2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD

It's a numbers game, but it's important not to overlook the ride
By Malcolm Gunn
Posted: 03/26/2010 11:13:44 AM PDT

When it comes to heavy-duty haulers, you can always expect a scrap between General Motors, Ford and Dodge as to which brand has the most power, offers the biggest payload and can haul the biggest yacht.

The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD appears determined to assume the lead when it makes its summer debut.

In this category, the vast majority of buyers depend on these trucks for their livelihoods, while a relatively small minority use them to tow massive fifth-wheel travel trailers. It's really a numbers game for both groups of people, who carefully consider cab configurations, payload ratings, towing capacities, box sizes and powertrain output before investing a sizable chunk of their cash.

Chevrolet thinks it has the right stuff to attract the Heavy Duty crowd with a host of new features and technologies plus a superior level of bar-raising muscle.

Structurally, the Silver-ado's variety of uses necessitates no fewer than 11 frame assemblies, all of which have been significantly stiffened to resist bending and twisting. The engine and transmission mounts have been enlarged and hydraulic body mounts are used on extended-cab and crew-cab models to isolate the passenger compartment from powertrain and road vibrations.

The steering has been upgraded and the redesigned front suspension can now better support more weight. Accor-ding to Chevrolet, these changes improve ride and handling and make the HD better able to function with a snow plow on all cab models with four-wheel-drive.

The rear leaf springs have also been beefed up and now feature a 6,200-pound gross rear axle rating on the 2500 (three-quarter-ton) HD series, up from the previous 6,084-pound mark (the rear axle ratings on the 3500 (one-ton) HD single and dual rear-wheel models have also increased).

The HD can now trailer up to 16,000 pounds (previously 13,000 pounds) using a conventional ball hitch, or up to 20,000 pounds with a fifth-wheel hitch, up from 18,500 pounds.

The base 6.0-liter pushrod V8 remains unchanged at 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. By comparison, the upcoming 2011 Ford Super Duty will arrive with 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque produced by its new 6.2-liter V8, while Chrysler's Ram HD's 5.7-liter V8 generates 383 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

The real game-changer is the Silverado's optional (and very popular) 6.6-liter turbo-diesel V8 that retains the outgoing motor's displacement, but now puts out 397 horsepower and an earth-shaking 765 pound-feet of torque. That compares with the Ford SD's 390 horses and 735 pound-feet of torque emanating from its 6.7-liter V8 turbo-diesel, or the Ram's optional 6.7-liter six-cylinder turbo-diesel that's worth 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet torque. All are capable of just about any task you can dole out, so, yes, this is a bit of a numbers game, but one that Chevy is probably happy to be winning.

Both base and optional engines employ six-speed automatic transmissions: a GM-developed Hydramatic comes with the 6.0, while the turbo-diesel employs an Allison-built unit.

Chevy has added its smart exhaust brake system to the turbo-diesel for 2011. When coasting, compressed exhaust gasses are contained inside the engine's cylinders, forcing it to turn more slowly, which in turn slows down the truck without touching the brakes. The result is less wear and tear on the brake hardware and greater control for the driver, especially when hauling or towing heavy loads downhill.

Included is a stability program that reduces the trailer's tendency to wiggle around, while hill-start assist prevents the HD from rolling backward when on an incline.

The list of standard HD equipment on the WT (Work Truck), LT and LTZ trim levels is tremendous, as is the options list. You can, quite literally, outfit the HD from bare-bones basic to over-the-edge luxury.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but the starting point will likely be around $30,000. That's actually a reasonable sum for a pickup that, unlike dogs or people, continues to improve with age.

Consumer Reports: Only One Luxury Sedan Gets Excellent Score - CTS

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January 06, 2010YONKERS, N.Y. — Consumer Reportsrecently tested five redesigned luxury sedans from Cadillac, Acura, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lincoln, and just one posted an overall score considered to be "excellent."

Field testers put each vehicle through a battery of examinations at its center in East Haddam, Conn., and the Cadillac CTS received the excellent status by getting a score of 84.

Acura's vehicle in the test group came in second place. The RL had a score of 80, determined to be "very good" by the magazine. Two other luxury units received "very good" scores and finished right behind the Acura RL. Both coming in at 79 were the Mercedes-Benz E350 and Audi A6. Rounding out the most recent batch of testing was the Lincoln MKS, which also received a "very good" score at 75.

