Msn.com Autos 2020 Deems Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Great for “Rock Crawling, Desert Running, and Everyday use”

Known as the key player in the midsize pickup truck segment, the Chevy Colorado consistently conquers new ground and commands its stance with the off-road-ready and rugged ZR2 Bison. The array of added equipment allows the ZR2 Bison to come straight off the assembly line with the looks and ability to handle just about any type of tough terrain, and the staff of MSN Autos chose to highlight all of the great things about the truck this week on their blog. Their test vehicle was the 2020 Chevy Colorado 4WD ZR2 Crew Cab Short Box – featuring the ZRT Bison package together with Chevy's top-of-the-line Duramax diesel engine.

This is the robust and desert sand-prone rig that sees direct competition in the forms of the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Ford Ranger FX4, Jeep Gladiator, and Nissan Frontier PRO-4X. This beautiful and boulder-climb ready machine is the result of Chevy's first official collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles, a formerly Montana-based outfit that has transformed many of the world's most respected models into army-grade, fully wilderness-equipped works of art.

The Bison edition proudly flaunts the AEV front bumper, fog lights, AEV rear bumper, wheel moldings, skidplates and 17-inch AEV wheels. A lift kit provides a two-inch lift for the truck, and the front and rear tracks are 3.5-inches wider than a standard Colorado. It's a heavy-hitting model that can tackle rock crawling and desert running with ease, thanks to help from state-of-the-art front and rear electronic locking differentials, a professionally modified rear axle ratio, and the pristinely-engineered Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve technology on board. This test vehicle was equipped with Chevy's 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel, which eagerly cranks out 186 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

Once inside there are two USB ports near the gearshift, and a good amount of storage in the cabin thanks to an extra-sized covered center console. The shortcuts you'll find on the 8-inch display screen have been billed by many reviewers in the industry to be easy to read, and have very clear controls for the climate system. Seats are trimmed with leather, and sport the AEV logo on the head restraints. One of the most important and true tests of a vehicle is how it does on the road in regards to mileage, and with a mix of city and highway driving, The Car Connection crew saw around 23 mpg on the trip computer, a notch higher than official EPA estimates.

The most extreme of off-roading scenarios is where the Bison thrives: all of the protection underneath and the locking differentials are the main ingredients that will have you conquering an off-road situation. Many of us right here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse have taken our rigs to locations such as the Vandyz Offroad Park in Steedman and realized just how much ground clearance and additional protection was needed to assure a smooth passage. Even if the designated terrain is a paved road, the ZR2 drives comfortable and easy, and the arsenal of additives on board to assure prime-level passage through boulder-strewn areas runs aggressively way above par!

2021 Chevy Traverse Ranked by MotorTrend as “A Safe, Stable, Completely Re-Freshed Rig”

The current Chevy Traverse version has been around since 2017, and after seeing a few upgrades in the technology category last year, it is now seeing a full refresh for 2021. The staff on hand at MotorTrend showcased the new model on their blog this past week and first recognized how the overall appearance has been sharpened with narrower headlights. The rounded nose has been squared up a bit with some block-shaped elements, and turn signal indicators have now been integrated into the daytime running lamps. 

The fog lights have undergone a complete redesign, and there are brand-new LED headlights in the rear as well as 4 new wheel designs that polish off the look. Once inside you'll notice the close attention to detail that was given to the interior refresh with a new 8.0-inch driver information center, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and a rear power sunshade for the two-panel power sunroof. Available upholstery colors and trims have seen changes, and safety features that were optional last year will be standard on the 2021 model.

These will now include automated emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, forward collision alert, automatic high-beam controls, and the following distance indicator. Adaptive cruise control is now going to be available on the 3LT, RS and Premier trims, and it has greatly altered the task of driving for the better. This is an amazing and very cutting-edge intelligent form of cruise control that slows down and speeds up automatically to keep pace with the car in front of you. The driver chooses the maximum speed, and then a powerful radar sensor watches for traffic ahead and instructs the car on how many seconds to stay behind it. 

