GM Authority Highlights the Chevy Colorado Delete, Boosting Haul Capability

Many truck owners in and around Memphis recognize the value in adding more space to a truck: sometimes the bed itself is not quite enough for the demands of the day. Gm Authority ran a feature on their blog this week about the current-generation Chevy Colorado, and the optional exit of the rear seat on certain models. This increases the storage space in the cabin, allowing more room for luggage, camping gear, tools, or whatever else you may want to keep safe in the confines of the cab.

Without the rear seat in place, you can keep valuable tools inside, safe from the elements, and less prone to thievery. The Chevy Colorado rear-seat delete is a factory options with RPO code “ATZ,” and you can check with us here at Chuck Hutton regarding availability and body configuration. The Colorado ZR2 Bison is the high-performing truck that Cnet.com deemed “built for survivalists,” and suited for those on the hunt for an overly extreme truck. The AEV-altered version comes complete with an on-board air compressor, water storage, and a bed rack for mounting your gear.

The “bruiser that was meant to venture on the off-road path,” the ZR2 Bison made quite a statement during the 2017 Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas, back when it was first given the green light for production. Powerful protective skid plates that cover the fuel tank, transfer case, and front and rear locking differentials are one of the prominent traits that protect you while excitedly getting down to trail-blazing business. The Bison also reaps the benefit of an upgrade from the regular in the form of 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac off-road tires, beneath larger fender flares, and mounted on brand-new 17 x 18-inch aluminum wheels.

Beneath all of the additions that AEV bestowed upon the ZR2, you still get to enjoy the tough-and-very-capable traits of the Colorado like front and rear locking differentials, Multimatic DSSV dampers, cast-iron front suspension control arms, and the Autotrac transfer case. The Newswheel.com highlighted the infotainment system upgrade you get to enjoy with the 2019 Colorado: 7-inch screens will now be offered in the lower trims, and 8-inch HD color touchscreens will be available within higher trim levels.

There is also a new USB port on the front console, which will have one Type-A and one Type-C data port, along with an SD card reader, as well as auxiliary input jack. Don't hesitate to ask all of us here at Chuck Hutton about the Luxury package: it now includes a heated steering wheel, perfect for getting started properly during the cooler of mornings the coming change in Tennessee weather may dole out to us!

The Drive Details Chevy Camaro ZL1's Domination of The Dyno

One quality of the Camaro that many here in Memphis and nationwide will always love is the fact that it is one potent contender on the track. Always holding down its status as one of the original ponies, there are many things about the Camaro that should simply stoke awe at any turn. Texas tuning professional John Hennessey has now developed a 3-tiered horsepower solution for the already very-dialed in Camaro ZL1: the entry-level package ramps horsepower up to 750, stage 2 nudges it to 850, and Stage 3 produces a scorching 1,000 horsepower.

The knowledgeable car aficionados at The Drive circulated this video showing the 750-horsepower version doing a stellar job of holding it down, with handling abilities on the road course proving that its abilities in the turns are hands-down the tops. What many are really excited about is the 1,000-horsepower Stage 3 variant, that comes with another 250 horses or so on diligent standby, and a fitting name to boot: The Exorcist. It is now very clear that this is one of the custom-built and primed-and-powerful models to take on the Dodge Demon head-to-head, and The Drive's Will Sabel lamented while giving it a spin recently that “You never realize how much pressing down on an accelerator pedal feels like pulling a trigger until your foot's on the gas in a car such as the Hennessey Exorcist Camaro.”

He also lamented that he was able to propel this dominating dream machine aptly through the quarter-mile in 9.57 seconds, and gloriously onto a top speed of 217 miles per hour, during a flat-out test at the Continental Proving Grounds in Uvalde, Texas. The much larger air intakes up in front of the car, massive 2.7-liter Whipple supercharger in place of the 1.7-liter, and everything from the valves and cylinder heads to the camshaft and pushrods have been completely reworked and rebuilt.

