Chevrolet News:Chevrolet Traverse revealed ahead of NY Auto Show

[Drew Dowdell]

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Drew Dowdell - March 28th, 2012 - CheersandGears.com

Not wanting to be outdone by Ford's announcement today of the Ecoboost V6 powered 2013 Ford Explorer Sport, Chevrolet release a full photo spread and press release of the refreshed 2013 Chevrolet Traverse crossover.

The new Traverse sports a new face that steps away from Chevy's traditional horizontal split grill design. Along with gaining the industry wide standard traditional trapezoid grill with 3 horizontal bars and chrome ring, the traverse gains new front fender sculpting and new tail light treatments.

The refreshed interior gets a new dash and a 6.5-inch color touch screen radio and available MyLink system.

Press release on page 2

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2013 Chevy Traverse Gives Families New Gathering Space

· New athletic exterior debuts Chevrolet crossover utility face

· More refined interior with class-leading space for cargo and up to eight passengers

· New and industry-exclusive safety features including front center air bag

· Improved car-like ride and handling

NEW YORK – The new 2013 Chevrolet Traverse crossover-utility vehicle offers families a new gathering space with greater style, refinement and safety. It goes into production later this year, building on the space, comfort and efficiency that have made Traverse popular.

“The new Traverse is a family vehicle without compromise,” said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Global Marketing and Strategy. “It is more capable than many sport-utility vehicles, with as much room as a minivan and better functionality than both. The Traverse is clever, capable and confident – and there when you need it most.”

The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse has a new, athletic exterior design, complemented by a more expressive front end that introduces a new face for Chevrolet crossover utilities.

The front features a new shape supported by a powerdome hood, a three-bar upper and two-bar lower grille design, new lamps, chrome accents around the grille and fog lamps, and sculpted front corners similar to the Malibu sedan. The new design captures the overall character of Chevy’s new car lineup, for a consistent family resemblance.

“We have injected a stronger presence into the Traverse exterior by focusing on the details,” said Phillip Zak, GM director of exterior design. “The small but important changes give it a more vibrant personality that more closely reflects the lifestyles of the families who rely on the Traverse to get them through their busy lives.”

At the rear, redesigned lamps and the license plate pocket are positioned in the new liftgate for a sportier look.

New family gathering space

Space is the hallmark of the Traverse interior. With its class-leading spaciousness, comfortable and flexible seating for up to eight adults, and more cargo-carrying capacity than any other vehicle in its segment, the 2013 Chevy Traverse builds on these established attributes by offering an interior environment with new features and refined appointments.

Upgraded materials include soft-touch surfaces on the instrument panel and front door uppers, contrasting stitching, chrome and silver accents, and available blue ambient lighting that flows through the cabin.

A new center stack showcases a 6.5-inch color touch radio with the available Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system. MyLink allows customers to seamlessly integrate their smartphones for hands-free calling through the audio system and Bluetooth streaming of popular internet radio favorites Pandora and Stitcher. The center stack also has large and illuminated climate controls that are easier to use and have a more upscale feel.

The front seats now feature articulating head restraints that can be adjusted up or down and fore and aft for greater comfort. The eight-way power passenger seat includes leather trim. New wood trim treatments are standard on LT and LTZ.

Adding to the overall feel of quality, the fit and finish of the interior panels have been improved on all models. The new Traverse will come with three interior color choices, in cloth or leather, including Ebony and Mojave, Light Titanium and Dark Titanium, and Ebony.

Passes the parent test

The Traverse passes the parent test with three rows of seating standard on all models, flexible seating configurations, class-leading people and cargo-carrying capacity, and family-friendly entertainment and other features.

Traverse’s second-row seat comes with a pair of captain’s chairs or a three-passenger bench. Each incorporates Traverse’s child-friendly, second-row SmartSlide feature that enables unobstructed access to the third-row bench seat with one hand – and is easy for children to operate.

The third-row seat can comfortably accommodate three adult passengers. Traverse’s 24.4 cu. ft. (691 liters) of cargo room behind its third row is larger than many full-size utility vehicles. Traverse also has easy-to-operate safety belts, up to 12 cup holders and an available rear-seat entertainment system.

Efficient power and car-like ride

Traverse has a long 118.9-inch (3,019 mm) wheelbase, with a wide 67.8-inch (1,721 mm) front track and 67.4-inch (1,712 mm) rear track – a combination that enables smooth, stable ride and handling characteristics.

