Chevrolet Donates 50 Trucks to Red Cross for Storm Relief

DETROIT – Chevrolet today donated 50 Silverado full-size pickup trucks and Express cargo vans to the American Red Cross for use in relief and recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy and other storms buffeting the Eastern seaboard and nearby states.

“It is during disasters like this that we all need to pull together as a country and Chevrolet has a role in that,” said General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “Making these vehicles available quickly where they can do the most good is something we can do right now.”

GM’s OnStar subsidiary is also supporting the initiative by providing each of the donated vehicles with 300 OnStar Hands-Free Calling minutes of hands-free cellular and three months of its Directions and Connections plan which includes turn-by-turn navigation services. Service available via Advisor or by download. The trucks are being pulled from existing inventory at dealerships closest to where they are needed.

In addition to the vehicle donation, the GM Foundation earlier donated $250,000 to the Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, which enables the agency to be ready to provide immediate disaster relief anywhere in the country. The money is used to shelter, feed and meet emotional needs of disaster victims. The money also helps feed emergency workers, handle inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provide blood and blood products and help disaster victims access other available resources.

“The impact of Hurricane Sandy is being assessed up and down the East Coast and even further west, and the road to recovery will be long for many families,” said Neal Litvack, Chief Development Officer of the American Red Cross. “GM’s generous donation of vehicles and the GM Foundation’s donation of finances will help the American Red Cross to respond with shelter, food and care, aiding affected residents now and after the storm, as they move toward recovery,”

Anyone interested in providing support to hurricane victims are encouraged to visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a donation.

Chevrolet Performance Takes Many Forms at SEMA Show

DETROIT – From stylized mini cars to drag strip-conquering muscle cars, Chevrolet will show its broadest-ever range of performance and personalization choices at the 2012 SEMA Show. The annual automotive aftermarket extravaganza kicks off Oct. 30.

Last week, Chevrolet previewed a squadron of small-car concepts debuting at the event, while performance-oriented visions of the new Malibu Turbo and the forthcoming 2014 Impala will also be on hand. Chevy’s display wouldn’t be complete without a few Corvette and Camaro concepts, but their details are being kept under wraps until the show opens.

“At Chevrolet, performance comes in many different forms that appeal to many different customers – and that’s exactly what we demonstrate at the SEMA Show,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “We play close attention to the reaction our concepts receive, because the feedback helps determine the viability for producing new accessories and even special-edition production vehicles.”

Chevrolet is taking its popular Shop Talk garage experience display to a higher level this year, too. Building on the success of the engine-building demonstrations last year, the new Shop Talk display will offer four “bays” of activities:

• Crate Powertrain Systems – Chevrolet Performance’s engines, transmissions and controllers are featured, along with a crate powertrain system installed on the open chassis of a 1988 Monte Carlo SS.
• Chevrolet Performance Parts and Accessories – Displays of new Camaro ZL1- and 1LE-based upgrade kits, along with exterior and interior enhancements are on hand, with installation demonstrations performed on a Camaro SS throughout the event.
• Sonic Personalization Installation – Chevrolet Performance brakes, suspension components and wheels, along with Z-Spec accessories, will be demonstrated with live installation sessions on an Inferno Orange Metallic Sonic.
• Build Your Own Crate Engine – The assembly procedures for a supercharged LS9 crate engine will be demonstrated, showing the steps customers take when they purchase the Build Your Own Crate Engine option with an LS7 or LS9 engine from Chevrolet Performance.

“Chevrolet Performance is the direct line from the factory for performance and personalization parts and the SEMA Show gives us the chance to show everything our engineers have been working on,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “From Sonic to Cruze, to Camaro, Corvette and Silverado, we offer more parts and accessories than anyone in the aftermarket.”
Chevrolet Performance’s range includes E-Rod emissions-compliant crate engines, which have received Executive Order numbers from California Air Resources Board – making them legal for installation in more than 20 million pre-1996 vehicles in California.
Malibu Turbo Performance Concept
With its new 2.0L turbocharged engine producing 20 pounds of boost – to generate 259 horsepower – the 2013 Malibu Turbo can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. That makes it the fastest Malibu ever from Chevrolet.
Designers and engineers gave the Malibu Turbo Performance Concept an aggressive edge, with a blend of high-performance and upscale appointments inside and out, wrapping them in Berlin Blue Tricoat exterior paint and a Jet Black/Navy Blue interior. It’s only a vision of where the Malibu Turbo production model could go, but those designers and engineers will be listening to the reaction it elicits in Vegas. The concept’s unique elements include:

