Green Car Reports “Runs for the Hills” On a Colorado Day Trip With the 2019 Chevy Bolt EV

The State of Colorado has taken many steps to adopt the same EV mandate that California has, and it is a region that grapples with a slightly different monster than some: altitude. Here lies the absolute highest portions of our great nation's interstate highway system, including routes rising past 11,000 feet and with some of the most unforgiving terrain in existence. Even with a large number of cars like our prized Chevy Bolt EV now offering up over 200 miles of EPA-estimated range, the steep lengthy grades here have proven to be quite a challenge.

Well-seasoned contributor Andrew Ganz from esteemed Greencarreports.com blog took on the hearty and high-mountain range roving job of heading from Mile High City Denver to Frisco, up in some of the most unspoiled and scenic country in existence close to the jaw-dropping vistas of the Continental Divide. He set off in a 2019 Chevy Bolt, knowing that the full charge would carry him to his needed destination, but not positive he could make it back without the assistance of a plug-in charge. A DC fast charger will soon take up residence in this gorgeous mountain town, but currently, the only solution is a 240-volt level 2 charger.

After passing through the Eisenhower Tunnel at about 11,150 feet above sea level, Andrew pulled over to eat at Whole Foods, after happily taking advantage of the seat and steering wheel heaters during temperatures that hovered around freezing. As the sun finally began to shine a bit more and the temperature warmed to around 40 degrees, it was now appropriate to shut off the climate control, and 20 miles were immediately added to the estimated range displayed in the instrument cluster. There he enjoyed his meal and the stirring visuals of Lake Dillon, situated near a backdrop of picturesque and tranquil mountains that fueled the mining boom during the town's early days.

The astounding truth about this jaunt is that when he finally rolled up to his house 144 miles later, the Bolt's instrument cluster registered just one bar below a half charge, and a very surprising 130 miles of range to go. During 65 miles driven from the tunnel at the top of the mountains back down to Denver, the Bolt added 43 miles of range. This test was one that all of us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson had our eyes on: as the premise of electric power becomes more and more commonplace, many who are ready to buy the Bolt are wondering how it really performs when the highway miles begin to encompass the daily duty.

This test of the car that took place within a location where incline is an intense factor and being stuck on the side of the road would put a huge damper on the day's productivity really did provide keen insight: the Bolt is absolutely capable of conquering an out-of-town excursion without any “charge jitters.” Come pay us a visit this spring and check out what the future will bring: times are changing fast, and torque and horsepower specs are not going to be left limping along behind!

Motor1.com Delivers Scoops on Chevy Equinox Spy Shots Revealing Exciting Updates

When customers begin to get curious and ask us questions here at O'Rielly Chevy regarding the details of vehicles that are slated for release in the coming days, spy shots are one of the best assets we have to clue us in on the particulars. Even though the cars are usually covered up to hide the most obvious traits revealing new features and updates, they can serve the purpose of giving us an idea of what to expect at first glance, and how they behave while making their way down the road in everyday traffic.

When we get the notifications that our inboxes have received new messages, we always get a bit excited when any of them may lead to photos that show us what the cars of the future will look like! Manufacturers go to great lengths to keep their prototypes secret, and until reveals at large car shows take place, these are the avenues where you can begin to imagine just how cool the next year's fleet will be. New spy shots we got our hands on shown here suggest that an updated Chevy Equinox will soon be on the way, with two different test models seen at GM's Milford Proving Grounds.

Both of them have similar amounts of camouflage at the front and rear, and with the center section uncovered, many think that Chevy's engineers are preparing a thorough model refresh as opposed to a completely new generation. The Equinox with the uncovered center appears to have a more aggressive and lower front fascia than the crossover in full camo, and the partially hidden model sports different wheels. Both appear to have the same placeholder pieces for the headlights, and one test mule has dual exhausts at each corner, rather than the concealed outlets or pair of trapezoidal finishers the current model features.

We now speculate that the engine range for the Equinox would remain the same, but the engineers may be hard at work trying to tweak the outputs a bit. The nine-speed gearbox found in the Blazer could also be used, and the latest infotainment, as well as safety tech, will likely be on board to assure the Equinox keeps up with the constantly-changing crossover category. Many reviews on Cars.com dole out the praise for their current-year models: the stellar highway mileage, convenient additional storage under the rear floor, and dual temperature zones are among the favored features that new owners are raving about.

This is the perfect-for-the-times crossover that brandishes pep off the line that people can't believe derives from a 4-cylinder, and one that new owners can't wait to embark on a long trip with! “Sher” from Carlisle, OH claimed that she had “never owned a vehicle with this many features,” and that owning an Equinox completely re-defined and made overly fun even the most routine of errands!

WhichCar.com Blog Provides the Scoop on C8 Corvette Cluster Headed up by GM Boss

Last week in this video posted by California-based realtor George Kenner, six C8 Corvettes are spotted driving along a road in Yuma, Arizona. Covered in camouflage as many spy shots and videos are, you can still make out enough visuals to stoke the imagination a bit and envision how exciting the fantastic and high-powered C8 will be when it arrives on the lot here at O'rielly Chevy of Tucson. Just after the 8:38 mark is where Mark Reuss can be spotted with a hefty smile on his face, enjoying the raw ability and power of the C8, and obviously enjoying killing it at his new responsibilities after being appointed president of GM earlier this year.

