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2014 HD’s to remain the same shape
GM have announced that the 2014 Silverado and Sierra will not change shape until at least 2015. This announcement comes with the release of the 2014 1500 series that has a new look. Sources say that GM see the orders for the new HD series will be taken in August 2014
Dodge Ram 2013 Heavy Duty- get ready for more
2013 Ram HD has more of everything
As they’re coming just a month after the debut of the updated 2013 Ram 1500, it’s no surprise that the new 2013 Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 models share the light-duty truck’s good looks.
More important, though, is what Ram has done under the sheetmetal. Updates to nearly every major component have Ram claiming best-in-class towing, payload, frontal load, and gross vehicle weight rating. The updates you’ll be most interested in are under the hood. The biggest news for serious haulers is that the vaunted Cummins diesel now comes in three flavours. The lowest output version makes a stout 350 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque and comes with the only six-speed manual transmission in the segment. That’s an improvement of 50 lb-ft from last year’s stick-shift diesel, and it’s matched with a new “wear-compensating” clutch that’s supposed to feel like new until the day you finally wear it out. If you don’t feel like rowing your own, or you need more power, the second option will net you 370 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque routed through a six-speed automatic. For those not willing to simply upgrade to a Peterbilt, the “High-Output” Cummins cranks out 385 horsepower and an even more ridiculous 850 lb-ft of torque and puts it through a new Aisin six-speed automatic. Even more important than all that for you serious truckers, though, is the addition of Diesel Exhaust Fluid. For a few years, Ram guys were able to boast that their diesels didn’t have to worry about running out of DEF, but no more. The on-demand system features a heated tank for cold climates and, unlike some competitors, won’t cut engine power when fluid runs low. You’ll still have to refill it, though. The fill port is located right next to the capless diesel fuel filler.
The upgraded diesel has other tricks up its sleeve. All the cooling systems, from the engine to the transmission to the intercooler to the exhaust gas recirculation system, have been upgraded. A selective catalyst reduction system can also be added and is compatible with B-20 biodiesel. On the other end, a new Active Air Intake system can pull air from the front of the truck, under the hood away from snow, or both for maximum power and efficiency. Add it all together and Ram claims fuel economy will jump 10 percent and oil changes can be stretched to 15,000 miles. The 5.7-liter Hemi gasoline V-8 engine is now available on both the 2500 and 3500 models and continues to produce 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, meaning it didn’t get the same bump as the 1500. In either 2500 or 3500 trucks, it comes only with the six-speed automatic gearbox.
The improvements aren’t just in the engine bay. Ram has also beefed up the drivetrain with a new 11.8-inch rear axle and a front axle that automatically disconnects to reduce drag in the drivetrain and pick up an extra mile per gallon. Two new Borg Warner transfer cases are available, either manual or automatic, and each features a 2.64 crawling ratio and a locking differential. Making use of all that power requires a sturdy frame. To beef things up, Ram added more cross-members, widened the front rails, and fully boxed the rears. A factory installed rear cross-member includes provisions for gooseneck and fifth-wheel hitches. The conventional hitch at the rear has been upgraded to a Class 5 and can pull an astonishing 17,000 pounds with up to 1800 pounds on the tongue. Also attached to the frame are a new three-link front suspension and a Hotchkiss leaf spring rear suspension that up the payload and gross vehicle weight ratings, though Ram won’t tell us yet how much. “Best-in-class” is all it’ll say. Keeping the load in check is a standard electronic stability control program and an upgraded steering rack. You’ll be more familiar with some of the other upgrades.
Like the Ram 1500, the 2500 and 3500 get new exterior and interior styling. The latter includes Chrysler’s latest 8.4-inch UConnect infotainment system on the revised center stack, new climate controls, new gauges with a customizable display in the center, and an out-of-the-way dial shifter on the dash. Other features include keyless entry, starting, and remote starting; HD Radio; advanced text messaging that will allow you to dictate text messages through the voice recognition system; central power locking not just for the doors, but also the tailgate and the optional RamBoxes in the bed sides; and not one, but two, backup cameras. The first is your standard camera mounted next to the handle on the tailgate. The second is mounted in the center high-mount stoplight on the back of the cab looking down onto the bed to aid in lining up your gooseneck.
Clearly, then, there’s something for everyone on the new Heavy Duty Ram. It looks better; it’s got more features; it’s got more power; and it can tow and haul more than ever before.