• Ground effects package, including front splitter, rockers and rear diffuser, accented in Heroic Blue
• Custom lower grille and fog lamp grilles
• Black ice-tinted chrome accents
• Blaze Red-painted fog lamp bezels and inner exhaust bezels
• Black-painted mesh grille inserts, fog lamp grilles, window surround moldings and wheel center caps
• Clear tail lamp lenses
• Unique “Turbo” badges
• New 20x8.5-inch aluminum wheels in Night Rider chrome
• Pirelli PZero 255/35ZR20 tires
• RECARO sport seats trimmed in Jet Black leather and Navy Blue suede, with red accent stitching
• Jet Black leather and Navy Blue suede-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, door panels and instrument panel
• Navy Blue suede-wrapped shift boot
• Dark Argent and black chrome trim plates.

Complementing the turbocharged powertrain is a Chevrolet Performance concept HiPer Strut front suspension and rear springs, concept six-piston front brake calipers used with two-piece cross-drilled rotors and a concept cold-air intake system to help the force-inducted engine draw cooler, denser air, which can help it make more power.
2014 Impala Concept
The all-new 2014 Impala – Chevrolet’s flagship full-size sedan – was redesigned to deliver greater style, refinement and technology. A personalized vision of the new Impala will be shown at the SEMA Show, featuring a red exterior and black leather interior along with Black Ice-tinted chrome accents, refinished exterior trim and refinished 20-inch wheels.
The Impala goes on sale in early 2013 as the 10th generation of one of the industry’s most enduring – and popular – nameplates. Production highlights include:

• All-new exterior design with a sleek proportion, sculpted body sides, active grille shutters, standard 18-inch wheels and projector-beam headlamps – high-intensity discharge headlamps and LED daytime running lamps standard on LTZ models
• A choice of one of three powertrains engineered to deliver performance and efficiency
• All-new interior with flowing design and integrated center stack that incorporates an available eight-inch touch screen display with Chevrolet MyLink
• Roomier feel with more front and rear legroom and generous storage compartments
• Quieter environment with a greater emphasis on comfort – including active noise cancelation with four-cylinder powertrains
• 360 degrees of active safety features include 10 standard airbags and OnStar, along with available features such as full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, rear camera and rear-park assist.

Impala was America’s best-selling full-size sedan in 2011 with sales of more than 171,000, which earned it a place among the year’s 10 best-selling cars overall, along with Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze.
Small-car contingent
Chevrolet explores the wilder side of its mini, small and compact cars at the SEMA Show this year, with a stable of stylized Spark, Sonic and Cruze concepts. The cars demonstrate the possibilities for customers who want a more personalized driving experience. They include:

• Spark Z-Spec – It demonstrates a cohesive and branded package of enhancements drawn from accessories already available through Chevrolet dealers – giving the cheeky Spark a definite attitude.
• Spark Sinister – The aggressive-looking concept blends rally-inspired exterior cues with a black appearance for a night-racing aesthetic that looks at home in the shadows of a city’s industrial district.
• Sonic Z-Spec 1 – This performance-oriented vision of the Sonic sedan blends the Z-Spec aesthetic with a more capable driving experience, including a power-enhancing exhaust system and upgraded brakes. The capability is matched with street-smart good looks and decked out in a custom Synergy Green exterior color.
• Sonic Z-Spec 2.5 – A tuner-inspired concept with the performance to back up its aggressive stance, the Sonic Z-Spec 2.5 sedan shows what’s attainable with Chevrolet Performance and Chevrolet Accessories parts, along with select aftermarket components and a dash of color.
• Cruze Upscale – The compact sedan moves up a few rungs on the luxury ladder with a Burnished Brandy Metallic exterior and unique exterior appointments. Inside is a brown leather-trimmed interior. This is a Cruze that exudes comfort, taste and style.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Chevrolet Delivers Eighth Straight Quarter of Record Sales

DETROIT – Chevrolet sold more than 1.25 million vehicles worldwide in the third quarter of 2012, a 3.1 percent increase over last year’s record-setting third quarter and the eighth consecutive quarter of record sales. Chevrolet’s growth around the world continues to outpace other mainstream automotive brands.
“Chevrolet is connecting with more consumers around the world thanks to the strongest product lineup in the brand’s history,” said Chris Perry, Chevrolet vice president of global marketing. “Chevrolet will continue to build on this momentum by introducing 25 new products around the world in 2013.”
The Cruze continues to be the best-selling Chevrolet nameplate with more than 550,000 sold so far this year and more than 1.65 million sold since the car was launched. Sales of the Spark mini car, Aveo/Sonic small car and 2013 Malibu mid-size sedan are rising as more vehicles become available in dealer showrooms. The launch of the Colorado mid-size truck in Thailand has propelled the brand to monthly sales far exceeding the brand’s total in-country sales in 2011.
Chevrolet posted sales increases over the third quarter of last year in all of its top five markets including:

