William Maley

About two years ago at the SEMA show, Chevrolet showed off a collection of vehicles with a concept trim package known as Red Line. The vehicles featured a number of trim pieces finished in black and red to give off a sinister look. The reaction to these concepts was positive, causing Chevrolet to investigate whether or not to bring this into production. This morning, Chevrolet revealed the Redline special edition. This brings a set of black wheels with red hash marks, blacked-out grilles, black Bowtie badges, and black nameplates with red outlines. Chevrolet mentions that each model in the Redline lineup will have their own exclusive touches. For example, the Silverado and Colorado will get red tow hooks. Chevrolet will offer eight Redline special edition models. Aside from the Silverado and Colorado, Redline will be available on, Cruze LT (sedan and hatchback) Malibu LT Camaro LT/SS (coupe and convertible) Trax LT Equinox LT Traverse Premier Chevrolet says you can order the Silverado Redline right now. Other models will be available later this year. Source: Chevrolet Press Release is on Page 2 REDLINE TAKES CHEVROLET DESIGN TO THE NEXT LEVEL Broadest cross-portfolio special edition offers customized vehicles right from the factory CHICAGO – Today, Chevrolet announced the introduction of the Redline special edition series at the Chicago Auto Show. Available on nine Chevrolet cars, trucks and crossovers, Redline is the broadest cross-portfolio special edition ever offered by the brand. Redline made its debut in concept form at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Inspired by a strong positive reception from customers and the success of special editions across the portfolio, Chevrolet expanded Redline across nine vehicles in the car, truck and crossover segments: Cruze LT (sedan and hatchback) Malibu LT Camaro LT/SS (coupe and convertible) Trax LT Equinox LT Traverse Premier Colorado LT Silverado Double Cab LT Z71, Crew Cab LTZ Z71 “Redline is another example of Chevrolet bringing SEMA concepts to showrooms,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet. “The SEMA show has proven to be a great way to identify customization trends in the industry, and quickly apply those trends to our most popular Chevrolet models. Based on the strong interest Redline attracted at the show, we believe they will be very popular with customers looking for standout cars, trucks, and crossovers.” All Redline vehicles are equipped with black wheels featuring distinct red hash marks, black nameplates with a red outline, blacked-out grilles and black Chevrolet bowtie logos. From there, vehicles feature design elements tailored to the preferences of those specific customers. For example, the Silverado and Colorado Redlines feature red tow hooks, while Camaro Redline features unique black hash marks above the wheels, a design cue taken from Chevy’s long heritage in motorsports. “Our special edition lineup has been popular with customers and dealers, alike” said Sweeney. “Since the introduction of special editions on vehicles the like Silverado and Camaro, vehicle average transaction prices have increased, time to turn has decreased, and conquest rates have risen, which has contributed to making Chevrolet the fastest-growing brand in the industry two years in a row.” Silverado Redlines are the first available for purchase; orders can be placed at Chevrolet dealerships now. Availability will be cadenced, and all Redline vehicles will be available for purchase by the end of 2017 calendar year. View full article

I might be able to shine some light on the Duramax diesel option. This is from Autoblog,

Automakers have been downsizing their engines and adding turbochargers to improve fuel economy while retaining power from larger displacement engines. But is there a point where this trend doesn't make sense anymore? Volkswagen believes that time is coming very soon. "The trend of downsizing is over," said Herbert Diess, Volkswagen's chairman. "Emissions tend to go up as engines get smaller." This is due to smaller engines needing to work much harder to produce the power figures of higher displacement engines, which in turns causes more fuel to be used. Currently, small displacement engines do very well in the European fuel economy and emission tests. But the test results have come under intense scrutiny as they don't match up to real-world tests. In a few years, the European Union will introduce new procedures that include tests in the lab and real-world. The new tests could put this trend at a standstill. Diess said they would continue to offer the turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder and 1.6L turbodiesel, but wouldn't go any smaller in the future. Source: The Telegraph View full article

