“The Trax provides Chevrolet an entry into a growing small SUV segment and delivers the flexibility, great fuel economy and car-like handling that urban explorers around the world require,” said Mary Barra, GM senior vice president of Product Development.  Built with the same philosophies behind the global Colorado, Malibu, Trailblazer and Cruze Station Wagon, the Trax is the type of crossover that can succeed in all types of climates and conditions.  The little SUV may look tough enough to take on anything, but it won’t have the opportunity to take on American soil.  Because of the strong success held by the Equinox, Chevrolet said themselves “there are no plans to introduce the Trax in the U.S. market.”

Source: Chevrolet

Chevrolet is prepped for a celebration of large proportions.  Not only will this be the 23rd time a Bow Tied vehicle will pace the Indy 500, the 2013 model year marks the last for the C6 Vette.  The opened headlight wonder has been on the market since 2005 and its last hooray can easily be seen as one of its best.  Capable of over 200 mph with help from its 6.2 liter supercharged V8, the ZR1 carries the ability to lap the famed Nurburgring’ Nordschleife in  7:19.63.  “Corvette embodies pure performance, so the ZR1 is a perfect car to pace the most prestigious auto race in the world,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “Chevrolet is a great partner of the Speedway, and we share in the excitement of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the iconic Corvette brand.”

Source: Chevrolet

When taken right off the showroom floor, both the manual and automatic version of the supercharged grand touring machine have the guts to post blistering fast quarter mile times which is just another reason why the ZL1 is one of the best performance bargains of the year.

“We know many of customers will take their ZL1 to the drag strip,” said Gordon Rojewski, driveline development engineer for the Camaro.  The gearheads behind the ZL1 made sure that the car would not only be straight line quick but reliable as well.  In order to withstand the stress of launches, the car’s rear differential measures in at 9.9 inches and features a standard diff cooler. 

Asymmetrical half-shafts and a Performance Traction Management system work together with the ZL1′s Magnetic Ride Control dampers to minimize wheel hop and when equipped with the six speed manual transmission, launch control can be activated.  In three pedal form, the Camaro can hurl itself down the quarter mile in 11.96 seconds at 117 mph. 

Even more impressive is the six speed automatic’s time of 11.93 seconds at 116 mph.  In both versions, the 2012 ZL1 is just plain fast and carries enough muscle to make its 1969 predecessor proud.

Source: Chevrolet

It may be in its sixth generation and coming close to an entire new change over, but the South Korean people can finally get their hands on the Vette.  To see how things go in this un-tested land, Chevrolet will make available one model starting May 4: the 2012 Coupe.  With a starting price at KRW 86.4 million, the base model is equipped like a $76,399 non-special-leather U.S. variant.  The upgraded interior that transforms the car is offered for KRW 3 million, or $2,653.  “The Corvette is an exceptional product that no other Korean manufacturer can match,” said GM Korea President and CEO Sergio Rocha. “As the most exciting Chevrolet product, the Corvette Coupe will raise the bar for the brand and its products, and broaden our base of Chevrolet customers in Korea .”

Source: Chevrolet

One big one is cleanliness.  Diesels of the past were, for the most part, dirty but with today’s technology, that has changed.  Emissions scrubbing features within the Cruze’s exhaust system has lowered its C02 output to that of a low-emissions, gasoline car.  Another myth is the fuel’s availability in the U.S., which in reality, is not that low.  According to GM, about half of American filling stations carry diesel and with the expected surge of sales, that number will more than likely shoot up.  With advanced fuel systems and more robust glow plugs, vehicles like the Cruze Diesel can now start just as easy in cold weather compared to a conventional model.  Two other myths, diesel rattle and diesel shake, can also be put to rest as pilot and common-rail injection have basically relinquished those two traits from the diesel’s repertoire. 

“Consumers realize that today’s diesel cars are cleaner, less noisy and faster than they used to be, and have a relatively lower cost of entry than some hybrids and EVs,” said Michael Omotoso, powertrain analyst, LMC Automotive.

Source: Chevrolet

One of the biggest stars of the show for Chevrolet was the all-new 2014 Impala. The one-time king of sedans has been trounced in recent memory by many of its competitors. Completely redesigned, the new Impala carries a more pronounced look with aggressive details inspired by muscle cars from Chevy’s past as well as some Camaro themed pieces from the current crop of Chevy muscle. This new bold design coupled with a new interior design looks ready to tackle the competition and win. Only time will tell if Chevy has hit the mark with the new Impala, but initial reaction does look positive.

Another all-new model revealed at the show was the new 2013 Traverse. The three-row SUV gets a complete overhaul for the 2013 year and features a modified version of the new “face” from the Impala. This new grille design gives the Traverse a more modern appearance and should age well through the years. The revised interior features more amenities than its predecessors and also includes new advanced safety features like the industry-exclusive front-center airbag.