However, the performance of the Cadillac CTS placed the vehicle into a unique position in Consumer Reports' evaluations. The score put up by the model trailed only the Infiniti M35 among the 13 luxury sedans that have been rated by the publication.

"With excellent driving dynamics, a smooth and punchy drivetrain and a well-furnished interior, the CTS outscores some of the best imported luxury sports sedans," noted David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test. Despite the glowing review, what the publication considered to be below-average reliability kept officials from recommending the Cadillac CTS.

In fact, the only luxury sedan the publication recommended was the Acura RL. Officials pointed out that the Mercedes-Benz unit is too new to have reliability data. Furthermore because they tested the Audi A6 3.0T and Lincoln MKS Ecoboost with newly introduced engines, they did not want to make a prediction on reliability.

"Consumer Reports only recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Survey of its more than 7 million print and Web subscribers, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test," officials explained. As a bonus, Consumer Reports also tested a hybrid vehicle when it made its latest evaluation of luxury sedans. Testers gave an "excellent" score of 83 to the Lexus HS 250h. They mentioned the mark was slightly higher than what they awarded to the Toyota Prius.

Consumer Reports analysts also shared additional comments about each of the five luxury sedans and the hybrid unit they recently reviewed:

Cadillac CTS "The CTS gives up virtually nothing to the premium European cars tested in terms of refinement, powertrain, ride or handling. The ride is supple and controlled and handling is agile and sporty. The Cadillac CTS Premium RWD ($50,995, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine that delivers lively performance and gets 19 miles per gallon overall in CR's own fuel economy tests. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts responsively. Braking is excellent. The interior is plush, with well-fitted padded panels and nice touches of wood and chrome. It has a moderately sized trunk."

Acura RL "The Acura RL is a pleasant and refined car, but the driving experience isn't special enough to justify its $50,000 price tag. The car is full of electronic conveniences, but the ride and backseat are not as comfortable as those found in competing vehicles. Handling is sound, but less sporty than most of its competitors. The Acura RL AWD ($50,660, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 300-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6 engine that is smooth and slick and delivers 19 mpg overall on premium gasoline. The five-speed automatic transmission is very smooth and responsive. Braking is very good. The RL's high-quality interior has impeccable fit and finish. For a car in this class, the RL's trunk is modest."

Audi A6 "Audi freshened the A6 with a new, supercharged engine that improves performance while retaining decent fuel economy. Handling remains responsive and secure, the seats are very comfortable, and the interior is nicely finished. The A6 Premium 3.0T Quattro AWD ($53,075, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 300-horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that delivers strong acceleration and 20 mpg overall on premium fuel. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly. Braking is very good. The rich interior is trimmed with high-quality materials and panels are tight-fitting. Trunk space is good."

Mercedes-Benz E350 "The redesigned E350 doesn't ride as comfortably or handle as well as its predecessor. Handling is still capable but not exceptional, and the ride isn't as absorbent as before, but still the E350 is quick and quiet, solid, comfortable and luxurious. The Mercedes-Benz E350 RWD ($55,245, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers smooth and strong performance and 19 mpg overall on premium fuel. The seven-speed automatic transmission usually shifts smoothly. Braking is very good. The interior is nicely finished with padded panels and high-quality materials. The trunk is good-sized."

Lincoln MKS "The MKS, which is based on the Ford Taurus, doesn't do much to set itself apart for its higher price. It has many amenities and well-finished interior, but the driving experience is ordinary. The Lincoln MKS EcoBoost AWD ($52,770, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 355-horsepower, 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine that provides strong performance and gets 18 mpg overall. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. Braking is very good. The inviting interior has thickly padded and stitched panels and nicely detailed front perforated-leather seats. The MKS has a good-sized trunk, but its opening is very short."

Lexus HS 250h "Though pleasant overall, the HS 250h doesn't have the refinement, quietness and ride comfort associated with the Lexus brand. The cabin is narrow, and handling is unexciting. The Lexus HS 250h Premium Hybrid ($38,939, MSRP as tested) is powered by a 187-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder hybrid electric/gasoline engine that delivers adequate performance and excellent fuel economy at 31 mpg overall. It can drive up to 26 mph on electric power alone. The CVT transmission works very smoothly. Braking is very good. The interior trim uses high-grade materials. The trunk is modest."

