Chevy Club Blog

2012 Z28

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Chevrolet’s Cruze is almost here, and I got a first look at it last week. I wasn’t able to drive it, but I was able to get a peek at it.
The Cruze is the replacement for the outgoing Cobalt compact car, and it has already been on sale in Europe for quite some time.

The American version will be offered in three trims: LS, LT, and LTZ. An fuel-efficient “Eco” model will also be available.

There will be two engine choices, an Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and an Ecotec 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder. Both engines make 138 horsepower, but the turbo will have 148 lb-ft of torque compared to the 125 lb-ft torque of the 1.8 liter.
Transmission choices come down to a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic.

A MacPherson strut front suspension and Z-link rear suspension will be under the Cruze’s skin, and 16-, 17-, and 18-inch wheels will be available.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Safety features will include an antiskid system, ABS, and traction control.

Other news of note? The Cruze will have ten standard airbags, an available wireless cell phone link, an available USB port, and an available navigation system. Satellite radio and GM’s OnStar service will also be available. In order to save fuel, the Cruze will have an electric power-steering rack.

Those are the basic details. Without being able to drive the car, there’s not a ton to report, other than that the Cruze looks good in person–a bit plain, but handsome–and the interior is much better than that of the Cobalt. Also, the trunk appears to be quite large for a compact car.

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2011 Z06

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 gets a host of upgrades for the 2011 model year, including a new tuned exhaust, improved Goodyear F1 Supercar run-flat tires, optional carbon fiber pieces and the optional Z07 Performance Package developed for the ZR-1 Corvette (and previously released on the Z06 Carbon edition).

Chevrolet claims the new exhaust design will improve both flow and exhaust sound. The Z06 features a valved exhaust that is quiet under moderate acceleration, but opens up for maximum horsepower when the fun pedal is mashed. No specific horsepower gains were mentioned with the new exhaust design.

The CFZ carbon fiber package includes a matte black front splitter, side rockers and roof panel, as well as a body colored rear spoiler. The matte black finish carbon fiber differs from the clearcoated carbon fiber on the ZR-1, and is less expensive to produce while offering the same weight saving advantage.

The big news is the availability of the Z07 Performance Package from the ZR-1. The package includes Brembo Carbon Ceramic brakes, twenty spoke wheels (finished in Competition Gray), Michelin PS2 tires and Magnetic Selective Ride Control to improve handling.

Pricing for 2011 Corvette models has not yet been announced, but you can expect the Z07 Performance Package to add quite a bit to the cost of a standard Z06.

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by Jake Holmes

Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

In case you had forgotten that Chevrolet plans to offer a convertible version of the Camaro, here are two images of a pre-production car from the official Chevy Camaro Facebook page. The pictures show a Camaro RS convertible that looks like it’s ready to hit showroom floors (either that, or it’s getting ready for a grade-school assembly).

Unfortunately, the pictures don’t reveal all that much about the convertible’s styling. There is no profile shot to show how Chevy chopped the roofline, nor any pictures of the Camaro with its cloth top in place. The convertible’s muscular front end and bulky rear fascia are almost identical to those of the Camaro coupe. Regardless of how it looks, the topless Camaro is sure to set buyers’ hearts and checkbooks on fire when it goes on sale in the second quarter of next year—which will be just in time for summer cruising season.

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Chevy Cruze Eco

Chevrolet has unwrapped an estimated 40 mpg version of its upcoming Cruze sedan dubbed the Cruze Eco. Powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the Cruze Eco nets its impressive highway fuel economy when mated to its standard six-speed manual transmission.

The Cruze Eco features a number of changes aimed at decreasing fuel consumption, like an optimized front axle ratio and ultra low rolling resistance Goodyear tires and lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels. A lowered stance reduces mpg-robbing air turbulence at highway speeds, while a lower front grille “air shutter” closes at higher speeds to improve highway aerodynamics. Chevrolet also modified the upper grille and added in a new front lower air dam extension and a rear spoiler to make the Cruze Eco even more slippery to the wind.

The Cruze Eco will come standard with the aforementioned six-speed manual, but it will also offer a six-speed automatic. Chevrolet estimates highway fuel economy at 40 mpg with the stick, but the automaker has not estimated highway figures for the manual or city numbers for either car.

Regardless of transmission, the Cruze Eco will come standard with the 138-horsepower, 148 lb-ft. of torque 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder rather than the base Cruze LS’ naturally aspirated four-cylinder. With that turbocharged engine, Chevrolet says that the Cruze Eco should be good for a 0-60 mph sprint of about 9 seconds with the manual and 10 seconds with the automatic.

