Rally Editions Add Black Bowtie, New Attitude to 2015 Silverado

Chevrolet Silverado Rally Editions bring a sharp new appearance to 1500 double-cab and crew-cab pickups.

The Rally 2 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LT pickups features a body-colored grille with a black bowtie, 22-inch black alloy wheels, black tubular side steps and black mirror caps and door handles. Twin black Rally stripes on the hood and tailgate give the Rally Edition a unique appearance.

Also included will be a trailering package with a hitch and automatic locking rear differential, 10-way power driver seat, dual-zone climate control, remote start, backup camera and rear defroster. The eight-inch Chevy MyLink radio includes a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE connectivity.

The standard engine for Silverado is a 4.3-Liter EcoTec3 V-6. With 285-horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, providing up to 7,200 pounds of towing, based on SAE J2807 Recommended Practices. Like all EcoTec3 engines, the V-6 can seamlessly switch to four-cylinder mode to save fuel under light-load driving, delivering EPA highway estimates of up to 24 mpg.

Also available is a 5.3L Ecotec3 V-8. Rated at 355 horsepower, it provides the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup, up to 23 MPG EPA highway.

“Silverado won more awards in 2014 than any other pickup, including North American Truck of the Year,” said John Fitzpatrick, Silverado senior marketing manager. “The Rally Edition packages will let customers add an aggressive new look to this great all-around performer.”

Silverado will also offer two Rally 1 packages for 2015. The package for LT Silverados includes a body-colored grill with a black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps, stripes and 17-inch aluminum wheels. Also included is a trailering package with a hitch and locking rear differential, rear defroster and backup camera.

The Rally 1 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LS models includes the body-colored grille with black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps and two black rally stripes.

Double-cab Rally Editions can be ordered by Chevrolet dealers nationwide starting on September 4. Crew cabs will be available for order in early October.

Five Travel Tips to Make Your Next Vacation a Summer Breeze

1. Search for hotels and flights online in private browsing or incognito. Booking websites will sometimes raise the prices if you've visited the website before.

2. Roll your clothes instead of folding. This will save huge amounts of space. 

 

3. If you have your phone's USB cord but not the adapter, use the one of the USB slots on the back of almost all modern TVs. 

 

4.  Place a dryer sheet at the bottom of your suitcase to keep clothes smelling fresh!

 

5.  Use this neat little trick to remove unsightly tourists from your photos.

Let us know if you have any travel tips of your own!

Chevrolet Makes Stop/Start Standard in 2015 Impala

Stop/start technology will be standard on the 2015 Impala base 2.5-liter ECOTEC® engine, an addition that improves the vehicle’s city fuel economy by nearly 5 percent, or one mile per gallon.

The Impala comes standard with a four-cylinder engine, which currently accounts for more than 30 percent of Impala retail sales. It offers customers higher mpg city ratings and a more affordable entry price into the segment than six-cylinder competitors.

Stop/start shuts down the engine in certain driving conditions to reduce fuel consumption. The technology is becoming more prevalent worldwide. A recent report from Navigant Research predicted worldwide sales of vehicles with stop/start technology will grow from 8.8 million in 2013 to 55.4 million in 2022.

En garde! April Fools Pranks for Car Lovers

Each year it seems that April 1st pranks just get more outrageous. Seriously, maybe you shouldn't even leave the house. And don't even think about getting on Facebook. 

Perhaps the best way to avoid falling victim to the shenanigans this year is to administer the deception. After all, they do say that the best defense is a good offense.

Here are a few ideas for pranks involving cars. 

*Disclaimer: People take their cars very seriously so choose your victim wisely.

1. Cellophane wrapping. This one needs no explanation.

2. Accessory Overload. If you have access to your victim's keys, this one can be really great! Turn on the radio, wipers, A/C, hazards, parking brake and whatever else you can think of so that the next time they get in the car, well...

