chevrolet

I ended last week's blog with a video and blurb about the new lightweight, energy-efficient stereo system designed for the 2011 Chevy Volt by Bose. And then I realized that I'd never done a full-fledged blog theme week about car stereos. But better late than never, right?

And so here I start a new theme all about car stereo systems, how they work, and how they're installed. And just to whet our appetites, I have a video of European cars being made over into bass-thumpin' beat machines. Unfortunately I don't have any specs on the components … Read more

After all the informative video thrown your way this week, you may be wondering if there's anything about the 2011 Chevy Volt that isn't more efficient than other vehicles. Sorry, but even the stereo isn't one of them. Today's video clip is about how professional audio titan Bose got involved in the making of Chevrolet's electric hybrid car set for release later this year.

In this video, Ed Peper, Chevy's North American vice president, introduces the partnership between the American auto manufacturer and Bose in the conception and creation of an energy-efficient sound system … Read more

By now I'm pretty certain that most of you are aware of the potential ecological and economical benefits of driving an electric or hybrid car that isn't reliant solely on fossil fuels. Not surprisingly, the U.S. government is getting behind the cause as well, influenced in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The ARRA is the official term for the economic stimulus package passed by Congress in early 2009 to help create jobs and promote investment in American enterprises during the current recession. And when it comes to the conception and push … Read more

In yesterday's video blog, we looked inside and out at a production version of the Chevrolet Volt electric hybrid that's set to hit the streets later this year. Car and Driver that clip in late 2009 on location in the parking lot of Dodger's Stadium; however, Chevy assembled and presented at least a few other prototypes before finally coming up with the production-ready Volt you may have seen images of. Today, we're showing you one of the other Volt prototypes that Chevy showed at the Paris Motor Show in late 2008.

Sure, the car doesn't … Read more

Last week Ford announced its new Police Interceptor model, which is based on the new Taurus and is replacing the outgoing Crown Victoria model. Recognizing that Ford's Police Interceptor won out against the previously popular Chevrolet Caprice patrol vehicle, we took a stroll through the history of police vehicles.

Police have always been at the forefront of automotive technology, incorporating telecommunications gear and computers long before similar devices found their way into civilian cars. Motorola sold the first two-way radio for police cars in 1940, and it wasn't until the '60s that Citizens' Band radio came … Read more

Seeing as I gave quite a bit of mostly positive airtime to the Toyota Prius last week, I thought it would be good to do the same for a new electric hybrid made stateside that's set to roll out later this year. And in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm referring to the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The Volt marks Chevy's first serious foray into the hybrid car market, and by the looks and sounds of things, this one may make a serious automotive splash.

Today's lengthy but informative video gives us a look … Read more

As part of its new small-car strategy, GM plans three significant launches under the Chevrolet brand over the next three years, the first of which is the Chevrolet Cruze, replacing the current Cobalt. Launched in Europe a year ago, GM reports initial success with the Cruze, despite the fact that it is a sedan in a hatchback-happy continent.

We got the opportunity to drive a European spec Cruze after the Geneva auto show, as a preview of the model that will be coming to the U.S. later this year. Body style, suspension, and interior appointments were basically the same as the U.S. car, but our car's turbocharged 2-liter diesel engine won't be available here in the States.

Instead, expect a turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine, which should get about 40 mpg and produce 138 horsepower, on the LT model, and a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine in the Cruze LS. Chevrolet will offer six-speed manual and automatic transmissions in the Cruze, as opposed to the five-speed manual we saw in our European spec Cruze.

We met our test drive car in the Swiss town of Gruyere, where they make the cheese, after having driven up there from Geneva in the Chevy Spark, one of the other small cars on Chevy's agenda. Unlike the Spark, which had overt style, the Cruze depends on a more homogeneous appearance, a look that will blend in with all the Toyotas, Nissans, Mazdas, and Fords in the commuter lanes.

The Cruze does well representing the modern, small sedan, and the grille treatment, the single bar wearing the Chevy bow tie across the front, makes it look like a down-sized Malibu. Probably the greatest success of the design is in making a small car look big. … Read more

GENEVA--Formerly known for its big SUVs, GM now thinks small cars are a great idea and is planning three models that slot below the Malibu in its lineup over the next three years. The all-new Chevrolet Spark comes out in 2011, a redesigned Aveo in 2012, and the Cruze--replacing the current Cobalt--later this year. GM gave us a chance to drive the Chevrolet Spark in Switzerland after the Geneva auto show.

GM already launched the Spark in Europe last year, where it serves as an ambassador for the Chevrolet badge. Not many Europeans have experience driving Chevrolets, and the tiny Spark should create a positive impression, given European automotive predilections. We drove a European-spec Spark, which has a less powerful engine than what will be offered in the U.S.

The Spark is a funky-looking little car, with dimensions reminiscent of the Honda Fit. The headlight casings look over-sized and are set into the fenders of the snub-nosed front-end. The grille carries the now-standard cross-bar bearing the Chevrolet bow-tie and an aggressive-looking air scoop sits in the lower fascia.

With rear wheels pushed to the far back corners, the doors take up the sides of the vehicle, with hidden C-pillar door handles giving the Spark a futuristic look. Front side windows dip down into the fenders, accentuating a generally busy design. Given the small palette, the busyness of the design may be intentional to from the size of the car.

All of these style elements make the Spark stand out in a way that will probably be polarizing to Americans. As such, Chevrolet maintains modest projections for sales in the U.S. According to GM, it hopes that the Spark achieves cult popularity, similar to the Scion xB.

Despite its size, the Spark didn't feel cheap when we got into it. Sure, the dashboard and door panels were made of hard plastics, but Chevrolet used a fine, cross-hatched texture that looks much better than the pebbled surfaces of old. The glossy panel around the radio has a subtle carbon fiber design, and the steering column-mounted instrument cluster is comprised of a traditional speedometer and digital display. … Read more

GENEVA--As hybrids gained ascendancy in the U.S., Europe showed little interest, with diesels proving more popular. But if the 2010 Geneva auto show is any indication, that preference is about to change.

Toyota showed two hatchback hybrids, one under its own brand and one as a Lexus, with both building on the successful Prius power train. BMW and Audi both showed luxury hybrid sedans as concepts, with feature lists that show them ready for production, and Volkswagen announced a hybrid version of its Touareg SUV.

Chevrolet is growing its presence, and brought its Volt to the show, while Opel'… Read more