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Additional club merchandise including the following can be found at our Fieldhouse Club Store located at www.fieldhouse.com/chevyclub .

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Chevrolet Silverado HD arrived at the Chicago Auto Show riding on an all-new ladder frame, suspension, and axles – about the only carry-over part is the front stabilizer bar link that connects the stabilizer bar to the lower control arm. Maximum towing capacity is up to 20,000 pounds with the DRW Duramax diesel and fifth wheel combo (yes, that trumps the Ford F-Series Super Duty F-350 apples to apples). The gasoline-fed SRW 6.0-liter V-8 engine will pull 14,500 pounds with a fifth wheel.

In addition to the beefy hood, the front bumper has been revised with a larger emblem and a more gaping intake – designed to improve transmission cooling. Other improvements include 17-inch wheels (standard) or optional new 18- or 20-inch alloys. The dual rear-wheel tires are still 17-inch, but they now accommodate taller aspect ratio tires. The improvements for 2011 are all good news for heavy duty truck buyers with the exception of the wheel bolt pattern – the eight-lug hub has a slightly different measurement meaning 2007-10 wheels simply won’t fit. See the rest of the details in the press release after the break.

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Chevrolet wants to take advantage of the booming demand for small cars in emerging markets and to help with that goal, General Motors Co. is banking on a new four-door sedan developed by its Chinese joint venture.

Unveiled last Jan. 11, the Chevy New Sail is the first car developed start to finish by Shanghai GM Corp. and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, GM’s China-based tech center. Both are joint ventures between GM and SAIC Motor Corp. In a statement, GM China Group President Kevin Wale said that the carmaker aims to offer a low-priced car for China that also can be exported to other emerging markets.

China is being hailed as a rare bright spot in GM’s global operations. Sales in China had increased by 67% in 2009 compared to the prior year. With 1.83 million units sold, GM was able to boost its market share to 13.4 percent from 12.1 percent in 2008.

The New Sail, which is priced from $8,400 in China, is envisioned to break into a fast-growing small-car segment in which domestic players have traditionally been dominant. GM China spokesman Louis Ma said that the New Sail rides on a new vehicle architecture called SII, which entails its own dedicated chassis, suspension, powertrain and braking system.

The New Sail will come with either a 1.2-liter S-TEC II or a 1.4-liter S-TEC III engine. The car also has a center-placed fuel tank. GM China has yet to announce when it will begin exports however, shipments to the US are not being considered. The annual sales target for the New Sail has not been disclosed yet.

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2011 Chevy Volt

Undoubtedly, the 2011 Volt is one of the most hotly anticipated new model launches in Chevrolet’s long and storied history, and it will likely be seen as a halo model of sorts for General Motors as a whole. As we experienced first hand when we slid behind the wheel of a preproduction Volt the other day, the car is well on its way to becoming a production reality, but actually getting the vehicle into the hands of customers will be another matter entirely.

According to a report from Automotive News, GM is currently in the process of selecting which markets will get first crack at the Volt when it finally goes on sale in just under one year’s time. Chevrolet division President Brent Dewar said that the automaker is looking at a number of factors to determine those unannounced target markets, including the existence of an EV charging infrastructure and available tax credits. After this initial launch, the rest of the citizenry will get its chance to see the USA in an electric Chevrolet.

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As posted on Indycarz.com

Yenko Camaro Prototype

Back in the 1960s, Don Yenko was the man responsible for a slew of go-fast GM cars—nearly everything from the Corvair to the Camaro got extra power and improved handling thanks to the GM Central Office Production Order (COPO) strategy that helped Yenko turn those specially ordered cars into street legends. Five decades on, General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) has purchased the licensing rights to the Yenko name and intends to resurrect the Yenko Super Car with a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS upgraded and restyled to recall those historic icons.

In this case, the Phase I concept is powered by a supercharged and intercooled V-8 making 600 hp, backed up by a Magnaflow exhaust system, Tremec six-speed transmission with Hurst short-throw shifter, and a burly six-piston brake setup. At this time, that’s all the company will say about the performance upgrades, but it intends to create Phase II and III kits with even more output and handling upgrades. A host of retro visuals adorn the car’s exterior, including throwback stripes, Yenko Super Car logos and badges, and 22-inch vintage-styled billet-aluminum wheels. The leather interior features headrests embroidered with the Yenko Super Car logo (sYc), and floor mats and door sills with Yenko/SC emblems.

The prototype was on display at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, but we’ll have to wait and see if GMCI can actually produce a car worthy of the historic Yenko name.

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