Sports car fans were also treated well as Chevy came with multiple Corvettes and Camaros including a Centennial Edition Corvette ZR1, the 2013 Corvette Convertible, a 45th Anniversary Camaro and the all-new Camaro ZL1. There was plenty of horsepower in the Chevy booth.

On the other end of the show floor was the small cars. With multiple Sonics and Cruzes in various levels of trim and color, it was easy to see a car you would enjoy. Two extra special cars though were the all-new Chevy Spark, and the Sonic used in the OKGO music video. The Spark is a new small car that slots in below the Sonic, in both size and price. Look for it to hit showrooms this summer. The OKGO Sonic is grey and was still equipped with all the contraptions used to make the video, and the stand was surrounded by actual guitars from the video as well.

Moving down from the main GM wing to the ground floor of the Javits center we found the truck and SUV section. This was full of all the current offerings from Chevrolet including multiple truck models from 1500s to 3500s with multiple variations in equipment and abilities. All of the current SUVs were present as well including the current Traverse, Terrain, Tahoe and Suburban.

The gallery below has all the photos you need to experience the show for yourself.

Photos Copyright Christian Moe © 2012

“Although Avalanche sales have tapered off in recent years, as crew cabs have grown to dominate Silverado sales, we know there are many Avalanche enthusiasts among Chevy customers,” said Mark Clawson, Avalanche marketing manager.  When it debuted in the early 2000s, the idea behind the Avalanche was simple.  In order to blend a SUV with a pickup, the engineers at Chevrolet took a body-on-frame GMT Tahoe/Suburban platform, and transformed the third row into a truck bed.  The end result offered the spacious interior of a Tahoe with seating up to five as well as the open-air cargo capacity of a half-ton Silverado.  For its first model year, the Avalanche proved unique enough to earn Motor Trend’s 2002 Truck of The Year Award. 

“The Chevrolet Avalanche was one of the earliest forays into re-inventing the traditional pickup truck, said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst, Edmunds.com.  For its final bow, the 2013 Black Diamond edition will offer body-colored bed surrounds, unique badging, rear camera, rear park assist, adjustable pedals, fog lamps and remote start on the LS.  Base pricing has also been reduced by $2,500 meaning that a rear drive, LS can be had for $35,980 plus destination charge. 

Source: Chevrolet

“The Camaro 1LE combines the best elements of the SS and ZL1 to take road-racing performance to a whole new level,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer.  Like the supercar killing ZL1, the 1LE receives an electric power steering rack, an available dual-mode exhaust and air-to-liquid transmission cooler.  Unlike the supercharged monster, the latest package won’t cost more than a small house but instead, it will start under the $40,000 mark.  This is due to the car’s lower output but still potent 6.2 liter, 426 horsepower V8 found under special, matte black hood.  Putting its power to the ground will be an exclusive and only-availabe six speed manual transmission.  Built by Tremec, the TR6060-MM6 features close ratios tuned specifically for track use which get mitigated by a 3.91:1 final drive ratio.  With its grippy, 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires, a full 1 g of lateral acceleration can be had.

Straight line speed is one Camaro strong point, but the 1LE’s main purpose in life will be track racing.  Chevrolet is currently in the process of getting the car approved for SCCA Touring Class competition.  In order to make sure it can distort faces while hitting apexes, Chevy engineers fitted the package with 27 mm front and 28 mm rear anti-roll bars, high-capacity rear axle half shafts, a strut tower brace as well as ZL1 borrowed 20 inch wheels, wheel bearings, toe links, rear shock mounts, and high-flow fuel pump.  All of these improvements add up to a sub-three second lap time at the challenging Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course.   “That the 1LE breaks the three-minute lap at VIR puts it in the upper echelon of performance cars. That it starts under $40,000 makes the Camaro 1LE one of the most affordable, most capable track-day cars offered by any manufacturer,” said Oppenheiser.

Source: Chevrolet

When Chevrolet announced its new Chevy Sonic and all the applicable option choices, enthusiasts were greeted with an interesting surprise. The new 1.4-liter turbo-four was only available with three pedals! Anyone wishing for a slushbox was forced to take the naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-cylinder.

While this makes sense to those of us here at AutoTalk, it doesn’t make a great business case. The high-brass have now come around and have decided to offer the turbo mill with a six-speed automatic transmission. Choosing the automatic does come with its consequences, of course. Owners will see an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg highway. That a represents a 2/3 mpg hit compared to the manuals 29/40 rating.

“This rebate in Colorado provides an extra incentive for those that want to purchase or drive an energy-efficient and technologically advanced vehicle like the Chevrolet Volt,” said Volt Marketing Director Cristi Landy. “With the available state and federal tax credits, along with the fuel savings that many owners experience by charging daily, the Volt can fit the lifestyles and budgets of many people.”

So, if you happen to live in Colorado, maybe its time to consider a car with a bit more battery, and a little less price tag.