrolet to pay for sustainability projects.

Since 2013 more than 1,800 companies publicly disclosed climate change information to the CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Companies buying carbon offsets tend to be large emitters of greenhouse gases, but the report disputes the perception among some environmentalists that they are "buying their way out of the problem."

"Across all categories, offset buyers are more engaged in direct emissions reductions activities compared to companies that don't offset," the report stated.

Companies buying offsets spent $41 million in 2013 to make their buildings and processes more energy efficient, install low-carbon energy, switch to cleaner transportation and design more sustainable products, according to the report.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO MIDNIGHT EDITION

 

By General Motors, Oshawa - Chevrolet is taking black to the next level with the official launch of the Chevrolet Silverado Midnight Edition.

Available on a black Silverado Double Cab 2LT or Crew Cab 2LZ, the Midnight Edition add:

• An all-black front end with body-coloured grille, bumper, headlamp bezels, tow hooks and fog lamps;
• Black side mouldings and beltline mouldings;
• 18-inch black painted alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tires;
• Special Z71 badges on the doors;
• A spray-in bedliner (black, of course);
• And the finishing touches - black Chevrolet bowties front and rear.

The Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac All-Terrain is a workhorse tire for rugged off-road terrain - including snow - this tire is 3-Peak Snowflake rated for those regions that mandate winter tires.  The bold aggressive tread design is great for hard work off the beaten path but will require regular tire rotations.

The Midnight Edition includes off-road suspension, a locking rear differential, Hill Descent Control and a trailering package.  Midnight special editions also include rear park assist, heated power-adjusted outside rear-view mirrors, and they are available in any exterior paint colour, so long as it's black.

As a Silverado, Midnight Edition offers 4G LTE with Wi-Fi, Best in Class 5-Star Safety, Best in Class V8 Fuel Economy, Vincentric's Lowest Cost of Ownership, and Chevrolet Complete Care: the longest powertrain warranty in Canada, 2 years of complimentary oil changes, and 5 years of roadside assistance.

This special edition package provides a sinister appearance, with an MRSP of $2,295 on a Double Cab 2LT or $1,795 on a Crew Cab when ordering Midnight.

You will be able to order Midnight Edition by March 19th, and this limited 2015MY production run will ramp up soon after.

HEAD'S UP! CLEAN DISPLAYS HELP KEEP DRIVERS INFORMED

 

By General Motors, Detroit - In the days of wearable technology that connects you to the world around you, the automotive head-up display, or HUD, is a seasoned veteran.  General Motors pioneered the system decades ago, yet its design teams continue to refine both appearance and functionality to help reduce driver distraction.

"We know that keeping eyes on the road is critical to safe driving - and recent studies back this up," said Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM Global Vehicle Safety.  "Head-up displays can play an important role in maximizing 'eyes-on-the-road' time, and that's what we're striving for."

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's 100-car Naturalist study showed that the odds of a crash or near-crash more than doubled when a driver's eyes were off the road ahead for more than two seconds.  In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study that concluded that visual and manual distractions - such as dialing or texting on a handheld phone - increased between two and three times the risk of getting into a crash.

By projecting pertinent information onto the windshield and into the driver's line of sight, head-up display systems allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road ahead instead of glancing at gauge clusters, infotainment screens and other devices.  GM research shows drivers can spend 134 milliseconds shifting their gaze to a gauge cluster and back to the road.  At 110 km/h, a vehicle can travel 4 metres in that time, roughly the average length of a passenger car.

There's far more work involved with developing HUD systems than just creating hardware: careful attention is paid to how the display looks and how it interacts with both the driver and other systems within the car.

"We have to make smart decisions about what content goes into the HUD," said John Weiss, an interaction designer for HUD systems, "and how we can then present it to the driver in a manner that's easy to read and intuitive to use."

Simplified Screens

Today's head-up displays, offered on more than 30 percent of GM vehicles sold in North America, can provide far more information than the first production system introduced on the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.  To reduce clutter, drivers can select from screens that focus on navigation, audio information, a tachometer, or simply a speedometer.

