DOE takes delivery of hydrogen-powered Chevrolet

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken delivery of a Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle is part of Chevrolet’s “Project Driveway“, a test helping to bring fuel cell electric vehicles to market. For the next six months DOE employees will use the Equinox in everyday situations and will share the performance data. Chevrolet Marketing director, Cheryl Catton, said “We’re pleased to have the DOE join in this important endeavour to speed advanced technologies to consumers. The DOE’s participation illustrates the value of the industry and government working together to provide solutions to our nation’s energy issues. The findings from all of our Project Driveway partcipants will help us define our product and market introduction plans for fuel cell electric vehicles.”

DOE Takes delivery of hydrogen-powered Chevrolet

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken delivery of a Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle is part of Chevrolet’s “Project Driveway“, a test helping to bring fuel cell electric vehicles to market. For the next six months DOE employees will use the Equinox in everyday situations and will share the performance data. Chevrolet Marketing director, Cheryl Catton, said “We’re pleased to have the DOE join in this important endeavour to speed advanced technologies to consumers. The DOE’s participation illustrates the value of the industry and government working together to provide solutions to our nation’s energy issues. The findings from all of our Project Driveway partcipants will help us define our product and market introduction plans for fuel cell electric vehicles.”

Malibu Goes Muscular

Garry McBride says he’s not easily taken aback. However, when the Calgary driver saw the redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ he was set to test for a week, he pulled up short.

“I had no preconceived notion of what the new Malibu would look like, but I was impressed.” Said McBride

And that’s good news, because the last two generations haven’t been that impressive, at least in looks.

After 1983, the Malibu was axed, but brought back in 1997, for a fourth generation. That lasted until 2003, and the car was freshened up in 2004 for a fifth generation which carried until 2007. It would probably be safe to say that over the last five generations, the Malibu went from muscular and handsome, to doughy and stodgy. But according to McBride, that’s changed with the sixth generation.

It’s a four door car with very clean lines, almost visual candy, with low profile windows, large alloy wheels, and dual chrome exhaust tips. This vehicle was designed to sell.

Chevrolet based the new Malibu on its Epsilon global mid-size platform. This platform is longer and wider, and it puts the wheels closer to each corner of the car. With its strong stance and bold proportions the 2008 Malibu has a profile that reinforces its substantial feel. Clean, pure lines and wheels pushed to the corners, as well as a visually lower yet longer greenhouse and a shorter deck suggest motion, agility, and attitude.

While the dash isn’t highly sophisticated, the fit and finish are excellent. The ignition switch is no longer on the steering column but in the dash, and the stereo has more knobs then most would know what to do with.

On the road, the Malibu handles well with great steering response. The ride is not too firm but not mushy either and the suspension edges toward sporty.

McBride says he was prepared to not like the Malibu, but after a week behind the wheel, he felt the overall package was quiet impressive.

“I did look for things I didn’t like,” he concludes. “But I had a hard time finding any. I didn’t want it all to be a glowing review, and driving the car really is key to realizing this a quality auto.”

GM Successfully Casts Green Tint in Powerful Performance of Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV

Big oil killed the SUV. Not alone of course, high gas prices are also playing along. The real killer however, is the consumer. Consumers have turned their backs on the big trucks and SUV’s. But, a new solution has come into play. The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. This SUV is one of the first true hybrids by GM, and GM wants everyone to know that this SUV is a hybrid. The Hybrid Tahoe comes with emblems, logos, and the word hybrid painted across its sides. This vehicle can carry eight gentlemen while towing 6,000 pounds. The 6-liter V-8 gives it 332 horsepower and 367-pound-feet of torque.

The Tahoe Hybrid gets the same city gas mileage as a four-cylinder 2009 Toyota Camry, and its 21 MPG (on the two-wheel drive model) is even 2 MPG better than a Camry with a V-6 engine. The Tahoe’s city mileage also beats out the V-6 Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac CTS, and other GM cars. The most important point is how the Tahoe measures against other SUVs. Head-to-head against an equally equipped gas-only Tahoe, which uses a smaller V-8, the hybrid model provides a 50 percent improvement in mileage.

While every company makes a slightly different hybrid system, the principles are the same, burn less fuel, spew less pollution and recycle energy. The Tahoe uses a 300-volt battery system, hiding the batteries under the second row seats, that can move the 5,400-pound SUV up to 30 mpg on electric power. The Tahoe also takes another step and uses electric motors to assist the engine at high speeds. The V-8 can shut off four cylinders while cruising, which keeps the SUV in four-cylinder mode longer.

Inside, minor changes were made to improve the already excellent interior. The front seats were made lighter and they have plastic curves pieces on the back to allow second-row passengers a little more room. The second and third rows fold down, but if you need storage space, just pull out the easy-to-remove third row. The instrument gage is different. The tachometer includes an auto stop position to let the driver know when the engine is shut off. There is also a gauge divided into three sections. One of which lets you know if you hit the gas to hard, the needle points to the right, if you tap the brakes or coast and the needle moves to the left, letting you know the batteries are recharging, the middle “green” section suggests you’re driving in the most efficient manner.

Malibu Goes Muscular

Garry McBride says he’s not easily taken aback. However, when the Calgary driver saw the redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ he was set to test for a week, he pulled up short.

 

“I had no preconceived notion of what the new Malibu would look like, but I was impressed.” Said McBride

 

And that’s good news, because the last two generations haven’t been that impressive, at least in looks.