At the tail end of the fleet is the current C7 Corvette model, which the videographer thought for a split-second was an Audi R8, due to the clear mid-engined proportions that catch your eye first. Reports gleaned previously from Motor and Wheels Australia have gradually alluded to the final word regarding the next-generation Corvette, which has already been officially shown to Chevy dealers nationwide. Different leaked documents and computer-generated drawings lead many experts to believe that 4 different V8 engine configurations are likely for the C8.

The 6.2-liter LT1 V8 will most likely be one option, and a turbocharged 5.5-liter unit with a hybrid system will also likely be in the works. The folks on duty at the Road and Track blog had a great feature last month chock full of details regarding the arrival of the C8, and here you get to see a cool video of a fleet of five C8s testing in the snow-covered mountains of California. At this point, we are still under the impression that the car won't debut until early summer of this year, and some are keeping their eyes on the New York Auto show in April.

When we mull over the many various reasons we have to be thrilled about the coming of the C8, the time spent innovating and designing the engine is one of the elements at the top of the list. Many hours of studying and testing were put into the design of the cover that has been made with aiding cooling in mind, which may be why the rear of the car was always seen covered so frequently during testing. Another batch of photos featuring the C8 testing on the famed Nürburgring track revealed two very distinct cut lines on the roof, which makes us wonder if a removable roof panel will be part of this very exciting and track-ready contender.

Another patent that was dug up while gleaning the various newswires was one that GM filed for a clutch-by-wire system: it could potentially replace the traditional hydraulic master-and-slave cylinder mechanism by means of a high-tech electronic actuator situated in the transmission. A system like this would ultimately result in a much simpler actuation of the clutch, which would be of great benefit to a prototype featuring an engine located in the middle of the frame. We are definitely excited about the potential of seeing a run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans once this slice of heavily-horsepowered heaven hits the market, and we will all soon see the vision materialize that spanned half a century and many various drawing boards during the making!

2019 Blazer RS and 2019 Ford Edge Titanium Face Off For Title of Detroit's Best Two-Row Midsize SUV

When customers have their minds made up that they are making a new vehicle purchase, they sometimes have to go through the in-depth process of “duking it out,” and seeing how their choice ranks up against another. Our brand-new 2019 Chevy Blazer RS AWD is known for responsive and stable handling, its new found aggressive styling, and robust V-6 engine. Its sworn rival is absolutely the Ford Edge Titanium AWD: admittedly known for a very quiet cabin, comfortable pace, and practical interior layout.

The staff on hand at Car And Driver recognized right off the bat in an article pitting these two SUVs against each other that the Blazer is a two-row mid-size crossover, and not the extremely off-road ready, truck-based SUV that many longstanding torchbearers would like to see. Sharing a platform with the Cadillac XT5 and the GMC Acadia, the Blazer still brings the noise and muscle in incredibly high doses, and looks inspired by the Camaro doesn’t hurt. The Ford Edge is currently in its second generation, and the experts on deck at Car and Driver organized a 550-mile Blazer/Edge face-off in California, taking close account of each vehicle's unique strengths, interior, and driving dynamics.

The testing crew chose to opt for the Blazer's optional 308-hp 3.6-liter V-6, and this particular face-off definitely highlighted the fact that the driver-activated Sport settings on both vehicles really added to the fun factor and edgy punch many buyers are looking for. The team had a bit more love for the Ford's wheel-mounted paddle shifters which provide a bit more effective manual control, but at the same time doled out a bit more appreciation in the long run for the Chevy's high load of active safety tech. Our beloved Blazer certainly beat out the Ford in the braking department: it proved to be much more firm, with a pedal that touted fade-resistance, and a controlled body and suspension that leaves the driver feeling protected as well as precise.

When it comes to performance on twisty roads, the Edge has a softer suspension that  happened to be a bit too composed. The Blazer RS felt responsive and buttoned down even when it was traveling at a rapid pace, making it much easier to control on twisty roads. As both cars were enduring pretty severe punishment on uphill and downhill terrain, they respectably still nailed down the same 16-mpg average. When the spotlight fixates on the zero to sixty dash, the Blazer was .5-second quicker than the Edge, and proved to be overall more powerful, quicker, and stickier when it came to the all-important trait of track manners. The seating position ranked overall more comfortable in the Blazer, and the verdict came in that the Edge's seating position feels awkward in comparison.

After the final rankings came in, the Blazer was said to exhibit better execution, stronger performance, and a much more secure feel on the road. The overall DNA and spring in the chassis gleaned directly from Camaro was another trait that ranked a bit higher than the Ford during the trial of the road test: everyone here at O'Rielly Chevy is excited to back the winner from this very involved and rigorous showdown. Hunting, fishing, and exploring destinations far off the beaten path were all high on the destination list when the first Blazer rolled off the line, and they still are: we encourage you to explore the best in rugged locales after outfitting yourself with this able and proven new crossover SUV!