Non-Camaro News: Chevrolet Shows off two new Sporty Concepts at Detroit Auto Show
Chevrolet Rules Detroit Auto Show with new Concepts
Chevrolet's new 130R concept, based on the Alpha Platform designed for the 2015 Camaro, was the runaway hit at last week's Detroit Auto Show.
It appears that Chevrolet has learned from the success of its Camaro. The current hottest market in the automotive world (maybe with exception to the pony car market, of course) is the $20,000 and less, 40mpg small-car market for the "millenial generation". Chevy recently released the Sonic in to this market and the reviews and original sales have been incredibly promising. Of course, with the Sonic going up against a bevy of other vehicles like the Honda Fit, Hyundai Veloster, and vehicles from Ford, Mazda, Scion, etc. just being stylish, affordable, and having great gas mileage isn't enough. In this crowding market, you need something to help you stand apart, and the 130R has plenty of things.
There's no denying the stylistic influence of the Camaro in this gorgeous sporty sub-compact entry.
This new concept, whose styling is very obviously based on the very popular Camaro, is an incredible vehicle and one I'd love to see Chevrolet begin producing. First, there's the Alpha Platform. This platform, which was designed by Chevrolet for use on the Cadillac ATS, the 2015 Camaro, and the next-generation Cadillac CTS allows for an affordable RWD base for the 130R. By producing a RWD vehicle in this market, Chevrolet's already setting themselves apart from the rest of the market. The RWD platform, which is mostly unheard of in this market share with sole exception to the soon to be released Scion FR-S, will help make this car a sporty, fun driving entry.
At sub-$20,000, with RWD and 40mpg EPA rating, this vehicle would be a definite hit.
In addition to the fascinating RWD platform, and the gorgeous styling, this car also promises to feature some other goodies that will be sure to drive its sales. The engine looks to be the 140hp 1.4L Ecotec, which is right in line with the other vehicles in this market sector and will certainly provide the benchmark 40mpg rating that every manufacturer is fighting for. However, the platform and vehicle size also mean that the turbocharged 2.0L Ecotec engine developed for the Cadillac ATS would also fit inside this car. That engine, and its 270HP output, could potentially be released as a special, or high-end edition of this vehicle and provide some great performance numbers in such a small and sporty RWD vehicle. In fact, the release of such a vehicle--if it were able to be sold below the $30k--would certainly generate a great deal of buzz.
The tail-lights and rear-end on this RWD Chevrolet 130R concept vehicle are very Camaro-esque.
So, what do you think? Is this mini-Camaro a good move for Chevrolet? All signs point to them expecting positive results, as Chevrolet did lots of market research on its design and the concept present at the Detroit Auto Show was actually very near finished. If Chevrolet found reason to, one could believably see them entering in to production on this vehicle within a year's time--a move that I, personally, would love to see. I'd love to have one of these in my garage as a fuel-efficient daily driver to supplement my Camaro SS. Both would be gorgeous, fun, and stand-out vehicles in their market!
A History of Greatness: GM Produces 100-Millionth Small Block Engine
GM Produces 100-Millionth Small Block Engine
A ZR1 LS9 Engine just produced by Chevrolet was the 100-Millionth manufactured by the company.
In the past 56 years, since Chevrolet began producing small block engines, the bowtie emblazoned automotive company and the small block engine has been synonymous with one another. In that time, every iconic car produced by Chevrolet has been known and linked to their famous small-block engine design in some manner. Most recently, the fifth generation Camaro has become a small block powered icon on both road and track, much like it's LS small block powered big brother, the Corvette.
The sheer number there--100,000,000 for those who like lots of zeroes--really highlights the durability, reputation, and potential of the small block and speaks to the iconic nature of the GM engine. It is fitting then to also consider that the first small block, introduced in 1955, was built for the first generation Corvette and the 100-millionth produced was a hand-crafted work of art LS9 made specifically for the sixth generation Corvette's special edition ZR1--the fastest Corvette ever produced.
Of course, the transition from the first small block to the modern pinnacle LS9 is a long one, filled with numerous exciting and memorable engines. In 1992 Chevrolet first introduced its second-generation Small Block, known as the LT1, in to its Corvette. This engine became an absolute staple on tracks across the globe, and adorned various vehicles from that Corvette, to the F-Body Camaro and Firebird, and the B-Body Impala SS and Caprice Police car. The LT1, which featured a newly developed reverse cooling, is still being used in races all across the globe today.
Following the second generation, Chevrolet then introduced their first LS Engine in 1997. This third generation small block, which was first placed in the C5 Corvette, was an even greater step forward. The LS engines are all-aluminum small blocks, and the first of them, the LS1, was rated a naturally aspirated 350HP and 365 lb ft of torque--numbers that, today, are still incredibly impressive for a naturally aspirated 5.7L engine. The LS engine was then featured, in some form, in numerous different vehicles and even had a more powerful, LS6 version introduced in the C5 Z06 Corvette in 2001. This LS6 featured the same 5.7L displacement as its LS1 brethren, but put out a stomach churning 405HP and 400 lb ft of torque.