• The United States – 458,721 vehicles, an increase of 2.1 percent, led by record sales of passenger cars including best-ever monthly sales for Volt, Cruze, Sonic and Spark.
• China – 152,328 units, an increase of 3.7 percent.
• Brazil – 182,906 sales, up 13.5 percent. The brand will introduce the all-new Onix, a small hatchback that will offer consumers easy-to-use connectivity through Chevrolet MyLink, at the Sao Paulo Auto Show next week.
• Russia – 58,453 sales, up 28.8 percent. Momentum continues to build with the launch of seven new products for the region next year.
• In Mexico, Chevrolet sold 43,852 vehicles in the quarter, an increase of 12.9 percent.

Chevrolet will continue its product transformation in the United States with the launches of 13 new or significantly updated models in 2013 including the all-new Impala, all-new Silverado light-duty pickups and the all-new SS rear-wheel drive performance sedan. The brand will also begin launching the all-new Trax small sport-utility vehicle around the world in the fourth quarter. The launch of the Trailblazer mid-size SUV and Colorado mid-size truck in Thailand and other markets continues; and the Spin multi-purpose vehicle will go on sale early next year in Southeast Asia and Brazil, where the Onix small-hatchback goes on sale later this year.
Chevrolet, traditionally an American brand, today records more than 60 percent of its sales outside the U.S. market.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

HSV testing supercharged V8... could Chevy SS performance model get Camaro ZL1 power?

Chevrolet isn't hiding the fact that a new rear-wheel-drive performance sedan – called the SS and seen in full checkered-flag regalia above – is on its way to US shores, courtesy of GM's Australian division. Past its eventual existence, though, we've been kept in the dark. How much will the SS cost? Who, exactly, will it be marketed to? And, perhaps most importantly, what will power the 2014 Chevy SS?

As we all know, General Motors has a cornucopia of engine choices at its disposal, from standard four-cylinder engines to turbocharged four- and six-cylinder units and, of course, the classic V8. Not surprisingly, it's the upper-end of the V8 spectrum we're most curious about. According to the Aussie scribes at GoAuto.com, the SS may be getting the same rockin' and rollin' supercharged mill that so ably (over)powers the Camaro ZL1. Yes, please.

Backing up GoAuto's assertion are some engineering mules being tested by Holden that reportedly have the tell-tale whine of a supercharger underhood. Considering that both the SS and Camaro will be sharing the same basic Zeta underpinnings, the addition of the stupid-powerful V8 seems distinctly possible. Let's hope.

Climatic Wind Tunnel Puts All-New Malibu Turbo to the Test

DETROIT – Neither snow nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night kept product development engineers from swift completion of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo, arriving this month. The location for all of this torture testing? General Motors’ Climatic Wind Tunnel in Warren, Mich., where all Chevrolet vehicles take on the elements.

On the hottest days of summer, Malibu Turbo, which starts at $27,710, withstood blizzard and hurricane conditions inside the wind tunnel, where the temperature can replicate 40 below zero and the wind can blow 150 mph. Even on the coldest nights of winter, the tunnel’s temperature can easily climb to 140 degrees under 1,155 watts per square meter of simulated sunshine.

At this state-of-the-art facility, engineers take vehicle development and validation testing to the extremes, subjecting powertrain cooling, cabin heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to the harshest weather conditions found from Death Valley, Calif., and Denali, Alaska.

The wind tunnel also simulates driving actual roads with real-world weight burdens, such as hauling a fully loaded trailer up a steep incline by applying resistance through the wheels of the tunnel’s dynamometer, a tool that also allows simulated driving speeds of up to 155 mph.

“Testing in the Climatic Wind Tunnel reduces the need to travel to remote locations, which helps save time and money,” said Ben Cruz, GM engineering group manager for thermal testing at the Climatic Wind Tunnel. “Tunnel testing also minimizes the safety risks and traffic interactions associated with testing on public roads, and because the conditions are repeatable, we’re not limited by the whims of Mother Nature.”

Engineers used the tunnel’s blizzard-making capability to test Malibu Turbo’s air induction system, which is designed to prevent snow from clogging the vehicle’s air cleaning system. The system’s torturous path of multiple barriers blocks water molecules while allowing air to flow freely for engine combustion.

