The all new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is on its way to your local Texas Chevy dealer. I wanted to give you a first look at how it drives, handles and let you know a little bit of what some of the critics are saying. The Chevrolet Cruze is going to be the replacement for the Chevrolet Cobalt and even though it is a smaller car, it has a big bite. Thanks to Consumer Reports for sharing their thoughts with us on the brand new Chevrolet Cruze. I don’t think you will be disappointed by any means of the word. Check out this story, watch the video and then weigh in with your thoughts on the brand new Chevy!
Chevrolet replaces the mediocre Cobalt this September with an all-new sedan, the Cruze. Already on sale in many markets around the globe, the Cruze will give the division a much more competitive small car in the States than in the past. We borrowed one recently to give our auto engineers a chance to preview this significant new model and share their impressions in this First Look video.
The Cruze will be offered with two engines: a base 1.8-liter, four-cylinder and an up-level 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that has the potential to optimize performance and fuel economy. Both the automatic and manual transmissions offered are six-speed units. Much of the marketing attention will be on the 1.4-liter turbo, with its promised 40 mpg on the highway.
However, the bigger story is that all Cruzes, regardless of trim level or engine, are a marked improvement over the outgoing rental-ready Cobalt. Most of GM’s recent small cars have been underwhelming, but in our time with the Cruze, we found it to feel substantial and much more refined. We think the car handles well, with responsive steering and a well-controlled ride. Noise levels are relatively low, and the cabin feels roomy for the class. Price concerns aside, the Cruze has much promise, and we are looking forward to purchasing a production example and running it through our exhaustive test regimen when it goes on sale.
Check out this video that Chevrolet put together showcasing the all new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. It is one of the coolest videos I have seen in a while coming out of GM. This video features audio test footage captured in the soundproof anechoic chamber during the development of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. Not only is this entertaining but it clearly shows why the Chevrolet Cruze is one car you should be excited about! The music is simply beautiful… Ha!
Yes, it is true that the Chevrolet Volt is one of the most anticipated cars in years. I for one am very excited about getting them here at Classic Chevrolet. I know many others are as well because our phones do not stop ringing with orders and questions. It’s a very exciting time in the world of GM and Chevrolet. I was doing some light reading this morning and came across a story from USA Today about the women that are behind the Chevrolet Volt and it was inspiring. Every time I read about this car I get more and more excited. It’s the same feeling I got right before the newly designed Camaro was finally available for purchase and we all know how great that car was for Chevrolet and GM. I wanted to share this story with you and get your thoughts on it as well. Are you excited about the Chevrolet Volt? For those of you that are be rest assured that your Texas Chevy dealer will keep you posted on the latest news regarding the Chevrolet Volt and we will let you know when you can come check one out here at our store.
The most eagerly awaited car of the year is the Chevrolet Volt, the first next-generation extended-range electric car to hit the road. General Motors has a lot riding on the car, and it took a lot of workers to make it. Many of them were women in what has been traditionally the boy’s club that was yesterday’s auto industry. GM pulled together some biographies of some of the key women involved in the design of the Volt. Interestingly, each one is a mom. Here is what GM wrote about them:
Design – Nina Tortosa, pictured above, is the lead aerodynamicist on the Volt team. Her team has spent more than 500 hours of time in the wind tunnel with the Volt, often testing and tweaking changes in 1 millimeter increments. While their work is done in small measures, the cumulative impact is significant: Nina estimates that aerodynamic development on the Volt extended the electric-only range by almost seven miles at highway speeds. She has two children, ages four and five. Nina was born in Barcelona, Spain, and graduated from Mounds View High School, just outside Minneapolis.
Infrastructure - Britta Gross is director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization. She is working to prepare utilities and to get communities across the country “plug-in ready,” not just for Volt but for the wave of electric vehicles predicted to be on the horizon (Global Insight estimates that plug-in electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles could represent 20 to 60 percent of the market by 2030). This includes working with state and local governments on purchase incentives, with utilities to develop smart-grid and smart-charging technologies, and companies and municipalities to iron out home charging processes and to install charging stations at work places. Britta has two children, age 12 and 17; growing up, she lived in Kansas City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge.
Powertrain - Pamela Fletcher is the chief engineer for Volt and Plug-In Hybrid Propulsion Systems. She is responsible for the integration of the propulsion system components, including the lithium-ion battery pack, electric motors, and onboard engine generator, to ensure the cars meet customer expectations and business requirements. For the Volt this means creating an electric car with extended-range capability. Pamela has three children, ranging from 24 to 27 years of age; she grew up in Sarahsville, Ohio.
