2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco on 2040-cars

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GM’s move to Woodward is the right one — for the company and for Detroit

Back in 2018, Chevy invited me to attend the Detroit Auto Show on the company dime to get an early preview of the then-newly redesigned Silverado. The trip involved a stay at the Renaissance Center — just a quick People Mover ride from the show. IÂ’d been visiting Detroit in January for nearly a decade, and not once had I set foot inside General MotorsÂ’ glass-sided headquarters. I was intrigued, to say the least. Thinking back on my time in the buildings that GM will leave behind when it departs for the new Hudson's site on Woodward Avenue, two things struck me. For one, its hotel rooms are cold in January. Sure, itÂ’s glass towers designed in the 1960s and '70s; I calibrated my expectations accordingly. But when I could only barely see out of the place for all the ice forming on the inside of the glass, it drove home just how flawed this iconic structure is.  My second and more pertinent observation was that the RenCen doesnÂ’t really feel like itÂ’s in a city at all, much less one as populous as Detroit. The complex is effectively severed from its surroundings by swirling ribbons of both river and asphalt. To the west sits the Windsor tunnel entrance; to the east, parking lots for nearly as far as the eye can see. To its north is the massive Jefferson Avenue and to its south, the Detroit River. You get the sense that if Henry Ford II and his team of investors had gotten their way, the whole thing would have been built offshore with the swirling channel doubling as a moat. This isnÂ’t a building the draws the city in; itÂ’s one designed to keep it out. Frost on the inside of the RenCen hotel glass. Contrasted with the new Hudson's project GM intends to move into, a mixed-use anchor with residential, office, retail and entertainment offerings smack-dab in Detroit's most vibrant district, the RenCen is a symbol of an era when each office in DetroitÂ’s downtown was an island in a rising sea of dilapidation. Back then, those who fortified against the rapid erosion of DetroitÂ’s urban bedrock stood the best chance of surviving. This was the era that brought us ugly skyways and eventually the People Mover — anything to help suburban commuters keep their metaphorical feet dry. The RenCen offered — and still offers — virtually any necessity and plenty of nice-to-haves, all accessible without ever venturing outside, especially in the winter, but those enticements are geared to those who trek in from suburbia to toil in its hallways.

2023 Chevy Equinox price goes up a few hundred bucks

Chevrolet and GMC have uploaded the configurators for sibling crossovers the 2023 Chevy Equinox and 2023 GMC Terrain. Both get a few changes to improve performance, and new paints. GM jettisoned the turbocharged 1.5-liter gas engine making 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque in both vehicles. Replacing it is a different turbocharged 1.5-liter gas engine making 175 hp and 203 lb-ft. The Equinox sends its power through a six-speed transmission, the Terrain fits a nine-speed transmission. On the Equinox, fuel economy in standard front-wheel drive trims holds steady, but the AWD trims lose one mile per gallon in their city and combined EPA ratings. On the Terrain, FWD trims lose one mile per gallon across the board, the AWD trims lose one mile per gallon in the city only. Both models also upgrade to an electro-hydraulic brake system, leaving vacuum-assisted braking behind. The Equinox color palette drops Cherry Red Tintcoat, Seaglass Blue Metallic and Silver Ice Metallic for replaces with Harvest Bronze Metallic, Radiant Red Tintcoat, and Sterling Gray Metallic. Buyers who want the razzle dazzle of the Equinox's optional Blackout and Redline Edition Packages are out of luck at the moment, both appearance flourishes unavailable to order. The Terrain's paint menu drops Cayenne Red Tintcoat, Hunter Metallic, and Quicksilver Metallic for Deep Bronze Metallic, Sterling Metallic, and Volcanic Red Tintcoat. All-wheel drive can be added to any Equinox and Terrain trim for $1,600, save for the Terrain AT4 and Denali that come standard with AWD. Prices for the 2023 Chevy Equinox after the $1,395 destination charge, and their differences from 2022, are: Equinox LS: $27,995 ($300) Equinox LT: $29,095 ($300) Equinox RS: $32,095 ($100) Equinox Premier: $33,195 ($300) New pricing for the 2023 GMC Terrain can only be seen when you visit the configurator's Summary page. The initial Build & Price page shows MSRP before the $1,500 premium on every trim to that pays for the mandatory OnStar with Connected Services plan. After the $1,395 destination charge, the new prices are: Terrain SLE: $31,295 Terrain SLT: $35,295 Terrain AT4: $37,395 Terrain Denali: $39,995  

Next-gen Chevy Volt gets Corvette looks, adjustable regen levels

The hood may say "full speed ahead." The regenerative braking system says "slow down a bit." One person's automotive improvements is another's identity crisis, all in a day's work analyzing the new Chevrolet Volt. The next-generation version of General Motors' first extended-range plug in will include design touches taken from to the new Chevrolet Corvette, GM's iconic sports car. Hexagonal taillights and a "taut" hood will be part of the new package, Automotive News says, citing General Motors design chief Ed Wilbur. But does that mean the Volt is shedding any of its green-car cred? Not at all, if one considers that the Volt will also let the driver adjust the degree of regenerative braking using steering-wheel paddles to dial up and recapture as much energy as possible and engage in "one-pedal" driving or turn it down for easier coasting. Check out the 55-second video below featuring GM executives Mark Reuss and Andrew Farah trying out the Volt's new regenerative-braking system that was first used on the Cadillac ELR. GM will have more details for us when it unveils the 2016 Chevy Volt at the North American Auto Show in Detroit next month. The new version is said to have a larger battery, a longer all-electric driving range and more power, but Chevy's been fairly mum on those sorts of performance details so far. Green Chevrolet Electric volt cadillac elr corvette regenerative braking