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Chevy Corvette gets Valet Mode with Performance Data Recorder [w/video]

For the 2015-model-year, Chevrolet introduces Valet Mode for the Corvette, an enhancement to the Performance Data Recorder (PDR) already available and to your peace of mind. The PDR already captures 720p HD video with a windshield-mounted camera, records interior audio with a cabin microphone and gathers telemetry data using GPS, saving the data to an SD card in the glovebox. You can then watch your track-day antics with various information overlays on the center console screen.
Valet Mode will let you hit 'Replay' when your car gets pulled up front smelling vaguely of fricasseed clutch. Turned on by entering a four-digit code, it also locks the interior storage spaces and turns off the infotainment system. It can't be turned off until the code is re-entered. There's a press release below with more information as well as a video that explains how it works, with the obligatory dig at the 'Vette's biggest foe.

Next-gen Chevy Volt will get 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine

As General Motors gets ready to unveil the new Chevy Volt at the Detroit Auto Show in January, it's starting to reveal a few more details about the updated plug-in hybrid. Today should be fruitful on that front, thanks to an event GM is hosting today that focuses on the new Volt, and we've just had the first bit of new: a bigger engine is coming. Since the beginning, the Volt has used a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine as a range extender when the battery runs dry. The second-generation model will instead get a slightly larger 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that will be built in Flint, MI. That's a step up from the various engines that have been a part of the 2016 Volt's rumored mills, everything from a 1.0-liter or 1.2-liter three-cylinder to a 2.0-liter turbo. The confirmation about the new 1.5-liter powerplant was found in Automotive News, where we also heard again that GM is going to start building the new Volt's electric drive unit in Detroit, moving production up from Mexico. We will have more information on the 2016 Chevy Volt later today.

Chevy brings back Midnight Edition Colorado and Silverado for 2016

Chevrolet is capitalizing on the popularity of last year's shadowy Midnight Edition pickups with new versions at the Chicago Auto Show. The package's darker trim allows buyers to make their trucks look a little more menacing straight from the dealer. The 2016 Midnight Editions don't deviate from last year's monochromatic theme. The trucks feature blacked-out trim from the grille, badges, bumpers, and headlight bezels. The obsidian shades also appear on the side moldings and painted wheels. Chevy completes the dark theme with a black spray-in bedliner. Available with the Z71 package, customers can also get off-road equipment like an upgraded suspension, locking rear differential, and hill descent control – depending on the model. Chevy offered the Midnight Edition for the Silverado and Colorado last year, in addition to other models, and customers couldn't get enough of the dark trucks. "The Silverado 1500 Midnight was by far the most popular model in 2015, as demand outstripped supply in a matter of months. It only made sense to expand our special-edition offerings for 2016, including new Midnight editions," Sandor Piszar, Chevy's truck marketing director, said in the models' announcement. Chevy spokesperson Monte Doran told Autoblog the 2016 Midnight Edition pickups will be available this spring, but he wouldn't comment on pricing. You can get a good look at what to expect in the gallery above and expect live photos soon. Related Video: Chevrolet Trucks Back in Black for 2016 New Midnight Special Editions available on Silverado 1500 Z71, Colorado Z71 DETROIT – Chevrolet is expanding the popular Midnight Special Edition with new models available on 2016 Silverado 1500 Z71 and 2016 Colorado Z71. They join a growing portfolio of special-edition trucks whose popularity helped Chevrolet truck sales increase 27 percent last year – double the increase for the total truck market. "We introduced several special-edition trucks in 2015 – each combining equipment and appearance packages designed for specific enthusiasts in mind," said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet truck marketing director. "They clearly resonated with buyers, as the special editions sold in one-third the time, and to younger, more affluent buyers than the industry average. "The Silverado 1500 Midnight was by far the most popular model in 2015," Piszar continued, "as demand outstripped supply in a matter of months.