USA - Chevrolet today revealed the Silverado High Desert package, which will arrive in dealers this fall.

Chevrolet today revealed the Silverado High Desert package, which will arrive in dealers this fall. Based on the concept vehicle revealed at the 2014 SEMA show, the High Desert package brings unique content and capability to Silverado’s lineup of special editions – which offers more choices for truck buyers than any other brand. 

Available on LT, LTZ, and High Country trim levels, the High Desert package combines refined exterior styling, an all-new cargo system that is lockable and water resistant and available Magnetic Ride Control suspension on High Country.

“The High Desert package blends the capability and utility of Silverado with the refinement and luxury of Suburban,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet truck marketing. “It’s ideal for those customers who want both the security of a lockable cargo area, as well as the flexibility of a pickup truck bed.”

An all-new flexible, lockable storage system in the cargo bed locks cargo away safely and protects it from the elements. The system installs over the roll-formed, high-strength steel bed to add dual side storage bins and a three-piece hard tonneau cover. Inside, a cargo divider can be raised to secure smaller items, or lowered to access the full length of the bed floor. As with all Silverado LT, LTZ, and High Country models, the tailgate locks with the keyfob, enabling users to secure their cargo with the push of a button. The High Desert package on the LT trim level features 20-inch wheels with all-season tires, while 22-inch wheels and all-terrain tires are available on LTZ and High Country trim levels.

The High Desert is also the first Silverado offered with Magnetic Ride Control suspension, which delivers more precise body motion control. Its sensors “read” the road every millisecond, triggering damping changes in as little as five milliseconds in electronically controlled shock absorbers that replace conventional mechanical-valve shocks. They’re filled with a magneto-rheological fluid containing minute iron particles and under the presence of a magnetic charge, the iron particles align to provide damping resistance. Changes in the magnetic charge alter the damping rate of the shocks, with changes occurring almost instantly.

Silverado’s EcoTec3 6.2L V-8, is available on LTZ and High Country models and is backed by the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine is SAE-certified at 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful engine offered in a light-duty truck.a

USA - The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado designed to build on Chevy's truck momentum.

2016 Silverado designed to build on Chevrolet’s truck momentum

• Bolder, more muscular look reflects Silverado strength, dependability
• Expanded use of 8-speed transmissions; additional safety technologies
• Available support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The new 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brings muscular designs and new customer-focused technologies to the most dependable, longest-lasting family of full-size pickups on the road.

The new Silverados make their public debut today at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. “The new 2016 Silverado will build on the Chevy truck legacy of dependability,” said Sandor Piszar, marketing director for Chevrolet trucks.

“New muscular front end designs, sculpted hoods and signature LED lighting accents reflect Silverado’s strength and dependability, which have helped make Silverado the fastest-growing full-size pickup brand this year.”

Other changes for 2016 will include expanded use of 8-speed automatic transmissions, updated available Chevy MyLink with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and additional safety technologies.

New designs feature advanced lighting, strong Chevy Truck DNA

Chevrolet designers used advanced lighting technology to help create new Silverados that show their Chevy Truck DNA while looking like no other truck on the road.

Advanced lighting allowed Chevrolet designers to create more expressive forms, integrating the lights into the sweeping horizontal elements and deep grille inserts. Turn signals and brake lamps wrap around the corners of the truck for a more streamlined look.

The new designs provide a unique look for each Silverado trim level, and let customers chose a look that more closely fits their personalities.

For example, the Silverado WT features chrome horizontal grille elements, black grille inserts, and compact high-intensity discharge headlamps. LT and LTZ Silverados feature chrome grille elements and bumpers, while Z71 models have a monochromatic appearance. Silverado High Country features chrome horizontal bars and unique grille inserts, set off by body colored bumpers.

The muscular front end designs also feature a dramatically sculpted hood that helps give the new Silverado the strong presence that differentiates full-size pickups from other types of vehicles.

All trim levels feature premium lighting with LED signature daytime running lamps and park/turn lamps. LED fog lamps are available on LT and standard on LT Z71.

LTZ, LTZ/Z71 and High Country models feature LED technology for all lighting, including LED headlamps, daytime running lights, fog lights, park/turn signal lamps, and taillamps.