Said to have righteously undercut the Demon's 9.65 second quarter mile time, the Exorcist rings in right at 9.57 seconds. The prized ZL1 is the one that Car and Driver quoted as “track-tuned and ready to rumble” earlier this year, and we have been excited about the performance recorder: there is almost nothing that you can't track with it, in terms of honing your driving performance and making it absolutely perfect on your next outing.

The Zl1 was born back in 1969, when many dealers were able to use Chevy's COPO special-order system, to create racing-intended models deriving power from an aluminum 427 Big Block engine. We cordially invite you to come test drive any of our various Camaro stock: this is truly the car that challenges the most advanced sport coupes on the globe, with unprecedented levels of technology, track prowess, and exhilarating straight-line acceleration!

Kelley Blue Book Pits 2019 Chevy Trax Against Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

A reliable source for many for years on pricing, longevity, and features, Kelley Blue Book has always been keen on cluing readers in to the traits that make any model stand out above others. Compact SUV's have lately been a popular pick for many on the hunt for a new addition, and the 2019 Chevy Trax and Mitsubishi Outlander have both been head-to-head in many ways, vying for attention and ultimately sales. Matching up the two on the “all-important stuff” was bound to happen sooner or later, and as the review staff dug deep in, the peppy and fun-to-drive Trax jumped ahead in the race, displaying favored status off the bat.

The Trax is a fun-to-drive subcompact SUV that is packed with the best in modern technology, and has the positive characteristic of feeling very nimble and agile on the road. The front seats are roomy and comfortable for any trip you have planned that is longer than average, and the cabin is quiet at highway speeds. It also comes with 4G LTE wi-fi for web surfing needs while you drive, and is modern and attractive, while having ample room for passengers to spread out and get truly comfortable. The Mitsubishi Sport is a popular SUV on the smaller side that offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on its higher trims, and was ranked a bit on the low side by KBB for driver-assistance features. The base-level trim on the Outlander does not offer lane-departure warning, collision mitigation, or high-beam assist.

The Kelley Blue Book review also does a good job of pointing out that the Outlander Sport platform has not been updated since 2011, and the 2.4-liter engine that is offered on the SE and SEL trims provides much better performance overall. The warranty, styling, and manual transmission availability were ranked a bit better on the Outlander, but the Trax finished out overall ahead as the better buy. It is always a blast to drive, well-behaved on the road, and offers a suite of technology features that can render any commute an entertainment-rich and ultimate productivity zone.

The two vehicles both finish in fairly similar places as far as headroom and legroom are concerned, with our Trax coming in at 5 inches wider, and a 5-star instead of 4-star safety rating. Both models fit 5 passengers comfortably, and the Outlander Sport actually flaunts an engine that is 2.0-liter instead of 1.4 as is featured on the Trax. This is a 2019 SUV model that Car and Driver claimed was “tuned specifically for comfort,” and gave it massive props for a cabin that is surprisingly spacious.

These writers that have seen their share of the best and baddest from current SUV offerings also claimed that the Trax is a “leader for overall refinement,” and that the engine does a great job of fading to near silence on highway trips. Equipped with 10 standard airbags, this is an individual and flavorful SUV that will always provide you a cloaked sense of security, and assurance that you'll reach your destination safe and sound. Make sure to ask us about the Premier trim level: it adds driver aids, rear-obstacle detection, a power sunroof, fog lights, synthetic leather upholstery, power driver's seat, heated front seats, and the very-useful keyless access with push-button ignition!

Chevy Silverado RST Off-Road Debuts Alongside RST Sport During SEMA

On any given day here at Chuck Hutton, we love to talk trucks. The many ways in which they have changed, increased towing abilities, burly and bad tires, and abundance of strength has only grown over the last decade. During this year's SEMA show, GM was showing off the various ways you can customize the 2019 Silverado, with use of our very own awesome accessories. This past week, four concept trucks that were going to be brought to the show were debuted, each sporting a different theme. The RST Off-road and Silverado RST Sport concepts really caught our eye and stood out with awesome features and a more capable version than what's offered via standard trims.