2013 Dodge Ram 1500
2013 Dodge RAM 1500 has 8 speed gear box and far greater fuel economy
Ram Brand President/CEO Fred Diaz and Director of the Ram Truck Brand Bob Hegbloom talk about the fuel economy features on the new 2013 Ram 1500 Pick Up truck, unveiled April 5, 2012, at the New York International Auto
NEXT GENERATION SILVERADO UNDERGOING FINAL VALIDATION
DETROIT – GM engineers are conducting the final validation of the next generation Silverado light-duty pickups. In addition to torture testing, the team is paying attention to delivering a comfortable, well-balanced ride, which is being refined on a variety of track surfaces at GM’s Milford Proving Ground. The new Silverado will start production in 2013.
GMC Sierra Classy new clour addition to the HD Range
Steel Greya Metallic. Make a comment on this colour
Awesome New Sierra Denali colour will be a real eye catcher. We have 2 on the way now
Chevrolet Avalanche to End its Trendsetting Run
If you would like an Avalanche before they cease production, best to get in this year.
Someone once said “All good things must come to and end”. Although many die hard Chevy fans would say that very thing of models long gone, none would be more appropriate than now, with GM’s recent disclosure of the Chevrolet Avalanche. GM Posted this media release on its website on the 13th of April 2012:
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2013 Black Diamond Avalanche offers unique final-year model
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Following Avalanche’s lead, crew-cab pickups now dominate light-duty segment
DETROIT – The Chevrolet Avalanche, which won buyers with trendsetting design and unique features – and helped launch the boom in crew cab pickups – celebrates its final year in production with the 2013 Black Diamond Avalanche.
Black Diamond Avalanches will feature body-colored bed surrounds, a unique badge on the sail panel, additional features on LS and LT models, and lower prices across the lineup.
“More than 580,000 Avalanches have been sold since its introduction in 2001, and Avalanche has won major awards and recognitions throughout its run,” said Mark Clawson, Avalanche marketing manager. “So it is only fitting that Avalanche retires on a high note.”
“The Chevrolet Avalanche was one of the earliest forays into re-inventing the traditional pickup truck, said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst, Edmunds.com. “It was a vehicle that maintained the traditional truck image and capability but was more versatile for the person buying it for personal use more than work – a lifestyle truck more than a work truck. Other variations on the theme from competitors followed the Avalanche’s debut.”
For 2013, a rear camera, rear park assist, power adjustable pedals, fog lamps and remote start will be added as standard equipment on LS models, while LT models have added a standard rear camera. Base prices have been reduced $2,500 (after equipment adjustments) with the 2WD Avalanche LS now starting at $ 35,980, plus $995 dealer freight charge.
“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 Clawson. “The Black Diamond Avalanche is our way of saying ‘Thank you’ and making it just a little more attractive to own one more Avalanche.”
Avalanche reshaped the pickup market
When introduced for the 2002 model year, Avalanche offered unique styling and innovative features like a midgate that extended the bed into the cab. Perhaps more important, its overall design proved to be one of those rare ideas that change a segment – a light-duty pickup with comfortable accommodations for five people.
This concept of a well-equipped light-duty pickup that could tow, haul, and carry the family attracted enough interest to generate 93,482 sales in 2003, its third full year of production. Recognizing the appeal of the Avalanche, Chevrolet and other truck makers began developing light-duty crew cab pickups. By 2011, crew cabs accounted for more than 65 percent of light-duty pickup sales, and helped transform the pickup from a workhorse into a true multipurpose family vehicle.
Through it all, Avalanche retained a core of passionate fans who loved its style, comfort, and versatility. Avalanche was named 2002 Motor Trend Truck of the Year upon its introduction, and 2007 Truck of the Year by the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada. Avalanche also has been top choice in a number of consumer publications.
Avalanche at a glance
The Chevrolet Avalanche is one of the industry’s more-flexible utility vehicles, combining the passenger-comfort attributes of a SUV with the cargo capability of a truck, thanks to the exclusive Midgate. It opens to extend the cargo-area from 5-foot-3-inch-long (1.6 m) length to 8 feet 2 inches (2.5 m). It is available in LS, LT and LTZ models, with 2WD and 4WD.
Storage compartments alongside the cargo box provide ample and lockable storage with pluggable drains that can be filled with ice and used as coolers.
The Avalanche is based on GM’s full-size SUV platform, offering a maximum towing capacity of 8,100 pounds (3,674 kg). It is powered by an efficient combination that includes the Vortec 5.3L V-8 with cylinder-deactivating Active Fuel Management technology and a fuel-saving Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic.
Avalanche also delivers useful technology and comprehensive safety features, including Bluetooth wireless phone connectivity with specific steering wheel controls, standard rear camera system, head curtain side-impact air bags and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Avalanche offers an integrated brake controller that works with the ABS system to provide immediate and measured brake force signaling to electric-controlled trailer brake systems; there is no requirement for external and/or aftermarket brake control systems.
