Tucson's New Years Truck Watch: The Chevy Colorado 4WD LT's Midsize Appeal

New Year's is a time when we look towards the future for better days, revel in the solid friendships we have, and maybe even pull up to a happening event to show off new wheels! There are several 4-star events to check out in Tucson during the New Year's: at Gentle Ben's Brewing Company, there is a rockin' party with all proceeds benefiting the Primavera Foundation and KW Cares. NYC style ball drop at midnight as well as complimentary champagne toast are included in the festivities. At the Hotel Tucson City Center, there is the annual Young Pros New Year's Eve Experience: Dinner, A DJ, Photo Booth, and speaker from Hillsong Leadership network will be on deck to assure that you ring in 2018 with a proper bang.

With the arrival of 2018 car and truck models bearing down upon us, our customers have all been sharing with us their choice attributes about their favorite trucks. Over the past week, LA Times writer Charles Fleming was chosen to take the Colorado Redline 4WD LT for some lengthy spins, and document its domination of the mid-size segment. When he reflected on the way that some of the 2017 models felt like, he wrote that “Climbing into the driver's seat requires a stepladder or running leap” due to the size and height of some models. The menacing rival in the form of the Ford F-150 currently sits right at around 24 inches, and the Colorado is a very noticeable two inches lower.

Even billed by Car and Driver as a “Swiss Army Truck”, this is a vehicle that is suitable for off-road exploring, tough hauls, a day of surveying and contracting, or even a spur of the moment trip with the tents and fishing poles to get away from it all. Heated exterior mirrors and Active Tow are available on the 2018 model: Active Tow provides an amazing high-tech hand in aligning the pickup while reversing. LA Times praised the Colorado for possessing a truly “Do Everything” crew cab, with plenty of speed available, and being ultra-ready for off-road jaunts, even on very short notice. It's a great choice for a truck if you live in a very urban area, with narrow streets to navigate daily.

We encourage you to pay us a holiday visit at Orielly Chevy, and check out the commemorative editions of the Colorado: since Chevy was so excited about their 100^th year, you can score the color-keyed grille and rear bumper, chrome exterior bits, spray-in bed liner, and ruggedly rough and tumble 18-inch wheels. The LT Trim line is one of the best for the everyday driver: it outfits you with the crew cab, 3.6-liter V-6, all-wheel drive, and standard box. It comes as no surprise to us that one of the most-read publications in the nation is praising the Colorado LT: we live in a locale chock full of beautiful desert and red rock landscapes, and the coming New Year would be an ideal time to bear down and christen a new Colorado from us!!

Beat Your Daily Drive Heat With Marketplace

49 Minutes. That is how long your average Tucson resident spends on the road, and that’s assuming all goes smoothly on the highway. While there’s no one cure for everyone’s daily commute nuisances, GM has been working on something to take some of the edge and stress out of the dreaded daily drive.  

Meet Marketplace. The automotive world’s first commerce based dashboard designed to make some of your daily stops quicker. Want to avoid the coffee line? Marketplace allows you to place and pay for your order. Want to order your drive-thru favorite? Marketplace will allow you to place your order and save your favorites so you can re-order in a pinch. Got a date and need to make nice dinner plans? Marketplace can help you find a nice restaurant and get a good table.

Marketplace serves two purposes. To take the stress out of your daily commute, and to build stronger bonds between consumers and the brands they’ve grown to trust over the years. GM also wants to further earn your trust by offering exclusive discounts and coupons for GM vehicle repairs, services and accessories just for being a supportive customer.

While Marketplace is designed to be used while driving for convenience, GM still knows safety is most important. Your offers are handpicked by analyzing your data, location, and interaction with third-party vendors. This makes sure your time isn’t wasted with irrelevant offers, and you’re only being sent what you want.

While there’s no app to clear traffic or prevent accidents altogether, you can count on Marketplace to shave some time off of those daily necessary stops.

1957: The Year That Changed it All

The desert wasn’t the only thing hot in Tucson back in 1957. The Chevrolet Corvette made its debut to the world and forever laid the foundation for high-performance vehicles to come.

While the Corvettes of back then look nothing like the seventh-generation models we see burning rubber on the freeway today, they still took the world by storm! The first production runs were split into two options. The 684 Heavy-Duty Suspension package also known as the “Big Brake” package, and the rarer option 579E, known as the “Airbox” package. We say rare as in only 43 of the Airbox variants were produced.

What made this option unique was that it featured a special sealed air intake system which drew cooler air from the front of the engine compartment. That denser, cooler air made all the difference and allowed the Corvette to reach its top performance during those long races. If you ever have the chance to witness one of these beauties in person, do take advantage of it!

Each generation of Corvette shows the vehicle’s continued progression in performance technology over these past 60 years, and how Chevrolet always finds a way to continue to push boundaries and raise the bar. We’re not sure how the eighth generation will blow us out of the water, but we’re certainly excited for what lies ahead!

Next Generations of Chevy Silverado to Employ Benefits of Carbon Fiber

Our most seasoned customers here in Tucson have loads of love for tough trucks like the Silverado: there is so much to appreciate! Perfect for the daily commute, times when you have to haul and move large cargo, and jumping off the road for a bit of trail exploration and fun, there is really no substitute for the way that a tough truck makes its cargo feel taken care of. The next generation of full-size GM trucks will have the need for a strong and lightweight material for the beds, that still enables the use of traditional steel for the cab. According to Automotive News, the Chevy Silverado will put both aluminum and carbon fiber in their beds.

Carbon fiber is known for being lighter yet stronger than steel and aluminum, but also takes more time and money to produce. These traits have made it more common in smaller-volume cars in the past, but trucks stand to benefit greatly with their use. Part of the result is reduction in weight to improve fuel economy, without sacrificing the tough and rugged qualities that buyers of trucks rely on. The menacing rival in the form of the Ford F-150 made the switch to aluminum for the 2015 model year, and the transition resulted in success.

Automotive News also states that the next-gen trucks are slated to launch with aluminum beds, and that it will take a couple of years before we'll see any carbon fiber find its way into designs. Higher-trim models will be the first ones to see the incorporation of new materials, with the trickle-down to lower-spec trucks potentially happening in the future. There is so much to love in regards to the Silverado: it is powered by a 6.2-liter V-8, that dishes out 420 hp, and a maximum tow of 12,500 pounds. Every model now has a backup camera, and the tire-pressure monitor has an alert that sounds out to indicate when air pressure is at a healthy level.

Available for 2018, you can also snag a Commemorative Centennial Edition, which proudly celebrates 100 years of Chevy trucks. With this package, you are equipped with a stunning Centennial Blue paint color, and badging inspired by the hefty Silverado's many years of heritage. Come down to visit us for the holidays at Orielly Chevy, and check out what the upper-level Z71 trim includes: you snag body-color grille surround, a headlamp bezel, and 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. You'll also get plenty of use out of the trailering package, that comes equipped with a 2-inch receiver hitch, and automatic locking rear differential. You'll have no problems conquering the call of the wild with the off-road suspension offered: equipped with Rancho shocks, you'll be effortlessly lurching over anything daring enough to cross your path!