SonicTuners.Blogspot.com

Thats right, GM recently announced how a Chevy Cruze ECO logged a cross-country drive with just over 9,500 miles and averaged 64+ MPG. This should be welcomed news for Sonic fans because the Cruze ECO is coupled with the same 1.4 turbo engine and six-speed manual transmission that is offered as an available option for the 2012 Chevy Sonic model.

The individuals driving the Cruze ECO are MPG experts to say the least and were apart of a special sponsorship from Shell Gasoline called the Smarter Driving Tour.  Understandably, the vast majority of commuters out there will not be able to achieve the same kind of results.  But these results should serve as a strong benchmark for drivers to know there are real ways to achieve a maximum MPG.  To read more about this recent news release please visit GM website, and the Shell website.

GM Website.  August 26, 2011.  Chevrolet Cruze Eco Averages 64 MPG Over 9,552 Miles.  Retrieved August 28, 2011 from: http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home/article.content_pages_news_us_en_2011_aug_0826_cruzeeco.gm.html
Shell Website. 2011.  Smarter Driving Tour.  Retrieved August 28, 2011 from: http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/products_services/on_the_road/smarter_driving/taylors/

While many here stateside still await the crash test results for the all new 2012 Chevy Sonic, our friends across the big pond have been crashing up the 2011 Chevy Aveo which sports body styling similar to the new Sonic.  The European testing results, summary, videos, and images can be seen on the EURONCAP website.  A quick search of the www.safercar.gov site at the time of this post did not list any results for the 2012 Chevy Sonic.

For the American Sonic, Chevy announced a number of high quality safety standards such as, 10 airbags, reinforced A and B pillar zones, high strength steel, and welded tubular sections for the door frames.  View the GM announcement article here:
http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2011/Aug/0829_sonicsafety

Readers should note, there will obviously be differences between the American and European crash testing authorities, also potential differences between the American and European vehicle models so all information contained in this blog is intended for informational purposes only and was retrieved via web search.


EURO NCAP.  2011.  Retrieved August 28, 2011 from: http://www.euroncap.com/results/chevrolet/aveo/2011/437.aspx

Woodward Dream Cruise in Michigan featured a number of vehicles, many of which were Chevy's, and most notably a small pack of 2012 Chevy Sonic's.  To see a great image of the Sonic pack driving down the road visit the website here: Sonic Photo

Greenwood, T.  Gas-Powered Chevy's Growl Alongside Electric Volts.  The Detroit News.  August 19, 2011.  Retrieved August 27, 2011 from: http://detnews.com/article/20110819/AUTO02/108190372/Gas-powered-Chevys-growl-alongside-silent-electric-Volts

Chevy is once again adopting the FAMILY 0 turbo engine as one of the available power-train options for the 2012 Chevy Sonic; also available in the 2010+ Chevy Cruze line.  The FAMILY 0 engine was first introduced in an Opel during the mid 90's, of which many variations have followed (1).  One of GM's engineer's, Mike Katerberg describes some of the key features of the FAMILY 0 engine such as, VVT, forged connecting rods, piston squirters, timing chain (not belt), and even sodium valves (2).  A little history for everyone on the origins of sodium valves.  Sodium filled valves were first introduced in aeronautical combustion engines as a means to reduce heat, and patented by engineer, S. D. Heron of the Wright Aeronautical Corporation on May 22, 1928 (3).


(1). Wikipedia. 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2011 from: GM Family 0 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(2). YouTube. Chevrolet Upload, June 30, 2010.  Chevrolet Cruze: The Powertrain.  Retrieved August 25, 2011 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sxmBZpGITE&feature=related
(3).  Eugene M. Emme, comp., Aeronautics and Astronautics: An American Chronology of Science and Technology in the Exploration of Space, 1915-1960 (Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1961), pp. 19-26.  Retrieved August 25, 2011 from: http://history.nasa.gov/Timeline/1925-29.html

Recently, an internet video featuring the editor in chief, Jean Jennings of Automobile Magazine, highlighted the upcoming Z-SPEC line for the 2012 Chevy Sonic.  Jennings noted how Chevy will be offering a number of factory upgrades, some of which include, various graphics options, ground effects packages, and exhaust tips.  It will be interesting to see how Chevy prices out the Z-SPEC packages in the future.  The model used in the video featured each of the details mentioned, and the body kit added an extra appeal.  But, the graphics detail used falls short of complementing the Sonic, and we can hope it is only one of many graphics option for the Z-SPEC line.  Two additional interesting points to take from the video feature is that according to Jennings, the "Z-SPEC line is NOT covered by the Sonic's warranty", and that the "Z-SPEC line will continue to grow over the next year".  

LINK TO VIDEO: http://vimeo.com/28030875

Jennings, J.  2012 Chevy Sonic Accessories.  Automobile Magazine / Cecchini Video INC.  Retrieved August 23, 2011 from: http://vimeo.com/28030875