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2014 Chevrolet Cruze TD fires up its new diesel motor

Ever since General Motors confirmed plans to produce a diesel-powered Cruze back in 2011, we've been eagerly awaiting its arrival. And as part of the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, Chevrolet has pulled back the cover on its oil-burning compact sedan, set to go on sale in the near future with a starting price of $25,695, not including $810 for destination.
The heart and soul of the Cruze TD (that's its official name) is a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline four-cylinder engine rated at 148 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, mated solely to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine also has an overboost function that will increase torque to 280 lb-ft for up to ten seconds. The full brace of official specs haven't been released, but GM tells us that highway fuel economy will come in at 42 miles per gallon. If that number sounds familiar, it's because the Volkswagen Jetta TDI has the exact same rating. Unlike the Jetta, however, the Cruze TD can run on B20 biodiesel, where as the Volkswagen can only accept B5.
Model-specific changes to this 2014 Cruze TD include an aero kit and unique 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there's a full leather interior, and Chevrolet will provide two years of complimentary scheduled maintenance, not to mention a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

2015 Chevy Impala Bi-fuel burns CNG, starts at $37,385*

Currently, the only natural-gas-powered passenger car offered for sale by an OEM in the US is the Honda Civic Natural Gas. Starting this fall, that long-running CNG car will be joined by a CNG-burning 2015 Chevy Impala for both fleet and retail customers. General Motors announced today that the car will start at $37,385, plus an $825 destination charge. That comes to $38,210 before taxes and options. Those options include two trim lines, the base LS and the upper-level LT. Chevy doesn't break out the details in the press release announcing the price, but you can see the trim details for the standard gas-powered 2014 Impala here. Exact information on the 2015 models is not available just yet, but GM spokesman Chad Lyons told AutoblogGreen that the equipment that you see listed on the site for 2014 is "almost exactly the same" as what will be available for 2015. The 2015 Impala gets around 19 city mpg on CNG, but official EPA numbers are not yet available. That means the LS will come with 18-inch aluminum wheels, electric variable-assist power steering, projector-beam headlamps, and 10 air bags. The LT adds an eight-inch touch screen with MyLink, premium Cloth interior and dual-zone automatic climate controls. The cost for this upgrade is unspecified. For CNG purposes, we can ignore the numerical prefix used for the gas-powered LT trims, since that denominates the engine type, and all the CNG models use a 3.6-liter engine with hardened valves and valve seats that can better handle natural gas. The trunk capacity also drops from 18.8 cubic feet to 10 cu .ft. in order to fit in the CNG tank that holds the equivalent of 7.8 gallons of gas. That amount of CNG should move you 150 city miles, which is around 19 mpg, but official EPA numbers are not yet available. With the addition of the gasoline on board, the overall range is 500 city miles. The car burns CNG when available and switches to gas with "no interruption" either when the tank is empty or when the driver selects the gas tank. Find more details in the press release below. GM says the CNG Impala will will be available nationwide this fall. CNG is a growing fuel in the US, thanks in part to fracking. The Civic Natural Gas, which starts at $26,640, is growing towards a nationwide availability. Next year, for example, the Shell Eco-marathon Americas in Detroit will allow CNG for the first time. Chevrolet Announces Pricing of CNG-Capable 2015 Impala 2014-05-06 LONG BEACH, Calif.

Chevy to resume engine-building program for 2015 Corvette Z06

One of Chevrolet's most popular and unique customer features is set to return for 2015, as the company has announced that the Engine Build Experience is back. Interested owners will be able to screw together their engines beginning in March. The $5,000 option (which does not include the cost of travel) will give future owners of the 2015 Corvette Z06 the chance to screw together their car's actual 6.2-liter, supercharged V8. Available on each of the Z06's three trims, the Engine Build Experience includes a day at the Performance Build Center, instruction from an engine assembly tech, photographs of the experience and a personalized engine plaque. Once the build process is completed, the engine will (eventually) be fitted under the hood of the customer's personal Z06. "Chevrolet recognizes the passion customers have for Corvette and the Engine Build Experience offers them a truly unique opportunity for hands-on involvement in the creation of the heart of their new car," Corvette product manager Harlan Charles. "It's important for customers to understand their engine won't be installed the day after they built it. It will flow into the scheduling process for vehicle assembly, which depends on a number of logistical variables." Scroll down for the official announcement of the Z06's Engine Build Experience, available below. Exclusive Corvette Engine Build Experience Returns Program renewed for supercharged LT4 engine at new Bowling Green build center 2015-01-07 BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Chevrolet announced today it is resuming the exclusive Engine Build Experience for Corvette Z06 customers – the only program of its kind for supercar customers. Starting in March 2015, Corvette Z06 customers will be able to assemble the 650-hp supercharged LT4 engine for their cars at the new Performance Build Center inside the Bowling Green Assembly Plant. "Chevrolet recognizes the passion customers have for Corvette and the Engine Build Experience offers them a truly unique opportunity for hands-on involvement in the creation of the heart of their new car," said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager. "It's a chance to bond with their new car." The Engine Build Experience is selected with order code PBC and is offered on all Z06 trim levels.