General Motors is rightfully proud of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and here are a few reasons why…
Programmable liftgate on 2010 Equinox
2010 Equinox front seat features
2010 Equinox rear seat features
Archive for the 'chevrolet' Category
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2010 Chevrolet Equinox Features
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Win a Chevrolet Camaro (1/31/10)
I just saw a black Camaro on the road today with its halo rings lit up: Show car looks, truly bad ass. I was quite taken with the Camaro in my review of a 2010 1LT RS model, now here is your chance to win a Camaro for yourself.
Click here to enter.
Imagine a regular trip to the outlet mall but with the added chance to do some car shopping. Chevrolet employees from Flint, Michigan brought some 2010 Camaros to the parking lot at a Birch Run, Michigan mall and offered shoppers a chance to take a test drive. You can view the event in the video embedded below.
While I had a 2010 Camaro in my care, I was able to give the Camaro a bath and take some tasteful photographs. Please check out this linked slideshow for the results and this linked slideshow for some interior photos.
Anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control: GM engineer Mike Rizzo give you the 411 on these standard safety features on the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox.
Chevy Cruze and its vehicle line director Chuck Russell
Chevrolet offered members of the media a sneak preview of its North American International Auto Show yesterday and while information from that event is embargoed, Chevrolet PR revealed plenty via its Twitter account.
Here are some of Chevrolet’s tweets:
Camaro Convertible just shown to journalists! Looks great. Red Jewel color. Top down. Can’t wait till 2011!
Next gen Aveo just unveiled! Larger than current Aveo and definitely more dynamic design.
From Mike Simcoe, head Chevy designer:” Next gen Aveo is no longer an econobox. It’s a performance car.”
Now showing the production version of the Chevy Orlando. We’re looking forward to it.
Chevy Orlando to seat seven people! Not a minivan though.
And for the grand finale…the next Malibu. Wait till you see this car!
You might notice that in all of those tweets, there was nary a mention of a truck. Part of that obviously has to do with the fact that there are no truck introductions in the near future, but also that the tide is turning and trucks will be deemphasized as Chevrolet focuses on smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.
Chevrolet certainly does have a bumper crop of small cars headed our way. Many of us recall driving around in a rental Cavalier, with the Cruze on deck General Motors would like to take a memory eraser, not unlike the kind used in the movie Men In Black and make you forget everything you know about Chevrolet small cars. Whereas previous domestic small car entries from the General might have been bunts or base hits, the Cruze promises to be a triple if not a home run. Take, for example, the airbag count on the Cruze: It stands at ten. Many luxury cars crow about seven or eight airbags, few can claim a number so lofty as ten. Look at the Cruze’s interior, for another case in point: It is no low-buck affair with a nice interplay of various materials and shapes that would have heretofore been the domain of more expensive German models. You can view more pictures of the Chevrolet Cruze that I took at the Los Angeles Auto Show in this linked slideshow.
The next Aveo, as mentioned in the above tweet, is also looking for a fresh start as a sportier, more stylish entry. The Aveo’s Gamma II platform will also spawn a GMC model, said to be a Scion xB-like design, which has been previewed to some outsiders already, and a mini-Enclave model for Buick, which I was shown at the Buick Regal debut in Hollywood. In addition, look for Chevrolet to also get several body Gamma II variants in addition to the Aveo. This news comes from former Chevrolet General Manager Brent Dewar who I interviewed at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. GM Inside News suggests that the mystery Gamma II model for Chevrolet may be Mazda5-like in its design. With the Aveo shifting around a bit in the lineup, room will be made for the forthcoming Chevrolet Spark mini-car. The well received HHR will be replaced by the Chevrolet Orlando which will offer seven seater capacity.
When it comes to the next Chevrolet Malibu, those who have seen the car have raved that it is a very impressive design. In an interview with Automotive News, General Motor’s Bob Lutz told the publication that the next generation Malibu, which will arrive in about two years time, will have an overall length that will be slightly shorter than the current model, but that interior space will be larger.
Despite the recent management upheaval at General Motors, its resurgent product should be able to keep the lights shining brightly at the company’s headquarters for many years to come. It is disappointing that so many changes are occurring around the critical start of the auto show season, not the least of which was Los Angeles Auto Show keynote speaker, former GM CEO Fritz Henderson getting the boot one day before his LA show address, forcing GM employees to scramble around at the last minute. Such events distract the media from the what should be the main focus: General Motors is producing some of the best products in the company’s history.