Avalanche milestones
The Avalanche was introduced at the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as a concept and was described as a no- compromise Chevy Truck with a unique combination of configurable passenger and cargo space. The production Avalanche was positioned as an Ultimate Utility Vehicle (UUV) when it went on sale in 2001 as a 2002 model
A special Avalanche was equipped to protect and transport the Olympic Flame during the Torch Relay prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City; the relay covered more than 13,500 miles and passed through 46 states on its way to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 8, 2002
In addition to receiving Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2002, the Avalanche received the Design and Engineering award from Popular Mechanics. Both recognized the vehicle’s revolutionary innovation
Chevrolet teamed up with outdoor outfitter North Face and offered a special edition Avalanche in 2002 that was used to transport a team of kayakers through the rugged terrain of the Himalayas to the Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet, where they successfully accomplished first descent of the most-feared whitewater on the planet
In 2006, Chevrolet introduced an all-new Avalanche with a fully boxed frame and redesigned suspension to deliver more refined ride and handling; a new Z71 off-road package was introduced and front featured special off-road tires, unique grille and fascia, an integrated front bumper winch and oversize tow hooks
A 2007 Avalanche was presented to the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Michael Young of the Texas Rangers
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com
Chevrolet Production News !!
“General Motors plans to honor the 60th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette with a special trim package for the 2013 model, along with the fire-breathing 427 convertible.
Buyers have less time than usual to place their orders. That’s because the Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant will be down for “several months”–we’re guessing as long as six or seven months–for a $130US million overhaul to prepare it for the seventh-generation Corvette, which arrives in fall 2013 as a 2014 model.
GM says Carlisle Blue and the Centennial Edition packages will not be available on the 2013 Corvette.
– Production of the 2012 Corvette is scheduled to end in May. That’s when the plant will switch over to the 2013 model.
But GM is warning Chevy dealers that it plans to build the 2013 Corvette for only nine months. That means production will probably end in February 2013. The company is encouraging dealers to stock up on some Corvettes to carry them through late summer 2013 until the Bowling Green plant restarts.
The 2013 Corvette lineup includes the 427 convertible, which transplants the 7.0-liter, 505-hp V8 from the Z06 into the chassis used for the Grand Sport convertible. It comes only with the six-speed manual transmission.
The 60th-anniversary package includes a unique white paint color, exterior stripes, anniversary logos embroidered on the seats and unique badges. It can be added to any Corvette model. If you take a 60th-anniversary convertible, the top uses blue-colored fabric.
The 2013 Corvette marks the end of the C6 generation of the car. With history as a guide, the last year or two of nearly every Corvette generation has produced some of the best examples in the sports car’s family tree.
Chevy sold 13,164 Corvettes in 2011, up 4.3 percent from the year before”
-via Corvette Forums
Diesel Emissions Control- Driving Back To Perth
Today we delivered a beautiful, brand new, black GMC Sierra Denali to a customer that is driving his new rig all the way across the Nullabour, back to his home in W.A. Such a long haul demanded a few questions about the vehicle performance, servicing and such.
One of the most common questions I get asked when delivering the new vehicle to happy customers is about the Diesel Emission control system built into new diesel motors. The product used for the emission control is called Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) or “AdBlue”. DEF is an aqueous urea solution used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to lower NOx concentration in the exhaust emissions from diesel engines. It is injected into the exhaust stream by a metering system at a rate of 3–5% of diesel usage. An electronic control unit adjusts the flow of fluid in accordance with engine temperature and the way you drive the vehicle (speed, torque etc). DEF is stored in a 26 lt tank below the driver, having a filler under the bonnet. A tank should get you around 5 to 6 thousand km, but is dependant on driving conditions, and as mentioned, diesel usage.
The cost of “AdBlue” is around 2 – 4 Dollars a tank of Diesel.
Our customer driving back to WA should not require any refill untill well after he gets home.
For Refill Information, including warning systems, please watch the following:
For more information on how the system works, or the anything relative to DEF or right hand drive coinversions, don’t hesistate to give us a call !
New Arrivals
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Finally, new stock has arrived today. It’s really nice when new vehicles arrive for stock. A sense of relief for a start, as we are able to replenish deminishing stock; but also because it provides customers with a greater variety in vehicle choice: Colour, interior and exterior, tub sizes and differences in Cabs- these provide a chance to sit in them and experience first hand what America has to offer.
Today we saw three 2012 Chevy Sliverados arrive, and we are expecting 2 more GMC Sierra Denali to arrive, with more Chevrolet’s next week.