Chevrolet Trucks Blog

The Chevy Tahoe was introduced in 2006.  It was said to have carried the title of “the next generation of the industry’s best-selling full-size SUV.”  It is comprehensively designed so as to deliver a sharper, more precise driving feel with more power and improved interior refinement.

As for the 2007 Tahoe, it is built on GM’s new full-size SUV platform.  It incorporates features such as a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a premium interior that augments the vehicle’s quality and capability.   With wider front and rear tracks to enhance handling and lower the center of gravity giving a more confident feel of the road, Tahoe 2007 owners are able to have ample comfort in driving.

The 2008 Tahoe will feature two-mode hybrid engines.  The GM have been vocal about it on the European market and is said to be hook up the V8 engine with diesel fuel rather than regular gas.  The European model is designed with automotive transmission.  However, the model being made available in the US would be manual.

The exterior design has also been altered.  It now features a lower front end mounting and some additional aerodynamic which separates the Hybrid from the regular Tahoe.  As the hybrid unit requires greater airflow, the front grille has been modified.  To top that off, a prominent Hybrid badge and gold finish complement the overall appearance of the vehicle. According to GM, even a small amount of redesign (which is featured on the Hybrid) has significantly contributed to having better fuel economy and performance. 

The Chevrolet Tahoe has already made an imprint in the SUV market and is about to take a step further. Soon it will carry in its constitution the world’s first two-mode hybrid engine delivering a 25% fuel cost reduction.

GM plans to offer the hybrid unit in both the Tahoe and the Yukon. In the future, one can expect further implementations across the GM vehicles especially since the technology involved is relatively easy to replicate.

The traditional gas powered engine is combined by two-mode hybrid engines combine with electric input, enabling it to operate in three modes: gas only, electric only and a combination. Transitions between gas and electric power are barely noticeable unless one listens for slight nuances. Aside from this, it does not do anything to affect the driving feel of the truck. As a matter of fact, it even improves the braking system. One will notice a considerable difference and the hybrid Tahoe will stop in a considerably shorter distance than the non-hybrid version.

In the hybrid Tahoe, running with a 300 volt electric that powers the automobile until it reaches 20 mph when the gas engine kicks and the Tahoe starts to run on both systems. This reduces the speed back below the 20mph as one can hear the changeover as the Tahoe revert to electric power only.

The Vortec V8 hybrid engine that comes in the Tahoe is a collaborative effort between General Motors, BMW and DaimlerChrysler. It features an Active Fuel Management system that deactivates engine cylinders efficiently turning the V8 into a V4 and hence being able to contribute in having a greater gas economy.

With the use of gasoline-electric hybrid versions of GM’s full-size SUVs, General Motors is said to be expecting 40 percent better fuel economy in city driving. Compare to GM’s counterparts who offer gasoline-only vehicles, the GM made Hybrid Chevrolet Tahoes and the GMC Yukons will consume only as much as a gallon in a 19-20 miles regular stop and go driving.

It can be noticed that other brands’ hybrid SUVs show bigger in-town gains. Averaging of a 50 percent to 80 percent better than similar gasoline models but although it does this, it sacrifices certain truck attributes: towing capacity or four-wheel-drive capabilities. The hybrid SUVs will make use a conventional four-wheel-drive system with low-range gears perfect for low-speed challenges like driving through sand and mud.

“There’s still an appetite for full-size SUVs, but gas prices have cooled things off,” says Mark Cieslak, chief engineer for GM’s full-size trucks. He adds that the rise in fuel prices added with social and political pressure for better mileage have “accelerated development” of technologies that involved saving on fuel.

The Tahoe and Yukon are both due in showrooms in the fall. They will be the first full-size gasoline-electric hybrid SUVs. The dual-mode hybrid system was developed with Chrysler Group and BMW—both planning to offer it in vehicles next year. As for GM, it will offer this feature next year on the Cadillac Escalade, then on the Chevy and GMC full-size pickups.

Come end of July in the Washington, D.C. area, GM officers will demonstrate pre-production versions of the vehicles.

Engines that burn diesel generally are more fuel-efficient than gasoline models. This is why General Motors Corp., the largest U.S. automaker and manufacturer of Chevrolet, plans to introduce a range of diesel-powered vehicles in the United States.

Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, in a video conference posted Thursday on GM’s FastLane blog, said that they are already doing a bunch of them. He adds that Detroit-based GM will offer cars, sport utility vehicles and crossover SUVs with diesel engines. Diesel engines for Chevrolet are currently available only on some large, heavy-duty pickups and medium-duty trucks. This will all change in the coming years.

People in General Motors believe that selling more vehicles with diesel engines would help Chevrolet vehicle owners not have such a hard time with the constant rise in gasoline prices. The introduction of a wide range of diesel-powered vehicles is alleged to meet the possible increase in U.S. fuel economy rules.

According to Lutz, diesel engines are not a “panacea” for meeting proposed higher fuel economy standards. The legislation now being considered in Congress would raise the requirement across each automaker’s fleet to an average of 35 miles per gallon by as early as 2018.

As of this date, the GM sells eight-cylinder turbo-diesel models of its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra large pickups; Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana large vans; and GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty trucks.

They plan to offer a six-cylinder diesel engine for cars, light trucks and crossover SUVs, and an eight-cylinder, 4.5-liter engine on SUVs in the coming years. This was all that GM disclosed for now. They didn’t provide the specifics.

The latest line of pick-up trucks from General Motors—the Chevrolet Silverado—is not only one of the best trucks around but is now also available for customization.

You can have your Silverado custom-made to fit your needs like Blountsville volunteer firefighter, Mike Shively. He is in need of a vehicle that can get through all types of road and weather conditions to make it easy for him to make it when emergency calls. He spotted a custom Chevrolet Silverado at the American Chevrolet Cadillac in Muncie and knew that it was the right truck to have.

He purchased the 2007 Silverado around June. It was a dream truck and its color, which is not far from traditional “fire engine red,” is a fine match for his job.

“I liked the truck as soon as I saw it at the dealership,” he said. “Its customization package includes 35-inch wheels and a six-inch suspension lift, yet it still fits in the garage.”

The truck’s tonneau cover turns the truck’s bed into a large trunk, making it an agreeable place to haul all the dirty firefighting gear.

“After a fire everything smells like smoke, so it’s better to haul the gear in the bed than inside the truck,” he said.

According to Blake Absher, assistant sales manager at American Chevrolet Cadillac, the customization package on the Shivelys’ truck can be ordered and be made on any four-wheel drive Silverado.

“In addition to the lifted suspension, the package includes 17-inch wheels, a polished billet grille and aggressive off-road tires,” he said. “Buyers can choose from three or four different wheel and tire combinations.”

Absher also adds that the custom package adds about $6,995 to the price of a Silverado. The exact price will depend on the specific modifications the buyer requests.

“All of the custom parts carry the same warranty as the truck itself,” he added. “This is a General Motors-approved conversion.”