Efficiency in the Traverse comes from a technically advanced 3.6L V-6 with fuel-saving direct injection technology and continuously variable valve timing. It is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission with improved shift feel that results in more confident acceleration when the driver needs additional power to enter the highway or pass another motorist.

The engine is SAE-certified at 288 horsepower (215 Nm) and 270 lb.-ft. of torque (366 Nm) with dual exhaust (281 hp/210 kW and 266 lb.-ft./361 Nm with single exhaust). Its direct injection fuel delivery helps produce power similar to many V-8 engines and uses regular unleaded gasoline.

The transmission controls have been revised to provide quicker and more consistent shifts. Along with additional transmission hardware changes, the Traverse is expected to continue to deliver among the best fuel economy ratings of any eight-passenger (FWD) utility vehicle.

Ride and handling improvements have been made through the use of rebound springs in the front struts that increase roll control. New shock valving has been employed for low-velocity control to deliver a smoother ride at lower speeds.

The available intelligent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system provides increased traction on slippery roads by actively managing the torque distribution between the front and rear axles, based on factors such as wheel speed, throttle and surface conditions. There is no driver intervention; the system automatically decides how much torque to apply and delivers it to the wheels that have the best traction.

Traverse maintains capability to deliver improved ride and handling, offering utility-like towing capacity of up to 5,200 pounds (2,358 kg).

Smart and safe family hauler

The Traverse is among the safest vehicles on the road today, previously earning top honors and recognition from leading third-party organizations and in government crash testing.

For 2013 it enhances its safety reputation with the industry’s first front center air bag. It is engineered to provide additional restraint to drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes, where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

When a severe impact occurs, the air bag deploys in milliseconds from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and inflates between the driver and front passenger, providing added protection for both front occupants.

“While no restraint technology or feature can address all body areas or all potential injuries, the front center air bag is designed to address field-relevant, side-impact crashes that are not addressed by current regulatory or consumer metric test conditions,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “It works with the vehicle’s other air bags, safety belts and structure to deliver a safer occupant environment.”

Additional safety and security features:

· Available Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems (standard on LTZ) use radar to watch spots the driver may not see – and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.

• Standard head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for outboard occupants in all seating rows. In addition to providing protection in moderate-to-severe side crashes, the roof-mounted head curtain air bags will deploy in a rollover to help provide increased occupant protection and containment.
  
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology is standard on all models and incorporates full-function traction control.
  
• Standard rearview camera system is designed to provide the driver with added capability to view what is in the rearward path of the vehicle.
  

· Standard four-wheel-disc brake systemwith ABS featuring smooth, quiet operation, longer pad life and more resistance to brake pulsation.

· Safety belt pretensioners reduce forward movement during a collision, and are standard on the front safety belts, along with load-limiting retractors that help limit the belts’ impact on the occupants’ chest. The dynamic locking latch plate locks to hold the occupants’ pelvis in place.

· LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat attachment system is included in outboard second-row seating positions.

· Tire pressure monitoring system is standard on all models.

· Strong body structure to absorb crash energy and provide a protective “safety cage” around occupants.

· Standard hill start assist brakes help reduce the tendency of a vehicle to roll forward or backward on a hill after the brake pedal is released by momentarily retaining pressure on the brake discs.

OnStar Features

OnStar is standard on all Traverse models. It uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash. OnStar subscribers also can use the service to be Good Samaritans by sending help to other motorists, and to call for help in other non-crash emergencies.

· OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the United States and Canada.

· Six months of complimentary OnStar Directions and Connections service with Turn-by-Turn Navigation for easier route guidance comes on all Traverse models. The feature is easy to use because all directions are sent to the car by an advisor, without the need to stop. Turn-by-Turn can be cost-effective, since map updates and aftermarket navigation systems are not needed.

· Stolen Vehicle Assistance helps police track the vehicle.

· OnStar Mobile App allows owners with Android™ or Apple™ smart phones to remotely start the engine, lock and unlock doors and view vital vehicle information such as tire pressure, fuel tank level, range, remaining oil life, etc.

For 2013, Traverse is offered in LS, LT and LTZ models (with two LT packages: 1LT and 2LT), in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. It is built in Lansing, Mich. Pricing is not announced.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com

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2013 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE SPECIFICATIONS

Overview

Model:

Chevrolet Traverse

Body style / driveline:

crossover-utility vehicle / front-engine; front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive

Construction:

body-frame integral

EPA vehicle class:

sport utility vehicle

Manufacturing location:

Lansing Delta Township Assembly, Lansing, Mich.