2010 Camaro Transformers special edition (courtesy:gm)
I can only hope that when I am 101 years old, I will buy able to walk into a car dealership and buy a hot sports car inspired by a movie popular with kids less that 1/5th my age.
That is exactly what Virgil Coffman did when he popped for a retina searing yellow, Transformers Edition Camaro at a Decatur, Illinois dealership.
I have to admit, when I first heard about this guy I immediately thought of Sally O’Malley, “I’m fifty…Fifty years old.” By Virgil’s standards, Sally is just a kid. Great pick, Virgil, I hope you enjoy your ride, I certainly enjoyed my time in one! Hear what Virgil has to say about the Camaro in the video embedded below.
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2005 Toyota Wish (courtesy wikipedia user Mytho88)
When it comes to the current crop of American minivans, there is very little that is actually “mini” about them. In the land where the recliner is king, the workhorse people haulers have morphed into front wheel drive versions of the rear wheel drive mastodons they replaced. The 2011 model year will offer a clean slate of new offerings from the Japanese, but with the exception of perhaps the next Nissan Quest, Honda and Toyota vans will likely keep their current stout stature.
Chrysler has abandoned the short wheelbase minivan segment, leaving the Dodge Journey to pickup the slack, but I have a feeling that may change when Fiat announces its future plans for its American offerings. I expect to see a smaller van/people hauler slot below the Chrysler Town and County and Dodge Grand Caravan based off of Fiat underpinnings.
Currently, if you want a smaller people shuttle, you have to look to the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo. That will be changing in the very near feature. Chevrolet will be replacing its HHR with the Orlando and Ford will be offering its Ford Grand C-Max. Honda has continually teased us with its Honda Stream and while Toyota has given no hints, how far off could the Toyota Wish be? General Motors will also be offering a Chevrolet Aveo (Gamma) based people mover as well. In speaking with a Buick designer at a recent event, the designer mentioned that the “Baby Enclave” Gamma-based vehicle is deceiving in that its exterior size is quite small but its interior dimensions are quite large.
Over the next few years, when it comes to people movers, small may be the new big!
For more info: Information for this report comes from Automotive News and previous articles written by this author.
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Front clip of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro looks mean
This is Part II of my 2010 Camaro review, to read Part I please click here.
The outside of the 2010 Camaro has had me smitten since the first time I laid eyes on the Camaro concept. It was the interior that always gave me pause. I just felt the pods for speedo and tach didn’t make for a great place to while away the hours on the road. I was pleasantly surprised when I got behind the wheel and started up the Camaro: I did not mind the interior, in fact, I rather liked it. The gauges seem to fit the mood of the car and the gunslit visibility adds to the ambiance. Of course, until you are well aware of the car’s dimensions, it is a bit of a chore to maneuver in close quarters. The Camaro could certainly benefit from some parking sensors and a rearview camera.
View a slideshow of the 2010 Camaro’s interior by clicking here. Part I of this series featured a slideshow of exterior shots, you can view them by clicking here.
My 1986 model was a hatch and it really came in handy when the Camaro was used for more than hauling butt. This 2010 model has a trunk with a narrow opening and that really limits its usefulness. I used the Camaro to run some errands: Returning stuff to Bed, Bath & Beyond, taking the vacuum cleaner in for repairs, etc. and it was a real game of Tetris to get the goods into the trunk. For me this would severely impact the day to day usefulness of the car as I do haul around a lot of crap. Is it a big deal for many buyers? Probably not. The issue is that the Camaro is darn tractable that it lulls you into the sense that it could be used as your only car. If you don’t carry rear seat passengers often, can live with the smallish trunk and visibility issues, you really don’t have to make a lot of excuses: The Camaro is comfortable to ride in, has decent fuel economy and yet it makes you want to forget things at the grocery store so that you can take another drive.
I played around on the always entertaining Skyline (35), zipping up Page Mill the shooting down Highway 92 and then back again on 35 checking out side roads. Whenever I came up a slower car, the Camaro easily rocketed from 40 to 60MPH for a comfortable passing maneuver.
The model I test drove was a 2010 Camaro 1LT Coupe. The base price was $23,880 and on top of that were several packages:
$655 Convenience and Connectivity: Bluetooth for phone, wireless PDIM, USB port, steering wheel mounted audio controls, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather wrapped shift knob, cargo convenience net, and remote vehicle starter system.
