Colorado ZR2 Makes Competition Debut In America’s Longest Off-road Race

Colorado ZR2 Makes Competition Debut In America’s Longest Off-road Race

Colorado ZR2 Makes Competition Debut In America’s Longest Off-road Race

Chad Hall of Hall Racing will debut a modified 2017 production Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 during Best in the Desert’s General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race presented by FOX.

“Vegas to Reno,” known as “the longest off-road race in the United States,” begins at 9:30 a.m. on Friday in Las Vegas and ends at various times on Saturday morning, August 19, in Reno, Nevada. More than 350 contestants are expected to participate this year’s 550-mile race.

The course encompasses a wide array of grueling terrain, from silty desert wallows, to dry lake beds and mountain passes as high as 8,000 ft. above sea level.

Entered in class 7300, which comprises stock production mid-sized pick-ups and SUVs, Hall Racing’s modifications to their ZR2 include sanctioning body-mandated safety items such as a roll cage, a 44-gallon racing fuel tank and racing seats with safety harnesses. KC HiLites racing lights, two-way radios and a GPS system have also been added.

The truck retains the stock ZR2’s 3.6L V-6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, along with a modified version of ZR2’s Multimatic DSSVTM damper technology.

In addition to Hall Racing’s alterations, this crew cab ZR2 acts a testbed for Chevy Performance and hints at a range of potential parts to be offered for ZR2 as well as the standard Colorado.

“The components being tested on this truck are ultimately intended to take the already-exceptional off-road capability of the Colorado to the next level,” said Russ O’Blenes, director, Performance Variants, Parts and Motorsports for General Motors.

Colorado ZR2 Makes Competition Debut In America’s Longest Off-road Race

“Racing them allows us to quickly understand their performance attributes and reliability in the extreme environment of off-road racing, ensuring the highest performing components for Colorado customers.”

Hall Racing, the winningest family of off-road racers in the legendary Baja 1000, has a long history of racing with General Motors production-based vehicles in both Best in the Desert and SCORE desert series.

“The Colorado ZR2 is one of the most capable production platforms we’ve used as a foundation for our racing program,” said Chad Hall. “The base Colorado is strong and robust with the expected advantages of a midsize package. ZR2 adds great technology, like the Multimatic DSSVTM dampers and the front and rear locking differentials that are vital to stock class desert racing.”

The 2018 Colorado ZR2 is effectively a segment of one, combining the nimbleness and maneuverability of a midsize pickup with a host of new off-road features and the most off-road technology of any vehicle in its segment.

Compared to a standard Colorado, the ZR2 features front and rear tracks that have been widened by 3.5 inches and a suspension lifted by two inches. Functional rockers have been added for better performance over rocks and obstacles, and the front and rear bumpers have been modified for better off-road clearance.

Class-exclusive features include standard front and rear electronic locking differentials, available diesel engine and the first off-road application of Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSVTM) damper technology.

As with all Chevrolet trucks, the Colorado ZR2 is built with durability in mind, including a fully boxed frame, roll-formed high-strength steel bed and Duralife brake rotors.

courtesy: media.chevrolet.com

Equinox Diesel Offers Expected Segment-topping 39 Mpg Hwy

Equinox Diesel Offers Expected Segment-topping 39 Mpg Hwy

Equinox Diesel Offers Expected Segment-topping 39 Mpg Hwy

Get ready to ghost your gas station. The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox offers an EPA-certified 39 mpg on the highway (FWD model) with the available 1.6L turbo-diesel engine.

That number is expected to top the segment in highway fuel economy, with greater highway mileage than the 2017 Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Nissan Rogue hybrid. A 577-mile cruising range (FWD) also means the Equinox diesel can drive farther between fill-ups, such as Chicago to Memphis, Tennessee, or Boston to Richmond, Virginia.

