2020 Chevy Corvette Motor Authority First Drive Review Highlights Vehicle that “Fantastically Pushes the Envelope”

The Motor Authority testing staff were situated on the outskirts of Ann Arbor, Michigan last week on a crisp fall day on an open road with no one else around. The fantastic and feature-rich vehicle they were getting ready to drive was one that we have been plenty excited about for months here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson: the brand new 2020 mid-engined Chevy Corvette. Mike Hurley is the vehicle dynamics engineer who is along for the ride and gleefully tells driver Kirk Bell to move the mode selector dial to “Track” and engage the Performance Traction Management System before the run.

 

With his left foot on the brake, he expertly pinned the throttle and the 495-horsepower LT2 6.2-liter V-8 revved on up to 3,500 rpm and stayed there for a brief and purgatorial moment. He then gripped the square steering wheel “for dear life” as the 305-mm wide Michelin Pilot Sport 45 rear tires slipped maybe a quarter turn, and the new 'Vette took off brandishing a power level and efficiency that no factory Corvette has ever possessed. As he lurched forward he documents zero pause in power between gears and agrees wholeheartedly that 0-60 mph probably flies by in 3.0 seconds or less.

The perpendicular force that is exerted between the car and the road is now distributed so that 60 percent of the weight is on the rear tires on the new model, the car can exert more normal force on the road with its drive axle capabilities and quicker acceleration. Recognizing the difficulty that exists in making a car that can handle the road as well as track, Mike claimed that both jobs are handled with ease. The V-8's noisy rumble is not quite as loud as the C7s if you are just cruising around the neighborhood, but if you throw the car in Track mode, you get the enjoyment of the orchestral bellow.

Here it is conveyed that the new Corvette steers with true purpose and always feels direct, and the interior takes a high-quality leap forward from the C7's. The gang here had the 3LT package that adds a 14-speaker Bose audio system, front and rear vision cameras, a head-up display, top-line heated and cooled GT2 bucket seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, and the Chevy Performance Data Recorder that records video and reports all sorts of juicy vital stats.

Instead of sitting so low with a high hood and the scoop blocking the view like the ZR1, the driver now looks down the fender line out of a windshield that is much more open. As the crew winded down after their Michigan drive, what they yearned for most was some time of a California canyon road: It is so very exciting that an American legend changed so much for the better in the form of the brand-new C8, and there will be many more tales of taking it down the road for a wildly high-octane spin to come!

Chevy Silverado 1500 Departs to Laughlin Classic Desert Racing Series

With a variety of off-road races taking place on some of the toughest terrain in the nation, the U.S. Best in the Desert series offers up a long line of endlessly exciting events. The action takes place from October 10-13, when ATVs, trucks, and cars all forge their way on a 17-mile loop. Best in the Desert is now proud to have over 35 years of storied history within the racing community to its name. Legendary racing icon Casey Folks founded the series in 1984 and it soon grew to include 4-wheel vehicles and was recognized by the early 2000s as the world's premier off-road racing series.

Our beloved Chevy Silverado truck followed the Colorado ZR2 into the Best in the Desert Racing Series that kicked off at the Laughlin Desert Classic on the 10^th. The Silverado race truck that will brave the distance is based off an LT Trail Boss truck and is set to compete in Desert's 1200 Stock class. It will be backed for power by the 6.2-liter V-8 that's good for 420 horsepower and paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. To be properly prepared for the Baja-style challenge, the race truck sports a long-travel suspension, front and rear shocks, and set of prototype high-capacity Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve off-road dampers.

Both The Colorado ZR2 and the Silverado scheduled to be driven by Frank D'Angelo can be spotted at the Tropicana Laughlin Hotel and Casino in Nevada. There are currently plans underway to race both trucks during 2020, and it's pretty safe to assume that we'll see these two up close and personal at SEMA in November. When it first began the Best in the Desert consisted of two events: the World Championship Hare and Hound and the Las Vegas 300.

