GM Celebrates 200 000th Chevrolet Utility

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On 14 September 2012, the production team at GM South Africa’s Struandale plant in Port Elizabeth celebrated the production milestone of 200 000 Chevrolet Utility vehicles.

“Chevrolet Utility has been a winner in all aspects since introduction into this market from quality to performance and sales. The 200 000 units produced in the last 15 years represent a significant milestone for a vehicle which is unique to the South African and South American markets. South Africans love the Chevrolet Utility and we will continue to be focused on giving our customers the best value and quality product for their money,” said Malcolm Gauld, GM South Africa Vice President of Vehicle Sales and Marketing.

The first generation Utility, known as the Corsa Utility, was first built in 1997 in Port Elizabeth and was well received by the South African public including students, business owners and fleet managers. The second generation Corsa Utility followed in 2004 and was considered a benchmark vehicle in the sub-one ton segment. The Corsa Utility was the leader for quality and took first place in the Synovate (now IPSOS) quality awards from 2005 to 2011. The second generation Corsa Utility also enjoyed leading segment sales for seven consecutive years with a 45% share in the segment.

The third generation Chevrolet Utility was introduced at the end of 2011 and is still going strong with a 55.4% market share in the first eight months of 2012. Nine models complete the Utility range which boasts a spacious car-like interior and refined ride quality. Engine options include a 55kW 1.3-litre diesel engine, a 68kW 1.4-litre petrol engine and the range-topping 77kW 1.8-litre engine.

 “The introduction of the third generation Chevrolet Utility marked the completion of the first phase of our R 1 billion investment to upgrade our production facilities at Struandale. We are proud of this significant milestone, and we thank our customers for their support in making the Chevrolet Utility the bestselling vehicle in its segment,” said Edgar Lourencon, President GMSSA and Managing Director GM South Africa.

The Chevrolet Utility is backed by GM South Africa’s 5 years/ 120 000 kilometres warranty.

News Source: Chevrolet

Nathalie du Toit gets Gold Chevrolet Captiva LTZ

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South African Paralympic swimming sensation and long-time Chevrolet brand ambassador, Nathalie du Toit has received a hearty welcome home and received a spanking new gold Chevrolet Captiva LTZ from General Motors South Africa.

Du Toit won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 2012 London Paralympic Games and its only fitting that she gets to drive a gold Chevrolet Captiva LTZ. “Natalie has been a Chevrolet brand ambassador for a number of years now and we are excited to be able to continue this relationship with her as she moves on from her medal winning success in swimming competition to a new era in her career as a world class athlete,” says Chevrolet brand manager Tim Hendon. “She adds an element of excitement to an iconic automotive brand in South Africa which we trust will transport her in style as a South African and international sports celebrity.”

News Source: Chevrolet

Chevrolet Trax at Paris Motor Show

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The all new Chevrolet Trax will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show come end of September and is Chev’s first small compact SUV to the enter the market. There’s no current indication if or when the Trax will be available in South Africa, but we can only hope it gets the nod.

The Trax will be offered in three engine variants including 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 96kW/300Nm 1.7-litre turbodiesel engine. All variants are offered with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard with the option of a 6-speed automatic transmission for the 1.4 and 1.7 variants. The AWD system is also available for the 1.4 and 1.7 derivatives.  

Measuring only 4.24 metres in length, the Trax is small and compact and has seating for five people. The Trax comes with eight different seating or luggage arrangements with a boot capacity of 385-litres and additional storage under the cargo floor and storage bins in the cabin. The front passenger seat folds to create additional space for longer items. The Trax also features Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system which is smartphone compatible with a 7-inch, high resolution, full colour touch-screen display.

The Trax also features a wide range of safety features including six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Hill Start Assist (HSA), Traction Control (TC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) and Hill Descent Control (HDC)

Do you like the new Chevrolet Trax?

News Source: Chevrolet

Chevrolet Spark Campus in South Africa

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Here is some good news for first-time car buyers in South Africa. The Chevrolet Spark range has grown to include the new Spark Campus in South Africa, and for only R99 900, it’s a steal. Standing alongside the Spark L and the Spark LS, the Campus does away with some of the non-essentials and styling options while still offering the same styling and technology offering of the L specification models. What you have here is an entry level car, at a good price, pretty much an A-B mover and not much else. Depending on your needs, this might just be right car for your daily scooting missions around town.

Like the two L specification models, the Spark Campus is also powered by a four cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine. Power is rated at 60kW at 6400rpm with a torque figure peaking at 108Nm at 4800rpm. Now don’t expect super fast times as the Spark Campus will reach 100km/h in 13.3 seconds and will only reach 164km/h, but that’s ok, because it’s a city car and the slower speeds will give you the opportunity to appreciate your surroundings. What you will also appreciate is that the Spark Campus is not a gas guzzler and will only consume 5.4-litres/100km on the combined cycle and will only spew out 129g of CO2 per kilometre.

Chevrolet have also done well to offer decent standard features for the Spark Campus and these include ABS brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), driver and passenger front airbags with de-activation for the passenger system. Security features include a transponder immobiliser system and key activated central locking.

Furthermore, the Spark Campus also includes manual air conditioning, power steering, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, tinted glass all round, rear window de-fogger, cup holders and interior courtesy and map lights. Styling includes colour coded door handles, bumpers and exterior rear view mirrors.

All of this is neatly wrapped up into the Spark Campus for under R100 000, could very well be something to look into if your wallet seeks something small, economical and well specced for the price.

 

News Source: Chevrolet

Chevrolet Utility now in Diesel

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Diesel heads on the prowl for a reliable bakkie in South Africa may want to consider a look at the three new Chevrolet Utility diesel models now available from Chevrolet. The Utility is available in three trim levels including the Base AC, Club and Sport. Chevrolet has also included ABS brakes with EBD to their Base AC and Club models that bumps up safety across the Utility range. Ten models now complete the Chevrolet Utility range.

The three diesel variants are fitted with a 1.3-litre common rail direct injection turbocharged engine that puts out 55kW at 4 000rpm and has maximum torque figure of 1 750Nm. The engine is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission and fuel consumption is quoted at 5.5-litres/100km.

The Chevrolet Utility comes with a long list of standard and extra features depending on the model you order. For more information follow the following link: Diesel Power for Chevrolet Utility.

News Source: Cars.co.za

Chevrolet Spark built in South Africa

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The good news for entry level car buyers this week is that the Chevrolet Spark is now being made in South Africa and General Motors (GM) is celebrating by slashing prices, offering notable savings when buying this cute hatchback.

 
Entry Level Contender

The new price for the entry level Chevrolet Spark 1.2L is now sitting on R107 500, seven percent less than the previous price R114 500. An optional sports bumper and 15” alloy rims will cost you an extra R3 000.

If you are looking for something a bit more classy, you can opt for the Chevrolet Spark LS which comes with air conditioning automatic windows and mirrors along with some other added extras for the nice price of R116 500, 9.7% less than the previous price of R128 945.

The Chevrolet Spark is now built at GM’s plant in Port Elizabeth. The price slash on the Chevrolet Spark makes it an excellent entry level option and comes with anti-lock brakes and front airbags on all models.