NTEA 2018 Features New Silverado 4500 HD, 5500HD, and 6500 HD Releases

Around the office here at West Chevy over the last year, we have had many talks about customer-focused trucks, and the features that rank highest on the list when a new purchase is going to be made. Possessing the simple quality of being easy to drive has become a very important attribute lately, as we notice a larger number of customers coming in that are looking to feel completely at ease while they are behind the wheel. Being able to service a vehicle easily is another quality that customers are on the hunt for, as many are now learning to do their own repairs. “Walk up” access to the engine is sought after more commonly, and another request that Chevy has been avidly listening to.

During the first week of March at the NTEA Work Truck Show, Chevy released its first-ever Silverado Class 4, 5, and 6 chassis cab trucks. These are 3 immensely capable conventional cab models, and will be the most customer-focused trucks of any major competitor. Valued input from fleet managers, technicians, upfitters, and truck drivers, as well as dealers nationwide, were all factors in the development of these versatile and sturdy new Silverado trucks. They will be available in 2WD as well as 4WD, and will be powered by a 6.6-liter 350 horsepower Duramax diesel engine, offering up 700 lb-ft of torque. Since the Allison transmission line has a history of very well-proven power, loyal Chevy owners will appreciate this addition, as well as the Duramax diesel engine, which provides a great power option for this medium-duty truck line.

The Silverado will now be the most connected commercial truck out there, thanks to options that include Commercial Link and OnStar, wireless phone charging ability, Bluetooth, and support for AppleCarplay as well as Android Auto. During the last year, GM fleet delivered nearly 300,000 units to commercial and government customers, the most on record since 2008. This resulted in Chevy gaining nearly 1.4 percentage points of the entire market share, and this new 3-pickup strategy was built around the Colorado mid-size pickup, as well as the Silverado's ¼ – ton and 1-ton models.

One of the best solutions that we feel we are now able to offer Knoxville area car buyers is offering trucks such as these, that have a focus on not being difficult to drive. There are many models out there that have been constructed with poor downward perspective for the driver, combined with poor low-speed maneuverability due to the narrow cuts of the wheels. This can make for a very tricky to maneuver driving experience, and Chevy has strived to provide up to 50-degree wheel cuts, as well as a hood that is countered to fully optimize the driver's perspective of the road below them.

Another feature that really gives us a sense of pride for these 3 new models is the adamant solving of a very common noise problem. Aftermarket air suspensions that you won't find in a Ford or a Ram are triple-sealed, with insert doors to help reduce road and other wind noise. Huck bolts are incorporated throughout the frame, for a high amount of force for clamping. We encourage you to visit us this spring at West Chevy, and check out the 7 cab-to-axle options, all sized to 8-inch increment. Offering the best in trucks that provide durability, rugged appeal, and long-lasting performance, everyone here is excited about the release of these new models. West Chevy is consistently your on-point location for top-notch sales and service in Knoxville, and we guarantee no shortage of truck excitement for buyers during spring of 2018!

Hitting the Road Soon? Chevy Introduces an Engineered Map of Vacation Spots

As signs of spring are beginning to show themselves here in Knoxville, many customers coming to visit are getting ready to purchase vehicles that they love to travel in. You may want to see the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, or take a family trip back East to see All-American landmarks like the Liberty Bell. After you have secured yourself a lease or purchase on a stellar 2018 model that is great for the trip, sometimes the route in question needs a bit of extra attention. The excitement of pro sporting events, museums that stoke learning, and legendary spots such as Mount Rushmore always stir a sense of American pride, as well as love of adventure.

Recently, Chevy enlisted the expertise of data scientist Randy Olson to help travelers make the most of their plans, while on the hunt for the best route to take through every single state. When Chevy conducted a survey about travel and which items rank high with parents, time that is spent exploring new destinations, and locations that stood out from the crowd were two of the highest-ranked qualities desired for family road trips. Providing destination directions for U.S. Landmarks such as the Legendary Grand Canyon and Devil's Tower in Wyoming, the date on this map provides users with an efficient route between destinations, and paves the way for drivers to enjoy the locations with a minimal amount of backtracking.

The design on the map allows anyone viewing it to hit the road with any location as a starting point, and drive as much or as little as they want to daily. Chevy is the only brand to earn J.D. Power Dependability Awards for cars, trucks, and SUV's three years ina a row, solidifying our brand's promise to assure that you feel safe during all stages of the drive. The national survey commissioned by Chevy found that parents will typically have on board an average of 6.6 mobile devices for streaming, entertainment, and navigation while on the road. The Chevy Trax, Traverse, and Equinox all have excellent technology options to assure that all passengers on board stay connected with the best in 4G LTE WI-FI.

One of the most useful features of this partnership with this highly intelligent navigation guru was created with those in mind who are looking to embark on shorter distances. You may want to make a bulls-eye for your trip to the Northeast, or sunny and warm West coast in particular, where you can enjoy great locations such as Napa wine country. If you have just secured a lease or purchase from us here at West Chevy, most of the most interesting destination on the map for you and your family is the Patriot's Point Naval attraction, in Charleston, South Carolina.

With more than 270,000 visitors each year, this spot boasts one of the largest education and overnight camping programs in the country, seeing more than 40,000 school age children attending programs annually. Enjoying sights such as the U.S. Yorktown are bound to make your summer stand out in your long-term memory, and a brand new vehicle from us here at West Chevy will make getting there a comfortable, enjoyable, and very safe experience!