In 1987, it was established as an organization with a full series featuring three races: the World Championship Hare and Hound, Las Vegas 300, and US Hare Scrambles Championship. During 1989 the series grew even further as it then saw the addition of the Mesquite Gran Prix. As ATV popularity grew nationwide, the Best in the Desert introduced 4-wheel vehicles with the Inaugural Vegas to Reno event. Between 1997 and 1999 the series began to get rid of motorcycle-only events, and introduced the 7-day “Race into the Millennium” during 2000.

5 years ago the various partnerships and success grew once again when Mad Media came on board to the series and it now includes the UTV World Championship. All of us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson are going to be glued to our web browsers to see how these two durable and off-road-ready trucks fare during this test, and hope that everyone has fun watching this true test of outdoor driving prowess!

2020 Corvette C8 Convertible Will Receive First-Ever Power Hard-Top

Ever since the C8 Corvette was formally introduced to the world in a large California airline hangar, journalists and enthusiasts all over have been able to enjoy a multitude of firsts. The first mid-engined Corvette has wowed people worldwide with its power potential, styling accents, and very sensible pricing. For the first time since 1953, the convertible model's  folding lid does not consist of cloth or vinyl. Every model until now has offered a convertible variant with roof material on the softer side.

The 2020 C8 Corvette's drop-top utilizes the first power-folding hardtop, which consists of two panels that can retract into a handy cubby behind the seats right on top of the engine. The top weighs in at just 80 pounds heavier than the standard coupe, and the panel under the folding roof has two exotic-looking peaks that flow behind each passenger's headrest into the tail. You can specify the roof with matching body color paint, or dark gray Carbon Flash. Chevy's thorough and precise engineers traded the old front-engine Corvette's hydraulic roof actuators for six electrical actuators, which are known for their reliability.

The new top's design allows for independent operation of the glass rear window, so it can be lowered while the roof stays up. The rear window can be raised to deflect wind when the top is down, which will also reduce wind presence in the cabin. Moving it down takes 16 seconds, and you can even do it with the car traveling up to 30 mph. There is also heat shielding around that cubby so the top doesn't roast while being stored, and special attention was given to not have the top contribute heavily to negative drag. The C8 convertible posts the same coefficient of drag as the coupe with the top raised, and the high-performance Z51 trim sports the same rear spoiler as the coupe.

We hope you come to visit us right here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson to inquire about the new C8: the mid-engine generation starts with the 2020 stingray. The coupe is powered by a Mid-Engine 6.2-liter Small Block LT2 V8 and goes from 0 to 60 in UNDER 3 seconds. This is the vehicle that completely fulfills the dream of Zora Arkus-Duntov, and one of the first traits drivers notice off the bat is the difference in handling: having the engine and transaxle be so low in the car is a great help. The steering wheel is on the small side, and if you're over six feet tall, you won't have much problem moving around while learning the ins and outs of this mid-engined and highly-awaited creation!

Chevy Silverado Enjoys Embracing the Dark Side With New Rally and Midnight Editions

This year at the State Fair of Texas, our beloved Bowtie brand introduced the 2020 Silverado Midnight and Rally special editions. Both of these models complete the job well of providing the perfect mix of trim to allow for the perfect sense of customization and were developed after listening closely to consumers about the extra doses of character that they wanted most in the Silverado. The Midnight Edition boasts a two-inch suspension lift, and some Z71 goodies such as Ranch mono-tube shocks, automatic locking rear differential, skid plates, and 18-inch painted wheels with Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires.

It also adds jet black pieces for the grille, bumpers, exhaust tips, side steps, and badges, with the well-contrasted addition of red tow hooks injecting a unique additive of flavor. The Midnight Edition is available on the LT Trail Boss and Custom Trail Boss trims, with the LT Trail Boss version seeing the power source of the 6.2-liter V8. It's paired to a 10-speed automatic and haplessly cranks out 420 horsepower along with 460 lb-ft of torque. The Custom Trail Boss is available with this powertrain or a 5.3-liter V8 paired to a six-speed automatic.

