Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Custom 2015

Offering upscale flair to buyers facing real-world budgetary constraints, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Custom is set to join the lineup later this spring. "The economic recovery has led to booming sales of high-end pickups like the Silverado High Country," said Sandor Piszar, marketing director for Chevy Trucks at the new Custom's official reveal in Chicago. But there are also millions of customers in the heart of the market who want a great looking, well-equipped truck at an affordable price. The Silverado Custom is a truck they can be proud to own and proud to drive

Based on a double-cab Silverado 1500 LS, the Custom includes chrome bumpers, mirror caps and door handles, 20-inch aluminum wheels and a body-color filler panel above the front bumper. Inside, the Silverado Custom adds a 40/20/40 cloth front seat, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power windows/door locks, and Chevy MyLink with 4G LTE WiFi connectivity

The new 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500 Custom will be available in both rear-drive and 4-wheel drive configurations and offer the choice of the standard 285-horsepower/4.3-liter V6 or the 335-horse/5.3-liter V8 -- which Chevy believes will be the overwhelming choice among Silverado Custom buyers. Pricing for a V6 Silverado Custom starts at $33,770 with the 2WD V8 version opening at $34,015 (both when fitted with color-keyed carpets) while a similarly equipped 4WD V8 begins at $38,995

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Chevrolet Equinox 2016

It's always great to play from a position of strength and 2016 Chevrolet Equinox revealed in Chicago is prepared to keep the momentum rolling in one of today's hottest automotive markets. The current 2015 Equinox holds nearly 10 percent of the compact crossover SUV segment and has just become the second best-selling vehicle in Chevy's entire lineup, trailing only the Silverado. With the visual and functional upgrades on the 2016 Equinox hitting showrooms in the fall, it looks to become a more formidable foe of the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4

The most obvious changes on the 2016 Equinox can be seen on the nose and tail of a lineup consisting of L, LS, LT and LTZ variants. Up front, a redrawn soft fascia houses a bolder take on Chevy's dual-port grille set off by added brightwork  and new projector-beam headlights complemented by trim-level-specific conventional (L/LS) and LED (LT/LTZ) daytime running lights and recast fog lamps on the LTZ. Out back, revised dual-element taillamps frame an edgier lower fascia set off with a new license plate garnish, plus more chrome on the LTZ. The two range-topping trims also get restyled alloy wheels -- 17-inchers on the LT and 18-inchers on the LTZ -- while V6 models also boast dual chrome exhaust finishers

Inside, the 2016 Equinox has a revised center stack that boasts a new storage shelf and cleaner control graphics. Repositioned Electronic Range Selector buttons now sit atop of a chrome-trimmed shift lever handle, while the cabin sports a new Saddle Up interior color. The L and LS also get upgraded fabrics as well as a new Color Touch radio with a 7.0-inch screen and a rearview camera while the LT/LTZ come with Chevrolet MyLink. All variants will offer OnStar with 4G LTE connectivity and built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (including a 3-month/3GB free trial) as well as a new accessory tablet holder that mounts to the front seatback

Powertrain choices carry over, with the 182-horsepower/2.4-liter EcoTec 4-cylinder standard in all Equinox trim levels and front- or available all-wheel drive.  The 301-horse/3.6-liter V6 is optional on LT and LTZ models. On the safety front, the LT and LTZ also add Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems to their options list to complement the existing standard Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning. Pricing for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox lineup will be released closer to its actual on-sale date

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Chevrolet Colorado GearOn Special Edition lands in Chicago 2015

debut at the Chicago Auto Show. Available on extended or crew cab Colorado LT models with long or short beds and rear- or 4-wheel drive, this new member of the lineup will arrive in dealers this spring with a starting price of $32,125

As its name implies, this activity-oriented Colorado features Chevy's patented GearOn system first seen last summer on the Colorado Sport Concept. The GearOn kit includes an easily configurable selection of bed rails/bars, a cargo divider package and tie-down rings. It's all designed to allow Chevy's new mid-size pickup to carry everything from mountain bikes, kayaks, skis and paddle boards to a bed-mounted tent -- all but the latter positioned well above floor level to maximize the amount of usable cargo space. Other related items from the GearOn accessory catalog also can be purchased individually and their cost rolled into the monthly payment if ordered before the vehicle is delivered -- an option open to all Colorado buyers

The 2015 Colorado GearOn Special Edition also features cosmetic and functional upgrades including an EZ Lift and Lower tailgate, off-road assist steps, fog lamps, a rear-window defogger, remote start and Gloss Black 18-inch aluminum wheels. Rounding out the mix is a body-color grille and black front/rear Chevy bowtie emblems

