GM Authority Features Spotlight on 2020 Silverado's Adaptive Cruise Control

Some of our regular customers here at Jim Butler had expressed their surprise about one very popular element regarding the 2019 Silverado: they were surprised that it was not offered with the incredibly useful adaptive cruise control. In this day and age that has seen features like this become more and more common, it was definitely one that buyers of upper-level trucks such as the Silverado LTZ or High Country would want included. GM Authority reported this week on the fact that the 2020 Silverado will thankfully and most definitely feature the camera-based adaptive cruise control system.

It is slated to be offered as an optional extra on the Silverado LT, LTZ and High Country, and is one of the best additions ever in terms of maintaining a safe distance in general. A high-mounted camera behind the rearview mirror scans the road and incorporates algorithms and proprietary software to maintain safe driving distance to the vehicle ahead. It also boasts full traffic jam assist capability, which brings the truck to a complete stop when necessary and accelerates back up to cruising speed. Also integrated with the truck's stop/start system, it plays a large part in optimizing fuel efficiency, a big win in the very Eco-conscious state of everything auto-related.

GM has also recently expanded the availability of the L87 6.2-Liter V8 engine to the Silverado Custom Trail Boss, LT Trail Boss, and RST trims for 2020. The 10-speed transmission is now going to be available with the L83 5.3-liter V8 Equipped trucks, coming standard on the LT Trail Boss and on the High Country as a new option. Just like standard cruise control, adaptive cruise control uses the On/Off, Cancel, Set, and Resume buttons on the steering wheel. While you are following behind a vehicle and steering, you simply select Far, Medium, or Near, and it will reduce the driver's need to frequently start and stop, a pet peeve of any urban driver.

If the system does not detect a vehicle ahead, Adaptive Cruise Control works just like regular cruise control. When the system detects a vehicle ahead in the driving lane, the Vehicle Ahead Icon appears for the driver in green. When the vehicle detected ahead is within the selected following gap, the system has the ability to automatically accelerate or apply limited braking to maintain the chosen width of the following gap. If the system is controlling speed and detects that the vehicle may collide with the one it is following, the driver receives a very urgent Forward Collision Alert to warn them to quickly take control of the vehicle.

As cars become more autonomous by the year, there will be amazing new features that allow the driver to pay less and less attention to the road. In the meantime, the small steps that lead the way will still leave us amazed by their intensely-honed focus on what is practical for today's driving standards.

Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Tray Bed Ranked by GM Authority as “Ultra Capable and Handy”

The internet is always a great source for us to check in on exactly what's been happening in the auto industry periodically: the many different voices and opinions allow consumers to make the right choice when finding the perfect new vehicle for them. The Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison is a more capable take on the Colorado ZR2, which itself is a very upgraded version of the standard Colorado. The knowledgeable staff on duty at GM Authority kept us up to date on the ZR2 Bison Tray Bed concept this week, which it built to display at the Overland Expo West show.

It was to be used at the Overland Expo to gauge interest in a production tray bed conversion for the Colorado, which already has high-clearance fender flares from AEV, allowing them to fit a large 35-inch tire to the mid-size pickup without the need to install lifted suspension. AEV tested the Colorado ZR2 Bison Tray Bed concept by taking it on a very demanding 3-day expedition in the Altar desert in Mexico, seeing if this amazing and very durable desert-crawling model holds up to its name. There the crew was joined by a group of specially outfitted AEV Jeep Wranglers and nailed down a performance billed by the experts as “flawless” in this harsh terrain.

The Colorado Bison is aimed at overlanding and off-roading enthusiasts, and we love the off-road ready equipment such as the optional intake snorkel, AEV front and rear fascias, new fog lamp, and 17-inch AEV off-road wheels. The option of converting into a ZR2 Bison is available for both the 3.6-liter V6 and 2.8-liter diesel, and you can see it up-close-and-personal at the 2019 Overland Expo West, which is in Flagstaff, Arizona from May 17 to May 19. You can also check out more news regarding the Colorado truck here, as GM Authority provides numerous features about the upcoming 2020 model.