West Chevy's Eye on Environment: Future Bolt EV Production To Increase

As spring looms pleasantly around the corner for all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville, we are paying close attention to how different automakers worldwide are pledging in their own ways to aid the state of the environment. During the annual CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, GM Ceo Mary Barry announced that with the increase in global demand, Chevy Bolt EV Production is slated to be ramped up drastically. This production will take place at the Orion Assembly plant north of Detroit, and the ultimate goal is to build around 30,000 units per year.

Heavily in the spotlight as of late has been the grave importance regarding the need to remove barriers that exist in consumers accepting the presence of electronic vehicles. Our sales and service staff here at West Chevy believes that the energy industry, as well as various other stakeholders, should partner with auto manufacturers to develop a healthy infrastructure for charging, that drives consumers' confidence to be able to use their EV's in all types of locations. Last year, Chevy proudly announced a drastic expansion of electric car plans, and among them are 2 new electric vehicles based on the EV Bolt Platform within the next 18 months. 

There will also be 18 more within the next 5 years, a period of very rapid growth.

The base LT trim for the Bolt leaves you equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, a rearview camera, single-zone automatic climate control, keyless start/entry, an 8.0-inch re-configurable display, and Chevy's MyLink infotainment system, accompanied by a 10.2-inch touchscreen. We can show you all of the details about the Premiere Trim level as well: here you gain leather upholstery, a 360-degree view camera system, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, heated front and rear seats, blind spot warning, rear parking sensors, and rear-cross traffic alert.

During the all-important IIHS testing stages, last year's Bolt EV received a score of “good” on every single crash test except for the headlight category, as well as the “Superior”rating on the front crash prevention test. This was due to the avoidance of a 12 as well as 25 – MPH collision, and the Bolt then received Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for the entire year. Behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats you'll find 16.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and when they are folded all the way down, offer up 56.6 cubic feet. U.S. News claimed in its car blog this month that the 2018 Bolt has “zippy performance and a spacious interior”, and commended it for its long range, quick charging time, and abundant power.

We can show you here at West Chevy how the Bolt boasts the claim to one of the longest ranges available for electric cars. At 238 total miles, it's easy to rejuvenate the battery power overnight with the use of a 240-volt charger. You'll potentially save hundreds of dollars with the alleviation of a fuel budget, and we are all very excited about the soon-to-be-heightened level of production for the country's most smart and sophisticated option for a versatile electric car!

Trucks.com Highlights One Hundred Years of Innovative Change: 2018 Silverado Centennial

Chevy's very first pickup debuted back in 1918, and professional curator Leslie Kendall of Los Angeles's Petersen Automotive Museum lamented that the differences between past and present are definitely “night and day”. During the month of March here at West Chevy in Knoxville, we are all about remembering a very important date in Chevy history: it was a century ago this January that the 490 light delivery model was brought to the market. This was, for the most part, a type of stripped-out passenger car, that had its body replaced with a pickup bed, and saw the addition of stronger springs to cart crops around. It then proudly touted a 4-cylinder engine, that produced a relatively small dose of 24 horsepower.

Within the truck realm there have always been many contrasts between the present and past, and today's Silverado model is quite the amazing advancement. It is a 5,300-pound truck that comfortably can seat five, and has the ability to tow six tons. These days, it is powered by a 5.3-liter V8, producing 355 horsepower. The top-selling vehicle within the GM portfolio, it accounted for 585,000 total models sold last year, and ranked second place among every single passenger vehicle. Since those days long ago when Chevy introduced the now very primitive-seeming 490, Chevy has sold an estimated 85 million trucks. During December, the Texas Motor 

Speedway was the scene of the Chevy Truck Centennial Event, where very loyal customers tried their hand at gauging the towing capabilities of new trucks. They also had the opportunity to climb up steep inclines with the new off-road Colorado ZR2.

Many of those in attendance have owned numerous Chevy truck models in their lifetime, and have consistently raved about the brand's very high level of dependability, as well as its rugged breed of toughness. One very loyal Silverado owner from Round Rock, Texas claimed that “if he won any other truck in a lottery, he would sell it and buy a Chevy”. Sporting full leather interior, vibrant large touchscreen, and standard WiFi connection are all characteristics of trucks that are way more modern that one would see in a museum hall! It is still very amazing to think that the only thing in the interior of the very first truck was a bench seat, and absolutely no extra frills or features.

The modern breed of pickups are among the most well-appointed vehicles you can find out there on the road now, and the technology as well as luxury options have greatly assisted in the preference shift from small passenger cars, to larger yet light trucks. Everyone here on West Chevy's Sales and Service Staff recognizes that even though the Silverado is a truck that has added many luxury features over the years, it is one that still has pretty astounding towing potential and power. Car and Driver themselves claimed last year that “after 100 years of building pickups, Chevy's formula is nearly perfect”, and gave the Silverado high praise for its tough stature and hard-working stance.

Every Silverado model is now equipped with a backup camera, assuring that your journey off the premises does not begin with any surprises. When you come and visit us for a test drive here at West Chevy of Knoxville, we can show you all of the great benefits of the off-road package: body-color grill surround and headlamp bezel, as well as 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. There are also very useful optional features such as automated emergency braking: this will slow the vehicle when it senses an impending collision, further protecting you and your passengers. We can firmly vouch for the great features and useful power of the new Silverado: you'll have immediate and deep appreciation for its pure form and practicality!