Another Win for the Impala

            Another top award in the auto industry has gone to Chevrolet’s all new Impala.  This award comes from Consumer Reports and the award is the best large sedan.  This is the first domestic car to have the

highest award from Consumer Reports since they’ve been keeping score in 1992.  During all that time, there were 11 Japanese and 9 European cars taking the top honor.  This year is different with the Impala as it not only got the first domestic car taking the top score in the large sedan category, but it got one of the highest scores Consumer Reports has ever graded on a car.  The only two that beat it was the Tesla Model S and BMW 135i.

            The score the Impala was a 95 out of 100. Consumer Reports says that Impala boasts “agile handling” and “excellent braking.” The interior and fit is made from higher quality parts that look great.  In fact the Impala is so good, it competes directly with cars that are $20,000 more expensive than it and can win against those cars in a head to head competition.  The new Chevy Impala is showing just how good domestic cars really are and how they are just as good if not better than the European and Japanese imports.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

The 2013 Chevy Cruze

            The 2013 Chevy Cruze is becoming the standard for fuel efficiency, comfort and power for the smaller class of cars out there today.  At Handy Chevrolet, we have a variety of different model Cruzes to choose from to suit anyone’s needs.  Approaching 40mpg highway, you won’t have to be filling up the tank once a week, more like once every two weeks.

            The engine in the Chevy Cruze is a 1.4 Liter I-4 with 16 valves and an intercooled turbocharger.  The Turbo 1.4L makes 138hp at 4900RPM and 148 ft-lbs of torque at 1850RPM.  You can also choose from a naturally aspirated I-4 that makes the same 138hp but at 6300RPM.  Torque is down slightly from the turbo 1.4L to 125 ft-lbs at 3800RPM.  Both the turbo and non-turbocharged are electronically fuel injected. Also being offered this year is the 2.0L turbocharged diesel I-4, which makes 151hp at 4000RPM and 264 ft-lbs of torque at 2600RPM.  Both of the non-diesel engines feature electronic fuel injection and the diesel is direct injected. 

            Interior packages come in the LS, 1LT, ECO, 2LT, and LTZ.  The LTZ is the most luxurious of the options, which feature options like leather seats, heated steering wheel, and a premium 9-speaker sound system.  The lower models are still features with 6-speakers as standard.  The LS, 1LT, ECO and 2LT Cruze models can also come with a manual 6-speed transmission if you want.

            What is the starting price for the Chevy Cruze?  $17,170 and the highest price for a new Cruze is in the low $30,000 range.  With the cheap price and the fuel savings you will get driving a Cruze to and from work, it is worth buying.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

NASCAR takes to the Dirt Track

            For the first time in over 40 years, a NASCAR race will be run on a dirt track.  Where will it be run?  Ohio’s Eldora Speedway owned by Tony Stewart.  When will it take place?  Wednesday night, July 24^th.

            The last time a NASCAR race was run on dirt was September 30^th, 1970 at State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Richard Petty won that race driving a Plymouth. The CarCash Mudsummer Classic is the first time NASCAR has returned to the surface since that time.

            The ½ mile dirt oval is owned by Tony Stewart where he talked to NASCAR almost half-jokingly asking to see if there could be a race held there.  Eventually talks commenced and the end result is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run the race in two days under the lights.  The standard lineup of cars for the Truck Series is 36 trucks, but due to the track not being able to accommodate all 36 trucks, the lineup was trimmed to 30.

            The qualifying procedures for the race will be very different compared to the standard qualifying routine for NASCAR.  It will start off with a standard two lap qualifying session to determine the starting order for the qualifying heat races.  There will be five qualifying races, each consisting of eight laps each.  Five trucks will transfer from each race.  At the end of these qualifying races, there will be 25 trucks locked into the show. The next five trucks will qualify for the race in a Last Chance Race.  This race will be a little bit longer and the top four advance to the race.  The last person to start will be a champions provisional.  If all the past series champions entered have already qualified, the driver finishing 5^th in the Last Chance Race will start the race.

