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2016 Chevy Camaro to drop 200 pounds

The sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro makes its grand debut on May 16 at a big celebration on Detroit's Belle Isle. Until then, Chevy's strategy seems to be showing off the pony car's new components piece by piece. With the exhaust headers and front end already on display, the Bowtie is now giving a glimpse at some of the upcoming model's aluminum components. The Camaro is going on a diet for its latest generation, and Chevy claims that the switch to the Alpha platform and other new components shed over 200 pounds compared to the current model. That will put the pony car at around 3,500 pounds. The lower weight will contributes to better fuel economy, quicker acceleration and more direct handling, according to the automaker. Among the changes are aluminum front and rear suspension assemblies (pictured above) that weigh 21 percent less than the current units. Also, Chevy promises in its announcement "links on some models feature an intricate, structurally optimized design made with a rigid composite material that's even lighter than aluminum." In addition to these improved parts, the Camaro uses the lightweight metal for the beam that supports the instrument panel to save 9.7 pounds more. The only two pieces reportedly carrying over to the latest design are Chevy's bowtie and SS badges, and at least one engine in the range is known to be a version of the 6.2-liter LT1 V8. With over a month until the next Camaro's debut, we might get a glimpse of even more of the car's new parts in the coming weeks. Related Video: 2016 Camaro Does More with Less New model is at least 200 pounds lighter than current car 2015-03-30 DETROIT – For the all-new, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, the team was challenged to improve the handling, acceleration and fuel economy of the award-winning current model. To meet all three objectives, the team focused on a singular mission: reduce mass. By obsessively searching for opportunities to save ounces, the team pared more than 200 pounds off the Camaro compared with the fifth-generation model. As a result, the Camaro does more with less, according to Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer: "We kept the cornering confidence and control that make the Gen 5 Camaro 1LE so fun to drive, and added a greater sense of agility," he said. "The new Camaro brakes harder, flicks into corners more quickly, and drives out of the corner faster.

2016 Chevy Volt powertrain technical details

The last time General Motors launched a Chevy Volt, it was operating without really knowing how people would use the plug-in hybrid. Sure, it had experience with the EV1, but the Volt was a new kind of car, and you can see in the archives just how much time GM spent explaining this fresh, new powertrain to potential customers. Then, once the vehicle was released, the company collected voluntary data from a large number of owners to learn about their driving and charging habits. The company also asked them what they wanted most in the new version. There's got to be an algorithm buried somewhere in GM headquarters that was used to take all of the numbers GM collected and spat out the headline figures for the 2016 Volt: 50 miles of EV range and 41 miles per gallon. Another important number – price – is something GM isn't talking about yet (expect it in April or May), but the company is sharing some powertrain details about the upcoming car. At a preview lunch in Detroit last week for the SAE 2015 Hybrid & Electric Vehicles Technologies Symposium that's happening now in California, GM engineers Peter Savagian (who is presenting a paper on the new inverter used in the updated Volt) and Tim Grewe (talking about the entire second-generation powertrain) sat down with AutoblogGreen to tell us about the Volt's all-new propulsion system: The overall gist is that the new Voltec 5ET50 drive unit is lighter, smaller and more powerful thanks to a redesigned two-motor traction drive. As previously reported, the new engine is a 1.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder that offers 101-horsepower (at 5,600 RPM). Grewe said it's "great for range extension." The electric motor side of the powertrain offers 149 motoring horsepower from a two-motor, continuously variable transaxle. Initially, the new engine will be made in Mexico. GM will move production to Flint, MI during the first year it makes the 2016 Volt. The battery is slightly bigger in the new Volt – 18.4 kWh compared to 16.5 in the current-gen – and will have less range variation in the cold. GM is also using more of the overall capacity in the pack in the 2016 Volt than in previous versions, but is not saying how much more. GM is not ready to publish acceleration times just yet, but the 2016 Volt has improved numbers, especially when going from 30-60 miles per hour. Most everything on the new powertrain has become more efficient compared to the first-gen Volt.

Big discounts on 2015 Chevy Volt before 2016 model arrives

Having not driven it yet, this writer thinks the 2016 Chevrolet Volt appears to be an excellent update to country's flagship hybrid. The current car, though, still has plenty to offer and can hold its Bowtie high. If you'd rather save money on a 2015 than have the latest technology, a Cars Direct rundown of incentives and lease deals on a 2015 Volt shows that fruit is ready to be plucked. With plenty of the current model year on dealer lots, Chevy has more than doubled the rebate to $2,500, and offers 2.9-percent financing for 48 months. If you want to lease, the signing payment is now only $500, down from $1,499. You can get that down to zero dollars if you're trading in a competitor. Payments for 39 months are reduced $50, to $249. So it's officially open season for hardcore Volt haggling. Admittedly, though, it will probably only get better as we get close to the 2016s rolling into dealerships, so you can start lining up a deal now but know your position will only strengthen as the weeks pass. Related Video: