2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU

Chevrolet revealed 2103 Malibu in 2011 New York Auto Show. Chevrolet has proved its worthiness in show. The car will be powered by  a 2.5-liter DOHC I-4 VVT DI Ecotec 190 hp at 6200 rpm and 245 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. The best thing about Chevrolet Malibu is its interior that is luxurious and comfortable. Below are the pics of Chevrolet Malibu 2103

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CHEVY’S VOLT: IT’S ALL THAT–AND MORE

Everything you’ve heard about the Chevy Volt is true. Satisfyingly, reassuringly true.

It is beyond a doubt the most intriguing and significant car of the year, and it deserves every award it’s gotten–and there have been several, incuding Motor Trend 2011 Car Of the Year, and the North American Car of the Year at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

It’s extraordinarily well built, beautiful inside and out, fun to drive, and economical.

   And at least as our results here at Automobile Journal showed, the Volt gets even better mileage than expected when used only in electric power only operation.

Our little trip was pretty much like the average one that we think consumers would take if they wanted to “bundle” all their travels into one trip out in the car. The trip included stops to drop off kids at school, going to the grocery store, library, and gym. 

When we started out, the odometer was at 2551, with nine electrical miles available. When we returned, the odometer was 2,557–we had driven six miles.

So logically, you figure, if you had nine all-electric miles when you started, you’d have only three left if you drove six miles.

Nope!

 We had six such miles left, or so said the all-electric miles gauge.

The Volt, an  electric plug-in hybrid,  is powered by a system that includes lithium ion propulsion battery, a Voltec electric drive unit, and a 1.4 liter internal combustion engine that serves as a mileage range extender.

 The charge time for the Volt, if you use a 240V outlet, is about four hours, and about 10 hours if you use a 120 volt outlet. Top speed is 100 miles per hour.

Volt which has a 35 mile range  if being driven completely under electric power,  has a 93 mile per gallon equivalent rating for combined city/highway driving, with an annual cost of $601 per year if you always use electric power. 

So what’s it like to drive the Volt?

Out of this world, really.

When you get in, you hear some appropriate “intergalactic space travel”-style musical notes, and the nav and info screen has some interesting futuristic graphics that flash up to entertain you as well.

You hit a lovely ice blue “power” switch and the car comes to life. In front of you can be seen two icons on the dashboard–they’re pretty large so you can’t miss them.

If the car has any electrical miles left, the battery icon will be the most prominent, and will show you how many miles you have left, while the gasoline icon fades from view.

You will, if the car runs out of electric power, see the gas icon appear, and the electric icon fades from view. The gas icon will tell you how many miles you have left in the tank. By the way, all this happens quite without you even noticing a thing.

       See that lovely bouncing green ball on your right?  For best economy and efficiency,  you will want to keep it pretty much in the middle of the gauge, so watch your braking and acceleration if  you want to make the most of your Volt.

     When you turn off the car, you hear this cool futuristic whoosh that reaffirms the idea that you’re driving a car that really is out of this world.

     The Volt’s interior has substantial, high quality leather and other material, and we loved the touch sensitive buttons for controls–they are on a futuristic looking white cluster under the nav screen. A light touch brings a soft computer-like click, and your request has been handled.

      Room is limited in the Volt, though. There’s enough for four passengers, and there wasn’t a whole lot of leg room, for one thing. 

And there’s some odd  looking graphics for door inserts, that look like they are from a  “World of Tomorrow”  amusement park ride or something.  We would have liked something a bit more tasteful and upscale instead.

Once underway, you’ll find yourself amazed at how quiet and smooth the Volt is, with every single task you ask it to do completed in a smooth, seamless, no fuss way.

Handling is on the sporty side, and the car seems to like enthusiastic driving. And the acceleration is plenty peppy thanks to 273 pounds-feet of torque.

      The Volt defies everything you thought you knew about either electric cars or Detroit products.  It is well-built, solid, fun to drive and quick both on the highway and around town.

And here’s another way that this car defies everything that you ever thought about Detroit–and GM.

 By way of background, the roughly 21-foot charging  cord for the Volt  was a bit too short to reach an outlet at our 100 year old home, which admittedly was a bit disappointing.  A length of 25 feet is the longest allowed by regulations set by the Society of Automotive Engineers and national building codes, GM officials say. 

  But  a consumer is not likely to have the cord length issue because that already will be taken into account before the car is even brought home.