            Will this be a success for NASCAR?  We all will find out Wednesday night.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

Limited Edition Colors for the Sonic

            When Chevrolet first introduced the Sonic in 2011 with the initial launch color being a bright Orange.  The car made a splash during the commercials of Super Bowl XLVI with the commercial showing its first kickflip, skydive, bungee jump and music video.  After that introduction, that bright Orange paint, dubbed Inferno Orange left the color palette of the Sonic and the car was left with more traditional colors.

            As a way to spice things up and keep things fresh with the Sonic, Chevy will be introducing three limited edition colors for the car.  The first, which will be introduced in August, will be called Deep Magenta Metallic.  This color is a plum-like color that Chevy decided to develop after seeing the success of the pink color that was on the Spark.

            The second color of the special edition lineup will be introduced in November and be known as Cool Blue, which is a greyish blue.  After that, Dragon Green, will be introduced in the first quarter of 2014 and become a standard part of the color lineup during that time.

            These colors will only be available for a limited amount of time.  Deep Magenta Metallic will be available from August-November.  Cool Blue will be available from November-March and Dragon Green be a standard color, beginning next year.

            If any of these special edition colors are of interest to you, please check www.handychevy.com periodically to see if your dream color is available.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

100th Anniverary of the Chevrolet Bowtie

            This year marks the 100^th anniversary of one of the most iconic symbols in the automotive world, the Chevrolet bowtie.  William Durant, a co-founder of Chevrolet introduced the signature on the Chevy H-2 Royal Mail and H-4 Baby Grand.  Since that time, Chevy has produced a countless number of vehicles, some better than others, but that bowtie on the front of the car has gone almost unchanged from its first days all those years ago.

            Today, there are over 60 million Chevys on the roads worldwide.  Of the 215 million that have been produced, over ¼ of them are still on the roads today.  This year, Chevy set a sales record of 2.5 million cars sold across the globe in the first six months of this year.  That’s an average of one car every 6.39 seconds according to the Chevrolet media website.  

            The only changes to the bowtie have been subtle ones, or designs around that famous emblem.  For instance, in 1955, there was a special badge put on the hood of the 1955 Chevy Bel Air, and in the middle of the badge was the bowtie.  Today, all Chevy cars and trucks share the same bowtie, which will go relatively unchanged hopefully for the next hundred years.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

Chevrolet Impala gets a Five-Star Safety Score

            The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala received the highest safety score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, five stars.  The new car has many “firsts” never before used in a Chevrolet car, like radar.  There are other alerts, both visual and audible that help keep the driver aware of his surroundings.  Here’s some of those safety features that the Impala features.

            Thanks to installing radar in the Impala, it can now make use of adaptive cruise control.  The technology senses cars ahead of it, and will slow itself down and even pick up speed again.  This is the first time this sort of technology has been installed in a Chevy.  Another technology that is brand new to Chevy is crash imminent braking.  The same radar that makes adaptive cruise control possible also detects a possible crash, and, if need be, will apply the brakes itself to try and avoid the crash.  The radar also detects cars and motorcycles that enter your blind spot.  When it does find one, it will give out an alert to avoid cutting that car off if you go to pass another vehicle on the interstate.  The radar also helps out with rear crossing traffic as you are pulling out of a parking space to make sure you don’t inadvertently run into anybody.

            Cameras placed on the car help give out lane departure warnings should you begin to drift into the lane next to you.  The rear vision camera shows up on Chevy’s infotainment system and helps when backing out of a parking space, or backing in.  There are also guidelines that give a reference to show where the car will end up as you are parking.  Sensors in the rear of the car also give out warnings when you are getting near another vehicle.

            A neat new feature on the Impala is brake pre-fill feature.  Whenever the driver takes his/her foot off the accelerator, the car increases hydraulic pressure slightly to the brake lines which helps cut down on stopping distance.  Lastly, there is hill hold/start assist, where the car holds its position on the hill as the driver moves their foot over to the gas pedal.