Those numbers were fairly mind-shattering for a naturally aspirated engine of the LS6's size and weight, at least, until 2005 when the first of the fourth generation small block was released. In 2005 the Corvette went from its fifth generation vehicle to the now current sixth generation, and with the change in body also came the biggest change: the introduction of the Chevrolet LS2. The LS2 was almost identical to the LS6 engine in performance and displacement, but also featured a much more even Torque curve through-out the RPM range, and had the potential to be modified for incredible gains. It was from this base LS2 that the LS7--the now revered 505HP and 470 lb ft torque monster--was produced and introduced to the 2006 Corvette. Just one year after the update of the small block, this engine seemed to be where everything was building, and the Z06 became the undeniable greatest performance bang for the buck on the globe. Within the year, there were Z06's running against quarter-million dollar European exotics on racetracks all across the globe, and each one came with the distinctive sound and tone that only a Chevrolet small block V8 can deliver through the exhaust.
Of course, Chevrolet wasn't finished there (thankfully, they're dedicated to the production of envelope-pushing performance machines) and we saw such engines as the 430HP LS3 (now outfitting the base-level C6 Corvette and the Chevrolet Camaro SS), the LSA (a 556HP Supercharged monster that can be found in the world's fastest production sedan, the Cadillac CTS-V and will also hit the streets in the body of the new super-Camaro ZL1 this year), and the engine that would be made as number 100,000,000--the LS9.
The LS9 is an absolute marvel worth talking about as well, especially considering that everything before it brought us to this point. The LS9, which can only be found in the top of the line Corvette ZR1, produces an amazing supercharged 6.2L engine based on the LS3 block and putting out a ferocious 638bhp and 604 lb ft of torque. Those numbers, in combination with the Corvette's lightweight body and wide, aggressive stance, have produced a vehicle that runs track times that best it's $250,000+ competitors. Today, the ZR1 is the undeniable greatest bargain on wheels that exists for the performance minded consumer, and, as such, is the only engine fitting to be given the designation as number 100,000,000 of its kind.
Of course, Chevrolet's not stopping at 100,000,000 and the future of the small block engine holds a great deal of excitement. Already, official reports have come out that Chevrolet is updating their engine for the seventh-generation of their Corvette, and we may see the introduction of such features as direct injection and an upgraded combustion chamber design, as well as the improved performance and efficiency numbers to match. GM enthusiasts should expect to see the next small block engine first hit the streets in the C7 Corvette, scheduled for release some time in 2014.
Nissan Leaf Ad Strikes at Chevy Volt
For those of us in the Chevy community quietly watching our beloved matriarch pull herself up from the ashes of bankruptcy, some of the others in the car community make it a point to point out some of her shortcomings…even when the shortcomings are worldwide problems. The makers of the Leaf- Nissan; in their latest advertisement for their 100% electric vehicle have taken it upon themselves to point out that the Volt still needs to be fueled with traditional gasoline. Although this is not an unknown fact to any consumer who has taken the time to research the Volt, it is not its primary selling point…Hence the name Volt. But before we go into a full on rant about why Nissan shouldn't have let that commercial air, and how Chevy is doing its best—let's take a look at the competition a little closer.
When we really break it down between the lower-end hybrid competition, who really wins? Is it the harshly marketed Nissan, the Americans, or another competitor? We decided to leave out the Lexus GS Hybrid, and the Tesla Roadster as the market for those cars is aimed at a higher income demographic than what we're examining. Keep in mind however, the average right now for gas in the US is $3.84 a gallon and if you drive 250 miles 
a week (assuming you get 22 mpg on average in your current vehicle), that's $177 spent a month on gas. If The Dude were to have anything to do with this analysis, he might say, "There's a lot of ins, a lot of outs, new stuff has come to light, man." The four we'll pick apart in the shorthand of online journalism are obviously the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf but then we'll stick them against the long time running Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.
First, let's take a look at Chevy's pride and joy—the Volt. The Volt has a 1.4L DOHC inline four, with a Lithium Ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery system that operates two motors—a 111 Kw drive motor and a 54 Kw generator motor. The fully charged battery can take the Volt 25-50 miles depending on the terrain, driving habits and external (ambient air) temperature. So, the sum of this put together gets the occupant an estimated 370ish miles when combined with the gasoline engine; all said and done, a 38 mpg average. Not too shabby. The sticker for the Volt is $41,000 when it's "competitively equipped" according to Chevy.
Nissan's Leaf is a completely electric vehicle, with no gasoline engine. The range for the Leaf on a full charge is a claimed 92 miles, but in actuality it usually falls within the 60-70 mile range before being depleted especially if you run the A/C and live in an area with traffic—just like stop and go traffic burns significantly more gas in a traditional car/engine set up—it bears the same burden on a battery. The charge time of 7-8 hours for a full charge on 220 volt outlets is also somewhat of a hindrance, although there is a quick charge option that can be achieved in roughly 30 minutes to charge the battery to 80% but repetition of this process will harm the battery over time. While a great cause for promoting zero-emissions, it won't do you any good if you have to travel any great distance, but as an "around town" car it would be great. The price tag for this puppy clocks in at $33,720. For a zero-emission commuter it seems like an excellent option…but it does bear the question, how much would it cost to charge? My immediate thought went something like this, "If I ran the clothes dryer (also uses 220v outlet) for 7-8 hours a day, my electric bill would skyrocket!" Not so. In Atlanta, where a KwH is 11.3 cents an hour, the required 22 KwH's of charge the Leaf requires equates to $2.49. Even if you had to fully charge the car every night (meaning you had run the battery down to "Empty" every day), you're looking at adding $77 a month to your electricity bill. Considering this is your gas bill for the month, not too bad. In fact, that's $100 less than what the current average for gas costs per month are.
