Detroit Free Press Highlights Corvette Production Stats at Bowling Green Plant

Over the past week in the Big Apple, the new mid-engined Chevy Corvette made its first public appearance, as GM Ceo Mary Barra and Chief engineer Tadge Juechter took a publicized spin around New York City. As reported in the Detroit Free Press, GM now plans an announcement regarding the new Corvette. It is expected to be built in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the entire engine may be constructed and developed there as well. WBKO TV station in Bowling Green reported Wednesday that GM will “soon make a major announcement” in regards to the Corvette Assembly Plant.

During March, both Barra and Dittes resided over the official GM announcement at Lake Orion Assembly in Michigan that it would invest $300 million to have a new electric car built there. Alan Baum of Baum and Associates claimed that GM closed the plant for nearly a year to thoroughly install the new engine line capable of modern electric car production. The Bowling Green Assembly is currently handling duties for production of the Chevy Corvette Stingray, Z06, Grandsport, and ZR1. It also builds the LT1, LT4, and LT5 6.2-L V-8 engines for Corvette. It is estimated at this point that Bowling Green will produce about 10,000 mid-engine Corvettes in the first year of production along with a high-performance engine for the newest model.

Sources have told us here at O'Rielly Chevy that GM's engine plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee will continue to make 6.2-liter engines for the traditional Corvette after the mid-engine car begins production at Bowling Green. Some Nashville music celebrities have enjoyed watching their very own model on the assembly line, and the new engine operation will provide an open visitor policy to attract buyers interested in seeing the specific vehicle they ordered. The car is expected to go on sale in 2020 and is the version that will now see the most intense engineering change since the very first 'Vette rolled off the assembly line in 1953.

Motor1.com ran this story the other day showing the new logo's official unveiling, as editor Chris Bruce deemed it a “sharper take on the familiar look”. This alleged logo for the 8^th generation Corvette was leaked in February, and has since been confirmed as legit. The new logo does away with the V-shaped area right in between the flags, and the banners now share a vertical direction. The familiar Chevy logos and checkered flag still come out diagonally. This blog from Car and Driver depicts “The 15 times they got really excited about the C8's Development”, and how they have been sitting on the edge of their seats since 2014 waiting for this high-powered and groundbreaking machine to materialize!

Amazing Custom Chevy Camaro ZL1 Built by Dedicated Salt Lake Chevy Lover

This year on KSL.com, all of us here at O'rielly Chevy noticed that they were running a specialized blog series focused on some of Utah's coolest cars. A beautiful state chock full of desert and rock terrain offerings, it is a location where some pick the off-road breed of car for their favorites, but one loyal fan picked a choice of the more track-ready variety, and immediately wanted to make his 2013 Chevy Camaro ZL1 into the perfect specimen.

In this feature here, you can see how after his dissatisfaction with just the basic ZL1 package, he figured a few important modifications were needed to help boost the power, and make it into something truly one-of-a-kind. He got help from a friend who promised him he could do a basic tune, upper and lower pulley, and new headers as a trade for the hood that came stock. After running into difficulty during the beginning of his project, he decided to turn to the pros once and for all, and took his car to JDP Motorsports in Sandy to get the work completed. To his dismay, the previous work was not done correctly, and the supercharger now needed a rebuild after being soaked in about an inch of oil.

After a completed and thorough task courtesy of JDP, the ZL1 was now cooking up 655 horsepower and 577 lb-ft of torque, up from the stock figures of 580 and 556 respectively. To get here, the checklist involved a thorough tune, ported supercharger and throttle body, new upper and lower pulleys, plugs, injectors, headers by Stainless Works, a 4.5-inch Roto-Fab intake, and all new wiring. On the outside there are some prominent tweaks that really make the car stand out: custom vinyl graphics and paint, red and black emblems, a custom front splitter, carbon fiber hood, custom built headlights with color changing LED lights, XO Luxury wheels, custom tail lights, louvers over the back window, and a Z28 spoiler on the back tasked with the responsibility of keeping the rear tires planted to the pavement.