3. Balancing Act. Using tape or a similar adhesive utility, secure an empty coffee cup or mug to the top of your car. Watch the bewildered stares as you maneuver around the city with seemingly super driving powers.

4. Hit and run. Leave a note that will make your victim think that somebody hit their car!

5. A smashing success. Obtain an old car window from a scrap yard. Smash it to pieces, roll your victim's car windows down and place the broken glass on their seat and on the ground. All that's left is to break the news.

Let us know if you have any auto related pranks of your own!

2015 Chevrolet and GMC Big SUVs Get Better Gas Mileage

Tahoe and Suburban models achieve nearly 10 percent gain on highway

 

 

The new 2015 full-size SUVs from Chevrolet go farther on a tank of gas than outgoing models, raising highway fuel economy by nearly 10 percent.

The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL with the standard 5.3L engine get an EPA-estimated 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway with two-wheel drive – a nearly 10 percent increase in highway mileage over the previous models and 7 percent greater city mileage.

Camaro Z/28.R Sends Historic Name Back to the Track

New era begins at Daytona with IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge

 

The Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 returns to its racing roots this week when the all-new Camaro Z/28.R race car debuts in a 2.5-hour endurance race ahead of the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. It will be one of the most production-based competitors on the track, sharing aero, engine and even axle components with the new 2014 Camaro Z/28.

Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport will campaign Z/28.R race cars in the GS class of the IMSA Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge. The Daytona race begins at 1:45 p.m. EST, on Friday, Jan. 24, kicking off the 12-race 2014 season.

“The original Camaro Z/28 was designed for racing and became an iconic performance car through its hard-fought victories,” said Mark Kent, director of racing for Chevrolet. “A new chapter in racing begins this week, as the new Camaro Z/28 makes its competition debut in one of the most hotly contested series in motorsports.”

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is Most Capable, Ever

This week Chevrolet introduced the most track-capable Corvette in the brand’s history – the 2015 Corvette Z06. It stretches the performance envelope for Corvette with unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce, at least 625 horsepower from an all-new supercharged engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission – all building on the advanced driver technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray.

“The new Z06 delivers levels of performance, technology and design that rival the most exotic supercars in the world,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “And the Z06 leverages the engineering expertise of GM, offering the choice of two world-class transmissions, supercar performance without supercar fuel consumption and technologies that make it easier to fully enjoy the incredible experience of driving it.”

The 2015 model is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. The new, supercharged 6.2L engine is expected to deliver at least 625 horsepower (466 kW), and can be matched with either a seven-speed manual or an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control. The aluminum frame carries over from the Corvette Stingray and will be used essentially unchanged for the Corvette Racing C7.R.

A track-focused Z07 Performance Package adds unique components for true aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip, and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to greater handling through reduced unsprung weight. Although development testing is ongoing, the Z07 package has already recorded some of the fastest lap times ever for a Corvette, surpassing even the ZR1.

“The Corvette Z06 is a great example of the technology transfer between racing and production Corvettes,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “First, we took what we learned on the Corvette Racing C6.R and applied that to the all-new Corvette Stingray. Then, using the Stingray as a foundation, the Z06 and C7.R were developed to push the envelope of performance on the street and the track.”

All 2014 Silverado and Sierra Light-Duty Trucks Earn 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score

New Car Assessment Program includes regular and double cab configurations

 

 

The regular and double cab versions of 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have received the highest possible 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.

Joining the previously tested 2014 crew cab models, which also received a 5-star overall score, all cab configurations of the Silverado and Sierra 1500 series now have the highest possible Overall Vehicle Score. These models are the first pickup trucks to receive the 5-star NHTSA Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the implementation of more rigorous requirements for the 2011 model year.

“Our incredibly capable trucks have been engineered to be some of the safest,” said Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “We’ve designed the vehicle structure, strategically placed high-strength steel and developed the occupant restraint system to achieve high levels of safety performance.

“This level of vehicle performance is complemented by a full array of other advanced safety features to help protect our customers, no matter which new Silverado or Sierra they choose.”