Nice rims and a mocha steel metallic paint color had our 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ standing out in the wild when we first took a look at our test model. The recently redesigned Equinox is a sharp crossover and we were looking forward to driving one of Chevy’s big sellers to see what all the fuss was about.
Exterior
The refined exterior of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ gives this crossover a real advantage over some its competitors as this is a great looking vehicle. Up front, the horizontal-split grille is eye-catching along with the overall muscular look touched with the flaring fenders. Our loaner sported a rear power programmable rear lift gate, power outside heated mirrors, sporty 18 inch chrome clad aluminum wheels, deep tinted glass, a roof mounted luggage rack with side rails, remote keyless entry, front fog lamps, plenty of chrome and halogen projector beam headlamps. The Equinox in LTZ package looked great as the mocha steel metallic color matched the high-end look of this crossover.
Interior
When you enter the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ, you know you’re in a high-end crossover with the cross-stitched dual-tone perforated jet black/brownstone leather seating and flowing dashboard that is normally reserved for luxury vehicles. Hints of the Cadillac SRX abound and that my friends is a bonus for Equinox buyers. Our test model was loaded with heated front seats, 8-way power driver seats with power lumbar, multi-flex sliding rear seat with 60/40 split seat back and 3 position recline, tilt and telescoping steering column, color touch navigation radio with 7 inch screen, CD/MP3 player, AUX input and USB port, forward collision alert and lane departure warning, XM radio, On Star, premium 8 speaker system with amplifier and equalization, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio control and Bluetooth phone. The driver’s position is high enough to give you command of the road but not too high where handling is compromised. The excellent fit and finish of the interior components is well noted and a big step forward in the evolution of the New Chevy.
Tom Orlando of Bullz-Eye.com breaks down the 2012 Chevy Volt from inside and out.
Bullz-Eye had the opportunity to test the all-new, award-winning 2012 Chevrolet Volt and we were pumped about it! We spent a week behind the wheel of the 2012 Volt, which we feel is part of cutting edge technology that will possibly change the auto industry forever.
Exterior
If you want to blend in on the road, start looking elsewhere now, because the 2012 Chevrolet Volt is an eye catcher! The fact that the Volt name is all over the vehicle helps, but the styling and modern look of the car can make a statement for the driver before you even wave to the Volt’s admirers. Our test model had a sharp crystal red tint coat paint finish that was flawless (I looked for dirt and craters and found none), and combined with the 17-inch forged painted aluminum wheels, the Volt was looking good. Pretty much everything about the Volt is also directed towards efficiency and according to GM:
“Chevy designers constantly talk about form and function, but when it comes to Volt, Director of Design Bob Boniface will tell you that they didn’t compromise aesthetics to enable function. The result? A vehicle that looks sporty, quick, smooth and modern, yet achieves an extremely low coefficient of drag. Countless hours in the wind tunnel influenced the styling of many exterior components including mirrors, a closed grill, rocker panels and the rear spoiler. In fact, the vertical blades that go from the bottom of the spoiler to the bottom of the bumper were designed specifically to trick the air into separating from the bumper more quickly, giving Volt extraordinary aerodynamics.”
Also included on our test model were outside heated and power adjustable mirrors, daytime running lamps and a solar-absorbing windshield. When you take a look at the Volt, you clearly understand what GM envisioned, and to their credit, they delivered a very sharp 2012 Chevy Volt four-door hatchback for their customers.
With the Cruze gas-powered models set to be joined by an oil-burning alternative in 2013, General Motors has now confirmed that it will invest $5.5 million into the existing Cruze plant in Lordstown, Ohio, to accommodate the 2.0-liter diesel engine.
While the Cruze Diesel sold in North America will be built in Ohio, the engine, designed and built by VM-Motori, a 50-50-owned Italian firm between GM and Fiat, will produce the engines.
In Europe, the Cruze Diesel is good for 161 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque, a healthy increase over both the 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine and the premium 1.4-liter turbocharged engines currently available in the U.S.
Chevy has announced it will produce an all-electric version of the Chevy Spark mini car, the Spark EV. This vehicle complements Chevy’s growing range of EVs, including the Volt and the 2013 Malibu ECO with eAssist technology. It will be sold in limited quantities in select U.S. and global markets starting in 2013. See here for more information.
