Paul Tan's Automotive News » Chevrolet/Daewoo

Chevrolet Mi-ray concept hybrid – the future explored

Anthony Lim — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:00:43 +0000

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This is the Chevrolet Mi-ray concept, a hybrid roadster developed by the GM Advanced Design Studio in Seoul to celebrate the name’s 100-year heritage as well as showcase future design possibilities for the brand.

The Mi-ray (Korean for ‘future’) draws its inspiration from jet fighters and also pays tribute to Chevrolet’s sports car heritage – it’s small and open like the 1963 Monza SS and light and purposeful like the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder.

The “mid-electric” propulsion system, located primarily behind and beneath the driver, features two front-mounted 15 kW electric motors powered by a 1.6 kWh lithium-ion battery that’s charged through regenerative braking energy; drive capability can be switched from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive.

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There’s also a 1.5 litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, mounted behind the cockpit, which combines with the electric motors and drives the rear wheels, great for those moments when you want to stomp on things. It’s mated to a dual-clutch transmission, and there’s a start-stop system in the mix too.

Carbon fibre and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic features heavily on the exterior, which features racer-style scissor doors for added dramatic flair. Features include LED headlamps with new signature daytime running lamps and front/rear fenders that pay homage to Corvettes of the past. The Mi-ray sits on aluminium-carbon fibre composite, turbine-styled 20-inch wheels in front and 21-inch wheels at the back.

Distinctive retractable flaps provide additional airflow control, while providing access to the charge port on one side and the fuel filler on the other; the charge port also features an external battery charge indicator. Each rear fender contains individual cargo space for the storage of small items.

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The twin cockpit interior contains a mix of brushed aluminium, natural leather, white fabric and liquid metal surfaces. Features include asymmetric seats that flow from the door and ambient lighting which starts from the upper instrument panel and flows into the seat back area. The headrest area follows the exterior form, integrating with an air scarf for open-air driving.

There’s a unique approach to displaying information, using back projection on the instrument panel. Information in front of the driver falls into three visual zones – directly in front is vehicle performance, flanked on the left by range and on the right by navigation and mileage figures, all to eliminate unnecessary visual clutter.

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The centrally located start button is also inspired by jet aircraft – when the button is pressed, the column-mounted retractable meter cluster rises like a jet fighter canopy, and “Interactive Projection” appears on the white surface.

Retractable rearview cameras, which replace traditional rearview mirrors, extend from the side glass electrically. In city driving, the forward-facing camera operates in conjunction with GPS to overlay navigation information with real-time video.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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First image of new Chevrolet Malibu – car debuts in Shanghai

Anthony Lim — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:57:25 +0000

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The first image of Chevrolet’s all-new mid-sized Malibu sedan has been released ahead of its global reveal next month at the Shanghai Auto Show. The teaser image is of a LTZ version of the upcoming car.

Online fans will be among the first to glimpse the new car when Chevrolet unveils the Malibu on Facebook on Monday April 18, which is timed to coincide with the sedan’s public debut in Shanghai on April 19.

The new Malibu will be the first Chevrolet mid-sized vehicle designed for the global market, and the car will be sold in up to 100 countries around the world. In Australia, wearing a Holden badge, the new car is slated to bridge the gap between the Cruze and the Commodore.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Sonic hatchback and sedan launched at Detroit!

Danny Tan — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:17:12 +0000

General Motors has released details and images of the new Aveo that will be unwrapped later at Detroit, just that it’s not called the Aveo, but Sonic. Like the car it replaces, the B-segment Sonic is available in two body styles – five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. Both variants deliver “class-leading rear-seat roominess and cargo space” according to GM. In the US, the subcompact Sonic takes on the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit.

In America, the Sonic will come with relatively powerful engines for its size. The Ecotec 1.4L turbo (138 hp/200 Nm from 1,850 to 4,900 rpm) and the 135 hp/167 Nm Ecotec 1.8L are also found in big brother Cruze. Three transmissions are available: a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic with the 1.8L and a six-speed manual for the sporty 1.4 turbo.

These modern powerplants come with features such as low-mass hollow-frame cast iron block, DOHC with VVT, chain-driven cams, roller-finger camshaft followers, piston-cooling oil jets and integrated oil cooler, variable-flow oil pump and electronically controlled thermostat. The 1.4′s turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility.

GM talks about “fun to drive” in the release, mentioning that Corvette engineers tuned the Sonic’s ride and handling. The hardware is par for the class – front MacPherson struts, rear torsion beam, EPS steering, front disc brakes and rear drums are expected.

The body structure is claimed to be among the stiffest in the segment. Sonic’s unique “flat top frame” cradle, for example, assures optimal stiffness in the front chassis portion, while he rear axle is straight without contour for packaging restraints and reduced noise, vibration and harshness. Wheels are as big as 17 inches for the turbo model.