            In addition to all the cameras, radar, and other sensors on the car, the Impala also comes with 10 standard airbags to help cushion the impact of a possible crash.  With all this safety in mind, along with GM designing a good looking, fuel efficient car, it’s hard to overlook the Impala as a possible buy as your next choice of vehicle.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala has Arrived

            After a long wait, the Chevy Impala has arrived at Handy Chevrolet. After seeing pictures of the car online, I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like in person.  This is the first redesign of the Impala since the 2006.  The new redesign is based off the popular Buick Lacrosse. The wheelbase was increased 1.2 inches over the previous generation.  In the interior, Chevy designers found an extra 5.7 inches of legroom across the length of the car, which is a drastic improvement over the previous generation Impala.

            The new Impala at Handy Chevrolet is the LTZ package.  This is a higher end model with more luxurious options.  Some of those options in that are in this Impala are leather seats, heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, rear camera, rear park assist and much more. 

            GM designer, John Cafaro designed the shapes and lines that grace the exterior of the Chevy Impala.  The car has a more modern look and looks like a big car.  The interior transfers some of those lines from the exterior into more graceful lines along the dashboard and down into the center console.  The steering wheel resembles the Chevy bowtie, which I found to be a neat little touch.  The interior also looks as big as the exterior of the car.  The interior also features an 8 inch MyLink infotainment system exclusive to Chevy only.

            The Impala currently at Handy Chevrolet is powered by a Direct Injected 3.6L V-6.  Chevy also offers a 2.5L ECOTEC I-4.  The V-6 makes an impressive 305 horsepower at 6800RPM with 264 ft-lbs of torque.  The I-4 makes 195 horsepower and 187 ft-lbs of torque.  Both engines are direct injected and feature variable valve timing for optimum fuel efficiency. 

            The next generation of the Chevy Impala has arrived and with it some exciting cues from generations past have helped revive the car with a storied history.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

Radio Control Model Airplanes

            When you think of Radio Controlled model airplanes, what is the first thing that comes to mind? They’re small, electric powered toys you could get at a RadioShack.  While that is part of the realm of model airplanes, that is the tip of the iceberg for the universe of model aviation.  There are many airplanes being built today that are 10 feet long, weigh 40 pounds and have engines in them that can develop twice that amount of thrust. Many of the aerobatic RC planes today can perform maneuvers that would not be possible with a human inside it because of the violence of them.

            Radio control model airplanes originally evolved from free flight airplanes, when people sought to control those airplanes on the way up.  Eventually, the government set aside certain radio frequencies for model aircraft pilots to use.  The downfall with this was that only one radio was allowed to be on the same frequency at the same time. If another pilot turned his/her radio on when another one was in use, the airplanes would suffer interference and could result in crashing.  Now thanks to technology advances, radios now transmit under 2.4 GHz frequencies.  This allows virtually an unlimited amount of airplanes to be flying at the same time, and doesn’t interfere with other planes in flight.

            Over the years, with the introduction of more powerful engines, and servos, the aerobatic side of model aircraft has been able to perform maneuvers full size airplanes can only dream of performing.  Many airplanes are able to hover inches above the ground and climb vertically out of the hover.  They can also roll at a dizzying rate such that even the highest performing airplanes can’t reach.  These same airplanes are also able to just twist, spin and tumble within their own axis depending on the skill of the pilot in control of that airplane.

            Scale aircraft of today can be built to look just like their full scale counterparts.  In fact, in the movie, The Aviator, many of the flying scenes were shot using giant-scale models of Howard Hughes’ airplanes.  The reason being is that even model airplanes look more realistic compared to computer generated animation.