Also, in an effort to meet the growing demand for safe, connected personal transportation, GM has decided to work on the next-generation EN-V concept vehicle and brand it with the Chevy badge. This two-seat, electric urban mobility concept is a zero-emissions vehicle powered by lithium-ion batteries. The Chevy EN-V concept will be updated with new features that customers need such as climate control, personal storage space and all-weather and road condition operation.
To learn more about the Chevy EN-V, check out the release here.
General Motors Co.’s newest subcompact, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, will get an estimated 40 miles per gallon highway with a 1.4-liter engine and manual transmission, the company said Thursday.
In city driving, the Sonic will get 29 mpg city, which is in line with its small car rivals in this class.
The Sonic will start at $14,495 including a destination charge.
The base model, without the turbo, gets 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway; 25 mpg city and 35 mpg with an automatic, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which rates fuel economy on U.S.-sold cars.
By comparison, the Cruze Eco, the next step up from the Sonic, gets an estimated 42 mpg highway when paired with a six-speed transmission.
The Sonic is an important launch for GM and replaces the lackluster Aveo, which was roundly criticized for its poor quality and cheap materials.
Chevy is quite serious about bringing the fight to the Ford GT500 with its new Camaro ZL1. So serious, in fact, that they are giving it a ludicrous 580hp, more than even the CTS-V. They are even claiming that the new ZL1 will not be only a straight line monster, but a truly track capable machine as well.
In order to make it track-ready, the new ZL1 will feature cooling for the differential and engine oil, and a new version of their magnetic ride control system. This new ride control system will offer five different traction modes, even one for VHT prepped drag racing surfaces. The ZL1 and GT500 fight is looking to be a knock down, drag out bar brawl. Get excited.
For the fourth month in a row, the Chevy Cruze is the best-selling compact car in the U.S., recording a total of 21,807 sales in August and 169,427 sales this year!
From Chevrolet News:
Calendar year to date, Chevrolet has sold a total of 169,427 Cruzes. Due to sustained customer demand, Chevrolet dealers have about a 30-day supply of Cruze sedans, roughly half the industry average.
“The Cruze has been a great success story for Chevrolet,” said Alan Batey, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service. “In less than a year, the Cruze has become one of the most-popular cars on the market, and it is successfully bringing new customers to Chevrolet showrooms.”
The Cruze contributed to Chevrolet’s overall growth in August, when the brand sold a total of 152,779 vehicles, an increase of 16 percent over the same month a year ago. Much of that growth has been fueled by car sales, which increased 22 percent over last August.
The brand’s car sales are expected to continue gaining momentum, as the all-new Sonic subcompact and 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric car with extended range start arriving at dealerships this month.
The Cruze Eco manual delivers an EPA-estimated 42 miles per gallon highway, making it the most fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered car in the United States, excluding hybrids and diesels. To achieve its segment-leading fuel economy, Cruze’s engineers focused on aerodynamic performance, reducing weight and powertrain enhancements.
Bullz-Eye has plenty more shots of the Woodward Dream Cruise for your enjoyment. Check back often, since we should have more photos as they come from GM.
The first day was all about the history and pedigree of the Chevy small block. Today, we experienced how the small block is being used nowadays and a firsthand account of cruising on Woodward. We started the day at the birthplace of ZO6, ZR1, and Grandsport Corvette motors. Then, we cruised Woodward in the Chevy parade and ended the day by sampling applications of the small block in both Chevy cars and others.
The GM Performance Center is where traditional craftsmanship and modern attention to detail meet to create some of the highest performing motors on the planet. Here, every 430hp Grand Sport motor, 505hp Z06 motor and 638hp ZR1 motor take shape. Each motor is built completely by hand and signed by the technician that builds it.
To ensure correct specifications, advanced torque wrenches are used to give the builder a guide when each individual fastener is bolted to the motor. In fact, each bolt’s torque is registered in a massive database for each engine to ensure quality even after the engine leaves the factory. No other facilities offer this level of attention to detail, not even many of Mercedes’ AMG engines.
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