2011 Ford Mustang vs. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro – Car and Driver

A classic confrontation that never seems to get old. 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 vs. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Comparison Tests www.caranddriver.com 2011 Ford Mustang V6 vs. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro RS – Comparison Tests www.caranddriver.com

Chevrolet corvette 1984 Commercial

Chevrolet corvette

Comparison: 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 vs 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS vs Dodge Challenger SRT8!

Comparison: 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 vs 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS vs Dodge Challenger SRT8! www.youtube.com Video owned by MOTORTREND.com

Chevrolet Equinox

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By Russ Heaps
MyCarData


If you are shopping for a small crossover, or even if you are looking for a fuel-efficient small sedan, make haste to your Chevy dealer, ask to drive the redesigned Equinox, and prepare to be impressed. This is not a vehicle that GM slapped together in a cynical effort to have a horse (any horse) in the small-crossover race. This is a carefully bred horse engineered to dominate the race. Is that statement too strong, too gushing in its praise? Nope. This is a crossover designed to cause Toyota RAV4s and Honda CR-V’s sleepless nights. It’s that good.

Here are words you will rarely hear from a card-carrying, pedal-to-the-metal, performance-is-everything automotive journalist: The lower-horsepower four-cylinder model is the one to buy! Heavens, did I just write that? I may never get work in this industry again.

The base Equinox engine is a peppy, torquey 172-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It is all the engine most drivers will need. It accelerates smoothly and relatively quietly. It steps away from the line with enthusiasm when the light goes green. Once at speed it has the guts to immediately react to a downshift and blast past slower traffic without complaint. A six-speed automatic transmission hands off engine output to the front wheels. Shifting smoothly, the tranny makes the most of the hardworking four-banger.

As satisfying as this four’s aggressiveness is, what really sells it is its fuel economy. The EPA estimates its mileage at 22 mpg city and a whopping 32 mpg on the highway. The little Versa on loan from Honda that shared my driveway with the Equinox for a week has an estimated EPA number of 31 mpg on the highway. So even if you’re considering a small econobox to stretch your fuel dollar, the four-cylinder Equinox with its extra cargo-carrying capacity is a makes-sense alternative. Springing for the extra $1,750 to add all-wheel drive drops the fuel economy numbers to 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

Available as a $1,500 option on all but the $23,360 base LS edition is a 264-horsepower 3-liter V6. It also uses the six-speed automatic tranny. Its fuel economy is a decent, but less impressive 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. AWD reduces the highway number by 1 mpg.

The other trim levels are the 1LT, 2LT and LTZ. My test Equinox was a $26,190 four-cylinder FWD 2LT.

MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link arrangement in the rear comprise the core of the four-wheel independent suspension. The ride is pliant and passenger friendly. Not engineered for sporty handling, this suspension still provides better-than-average cornering for a crossover.

Standard on every Equinox are 17-inch alloy wheels. Opting for the V6 bumps wheel size to 18-inch alloys. Disc brakes at all four wheels are supervised by an antilock system. Related safety features include traction control, stability control, emergency braking assist and electronic brakeforce distribution.

In addition to the somewhat rounder and softer exterior lines delivered by this year’s redesign, Equinox also benefits from a complete interior makeover. A roomy passenger area provides space for five adults. The available two-tone color scheme looks rich and up scale. Determined that passengers experience a quiet environment, Chevrolet beefed up the sound-deadening insulation, as well as installing noise-canceling technology. From any seating position, the Equinox feels like a more expensive vehicle than it is.

The 63.7 cubic inches of total cargo space is about average for this segment. Accessing it is made easier by the rear opening’s low liftover. When not folded down, the sliding-reclining 60/40 split rear seat can slide back to create more rear-seat legroom, or slide forward to enhance the 31.4 cubic feet of luggage capacity. Optional is a programmable power liftgate that can be set to raise at different heights to prevent the rear hatch from hitting anything when opened inside a structure.