The funky cabin’s highlight is the motorcycle inspired instrument panel, which combines analog with digital displays. The centre stack is typical modern GM; it and the steering wheel will be familiar to Cruze owners. Front “bucket seats” are standard and heated front seats are available along with remote start and sunroof. Connectivity includes OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, USB/Bluetooth and MyChevrolet mobile application. On the safety front, 10 standard air bags, ABS, EBD, brake assist and OnStar with Automatic Crash Response are included.

Production of the Sonic begins later this year in Michigan. GM says that Chevy is the only company building a small car in the US and Sonic will help restore about 1,000 jobs in the metropolitan Detroit area. This could be a big selling point for a US economy that’s still facing issues with unemployment.

Gallery after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva – 5 year warranty and 2 year free service

Paul Tan — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:41:53 +0000

Naza is now offering a 5 year (or 175,000km) extended warranty program and a 2 year free service (or 40,000km) package for any Chevrolet Captiva sold between April until June this year. The free service package covers the following items:

Engine oil
Engine filter
Engine coolant
Air cleaner
Air-conditioner air filter
Clutch fluid
Spark plug (only applicable to Captiva Gasoline range)
Fuel Filter (only applicable to Captiva Diesel range)

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Aveo Sedan illustration leaked!

Paul Tan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:21:39 +0000

The image you see above is a leaked illustration of the new Chevrolet Aveo Sedan and I must say it looks pretty good, in some kind of Scirocco-Mazda2 hybrid kind of way. It remains an illustration for now, and being an American brand I doubt it’s going to make a debut at Geneva in the next few days.

The Aveo is Chevrolet’s B-segment competitor and right now it is sold in both hatchback and sedan form, although both models don’t really look related to each other, which is a good thing as hatch to sedan transitions don’t exactly come out good most of the time. With this new line-up, Chevrolet has kept the sedan and hatch’s design separate again, which is a good thing. You can see how the hatchback version will look like here. Imagine if they just took that and added a boot to it – it would be disaster.

But they took the other route which is this, and it’s pretty good looking. If you look after the jump you’ll also see some pix of the interior which features a big RPM meter along with a digital speedo. Not sure if these will make it to the production car. The Chevrolet franchise holder right now is Naza. We will probably get this new Aveo as the model it replaces was sold here in Malaysia, but first will come the new Chevrolet Cruze which is long due!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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GM sends CFO to help unprofitable Daewoo arm

Danny Tan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:00:51 +0000

General Motors Chief Financial Officer Ray Young has been elected to the GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GMDAT) board of directors with the main aim of steering GM’s Korean outpost to profitability, according to a statement by GMDAT President and CEO Mike Arcamone.

“Ray Young will help drive the change needed at GM Daewoo to make the company profitable in 2010. His depth of knowledge of the global automotive industry and his financial skills will benefit the entire company,” Arcamone said.

The 47-year old Young drew criticism from President Obama’s auto task force for weak leadership leading up to GM’s bankruptcy earlier this year. He will be replaced by Chris Liddell, who was the CFO at Microsoft Corp since 2005.

GM now ownes 70.1% of GMDAT after it invested a further $416 million in October to purchase additional shares offered in an equity rights issue. The Korean outpost is GM’s global design and engineering center for small cars. The Chevrolets that we see here in Malaysia, including the Captiva and still to be launched Cruze, had most of their design work done in GMDAT.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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New 1,000cc Daewoo Matiz Creative unveiled: Korean-badged production Chevrolet Spark

Paul Tan — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:58:42 +0000

Here’s another anticipated production car that disappointingly looks like its lost some of its edge on the way from concept to production. The car you see above is the new GM Daewoo Matiz Creative, which under the Chevrolet badge will be known as the Chevrolet Spark. It will go on sale internationally at various different launch dates beginning September. Three equipment level will be available – the Pop, the Jazz and the Groove, and the price tag goes up from US$7,260 up to US$8,035 in that order.

Under the hood is a new 1.0 litre S-TEC II inline-4 engine mated to a 4-speed auto making 69 horses and 92Nm of torque. Despite being a small car, GM gave the car 4 mounts for the engine to improve smoothness instead of some car manufacturers which only supply 3 mounts. A three-cylinder turbodiesel engine will come later.

The petrol engine is rated at being able to travel 17 km per litre, or about 5.9 litres per 100km. GM says the S-TEC II engine features something called Port De-Activation which sounds like the number of valves used are variable – less valves at low revs and all valves used at high revs, though I’m not 100% sure as the press release is not really very technical. The chassis is monocoque and is expected to score 4-stars in Euro NCAP tests.

Look after the jump for two more shots of the new Matiz Creative.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva 7-seater SUV updated in Malaysia with new features!

Paul Tan — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:13:00 +0000

The Chevrolet Captiva is an interesting and good looking alternative to the regular Honda CR-V and the aging Nissan X-Trail that people usually opt for when they look for an SUV under RM200,000. In fact, the Captiva is Hicom-Chevrolet’s best-seller and it’s refreshing that a company has been offering a turbodiesel variant for people to enjoy diesel power in a more family-friendly format without resorting to driving a pick-up truck.