            There are a variety of different quality powerplants to choose from when flying R/C.  The standard choice is the nitro powered engines. These engines are internal combustion engines and the fuel is typically a mix of nitromethane, oil and methanol. They can range in size from .10 cubic inch to 2.00 cubic inches. There’s also gas powered engines.  These are very similar to the type of engine you find in chainsaws and weedwackers, just built and timed differently.  These engines can range in size from 10cc all the way up to 200+cc with multiple cylinders.  Another increasingly popular form of propulsion is electric.  They work exactly how they sound, through batteries and electricity.  Those can range from the smallest toys all the way up to the giant scale airplanes.  The final method of propulsion is also the most expensive, jet engines.  These jet work the same way as the full size jet engines, run on JetA fuel and are very expensive.

            Radio Controlled model airplanes are a very exciting and rewarding hobby. You can get performance today that even exceeds today’s full sized airplanes, and can learn how to fly them very quickly.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

St. Albans, VT

More details emerge about the SS

            Chevy just recently announced more details about the SS set to hit showroom floors this fall.  For the first time in almost 20 years, Chevy is returning to the rear wheel drive performance sedan.  The SS will be powered by a 415hp, 6.2L V-8.  Performance with that motor and car will put 0-60 in
the five second range.  The transmission will only be an automatic, but it can be shifted thanks to shifting paddles on the steering wheel. Chevy does promise near 50/50 weight distribution so driving the new car should be a lot of fun and handle well.  The SS will be available in five colors, Mystic Green, Silver Ice Metallic, Red Hot 2, Phantom Black Metallic, and Heron White and the interior will only be offered in jet black.

            Only one model of the SS will be offered but it will come standard with features such as MyLink, touch screen panel, a Bose premium audio system with satellite radio, a color head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats, a rearview camera with rear-park assist, blind-spot alert and lane-departure warning, and keyless entry with push-button start. The only two options that will be available for the car is a power sunroof for $900 and a full-size spare tire for $500.

            What will the Chevy SS cost with the big motor in it, and all the features that come with it? A modest $44,470.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

St. Albans, VT

Chevy Cruze Diesel

            During the fuel and energy crisis in the 1970s and 80s, automakers began introducing diesel powered cars. Diesel engines are more efficient than cars that run on regular 87 octane gasoline.  Part of this that is because diesel engines have a much higher compression ratio than a typical gasoline powered engine.  With

the higher compression, diesel engines don’t need spark plugs to ignite the fuel/air mixture; it is done on its own.  Since diesel is a more efficient way to run an engine, why hasn’t it caught on with the American public?

            Back in the 1980s, diesel engines were rushed into public to provide a more efficient alternative to regular gasoline. However, these cars were noisy, smelled weird and were unreliable. Those cars also tended to shake due to the vibration of the diesel engine.  This left a bad taste in the public’s mouth and diesel powered cars soon began disappearing from the streets. 

            Thanks to technological advances, the diesel engine is beginning to make a comeback and this is evident with Chevrolet introducing a diesel version of the popular Cruze.  This is not the old diesel from the 1980s, this is an all new animal based on its much larger cousin, the Duramax diesel.  Chevy is using a steel crankshaft with aluminum pistons and aluminum heads.  All of this brings in a compression ratio of 16.5:1; compared to the standard 1.8L I4’s 10.5:1.

            Diesel engines run at lower RPM than their gasoline engine counterparts, so they’ll make more torque than horsepower.  The Cruze diesel makes an impressive 264 ft-lbs of torque compared to 125 for the 1.8L. The diesel can make up to 280 ft-lbs of overboost torque for a maximum of 10 seconds.

            The real eye opener with the Cruze diesel is the fuel economy.  Car and Driver reported at 55mph, a fuel economy of 58.4mpg. The EPA rated the fuel economy at 46mpg highway and 27mpg city.  This is better than the Cruze diesel’s competitor, the Volkswagen Jetta.  The Jetta is rated at 42mpg highway.  The Cruze also makes more horsepower at 151 compared to the Jetta’s 140.  Torque also goes to the Cruze at 264 ft-lbs compared to the Jetta’s 236. The Cruze also has a better warranty at five years/100,000 miles.  The Jetta is five year/60,000 miles.