Here’s why.

When you order the Volt, GM has a company called SPX visits you and personally helps determine which would be the best charging option for you  given the specific conditions you have such as the type of home you have, the types of electrical sources you have, and where you park, among many other things.

So before you even get the car, GM’s already”on it,” and is fully aware that, for instance, your charging cord will bve too short. So SPX will help find ways to solve that issue before you even take delivery.

“”You go to your Chevy dealer, order your Volt, and SPX comes out to do an audit of the area where you are planning to park, and other things  and we make sure that we find the best charging options that can work for you,” said Chevrolet Volt spokesman Rob Peterson.

The options include a 240 volt charging system, or for owners of old homes for instance, a recommendation may be made to install an outlet on a flat piece of land on your property that is  much closer to where you normally park,  Mr. Peterson said.  SPX also looks into local building codes and utility company rates as part of  the information used to finally decide on a charging option.

But we do think that the situation involving the charging cord, and for that matter,  everything relating to electric plug-in hybrids is fluid. Conversations and research continue. So we won’t be surprised if standards  are changed and charging times drop  as time goes on and even more advanced products are introduced.

 So were there any problems with the Volt?

     In everyday driving we strongly suggest you be careful on entrance and exit ramps and leaving driveways because the ground clearance for the Volt in front is very low. You don’t want to cause–or hear —any unnecessary scrapes or crunches.

       Base price for the Volt is $40,280.

That includes as standard equipment,  airbags of various sorts, including side impact, knee bag for driver and front passenger, roof rail side-impact, anti lock brakes, Stabilitrak stability and traction control, remote keyless entry, power door locks with lockout protection, pedestrian friendly alert, OnStar, full power accessories, solar absorbing windshield, outside heated mirrors, 30GB audio hard drive, audio system with navigation, DVD ROM, automatic air, tilt and telescoping steering column, steering wheel radio controls,  cruise control satellite radio and a host of other items.

    Our test model had a premium leather trim package, “Virdian Joule” tricoat paint, parking assists front and rear, a rear vision camera system ana 17 -inch polished wheels for options. That brought the base price  to $44,680.

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2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE REVIEW

Many of Chevy owners are heartbroken when they stopped was knighted in 2005. Fortunately, many of them did so before the remains of high quality vehicles, one usually sees on the road. However, there is a building of new excitement in the new sedan is in sight. 2011 Chevy Cruze is still in production, but so far the response to retailers and consumers is very attractive.

Consumers who are aware of how much money they spend on fuel will find the 2011 Chevy Cruze to be one of the most effective out there on the road. It will provide up to 40 mpg on the highway. It will also be plenty of power with the turbocharged 1.4 liter in it. There is much to rave with trial versions of it, and most believe it is a car that will quickly become a bestseller in Europe and America.

Although the first prototypes of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze was unveiled at trade shows in Europe in late 2008. In spring 2009 they will go on sale in Europe. The exact color will be offered has not yet been revealed. It is believed that GM is still working to finalize these decisions. They agreed that the interior will feature a look at two tones is very nice and very different from what you find on the market today. The price is still relatively unknown. However, it is believed that the basic model 2011 Chevrolet Cruze MSRP will be approximately $ 15.500 to compete with others in its class.

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CHEVY STYLE AT THE CENTURY MARK

Chevrolet, now observing its 100 birthday has brought style to mainstream America.

Its 1957 Chevy arguably defined the fabulous fifties. The 1963 Corvette still looks svelte after all these years. The Camaro

since its inception has seemed top have it all over its rivals when it came to pony car design, especially the 1967, 1969 and now the 2010 and 2011 models.

The bow tie brand is taking a breather to indulge in a fond look back, with a tour guided by none other than Ed Welburn, global vice president of design at General Motors.

     Here are some of his remarks and thoughts about Chevy’s landmark models over the last 10o years:

1912 Chevrolet Classic Six

“The Classic Six was the first car to bear the Chevrolet name after William Durant and Louis Chevrolet came together to found a company building cars using the famous Swiss race driver’s last name. It was a large, luxurious and powerful machine, boasting the biggest capacity engine of any Chevrolet up until the ‘big-block’ V8 era of 1958. The imposing vehicle carried a price tag of $2150, which made it much more expensive than most of its contemporaries. Very much Louis Chevrolet’s dream car, it was designed in collaboration with his friend, the French engineer Etienne Planche. Unveiled in 1911, it was launched in 1912, but lasted only until 1914 after the company’s focus shifted towards more affordable machines, something that prompted Louis Chevrolet to resign as he disagreed with Durant’s policy. A total of 5,987 were constructed. “This was the first Chevrolet, so it’s very significant,” says Ed of the Classic Six. “Louis Chevrolet used all his experience and background to create it and make history.”