Key competitors:

Honda Pilot; Ford Explorer

Engine

Type:

3.6L V-6 DI VVT

Displacement (cu in / cc):

217 / 3564

Bore & stroke (in / mm):

3.70 x 3.37 / 94 x 85.6

Block material:

cast aluminum

Cylinder head material:

cast aluminum

Valvetrain:

DOHC; four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing

Fuel delivery:

direct, high-pressure fuel injection

Compression ratio:

11.3:1

Horsepower (hp / kW):

281 / 210 @ 6300 (single exhaust)*

288 / 215 @ 6300 (dual exhaust)*

Torque (lb-ft / Nm):

266 / 361 @ 3400 (single exhaust)*

270 / 366 @ 3400 (dual exhaust)*

Recommended fuel:

regular unleaded

Max. engine speed (rpm):

6700

Emissions controls:

dual close-coupled converters; two pre- and two post-oxygen sensors

EPA fuel economy:

17 / 24 (FWD)

16 / 23 (AWD)

Transmission & Power Take Off Unit (PTU)

Manufacturer:

GM

Type:

Hydra-Matic 6T75 6-speed FWD/AWD automatic transmission

Gear ratio (:1)

First:

4.48

Second:

2.87

Third:

1.80

Fourth:

1.41

Fifth:

1.00

Sixth:

0.74

Reverse:

2.88

Final drive ratio:

3.16

Chassis / Suspension

Front:

coil-over strut; direct acting stabilizer bar; full perimeter isolated cradle

Rear:

linked H-arm independent suspension; coil springs with twin-tube shock absorbers mounted on isolated sub-frame

Steering type:

hydraulic rack-and-pinion; straight ratio and variable effort

Steering ratio:

16.1

Steer wheel turns, lock-to-lock:

2.89

Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m):

40.4 / 12.3

Brakes

Type:

four-wheel disc

Rotor diameter (in / mm):

front: 12.8 x 1.1 / 325 x 29, ventilated

rear: 13 x 0.8 / 331 x 20, ventilated

Anti-lock braking system (ABS):

Bosch 8.0 Chassis Controls: ABS / ETC / ESC w/rollover mitigation

Wheels / Tires

Wheel size and type:

17 x 7-in; steel

18 x 7.5-in; machined cast aluminum

20 x 8-in; machined cast aluminum

Tire size and type:

P245/70R17 ALS blackwall

P255/65R18 ALS blackwall

P255/55R20 AL3 blackwall

Dimensions

Exterior

Wheelbase (in / mm):

118.9 / 3019

Overall length (in / mm):

203.7 / 5173

Overall width (in / mm):

78.4 / 1991

Overall height (in / mm):

72.8 / 1846 (w/roof rails); 69.7 / 1770 (w/o roof rails)

Track

Front (in / mm):

67.8 / 1721

Rear (in / mm):

67.4 / 1711

Curb weight (lb / kg):

4713 / 2138 (FWD)

4956 / 2248 (AWD)

Min. ground clearance (in / mm):

7.2 / 183 (FWD and AWD)

Interior

Seating capacity:

7 or 8

Headroom

First row (in /mm):

40.4 / 10264 (w/o sunroof); 38.6 / 979 (w/ sunroof)

Second row (in / mm):

39.4 / 1000 (w/o sunroof); 38.73 / 983 (w/ sunroof)

Third row (in / mm):

37.8 / 960 (w/o sunroof); 38.1 / 968 (w/ sunroof)

Legroom

First row (in / mm):

41.3 / 1049

Second row (in / mm):

36.8 / 937

Third row (in / mm):

33.2 / 843

Shoulder room

First row (in / mm):

61.5 / 1563

Second row (in / mm):

61 / 1549

Third row (in / mm):

57.6 / 1463

Hip room

First row (in / mm):

58 / 1472

Second row (in / mm):

57.8 / 1467

Third row (in / mm):

48.3 / 1227

Cargo volume

Behind first row (second-row seat folded and third-row seat and cargo management system removed (cu ft / L):

116.3 / 3293

Behind second row with third-row seat and cargo management system removed (cu ft / L):

70.3 / 1990

Behind third row with cargo management system removed (cu ft / L):

24.4 / 691

Capacities

EPA passenger volume (cu ft / L):

150.8 / 4269

Fuel tank (gal / L):

22 / 83.3

Engine oil (qt / L):

5.5 / 5.2

Transmission fluid (qt / L):

9.5 / 9.0 (Dexron VI only)

Cooling system (qt / L):

11.8 / 11.18

Max towing capacity (lb / kg):

5200 / 2358

GCWR (lb / kg):

10250 / 4649 (FWD)

10450 / 4740 (AWD)

GVWR (lb / kg):

6411 / 2908 (FWD)

6459 / 2930 (AWD)

*SAE certified.

