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2016 Chevy Colorado Duramax makes 369 lb-ft for $3,730 premium

Since announcing the new Chevrolet Colorado in late 2013, there has been absolutely no secret that the 2.8-liter Duramax diesel would wind up under the hood of the midsize pickup truck for the 2016 model year. It has been a long wait for those wanting the oil-burner, but thankfully, the anticipation is nearly at an end. Chevy is finally officially unleashing details about the four-cylinder, which churns out 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The diesel is available in both LT and Z71 Crew Cab trims, and there's the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. All come with a six-speed automatic gearbox with a standard automatic-locking rear differential. An electronically controlled two-speed transfer case comes on four-wheel drive models, as well. The Z82 trailering package also arrives on all of the Duramax pickups and includes an exclusive integrated trailer brake controller. The first shipment of diesels arrives at dealers this fall with a price of $3,730 on top of a comparably equipped version with the 3.6-liter V6. Customers opting for the Duramax are getting more capability from the Colorado. With a 7,700-pound tow rating on two-wheel drive examples (7,600 pounds with four-wheel drive), drivers can haul 600-700 pounds more behind the truck than its petrol V6 counterpart. Fuel economy numbers haven't been announced yet, but are expected to top the gasoline versions. The engine is also B20 bio-diesel compatible. Beyond being just a good hauler, Chevy is throwing cutting-edge tech into these models. For example, this is the company's first application of a Centrifugal Pendulum Vibration Absorber on the transmission's torque converter. The device is a dampener that cancels out torsional vibration from the engine for a more comfortable ride for occupants. There's also a driver selectable exhaust brake system that uses engine compression to help slow down the truck and reduce brake wear. You can read more about the nuts and bolts of the diesel in Chevy's press release below. Chevrolet Introduces Colorado Duramax Diesel All-new turbo-diesel expands lineup with unparalleled capability, efficiency DETROIT – The fastest-selling truck in the market now offers an available turbo-diesel engine. The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Duramax diesel takes midsize truck capability and efficiency to unprecedented levels.

Vert-A-Pac train cars kept your Chevy Vega's price in check

Our apologies to those who've seen this before, but for the rest of the class, how awesome are these pictures of the Vert-A-Pac shipping system General Motors came up with to ship the Chevrolet Vega back in the 1970s? Developed along with Southern Pacific Railroad, GM was able to double the amount of Vega models it could ship by packing them into the unique storage cars vertically.
At the time, rail cars could fit 15 vehicles each, but Chevrolet was able to lower shipping costs by making it possible to ship 30 Vegas per rail car, in turn allowing the price of the Vega to remain as low as possible. Each rail car had 30 doors that would fold down so that a Vega could be strapped on, and then a forklift would come along and lift the door into place. All the cars were positioned nose down, and since they were shipped with all of their required fluids, certain aspects had to be designed specifically for this type of shipping, including an oil baffle in the engine, a special battery and even a repositioned windshield washer reservoir. See for yourself in our image gallery above.

What if the mid-engine Corvette is really a Cadillac?

Call me crazy, but I'm not convinced the mid-engine Corvette is the next Corvette. The rumor is strong, yes. And, contrary to some of the comments on our site, Car and Driver - leader of the mid-engine Corvette speculation brigade - has a pretty good record predicting future models. But it's another comment that got me thinking: or maybe it's a Cadillac. There is clearly something mid-engine going on at GM, and I think it makes sense for the car to be a Cadillac. First off, check out how sweet the 2002 Cadillac Cien concept car still looks in the photo above. Second, there are too many holes in the mid-engine Corvette theory. There are too many holes in the mid-engine Corvette theory. The C7 is relatively young in Corvette years, starting production almost three years ago as a 2014 model. Showing a 2019 model at the 2018 North American International Auto Show would kill sales of a strong-selling car before its time. Not to mention it would only mean a short run for the Grand Sport, which was the best-selling version of the previous generation. More stuff doesn't add up. Mid-engine cars are, in general, more expensive. Moving the Vette upmarket leaves a void that the Camaro does not fill. There's not much overlap between Camaro and Corvette customers. Corvette owners are older and enjoy features like a big trunk that holds golf clubs. Mid-engine means less trunk space and alienating a happy, loyal buyer. Also, more than 60 years of history. The Corvette is an icon along the likes of the Porsche 911 and Ford Mustang. I'm not sure the car-buying public wants a Corvette that abandons all previous conventions. And big changes bring uncertainty - I don't think GM would make such a risky bet. Chevrolet could build a mid-engine ZR1, you might say, and keep the other Corvettes front-engine. Yes they could, and it would cost a ton of money. And they still need to fund development of that front-engine car. I highly doubt the corporate accountants would go for that. But a Cadillac? Totally. Cadillac is in the middle of a brand repositioning. GM is throwing money at this effort. A mid-engine halo car is the just the splash the brand needs to shake off the ghosts of Fleetwoods past. And it's already in Cadillac President Johan De Nysschen's playbook. He was in charge of Audi's North America arm when the R8 came out. A Caddy sports car priced above $100,000 isn't that unreasonable when you can already price a CTS-V in that range.