 

After 1983, the Malibu was axed, but brought back in 1997, for a fourth generation. That lasted until 2003, and the car was freshened up in 2004 for a fifth generation which carried until 2007. It would probably be safe to say that over the last five generations, the Malibu went from muscular and handsome, to doughy and stodgy. But according to McBride, that’s changed with the sixth generation.

 

It’s a four door car with very clean lines, almost visual candy, with low profile windows, large alloy wheels, and dual chrome exhaust tips. This vehicle was designed to sell.

 

Chevrolet based the new Malibu on its Epsilon global mid-size platform. This platform is longer and wider, and it puts the wheels closer to each corner of the car. With its strong stance and bold proportions the 2008 Malibu has a profile that reinforces its substantial feel. Clean, pure lines and wheels pushed to the corners, as well as a visually lower yet longer greenhouse and a shorter deck suggest motion, agility, and attitude.

 

While the dash isn’t highly sophisticated, the fit and finish are excellent. The ignition switch is no longer on the steering column but in the dash, and the stereo has more knobs then most would know what to do with.

 

On the road, the Malibu handles well with great steering response. The ride is not too firm but not mushy either and the suspension edges toward sporty.

 

McBride says he was prepared to not like the Malibu, but after a week behind the wheel, he felt the overall package was quiet impressive.

 

“I did look for things I didn’t like,” he concludes. “But I had a hard time finding any. I didn’t want it all to be a glowing review, and driving the car really is key to realizing this a quality auto.”

 

Gm Successfully Casts Green Tint in Powerful Performance of Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV

Big oil killed the SUV. Not alone of course, high gas prices are also playing along. The real killer however, is the consumer. Consumers have turned their backs on the big trucks and SUV’s. But, a new solution has come into play. The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. This SUV is one of the first true hybrids by GM, and GM wants everyone to know that this SUV is a hybrid. The Hybrid Tahoe comes with emblems, logos, and the word hybrid painted across its sides. This vehicle can carry eight gentlemen while towing 6,000 pounds. The 6-liter V-8 gives it 332 horsepower and 367-pound-feet of torque.

 

The Tahoe Hybrid gets the same city gas mileage as a four-cylinder 2009 Toyota Camry, and its 21 MPG (on the two-wheel drive model) is even 2 MPG better than a Camry with a V-6 engine. The Tahoe’s city mileage also beats out the V-6 Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac CTS, and other GM cars. The most important point is how the Tahoe measures against other SUVs. Head-to-head against an equally equipped gas-only Tahoe, which uses a smaller V-8, the hybrid model provides a 50 percent improvement in mileage.

 

While every company makes a slightly different hybrid system, the principles are the same, burn less fuel, spew less pollution and recycle energy. The Tahoe uses a 300-volt battery system, hiding the batteries under the second row seats, that can move the 5,400-pound SUV up to 30 mpg on electric power. The Tahoe also takes another step and uses electric motors to assist the engine at high speeds. The V-8 can shut off four cylinders while cruising, which keeps the SUV in four-cylinder mode longer.

 

Inside, minor changes were made to improve the already excellent interior. The front seats were made lighter and they have plastic curves pieces on the back to allow second-row passengers a little more room. The second and third rows fold down, but if you need storage space, just pull out the easy-to-remove third row. The instrument gage is different. The tachometer includes an auto stop position to let the driver know when the engine is shut off. There is also a gauge divided into three sections. One of which lets you know if you hit the gas to hard, the needle points to the right, if you tap the brakes or coast and the needle moves to the left, letting you know the batteries are recharging, the middle “green” section suggests you’re driving in the most efficient manner.

Windsor Nissan Service Specials

Windsor Nissan Service Specials

Not So Fast! Chevy Could Shorten Nissan’s Nurburgring Celebration

Nissan was so proud of the GT-R’s production-car lap-record run of 7:29 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife that CEO Carlos Ghosn personally delivered the news to journalists gathered in Portugal.

It must be sweet for Ghosn who championed the GT-R when Nissan was in dire financial trouble. And trumping Chevrolet’s double-barrel announcements last week regarding the Corvette ZR1’s outrageous 638-hp output and its 205-mph top speed, doesn’t hurt either.

But wait, didn’t we quote Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter as saying that the ZR1 “will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack”? Yes, we did. What we didn’t mention was that in the same interview, Juechter said that, while the company didn’t yet have a full-production ZR1 to test at Nürburgring’s old track, he confidently predicted the super-Vette would do the deed in “Seven minutes, twenty-something seconds.”

Hey, is that a gauntlet we see there on the ground? Anyone care to pick that up? (We’re looking directly at you, Chevy.)

Not So Fast! Chevy Could Shorten Nissan’s Nurburgring Celebration

Nissan was so proud of the GT-R’s production-car lap-record run of 7:29 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife that CEO Carlos Ghosn personally delivered the news to journalists gathered in Portugal.

It must be sweet for Ghosn who championed the GT-R when Nissan was in dire financial trouble. And trumping Chevrolet’s double-barrel announcements last week regarding the Corvette ZR1’s outrageous 638-hp output and its 205-mph top speed, doesn’t hurt either.

But wait, didn’t we quote Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter as saying that the ZR1 “will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack”? Yes, we did. What we didn’t mention was that in the same interview, Juechter said that, while the company didn’t yet have a full-production ZR1 to test at Nürburgring’s old track, he confidently predicted the super-Vette would do the deed in “Seven minutes, twenty-something seconds.”

Hey, is that a gauntlet we see there on the ground? Anyone care to pick that up? (We’re looking directly at you, Chevy.)