There are various versions of the 7-seater (third row folds flat) Captiva available and the highlight is the top of the line Captiva Diesel with all-wheel drive. The 2.0 litre engine produces 150 horsepower at 5,000rpm but the really nice thing is it has 320Nm of torque from 2,000rpm for an effortless drive around town, no need to rev the engine to get good momentum.

Even the 2.4L petrol is tuned for very good torque – horsepower is low at 136hp for a 2.4L engine but it is a compromise in order to get 220Nm at only 2,200rpm. Both engines are mated to a 5-speed auto.

The Diesel version gets beige leather upholstery as standard, an 8-speaker sound system with MP3, USB and Bluetooth Audio support, ESP stability control with Active Rollover Protection, Hill Descent Control, and Traction Control.

Safety features for all Captivas include dual front airbags, ABS, disc brakes on all wheels and ISOFIX child seat points for the second row, which is something that certain car manufacturers think Malaysians do not know how to use or perhaps do not deserve, but if you don’t have the points in the first place how are people going to learn?

The first 50 customers will also get a holiday package to a resort at Lake Kenyir, a GPS navigation system and a rear view camera which is mounted cleanly on the rear bumper. The GPS map is customised with the locations of Chevrolet dealers nationwide.

The following are the prices for the new Captiva. The top of the range is the 2.0L AWD Diesel with beige interior, this is the model with all the goodies and safety features. All prices are OTR with insurance.

Chevrolet Captiva 2.4L AWD Petrol (Beige Interior) RM 150,306.20
Chevrolet Captiva 2.0L AWD Diesel (Beige Interior) RM 161,442.30
Chevrolet Captiva 2.4L AWD Petrol (Grey Interior) RM 151,332.20
Chevrolet Captiva 2.4L FWD Petrol (Grey Interior) RM 143,124.20
Chevrolet Captiva 2.0L FWD Diesel (Grey Interior) RM 150,982.30

There are two accessory packages available for you to add-on. One is the Captiva Sporty Package which includes a Front Bumper Guard, Black Chrome Bezel headlamps, Side Steps, Chrome Wind Deflector and Clear Chrome Rear Lamps for RM 7,700.

The other is the Captiva Elegant Package which includes the Molding Package, Black Chrome Bezel Headlamps, Side Steps, Chrome Wind Deflector and Clear Chrome Rear Lamps for RM 6,800.

VIDEO: Chevrolet Captiva

This is the pre-facelift version though… but I could not find any videos of the updated model so please enjoy this video produced by GM to promote the Captiva.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Lova (Aveo) facelift unveiled in China

Paul Tan — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:37:09 +0000

Chevrolet has launched the facelifted version of the Chevrolet Aveo Sedan in China. The new notchback sedan Aveo gets the front end and grille from the latest Aveo hatchback. This attempts to bring it closer to a family resemblance to its larger sibling, the C-segment Chevrolet Cruze. The Chevrolet Aveo notchback sedan is also sold in Malaysia in 1.4 litre form for about RM69,888 to RM72,888, last I checked. Look after the jump for a gallery of images, mostly snapped in China, where it is known as the Chevrolet Lova.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Cruze set for July 2009 Malaysian launch!

Paul Tan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:37:48 +0000

The Chevrolet Cruze will hit Malaysian roads in July 2009 and it will be imported from Korea as a CBU model. The Cruze is a C-segment sedan in the same class as the Civic, Corolla Altis and Focus.

Under the hood will be a GM-Opel Powertrain sourced 1.8 litre DOHC unit while in other markets the Cruze is also available with a 1.6 litre ECOTEC. This new 1.8 litre unit replaces the older Holden-based engine that our market’s Optra comes with. The new engine will have DCVCP or Double Continuous Variable Cam Phasing and produce 140hp and 175Nm of torque at 3,800, so that’s quite a torquey mid-range there.

What’s most impressive is the Cruze will be a class leader in terms of transmission as it will be equipped with a 6-speed transmission, something that none of its rivals have. The closest is Honda with a 5-speed auto.

The Cruze is generally a rather good looking car and it has a pleasant interior as well. It has been touted over and over that this car together with the upcoming Chevrolet Volt will be the new global car that saves GM. Unlike previous GM C-segment offerings where the Americans got the Cobalt while the rest of the world got the Daewoo-derived Optra, the Cruze is one single model that will serve the global market.

Another new Chevy will come later – the D-segment Chevrolet Epica. Look after the jump to view a full featured high resolution interior & exterior photo gallery of the Cruze and its Daewoo-based version, the Lacetti Premiere.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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New Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Epica to hit Malaysian roads in 2009?

Paul Tan — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:33:45 +0000

Hicom-Chevrolet Sdn Bhd has announced that it will be launching two models this year, which are believed to be the Chevrolet Cruze and the Chevrolet Epica.