“Chevrolet continues to lead with technologies that offer customers more choice,” said Steve Majoros, marketing director for Cars and Crossovers. “Our three-engine turbo-charged Equinox lineup means we can provide drivers more options for the performance and efficiency they desire.”

The new turbo-diesel engine is part of Equinox’s trio of all-turbocharged propulsion systems. It is SAE-certified at 240 lb-ft of torque (325 Nm) and incorporates a variable-geometry turbocharger that helps generate strong torque at low rpm and more horsepower at higher rpm. The engine also features stop/start technology to optimize efficiency in stop-and-go driving and it is compatible with B20 bio-diesel fuel.

“It is very fun to drive, with torque on demand at all speeds,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president of Global Propulsion Systems. “In fact, the engine delivers 90 percent of peak torque between 1,500 and 3,250 rpm. The strong torque provides the feeling of a larger engine, with exceptional smoothness and quietness.”

The 1.6L is a clean-sheet redesign developed entirely within General Motors, including the engine control system. Development was driven from GM’s diesel product center in Torino, Italy, and involved more than 24,000 hours of computational analysis, while simulated and real-world testing totaled more than 4.35 million miles of driving.

About the 2018 Equinox

The all-new 2018 Equinox is a fresh and modern compact SUV featuring an expressive design, increased cargo space, the latest connectivity, expanded roster of available safety features and all-new range of turbocharged engines.

Purposeful technologies are designed to help keep passengers safe, comfortable and connected. Teen Driver is offered along with safety features such as Safety Alert Seat, Surround Vision, Forward Collison Alert with Following Distance Indicator and more.

The 2018 Equinox is on sale now, starting at $24,475 (including destination charge). Pricing for the turbo-diesel engine starts at $31,435 (including destination) when it goes on sale this fall. Tax, title, license and dealer fees extra.

courtesy: media.chevrolet.com

Chevrolet Unveils 2018 Camaro Zl1 Nascar Cup Race Car

Chevrolet Unveils 2018 Camaro Zl1 Nascar Cup Race Car

Chevrolet Unveils 2018 Camaro Zl1 Nascar Cup Race Car

A new era in Chevrolet motorsports starts today with the introduction of the Camaro ZL1 as the new race car for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson — driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports — joined Mark Reuss, executive vice president of GM Global Product Development, to reveal the new race car at Chevrolet’s headquarters in Detroit.

“Chevrolet, Camaro and ZL1 are all synonymous with winning, both on and off the track,” said Reuss. “We are thrilled to run Camaro in NASCAR next year, with the time-honored and track-tested ZL1 badge, and we’re just as excited for our drivers, teams, fans and customers.”

The Camaro ZL1 will make its competition debut next February during Daytona Speedweeks, which kicks off the 2018 NASCAR season. It will join the Camaro SS, which has been Chevrolet’s entry in the NASCAR XFINITY Series since 2013.

“The new Camaro ZL1 is a great-looking race car with a lot of heritage behind it, which will make it a big hit with fans,” said Johnson. “And as someone who’s enjoyed the ZL1 on the street, I’m really looking forward to getting this new race car on the track.”

Chevrolet engineers employed an array of tools, including computational fluid dynamics analysis and reduced-scale and full-scale wind-tunnel testing, to optimize aerodynamic performance while maintaining the ZL1’s design character.

“Racers have long relied on Camaro to win races and championships in amateur and professional sports car and drag racing, as well as the NASCAR XFINITY Series,” said Jim Campbell, vice president, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “We look forward to racing the Camaro ZL1 in the premier Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.”

Joining Chevrolet today for the Camaro ZL1 race car’s debut were representatives from Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Germain Racing, JTG Daugherty Racing and Leavine Family Racing.

The Camaro ZL1 brings a unique, track-focused legacy to NASCAR. The ZL1 name was originally bestowed in the 1960s on a Chevrolet-developed all-aluminum racing engine that became a dominating force in road racing. In 1969, a few enterprising dealers used Chevrolet’s special-order system to get the ZL1 engine installed in 69 regular-production Camaros. The cars became instant legends on the street and dragstrip.