Next year's model will sport a new remote locking tailgate, available as an option on the Work Truck trim. It comes standard on LT, Z71, and ZR2 models. All models also will now get Tire Fill Alert, and LT models will now come standard with the EZ-lift tailgate. Inside, the Chevy Infotainment Premium system with Navigation is replaced with the incoming Chevy Infotainment Plus system: we guarantee that you're going to love the look and functionality it provides. The Colorado is proudly assembled at the GM Wentzville factory right here in Missouri, and operated by GM USA. Feel free to subscribe to always receive the latest and most updated news on the Colorado and all other vehicles, and keep in the loop with all things Chevy for 2019!

Carbuzz.com Outlines MultiPro Tailgate Feature on 2020 Silverado

One thing that we really appreciate from the folks at carbuzz.com is their recognizing in an article last week that there truly is an all-out American pickup war going on. Our beloved Silverado HD vs. Ford F-250 and the rest of the Super-Duty Lineup is really how the stage has been set as of late, and at lots like Jim Butler, every sale counts! The all-new GMC Sierra HD not only has a carbon fiber bed, but also a six-function MultiPro tailgate, that now comes standard on the SLT, AT4, and Denali variants. The new Silverado HD will now have the MultiPro feature, as a recent report from GM Authority detailed spying a camouflaged 2020 Silverado HD prototype, and the tailgate was clearly situated on board.

The cut lines for the MultiPro were visible behind the prototype's tarp, and many think that the tailgate will also become optional for the light-duty Silverado 1500. It makes sense for the Silverado 1500 to get this upgrade before the HD variant, and we are already positive that a direct response from the Ford camp is underway. This article from January does a great job of outlining all of the advanced towing tech put into the GMC Sierra HD, paving the way a bit for an understanding of just how useful and future-embracing the features that have been arriving at a breakneck pace are.

Known as being “the segment's most innovative tailgate ever” aims to be both flexible and functional while minimizing the effort needed to complete the tougher-laden tasks in your workday. It offers four new positions that were never before possible in a pickup, including a standing workstation. There is also enhanced second-tier loading and load-stop options, easier access to items in the box, and a step entry and egress mode that offers step and seated functionality.

This tailgate has undergone more validation and testing than any other in GM's history, and with the primary gate open, the load stop helps prevent items from unexpectedly sliding out of the box. The inner gate folds down for easy access when loading and unloading the box, and the inner gate folds into a large step for easy entry and exit from the box. The ease of use is enhanced with two buttons on the tailgate handle that allow convenient inner gate release, and the MultiPro tailgate is operated via a two-button touchpad, located at the center of the tailgate just above the GMC logo. The bottom button will drop the entire tailgate, and the top releases the upper part. This was an idea that originated as a result of a very hefty internal competition within GM engineers, and one that you'll realize the practicality-with-a-punch factor on immediately!

Mid-Engined C8 Corvette Shown on Car and Driver Blog Roaring in Bowling Green

Publicly showing off a world-class car that has been anticipated for many years is always an event that involves grinning and gusto: after years of development and testing, there is finally “something to really smile about”. Now that the mid-engined Corvette C8 is officially released, Chevy has had a grand time showing it off at choice spots around the nation. This video shows the camouflaged car driving around the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, giving everyone within earshot an official chance to listen to its glorious V-8 exhaust note.

The C8 will make its completely official, minus-camo debut July 18, and go on sale sometime late this year. Onlookers cheered, stared, and took multiple photos of the sports car at it looped around the front of the museum and then took off, with a full-on acceleration run on the way out. You can very clearly hear the V-8 roar, right down to the dual-mode exhaust that can be heard switching over to the thundering louder setting toward the end of the video. We also expect some custom upgrades to be available that could potentially boost output beyond the C7's 460 horsepower.