At first blush the instrument panel looks capable of launching the space shuttle. The busy array of knobs, switches, controls and displays could give Mr. Spock pause. However, everything operates intuitively. Full power accessories, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, air conditioning, six airbags, cruise control, and six-speaker audio system with CD player, satellite radio and auxiliary input jack are standard on every Equinox. Also included on the base crossover is OnStar with a one-year subscription to its Safe and Sound service.

My test 2LT also had Bluetooth, remote start, redundant steering wheel-mounted audio controls, USB connectivity for the upgraded Pioneer eight-speaker audio system, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, rearview camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Regardless of the ruler used to measure Equinox, the result is positive. In performance, fuel economy, comfort, value and so forth, it scores impressively. A crowded field, the small-crossover segment is filled with competent performers. To stand out a vehicle must not be just average or even better than average, but it must exceed expectations in several areas; Equinox does just that. A vehicle you can feel good about owning; it not only is capable of meeting the cargo-carrying needs of most crossover owners, but at the same time it provides the passenger space and comfort of a midsize sedan.

Chevrolet Trucks – Increase in Towing & Payload

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According to Rick Spina, GM Full-size Truck global vehicle line executive, the increased ratings are a result of exceeding the original performance targets for the Silverado HD:

“Our focus has consistently been on delivering customers the most capable heavy-duty trucks in the market. The first set of capability tests confirmed that the team had exceeded the payload and towing targets by a significant margin. Ongoing testing demonstrated a clear opportunity to increase the true capabilities of these trucks. Even pulling a combined weight of nearly 15 tons seems easy behind the wheel of a 2011 Silverado HD 3500 with the proven Duramax Diesel.”

To certify increased payload and towing capacities for the 2011 Silverado HD, engineers conducted a battery of tests.

-          Based on extensive testing at maximum gross combined weight rating (GCWR) to validate the durability of the powertain, drivetrain, and brake components, the GCWR is increased to 29,200 pounds.

-          Based on further testing in varied terrain, grades, and climates while pulling the maximum trailer weight to confirm predictable and stable handling, the maximum 5^th-wheel towing capacity was increased to 21,700 pounds, and conventional towing capacity increased to 17,000 pounds.

-          After higher-strength steel for cargo box cross sills was specified, the team conducted additional testing hauling maximum payloads to test the stronger cargo box and rear-axle components.  As a result, the maximum payload has been increased to 6,635 pounds.

Based on these improved capacities, the 2011 Silverado HD possesses segment-leading capability in horsepower, torque, conventional towing, 5^th-wheel towing, and payload. 

Starting production next week, it becomes the most capable heavy duty pickup on the market.

“We encourage consumers to test drive the Silverado HD against competitive models,” said Spina. “Based on our test results, we are confident the Silverado HD will prove to be the best choice for real-world towing and hauling needs.”  

 

 

2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 vs. 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR

FIND OUT WHO WINDS, ZO6 OR GT500KR: www.edmunds.com Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 @ the Track: www.youtube.com Camaro Fights Mustang and Challenger: www.youtube.com 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT V6 Full Test: www.youtube.com Ford Shelby GT500 v Hennessey Camaro: www.youtube.com Hennessey HPE550 Supercharged Chevy Camaro SS: www.youtube.com We’re looking at the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR and 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, but we’re imagining a ’68 Shelby GT500KR staging next to a Corvette with one of the 427-cubic-inch V8s on the Connecting Highway in Queens, New York, probably sometime during the Nixon administration. We don’t know how the cars are tuned or which driver has the better hole-shot technique, but we’re calling our street race in favor of the Vette. You see, there’s no historical basis for a close Corvette-Mustang rivalry. A Corvette of any year is a little too fast and smart to be street racing ratty muscle cars. It’s a real sports car, the kind of car that’s still fun when you start going around corners. But maybe it’s a different story with this 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR and 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Each of these rear-wheel-drive coupes has a V8 rated for more than 500 horsepower at the flywheel. And with the release of the limited-edition 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, Ford has moved in on Chevrolet’s price territory. The GT500KR leaves the Ford factory as a $46730 GT500 coupe and is shipped as a rolling chassis to Carroll Shelby’s facility near the Las Vegas Motor …