Note: Information shown is current at time of publication.

View full article

[Drew Dowdell]

I'm glad Chevy took my Idiot's Guide To Automotive Grill Design article to heart.

[Robert Hall]

Interesting...strong Honda or Toyota feel to the front end w/ the horizontal grille lines...odd they would move away from the current Chevy signature grille style..

Edited March 28, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Justin Bimmer]

They just took this and inflated it a little. I dub thee "Impverse"

[Paolino]

Thank GOD the current taillights will be changed.

[Drew Dowdell]

this doesn't give me high hopes for the Impala

[vonVeezelsnider]

I bet the Impala has a similar grille treatment up front

[Justin Bimmer]

Drew, you took the words right out of my mouth for the Impala. Why oh why would they choose 1990s design language over the much better Malibu and equinox language.

[G. David Felt]

Over all I love the interior, the rear end is much better, but the Nose, Why oh Why did they go with this nose????? Time WARP back to FootLoose of the 90's. I think they have lot the mojo they had going. Who signed off on this mess of a face???

[regfootball]

the nose is a huge improvement. it has more detail, is bolder, and the horizontal lines minimize uprightness. I am sure making it a bit more importy (read global products) was also part of the deal.

interior upgrades are very welcome.

until they can address a few of the real problems with this vehicle (way too heavy and drinks too much fuel, poor 2nd row leg and footspace), they have done about what they can with it.

I am pretty satisfied with the upgrades, which being a possible future traverse leaser, really makes me think in LS or LT1 trim would be a good rig.

I like the front end........not what i expected but maybe we will see this nose on other chevy's now....I bet the impala gets it.

[Drew Dowdell]

Drinks too much fuel? It's one of the most fuel efficient for it's size. It's identical to the Flex in MPGs and the Pilot only does 1mpg better while being a much smaller vehicle with less power. Even the 4-cylinder Highlander is only mpg better highway and you give up over 100hp in the process. The Traverse is no speed demon, so I can't imagine what kind of slug a 4-banger Highlander must be.

[hyperv6]

The new nose is cleaner and addresses the complaints of many non GM fans of the center bar.

To me it is the same change from 1970 Chevelles to the 1972 Chevelle. There is a lot of heritage if both grilles and from what I see History repeats.

While I am not a big fan of this vehicle I see this as an improvment for those it is intened to appeal too. I still like the Arcadia better. The non Denali one.

If they put the new viberating Cadillac seats in it they could increase the number of female buyers for the segment. LOL!

Edited March 28, 2012 by hyperv6

[daves87rs]

I'm not sure why, but I like it.

I think I'm getting tired of chevy's current design theme...

[Blake Noble]

Great, another Chevrolet that lacks identity. If GM released these press shots of the new Traverse without the gold Bowtie mounted in the grille, I'd almost confuse this thing with some sort of Mazda.

I'm starting to fear GM is designing cars during coffee breaks again.

[Lamar]

Not wanting to be outdone by Ford's announcement today of the Ecoboost V6 powered 2013 Ford Explorer Sport

So much for that.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Lamar

[regfootball]

Drew, all of these types of vehicles take too much fuel. It's irrelevant whether the Flex gets 1 mpg less etc. Gas prices ever higher and govt mpg mandates always higher and people's pocketbooks out of slack...even these three row vehicles will need to give and up their mpg or the market for them will die. the only other thing is that they need to start to get cheaper if they want to maintain or expand the market.

[regfootball]

how do you edit this stuff.....i meant to add they will need to give up about 500 pounds

[SAmadei]

I like the new grill. The center chrome bar has got to go.

Reg, you know how these are going to lose 500 pounds? Stop making them 6 foot tall... lowering the beltline by chopping 10% of the body out... 500 pounds gone... but then you have... a... gasp! A station wagon! ;-) Then you can save a fortune in development costs by using the front end of a Malibu.

[PONTIAC06]

I like all the updates except the front end...just echoing some of the other comments, but it really has no Chevy identity compared to the rest of the family. I always though the face of the old one was a little awkward, but that grille is just boring...

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Simply terrible....