You can also make out some rapid shifts at the end of the video which reinforce the notion that the C8 Corvette will incorporate a dual-clutch automatic transmission, A first for any Corvette. Most in the industry believe that this will be the only transmission option, and Chevy plans to drop the manual transmission from the lineup entirely. There are sure to be many tidbits and videos to come over the next few month, and we'll keep you posted and up to date as time passes.

This video from Motor1.com shows another set of C8 Corvette sightings recently captured on video. The narrator aptly compares the Chevy to a McLaren and a Ferrari, and most who have made that comparison have the older Ferrari 360 in mind. The C8 still most definitely possesses an edgy style that is all its own, and as amazing as it is, stealth sightings began 3 years ago. Numerous studies and concept cars over the past few years have finally led to this thrilling release, and this is another great video we dug up online that says just how great the C8 will be for everyone.

It is also estimated that GM has added 400 Jobs in Bowling Green for Mid Engine Corvette C8 Production, another great aspect that provides vitality and strength for the hard-working Americans who have a deep appreciation for every single Chevy that rolls proudly off the line!

MotorTrend Takes Up-Close and Thrilling Look at 2020 C8 Chevy Corvette's New Logo

Motortrend.com provided the digital scoop this week on the new generation and look of the coming Corvette C8, which is scheduled to debut this summer. All of us on deck here at sales and service at Jim Butler have been paying close attention to the hype around the new model, and the reveal of the new logo was covered in detail here. There was an Instagram post on our radar two days ago from Chevy Performance that excitedly claimed, “A #Corvette this different deserves a symbol all its own”, and proudly brandished the new art.

The symbol hasn't changed that dramatically, it is just a simplified version of the one we have been familiar with for years. There is more of a V-shaped gap between the two flags, and there is no longer line under the “French Fleur-de-lis”. The logo has changed quite a bit since the model's introduction in 1953, but one element that has always been the same has been the two flags. Over the years, the checkered and red flag switched positions, and the link we just shared does a good job of showing the logo's constant evolution.

The 8th-generation Corvette is scheduled to make its first appearance July 18. Yesterday, GM announced that it was going to add a second shift at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky to support the production of this exhilarating and awesome machine. This motion will create more than 400 hourly jobs at the plant, increasing the plant's employment healthily to more than 1,300 people. Within this new ABC news feature, Dan Pund from Car and Driver excitedly claims that “A mid-engined Corvette has been like a mythical creature”. During April, Corvette's chief engineer Tadge Juechter was photographed driving a very heavily-camouflaged C8 on the city streets of New York, as nationwide excitement continued to build.

Five years ago, Motor Trend's senior features editor Jonny Liebermann told ABC News that “to be truly world class you have to be mid-engine”, when he initially broke the story that a mid-engined Corvette would surely be in production. Consistently over time, the only cars to ever beat the 755 horsepower ZR1, the most powerful and fastest Corvette ever built, were its mid-engine counterparts. Hagarty is the world's largest collector car insurance and valuation company, and their valued expert Jonathan Klinger claims that the Corvette is the most collected vehicle in North America, followed by the Ford Mustang.

Although some have not expressed grave interest in the mid-engined model, we know it's the most intelligent move in the long run. Sales and marketing teams did not embrace the idea right away, since for years the front-engined model was the norm. The mass of the car becomes more central, and handling is drastically heightened by mid-engine incorporation. The community that embraces the 'Vetta is a very loyal and enthusiastic one, and this loyalty is sure to keep the spirit and excitement level on tracks all around the world at fever pitch after this monumental release!

Last C7 Corvette Set For Auction to Benefit Wounded Veteran Charity

James Gilboy of The Drive covered the story last week about the very last available C7 Corvette, which is going to be sold at a charity auction this June. It has been confirmed that the car to be sold at an auction is a black 2019 Chevy Corvette Z06, flaunting 650 horsepower and an equal torque rating placing it robustly and firmly within the supercar category. It's the model that achieved a 7:13.9 around the famed Nurburging track in an independent test, and a perfect car to honor hard-working military members from all walks of life. 