The new Traverse seats up to 8 in its three rows and is slightly longer than its close competition in the form of the Ford Explorer at 204 inches from bumper to bumper. Numerous reviews claim that getting into the third row is a bit easier in the Traverse than the Explorer, and also has a car-like interior that feels fancy and immediately comfortable. The newly redesigned bumper flexes a bit of muscle along with cuts and creases, and this helps it be true to its original rough-and-tumble SUV nature. 

Topspeed.com had their own unique opportunity to spend time with the new Traverse and complemented the premium look that the gear lever console now brandishes, as well as the abundance of shoulder and legroom in the first and second row. The towing capacity of the new Traverse is rated at 5,000 lbs, and the features once only available to the top trickling down to the lower trims are sure to turn many heads in the current climate. After averaging around 25 mpg on the highway with this much room at your disposal, we are fairly sure once you visit us for a test drive here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse that you'll have found your well-suited spring vehicle match! 

2021 Chevy Suburban Z71Caught Roaming Off-Guard by Muscle Cars Blog

Big, Brawny and star-studded enough to have its very own mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Chevy Suburban has been a long-time favorite of Mid-Missouri Powerhouse customers. The 2021 Chevy Suburban spotted by the staff at Muscle Cars offered up a visual treat that answers a few questions about the 2021 Z71 model, as they spotted one in a parking garage over the last week. It is 1.3 inches longer than before, and with the adaptive air suspension, the body seems to rise above the wheels for a nicely added factor of cloaked-in-secrecy intimidation.

The full-size SUV in this build configuration was not present during the December 2019 reveal at Little Ceaser's Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and a close look reveals Lone Star State license plates. Texas is where the Suburban is built, and every single day on the line the hard-working men and women who pride themselves in creating this amazing vehicle are now using the T1 platform. It saw its first appearance under the 2019 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks with the differences of a longer wheelbase and independent rear suspension. This improvement in the architecture and design helps with cargo capacity as well as the dynamics you experience during every daily drive.

The standard engine in the 2021 Chevy Suburban Z71 will be a 5.3-Liter V8 that cranks out 355 horsepower. Those wanting to graduate higher from there can step up to the optional 6.2L V8 rated at 420 horsepower, and even a third Duramax 3.0-Liter inline-six turbo-diesel option for non-Z71 variants. This option is rated at 277 horsepower, and a super-sized 460 lb-ft of torque. Every engine option is paired with the new 10-speed automatic transmission featuring electronic shift control.

The interior of both the 2021 Suburban and Tahoe now enjoy new levels of premium with a 10-inch center screen, large tablet-style rear-seat entertainment screens, and the removal of the column shifter. The Z71 package features a rugged high-clearance front fascia that provides a much-improved approach angle, along with a pair of horizontally oriented tow hooks, and a large skid plate that has been granted the duty of protecting the “vital organs” of the truck from intense impact. The entirely-polished off-road rig rolls on 20-inch wheels and Goodyear Wrangler Trailrunner AT all-terrain tires, and hill-descent control is also standard.

The all-new class-exclusive four-corner air suspension provides for drivers the advantage of three different driving modes all geared specifically for off-road performance. For tame graded  surfaces, the suspension can be left in “normal” height. When you begin to encounter ruts, the “Off-Road 1” selection gives the Suburban a one-inch lift. When you are feeling your wanderlust bordering upon the very high end of the adventuresome spectrum and are ready to hit the most demanding of trails, the “Off-Road 2” selection provides maximum ground clearance and incorporates active dampers to automatically make adjustments as bumps and ruts ahead of you change.

Production 2020 Corvette C8s Finally Sprinting out the Gate to Excited Owners

Anthony Karr of Motor1.com News had an incredibly important announcement to make this week when he claimed in regards to the new Corvette C8: “Your new mid-engined supercar is on its way to be delivered!”. We still had ample snow on the ground and the pre-Valentine's day vibes kickin' round here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse around February 3^rd, which was when Chevy officially kicked off the production duties for the 2020 Corvette C8. This new video has surfaced that depicts the very first completely assembled examples of the supercar now headed to showrooms all over the nation.