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sports – The Immortal

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By Casey Williams
MyCarData


A car like the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport can make even amateurs immortal. Maneuvers that take great skill in lesser automobiles are executed with such ease and precision as to seem unchallenging. And what beauty! You can really get a complex with everybody popping flash bulbs in your eyes ? friends, family, co-workers, delivery guy, neighbor standing alone in my driveway. To really cause drama, choose a GS Convertible in bright yellow with white hash marks on the front fenders. Lady Ga Ga riding horseback upside down through Central Park would not draw so many pa-pa—-razzi.

Grand Sports were originally built for a race series that included the 24 Hours of LeMans and 12 Hours of Sebring in 1963. Engineers removed 1,000 lbs. from standard Sting Rays, installed aluminum engines, Plexiglas windows, fender flares, and bathed them in a blue and white paint scheme. Chevrolet planned 125 units, but built only three coupes and two roadsters. Another GS was offered as a farewell for the C4 generation in 1996, painted blue with white stripes and red fender hashes.

Holy Heaven, it is easy to be seduced by the Vette’s beauty and power. Hit the Zeus pedal and you’ll defy gravity like your favorite Greek deity while cackling in five registers. Nothing is more heavenly than letting a mom in her porked-out SUV ride your bumper at 70 mph, then tap down and tap her out as a blur of numbers rips across the heads-up display. The ethereal sound that comes out of the GS’s pipes when the second mode opens shakes the rafters like Celine Dion on testosterone.
It is hard to believe this is the BASE Corvette’s 6.2-litre V8 engine, producing 436 HP – far less powerful than the Z06′s 505-HP or the ZR-1′s 638-HP. Further keeping this in perspective, the Grand Sport produces 61-HP more than the vaunted ’90 ZR-1. The Grand Sport can do the naught to 60 strut in 3.98s and top out at 190 mph. It will also pull 1.0g on the skidpad and achieve 15/25-MPG city/hwy. Vented and cross-drilled brake rotors, four-wheel ABS, traction control, electronic stability control, and mama’s largest rubber sneakers keep this toboggan gliding mostly straight.
You expect unrivaled performance, however Corvettes are also some of the easiest cars to drive. Wind, semi wake, and long days just don’t affect you in a Corvette cockpit as they would in other vehicles; it is wide, planted like a steamroller, and if the trip is getting a little long, a slight twitch of your big toe can move things along. Skip the Magneride adjustable suspension ? the base chassis is near perfect.

On a short drive around town with her hair blowing about, my four-year-old niece whispers to me, “My daddy said to talk you into getting ice cream.” I figure nothing goes better with a convertible and a niece better than ice cream. Besides, how was I going to resist that cute face? I also had to usher each of my two nephews through the same drive-up window. The little gremlins were wearing as much twist cone on their clothes as was smushed on their lips, nose, cheeks, and leather bucket seats. The fact that my sister requested milkshakes with straws is beside the point ? not the first time I did something controversial.

Kids love Corvettes, and this big kid went absolutely drooly over the Grand Sport Convertible. Check the exterior. Exposed projector beam headlamps look good in the car’s long, sloping hood with bulging fenders. A low cowl lets drivers have a great view of the road or track. The bulge that starts in the doors and flows back into the rear fenders is taken from the 1963-67 C3 generation Vettes. Four round taillamps couldn’t come from anything except for GM’s technology leader.