"The HUD screens are tailored to the driver," said graphic designer William Thompson.  "We do lots of prototyping, where we mock up different arrangements or graphics and get feedback from users."

Fine Lines and Fonts
Compared to a gauge cluster or infotainment touchscreen, the head-up display space is constrained, forcing designers to work within a limited space.  Designers inherently "think small," but legibility restricts how far elements can be downsized.  Icons are simplified, and lines must be at least four pixels wide.  Fonts typically considered "grotesque," - meaning letters are distinct and discrete from one another - are used.

Choosing the Right Colours

The use of a full-colour screen allows designers more flexibility in selecting what colours to project.  Each hue in the display is carefully selected to ensure it projects well and appeals to the driver.

Real-world testing helped the design team finalize colour selections.  White - the brightest colour in the liquid crystal display, or LCD - is used for most fonts and displays.  Winter testing helped find a hue that didn't disappear against a snowy background.  "We've done quite a bit of legwork to see what colours work best on the road," said Weiss.  "Some colours might look good when viewed on a computer screen but appear quite different when projected on a windshield."

Simple Controls

Although the head-up display duplicates information shown elsewhere on the instrument panel, it doesn't require a second set of controls.  "You might have an incoming call notification pop up on both the gauge cluster's driver information centre and the head-up display," says Weiss, "but you don't have to dismiss each one separately.  We make sure the control interface on the steering wheel can interact with both displays."

In order to further reduce complication, HUD-specific controls largely focus on adjusting the screen's height and brightness to the driver's liking.

2016 CHEVY CAMARO COMING ON MAY 16

 

By Brandon Turkus, Autoblog.com - We officially have a date for the arrival of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro.  Fans of Chevy's Mustang fighter should look forward to May 16, and if they're in the Detroit area, they'll want to make their way down to Belle Isle, home of the Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit.

We still don't have a great deal of information on the new Camaro, aside from what's been gleaned in spy shots and the like, although Chevy's press release was accompanied by the image shown above.  That, friends, looks a lot like the Camaro's badge of old.  Its presence here could be an indication that an old logo is set to return to production.

That's because what Chevy is planning could best be described as a jamboree, or Camaro-palooza, if you prefer, rather than a typical unveiling.  Chevy is inviting up to 1,000 Camaro fans to descend on Belle Isle for a day-long event that will offer up a lot more than their first look at the sixth-generation muscle car.  Fans can hot lap the Belle Isle circuit from the passenger's seat of a new Z/28, check out a Camaro "museum", featuring "the most significant vehicles from the brand's history," and chat with some of the Camaro's designers and engineers.

"This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," Camaro marketing manager Todd Christensen said in a statement.  "This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro.  We wanted to share the moment with the customers and fans who have helped make Camaro both American's favorite performance car for the past five years, and a cultural icon since 1967."

We'll almost certainly be on hand for the debut (and you'll absolutely be able to get all the details here).  And as we said, if you happen to be in the Detroit area in mid May, you can register to attend the unveiling.  All you need to do is head over to Chevy's dedicated website for the sixth-generation Camaro and sign up for the big event, on Saturday, May 16.

Scroll down for the full press release.

2016 Camaro Drops Cover on May 16 in Detroit

DETROIT - Chevrolet is inviting fans to see the all-new 2016 Camaro on Saturday, May 16, in Detroit.  The sixth-generation Camaro will cap a day-long celebration on Belle Isle, the 982-acre island park that is home to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix May 29-31.

"This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager.  "This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro.  We wanted to share the moment with the customers and fans who have helped make Camaro both America's favorite performance car for the past five years, and a cultural icon since 1967."