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Volkswagen Sport Coupe Concept GTE - an exercise in future think

Getting its grand global unveiling at Geneva

A step up in class on every level

While we're still inclined to believe a good deal of this new visual language will filter its way into Volkswagen's next-gen CC model that's expected to go into production late next year, the automaker is quick to point out that the Sport Coupe Concept GTE is one size-segment larger. Wider, longer and even lower than the Euro-spec Passat, this striking 5-door with a roofline that recalls an Audi A7 also boasts 9.0-inches of additional wheelbase. Besides adding a new sense of drama to the car's overall proportions, that strategic stretch greatly increases the amount of legroom for its two rear-seat passengers. Spun from VW's modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE features full LED lighting that adds high-tech drama to the bold visual signatures of the car's front and rear fascia treatments. It dynamic profile is capped with a panoramic glass panel and further enhanced by crisp character lines and aggressive 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/30 tires

Making the biometric connection 

Inside, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE displays similarly advanced character cues. Taking a page from sister-company Audi, this VW-to-be features the prototype of the firm's new Active Info Display with a 12.3-inch screen and free-form mode-configurable instrument cluster as well as a new 10.1-inch center infotainment screen flanked by touch-sensitive slider controls for its 4-zone heating/air conditioning system. Beyond a full array of navigation/connectivity touches, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE also introduces a new interactive element that can monitor a driver's biometric data via a smartwatch or armband and then make custom-tailored routing suggestions to deliver the maximum amount of "driving enjoyment." The system bases its recommendations on a number of other inputs, including real-time data from other cars using any proposed route

Trimmed in leather set off with aluminum, piano black, and faux wood, the spacious cabin of this engaging one-off also features a full-length console complete with its own 12.3-inch display that allows rear-seat passengers to access/operate a number of features and functions. These include perusing the on-board media library and setting climate controls as well view programming on individual 10.1-inch video screens embedded into the back of each front seat

Hybrid power with a GTE twist

The Sport Coupe Concept GTE is fitted with an advanced gasoline/electric AWD plug-in hybrid powertrain that matches a 3.0-liter turbocharged TSI V6 developing 295 horsepower with a pair of electric motors - a 54-horse unit integrated into the 6-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 114-horse rear-mounted motor that provides all of the drive to the aft axle. Collectively, the setup makes 374 horsepower, sufficient to send the Sport Coupe Concept GTE from 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds and let it reach an electronically limited 155 mph top end. As one would expect, the VW system allows for a host of driver-selectable operating modes, including gasoline-powered FWD, as an on-demand AWD Hybrid, or as a pure EV. When running in its greenest form, a 10.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack located in the car's center tunnel can supply enough charge for 32 miles of zero emission travel. Additionally, this trick VW has a "GTE" button that, when engaged, adds an extra measure of sportiness to the throttle, transmission and steering

We look forward to seeing just how much VW's Sport Coupe Concept GTE does end up influencing the look and technology of the upcoming CC remake. Or whether the production vehicle it previews will simply turn out to be an upsized/upscaled replacement for the CC in the automaker's lineup

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Toyota Auris 2016

the new 2016 Scion iM will be revealed in early April at the New York Auto Show. This week, the car on which it will be based -- the European Toyota Auris Hatchback -- bowed in Geneva. While its 5-door Scion-to-be cousin is almost certain to strike a visual balance that falls somewhere between the iM showcar and this clearly more conservative Toyota-badged take, the family resemblance is obvious

Also offered in a slightly larger and more formal Touring Sports Wagon, the facelifted Auris now boasts a more sophisticated overall appearance with tidier detailing on its fascias and more extensive use of LED lighting along with new, upsized alloy wheels. Inside, the quieter cabin features a restyled dash that has a cleaner, more user-friendly design with added soft touch surfaces, a recast main gauge cluster that includes a 4.2-inch TFT info display and a new center screen with touch-sensitive controls. The suspension on this classy compact was also retuned to improve dynamic response as well as ride comfort - all of which bodes well for its upcoming Scion derivative

Scion has yet to say what type of powertrain will be fitted to the new iM. However, the refreshed Auris hatch offers an expanded selection of gasoline and turbodiesel engines as well as a cleaner version of its most popular motivator: Toyota's gas/electric 1.8-liter Hybrid Synergy Drive package that makes 134 horsepower as it does in the current U.S. Prius. We'll have full details on the new 2016 Scion iM in about four weeks

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