The power top goes from 0-sunshine in 18 seconds to reveal an available stitched leather dash, heads-up display, shift paddles, navigation, Bose audio with CD, XM Satellite Radio, and heated leather seats with power-adjustable lumbar. Corvettes should immediately receive a USB port for full iPod compatibility, higher-grade trim leather (like Porsche or the Escalade Platinum), and removal of the generic steering wheel (I recommend installation of the Camaro’s deep-dish wheel). Nobody should complain about the roadster’s basketball star legroom or generous luggage locker.

Unlike many over-hyped, under-satisfying products, Corvettes surpass your wildest imagination, causing you to praise your savior each and every time you hit the throttle. Whatever you dreamed as a little boy, the real thing is better as a man (or woman).
After your time in a Vette, there is an eerie silence around you as your celebrity wanes. All of the photos have been taken, obscene amounts of gas were burned, and I am mortal again. Even more than an American icon, directly tracing its pedigree to the exuberant 1950s, the Corvette defies the grim reaper’s swath to plant its flag around the world. GS Convertibles start at $58,580; ours came to $75,740.

ZR1 Put to the Test: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Full Test

FOR FULL ARTICLE: www.edmunds.com Brute force, a quality we can’t help but assign to any car generating 638 horsepower, is by definition anything but subtle. Yet the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 manages at once to be both brutally quick and remarkably mild-mannered. Its quarter-mile acceleration is quicker than any production car we’ve ever tested, its chassis is benign but highly capable and its carbon-ceramic brakes are mind-bending in their effectiveness. This new Vette offers an unlikely combination of performance and real-world usability that we’re proud to experience in an American car. This combination is as rare as truth in a presidential debate. Honestly, most of the ZR1′s competition (think Dodge Viper ACR) or Nissan GT-R)) is less capable and makes a much larger compromise in typical road driving. With the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 we have a machine that is engaging to drive, capable of making insane numbers on the test track and also a legitimate road car.

2003 Chevrolet S-10 Start Up, Exhaust, and In Depth Tour

In thisvideo I give a full in depth tour of a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 Extended Cab. I take viewers on a close look through the interior and exterior of this truck while showing details, over viewing of features, and noting unique styling cues to the vehicle itself. I also show the engine and the details of it, start it up and see how it sounds under acceleration. A thorough tour/review of this truck designed to give others a greater overall appreciation of the vehicle.

Chevrolet Equinox – Proving its value

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData


When we read the news that General Motors was going to increase production of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and its platform mate, the GMC Terrain, by 40,000 units a year because of brisk sales we were driving an Equinox. It helped us understand why GM is expanding production at its Canadian plant.

A month before our week with the 4-cylinder Equinox and another with the 3.0-liter V-6 we had spent a couple of weeks behind the wheel of a Terrain; one outfitted with the 264-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 and the second week with the 4-cylinder. We were impressed with both vehicles.

The success of the Equinox points up that sales are there for the taking for manufacturers who build vehicles that appeal to the public. That’s basic economics. And the Equinox and Terrain crossovers are definitely appealing in many ways.

What happens in the next few years is anybody’s guess, but for the present General Motors is coming up with a growing number of vehicles that we would not hesitate to recommend. The Equinox has been added to the list, with just a caveat or two.

At the risk of being booed off the stage by fellow auto writers, we must say we liked the previous generation Equinox. It was spacious and could be outfitted with a fuel-efficient and energetic V-6 engine. While its styling didn’t sparkle, it was no ugly duckling.

But the compact crossover segment has become crowded with refined, well-built and gas-stingy vehicles, and the original Equinox, we admit, was a step behind the segment leaders. For the most part that is no longer the case.

The new version has sleek new styling, a very nice looking and well-crafted cockpit although with still far too much hard plastic, and a comfortable and spacious cabin. It also boasts one of the most fuel-efficient engines in the business for its class, and build quality that here-to-fore has escaped the General.

Styling sells cars – or at the least gets people into showrooms – and the Equinox has the goods with a taut, muscular stance – yet with soft, appealing curves – which includes large, bulging fenders. Its well-done Chevy nose sets a just-right tone.