Chevrolet expects approximately 1,000 people to attend the Camaro reveal, which will also include:

• A "Camaro Museum" display of the most significant vehicles from the brand's history
• Hot-lap rides in the 2015 Camaro Z/28 around the Belle Isle Grand Prix course
• Meet-and-greet opportunities with Camaro designers and engineers
• Camaro-only parking for owners

The event is free, however space is limited and registration is required.  Attendance will be allocated with priority given to fans who agree to bring their Camaros to Belle Isle.  For more information, or to register, please visit www.thecamarosix.com.

CHEVY REVEALS COLORADO Z71 TRAIL BOSS EDITION

 

 

By Chris Bruce, Autoblog.com - Chevrolet wants to make sure that if people are in the market for a midsize pickup, then there is a Colorado available to fit their desires.  For businesses, there's the recently unveiled box delet package and for those looking for a customized look, there's the GearOn Edition.  For the latest Z71 Trail Boss version, the automaker is going for folks planning to go off-road.

As the name suggests, all Trail Boss versions of the Colorado start with the already off-road-inlined Z71 trim level, including its 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 and six-speed automatic, and the package can be added to practically any body variant: extended or crew cab, long or short bed and rear- or four-wheel drive.  To set things apart, there's a locking rear differential, front tow hooks, darkened 17-inch wheels that are shod with Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires and on the four-wheel drive models, a transfer case shield.

For some extra style, the Colorado Trail Boxx wears black parts for the fender flares, side steps and Bowtie badges.  The bed also gets a spray-on liner and a few parts from the GearOn accessory catalog, including the tie-down rings, load bar and cargo divider.

The Trail Boss goes on sale in the spring, and to add all of this equipment to a Colorado, it costs $3,320 in addition to the price of any Z71 trim model.

Chevy Colorado Z71 Trail Boss Edition: On Point, Off Road

CLEVELAND - For those who want to blaze their own trails, Chevrolet introduces the 2015 Colorado Z71 Trail Boss edition today at the Cleveland Auto Show.

The Trail Boss combines the capability of Chevrolet's Z71 off-road truck suspension package with more aggressive tires and additional appearance enhancements.  It is offered in extended and crew cab configurations, with a choice of a long or short cargo bed and available 4WD.

The Trail Boss goes on sale this spring with a starting price of $28,505US plus the package price of $3,320US.

"The Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Trail Boss Edition is equally at home blazing on urban trail or following one to a favorite remote campground," said Tony Johnson, Colorado marketing manager.  "It gives owners the gear-carrying ability and versatility they need to venture off-road, with segment-leading efficiency and capability."

In addition to Chevy's proven off-road truck suspension package, the Colorado Z71 Trail Boss Edition features Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 265/65R17 all-terrain tires and 17-inch dark argent metallic painted cast-aluminum wheels: GearOn moveable cargo tie-down rings, load bar and cargo divider; with black fender flares and front and rear black Chevy bowtie logos.

Additional features include:

• G80 automatic locking rear differential
• Transfer case shield (on 4WD)
• Front recovery hooks
• Black, three-inch round rocker steps
• Spray-on bedliner
• Projector beam headlamps
• Front fog lamps
• All-weather floor mats with Z71 logo

The Trail Boss is the second Colorado special edition announced recently.  Last month, Chevrolet introduced the 2015 Colorado GearOn Special Edition, which blends the capability of the midsize pickup truck with the versatility of the GearOn accessory system - and additional popular features.  It also goes on sale this spring.

Colorado, the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year and Cars.com's Best Pickup Truck of 2015, offers the most horsepower and best highway efficiency in the segment, as well as the highest available trailering rating - 7,000 pounds (V-6 2WD) - and higher payload rating - 1,590 pounds (V-6 2WD).

A SPARK OF SOPHISTICATION

By General Motors, Oshawa, Ontario - The all-new 2016 Spark will debut on April 2 at the Seoul and New York auto shows, Chevrolet announced today.

A sleeker, more aerodynamic profile and a progressive take on Chevrolet's signature design cues will give the redesigned Spark a more sophisticated aesthetic that reflects the changing tastes of the global minicar market.

