GMT 900 Pics & Info: Silverado Interior Spy Shots

[Onikaze]

Hmm.

How long until this hybrid system makes it into other things, like cars, or honest to goodness pickups?

A Chevy pickup I can appreciate, the SUV I dislike because it's usually bought by different people for different reasons.

Trucks are usually bought to be used, Chevy's are especially bought to work, whereas every Tahoe owner I've met, and most I've noticed seem to be women, I'd guess driving a Tahoe because it's a great big safe feeling vehicle.

Never seen a load of kids in the back, though my girlfriends mother works for a woman who drives one and hauls tile and painting supplies in her Tahoe, though she says she'd rather have a pickup, easier to load/unload stuff and all.

The idea of this DOD/Hybrid system making it into say...a revived RWD Impala, or Caprice, or Chevelle or whatnot though, that makes me happy.

 

[Blackbird.]

I thought we'd totally lose engines and have only battery powered cars but now it seems like the future is hybrids.

 

[Onikaze]

Nah, the near term is hybrids.

There is another evolution or two left in the gas engine.

There is a multi-cycle combustion design that switches between something like Audi's TSI (FSI?) direct injection, and a dieseling cycle, which if combined with DOD, and a hybrid system would provide just about the ultimate evolution of the Gas combustion engine.

Ethanol may prolong it's run a bit, and Hydrogen will probably help it linger some too, but unless we find a way to convert say, garbage into Gasoline VERY efficiently, Gas will be dead within a decade.

My bet anyways.

 

[Blackbird.]

Hydrogen is pretty good but isn't it far more combustable then gasoline, like creates a more spectacular explosion?

 

[skip0110]

Nah, the near term is hybrids.

There is another evolution or two left in the gas engine.

There is a multi-cycle combustion design that switches between something like Audi's TSI (FSI?) direct injection, and a dieseling cycle, which if combined with DOD, and a hybrid system would provide just about the ultimate evolution of the Gas combustion engine.

Ethanol may prolong it's run a bit, and Hydrogen will probably help it linger some too, but unless we find a way to convert say, garbage into Gasoline VERY efficiently, Gas will be dead within a decade.

My bet anyways.

A regular gasoline combustion engine has approximately 23% converison efficiency from the energy in gasoline to power at the wheels. Hybrids only manage to bumb this up a few percentage points.

For the weight a hybrid system adds, and the additional environmental impact of the production/disposal of the batteries, it is ineffective in the long term, especially considering the marginal gains it affords.

I do agree that the combination of FSI with a BMW-style valvetronic system, on a lean-burn engine using DOD will probably be the best iteration of the internal combustion engine possible.

Hydrogen is not a sustainable resource (end-to-end efficiency is very low--where do you get naturally occuring loose hydrogen?). Our best bet is ethanol/biodiesel.

 

[Joey D]

They are indeed 26's

But look forward to an all Hybrid truck line up soon, GM is planning on making hybrid verison of all the 900's.

 

[Omnis]

good. Now, all GM has to do is lobby the government to give some biggerass tax returns, and they'll be allllllright.

 

[Joey D]

If you buy a hybrid you should get a tax return...but I'd rather buy an E85 Silverado which gets better mileage and is cleaner then a Prius.

It's basically an ethonol burning motor.

 

[YSSMAN]

Our best bet is ethanol/biodiesel.

Ya know, Ive been saying that for years and nobody seems to care. The great ironicism about biodiesel is that it can be made from corn... Guess who makes the most corn in the world? Ha ha, the United States... Now we can choke the Middle East like they did with us!

 

[Onikaze]

Guess who is making huge amounts of money WITH the middle east oil suppliers...here's a hint, they're old, white, and live in America.

Bio-Diesel MAY get a chance before too long, which would be nice.

Just always remember, Old Men, and Oil Companies rule the world.

 

[Joey D]

They released the Avalanche photos.
Source: www.gminsidenews.com

General Motors will introduce the all-new 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ, the latest rollout of its next-generation full-size truck family and the industry's most flexible utility vehicle, at the Chicago Auto Show. GM also will make two major announcements: One will build on the "Live Green Go Yellow" campaign GM launched Jan. 25 in Washington, D.C.; the second involves a technology enhancement at OnStar. OnStar will celebrate its 10th anniversary at the show."GM continues to demonstrate bold and innovative leadership in products and technology," said Brent Dewar, GM vice president, marketing and advertising. "On these fronts and more, GM is truly on a roll."The Chevy Avalanche was the first to combine the passenger-comfort attributes of an SUV with the cargo capability of a truck. The 2007 model is based on GM's brand-new, full-size SUV platform, which features more power with improved, segment-leading fuel economy and flex-fuel capability on some models; a sharper, more precise driving feel; increased interior refinement and improved quietness; and world-class safety. It will go on sale in the second quarter of 2006.

"Avalanche created the segment and it continues to dominate it. In 2007, the original gets even better," said Dewar.

GM's Chicago Auto Show exhibit also will feature many of the products introduced last month at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

 

[VIPFREAK]

GM copied Honda back... Looks like a Ridgeline now.

 

[skip0110]

They are both trucks, but beyond that, I fail to see any similarities...

 

[Joey D]

The Avalanche isn't changed much from the previous generation, and the Avalanche was indeed out first.

 

[Blackbird.]

If there are any similarities at all it'd be the other way around, seeing that the Avalance came first.

 

[YSSMAN]

Wow, the new Avalanche is nice... I bet my Dad is going to be pissed when he sees the new one, he just bought an '05 over the summer...

 

[xXSilencerXx]

I think hes refering to that the front end is flter than before. I kinda wished they left it alone. Like the old one better.

 

[Joey D]

I wish they would have made a different front end.

 

[YSSMAN]

After seeing the new Tahoe in person, I really dont have a problem with the Avalanche taking on the corporate face...

 

[McLaren]

That front may suit the TrailBlazer, but it kills the Avalanche.

It makes it seem so much meaner than the Avalanche really is. As if it's a truck made for brute power.

It's too...aggressive.

 

[Amemiya]

My finger hurts from scrolling down through all those words.

 

[YSSMAN]

...What isnt agressive about the Avalanche? Its based directly off the Suburban, the only addition is the bed with the midgate instad of having the huge cargo hold with the third row seat. The ride is rather comfortable and it uses the incredibly capable Vortec 5300 V8. If anything its a better choise than the Silverado crew cab if only because of the greater ammount of interior space and the better ride quality. Otherwise, the Avalanche is no less capable of any of the other 1500-series trucks.

 

[Amemiya]

The Avalanche is really similar. I like it.

 

[Driftster]

No..it just looks like a big colorado.......

flame surfacing is running rampant

 

[Joey D]

Silverado interior spy shot

 

[YSSMAN]

...The interior doesnt look too different from that of the Tahoe or the Yukon, if anything just a tad-bit stripped down. I'm more interested in the exterior, but I doubt it will look any different than the Tahoe or Avalanche, of which it will share seemingly every single part.

 

[Poverty]

the interior is a bit meagre.

 

[Joey D]

It's a work truck and I'm guess that's the base model, work trucks aren't supposed to have great interiors.

 

[YSSMAN]

With the cloth seats, it has to be an LS. I wouldnt be surprised to see all LT models come standard with leather from now on...