Test drive a 2010 CTS today at Bradshaw Cadillac in Greer, SC. Shop 24/7 at www.bradshawgreer.com

2011 Chevrolet Cruze First Drive

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Cruzing the World
By Matt Davis, Contributor Published Apr 1, 2009

Amid the financial mess that has become General Motors, we're told that the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is coming our way, one more piece of GM's constantly improving product portfolio. Despite GM's financial drama, the Cruze refuses to get sidetracked. Good thing, because GM needs this new small car to have a firm footing in markets around the globe, including the U.S.
The Cruze sedan is being delivered to customers in European markets right now, and it has been on sale in Korea as the Daewoo Lacetti Premiere since late 2008. It will also be sold as the Holden Cruze in Oceania. Our several drives of the bowtie-badged Cruze with a variety of powertrains and transmissions in northern Spain have shown us that GM has at long last become a global thinker and planner like Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and VW.
The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze replaces the Chevy Cobalt, which ends production in its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, early in 2010, but this is much more car than the Cobalt was ever planned to be. The Cruze has handsome exterior work, while the interior is impressively good for big people, and the car also looks and feels better than the price should allow.
Going GlobalKnown internally as project J300, the Cruze is the very first GM car to be planned from its green light back in late 2006 as a totally global model. It's taken GM awhile to set up something as brilliantly cost-effective as this car, but it's finally here and there is now no looking back. Here's hoping it's not too little, too late.
Engineering for the J300 project has been headquartered in Germany at GM Europe's headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany. All design work has been led by the international team in Incheon, South Korea, at the former Daewoo facility, with designers Dave Lyon and Taewan Kim presiding (love the BMW 3 Series-style taillights also found on the recently sexed-up Citroën C5). Cruze production is cranking full steam at a plant in Bupyong, South Korea, and will soon also rev up in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Shenyang in China.
With today's globalized perspective, all this makes the Cruze GM's most significant car ever. Provided economies in key markets pick up in timely fashion, annual worldwide sales of the Cruze could easily top 1 million vehicles. The best year for worldwide Chevy Cobalt sales came in 2005 with 148,949 sales; the total dipped to 118,349 in 2008. The Cruze has been given the task of exceeding these numbers in the U.S. alone.
The image of the car depends on the market you're talking about. In Southeast Asia (and perhaps in China as the Buick Cruze), it's a family's dream car. In Korea or Russia and Eastern Europe, it's a solid midmarket player, a clear notch above the Korean brands or VW-based Škoda. In Europe and Australia, the Cruze is the smart, well-finished alternative with big-car room and small-car practicality. For us in North America, the Cruze needs to steal customers from the Japanese, the Koreans, and from the Ford Focus.
Is It the Hit It Needs To Be?If we're to go by our industrious driving over two days, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze measures up to expectations. The Chevrolet people tell us that the Cruze as it sits on the new Delta 2 architecture (shared with the Chevy Volt and the next Opel Astra) incorporates lots of lightweight, high-tensile-strength steel. Our driving over lots of different surfaces shows that structural rigidity is noticeably better than the Cobalt's Delta 1 architecture.
While the new platform's front suspension struts and rear torsion-beam axle are fairly basic work, they are feeling finer than anything we've ever experienced under a Cobalt. This could be due to the Cruze's stretched wheelbase (2.4 inches longer), slightly wider tracks, plus optional 17-inch tires. The Cruze unsurprisingly doesn't steer like a BMW or Infiniti, although it doesn't feel out of the ordinary, with a strong on-center response. Understeer is, however, less than on the generation of cars the Cruze replaces worldwide.
The base model Cruze will be equipped with a 1.8-liter inline-4 rated at 140 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. Later on, an optional turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 will be available, which produces 140 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. The Cruze weighs 2,844 pounds with the manual transmission and 2,899 pounds with the auto, so both are lighter than the current 2,991-pound Cobalt. We think this is a great thing, even though we're giving up 10 hp and 20 lb-ft of torque compared to the current Cobalt's engine, and can expect acceleration to 60 mph to be no quicker than 9.5 seconds.
The optional six-speed automatic transmission is a first in this segment, but the 1.8-liter base engine we get is a bit underwhelming, as any slight incline on the highway results in an old-school tug of war between 5th and 6th gears if the transmission is left in Drive. (What'll it be like with five passengers and luggage then?) Meanwhile, the standard five-speed manual is always good because its ratios mesh better with the power curve, and 5th gear is overdrive enough to make highway cruising, Cruzing. If North America gets the six-speed manual transmission that's being discussed, all the better.
Living Space Every DayBy the measurements, the Cruze passenger cabin tops the competition while also looking swell and managing to keep exterior noise from the wind, tires and motor from pestering occupants. We felt compelled to ask the product people right away whether the supportive front seats are optional. Same for the natty, soft-touch fabric that upholsters the dash. All standard, they say.
Rear passengers in a Cruze are also treated better than in any other car in this class, with 39.4 inches of headroom in front and 37.9 inches in back. Rear-seat legroom in back is tremendous at 36.1 inches. Rear shoulder room measures 54 inches, 5 inches more than in the Cobalt. We adjusted the driver seat to our 6-foot frame and jumped in the back. The space is worthy of an Impala, a real improvement as the Opel Astra-based Cobalt has always been desperately short of rear-seat space. Both ingress and egress are notably upper class for this market segment, with large door openings and an overall height of 58.2 inches, 2.7 inches more than the Cobalt.
The trunk of the Cruze is tops in class with 15.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity. In Europe, the Cruze will have a 60/40-split folding rear seat, but the U.S. model will get a cheaper one-piece folding seatback with a pass-through, although the 60/40 seat will be an option.
This Is Year Zero for the New ChevroletAfter all the calculations are done, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze should provide comfort and space and build quality never before seen in this segment at this price. A U.S. model of the base Cruze with manual transmission should start with an MSRP of around $15,500 (unless some way is found to sell it for the magical $14,999), and then about $1,500-$2,000 more will be tacked on for the LS, LT and LTZ trims.
After the Cruze is set on its way, the tiny Spark will be introduced in Europe in early 2010, followed by the next-generation Aveo to slot between the Spark and Cruze in mid-2010. Soon after the global passenger car lineup is complete, then comes the Delta 2-based Orlando crossover with available seven-passenger seating, arriving in North America at the start of 2011. Soon after that, the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and Chevy Impala will be combined into one world car.
For now, we like what we see and hear and drive with the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. We do hope, however, that a Cruze SS with the 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 arrives without too much delay. And maybe a Cruze Sport, with a turbocharged, 170-hp version of the 1.8-liter engine. There is a hatchback version in the plans for Europe as well, not to mention some talk about an electric Cruze based on the Volt chassis.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