The windshield sports a banner for the Utah Head Turners, a local club with 57 members that put on local meetups, high-octane racing events, and charity functions in and around the valley. Last year he really experienced a high point of ownership with this new car: he was able to participate in a cruise that was dedicated to a young girl battling cancer. He's going to go live on the web soon and burn out his old tires after winning a brand new Michelin set on an Instagram giveaway, and simply enjoy his car as it is for a while: the red-on-black theme is perfect for his car, and we always love to see examples of the ways that very dedicated Chevy lovers up the ante on their rides to make their wildest dreams come true!

The Truth About Cars Blog Provides In-Depth Look at Base-Level Colorado ZR2

The various trails nearby to Tucson are a constant testing grounds of sorts for off-road trucks, and many of the customers that visit us here at O'rielly Chevy are looking for a rig that can kick up sand and crawl rocks without a twinge of regret or shortcoming. We thought it was actually a very great idea for an article to see just how a base-level ZR2 fared during testing, and the folks on staff at TheTruthAboutCars.com did just that. Right off the bat, the DSSV dampers and off-road kit make it quite a bit more capable than many base models, and we love the friendly digs directed in automaker Ford's direction within.

The topic this article really tackled full-on was if the extra gear that that Bison touts is worth the extra spend, or if our fellow Arizona truckies are better off scoring a base level ZRT and modding it on their own. It is true that the Bison is technically an option package, and not just offered as an additional trim. Once you set your sights on down the line at the AEV additions, you see that more robust skid plates, brand new wheels, and a few tweaks in styling is a grave success for those wandering off roads that tend to be heavily traveled.

The skid plates really do offer primo protection and are one of the most well-engineered avenues of defense in existence for a truck that is slated to experience quite a bit of rougher elements on the ground during the journey. What these experts claim is that in a world where a set of bumpers run close to $3,000 and skid plates are about as much, the Bison option is viable. What matters really boil down to in a close-up examination of an off-road truck with these capabilities is that very little of what makes up a Bison is available as standalone parts and makes the AEV route that much more attractive.

Heavy volumes of automotive truth are doled out with the sentiment preached here that says, “Not every base model has aced it”, and the ones that have made the automotive landscape that much better. While we understand the very deep and dedicated craze that is fueling the full-size truck frenzy, it is undeniable just how valuable the snug and boulder-crawl capable appeal of trucks like these are. We are amazed at the new rise in towing ratings and horsepower that the full-size club brings, and many are spellbound by what the biggest and baddest can offer up. But we can also attest that there is nothing quite as satisfying as a midsize marauder that is eager to leapfrog over rocks and win victory over the wilderness: the ZR2 is undoubtedly groomed for the most challenging of tasks! 

Carbuzz.com Provides Inside Scoop on 400 HP Blazer SS Debut

There was a very large number of off-road and SUV fans here at O'rielly Chevy that were asking us about the coming Blazer a few years ago, when it was just a concept and not as all-out official. Now that it has been released, those who were worried about it feeling too much like a crossover SUV and not like the die-hard original were happy to see that it took so many styling cues from the Camaro. Since so many who reviewed it liked the aggressive stance right off the bat, we knew that it was probably just a matter of time before a much more performance-based model came about, and Chevy has now confirmed that the Blazer SS will make its world debut at the New York Auto show this April 17.

The menacing and robust Blazer SS will utilize the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 found in the Cadillac CT6, which cooks up 404 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, paired up aptly with a 10-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive comes as standard to properly handle all the extra muscle, and although officially-verified images are hard to find, some images such as the ones seen here can give us a pretty clear idea of what to expect. A very aero-enhanced body, black trim, and larger 21-inch wheels give the SUV a somewhat more menacing stance, and the lowered suspension provides much sharper handling and beefier brakes provide a more solidly-backed means of rapid slowdown. 