[smk4565]

Boring grille. I like the old one more. To me this reminds me a bit of the 2006-07 Malibu, and there is a bit of Honda feel to that front end. Very generic and boring.

[SAmadei]

Very generic and boring.

Chevy's historically have not had a strong grill language. The usual Chevy grill was generic and boring with a big-ole BowTie on it. Chevy's made up for this by having the typical strong overall styling GM cars had without the gimmicks. Even most Chevy musclecars tended more towards the sleeper side, appearance-wise. The idea here is to buy upmarket (Pontiac, Olds, Buick, etc.) if you wants gimmicks and a eye-candy grille.

Now that Chevy is trying to be everything to everyone, I suppose some strong grille language is in order, but I still maintain that the chrome crossbar is not it.

[hyperv6]

The way that SUV's will get more MPG is people will buy smaller. they will remain tall but they will either cram a 3rd seat in the back or just go with 5 people.

This is why you see 10 times as many smaller SUV's than the Traverse of late. Since gas is up most larger SUV's sit on the dealer lots over the 79 day average but the smaller ones are 30-40 days and in many cases less. I found this out when we bought our smaller one. we had located 3 like what we wanted locally here and in less than a week they all were gone. Even the ones that were close were sold. This may change again if gas get back to $2.50 again but for now the market regulates itself. The key is for GM to have something for each segment that is solid and have inventory for what is selling.

The crazy part is 1 MPG makes a big difference to many buyers. Just look at Ford F150 now selling the same or more V6 half tons now than V8's at less money and only 1 MPG is the difference. High gas prices do strange things.

As for stling flash Chevy lost much of that starting in the 50 and 60's. The 58 Chevy started it and it ended by 62 when the chrome went away. Chevys have a history of being stylish but understated. The 70 Monte Carlos is a prime example vs the 69-70 GP.

I think we will find the bar being missing will do fine. So far the greatest comments from non GM people I have seen were about the gold Bow Tie. Many would like to see the color change.

Edited March 29, 2012 by hyperv6

[G. David Felt]

The NY auto show will be interesting to see what people think if it was the right move to go back to being bland or if they should have held onto the more edge nose design.

[!!!TED!!!]

Now that Chevy is trying to be everything to everyone, I suppose some strong grille language is in order, but I still maintain that the chrome crossbar is not it.

Chrome crossbar?! That design language ended more than 5 years ago!

On topic:

I'm quite surprised by this grille design. On one hand, its more balanced and proportional to the whole vehicle, but then, its more watered down, and less distinctive. It's still an upper and lower grille (dual port), but less defined as such. They also cheated. To give the headlights a more horizontal look, they blacked out the tops!

The new tails have that euro-Camaro goggle look?! Better use of space, moving the licence plate from the bumper.

[Drew Dowdell]

Drew, all of these types of vehicles take too much fuel. It's irrelevant whether the Flex gets 1 mpg less etc. Gas prices ever higher and govt mpg mandates always higher and people's pocketbooks out of slack...even these three row vehicles will need to give and up their mpg or the market for them will die. the only other thing is that they need to start to get cheaper if they want to maintain or expand the market.

It hauls just as much cargo as a Tahoe but doesn't have the towing. You're looking at this from the wrong end. The Traverse is the future of the Tahoo/Suburban for people who don't have to tow.

But you are going to get your wish, the next gen of Lambdas are getting downsized too.

[Drew Dowdell]

Now that Chevy is trying to be everything to everyone, I suppose some strong grille language is in order, but I still maintain that the chrome crossbar is not it.

Better use of the Enclave tailgate, moving the licence plate from the bumper.

fixed.

To me, interior and exterior, this is an Enclave with a nose job.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Now that Chevy is trying to be everything to everyone, I suppose some strong grille language is in order, but I still maintain that the chrome crossbar is not it.

Better use of the Enclave tailgate, moving the licence plate from the bumper.

fixed.

To me, interior and exterior, this is an Enclave with a nose job.

Badge engineering is alive and well with the New GM??? Say it ain't so!!

I guess I better be thankful that the Acadia wasn't forced to use the Enclave shell to then

Walking out in the parking lot leaving yesterday I noticed an Enclave and then a Traverse not too much further down the lot. Both parked head in, I thought to myself, "Geez, the rear of those two vehicles look an awful lot alike" (I was well aware the Traverse used the Buick's shell). At least with the Acadia and the Outlook, they had different uses of the rear glass to separate them (which the '13 Acadia now uses). I always liked the Outlook's wrap-around rear glass but noted that the separated rear side glass of the Acadia had a nod to the Envoy XL's rear glass shape:

[Robert Hall]

To me, interior and exterior, this is an Enclave with a nose job.