1932 Chevrolet Deluxe Sport Coupe

“Adversity sometimes results in greatness, and that was truly the case with the 1932 Deluxe Sport Coupe. Launched amid the Depression, in a year when Chevrolet sales had dropped 50 percent compared to the previous year, the Sport was one of Chevrolet’s prettiest pre-WWII cars, an attractive yet compact vehicle with a curvaceous rear that lived up to its title with sporting looks and performance. The car was a strict two-seater… well, inside at least. If you wanted to carry more passengers, they had to make do with the rear rumble seat in the trunk. Lots of fun in the sun, rather less so in the rain. “It was a cool design,” believes Ed. “It says so much about Chevrolet: a lot of the words you can use to describe it also relate to current cars. It had spirit, was affordable and contemporary. Customers felt they were getting a lot of car for their money, something that still holds true today.”

1936 Chevrolet Suburban

“The Suburban wasn’t just a significant model for Chevrolet, it was an important vehicle for the car industry as a whole. Arguably it was the first Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV), a tough, no-nonsense load carrier featuring a station wagon body on the chassis of a small truck. Actually christened the Suburban Carryall – for it could pretty much carry anything – its origins could be traced back to 1933 and a wooden eight-seater body on half ton truck frame, intended for National Guard and Civilian Conservation Corps units.

“ When made available to the public, it gained an all-metal body fitted with either rear panel doors or a tailgate. “They were doing a crossover between a car and a truck,” says Ed of the vehicle that gave birth to what is now the longest continuous name to be used on a car. “And it’s got a cool interior, too, a real neat one. One might consider it the first crossover, and it’s very much related to the Captiva.”

1948 Chevrolet Pick-Up

“Trucks (in the small commercial vehicle sense) and vans are as big a part of the Chevrolet story as its cars. And the 1948 range was one of the most significant series the company produced. Arriving in summer 1947, they were the first GM automobile products to have a completely post-war design, making them among the most up-to-date vehicles anywhere. Not a bad claim to fame for something meant to be utilitarian and hard-working!

 The mainstay of the range was the versatile and practical half-ton pick-up, which saw service all around the world. “You just have to smile when you look at one,” is Ed’s opinion of the friendly looking load-lugger. “It’s a real workhorse of a truck. The shape was just beautiful, but it still did its job well. It was clean, basic and affordable.”

1953 Chevrolet Corvette

It was the first Corvette,” says Ed of the Chevrolet that grew into an automotive legend. Created by the similarly legendary GM styling chief Harley Earl, 1953′s Corvette two-seater sports car was intended to shake up Chevrolet’s image, as well as battle the wave of sporty European imports flooding into the U.S.A. One of its more novel features was its fiberglass construction. Initially though, the car wasn’t a big hit, and it was only with the styling tweaks of a few years later that it became a true success.

“It was a design for years that I didn’t care for that much.But now I absolutely love it. I’ll never forget the first one I saw. I must have been about seven, and walking down a tree-lined street. One came around the corner, rumbled along through the fallen leaves and then was gone. And I was, like, ‘Wow, that was cool!’”

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

“Chevrolet completely revamped its cars for 1955, with what it dubbed the ‘Motoramic’ look for the top-of-the-range Bel Air plus the introduction of the fabled ‘small-block’ V8 engine. Exhilarating performance and a flamboyant, confident and colorful style were what made the 1955 Bel Airs – coupes, convertibles and station wagons – stand out from the crowd. Such was the distinctiveness of General Motors cars from the period 1955 to 1957 that they received their own nickname, ‘Tri5′. “In my opinion, the ’55 Bel Air is the best of the Tri5s. It was such a departure from 1955, so fresh, so contemporary. This was a car that looked more expensive than it actually was, something that could also be said about the Cruze today.”

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

“What an amazing car. Based on a show car penned by GM design chief Bill Mitchell, the angular and svelte Sting Ray was more sophisticated and civilized  than previous Corvettes, yet in maturing, it didn’t forget that its main purpose in life was to be exhilarating, both in how it looked and how it drove.