            It’s clear that Chevy is developing a formidable diesel automobile, and changing the public’s opinion on diesel engines from their bad experiences in the 1980s.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

2014 Chevy Malibu

            After the introduction of the all-new 2013 Chevy Malibu, Chevrolet sought out to try and improve on the car for the 2014 model year.  The new car was unveiled at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix late last week. 

           The styling of the car was changed slightly with more aggressive headlights and grille.  There was nothing wrong with the 2013 styling, but GM just sought out to refine the looks a little bit.  The bigger improvements were made in the interior and under the hood of the car.

            Customers will enjoy the increase in legroom over the 2013 Malibu.  GM designers were able to squeeze out an additional 1.25” of legroom to sitting in the back a little easier on the knees.  While it doesn’t sound like much, 1.25” is enough to keep your legs from hitting the seat in front of you and give you just a little more room to stretch out. The interior was also improved in the center console area of the car.  Chevy replaced the storage area with cup holders and cell phone bins. The Malibu will also come with Chevy’s version of infotainment, MyLink.

            Under the hood, Malibu customers will have a choice of either the naturally aspirated 2.5L Direct Injected four-cylinder, or the 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder engine. Engineers were able to squeeze out more performance with the engines that are available in the Malibu.  The 2.5L features variable valve timing and Intake Valve Lift Control, which is said to enhance low end torque. However, with the new technology, the engine loses one horsepower to 196 and also loses five ft-lbs of torque to 186.  If people want an increase in performance, the turbocharged 2.0L saw a boost in power.  The horsepower rating stays the same at 259, but torque went up an impressive 35 ft-lbs to 295.  Fuel economy improved slightly to 35mpg highway.

            With the small tweaks made to an already fine motor vehicle, The Malibu should sell even better than it did in 2012.

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet

Slowly Approaching the halfway point of the MLB season

            It is now May 30^th; the Yankees have played 52 games so far this year and are currently in 2^nd place, one game behind the Boston Red Sox.  Here are some surprises so far this year.  The Toronto Blue Jays, after purchasing essentially the Marlins entire starting lineup of all stars are in last place in the AL east.  Many people, including myself thought Toronto was going to be the team to beat this year with their

offseason moves. 

Another surprise is the Los Angeles Dodgers are in last place in the NL west.  Matt Kemp has been struggling immensely at the plate along with some of the other players the Dodgers have.  Their manager, Don Mattingly has been under tough scrutiny lately as people try to look for a reason why the team is performing poorly.  It is not Mattingly’s fault, he is trying to put together a winning ball club on the field and his all stars are not performing like they have in the past.

One of the biggest questions many people have is how in the world are the New York Yankees not in last place in the AL east.  Their entire lineup has been decimated with injuries, and manager Joe Giradi has been calling up people from the AAA club to fill in for the newly open spots on the team.  The list of people on the DL would make for a nice starting lineup.  This is a list of people that include, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Andy Pettitte, Mark Texiera, Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Youkilis, Francisco Cervelli, Eduardo Nunez, Michael Pineda, and Cesar Cabral. Manager Joe Girardi should be a frontrunner for manager of the year while dealing with all of his stars going down for one reason or another.  Sadly they just came off a sweep to the New York Mets, but could rebound this weekend playing against the Red Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles have proven this year that making the playoffs last year was no fluke. Currently they are 2.5 games behind the first place Boston Red Sox and .5 games back of the Yankees.  First baseman, Chris Davis has been unstoppable at the plate for the O’s and going stride for stride with 2012 triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera. Davis’ teammates, Manny Machado, Nate Mclouth, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones have all been batting above .300 making the Baltimore lineup a tough one for pitchers.

Will Matt Kemp and the Dodgers bounce back later this season for a playoff berth?  Will the Yankees continue to win games and be in contention for an AL east win, or will the Red Sox or Orioles take that away from them.  What do you think will be the end result to the 2013 MLB season?

Matthew Colan

Handy Chevrolet