The Silverado Rally Edition is available in Black, Red Hot, Silver Ice Metallic, and Summit White exterior colors. The body wears a body-color grille on top of black stripes along the hood and tailgate. You get black elements for the exhaust tips, side steps, and badges, and the Custom trim level Special Edition is now rolling on 20-inch black wheels while the RST grade sits on 22-inch wheels. Orders can be placed through us right here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson beginning in October, and deliveries should begin before the end of this year.

Those out there who are already wild about trucks have tons of love for the Z71 Off-Road package, which makes signing up for the Midnight special edition a no-brainer. Right here in Arizona, we have a multitude of terrain that is begging for a truck with a bit of extra clearance and suspension to tackle boulder-climbing and tree roots that command conquering ability. You'll be thrilled every single time you head off the highway into no man's land, and pleased with the level of performance and agility. 

The Rally Edition is a well-crafted example of a very capable and equipped workhorse with slightly more city-derived vibes at the core. We fully believe that it is the well-armed weapon to do battle against the Ram's new fleet that has enjoyed high marks for interior noise reduction and overall luxury, and possesses the perfect swagger to provide a great urban option. You won't have to worry about being noticed immediately while headed on your way, as the stature of the Silverado is commanding, show-stealing, and constantly haul-ready!

2019 Chevy Blazer Snags Coveted Spot on Wards 10 Best UX List For Dominance in Tech Features

The NewsWheel.com staff was on duty last week working hard on any updates in the automotive field, the trait they are known best for! They ran across the opportunity to dole out praise for the 2019 Chevy Blazer, which recently won a well-deserved spot on the 2019 Wards Best UX List. Helpful driver-assist features and a very easy-to-use infotainment system were two of the items that helped the Blazer fare so well after WardsAuto editors scrutinized 23 vehicles and chose the 10 that offered the user-friendliest tech features.

Display screens, voice control, smartphone integration, navigation, and active-safety equipment are elements that are evaluated as part of the judging process. The editors drive the participating vehicles on their everyday commutes to get a sense of how their features perform in the most common of scenarios. They look closely at buttons and switches and check out useful features such as wireless smartphone pairing and charging ports. When it came to the infotainment system, the easy-to-see high positioning of its 8-inch high-definition touch screen, built-in shopping app, and reliable OnStar Wi-Fi also helped the team with their final decision.

Features such as forward automatic braking, lane-keeping assist, and forward collision alert are other qualities that aided in the Blazer's success regarding the Wards list. Lane-keep assist is one of our favorites: it puts to use forward-facing cameras that monitor the lane lines around your vehicle and provide various warnings to alert the driver when you are quickly approaching lane markings. We had always been fans of the Blazer's large HVAC vents, which saw a lot of influence from our beloved Camaro's styling, and can be easily adjusted to change temperature and fan speed: this was another unique feature that the editors cozied up to quickly.

We hope you visit us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson this fall to experience the first press of the throttle utilizing the 3.6-liter V6 engine that's available on the Blazer and standard with RS and Premier trims. Shifting is accomplished with a 9-speed automatic and brandishing a wide range of interior and exterior options, there's there to be the Blazer that ideally suits your unique personal taste. Reliability is important to midsize SUV buyers with a J.D. Powers study showing that 97% agree that it is the first consideration during their vehicle choice. With accents lightly borrowed from the muscle car department and a high level of accolade and award such as this latest accomplishment, the Blazer proves to be an exciting resurrection of an all-time favorite, and example of the best our brand has to offer!

Cavalier's Long-Awaited Return to Crossover Status: The Drive Weighs in

The Cavalier has now been discontinued for 14 years and enjoyed its existence as a solid choice for students, young professionals, and others as an economical and sensible daily driver. It still enjoys its presence in China and Mexico in the form of a subcompact sedan that is situated below the Cruze. All of us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson noticed a blog online from the staff of The Drive last week depicting a product leak, suggesting that the Cavalier will make its way back to the lot during 2020 as a new crossover SUV.