The Cruze (photo above) is a nice compact car which will replace the Optra Magnum in Chevrolet’s line-up. It will be launched sometime either in late July or early August 2009. It’s a rather good looking car (from the front to the side at least, not too sure about the rear styling) with an appealing interior, as long as photos do not deceive of course because most of us have never seen it in real life.

The new Cruze measures 4,600mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,475mm tall with a 2,685mm wheelbase which will provide decent interior length, falling short only of the Civic and Lancer’s which are class-leading. It was launched in Korea late last year with a 1.6 litre ECOTEC engine producing 114 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 152Nm of torque at 4,200rpm. A Malaysian line-up could see this engine plus the 1.8 litre engine from the Optra Magnum carried over.

But what we’d really like to see is the new ECOTEC Turbo engine slotted into this baby, but I don’t know if it’s going to be very likely even when the engine is finally out because of cost issues. It might be an Europe and US-only option, but it would be nice if we could get it too. The Ecotec Turbo will be a 1.4 litre competitor to Volkswagen’s TSI, Fiat’s T-JET series and Renault-Nissan’s new 1.2 litre and 1.4 litre turbos. The small displacement engine can use turbocharging to provide power outputs equivalent to 1.6 litre, 1.8 litre and even 2.0 litre engines, with loads of torque to boot.

The Chevrolet Epica on the other hand, is a D-segment competitor to the likes of the Camry and the Accord. It was recently refreshed (and launched in Singapore) with various technical and design updates such as a new 6-speed GM 6T40 automatic transmission, replacing the old 5-speed unit. It comes with either a 143hp 2.0 litre inline-4 motor or a 2.5 litre inline-6 with 156hp.

Look after the jump for more shots of the Cruze.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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VIDEO: Chevrolet Captiva tows a tow truck

Paul Tan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:30:43 +0000

This video shows a Chinese woman (supposedly in Shanghai) arguing with a tow truck driver, who appears to want to tow her Chevrolet Captiva away for illegally parking or some kind of offense or another. She got fed up of arguing and just drove her Captiva away, still attached to the tow truck! Probably a testament to the torque a Captiva has, especially the turbodiesel version. This is probably a viral advertisement of some sort, but still quite a smart one. Watch the video after the jump.

Video: Chevrolet Captiva tows tow truck away

Source Via

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Cruze finally launched as the Daewoo Lacetti Premiere in South Korea!

Paul Tan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:30:23 +0000

GM has surprised us all amidst rumours that its hopeful Chevrolet Cruze compact car has been postponed – quite far from it in fact. The car has actually already been launched in South Korea as the Daewoo Lacetti Premiere. It will compete with the Hyundai Elantra, the Kia Forte, and the Honda Civic in the increasingly competitive C-segment sedan market in South Korea. So perhaps only its US debut will be delayed.

The Daewoo Lacetti Premiere measures 4,600mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,475mm tall with a 2,685mm wheelbase. It rides on 17 inch wheels wrapped with 215/50R17 tyres. Under the hood is a 1.6 litre ECOTEC engine that produces 114 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 152Nm of torque at 4,200rpm. No sight of the 1.4 litre ECOTEC Turbo yet.

On the interior, it seems that the dashboard can be colour coded to match your two-tone seats. Thus you are able to have your dashboard have either blue or red trim if you get black-blue or black-red combination seats. Apparently the various sensors in the car communicate with the ECU via something called GMLAN. It seems to be a trend to give your in-car databus a funky name these days, such as FlexRay.

The car actually kinda reminds me of a smaller Toyota Crown. Prices range from 11,550,000 won (RM32.300) for the cheapest SE manual version up to 17,700,000 won (RM49,500) for the 6-speed automatic CDX version. 6 colours are available – white, silver, silverish blue, grey, blue and black.

Look at more shots of the Chevrolet Cruze/Daewoo Lacetti Premiere after the jump.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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GM willing to restart talks with Proton

Paul Tan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:23:21 +0000

Various officials from within the government have been calling for Proton to continue looking for a foreign partner. The national automaker previously had failed talks with PSA Peugeot Citroen, Volkswagen and General Motors.

The Volkswagen deal would probably have gone through if it were not for Khazanah Nasional pulling out of the talks at the last minute, saying it had to give Proton more time to turn around before any equity/partnership deal could be cemented to ensure a fair deal for Proton.

Bernama reports today that General Motors’ Southeast Asian operations president Steve Carlisle (photo on the left) is willing to restart negotiations with Proton Holdings Berhad on taking up a stake in the company.

This comes just after GM announced it will invest US$445 million in Thailand to build a diesel engine plant next to its existing assembly facility. The new diesel plant will supply inline-4 diesel engines for GM’s trucks in Thailand and global markets.

When contacted, Proton Holdings informed Bernama that it had not been approached by General Motors for any negotiations. Proton also said that since any possible partnership would most likely involve talks of a share transfer, any interest from GM should be directed to its majority shareholder Khazanah Nasional instead.