"The new Spark's design has evolved and grown up with the segment," said Michael Simcoe, GM International vice president of Design.  "The youthful whimsy of the original Spark is still in its genes, but it is conveyed in more traditional proportions that reinforce the customer's refined expectations."

Chevrolet has sold more than 1.1 million Sparks around the world since it went on sale as the Beat in India in late 2009.  Today, the Spark is available in 71 markets worldwide, selling the most in South Korea, followed by the United States and Mexico.

Spark is attracting younger and first-time new car buyers to Chevrolet with 26 percent being under the age of 35, and 35% reporting that Spark was their first new car.

GM CANADA FEBRUARY SALES UP 6 PER CENT

 

By General Motors, Oshawa - Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealers delivered 13,806 vehicles in February 2015, an increase of 6 per cent from February 2014.

"GM Canada's momentum is driven by strong customer demand for our Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles," says John Roth, vice president, sales, service and marketing.  "Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks led the charge in February with an increase of more than 44 per cent for the month, including strong sales of the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado, and GMC Sierra and Canyon.  In particular, the Colorado and Canyon in the midsize segment are attracting new customers to the Chevrolet and GMC showrooms with up to 40 per cent of new vehicle purchasers being new to the brands."

GM now offers customers 4G LTE technology on more than 30 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles, the largest deployment in the automotive industry.  4G offers mobile data speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G, allowing GM vehicles to act as Wi-Fi hot spots, allowing customers to connect up to 7 different devices.

February 2015 Sales Highlights

• Chevrolet total sales were up 3 per cent for the month driven by sales of the Silverado, Colorado, Tahoe and Suburban
• Buick ranks second among all brands in JD Power's 2015 Vehicle Dependability Study.  In February 2015, sales of the Buick Lacrosse had an increase of 27 per cent for the month
• GMC finished the month of February up 32 per cent in its 8th consecutive month of sales increases
• Cadillac XTS sales were up 32 per cent and Escalade sales were more than 300 per cent for the month

CHEVY PREVIEWS 2016 MALIBU AHEAD OF NEW YORK DEBUT

By Noah Joseph, Autoblog.com - With everything going on in Geneva this week, it would be all-too easy to forget that there's still stuff going on back home in America.  And the upcoming new Chevy Malibu is a prime example.

Chevrolet has announced that it is bringing an all-new Malibu to the New York Auto Show next month, teasing us with this preview image and a few enticing details.

For starters, when we say it's all new, this time we mean it's all new.  The next-generation Malibu has been built on a new platform that uses more high-strength steel to cut 300 pounds off the curb weight compared to the outgoing model.  It's also got a wheelbase that's almost four inches longer, with shorter overhangs front and rear and a roofline that tapers stylishly and more gradually towards the tail.

We'll have to wait a little longer - but not too much longer - to find out more, but in the meantime you can read what Chevy's telling us so far in the press release below.

Born Again: Next-Gen Chevrolet Malibu Announced

Larger, lighter and more efficient Malibu to be unveiled at New York Auto Show

Detroit - Designed to deliver more efficiency, connectivity and advanced safety features than ever, the next-generation 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will make its public debut at the New York International Auto Show this April.

Using a blank slate approach, Chevrolet designers benefited from an entirely new architecture, which for Malibu includes a wheelbase nearly four inches longer than the outgoing model.  That, in turn, provides increased rear legroom and interior space.

Due to a higher-strength steel structure, the new Malibu is also expected to be 300 pounds lighter than the current model, which benefits the sedan's fuel economy and handling.

"Malibu's gorgeous styling is the result of a masterful understanding of proportions," said Ed Welburn, General Motors' vice president of Global Design.  "The roofline has been stretched rearward giving a more sleek profile, while the front wheels have moved forward and front and rear overhangs have been reduced.  Along with the sculpted body side, these cues help Malibu appear more dynamic and sophisticated."

More details about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will be shared each week leading up to the vehicle's global debut.  The 2016 Malibu is expected to go on sale by the end of 2015.