Do not leave home without this package! The Bluetooth integration is super smooth and iPod are easily controlled. The only thing missing is a leather wrapped emergency brake handle. The rubber cover is squishy and feels cheap. Since your hand will frequently rest on it, this touch point should be beefed up. GM should boost the price of this package by $300 or so and put a backup camera screen in the in the rear view mirror, it can be a real bear to back out of your driveway.
$1,750 RS Package: 20” painted aluminum wheels, body color roof ditch molding, headlamps with high intensity discharge with halo ring, rear spoiler, and RS unique tail lamps. You might be a bit concerned by 20” wheels, but the Camaro can handle it without beating you up and the 20s do look great, but the standard 18” wheels will obviously treat you to a better ride and cheaper replacement tires. Do you need this package? No, the RS is something you could skip, but chances are you’ll get back a good portion of your investment when it comes time for resale, besides, how many times in your life are you going to buy a Camaro?
$900 Sunroof: This is another one of those optional items that I have mixed feelings about. Because of the small window openings, the interior can be quite dark, but leaving the shade on the sunroof open caused the car to really heat up. You can skip this option without much regret.
$995 6-Speed Automatic: Your call on this one.
$750 Polished Aluminum wheels: If the 20” rims silver paint isn’t enough flash, then you can pay $750 to skip the finish and go with a polish instead.
Obviously, you don’t “need” this one as the silver wheels are just fine.
There were no other options missing that I regard as must haves. The total on the car was $29,400 once shipping charge of $750 was added in. As pointed out above, you could shave over $3,000 in options off the tab and still have a fine sports car.
At the beginning of this review, I asked if you could relive your youth. The answer is unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your younger years, the answer is no. Neither the 2010 Camaro nor I are anything like our 1986 editions. For the Camaro, that is a good thing as the car is a truly well screwed together, nicely designed vehicle that could legitimately be used as an all purpose, all season car. For me, the life of a family man has taken over my days and nights. On one of the last evenings I had with the Camaro, I took it up onto Skyline and was zipping along, taking in the sights and sounds of the twilight hours. I came up behind a slower moving Toyota minivan, the same color and model year as my own. In a strange moment of role reversal, I was my younger self again: Cursing at the plodding family truckster as I impatiently waited for a passing opportunity. However, while I cooled my heals, I began thinking about my own family. If that was us in the van, Thomas the Train would probably be playing on the video monitor. Maybe we’d all be singing a song or telling a joke. For a second I was a bit sad that I wasn’t with my wife and kids at that moment. Shortly thereafter the broken yellow line appeared in my favor and I punched the throttle. The Sienna was quickly a mere twinkle in my rear view mirror. I might not have have regained my youth, but I’m older now and I have more insurance.
Test drive highs: Handles, brakes and rides like a cohesive package. Solidly constructed. Good fuel economy. Modern amenities such as Bluetooth. Priced right.
Test drive lows: Rearward visibility. It’s a big car and visibility issues make it feel even bigger. Seatbelt cut into my neck. Interior plastics on the cheap side. Trunk is for light duty only.
Summary: If you recognize and accept its (few) limitations, the 2010 Camaro represents an excellent value.
For more info: Visit Chevrolet’s website.
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Camaro by Crystal Springs Reservoir
I was fortunate to own a Chevrolet Camaro in my youth. That gray 1986 model covered a large span of my early adult years: The end of high school, college, my first “real job” job after I graduated and the purchase of my house. When I saw the concept Camaro that foretold this 2010 model, I was impressed. It was a nice mixture of old school with a bit of modern design aesthetic mixed in for good measure.
The 2010 Camaro model GM provided for this test was a V6, automatic, 1LT RS model. Certainly my druthers would have been for a V8, but the 304HP V6 acquitted itself nicely. The six does not shove you around like a monster V8 might, but the Camaro will never leave you embarrassed at the light or sweating out a passing a slower car. During my time with the Camaro, fuel economy averaged in the low twenties. While that certainly isn’t the 29MPG highway plastered on the window sticker, it was the result of my lead foot and hilly test routes. Put this baby out on I-5 and I have no doubt that it will obtain the stated fuel economy.