2011 Buick Regal Returns After Seven-Year Absence

Once up a time in the '80s, it was fashionable in Detroit to create so-called Euro-sedans by taking conventional mainstream grandma-mobiles and painting all the chrome black, dispensing with the white walls and installing overly stiff springs. Fortunately, those dark days are gone and General Motors and Ford at least have gotten their heads around how to build the kind of cars they sell in Europe. Just bring over European cars.

When bankrupt GM decreed that Buick would survive as one of the company's four core brands, it quickly became clear that Buick would need more models to flesh out its showrooms alongside the LaCrosse and Enclave. It wasn't long before it became obvious that the next addition would be a new Regal. The Regal is already available in Buick's biggest market of China and it's coming back to North America in 2010 as a 2011 model. Anyone familiar with the Opel Insignia will immediately recognize the Regal as the same car with the brand's trademark waterfall grille swapped in.

The new Regal shares its Epsilon II platform with the recently redesigned LaCrosse, but the wheelbase is 6.7 inches shorter overall. While the LaCrosse will soon add an available four-cylinder engine, the Regal will launch with only four-cylinders. The base engine will be the increasingly prevalent 2.4-liter EcoTec with direct injection. As an option, buyers can choose a de-tuned version of the fabulous 2.0-liter DI EcoTec turbo that was used in the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Chevrolet HHR SS and Cobalt SS. For the Regal, output has been trimmed to 220 horsepower while torque remains at 258 pound-feet with a peak at just 2,000 rpm. Both engines are paired only with 6-speed automatic transmissions, the normally aspirated motor getting a Hydramatic unit and the turbo using an Aisin unit.

Only the the premium CXL trim will be available at launch, although others will be added later. When the turbo is added to the lineup next summer, it will have an optional Interactive Drive Control (IDC) system available. The IDC will let drivers pick from three different response modes for the suspension, throttle, steering and transmission. The system offers the usual Sport, Tour and Normal modes but even when the car is in Tour mode, the dampers will automatically stiffen up when the sensors detect a sudden evasive maneuver that could be indicative of an emergency maneuver.

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