As far as the exterior, I don't see a resembalance to the Enclave...it's just the current Traverse w/ a nose job. The side contours are still the same as the current Traverse, which are different than the Enclave..

[GMTruckGuy74]

Re: the new Traverse, I find it starnge that I actually like the new frontend styling much more than the current model, but will agree that Chevy remained rather conservative rather than going bold. While I concur with Oldsmoboi re: the new Impala, I'm more worried about the upcoming 2014 Silverado. Too many GMC haters that are Chevy fan boys will go ballistic if the GMC Sierra has the bold new face while the Chevy Silverado gets treated as the red-headed step child again. While I like the Tahoe/Suburban frontend, I can't say the same about the Silverado 1500's frontend (the 2500 & 3500 with the split grille is something I like, and makes those trucks acceptable to me). I think GM/Chevy should have put the Tahoe/Suburban frontend on the 1500's and left the 2500/3500's as they are to separate the models (just my opinion).

The one major peeve I had with the Traverse since it's intro was the taillight design (looked too small on such a large space). The '13s are better, especially since the hatch has some shape and content to it now, but I reserve final judgement until I see it in person at the NYIAS in just over a weeks' time.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Found this on a Google search here:

[Robert Hall]

The taillgate is definitely an improvement...the current Traverse has such a large, blank rear panel...

[riviera74]

Massive kudos to the interior upgrades. So the exterior is a little bland.... so what? GM put the money where it belongs -- the interior. External generic styling is not the disaster some people here are making it out to be. It was not that long ago that GM cheaped out on interiors and put their cash in external flash. Good thing that lesson has been learned (and the trend reversed).

[CanadianBacon94]

Looks better here.

[Intrepidation]

I like the new nose much better, it looks more balanced and less tacked on. Likewise with the tail lights. They look more proportionate and less like an afterthought. The rear end overall is a huge improvement and no longer looks like a vast void of emptiness. The new interior looks nice as well. Overall much better.

[regfootball]

it actually appears to me like the hood, headlight openings, and front fenders are actually all unchanged....the bumper and grille and internals of the headlight are changed. the headlight in particular is constructed to really give an entirely different 'outline', even with the same opening?

I really like the crispness of the new front end. love the new back, too. I really did not ever expect to get into a lambda ever. i wish I knew why the Explorer just sort of doesn't connect with me. I sort of like the simplicity of the traverse. If Ford ever stopped making a goofy looking Flex I may be into it. The traverse just looks natural compared to a lot of other large three row. Now that they have connectivity, it really makes it an option for me. If and when I ever get coin, LOL

[ocnblu]

Ya know, the internet forums were in the same uproar back when a similar thing was done to the Chevelle in 1972.

Looking at the two side by side, I much prefer the newer version. It's cleaner in the front and much more interesting around the back. The interior modifications are fantastic. I think once ppl see it in the metal, the front end will be sufficiently detailed as to not appear generic.

[hyperv6]

Ya know, the internet forums were in the same uproar back when a similar thing was done to the Chevelle in 1972.

Looking at the two side by side, I much prefer the newer version. It's cleaner in the front and much more interesting around the back. The interior modifications are fantastic. I think once ppl see it in the metal, the front end will be sufficiently detailed as to not appear generic.

That was my pointy too we are just moving from 1970-71 to 1972 again.

Welcome back stranger I hope all is well.

The new nose has a note of the new VW in it too. While not exciting it has done well with the public. Many time clean and unoffensive are what the general public wants in a daily driver.

[ocnblu]

Thanks hyper, yup. I took a munt off from C&G to recharge my batteries, as it were.

[G. David Felt]

Looks better here.

Now it looks like a freakin mini van in this picture.

[hyperv6]

Looks better here.

Now it looks like a freakin mini van in this picture.

It is just the the photo. I also looks lower and wider too.

In person it will still look like a crossover.

I can say once many here see this in person they will have little issue with the restyling.

Now to me the greater crime is the wood trim that looks like it is out of an old Caprice. You know that real cheap platic looking stuff.

I hope it too looks better in person.

[hyperv6]

Thanks hyper, yup. I took a munt off from C&G to recharge my batteries, as it were.

No problem I just was starting to wonder if something happened.

I tossed out a few how great the Chevy 130R comments for you while you were gone. LOL!