So there we have it ladies and gentlemen. GM says Proton can come talk anytime, Proton says GM can come talk to Khazanah anytime. Who will make the first move? If talks do restart and a partnership involving stakeholding happens, GM may designate Thailand its truck production center and Malaysia its passenger car output center for cars like the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Cruze Interior Spyshot

Paul Tan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:20:22 +0000

The spyshot above showing a dashboard with a Daewoo logo on the steering wheel has been widely accepted as being snapped from a Chevrolet Cruze. The upcoming C-segment sedan will replace the Cobalt and the Optra and will eventually find its way into our market replacing the Optra Magnum as GM has designated it a World Car.

The Malaysian (or rather ASEAN) will most likely lose some of the nifty stuff like the large LCD screen and perhaps have the center dash area simplified with manual air conditioning knobs and losing alot of other buttons in the process, but I think on the overall it’s quite good looking and reminds me alot of a Honda.

Look after the jump for two artist impressions from this month’s Autocar India based on the image of the Chevrolet Cruze exposed in GM’s presentation.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Cruze front and rear views exposed!

Paul Tan — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:18:45 +0000

The world got a preview of the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan during GM’s press conference earlier this week as both front and rear three quarter views of the new Cruze done up in a flashy red paint were flashed on the presentation screen.

The new Chevrolet Cruze is a C-segment sedan and it will be a world car, replacing both current C-segment cars that are in GM’s line-up – the low-cost “emerging market” Daewoo-based Chevrolet Optra and the more expensively-built Chevrolet Cobalt for the American market. This means we can expect this to eventually replace the Optra Magnum facelift that was unveiled here earlier this year.

GM will fit a series of turbocharged 1.4 litre engines into the Cobalt, which GM says will allow it to hit a fuel economy target of 45mpg, or 5.2 litres per 100km, which truth be told is rather ambitious, small engine or not. The 1.4 litre Ecotec turbo will come in various stages of tune from 120 PS (equivalent to a 1.6 litre normally aspirated engine) to 150 PS (equivalent to a 2.0 litre normally aspirated engine), with plenty of torque.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Hicom-Chevrolet launches Chevrolet Optra Magnum sedan and estate, Chevrolet Aveo notchback

Paul Tan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:00:51 +0000

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Hicom-Chevrolet Sdn Bhd unveiled three cars today – the Chevrolet Aveo notchback sedan, the facelifted Chevrolet Optra Magnum sedan and the facelifted Chevrolet Optra Magnum Estate. Continue reading about the cars after the jump.

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The Chevrolet Optra Magnum sedan has a new front end that will remind many of the different front end that the Chevrolet Optra5 had. The rest of the car is carried over from the previous model including the engine, chassis and suspension. The car rides on a MacPherson strut setup at the front with a stabilizer bar, and independent suspension with stabilizer bar at the rear.

The Optra Magnum sedan is once again offered with a choice of a 1.6 litre or a 1.8 litre engine. The 1.6 litre DOHC engine produces 107 PS at 5,800rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, while the 1.8 litre DOHC engine puts out 121 PS at 5,800rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. The estate body variant of the Chevrolet Optra Magnum also carries over the previous model’s 1.6 litre DOHC engine with the same specs as the sedan’s 1.6 litre engine. The estate boot stores 400 litres of luggage, and can be increased to 1,410 litres by folding down the rear seats. Other equipment that the Optra Magnum is available with include ABS, TCS traction control, and single or dual SRS front airbags.

The Chevrolet Aveo is largely the same car as the one launched earlier, powered by a 1.4 litre engine with a variable geometry intake manifold producing 92 PS at 6,200rpm and 130Nm of torque at 3,400rpm. A very welcome change is that the car is now available with dual SRS Airbags and ABS brakes, as the earlier car unveiled in August last year only had a driver airbag and no option for a passenger airbag or ABS brakes.

UPDATE: The following are the prices for the 3 Chevrolet models. The baseline Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 SE goes for RM72,587.20 OTR with insurance, and comes with 14 inch steel wheels. There is a driver airbag and a single CD player with 4 speakers. Next is the Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 SX which adds alloy wheels and an immobilizer, going for RM75,665.20. The top of the range Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 LUX ups the alloy wheel size to 15″ and adds another 2 speakers to the sound system, making a total of 6. The sound system also includes a 6-CD changer instead of a single disc player. This top of the line version also includes a passenger airbag.

The Chevrolet Optra Magnum 1.6L Base comes with 15 inch steel wheels, a single CD player, 4 speakers, and a driver SRS airbag and goes for RM88,023.50 OTR with insurance. The Chevrolet Optra Magnum 1.6L LS SS adds 15 inch alloy wheels, 6 speakers, a single CD player that supports MP3 data files, dual SRS airbags for the driver and passenger, and goes for RM93,153.50 OTR with insurance. The top of the line Chevrolet Optra Magnum 1.8 LT SS comes with larger 16 inch alloy wheels, a 6 CD changer with MP3 support, and of course the larger engine.