More than 40 years later, Chevrolet reintroduced the ZL1 as the ultimate performance Camaro, developed to offer track-capable performance straight off the showroom floor. The 2018 Camaro ZL1 is powered by a 650-horsepower supercharged engine featuring a similar 90-degree V-8 configuration as the Cup racing engines.

The new Camaro ZL1 race car builds on a winning legacy carried by the previous Chevrolet SS, which has scored 70 Cup Series wins to date and contributed to Chevrolet earning a record 39 NASCAR manufacturer titles — including 13 consecutive titles from 2003-2015.

Chevrolet drivers have also achieved a record 30 Cup championships, including Jimmie Johnson in 2016.

courtesy: media.chevrolet.com

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

With nearly 362,000 kids in the U.S. turning 16 in August — more than in any other month this year — Chevrolet knows parents with driving-age children need a little added peace of mind. Throughout August, Chevrolet is offering customers three months of free OnStar Family Link.

OnStar Family Link allows parents to stay connected to their teens no matter where their young drivers roam by providing access to teens’ vehicle locations. Parents can also set up email or text alerts to know when a vehicle has arrived and departed a destination or traveled outside a specific area.

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

“The day your children start driving is a dream come true for them, but it can be a nightmare for a concerned parent,” said Luciana Chamberlain, Family Link product marketing manager for Chevrolet. “OnStar Family Link can help minimize a parent’s anxiety by letting them know when their child has arrived at school, left a friend’s house or traveled outside of their comfort zone.”

Any Chevrolet owner in the U.S. with a 2012 model year or newer vehicle and an active OnStar subscription[1] can sign up for three months of free OnStar Family Link by visiting OnStar.com. After the three-month trial is over, parents will have the option to keep OnStar Family Link for $3.99 a month plus tax.

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

Chevrolet’s Peace of Mind Services

OnStar Family Link is one of several Chevrolet technologies that reduce the concerns moms and dads have when their children get behind the wheel. While OnStar Family Link helps monitor teens’ locations, Chevrolet’s Teen Driver and OnStar Smart Driver services can also help parents manage and mentor driving behaviors.

“Driving on their own was big event in my children’s lives, but that also meant I spent more time thinking about where they were and how they were doing,” said Steve Majoros, director, Chevrolet Marketing. “Chevrolet wants to put parents at ease by offering in-vehicle technology that shares real-time info on where their kids are and how they’re driving, so moms and dads can give feedback that helps their teens become better drivers.”

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

Teen Driver

Available on 10 model-year 2017 Chevrolet vehicles, Teen Driver allows parents to set radio volume limits and speed warnings and limit top speed to 85 mph. It also mutes the radio when the front-seat occupants are not wearing safety belts and automatically enables many available active safety features and prevents anyone from manually turning them off.

In addition, parents can use the Teen Driver in-vehicle report card to know about the distance driven, maximum speed reached, overspeed warnings issued, stability control events, antilock braking events, traction control activations, wide-open throttle events and, if equipped and supported, Forward Collision Alerts, Forward Collision Avoidance Braking events and Tailgating Alerts.

Chevrolet Offers Worried Parents Free Onstar Family Link

OnStar Smart Driver

When it comes to helping teens develop better driving skills, parents also can give feedback and spark discussion with OnStar Smart Driver. It provides monthly and trip-by-trip scores based on driving behaviors such as hard braking, speeds over 80 mph and rapid acceleration. The monthly reports also rank where a driver stands compared with others in the state or with individuals who drive the same Chevrolet vehicle.

And after 90 days, parents can choose to share their OnStar Smart Driver driving report with participating insurance companies to potentially qualify for savings.

OnStar Smart Driver is available on most 2015 and newer Chevrolet vehicles.

courtesy: media.chevrolet.com