Graced With Potent Upgrades: How the Chevy Silverado Does Battle With the F-150

 

Everyone here at West Chevy of Knoxville has been diligent at keeping a close eye on the competition in the truck category, as we have great pride and trust in our Silverado line that provides the form and function that many hard-working men and women need to power through the day. As Ford is preparing to launch the all-new-generation F-150 for 2021, we are hard at work with updates to the Chevy Silverado 1500 to keep it sharp enough for rugged competition.

 

For starters, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Forward Collision Alert will be added to our full-size light-duty pickup. A new report from GM -Trucks gave us a heads up about some changes we previously weren't alerted to, as detailed in a new Consensus Report distributed to us through Chevy's US dealer network. These changes will be great news to anyone who uses their full-size truck for rigorous towing duty: there will now be Trailering Tech enhancements and Max Towing enhancements for the 2.7-liter 4-cylinder and  3.0-Liter Duramax diesel. The 2021 Silverado HD will see updates of what area the backup feed camera displays and a few other towing-focused changes.

 

As far as other updates to properly aid in the ongoing battle against the F150, we think the cooling system on trucks powered by either the 2.7-Liter turbo-four or the 3.0-Liter diesel could see an increase in airflow or overall capacity. Since towing is known to generate massive amounts of heat, cooling needs to be a carefully-examined issue, because it can provide a major restriction on a vehicle's maximum tow rating. Another potentially exciting changeup could be the torque curves seeing enhancement for improved towing on the Silverado 1500's 2.7-liter gas and  3.0-Liter diesel engines, by means of an elevated torque peak. 

For this year's model, 20-inch by 9-inch black painted aluminum wheels are now free flow on the Custom Trail Boss and LT Trail Boss, and 20-inch by 9-inch Polished finish wheels are now standard on the LTZ. Inside is the addition of Wireless Phone Projection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Sirius XM is now available on Work Truck models as well as standard on Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, and LT Trail Boss models. More safety features added across the board will no doubt provide a strong draw for customers that are checking out all of their options in the truck realm, and sway them into choosing what is the best and most stylish truck out there!

 

For those who are on the hunt for a full-sized pickup with a unique design that you won't find elsewhere, check out the Redline Edition: It brings to the mix body-color front and rear bumpers, LED fog lamps and cargo lighting, unique front grille and bumper design, a front and rear lowering kit, illuminated bowtie emblem, and performance exhaust and cold air intake kit.   

GM Authority Hails 2021 Chevy Blazer 2.0-Liter Turbo For Fuel Economy Improvement

The buzz was circulating around the lot and offices quite heavily here at West Chevy of Knoxville when the new Blazer came out last year, and now there are even more great reasons to give one a test drive! The 2021 Chevy Blazer with the available turbocharged 2.0-Liter 4-cylinder LSY engine sees a boost in fuel economy to the current year's version. The EPA rated the 2021 Chevy Blazer with front-wheel drive and the 2.0-Liter 4-cylinder engine at 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. 

Last year's model with the 2.0-Liter engine came in with the fuel efficiency ratings at 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. All-wheel-drive versions of the crossover also see a slight improvement. When equipped with the 2.0-Liter engine and AWD, the 2021 Blazer sees a return of 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. Both the AWD and FWD versions of the 2021 Chevy Blazer feature the nine-speed automatic transmission and the 2.0-liter engine is good for 230 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. You can also opt for stepping up to the 308-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 LGX engine, which is standard on Premier and RS models. 

For the new model year, the sporty crossover will receive four new exterior colors, a new towing package for front-wheel-drive models, and additional standard active safety features. Once upon a time, the Chevy Blazer was a very hefty, serious, truck-based answer to the Ford Bronco. It has now followed the path of more of a car-based crossover, and is a true member of the namesake's "performance crew". Eye-catching and aggressive, the new Blazer may not have been completely true to its roots, but for appropriate reason: it aligns well with the needs of a busy and growing family or young professional.

The Safety Assist package includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, following distance alert, and automatic high beams, and is now standard. RS and Premier trims feature Adaptive cruise control, and every version gets an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 4G LTE in-car WiFi, OnStar, and 4 USB ports, including a USB-C port. The Ford Edge, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Toyota Venza are now the direct competition and form of rivalry for the Blazer, and we are confident with the low-end torque and peppy dynamic the Blazer delivers! 

We know that many of the families who love their recreation and lake time will love the VR2 trailering package for the new model: it brandishes a fierce cooling system enabling it to tow 4,500 pounds. Hitch Guidance with Hitch View is also present on the RS and Premier trims, and the ready-for-duty package tows 3,000 more pounds than the Blazers without it. The Blazer is perfect for anyone who needs city-driving functionality but "isn't quite ready to settle down", and enjoy the influence from the raucous pony cars found inside and out.  