The Chevrolet Optra Magnum Estate 1.6 LS comes with 15 inch steel wheels, a single CD player with 4 speakers, and a front driver SRS airbag. This model goes for RM92,205.50 OTR with insurance. The other better equipped variant costs RM100,335.20 OTR with insurance and is called the 1.6 LS SS. It adds 15 inch alloy wheels, 6 speakers, and a 6-CD changer with MP3 support.

All of the cars come with a 3 year, 100,000km warranty.

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Chevrolet Aveo Interior

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Chevrolet Optra Magnum Sedan Interior

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Chevrolet Optra Magnum Estate Interior

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva Sport unveiled in Europe

Paul Tan — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:28:21 +0000

Chevrolet has released this kitted up Chevrolet Captiva in the European market, and it is called rather predictably: the Chevrolet Captiva Sport.

The Captiva Sport is basically your run of the mill Captiva mechanically, with a bodykit slapped on consisting of new 18 inch wheels, a trunk lid in body color, dark headlamps and smoked clear taillights, new dual exhaust tips, Chaos Black bumper and side moldings, Light Silver finishing and a new front fascia.

On the interior, the leather upholstery is done in red and black leather with red stocking, while trims are now feature black carbon accents.

Since the Chevrolet Captiva has been launched in Malaysia, those who have decided to book one will have ready inspiration in making their Captiva different.

More photos after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva unveiled in Malaysia

Paul Tan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:57:05 +0000

Hicom-Chevrolet Sdn Bhd unveiled the Chevrolet Captiva‘s Malaysian line-up yesterday, and although exact prices have not been determined yet, we now at least know a price range as well as spec levels of the different variants. It’s a sexy SUV with an appealing design that reminds me somewhat of a smaller Audi Q7.

The Chevrolet Captiva (essentially a Daewoo Winstorm) will come in four flavours on our local soil – a 2WD petrol, a 2WD diesel, a 4WD petrol and a 4WD diesel. The petrol option will be a 2.4 litre 4-cylinder iron block E-TEC II engine putting out a relatively low (for it’s displacement) 136 horsepower at 5,000rpm, and a decent 220Nm of torque at a surprisingly low 2,200rpm. This engine was definitely tuned to make all of its grunt at low RPMs, good for an SUV. The diesel option is a 2.0 litre turbocharged unit with Bosch direct injection making 150hp at 4,000rpm and 320Nm of torque at 2,000rpm.

Both engines are mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. For the 2WD models the power goes to the wheels via the front wheels, while in 4WD versions the system runs mostly with the front wheels, but sends torque to the rear wheels as needed up to a 50:50 split. The 7-seater Chevrolet Captiva uses a monocoque chassis (long wheelbase GM Theta platform) and rides on a MacPherson strut setup on the front and a multilink suspension at the rear, so comfort and handling should exceed competing SUVs that use a ladder frame chassis and rear coil spring setup.

It will be priced from RM138,000 for the cheapest 2WD petrol variant to RM155,000 for the most expensive 4WD diesel variant, which will include premium safety features such as ESP stability control, and Descent Control.

Two launches in one year by the new Hicom-Chevrolet joint venture – what’s next? Perhaps the Asian-market Chevrolet Colorado (a rebadged Isuzu D-MAX)?

More photos and a video after the jump.

Video: Chevrolet Captiva

Click to enlarge

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva to be launched by year-end

Paul Tan — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:10:03 +0000

[ UPDATE: Hicom-Chevrolet has launched the Chevrolet Captiva in Malaysia. ]

We previously saw the Chevrolet Captiva parked near the JPJ building in Putrajaya, so it should be launched pretty soon. HICOM-Chevrolet managing director-designate Yukontorn Wisadkosin (probably from GM Thailand) says it will be launched by the end of 2007 and it will be offered with a 7 seat configuration.

HICOM-Chevrolet is the the new 51:49 joint venture between General Motors and DRB-HICOM formed when GM signed an MoU with DRB-HICOM last year regarding taking up a stake in the Chevrolet business here in Malaysia.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Captiva sighted in Malaysia

Paul Tan — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:14:06 +0000

Click to enlarge

[ UPDATE: Hicom-Chevrolet has launched the Chevrolet Captiva in Malaysia. ]

We first saw the Chevrolet Captiva in near production concept form in 2004 as the Chevrolet S3X Concept. Soon it went into production in 2006 as the Chevrolet Captiva and the Daewoo Winstorm, powered by a 2.4 litre petrol (142hp@5200rpm, 220Nm@4000rpm) or a 3.2 litre V6 (225hp@6000rpm, 302Nm@3500rpm), or a GM-VM Motori 2.0 litre turbodiesel (150hp@4000rpm, 310Nm@2000rpm).

The long wheelbase of 2700mm allows the Chevrolet Captiva to fit up to 3 rows of seats for a maximum capacity of 7 seats, although the SUV is also available as a 5 seater.