It is a good time if you happen to be interested in off-road pickups. The Ford F-150 Raptor, Ram Power Wagon, and Toyota's TRD Pro lineup offer their unique take. Soon, the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 will have its own take for your consideration. Today, Chevrolet revealed the base price of the Colorado ZR2 which begins at $40,995 (includes a $940 destination charge). That will net you the extended cab model with the 3.6L V6. Chevrolet isn't talking pricing for the crew cab or the option of the 2.8L Duramax Turbodiesel. This price undercuts the base Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro by $705. The list of standard equipment is quite extensive with front and rear locking electronic diffs, DSSV dampers, a 2-inch suspension lift, new bumpers, spray-in bedliner, 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires, aluminum skid plate, six-speaker audio system, 8-inch touchscreen with Chevrolet MyLink, and wireless phone charging. Source: Chevrolet Press Release is on Page 2 CHEVROLET ANNOUNCES 2017 COLORADO ZR2 PRICING STARTING AT $40,995 Chevy’s all-new off-road performance truck will be priced more competitively and have better standard equipment than the nearest comparable vehicles DETROIT — After revitalizing an entire truck market segment with the launch of the Chevy Colorado, Chevrolet continues to innovate in the midsize pickup segment. The high-performance, off-road ZR2 trim level will launch this spring for the 2017 model year with a starting price of $40,995 MSRP including a $940 destination fee. “ZR2 is truly a segment of one and does everything well — from traversing heavy two-track trails to high-speed desert running and full-on rock crawling. We’re thrilled to be able to offer it for more than $2,500 less than the next closest comparable vehicles. Taken in the context of serious off-roading, $2,000 will buy you 50 years of annual passes to Arches National Park in Moab, Utah,” said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks marketing director. “Some vehicles that customers might cross-shop with ZR2 can spec out as much as $26,000 more than our truck — or the price of a well-equipped 2017 Colorado. When you buy a ZR2 at the starting price of $40,995, you are getting all of the significant off-road technologies standard with the vehicle, as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission and a wealth of other features at no additional cost.” Available options on the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 will include: Class-exclusive 2.8L Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, capable of 186 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque Choice of crew- or extended cab configurations (including short and long beds, respectively) 7-speaker Bose premium audio system Dealer-installed, bed-mounted spare tire carrier Full-length black vinyl floor (no additional cost — standard interior features leather seats and carpet) The ZR2’s starting MSRP includes a number of key standard features unique to the trim level, such as: Class-exclusive front and rear locking electronic differentials Revolutionary, segment-exclusive Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSVTM) dampers Off-road rocker protection Modified front and rear bumpers for better off-road obstacle clearance Exclusive ZR2 17 x 8-inch aluminum alloy wheels 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac off-road tires New cast-iron control arms An aluminum skidplate that protects the radiator and engine oil pan Autotrac transfer case Transfer case shield Aggressive grille and hood combo unique to ZR2 Modified rear axle with a 3.42 ratio Front and rear tracks widened 3.5 inches over a standard Colorado Suspension lifted 2 inches over a standard Colorado Off-Road Mode Technology 4-wheel disc brakes Other standard features include: Tow/haul mode Trailering Package, including trailer hitch and 7-pin connector Integrated trailer brake controller Spray-on bedliner Heated driver and passenger front seats Wireless phone charging Rear sliding window EZ Lift and Lower tailgate Locking tailgate Recovery hooks A six-speaker audio system with Chevrolet MyLink Radio with Navigation and an 8-inch diagonal color touchscreen, AM/FM stereo with seek-and-scan and a digital clock, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones, voice-activated technology for radio and phone featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability as well as an auxiliary jack All-terrain spare tire with unique ZR2 wheel Four USB ports: one on the instrument panel, one in the center console and two in the rear of the center console Electronic automatic cruise control Rear window electric defogger OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi Rear Vision Camera Remote keyless entry Remote vehicle starter system 4-way power front driver and passenger seat adjuster with power driver lumbar control Rear seats with underseat storage Standard powertrain is the 3.6L DI DOHC V6 with a class-leading 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque that is shared with other Colorado models. The ZR2 is available only as a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 goes on sale this spring. View full article