Motor Authority Details Possibility of 2021 Chevy Corvette Stingray R Special Edition

 Motor Authority Details Possibility of 2021 Chevy Corvette Stingray R Special Edition

The official report came down the line from Motor 1 last Wednesday that Chevy maybe now planning a special edition of the 2021 Corvette called Stingray R. Last weekend's IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar race that took place at Road America featured our very own Stingray pace car, and this could lead up to the preview of a special edition. The pace car brandished a large rear spoiler, red mirror caps matching the IMSA Corvette C8.R race cars, a black hood stripe, and what could be the clearest indicator: a front splitter with “Stingray R” text. 

It was also noted that leaked dealership information from March indicated to us here at West Chevy of Knoxville that there would be a special-edition 2021 Corvette in the making. The cosmetic changes on the IMSA pace car could easily carry over to the production vehicle, so many in the industry have concluded that a consumer-ready Stingray R could soon become a reality. This edition would absolutely be accepted with open arms and excitement, since Corvette Racing put on a 1-2 finish for its class at Road America, the team's third consecutive win. 

The famed C8.R will not be present at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans due to the current global conditions but will roar back for the French endurance classic in 2021. There are a few changes that are confirmed for the 2021 model already: the sports car will receive new color options, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a Buckle to Drive feature that will not allow a shift out of park if the seat belt is not engaged. You now do not have to opt for the Z51 package to add Magnetic Selective Ride Control, the modern suspension and chassis technology that adjusts and adapts the shock absorbers in real-time response to changes in terrain to provide the best driving experience. 

These shots from Motor Trend show a few Corvette C8.R racers and white street-spec C8 that is sporting a unique graphics package, under the bridge at the famous Wisconsin road course near Elkhart Lake. You will also be able to choose from three new colors: Red Mist Metallic and Silver Flare Metallic for the exterior, and Sky Cool Gray / Yellow Strike for the interior. The 2021 model will also offer the first 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, making way for much faster shifting and greater power.    

The engine on hand  will be the 6.2-liter LT2 V8 with direct injection, variable valve timing, and active fuel management. To get the absolute most out of every single mile in this groundbreaking and much raved-about mid-engined beast, there are also six modes of drive selector: Tour, Sport, Track, Weather, MyMode, and customizable Z Mode.

Chevy Equinox Celebrates Summer Victory As IIHS Pick Of “One of The Best Vehicles for Teens”

 

Many Parents we talk to that visit us here at West Chevy of Knoxville have expressed excitement, anticipation and perhaps a few jitters when their teenager begins driving! If the Chevy Equinox happens to be within your sights, there is going to be a lot to love about it; the Institute for Highway Safety has rendered the 2016 and up Equinox compact crossover as one of the best vehicles for teenage drivers from the perspective of safety and reliability.

 

The 2020 Safe Vehicles for Teens list identifies vehicles that they believe are the safest for teen drivers, and they know that not all families have a large amount of money to spend on their teen's first car. All of the vehicles on the list range from a little over $5,000 to nearly $20,000, so it covers a fairly broad spectrum of costs. To be included in the list, a vehicle must  have achieved the best possible rating of Good in the IIHS' moderate overlap front, roof restraint, side, and head restraint test, as well as an acceptable or good rating in the driver-side small overlap front test.

 

We have always known Consumer Reports to be an excellent source of information when it comes to finding out about vehicle reliability and if they are a good purchase choice. The vehicles on this list also had to receive the minimum rating from Consumer Reports with regard to emergency handling capability and reliability and achieve a certain minimum dry braking distance. Active safety features and overall crashworthiness also led to the 2020 Equinox being a Top Safety Pick, as well as the Teen Driver Technology on board.

 

By using the Teen Driver features the driver can turn to Buckle-to-Drive to make the seatbelt imperative, limit the vehicle's top speed, and even set audio volume limits for a quieter cruise. Fuel efficiency was another factor in the Equinox making this list. The standard turbocharged 1.5-Liter LYX 4-cylinder and available turbo 2.0-Liter LTG are both excellent in the mpg department, and the Equinox is also a relatively inexpensive vehicle to obtain used. The standard active safety features new for the 2020 model were forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist.

 

There is also a new Midnight Edition for the LT trim that adds black metallic paint, gloss-black 19-inch wheels, a black grille, black Chevrolet bowtie emblems, and black interior with leather-perforated seats. Other options available include a power liftgate, power moonroof, a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, wireless charging, and dual-zone automatic air conditioning.