After looking at the Captiva only through the internet and magazines, suddenly we see it in Putrajaya at the JPJ building thanks to reader akmal… first the new Chevrolet Aveo notchback and now this – is Hicomobil on the roll again?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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New Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback Details

Paul Tan — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:24:45 +0000

The new Chevrolet Aveo hatchback is called the Aveo5 now in the Malaysian market as the nameplate is now also being used by the new Aveo notchback. The hatchback variant has been updated recently with new styling although essentially pretty much the same car. Engine options now consist of an 84 horsepower 1.2 litre engine and a 98 horsepower 1.4 litre engine – a big improvement over the current Malaysian Aveo5 with a 1.5 litre engine that produces only 83 horsepower.

The interior has also be substantially enhanced. The meter panel is now a sporty 3-pod design with meters that are backlit with red. The door panels are now more conventional in design, an improvement over the current Malaysian Aveo5′s which has a GEN2-like circular door opener lever.

The new Chevrolet Aveo five-door hatchback model will first hit European showrooms in March 2008, followed by a three-door hatchback model a few weeks later. No news of when this updated Aveo hatchback will be available in Malaysia, but one thing’s likely: the 98 horsepower 1.4 litre engine will probably make only 95 over here, as the same engine in the Aveo notchback only produces 95.

More images after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 notchback launched in Malaysia

Paul Tan — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:36:32 +0000

The new Chevrolet Aveo notchback was promised to us back in September 2006, but I guess DRB-HICOM’s Hicomobil unit had some issues to sort out or perhaps they were waiting for the right time to launch, so it’s finally here in 1.4 litre form.

The new Thai-imported Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 litre notchback sedan’s 1.4 litre DOHC E-TEC II engine puts out 94bhp at 6,200rpm and 130Nm of torque which peaks at a low enough 3,400rpm. This is mated to a 4-speed auto transmission that uses a gate shifter. The low engine speed at which peak torque is achieved is likely thanks to the usage of a Variable Geometry Intake System, which varies intake manifold dimensions to suit engine speeds. To help reduce NVH, the engine rests on three hydraulic suspension bushes to reduce engine vibrations. 0 to 100km/h acceleration takes 11.9 seconds, while top speed is rated at 170km/h.

The car rides on MacPherson struts at the front, and the rear is a torsion beam setup that is typical on daily A to B runabout sedans these days. There are two models, the 1.4SE and the 1.4SX. Only the 1.4SX has a driver’s airbag, and there is no option for a passenger airbag. Other important features to note include power windows, central locking, electric side-view mirrors, and a 400 litre boot space. The brakes are discs at the front and drums are the rear, but there is no indication on Hicomobil’s site on whether these are anti-lock brakes, so I guess they are not.

The Chevrolet Aveo notchback sedan goes for RM69,888 for the 1.4SE model, and RM72,888 for the 1.4SX model. Prices are not inclusive of insurance.

I was not invited for the launch so I don’t really have any high resolution product images to share with you guys. But a few of my previous posts have images of the interior, so you can check it out in the links listed below.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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New Chevrolet Aveo hatchback revealed

Paul Tan — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:38:31 +0000

For the past few months the old Chevrolet Aveo hatch was being sold along side the new Aveo sedan in the US, but now Chevrolet has unveiled an updated hatch model, thus completing the Aveo line update. Chevrolet says the new Aveo hatch has been completely redesigned, but somehow the side profile seems to be too similiar to the current model and looks like a facelift instead.

Casting doubt aside, let’s look at the specs. The new Aveo5 hatch will come with either a 84 horsepower 1.2 litre petrol engine or the existing 1.4 litre 98 horsepower engine. The car will make it’s first public debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and sales will start in March 2008.

One more picture after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Concept Cars: Trax, Beat and Groove

Paul Tan — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:25:49 +0000

This trio of new minicars are part of Chevrolet’s initiative to introduce new minicars because of the recent market shift to a preferance for economical and fuel efficient cars. The cars were designed by GM Daewoo in Incheon, South Korea and were designed with GM’s Global Product Development Process which ensures cars have design elements that can be targetted at any international market, but at the same time responsive to regional needs, whatever that means

Please have a look at the three cars after the jump.

Chevrolet Trax

Chevrolet Beat

Chevrolet Groove

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Trax Global Minicar

Paul Tan — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 04:42:12 +0000

The Chevrolet Trax is the successor to the Chevrolet Spark in all but name, being a 4-door minicar with a 1 litre engine. Like the Spark/Matiz, it was developed by Daewoo. The new Chevrolet Trax is built on a new global platform for small cars that will also be the base for other future GM small cars like the Opel Corsa. It’s body is two-toned coloured: Blaze Orange for the upper part and a Burnt Orange matte finish for the lower half. It is still a concept car at this point of time.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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GM and DRB-HICOM sign stake transfer MoU

Paul Tan — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:43:30 +0000

Previously, there was news of a potential 51% acquisition of stake in Chevrolet distributor Hicomobil by General Motors, who owns the Chevrolet marque. DRB-HICOM dispelled these rumours by saying there is no official proposal yet. It turns out that the talk was true after all – DRB-HICOM and General Motors signed a Memorandum of Understanding for proposed acquisition of 51% stake in Hicomobil, which will make the American automotive giant the majority shareholder.