While it was in my care, I was able to give the Camaro a bath and take some tasteful photographs (a line that never worked that well on my college girlfriends). Please check out the slideshow below this article to see the results!
If you would have told anyone back in the late eighties or early nineties that you had purchased an automatic, V6 Camaro, well they would have formed certain opinions of your automotive credibility that may not have been favorable. Time has moved on and that V6 now packs 304HP and the transmission sports six speeds and crisp shifting. Sure there were times where I caught the transmission trying to save fuel at the cost of engine droning, but I was never that annoyed. What was annoying were the buttons on the back of the steering wheel for controlling the sport mode. At first I thought the paddles on the steering wheel were there for that purpose, but they are merely to show you which is the upshift button and which is the downshift button while the paddles themselves are immovable. I pretty much skipped using this “feature” and let the transmission sort things out on its own.
When you look at the equipment levels, you might be fooled into thinking that because you don’t have the SS’s Brembos, this Camaro’s stopping distances would suffer. That is not the case as I learned during some testing of the brakes on a lonely freeway off ramp. After I removed my eyeballs from the windshield and put them back in their sockets, I made notes in my logbook that braking was “more than adequate” in jittery handwriting.
Ride and handling were very good. While the 20” wheels did add some “character” on rougher roads, I’ve suffered far worse on other cars equipped with dubs. The Camaro handled flat and steering heft was good. If the steering wheel told me a little more about the road surface, that would be even better, but after numerous conversations with vehicle engineers at launch events, most consumers don’t seem want that level of feedback. Overall the Camaro’s weight, size and rigidity endow it with a very safe, large car feeling.
Please join me for Part II of this review where I discuss the Camaro’s interior, the option packages on this particular car, the loss of my youth and your local weather forecast (okay, maybe I’ll leave that part out).
For more info: Visit Chevrolet’s website.
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Chevrolet Spark at its 2009 debut in Geneva (GM)
General Motors is offering select bloggers a very broad ranging tease of forthcoming vehicles. The event is tied to the ‘230’ event that GM has scheduled for tomorrow, August 11.
What exactly are people seeing? Well, unfortunately yours truly was not invited to the event, so it’s off to Twitter for the latest and greatest in updates.
View this slideshow for images of GM’s latest and greatest.
2012 Chevrolet Malibu: Folks who have seen it say it looks much better than the current and sports a very nice interior. Given that the current model was a huge leap from its predecessor and how good the Buick LaCrosse looks, one can only imagine how tasty this morsel will be.
2011 Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Spark: The Aveo could use a serious refresh and the Spark will be a new entry for Chevrolet here in the US. We know about the Spark, but the Aveo redesign is newsworthy. Without seeing it, it’s hard to tell how much of the gushing we read on Twitter is the free champagne talking.
Visitors are also being shows a pre-production Chevrolet Volt to help dismiss the moon landing conspiracy theorists who say the car isn’t real.
Cadillac is showing its wares as well. In addition to a mock up of the DTS/CTS replacement tentatively called the XTS, bloggers are being shown a sub-CTS model along the lines of the long discussed Alpha project called ATS. Would this actually be the Alpha project or something lower cost?
Buick is also joining the game. First up was a rebadged, slightly tweaked Saturn Vue. Think mini-Enclave. More than likely, journos were also shown the Opel Insigna rebadge as a Buick Regal that should go on sale next year here in the states. Also on tap was the next generation Saturn Astra which will now be a Buick here in the States.
GMC also had a concept on display that was a “blend of old and new” according to one Twitterer.
A quick chat about the event with GM’s Director of Global Social Media, Christopher Barger, revealed that tomorrow’s “Will offer a sneak peek, but will only feature a few of the vehicles on display today.” From what this author has read elsewhere, the new Buick crossover and the Caddilac XTS will probably be the models shown.
If you read accounts of this event on various automotive blogs, there is a mixture of excitement about new product with a touch jealousy that traditional journalists did not get the scoop first. How did GM come up with the list of invitees? I posed that question to Mr. Barger. According to Christopher, the group of the people invited today were people that GM has “met” on Twitter, a few were consumers who wrote in to “Tell Fritz,” some were moms GM invited off of moms’ message boards. Other invitees were college radio DJs or station managers. The idea was to go as “real people” as GM could. Today the concept was CONSUMER first.
Traditional media will get the same tour tomorrow, but as previously noted the webcast available to the rest of us will not include as much material.
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