Distinctive features of the car – which continued to be built out of fiberglass – were the electrically-operated pop-up headlamps and, on the coupe, a split rear window that would go on to become its main motif. “I’ve lectured on this car many times,” says Ed. “Everything was new; in fact it was so new, they had to give it a new name, Sting Ray. Every Corvette since then has been influenced by it, even the current models. The dual cockpit interior is still part of the Corvette and the Chevrolet interior design today.”

1967 Chevrolet Pick-Up

“Big, brusque and purposeful, Chevrolet’s new generation of pick-up trucks for 1967 were tough machines designed to get the job done. Powerful and practical, with no-nonsense styling, they were marketed as general transportation as well as work vehicles, something that extended their appeal and profile into the mass market. It’s a very iconic American design.You see that pick-up, and you also see a guy with blue jeans and a toolbox in the back! Many of the words I’ve used to describe the earlier pick-up also relate here.”

1989 Chevrolet Pick-Up

“The importance of pick-up trucks within the Chevrolet portfolio was still high at the end of the 20th century, and the fourth generation of the C/K series – with stacked headlamps and square-cut, rugged appearance – were almost a celebration of this significance. Naturally, their main reason for being was to work and be useful, carrying loads.

 However, a growing use as pure ‘lifestyle’ machines meant that Chevrolet also offered a Sports package, something which contributed to impressive sales for these vehicles. Perfect for express deliveries, even better for just looking great on the roads. It’s a very clean design and still looks contemporary today.It sold in incredible numbers. We’re working on future Chevrolet pick-ups and the guys have photos of this one on the wall for inspiration.”

2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Ed is a big enthusiast of all Camaros and even owns a classic 1969 example himself.

 ”But I decided to put the 2010 Camaro on this list before the ’69. It connected with people worldwide. When we introduced the car as a concept, there were grown men and women with tears in their eyes. It’s valued all round the world.”

 When Ed and his team were working on the new Camaro, “I brought my one into the studio to inspire them. I told them, I want you to beat this!”

Although there are echoes of the first 1967-1969 Camaros in the current car’s muscular styling – such as the kick-up in the flanks beneath the rear side windows – Ed is keen to stress that the 2010 incarnation is “not a throw-back design, but very forward-looking. I’m always thinking of the future, but you have a great heritage with Chevrolet. You need to build on that; I wouldn’t want to build a retro Camaro.”

 He cites the confident and optimistic thrusting design of the new Camaro as “a positive sign to GM employees and customers. It lit a fire within the company.”

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1970 CHEVROLET CAMARO COLLECTION REVIEW

The state of things was not too sad in 1970 itself. The new Camaro was released with great fanfare and success at the end of the year 1970 model. Most of the credit went to the new style, which was of European inspiration. Still based on Scotland, the new Camaro, two inches longer and had gates more than five inches, and is now only available as a coupe (not convertible). She had a new front suspension arm and insultation better sound. Under the hood, never the new project of 454 units and she has continued Camaro SS with the 350 and 396 engines. After January 1970, but 396 engines are no longer displaced 396 cubic inches. Chevrolet actually extended to 402 cubic inches, but the leaders decided to name the 396 to take advantage of name recognition and avoid the attention of insurance companies. RS option now included a free-standing grill, bumperettes twin, Endura rubber frame grill and parking lights between headlights and grille.

SS option included a black grille special hidden windshield, power brakes, tires engine trim, white-letter, chrome exhaust, and SS396 also came with panels painted in black trunk and a special suspension.

1970 Camaro was a big change of style. Gone was the old square shape to look more European. Chevrolet had some capacity problems and the car was not published until the end of February 1970. The new design was a success, but because of the production lot of short sales data does not truly represent the popularity of the 1970 Camaro.

As usual, the Rally Sport or RS package is available for all three models Camaro. Camaro RS option to include advanced security features to share bumpers, windscreen wipers hidden and RS symbols. Retail $ 165 package and added 27,136,124,901 Camaro, and was built in 1970.

Bottom Camaro could be either small or six-cylinder 307ci V8. The next step was the performance of a Super Sport or choose a 350ci 396ci V8. Camaro SS muscle car was a version of the trio. It 'been a solid performer in a straight line. For those interested in the course of the SS was a good balance between price and performance. The admission price was 10-15% less than the Z/28.

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