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How Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra will take on the Ford F-150 profit machine

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — When General Motors engineers were developing the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, some of them joined public tours of Ford's Dearborn, Mich., factory to watch aluminum-bodied F-Series trucks go down the assembly line. The redesign of the Ford F-Series trucks, launched in 2014, set a new standard for fuel economy and lightweight vehicle construction. But armed with stopwatches and trained eyes, the GM engineers believed they saw problems. "They had a real hard time getting those doors to fit," Tim Herrick, the executive chief engineer for GM truck programs, told Reuters. His team did more intelligence gathering. They bought and tore apart Ford F-Series doors sold as repair parts. Their conclusion: GM could cut weight in its trucks for a lower cost using doors made of a combination of aluminum and high-strength steel that could be thinner than standard steel, shaving off kilograms in the process. These pounds-and-pennies decisions will have major implications in the highest-stakes game going in Detroit: dominance in the world's most profitable vehicle market, the gasoline-fueled large pickup segment. What's more, GM is banking on strong sales of overhauled 2019 Silverados and GMC Sierras to fund its push into automated and electric vehicles — a business many investors see as the auto industry's long-term future. The risks are high given the hits automakers have taken from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies. Rising aluminum prices spurred by Trump's tariffs are driving up costs on the Ford's F-Series, while rising steel and aluminum prices likewise drag on GM results. GM also has a significant risk should the United States, Mexico and Canada fail to agree on a new NAFTA trade deal, given GM trucks built at its Silao, Mexico, factory could face a 25 percent tariff if NAFTA collapses. Major profit per truck Interviews with GM executives and a tour at its factory here in northwest Indiana provide a detailed look inside GM's plan for the most important vehicles in its global lineup. These big pickups are everything Tesla's Model 3 or Chevy's Bolt electric car is not. The mostly steel body is bolted to the truck's steel frame, rather than the one-piece body and frame electric vehicles. The majority of trucks will have a V-8 gasoline engine powering the rear wheels — like the classic GM cars of the 1950s. Some Silverados will have new four-cylinder engines, but there is no electric or hybrid offering as of now.

Chevy donates first 2015 COPO Camaro for wounded vets

Want to get your hands on a new COPO Camaro? Only 69 will be made this year before it's phased out ahead of the next Camaro's arrival. And the very first one will be auctioned off this weekend in Palm Beach. That's where Barrett-Jackson will be selling the hand-built drag-racer with the serial number 2015COPO001. The vehicle is being donated by Chevy, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, a charitable organization that helps disabled athletes, especially veterans of the armed services. Introduced last fall at SEMA, the 2015 COPO Camaro is built specifically for drag racing with a 350-cubic-inch LSX racing engine with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. It's got 555 horsepower, a three-speed automatic transmission (it's a drag machine, not a circuit racer after all), all the requisite safety equipment, special suspension setup, unique livery and a quarter-mile time in the mid-eights. Look for this unique example to cross the auction block at around 5 PM on Friday, April 18, when we hope it will raise a princely sum for a good cause. 2015 COPO Camaro No. 1 Sale to Benefit Disabled Veterans Top bid from Barrett-Jackson goes to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans DETROIT – Chevrolet is selling the first 2015 COPO Camaro race car to raise money for Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, which helps wounded veterans participate in marathons and share their success within a supportive community including their families. The hand-built car carries serial number 2015COPO001. It will be sold on Saturday, April 18, at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction, with 100 percent of the winning bid going to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, a non-profit organization that helps disabled athletes, including veterans, gain access to races, equipment, and training dedicated to improve their physical abilities. "This sale gives the highest bidder the opportunity to buy the first of only 69 factory-assembled 2015 COPO Camaro race cars, the final year of the fifth-generation Camaro," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "Chevrolet is excited to offer this milestone Camaro to help a very worthy organization." Chevrolet introduced 2015 COPO Camaro No. 001 last fall at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it has been featured in Chevrolet Performance advertising and other marketing initiatives.

First privately owned Corvette Stingray blitzes 1/4 mile in 12.23 at 114.88 mph

Chevrolet's latest road rocket, the Corvette Stingray, is a very quick car. If one needs further proof of that, we recommend they take a look at this video from Hennessey of what is claimed to be the first privately owned C7 Corvette to make a pass down the quarter mile. Not just any quarter mile, mind, this black C7 blitzed its way down the tuner's primary testing dragstrip. The Chevrolet ran the quarter in just 12.23 seconds at 114.88 miles per hour. That is a very quick time for a stock car.
Equipped with the Z51 package and a six-speed automatic transmission, not only does the C7 run a solid time, but it does so with little to no drama. That won't last though, as Hennessey will likely return it to its owner with far more power - we just hope they show a drag run of the completed product. Take a look below to watch the C7's 12.23-second run on video.