Marketing- Cristi Landy is the Volt product marketing manager. Cristi holds a degree in electrical engineering, and was part of the team that developed the Volt Concept in 2006. Currently, she acts as a liaison between Engineering and Marketing. As an example, Cristi helped identify the features and capabilities of the smart-phone application for Volt owners. This feature allows the driver to remotely heat/cool the cabin while the Volt is still plugged into the wall charger. This is much more efficient that using power from the battery for heat or air conditioning, extending the electric-only range of the Volt. Cristi has twin boys, age 10; growing up, she lived in Brookfield, Wis., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Manufacturing – Teri Quigley, pictured below, is the plant manager at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly. Teri is responsible for preparing the plant and executing the launch of the Chevrolet Volt on the same assembly line as the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne. This includes production changes to accommodate the installation of the Volt’s unique powertrain, including the training and safety protocols to install the Volt’s six-foot long, 400-pound lithium ion battery pack. Teri has four children, ranging in age from 14 to 26, and has two grandchildren; she grew up in Dexter, Mich.
It’s no secret that the new Camaro is not available everywhere. In fact Europe won’t see our new Camaro until next year. They are excited. As they should be! The popular show Fifth Gear finally got a chance to take the 2010 Camaro SS for a spin. You can tell from the video below that host Jason Plato was having himself a grand old time. Thanks to AutoBlog for sharing this video so that I could share it with you. I think you will enjoy it. Here’s the story followed by the video. Let me know what you think. Your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer is loving this Camaro and we have plenty available if you’re interested in a test drive.
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has been in U.S. dealerships for over a year now, and demand for Chevy’s newest pony car has been strong from the get-go. And though the Camaro is based off the Australian Zeta platform and built in Oshawa, Canada, it still rocks a Bowtie badge and carries a 6.2-liter small block V8 under the hood. That makes the Camaro an American pony car in our book; one that will (finally) officially go on sale in England early next year.
But before our allies to the east get a chance to pick up a Camaro of their own, Fifth Gear host Jason Plato took the reins of a Bumblebee-flavored Camaro out on the track. Hit the jump to watch Plato show no mercy to the 3,860-pound coupe. In typical UK-reviewer-on-American-car-ese, we definitely hear words like “lazy” and “heavy,” but Plato still looks like a very happy man behind the wheel. If you like smoking tires, oversteer and burnouts you’ll definitely like this video.
No this car is not sold in the United States. It is a Chevy seen only in Europe, but a very unique Chevy none the less. Needless to say this is supposedly how Britain is paying homage to the old Chevy cars of the 50′s. What do you guys think? Too much? Would you drive one if your local Dallas Chevy dealer carried them? I think they are kinda cool looking. I like the white wall tires too.
At some point in history, the notion of having a wood-lined automobile went from the pinnacle of awesome to the depths of loathsome. We’re guessing that demarcation falls at about the same point in time when automakers stopped using real wood and started gluing vinyl recreations to the sides of vehicles that were an affront to cool to begin with. If you need proof, please direct your attention to any number of woody Chrysler PT Cruiser models or, if you’re of stouter stomach, the self-proclaimed Chevrolet Spark Woody Wagon art car pictured above.
Chevrolet UK decided to wrap one of the company’s diminutive people movers in wood-grained Di-Nocto harken back to the company’s American, youthful roots – or at least that’s what the press release says. If that’s not enough to send your head spinning, take a good close look at those tires. Yup, they’re wide whitewalls.
The company has rolled out a few different one-off art Sparks so far, and plans to keep it up with a new British Touring Car Championship inspired version set for an unveil later this month. We’re guessing that one will strike our fancy a bit more than the trans-generational pastiche above. Hit the jump for the press release.
A friend of mine sent me a video the other day from YouTube. It was the first ever Camaro commercial. I had never seen it before. It’s funny to me how much things have changed in the last 50 years. Especially when it comes to special effects and CGI in movies and commercials. I really can’t decide which Camaro I love more than the other. There are things I like about the older ones and there are things I like about the newer ones. I just can’t decide. Here is the old video my friend sent to me as well as a newer one I found. Just remember if you haven’t had the pleasure of driving the new Camaro yet you can stop by your local Grapevine Chevy dealer and test drive one anytime.
Do you drive a yellow car? Or maybe it’s not yellow, maybe it’s bright green, or bright red. Have you ever thought that your car or truck may get stolen? Or do you feel like you stick out like a sore thumb and no one would dare steal suck a bright car? It’s a thought.
Well USATODAY.com put together a study and had some pretty interesting pieces of information. Check it out.
If you want to feel really strange, drive a blindingly bright yellow car. As Drive On found out in the past week, you stand out like a sore banana. But then we spied an upside: who would dare steal a yellow car?
