Automotive

Chevy Colorado uses eight-speed auto to sip, not swig

Chevy Colorado uses eight-speed auto to sip, not swig
The new Colorado gets more gears, more power and better fuel economy
The new Colorado gets more gears, more power and better fuel economy 
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The Colorado has been fitted with an eight-speed gearbox
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The Colorado has been fitted with an eight-speed gearbox
Chevy has thoroughly reworked its 3.6-liter V6
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Chevy has thoroughly reworked its 3.6-liter V6
The Colorado's new gearbox makes for better low-down performance, and improved highway cruising
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The Colorado's new gearbox makes for better low-down performance, and improved highway cruising 
The Colorado has been given a working over for better economy
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The Colorado has been given a working over for better economy 
Even though the new eight-speed auto has more gears than before, it doesn't weigh anymore than before
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Even though the new eight-speed auto has more gears than before, it doesn't weigh anymore than before 
Chevrolet wants to make the Colorado the go-to midsize truck
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Chevrolet wants to make the Colorado the go-to midsize truck
The new Colorado gets more gears, more power and better fuel economy
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The new Colorado gets more gears, more power and better fuel economy 
The Colorado's engine has been improved with better valve timing
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The Colorado's engine has been improved with better valve timing 
Cylinder deactivation makes this a more efficient truck
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Cylinder deactivation makes this a more efficient truck
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Their shape hasn't changed much, but modern trucks are smarter than their ancestors. Smart material mixes are making them lighter and stronger, and smaller turbocharged powertrains have opened the door to improved fuel efficiency with no payload penalty. Chevrolet has given its Colorado a smartening up, fitting an eight-speed gearbox and a thoroughly reworked V6 for better performance and economy.

Under the hood, there's a thoroughly reworked version of the DOHC V6 featuring in the current car. The variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust have both been tweaked, and improvements in the direct injection system should help to eke out a few extra mpg, though no fuel economy figures have yet been released. There's cylinder deactivation, too, shutting down two cylinders under light loads.

Peak power has been bumped from 305 hp to 308 hp (227 to 230 kW), and the 373 Nm torque peak is an 8 Nm improvement over the what the old engine could manage.

The Colorado's engine has been improved with better valve timing
The Colorado's engine has been improved with better valve timing 

Working in tandem with the new, more efficient engine is GM's new eight-speed gearbox. Physically, it's almost exactly the same size as the outgoing 6L80 six-speed 'box, and the extensive use of aluminum and magnesium mean there's no weight penalty associated with the extra ratios.

Because there's more ratios squeezed in, the new Colorado's lower gears can be shorter for punchier off-the-line acceleration, while top gears can be taller for quiet, efficient running at highway speeds. Chevy says this is the first midsize truck to run with an eight-speeder, and only the ten-speed Ford Raptor can outdo it across the whole truck segment.

The new Colorado, with its new V6 and eight-speed automatic, will be in dealerships before the end of the year.

Source: Chevrolet

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1 comment
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sivadyar@gmail.com
I'll still buy a Ford. GM has proven to be incompetent at vehicle manufacturing.