It may be a bit blurry but just as any exciting top-secret piece of information, it was shot in the dark of night just 4 days ago. You can still clearly make out four large auto transporters carrying the 2020 Corvettes fresh off the assembly line at General Motors' thriving Bowling Green, Kentucky plant. The video actually came from an exterior camera that was installed next door in a place that should not be too surprising: The National Corvette Museum. This was surely a great day for the Corvette namesake, and for those who will be enjoying the ultimate excitement of personal delivery during the month of March!

The update plan courtesy of top Chevy officials was to begin shipment of the completely assembled Corvettes during late February or early March, and there have been 40,000 orders already logged for purchase. An Instagram video posted last week showed over two-dozen Corvettes already waiting to be shipped, and they could have in fact been a small production run built after the initial run of test fleet vehicles and before the full-on ordered allotment. This was a car that respectfully and needfully had to wait decades in the making, and after release in a large California airline hangar during July, it has been a whirlwind and groundbreaking experience.

After its proper reveal, the 2020 Corvette's weight was officially accounted for ringing in at 3,366 pounds dry, and the convertible bears around 102 pounds more than the coupe. One of the reasons why many have been so excited about this car is that in its base form it offers a startling level of performance for the money. Good things absolutely come to those who wait patiently, and the staff on duty at Wards Auto claimed after a test drive of their own that “this is much simpler to drive than the C7, you can simply point it in the intended direction and lay on the throttle.”

The first thing you will notice when you climb inside this cabin is just how much quieter it is on the highway than the C7, just at a time when there has never been a model in existence that puts the roaring V8 so close to the driver. Even though the purists among the high- performance crew may complain about lack of a manual transmission, you’ll still be nailing down gearshifts in less than 100 milliseconds, a “universe where no human power can venture!”.

2020 Chevy Traverse Enjoys Milestone Roll-out in Lansing: It's #3 Million and Going Strong

A 2020 Chevy Traverse that just rolled off the line at the General Motors' Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant today could easily be the most memorable one that has ever been built! It's already decked out to the 9s because it is a Premier Redline Edition, with a finish in Silver Ice Metallic. This vehicle gets to boast quite a claim to fame and unique luster: it was the three millionth vehicle to roll of the Lansing Assembly line since the plant opened 13 years ago!

The very first vehicle built at Lansing was a white Saturn Outlook, and it rolled off the production area on May 24, 2006. The one-millionth vehicle was a GMC Acadia Denali built in November 2011, while the two-millionth car was a Buick Enclave in August 2015. GM's Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant now employs 2,500 employees during two shifts to construct the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave. When you meet us here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse for a March test drive, you'll immediately realize that the strong-selling Traverse is the vehicle that offers a best-in-class cargo of 98.2 cubic feet and an overall vehicle score of 5 stars courtesy of the NHTSA.

Make sure to check out the Redline Edition: it adds a sporty touch to the Traverse with details such as Black and Red badging, 20-inch Gloss Black aluminum wheels with Red accents, and black Chevy bowtie emblems, grille, foglamp bezels, window, trim, and roof rails. The power source is a 3.6-liter V6 that cranks out 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, and the turbocharged 4-cylinder will no longer be offered as of 2020.

The plant's Executive Director Mike Trevorrow claimed during an interview last week that “Our workforce is second to none, and every time the transporters head out to dealerships across the country, the hard work and pride of everyone at Lansing Delta Township Assembly goes with them.” Seeing a massive resurgence of manufacturing employment and vitality has made the entire state of Michigan robust and full of pride once again, and that pride is resembled in every single new model that lays their fresh tires down on ready pavement.

The Mylink infotainment system has been replaced with infotainment 3, and the very useful

Teen Driver feature now includes a reminder to buckle your seat belt before shifting into gear. The Traverse can seat seven or 8 people, depending on whether you choose a model with a bench seat in the second row, or with captain’s chairs. Cargo space is ranked at 23 cubic feet behind the rear seats, which is enough room for more than a dozen pieces of valuable carry- on. If you fold down the second-and third-row seats, the total is upped to 98.2 cubic feet. As always, you’ll enjoy the long-term benefits of a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/ 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.