Production Begins on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Replacing the Chevrolet Aveo, the All-New 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will be produced at the GM Orion Township Assembly Plant in Michigan. The Chevy Sonic offers unique styling that GM expects will be more popular than the cute and cuddly Aveo it replaces and while the preproduction models have been running around the Detroit area for at least a few weeks, August 1st marked the launch of Chevy Sonic production at Orion Township Assembly.

In addition to the sharpened exterior, the bigger news for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the pair of new engines. While the Aveo was only available with a balmy naturally aspirated 4-cylinder making 108 horsepower and 105lb-ft of torque, the Chevy Sonic will share engines with the popular Chevy Cruze. This begins with a standard naturally aspirated 1.8L mill making 138 horsepower and 125lb-ft of torque mated to a 5-speed manual transmission for the entry level Sonic LS – available in Sedan models or a 5-door hatchback.

If you want an automatic transmission, that will tack on an additional $1,070 and if you want the torque-ier 1.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder which comes with a standard 6-speed manual transmission - that will set you back $700. It should be pointed out that the turbo 1.4L engine option is only available on the LT and LTZ models, which carry a base price of $15,695 (sedan) and $16,495 (hatchback) for the LT and $17,295 (sedan)/ $17,995 (hatchback) for the range topping Sonic LTZ.

Considering the success seen by the Chevrolet Cruze and the fact that the new Chevy Sonic is sharing the Cruze’s drivetrains, it will be interesting to see if there is a Sonic Eco in the near future with similar engine and body technology to help this new subcompact to offer incredible fuel economy numbers.

The Chevrolet Sonic will be available to Portage La Prairie and Manitoba residents at Craig Dunn Motor City in Fall 2011.

Source: torquenews.com

2012 Chevrolet Sonic To Feature Hill Holder Technology - Standard

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will feature hill-hold technology as standard in all manual transmission models, allowing manual transmission drivers to drive as smoothly as with automatic transmission, on hills.

The hill-hold technology prevents a car stopped at a slope from unintentionally rolling backward while heading uphill or from rolling forward when moving downhill. When a driver presses the clutch to change gear in manual transmission, a pitch sensor detects the tilt of the body if the car is on a slope and sends a signal to the stability control system. This will engage the electronically controlled braking hardware and the wheels will be clamped for two seconds, allowing the driver to safely apply the accelerator and to release the clutch pedal, without any movement of the car in any unwanted direction.

The lead development engineer for the Chevrolet Sonic explained that the hill-hold feature will retain the braking force that the driver applied with the chassis control system and will hold the vehicle in place. This will allow a safe and smooth start in the Chevy Sonic, always heading in the right direction, when the driver applies accelerator and releases the clutch.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will be offered in two body-styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, with two trim levels on each body-style. The 2012 Sonic will feature a 1.8L DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine making 135 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque as standard, while an optional 138 hp 1.4L turbocharged inline 4-cylinder unit will also be available. The prices of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will start from $14,495.

Source: nitrobahn.com