Malibu Turbo’s powertrain cooling system was developed in the tunnel and attuned to the car’s specific powertrain heat outputs and airflow characteristics to provide optimal performance even in extreme heat and cold. The system is designed to allow wide open throttle acceleration at egg-frying Death Valley temperatures, and has been validated in that desert location.

Malibu Turbo’s occupant comfort is just as important when the going gets hot. The car’s air conditioning system was tested against tunnel simulations of the high heat and humidity found along the Gulf Coast. This torture test helps ensure that Malibu Turbo’s all-new 2.0L engine delivers the rapid cool-down performance expected of a turbocharged power plant.

Climatic torture testing helps Chevrolet deliver improved quality and durability. Malibu topped the midsize sedan category in a recent third-party quality study, due in part to development work done at the Climatic Wind Tunnel.

“The new Malibu turbo was designed with the things that matter to our customers in mind, like starting on cold mornings and not overheating on hot summer days,” said Jeremy Loveday, Malibu turbo’s program engineering manager. “The Climatic Wind Tunnel helped us place the Malibu turbo in extreme conditions – if the car survives there, then it’ll perform extremely well when customers have them.”

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Chevrolet Engineer Wins Back-to-Back National Championships at SCCA Runoffs

DETROIT – At the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, John M. Buttermore, Chevrolet Sonic Lead Development Engineer, won the Touring 1 Class gold medal in a Chevrolet Corvette in Elkhart, Wis. on Sept. 21. This is Buttermore’s sixth year earning a medal in Touring 1 at the Runoffs.

Buttermore races a current generation Corvette C6 updated with the Grand Sport body work. The car is powered by a stock 6.2L LS3 V-8 engine mated to a production six-speed transmission and differential.

“This was a big effort. The Touring 1 class is the playground for street car-based, extremely high performance vehicles,” said Buttermore. “The Corvette is the best car on and off the track. Even the exhaust manifolds are stock; we just put on an unmuffled exhaust, recalibrated the engine for racing fuel, added some auxiliary coolers and it was race ready."

As lead development engineer for the Chevrolet Sonic, the only subcompact made in America, Buttermore amped up the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS with a performance-oriented driving experience and aggressive exterior and interior features matched with a 1.4L turbo engine that delivers 138 horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm).

“My passion is racing and I put that same drive into tuning Sonic, especially with our new RS variant,” said Buttermore. "With the RS, we updated the suspension tune, brakes, final-drive ratio, manual trans-mission gear ratios and ride height to create a sporty ride."

Racing became a serious pursuit for Buttermore at Waterford Hills Raceway in suburban Detroit during college. In 2004, he joined the SCCA National Circuit with a new Cadillac CTS-V in the Touring 2 class. Ten years after entering racing school at Road America, he returned with his CTS-V, broke the track record and eventually moved to the Touring 1 Class racing a Corvette.

To learn more about the all-new Sonic, visit the Chevy Sonic Facebook page; follow on Twitter at@ChevyLife or check out letsdothis.com.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Front Bench Takes a Back Seat

DETROIT – When the 2014 Chevrolet Impala arrives next year it will put to rest a fixture of automobiles since the days of the horseless carriage – the front bench seat. The outgoing Impala is the last passenger car in production in North America to offer three-across front seating, an option that that ends with the introduction of Chevy’s redesigned flagship sedan.

The passing of the front bench seat into automotive history is expected to transpire without notice from many car buyers. Only one in 10 Impala buyers chose the $195 option last year on the LS and LT models. For many of today’s car buyers, front bucket seats are the norm – a trend that General Motors designers expect will continue.

“A lot of people prefer bucket seats because they’re sporty, even in models that aren’t sports cars,” said Clay Dean, GM director of design. “Our customers also appreciate having the center console as a convenient place to store their phone and other personal items.”

The first Chevrolet ever manufactured, the Series C Classic Six of 1911, featured a front bench seat. Chevrolet will continue to offer bench seats on pickup trucks and sport utilities.

The need for six-passenger sedans is largely being met today by SUVs or crossovers, such as the Chevrolet Suburban and Traverse, which offer seating for up to eight.

“There is certain nostalgia for bench seats, like being able to snuggle up with your date at a drive-in movie, and some customers still like them,” Dean said. “You never know, we might see bench seats re-emerge someday, possibly in very small cars like the EN-V urban mobility concept vehicle, in which the feeling of open space may be very desirable.”

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com