Is This Thing On? Volt Owner Shares Amusing Experience

Chevy Volt owners come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of different experiences on the road. This story, though, goes to show what all Volt owners have in common: absolutely stunned reactions from other drivers!


I had been interested in electric vehicles ever since I saw Chris Paine’s “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and had been following the Volt from concept to production. My interest was primarily motivated by a desire to see our country move away from dependence on foreign oil. A test drive in a Volt sealed the deal for me and I ordered one the next day. I ordered my Volt in May 2011 and took delivery on October 6, 2011. I purchased my Volt as I plan on keeping the car long term.

Surprisingly few people even notice that it’s something different since it doesn’t have an unusual attention-drawing appearance so I’ve only been asked about the car by strangers on a few occasions. Of the friends that have ridden in it, without exception the first thing they notice is the absence of engine noise. Their second reaction is amazement at the car’s ability to press them into their seats when I punch it. They are consistently impressed with the performance having expected a more “golf cart-like” experience.

I was sitting in the car with my wife in the parking lot adjacent to the service bay of a non-Chevy dealership when I noticed two of the mechanics approaching from behind to give it a once over. They were surprised to see us sitting in the car when they came around to the window. “Oh sorry.” one of them said. “We’ve never seen one before. Is it actually on right now?” he asked. “Oh yes it is.” I replied with a smile.

It’s hard to pick just one thing [that I like best]. My top three are (1) I almost never need gas. Right now I’m at 390 MPG. I actually waved at a gas station as I drove by on the day I took it home. (2) It’s fun to drive from a performance standpoint. The handling and response are outstanding. (3) It’s just a cool looking car. Sleek and sporty. Zero range anxiety is another appealing feature of the car.

I’ve owned lots of cars over the years. In terms of off-the-line performance it is second only to my 1968 Dodge Dart GT with a 440ci engine and it out-handles that car by a long shot. In that regard (handling and feel) I’ve never driven anything better.


Read more: http://chevroletvoltage.com/index.php/ownerstories.html?view=story&id=104

How Subaru Is Making Cruise Control Smarter Than You

Want an extra pair of eyes on the road? Subaru’s got your back.

Ever veer out of your lane while driving, only to be jolted into noticing by the loud honk of the car you’re about to hit? What if your car could actually “see” the lines on the pavement and warn you when you start to move outside them?


That’s the idea behind Subaru’s EyeSight system, debuting at the New York Auto Show. EyeSight consists of a pair of cameras mounted on either side of the rear-view mirror. They act as a kind of always-on extra pair of eyes for the driver, helping out when, for whatever reason, danger may be imminent.


The cameras constantly scan the road and the traffic around you, so the system is smart enough to know when you’re on the highway and when you’re in a parking lot.


There are three main benefits. First is pre-collision braking, which can detect when an object suddenly appears in the path of the car. If something jumps out, and the driver doesn’t react right away, the system can apply the brakes on its own, slowing and even stopping the car.


In a similar manner, EyeSight can also improve your cruise control by always maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. And, yes, there’s a lane-departure warning, too.


Subaru cautions that the system isn’t intended as any kind of replacement for simple driver care and paying attention to the road. Like other sensor-based driving or parking-assist systems, it’s just a convenience, and a far cry from the self-driving cars Google and others are working on.


Subaru will offer EyeSight on the 2013 Outback and Legacy models but hasn’t said how much it will add to the price of the car.


Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/04/05/subaru-eyesight/

Subaru BRZ Commands Brisk Sales in Japan as U.S. Debut Nears

Beautiful car. Looking forward to the US debut!

Subaru’s BRZ sporty coupe, scheduled to go on sale in the United States April 20, is off to a brisk start in Japan, selling at a monthly rate quadruple initial forecasts. According to Automotive News, since the car’s Feb. 3 debut, Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. has sold 3,551 of the rear-wheel-drive BRZs. Subaru had forecast monthly sales of only 450 units in Japan. The sporty 2.0-liter, four-cylinder BRZ, which starts at 2.06 million yen ($24,830) in Japan for a stripped-down version, is the platform-sharing twin of Toyota’s Scion FR-S. The U.S. monthly sales goal for the BRZ is 500. Initial sales data suggest the BRZ is tapping a coveted younger customer base attracted to the car’s promise of sportier driving. So far, nearly 60 percent of BRZ customers are under 40 years of age – and two-thirds are picking the six-speed manual over the automatic transmission. The top-selling color is WR blue mica, in a nod to the signature hue of Subaru’s WRX performance line.

Read more about the Subaru BRZ’s sales figures in Japan ahead of its launch in U.S. showrooms!

GM introducing natural gas-powered pickups

Did you know that natural gas-powered vehicles produce about 25 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) per mile than cars running on gasoline? General Motors did. The company will be offering versions of its 2013 Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks that can run either on gasoline or natural gas.

General Motors announced today it will offer bi-fuel versions of its 2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks that run either on gasoline or natural gas.

The two trucks are the 2500 HD (heavy duty) model, and can be ordered in rear-wheel or four-wheel drive and with a standard or long bed.

The pickups are fitted with a 6.0-liter V-8 engine that is modified to switch seamlessly between burning compressed natural gas, or CNG, and gasoline.

GM chose the bi-fuel option, it said, because it relieves buyers of the need to stay within range of a local natural-gas fueling stations.

No range anxiety

"Range anxiety is very real," said Joyce Mattman, director of GM commercial product and specialty vehicles. "We worked with the Chevy Volt team on that, and saw the same issues" among customers who worried about running out of electricity.