Advanced connectivity for work or play

Silverado customers are among the top users of the connectivity offered by available OnStar and 4G LTE Wi-Fi. For 2016, Silverado will be available with support for Apple CarPlay, which projects select iPhone features (iPhone 5 and later) on the available MyLink display in a smart, simple manner.

This integration of phone and vehicle allows drivers to make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music from the touchscreen or by voice via Siri, helping drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Using CarPlay is simple. A “Projection” icon on the MyLink screen, visible when a phone is not connected, changes to indicate “CarPlay” when a compatible phone is connected via a USB. Compatible apps need to be downloaded to a phone before using, and Apple’s privacy statement and terms of use apply. Data plan rates may also apply.

CarPlay-supported apps include Phone, Messages, Maps, Music and compatible third-party apps. A full list of those apps can be found at Apple.com/ios/carplay.

Silverado models with the available 7-inch color MyLink also will support Android Auto.

Advanced safety and convenience features

The new 2016 Silverado 1500 offers safety features such as Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam high beam assist.

The 2016 Silverado is also available with a remote locking tailgate for convenience and security. Wireless phone charging is available on LT and LTZ double cab and crew cab models with available bucket seats, and it is standard on High Country.

Silverado High Country also will be available with power articulating running boards, which extend to enhance access to the cab, and can also swing rearward for easier access to the bed.

Time-tested high-strength steel, advanced V-8 engines

The new 2016 Silverado 1500 builds on the legacy of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road.

Silverado features a fully boxed high-strength steel frame and a body structure that make extensive use of high strength steels, as well as roll-formed steel beds, which are stronger and lighter than conventional steel.

Customers can chose from three advanced EcoTec3 engines. They build on the legacy of Chevrolet small block truck engines, while incorporating advanced features to enhance power and efficiency.

All three engines feature direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing, and cylinder deactivation, also known as Active Fuel Management, for improved power and efficiency. All switch to four-cylinder mode under light-load conditions.

Silverado’s standard 4.3L V-6 is SAE certified at 285 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, the most torque of any standard V-6.

The 5.3L V-8 is certified at 355-horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. Offering an EPA highway estimate of 23 mpg, it is the most fuel efficient V-8 in any pickup.

Silverado’s available 6.2L V-8 is certified at 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, the most power and torque of any light-duty pickup. This engine also offers the highest towing of any V-8 light-duty pickup, up to 12,000 pounds.

For 2016, the new 8-speed automatic transmission that is standard on 6.2L-equipped Silverados will be standard on LTZ, LTZ/Z71 and High Country Silverados with the 5.3L V-8.

The new 8-speed provides a numerically higher first gear ratio to help drivers start off more confidently with a heavy load or when trailering. Its wider overall gear ratio spread also enables numerically lower rear axle ratios, which reduce engine rpm on the highway.

Building on strong Chevy Truck momentum

Chevy Trucks are on a roll, with pickup sales up 33 percent so far this year.

“Our strategy is pretty simple,” said Piszar. “Build trucks that meet the real needs of truck customers. The right designs. The right sizes. The right powertrains. The right materials. The right technologies.”

Chevrolet intends to strengthen this momentum with the new 2016 Silverado 1500, a new diesel engine for the hot-selling midsize Colorado, and new special models for Silverado and Colorado.

Since the introduction of the all-new Silverado 1500 in the spring of 2013, Silverado sales have grown by double digits, on a percentage basis, each year. Through August, Silverado sales are up 17 percent compared with the same period last year.

Growth in Silverado sales have been accompanied by a strong Colorado launch, which has made Colorado the fastest-selling pickup in America. Colorado sales so far this year have passed the 59,000 mark in the U.S. alone.

Chevrolet Impala's Dark Side: Midnight Edition makes it to production.

New trim package gives sedan sinister, dramatic style

Chevrolet announced today it will sell a special edition blacked-out package for the Chevrolet Impala based on a concept shown at the 2014 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Arriving in dealerships early this summer, the Impala Midnight Edition is outfitted to give the full-size sedan a more dramatic, sinister look.

“Since its introduction in 2014, Impala has become a benchmark for Chevrolet car design,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of car marketing. “The Midnight Edition further strengthens the Impala’s dramatic, head-turning styling.”

The Midnight Edition includes:

• Jet Black exterior, including body color mirrors
• 19-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with black accents
• Black grille and surround
• Front and rear black Chevrolet bowtie
• Jet Black interior
• Sport pedals
• Black rear spoiler.