The downside of a driving a yellow car is you become convinced everyone is looking at you. Lose your car in the parking lot? Not a chance. But the Huffington Post pointed out the upside over the weekend: no one would dare steal it. If the police car radio squawked with the report of a just-stolen yellow car, the cops could probably get it back faster than you can say LoJack. Huffpo points to a Dutch study about how pink bicycles rarely get stolen compared to more mundane colors, then tries to draw the comparison to cars. Reasonable enough. We felt like we were finding out first-hand what the study was talking about:
Drive On has been tooling around Los Angeles in the past week in a stunning yellow Audi S4. If it were just another $59,150 sport sedan, it would fit right in with the mish-mash of Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs. But as a yellow car, it basically screamed out the attention — as if its lightning acceleration wasn’t enough.
One expert points out that yellow cars are about the only ticket to distinctiveness in a world filled with bland, earth-colored cars.
“You only see yellow cars in terms of new cars like semi-high performance,” says Tom duPont, publisher of the duPont Registry, a monthly guide of rare cars. “You never see a yellow Buick.”
One good reason: the color is so out of fashion that yellow cars could garner less on resale, the Dutch study points out.
Hey you could be driving around the Bumble Bee Camaro you just scooped up from your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer. Yes you may stick out like a sore thumb but at least you know that everyone is drooling at you as you drive by!
I can appreciate all of the things that various manufacturers are doing to combat smog and emissions coming from our vehicles. It seems to me that at the moment it’s kind of at a stand still. I know it is getting better and is better than in years passed but we aren’t quite there yet. I watch the news I see the air quality alerts that we have daily in the DFW area. There has to be more than one way to combat this. Right?
I found this article over on Autoblog.com and I thought it was so interesting that I had to share it with you. This could be a major break through in the world of pollution and emissions.
Researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology (EUT) may be on the brink of discovering a breakthrough that will lead to reduced pollution and cleaner air for all. According to the EUT, a roadway made of concrete blended with titanium dioxide can effectively remove up to 45 percent of the nitrogen oxides that it comes in contact with. The titanium dioxide, a photocatalytic material, captures airborne nitrogen oxides and, with the aid of the sun, converts it to nitrates that are harmlessly washed away by the rain.
The EUT conducted real-world studies on a 1,000-square-meter section of repaved road in the Netherlands. Such testing showed that the laced pavement could reduce nitrogen oxides by 25 to 45 percent more than traditional concrete. As Jos Brouwers, professor of building materials at the EUT remarked, “The air-purifying properties of the new paving stones had already been shown in the laboratory, but these results now show that they also work outdoors.”
Additional testing is still underway and although the pavement laced with titanium dioxide does cost some 50 percent more than regular cement, overall road-building costs only increase by a marginal 10 percent. Costs aside, the advantages of the titanium dioxide are readily apparent, but the implementation of such a product requires repaving our roadways – a time intensive and costly endeavor.
What are your thoughts on this latest information? Do you think it’s good?
Now here is an idea…. Build your own Corvette! Thanks to AutoBlog for breaking this story. I think this is a great idea and a great thing that Chevrolet is doing. This gives our customers the ability to be even more hands on than in previous years. Do you think you would want to build your own Corvette? I know I would! Your Dallas Chevy dealer could get it all set up for you and ready to roll. Pick your colors and so so much more.
Allowing customers to customize colors and materials has become a popular and profitable option for many automakers in the last several years. Most offer customers the opportunity to pick up their new ride at the factory and even watch it being built. For the 2011 model year, Chevrolet is going one step further by giving buyers of the Z06 and ZR1 the option to build the powerplant for their new Corvette.
The LS7 and LS9 V8s used in those two models are both assembled at the Performance Build Center (PBC) in Wixom, MI which we visited last fall. The nature of the PBC production process, where a single technician starts with a bare block, then takes it through the entire assembly process and finally applies a name plaque before delivery, makes it well suited to this new program. The Engine Build Experience is not for those hoping to save a few bucks by taking on some of the labor involved in building their ‘Vette. In fact, it will cost an additional $5,800 plus travel to Detroit. Those not familiar with the engine building process will likely come away very impressed with the care and technology that goes into creating these high-performance engines.Check out our chronicle of an LS9 build to see what you’ll get for your money.
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, husband, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at: hagen@classicchevytexas.com
The all new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is on its way to your local Texas Chevy dealer. I wanted to give you a first look at how it drives, handles and let you know a little bit of what some of the critics are saying. The Chevrolet Cruze is going to be the replacement for the Chevrolet Cobalt and even though it is a smaller car, it has a big bite. Thanks to Consumer Reports for sharing their thoughts with us on the brand new Chevrolet Cruze. I don’t think you will be disappointed by any means of the word. Check out this story, watch the video and then weigh in with your thoughts on the brand new Chevy!
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