The Toyota Prius has a 1.8L DOHC inline four (a .4L increase over the Volt), with a Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery operating an electric motor/generator that puts out 60 Kw (80 HP), for a combined total of 134 horsepower. The Prius doesn't have the option of running on one or the other however- it is a constant combination of both. The Prius has an 11.9 gallon fuel tank and gets an EPA 
estimated 571 miles to the tank for an average of 48 miles to the gallon. The way the Prius works is like this: when pulling away from a stop or under a light load, only the electric motor powers the vehicle. In normal driving, power from the gasoline engine is divided by a power-split device between the wheels and the electric generator. The generator runs the electric motor to provide additional power to the wheels. Under full-throttle acceleration, the electric motor is supplemented by power from the batteries. During deceleration or braking, the motor functions as a generator to recharge the batteries. The batteries never need to be recharged from an external source. The gasoline engine also shuts down, creating zero exhaust emissions and using no fuel. The battery is regulated to maintain a constant charge. When the charge is low, the electric generator routes power to charge the battery. The Prius has a "competitively equipped" MSRP of $28,790 for the Prius 5—the top end model.
Last but not least, we have the Honda Insight. Clocking in right at $21,490—this is certainly the cheapest option for the crowd. It is powered by a 1.3L SOHC 8-Valve inline four that is coupled to an electric motor on the crankshaft of the engine. The motor acts as a generator during braking, steady cruising, gentle deceleration and coasting in order to recharge the battery. The motor also serves as the engine starter, quickly spinning the 
engine to idle speed after Idle Stop and during normal vehicle starting. The system will automatically switch to a back-up, conventional 12-volt starter to start the engine if the IMA (generator) system is disabled or if the car is started at extreme cold temperatures. As an additional safety feature, Honda's hybrid configuration allows the car to operate like a conventional, gas-engine vehicle even if the hybrid-electric motor system is completely disabled. The Insight has a 10.6 gallon fuel tank and its EPA estimated highway mileage is 456 miles to the tank, or 43 mpg.
So, let's break this whole thing down and list the cars by most efficient first, then take the list again and organize it by price. We can obviously say that the Leaf is the greenest car out of the bunch with zero emissions, but at the same time is severely limited by range and its recharging capabilities making it the least practical. In order to place the cars on the list by order of efficiency we'll (for arguments sake) place them with fuel economy as the highest priority.
With the Leaf not using standard fuel, and being fully electric—it takes number one, followed by the Toyota Prius @48 mpg, then the Honda Insight @ 43 mpg, and lastly putting the Chevy Volt @ 35 mpg at the bottom of the list. However, since the Chevy Volt can be driven roughly 35 miles on nothing except electric power that alters the standings and could place the Volt in second.
This is what The Dude was talking about.
However if we were to arrange the cars by distance that could be achieved on a single tank/charge the standings dramatically change. The Prius takes first with 571 miles to the tank, the Honda Insight takes second at 456 miles, the Volt third at 372 miles and lastly the Nissan Leaf which is limited at best to 92 miles before needing an outlet to recharge.
Once again though, if we take the price tag as the main point of concern and rank them from cheapest to most expensive the tables turn again. The Insight from Honda takes first with a tag at $21,490; the Prius takes second at $28,790; Nissan hails for third at $33,720; and clocking in with a price nearly double the Honda comes the Chevy Volt with a $41,000 sticker on it.
Obviously this is Chevy's first attempt at the Electric Vehicle market, and they're trying hard to fit in. They need the Volt to do well, as they have invested millions upon millions into the Volt, telling project managers that they could have as much manpower and resources as they saw fit. The "blank-check" that upper GM management gave the Volt project was obviously given with the assumption that they would make back a large chunk or more than what they put into it. GM has a lot riding on the Volt, and the competition has had a head start with over a decade to figure the game out and set the bar. So, can we expect Chevy to come out with a cheaper version? Almost certainly. Can we expect an improved version, or luxury version, perhaps even a different platform? Absolutely. The big guys upstairs at GM were really pushing to have the Volt released as soon as physically possible, and not that it wasn't an enormous feat, but they have room to improve—which is always a good thing. If an American car company can make a reliable, efficient, and viable EV competitor in the worldwide market, then they might have just found a ticket to financial freedom. If however they don't pull the Volt off, and if it proves to be a flop, then GM has some big issues that they'll have to figure out how to sort out. Regardless of the competition, the Volt is a great looking car and deserves a special place in GM's collection. The Volt is a milestone for GM and proves they're incredibly serious about its production and improvement. Good on ya GM.