Inside, Chevrolet has got it just right as well with a handsome dashboard and stunning center stack. The General has been heaped with criticism in recent years for its sub-par interiors. Chevrolet has taken the extra step to get it the new interior right, and few we think will argue that the new look isn’t a major improvement.

The Equinox remains a five-passenger crossover – Chevrolet officials say customers were not demanding a third-row seat (Chevrolet has the larger Traverse for that) – and it has paid off in limousine-like rear passenger space. The rear seats can be moved 10 inches fore or aft allowing for luxury like stretch-out room.

Although cargo space is on the small side compared to competitors, it’s still a very useable 31.4 cubic feet behind the seats. When hauling is the order of the day, cargo capacity can be increased to 64 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded. Unfortunately the front passenger seat does not fold flat limiting the ability to carry longer items.

For comparison, the two-row Honda CR-V and the three-row Toyota RAV4 both have 73 cubic feet of cargo room with the seats folded.

Here’s something the competition in this segment does not have – a power programmable liftgate allowing the driver to adjust the height to prevent, for example, banging against the raised garage door. It’s a $495 option on all but the LTZ and well worth it.

We like the energetic 3.0-liter V-6, but the better choice may be the frugal four. If you don’t tow things or your load is seldom more than four passengers and a100 pounds of cargo, then we recommend the 182-horsepower 2.4-liter direct injection four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The performance is satisfying, the engine is hushed with a melodic tune even under demanding acceleration, and it has a measured 0-to-60 time of about 9 seconds (for comparison purposes). The Equinox is a willing companion during merging and passing. This engine will not let you down. And the best part – it’s rated at a class-leading 32 mpg highway and 22 city in two-wheel drive mode. If you need all-wheel drive peace of mind, gas mileage slips slightly to 29/20 highway/city.

You will need to move to the less fuel efficient 3.0-liter V-6 (17/24) with AWD if you tow a boat or travel trailer. Towing capacity is 3,500 pounds. In addition to the difference in gas mileage, the 264-horsepower V-6 will add $1,500 to any trim level.

The Equinox is one of quietest small-to-mid sized non-luxury SUV-like vehicles we have ever tested. The one exception is the booming sound of the 3.0-liter especially under acceleration; otherwise the quieter Ecotec 4 allowed the desirable interior solitude that stood out at highway speeds, enough to draw a couple of favorable comments. And at the same time, the ride proved comfortable, the suspension well controlled.

On the flip side, the Equinox is no weekend road carver. But, hey, who buys a vehicle like this to get their driving thrills on Sunday afternoon?

Some have complained that the Equinox sticker is too high, but after some research we found it in line, if actually just slightly higher, than the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape. And one good thing, all four trim levels, including the loaded LTZ, can be purchased with the 4-cylinder engine. In other words, you can get all the goodies without moving up to the V-6.
All the stuff many people need – and want – is standard equipment, which makes the starting price of a two-wheel-drive LS $23,185 and the upscale AWD LTZ at $30,540 looked even better.

Standard features include 17-inch wheels, full power, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning, the OnStar system, and a six-speaker audio system with satellite radio and CD player. Standard safety includes antilock brakes with brake assist, traction and stability control, brake hill holder, and side curtain airbags.

Our well-outfitted 2LT with all-wheel drive and 4-cylinder engine carried a bottom line of $31,025. Options included rear entertainment, leather seating and the programmable liftgate.

The AWD LTZ included the rearview camera system, rear parking assist, the power liftgate, heated power outside rearview mirrors, heated front buckets with leather, power driver’s seat, Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls, a USB port plus all that was included in the 2LT above as standard equipment; plus $1500 for the 3.0-V-6, $900 for 19-inch chrome clad wheels and $795 for a tilt and sliding sunroof brought our total to $33,735 including destination charges. In either case that’s lots of good stuff in what is proving to be a darn good vehicle.

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