Customers can purchase the Midnight Edition package on 1LT, 2LT and LTZ trim levels. Package prices range from $995 to $1,595 above the starting retail price.

The Impala Midnight Edition will be available with a choice of two powertrains – the standard 2.5L iVLC with stop/start technology and a 3.6L V-6 that is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the segment.

The Midnight Edition will be available for the 2016 model year, although a small number of 2015 Midnight Editions will be produced in the 2LT trim level with the standard 2.5L engine.

Since the Chevrolet Impala’s redesign in 2014, it has been named the Cars.com Best Car of 2014 and one of Kelley Blue Book’s 12 Best Family Cars for 2014.

USA - 20 reasons why the new Chevy Trax is the wise buyers choice.

Chevy’s small SUV rolls into U.S. with versatility, technology and maneuverability

With the utility of an SUV and agility of a compact car, the 2015 Chevrolet Trax is a city-smart vehicle ready for almost any adventure.

Packed with the technology city dwellers depend on for their connected lifestyles – including 4G LTE Wi-Fi and Siri Eyes Free – Trax is also an efficient performer, with a standard turbocharged engine delivering power on demand and segment-leading EPA-estimated 34 mpg on the highway.

“Chevrolet is making a huge inroads with small cars around the world and Trax is the latest example,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of car marketing. “It is the right vehicle at the right time in the U.S., building on Chevrolet’s strong SUV heritage with a package of features combining value, versatility, technology and maneuverability.”

Trax is Chevrolet’s seventh small vehicle launch in four years, a diverse lineup that’s seen the brand’s share of the small-, compact- and mini-car segments more than triple. In fact, the Chevrolet Cruze recently surpassed 3 million global sales, while the Spark reached the 1-million sales milestone.

Getting a head start on the competition, the Trax goes on sale in the United States in early 2015, where the emerging small-SUV segment is estimated to grow more than 80 percent in the next few years. Trax is already on sale in 66 global markets, where it has generated approximately 180,000 sales since its 2012 introduction.

TRAX VERSATILITY

1. Seating for up to five with up to eight seating/cargo-carrying configurations.

2. A 60/40-split, flat-folding rear seat and a segment-exclusive fold-flat front passenger seat combine to allow storage of long items such as skis or a surfboard, up to eight feet long.

3. Up to 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded – and 18.7 cubic feet of storage space behind the split-folding rear seatbacks. That’s more than Nissan Juke and comparable to Kia Soul and Jeep Renegade:

• Nissan Juke – 35.9 cu. ft. total / 10.5 cu. ft. behind rear seat
• Kia Soul – 49.5 cu. ft. total / 18.8 cu. ft. behind rear seat (with luggage tray)
• Jeep Renegade – 50.8 cu. ft. total / 18.5 cu. ft. behind rear seat.

4. Segment-leading 15 interior storage compartments including upper and lower storage in each door, upper and lower glove box, upper and lower center stack, left and right of the center stack and left of the steering wheel.

5. Standard and dealer-available cargo management features. Standard features include a rigid, removable cargo security cover and a storage area under the rear cargo floor. Dealer-available accessory items include a collapsible cargo organizer and cargo net.

TRAX TECHNOLOGY

6. Chevrolet MyLink Infotainment with a 7-inch-diagonal color touch screen is standard. Trax’s next-generation MyLink provides easy, intuitive operation of basic functions, and is highly customizable and capable of linking devices such as smartphones and MP3 players. The system includes Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phone, as well as Pandora, TuneIn radio and Stitcher.

7. OnStar with 4G LTE and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot is standard. It provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected – allowing the connection of multiple personal devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets to high-speed wireless Internet. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/three gigabyte data trial (whichever comes first), after which the customer can purchase additional data.

8. Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6, iOS 7 and iOS 8 users enhances connectivity and convenience. It enables voice-controlled connectivity so customers can keep phones stored and their hands on the wheel. Trax is the first vehicle in its class to offer Siri Eyes Free.

9. Standard USB port with MP3 playback/iPod music device support. The USB port also enables users to upload photos and videos on the MyLink screen.

10. Available BringGo navigation app and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The available BringGo app brings smartphone-enabled navigation that can be displayed on the large MyLink screen – including using the touch screen to control the navigation. Sirius XM Satellite Radio is standard on LT and LTZ models and for three months of trial service. Sirius XM Travel Link and Tune Select are available for an additional cost.