Details regarding pricing and official launch date will be announced at the 2019 New York Auto Show, and last summer the good folks on staff at Topspeed.com were already kicking around wishful thoughts on this blog about a Blazer Xtreme Sport, a very different and off-road focused machine. We fully understand that these firm critics felt that the Blazer RS didn't quite have the full opportunity to come into its own, as these are folks who appreciate well-brandished elements such as crazy high-output engines, upgrades to the suspension, and more backbone than just a dash of nice paint can offer.

Back in 2001 was when Chevy first introduced the Blazer Xtreme Sport, which was tailored to lure customers who loved to modify their cars and flaunt individuality. That model then boasted sports suspension, low-profile tires, flared arches, and tinted windows. We expect this new model to attract those who wish to incorporate the power of pure Chevy engine ability, while traversing higher past the limitations and hurdles that a CUV can present.

We know full well that vehicles such as the Jeep Wrangler are placard holders of “True Trail Boss” status, but we are excited to watch our very own vehicles inch forward confidently in the name of veering off-road and touting our own specific type of exploring ethic. We urge everyone who is foaming at the mouth while remembering Blazers of years past to “buckle up” and be patient: this unveiling will provide for many the proper dose of Blazer flashback combined with the excitement of a full refresh!

MotorTrend.com's First Test of Camaro Deems it “10 Speeds All the Richer”

Motor Trend's Alex Nishimoto offered up an engaging and enthralling feature on the blog this week about this year's Camaro SS, and his experiences during testing. He begins poignantly by remembering the Camaro's launch in 1966, when it was then available with a two-speed automatic transmission. Just 3 years later, there were two different 3-speed options, and after turning the pages of time forward 5 decades, you can now obtain a 2019 Chevy Camaro SS with 10 gears. He first clearly states that he believes there was nothing at all wrong with the 8-speed automatic, but with the 10-speed co-developed with Ford, GM now sees it fit to spread the gearbox that saw its first appearance in the ZL1 to more models across the Camaro lineup.

 

The refresh for 2019 involves much more than just the uppage in gears: this updated pony also adds forward collision warning as an option and scores an available 8.0-inch touchscreen. On the outside, the headlights have been redesigned with new LED accents that do a great job of flowing visually into the grille, and the taillights have now returned to the classic quad round lamp arrangement. There is more difference between the trim levels, and the new SS look has been by far the one that has been asked about most here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson.

After a few days of driving, Alex felt as if he was really beginning to grow to like the front end, which has been the subject of much talk and controversy over the winter. We absolutely agree that the very large, blacked-out grille with Z/28-sourced flowtie badge looks appropriately menacing, and the bursts of body-color bits that jut into the grille can make the front end appear a bit like a spartan helmet.

As far as the drive, the first aspect that was greatly appreciated was the transmission. There were no instantly jerky shifts felt with the unit, and “hunting for gears” was not an issue. The lift-foot gear hold feature trickles down from the 10-speed Camaro ZL1 and is designed to prevent excessive upshifts or downshifts during driving on the quicker side of things. While situated in Normal mode, the throttle response from the direct-injected engine is already lightening-fast, but flipping the switch to Sport sharpens the engine to a zone of sheer automotive brilliance and aggression that has already been hailed by many as “The only way to enjoy the Camaro”.

During acceleration testing, the SS automatic posted a 4.1-second 0-60 mph time, which was closely-shaven to the last T and matched with the result of a 2018 Camaro SS 1LE equipped with the six-speed manual. Road test editor Erick Ayapana heaped the largest kind of praise on the transmission for “nice crisp shifts” during the run down the dragstrip, and braking tests yielded in a 60 to 0 mph stop in 103 feet, with no signs of any type of fade or wear after even six runs. The burly V-8 engine sound only gets more pleasing as the rpms delve higher, and we were fully excited to see more positive words and praise about our favorite track-conquering and ten-speed-equipped road warrior!