The current Chevrolet line-up will also be refreshed, with the new model range to consist of the Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, Chevrolet Epica luxury sedan, and the absolutely stunning Chevrolet Captiva SUV!

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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New Chevrolet Aveo launched in US

Paul Tan — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 04:58:26 +0000

The new Chevrolet Aveo sedan based on the Daewoo Gentra was recently launched in the US through a special virtual car launch through a web cast. Specifications are pretty much the same, a 1.6 litre E-TEC II DOHC engine making 103hp. There’s no lower 1.4 litre engine option for the US market. The US version has a variable rate rack and pinion steering, which should ease parking at low speeds and offer more precise steering at highway speeds.

The previous Chevrolet Aveo sold 68,085 units in 2005, and the previous version will continue to be sold as a hatchback Aveo5 in the US. The new sedan is due on our local shores very soon, perhaps next month. More photos after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chery and GM settlement over QQ

Paul Tan — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:40:55 +0000

UK magazine AutoExpress carried photos of the Chery QQ crash test results yesterday. Clearly European consumers are a little worried about the influx of Chinese cars into their market soon in the future, for example the new Nanjing-assembled MG Rover cars, the JiangLing Landwind, and the Geely Beauty Leopard. Bad crash test result photos (as well as some good ones?) of the Chery QQ have been around the internet for a long time, so it is not exactly breaking news for us. There are also accusations that the Chery QQ is a rip-off of the Chevy Spark, and there was a lawsuit but it was settled out of court and since dropped.

What raised my curiosity is this little excerpt from the article…

A Chevrolet spokesman told us: “The QQ results are horrific. China clearly isn’t ready to sell cars in Europe.” After complaining about copyright infringement, Chevy’s parent firm GM made an out-of-court settlement with Chery which agreed not to sell the QQ outside China.

Since the Chery QQ is available here in Malaysia, is AutoExpress misquoting the Chevy spokesman?

Source: AutoExpress

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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Chevrolet Aveo Sedan Thai CBU

Paul Tan — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 07:42:44 +0000

Malaysian Chevrolet distributor Hicomobil has plans to launch the new Chevrolet Aveo Sedan here in Malaysia in September 2006, so I thought I’d give you guys a little preview of the car based on the version they are selling in India. The Chevrolet Aveo Sedan was launched in the Indian market in February and is assembled in GM’s plant in Halol. GM hopes to sell 14,000 Chevrolet Aveo Sedans this year, with future targets of about 20,000 units a year.

Our Chevrolet Aveo Sedan will likely come in CBU form from Thailand until Hicomobil can get their CKD operations up and running. The Chevrolet Aveo Sedan was designed by Italdesign Giugiaro Design Studio and GM’s global engineering team using their Virtual Reality Design Center. It will be manufactured for this region at GM’s plant in Thailand’s Rayong Province.

More details on the car after the jump.

The Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, basically a Daewoo Gentra with a Chevy badge is a small sedan much like the Honda City and the Toyota Vios. Sharing it’s older brother Optra’s muscular lines and flared wheel arches, it looks somewhat like a more manly Toyota Vios. There are some nice touches that make the car look more upmarket than it really is, like it’s chrome grile.

In the Indian market, the car comes with two engine options, a 1.4 litre DOHC making 94ps and 127Nm of torque, and a top of the line 1.6 litre DOHC model making 102hp and 147Nm of torque. Not too shabby for a car with a 1095kg kerb weight. Brakes are discs at the front, with self adjusting drums at the rear. Both engines are of the E-TEC II series, featuring variable geometry intake system. At low engine speeds, the speed of airflow is increased by directing air through a longer path, while at higher engine speeds the intake air is directed through shorter paths so that more air can enter. The engine also has hydraulic engine mountings for better NVH quality. Suspension is torsion beam at the rear and the all familiar MacPherson struts at the front. Shock absorbers are gas-filled.

The higher end models have an integrated 2-DIN CD player with MP3 support. The interior doesn’t look too bad, although we will have to wait and see the actual car inself to see how the build quality is. The steering wheel is a four spoke, giving it a slightly more upmarket feel. The automatic version even has a gated shift. I get the overall impression that this is a budget vehicle but Chevrolet has taken the trouble to give you the illusion that it’s a class above what it really is. It’s a nice touch, some might appreciate this. I do, for one.

That’s it for now. We’ll know the Malaysian specifications when we see the car in September 2006, assuming Hicomobil’s plans go well.

By the way, two articles in other publications this week from me. The car’s the star in NST Life & Times and Sports cars in Monster Blog.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 13 Feb 12 03:38:30 +0000.

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