For a very brief time on Monday, Chevy's U.S. Media site had an image in the galleries section of a small crossover that was previously unseen labeled “2020 Chevrolet Cavalier”. The styling cues and design type were very similar to what is found on the Equinox and Trax, even though it's tough to conclude with the very low-resolution picture. The link directed the user to a blank page with an “MX” URL, meaning the new crossover may see its official introduction in Mexico. Just a day or so later, the photo happened to be removed.

It is not too hard to tell the Cavalier's relative size, but it appears similar in dimensions to the compact Chevy Trax. In China, the Cavalier sedan derives power from a 1.5-liter I-4 engine and is available with a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. If the significant move to a crossover platform took place, we think there would likely be some powertrain updates also.

The Cavalier first went on sale in May 1981 as a front-wheel-drive model with 2 and 4 door sedan, hatchback, and station wagon body types. 1983 models offered throttle body fuel injection and a V6 engine offered up more in the power department a year later. For 1989 models the steering column was completely redesigned, now able to drastically reduce injuries during a collision by bending to conform to the driver's chest shape.

When one fondly remembers the Cavaliers seen on the road most often, the 1991 model saw the extensive restyling that involved a new hood, bumpers, headlights, taillights, wheel covers, and a redesigned interior. The Z24 model gained the options for a height-adjustable driver's seat and a CD player, and the convertible was brought back mid-year in the RS trim only with the V6 engine as standard. From 1995-1999, the Cavalier took a few design cues from the 4^th generation Chevy Camaro, and by 1997 was the best selling car within the entire GM lineup. We will keep you posted right here on the blog about any developments regarding release and production, and until then we will wait and see if rumors of the resurrection pan out! 

Business Insider Covers Chevy Corvette's Evolution From Sports Car to Super Car

Starting out by branding the Corvette as one of the most recognizable American sports cars and heralded scene stealers in the history of movies, Daniel Gessner of Business Insider provided a great feature last week about its evolution. He begins his close-up look by acknowledging how the Z06 and ZR1 really cranked up the horsepower in their supercharged versions, but that at that point the car had maybe not quite yet graduated into the same class as the high-priced and high-speed cars like Lamborghini and Ferrari.

For the 2020 model, that gap was closed with one very integral and necessary design change, and it resulted in the creation of a car that has the ability to carry its weight in the biggest leagues. Since its introduction in 1953, the Corvette has undergone many changes, during a well thought-through transformation from a street cruiser into a high-octane racing machine. The 2019 ZR1 managed to squeeze in 755 horsepower under the hood, but engineers bonded together and agreed that the current design was holding it back from its full potential. The Chevy team then spent much time at the drawing board, and finally offered up the mid-engined model that had been thought about for decades.

All of us on staff here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson have marveled over the fact that the time has finally come, and the engine now resides in the space directly behind the driver. This is the layout of choice for some of the most exotic supercars in existence, because of the drastic results that take place within the realm of performance. With the engine in the middle, the weight is more evenly distributed between the front and rear wheels, which allows the vehicle to change direction quicker. In a rear-wheel-drive car, the added weight helps add traction and lets the rear brakes provide more energy for the task of stopping.

When horsepower and torque are added to an engine, the mass sees a drastic increase as well. In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, when the beefy engine is sitting on top of the front axle, less weight is distributed to the wheels where your power originates. This is a concept that has been tested in many different ways since the 1960s, utilizing the Chevy Experimental Research Vehicle Series.

One of the reasons that these never graduated from the concept car category was due to engine cooling issues, as well as their limited passenger and luggage space. What the folks at Business Insider honed in and took a close look at here was the Corvette base model compared to the Ferrari 458. They both are very similar in terms of mechanics and performance, but have quite a stretch in price: the Corvette is nearly $180,000 cheaper. This is no doubt one of the most radical changes to happen in the American car industry in quite some time, and it is just one of those instances where a complete reconstruction made the most sense in the world!