Auto Show 2011: Chevrolet

Chevy's display at the Auto Show was the first one I visited. It was located in the furthest back portion of the brand new North Wing in the Jacob Javits Center. They had a pretty interesting set up with a few of their big name models. So what I did in the interest of length, I cut it down to the three most promising models.

Chevy Volt - rear

Chevy Volt - front

                Chevy Volt
Volt is an incredibly promising model that Chevrolet has been pushing pretty hard recently. It's a hybrid vehicle, by definition, but is able to run solely on electric power while keep a gas powered motor to keep running the battery if the battery life expires. Now, what I've heard, and confirmed on Chevy's website, is that the Volt is able to get you 35 miles of pure electric performance with zero emissions and zero gasoline used. After that point, a gasoline generator will activate and continue to power the electric motor for an additional 350 miles. After this point, you can continue to fill up at any gas station. The Lithium Ion battery, the same in your laptop or cellphone, can be charged using the average outlet in your home and will take about 10 hours for a full recharge.

Chevy Volt - profile

Chevy Volt- Interior

The interior is surprisingly nice for a car designed to be modest and efficient. Leather trim seating.. the whole nine yards. But what's really interesting here, is the LCD displays, two of them, which display everything you'd need to know about the vehicle. The one behind your wheel will show battery power, speed, and your range left on battery or gas power. The center console will help you "get the most out of your volt". Basically, it's your navigation, audio, etc. For a better look at the interior and more check out Volt's page here.

                                                       Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD

Silverado - Front

Silverado - Interior

Silverado's 6.6L Duramax Diesel V8 Turbo Engine

Silverado had a huge display for itself in Chevy's section. The display mostly showed its 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year award which is not surprising when you see what Silverado has to offer. For starters, its sheer presence could leave a prospective buyer a little awe struck. This is a massive vehicle. It's almost 19 feet long and over 6 and a half feet tall! It packs a nice and comfortable interior, which is even nicer when you purchase the LT version. However, the comfortable feel and interior aren't the real story behind the Silverado.. it's the engine. It's a 6.6L Duramax V8 Turbo engine running on diesel fuel. I could probably write on about the spec's and its sheer power but I'll let the picture speak for itself. But just incase it's a little unclear, it reads:
Horsepower: 397 @ 3000 RPM
Torque: 765 lb-ft @ 1600 RPM
Compression Ratio: 16.0:1
Bore x Stroke: 103 mm x 99 mm

 Chevrolet Camaro

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1- Front

  Closing things off for Chevy, we have the Camaro. When you walked into Chevrolet's display room in the North Wing, the first thing you'd come up on would be a beautiful Red 2012 Camaro ZL1 with a black racing stripe. Now, if it doesn't floor you right off the bat like it does me, perhaps there's something wrong with you.

Camaro ZL1 - Profile

As the flashy yet knowledgeable show girl spewed out a list of spec's and other treats about this car, I became more and more enthralled. This baby packs a 6.2L Superchaged V8 engine which is a force to be reckoned with on the road (and at the pump). This engine provides the Camaro with 550 Horsepower and 550 lb-ft of Torque. Along with this, it packs a high performance Tremec Six Speed Manual Transmission for super hard and smooth power shifting to take your driving experience to the next level. The magnetic ride control suspension provides the driver and passengers with the smoothest ride possible by instantaneously shift fluids in the suspension system to adjust to any and all road conditions. I was unable to get a decent picture of the interior because the car was blocked off. However, for more about the interior and everything else in this baby you can check out Sick Tech on Deck's video coverage of the presentation below.