The trucks run on natural gas as standard, then switch to gasoline when the CNG runs out (or if the driver pushes a button to do so).

Natural gas-powered vehicles have lower emissions, producing about 25 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) per mile than those running on gasoline.

The fuel is plentiful and domestically produced, with 98 percent of U.S. natural gas produced within the country.

Cheaper fuel costs

And with gasoline costs soaring, the cost advantage of CNG is by far its most attractive feature. Fleet customers may save $2,000 a year or more per vehicle on fuel costs.

Natural gas prices are much less volatile than gas prices, and CNG equivalent to the energy content of one gallon of gasoline costs slightly more than $2 in most areas.

Today, there are fewer than 1,000 natural-gas fueling stations in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than half open to the public. Stations are most prevalent in California, Oklahoma, New York, and Utah.

Full GM warranty

The trucks will be built at GM's pickup assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and then trucked 70 miles to Union City, Indiana, where supplier IMPCO will add the gas storage tanks at the front of the bed as well as the fuel delivery system.

The complete vehicle, including all of the natural-gas equipment, is covered under the standard factory warranty, which covers the vehicle for three years/36,000 miles and the powertrain and emissions system for five years/100,000 miles.

Both fuel systems can be serviced as standard factory equipment at the local Chevy or GMC dealer.

That differentiates it from after-market natural-gas conversions for various trucks and commercial vehicles that several companies nationwide offer to fleet customers.

The IMPCO hardware meets the full range of requirements for cold start (down to -40 degrees F), hot-weather running (up to 140 degrees F), corrosion resistance (for 10 or more years), and all Federal safety and crash tests.

Because the 2500 HD versions of the pickup trucks weigh more than 3 tons, GM does not have to provide EPA gas-mileage figures--and it doesn't.

Asked about the fuel economy of the trucks, GM refused to provide numbers, saying only that the gas mileage of the bi-fuel trucks would be "the same as the [gasoline] truck" when running on gasoline.

Orders in April, deliveries Q4

Chevrolet and GMC will start taking orders next month for the dual-fuel pickups, with deliveries before the end of this year. Both trucks are available not only for fleet buyers, but also to retail customers.

Neither brand has released pricing for the new flex-fuel trucks, but the company expects the trucks will provide "a quick return on investment" for their buyers, according to a GM spokesperson.

GM offered natural-gas fueling options for certain vehicles from 1997 to 2006.

Last year, it began offering versions of its Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans with both compressed natural gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) powered engines to fleet and commercial customers.

Unlike the new pickup trucks announced today, however, those vans run solely on compressed gas, and do not offer the ability to switch to and from gasoline.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/03/05/gm-introducing-natural-gas-powered-pickups/#ixzz1r6S6MgNg

Car of the Week: 2012 Buick Enclave AWD

The 2012 Buick Enclave AWD was listed as Forbes “Car of the Week” last Wednesday! We’re looking forward to seeing the debut ’13 model from the New York Auto Show next month.

The Car: 2012 Buick Enclave

Where I drove it: Four out of five boroughs, and Long Island, too.

First Impressions: I’ve watched the “Cars” movie at least 17 times over the past three months. I have a three year old, and this is the only program he wants to see during his allocated television time. I actually don’t mind the Pixar film — there’s enough characterization of each car that keeps the film entertaining. It’s no accident that I when I think Doc Hudson, I think Buick. The Hudson Hornet was also a Detroit made car, and in the movie, Doc is aging race car that still secretly had a dream to be fabulous again. Buick is older than Hudson, it is the oldest American marque, originating in 1899, and in the ‘50s Buick ran drag races like a boss. Like Doc, Buick desperately wants to be king of the hill, and recognized for its stature, and not cast aside as an old fogey. And so we have the reigning Buick boss — the Enclave. This is the last we’ll see of the ’12, as the ’13 Enclave debuts at the New York Auto Show in April.

Second date: As a member of the premium group, a marketing term that must be inspired by frequent travelers who have Marriott points — a little bit extra is part of the standard package at this price point. Standard features include amenities such as rear park assist, rear vision camera, heated mirror, heated and cooled seats, rear power outlet, Bose audio and usb ports. This means that the price tag is what it is, without getting bumped up by dozens of fine print options. The ride is smooth and serene.

On the inside: As a childhood space camp fan, the “captain’s chair” gets me every time. Big people can drive the Enclave without feeling cramped. Sometimes in the small car craze, its easy to forget about the big and tall, or those who simply want a little extra elbow room. Enclave is sensitive to these matters, and this logic carries over to the second row. In the crunch to squish maximum space in minimum quarters the back seat can become miniscule. Not in the Enclave, which has substantive legroom for big people. If you squeeze in the third row, then understandably these proportions change, but you can get everything big into a smaller page. There are plenty of things to play with in the Enclave cabin including headphone jacks and audio controls.

MPG: 16/22

Under the Hood: 3.6 liter V6, brake assist hill start

Five Days Later: I drove the Enclave in January. An SUV in the wintertime feels like a comfy pair of UGG boots and my Burberry jacket, but the only trouble is that it was 60 degrees in January in New York City. The AWD drive option was lost on me.

What people said: “Mommy can we watch Cars 1 again?” Thank you for the rear seat entertainment, GM.

Parting thoughts: A solid sleeper in a sea of SUVs.I’m curious to see what tweaks will take place on the 2013 Buick that will be unveiled in a few weeks.

Extras: Audio system with navigation, power sunroof with second row skylight, 20” chrome clad aluminum wheels, carbon black metallic paint.

Read more at Forbes.com.