The RST Off-road is based on the standard Silverado RST, and expands perfectly on the package, with a two-inch suspension lift, and a new off-road appearance package available through dealers like us! The appearance package flaunts a sport bar, a soft tonneau cover, as well as assist steps. You also snag 18-inch wheels with off-road tires, black exterior trim, cold air intake for the 5.3-liter V8 engine, and LED light bar, side-mounted bed storage box, and other miscellaneous add-ons.

The RST Sport has more focus on street performance instead of off-road prowess, and you'll enjoy concept body side graphics, a hard tonneau cover, snarling cat back Borla exhaust with carbon fiber exhaust tips, and faux carbon fiber mirror caps, door handles, and interior trim. Six-piston Brembo front brakes, lowered suspension, and 5.3-liter V8 engine also up the stakes drastically on how performance is raised, and we guarantee that you'll feel the results on every single drive.

Completing the SEMA lineup of ultra-cool Silverado concepts are the Silverado High Country, and LTZ models. The High Country provides super-cool bronze exterior accents, bronze 22-inch wheels, a two-inch lift, an illuminated Chevy bowtie emblem, and rear-seat infotainment system. The LTZ offers the cold-air intake for the 5.3-liter V8, 22-inch wheels, and other assorted awesome dealer-installed Chevy accessories. We are all extra-pumped here at Chuck Hutton about the RST concept: the ways in which pickups have made the crossover to feel at home in the city are awesome, and the swagger this model offers will surely make you feel dialed in on any big-city street!

KBB Fall Showdown: 2019 Chevy Traverse Pitted Against 2019 Subaru Ascent

After dropping nearly 350 pounds and gaining a very large amount of passenger and cargo space inside, the Traverse is simply one of the best offerings out there in the “nearing full-size” hauler category for 2019. Sporting greatly improved looks, much better fuel economy, and many optional family-friendly features, it also has the excellent trait of a 5000-lb maximum tow capacity. We know that when customers first walk on the lot at Chuck Hutton, they may have already looked at a model that is known as a fierce competitor, so we really need to have our ducks in a row as far as knowing how they both stack up.

The experts at Kelley Blue Book were good enough to feature this exact rivalry between the two over the past week, showing just how the Traverse measures up compared to the Subaru Ascent. Many out there are appreciating the Ascent for its comfort, safety, sportiness, and practicality, and we think this is a pretty fair contestant to throw into the ring. A wide range of engines and trim levels that can pretty much accomplish anything you want are the main advantages that the testing team noticed right off the bat with the Traverse. The Traverse is the largest 3-row crossover in the Chevy lineup, and the very powerful 3.6-Liter V6 engine is a well-honed asset.

There has been more storage added in the Traverse directly under the infotainment screen, and the interior has been improved with a sliding second-row seat. The KBB experts recognized that if you “yank the badges” off the interior, you will be led to believe that you are situated in a higher-priced model. The Ascent is Subaru's first entry into the 3-row category, and the recipe is not at all shabby: a 4-cylinder engine, comfort, great safety features, and true versatility abound with this offering. A decent choice for the price, the major shortfall is that it does not quite have the full list of engine offerings that the Traverse rallies across the finish line within its arsenal.

Both vehicles have the 5000-pound tow rating, and come with Apple CarPlay, as well as Android Auto. It is nice that the Ascent flaunts USB ports for every row, and a whopping total of 19 cup holders. The Ascent ranked high with the KBB staff for simply being a ride ranking high in the comfort factor, but the combination of tech features, lavish interior, genius storage, and family-friendly features ultimately made the Traverse the better purchase choice! We are also proud of the 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, and you'll immediately notice the benefits from an extra two inches of headroom in the 3^rd row, as well as a grand total of 20 more cubic feet than the Ascent in EPA Cargo Volume!