TRAX MANUEVERABILITY

11. Trax is powered by an Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine that’s backed by an efficiency-enhancing six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is rated at an SAE-certified 138 horsepower (102 kW) and 148 lb-ft of torque (200 Nm), between 1,850 and 4,900 rpm. The wide rpm range for the maximum torque helps Trax deliver a more confident driving experience, with a strong feeling of power across the rpm band. Most importantly, it contributes to the Trax’s EPA-estimated 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway efficiency.

12. Available all-wheel drive enhances driving confidence in slippery conditions. The automatically engaging system seamlessly splits torque between the front and rear wheels, when required, for better traction and handling.

13. Dimensions designed for confidence and maneuverability. A 100.6-inch wheelbase and wide stance – 60.6-inch front and rear track – contribute to a planted stance that fosters a more-confident driving experience, while a tight 36.7-foot turning circle enhances maneuverability and nimbleness in tight urban environments, helping make the Trax easy to park.

14. MacPherson-strut front suspension and compound crank rear suspension deliver driving agility. The strut-type front suspension is used with coil springs, a large stabilizer bar and side-load-compensated front strut modules – a combination that delivers ride comfort with sporty, direct responsiveness. The rear compound crank (torsion beam) design, with a double-wall, tubular V-shape beam profile and gas-charged twin-tube shocks combines all the advantages of a conventional torsion beam axle, including minimal space requirements, with low weight and consistent camber control. Noise-damping urethane spring isolators dampen noise.

15. Direct-acting, fuel-saving column-mounted electric power steering system. All models feature an electric power steering system that helps save fuel by drawing energy only when the steering wheel is turned. Designed to complement Trax’s balance of responsiveness and comfort, the EPS’s feel is light yet direct, enhancing the vehicle’s feeling of maneuverability – particularly at low speeds and during parking.

TRAX VALUE

16. Starting price of $20,995 for LS trim level includes standard Chevrolet MyLink infotainment with a 7-inch-diagonal touch screen, OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, segment-leading 10 standard air bags, segment-exclusive standard rearview camera system (excluding other GM vehicles), rear fold-flat and front-passenger fold-flat seats, USB port, air conditioning, power locks and windows, power outside mirrors and remote keyless entry.

17. LS, LT and LTZ trim levels, with premium features offered across the range, including:

• Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on LS and LT models; 18-inch aluminum wheels are standard on LTZ
• Rear park assist – available on LT and standard on LTZ
• Contemporary interior environment featuring an instrument cluster with a large, performance-style analog tachometer combined with a prominent digital display for the speedometer and other readouts; also includes 3.5-inch-diagonal driver information center display with ice blue backlighting
• Heated front seats with leatherette trim – standard on LTZ
• Deluxe cloth/leatherette seating trim – available on LT
• Bose seven-speaker sound system – available on LT and standard on LTZ
• Leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel – available on LT and standard on LTZ
• Fog lamps – standard on LTZ
• Roof rails – standard on LT and LTZ
• Six-way power driver seat adjuster – available on LT and standard on LTZ
• Power sliding sunroof – available on LT and LTZ
• Heated power-adjustable mirrors – standard on LT and LTZ
• Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror – standard on LTZ.

18. All-wheel drive is offered for $1,500 – the most affordable AWD option in Chevrolet’s portfolio is available on all trim levels.

19. Strong roster of safety features – including class-best 10 standard air bags. Trax’s body structure forms a protective cage around the passenger compartment, with 66 percent of it composed of high-strength steels – including ultra-high-strength steel in strategic areas. That strength is complemented by technologies that help avoid crashes and protect occupants in case one occurs, including:

• Driver and front passenger frontal air bags
• Driver and front passenger knee air bags
• Front and rear thorax air bags for all outboard positions – including the segment’s only rear-seat-mounted thorax air bags
• Side curtain air bags for front and rear outboard passengers
• Standard rearview camera
• Standard front safety belt pretensioners
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control, incorporating traction control and rollover mitigation features
• ABS and electronic brake force distribution, as well as cornering brake control and brake assist
• Rear park assist is available on LT and standard on LTZ.

20. Chevrolet Complete Care includes two years/24,000 miles (whichever comes first) of scheduled maintenance, which complements the three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty – whichever comes first.