GM, GMC, and Chevy proudly support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which is committed to helping injured and fallen members of the military. It was named in honor of the New York Fire Department's Stephen Siller, a firefighter who was killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Over the past five years, GM has collaborated to provide more than $10 million into the foundation, which uses the money to build mortgage-free housing for individuals affected by seriously wounded former members of the armed forces.

The Z06 is currently scheduled to make its appearance on the auction stand on June 28, at the Barrett-Jackson event in Connecticut. Last year during a similar function, the 2019 ZR1 fetched $925,000, and so hopes are quite high for this year's model to climb into six or seven figures. It has been difficult to get any official comment about the stoppage in production for the C7, but most unconfirmed sources agree that this is the end of the road for the car for now. Six very exciting decades and as many model generations of outstanding sales success have clearly assured the Chevy Corvette of its well-deserved place in the automotive hall of fame.

As the folks on staff at Autoblog claimed, “little else in all of cardom looks as low or as long as this car in profile”. While in actuality the C7 is just a touch longer than a Porsche 911, it just has a longer and sleeker stance, and all of us here at Jim Butler agreed there was really nothing else like it on the road. Instead of coil springs, Chevy continued with composite transverse leaf springs because they provide the compact stature that delivers the Corvette's jaw-dropping appearance. The engine in the C7 made 50 lb/ft more torque than the previous model's V8, and the 0 to 60 test was completed in an impressive 4.2 seconds. Within this review by the folks at Roadshow, you see the many reasons they claim that the Corvette is “Simply one of the best performance car values available anywhere”.

Chevy C8 Corvette's July Release Date Confirmed Via Autoweek

Chevy has finally made the move to publicly state what many spy shots and heavy doses of rumors have alluded to for quite some time: the new-generation C8 is certainly coming, although a few details have yet to be ironed out. Autoweek.com reported on this topic over the last week along with these official photos, showing the car in camouflage. More details will be released July 18, and you can sign up to receive updates at Chevy's website with everything regarding the C8 here.

The unofficial buzz around the industry claims the C8 will likely be powered by the upgraded 6.2-liter LT1 V8, newly named LT2. That engine will feature direct injection, active fuel management, variable valve timing, high output, and be constructed out of aluminum. Everyone is curious about the potential of higher-powered versions, and they are rumored to be powered by a twin-turbocharged V8, most likely based on the Blackwing V8 that debuted with the CT6-V. Most experts believe that these model will boast between 900 and 1,000 hp, and there may be a hybrid version sporting an electronically powered front axle.

With these additions of electrons to the C8's powertrain, it could very well boast four figures of horsepower, and it is pretty thoroughly understood that the C8 will have an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. It has also been reported that Tremec has been developing a dual-clutch to replace the current Corvette's 8-speed 8L90 auto. Many profess that it will indeed be a very sad day for gearhead purists if the C7 truly is the last manual Corvette, and we're not positive, but may be shaping up that way. In a supposed order guide that the good folks of Jalopnik leaked, there are a lot of references to Z51, so it would be safe to assume that the high-performance package isn't going anywhere.

The rear tires look a bit fatter with 305 width, when stacked up next to the 285 on the C7. One Corvette custom that may be added into the mix is the fiberglass body, and active aero may also be present to root the car firmly at the high speeds it will be able to dish out. It also looks at this point like there will be four different options for the roof, and one is a dual roof equipped with visible carbon fiber, and a see-through top. The Performance Data Recorder is expected to be on board, and there may also be a brand-new 12-inch navigation system. Many suspected that the C8 would be unveiled last January at the Detroit Auto Show, but it was simply not the time.

This solidly proven and salacious vehicle that has been chosen 16 times for pace car duties at the Indy 500 has always stoked sheer wonder and respect in the auto realm, and the C8 is going to be one of those cars that is sure to become an instant legend. We'll keep you posted here about all the details, and we are overly anticipated about the arrival of this famed and well-engineered Valkyrie of the track!