General Motors will introduce two more CSVs at the Chicago Autoshow, the Chevrolet Uplander and the Pontiac Montana. The two looks almost identical underneath, so their press releases have been united.
Chevrolet Uplander
Chevrolet is distinguishing itself within the mid-van segment with the 2005 Uplander, combining SUV-like styling with all the functionality and convenience you would expect in a family-friendly vehicle from Chevrolet.
Introduced at the Chicago Auto Show, Chevrolet’s new crossover sport van is ideal for customers who need and appreciate comfortable seven-passenger seating, cargo-carrying flexibility, a high degree of safety, fuel economy, low step-in height, and excellent ride and handling – all combined in a new design package embracing numerous SUV-type features.
The Uplander offers thoughtful seating and interior appointments, such as a third-row bench seat that can be folded to create a level load floor when combined with its rear convenience center/cargo system.
Innovative exterior styling
Uplander’s innovative styling combines the best attributes of vans with the aggressive looks of sport utility vehicles. “Uplander will appeal to a lot of people who need the practicality, convenience and safety of a mid-van, but would rather be seen driving an SUV,” said Eckhoff.
Uplander’s design makes a powerful statement up front, with a prominent Chevrolet horizontal mid-grille band and a large grille opening for high efficiency air intake. A chrome ring around the grille accentuates the bold look. Headlamps are mounted high and wrap over the hood, adding to the SUV-like appearance.
Wide, prominent, exposed C-pillars – another SUV styling cue – reinforce the Uplander’s strong, durable look. Large 17-inch wheels and wider tires also contribute to its sturdier, more aggressive SUV-like stance. — GMC Terrain debut at Kuwait Auto Show.
Gray molding covers the rocker panels and extends to lower front and rear fascias, creating an SUV-like skid-plate appearance with small air holes, and, in the rear, a vertical groove treatment to reinforce Uplander’s SUV-like character.
An optional roof rack completes the picture with tubular-shaped, satin finish side rails.
User-friendly interior
Elegantly simple and logically laid out, Uplander’s seven-passenger interior is extremely user friendly. Drivers and passengers alike will appreciate the comfort and convenience of Uplander’s interior and its high levels of fit and finish and attention to detail.
Uplander’s second- and third-row seats are foldable and removable. The Uplander also offers a spacious and flexible rear convenience center/cargo system. With its doors closed, the box-like cargo system’s height lines up with that of the folded third-row seat, providing a level load floor, with more depth for carrying items behind the second row. Overall, there is up to 136.5 cubic feet of cargo space.
The third-row bench seat features a 50/50 split. Second-row bucket seats can be folded and tumbled up against the front seats for increased storage.
Other storage details include an overhead rail system, which integrates HVAC, audio controls, lighting and the rear-seat entertainment/DVD system in a single unit. Snap-in storage and accessory modules provide more flexible storage options for the system. Convenience trays with pop-up beverage holders between the first and second-row seats fold easily out of the way for pass-through. — Toyota's all-new 2008 Sequoia at Los Angeles Auto Show.
PhatNoise leads entertainment choices
Uplander’s range of available in-vehicle entertainment choices is unprecedented. From XM Satellite Radio to a DVD player with flip-down screen and integrated controls, long drives pass more enjoyably. And then there’s PhatNoise.
Pontiac Montana
he rugged look of an SUV and the utility of a mid-van – Pontiac’s all-new SV6 crossover sport van delivers on both counts with a package of sporty styling, responsive performance, superior quality and segment-leading in-vehicle entertainment choices. Pontiac introduces the 2005 Montana SV6 at the Chicago Auto Show on Feb. 4.
The Montana SV6 is Pontiac’s second crossover vehicle and is the latest in an expanding portfolio of new products, including the 2004 Grand Prix, Bonneville GXP and GTO, the refreshed 2005 Vibe, 2005 G6 sedan and 2006 Solstice roadster. All of these vehicles exemplify the division’s renewed spirit of performance. Pontiac’s performance renaissance incorporates exhilarating driving dynamics, a bold and distinctive design language, and refined interior and exterior appointments.
Responsive powertrain and chassis systems
A new, high-value 3500 V-6 powers the SV6. Rated at 200 horsepower and 220 lb.-ft. of torque, the engine delivers the enthusiastic performance expected of a Pontiac. Excellent launch feel and highway-speed acceleration were parameters during the engine’s development, as were reduced noise and vibration, class-leading fuel economy and reliability, and low emissions.
The 3500 engine is mated to the Hydra-Matic 4T65-E four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, which provides smooth, almost seamless shifts. Electronic safeguards built into the transmission ensure trouble-free performance. When properly equipped, an SV6 can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Versatrak all-wheel drive is an optional feature. Unlike some other systems that only can split torque between the front and rear wheels, Versatrak can split torque between the left and right wheels. This enhances the system’s effectiveness on a variety of slippery road conditions. — Toyota's sustainability concepts at Tokyo Show.
The Montana SV6’s powertrain is nestled into a chassis with cross-rail reinforcements that not only enhance stiffness, but bolster crash protection. Attached to the chassis is a MacPherson-strut front suspension and a twist-beam rear axle with integrated stabilizer bar. Seventeen-inch wheels and tires are standard, enhancing the SUV-like appearance of the vehicle.
Large, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard, while GM’s sophisticated StabiliTrak vehicle stability enhancing system is optional. StabiliTrak uses data from several state-of-the-art sensors located throughout the vehicle to measure road-holding performance. When the system senses the vehicle is not following the driver’s intended patch, the brakes can be employed or the engine power reduced to help ensure the vehicle stays on the intended track.
Safety and quality built in
The SV6 is engineered to be among the safest vehicles in its segment. The frame is designed to achieve effective crush, helping preserve occupant space while absorbing energy. A longer front-end compartment provides more crush space, while the longer, more heavily reinforced engine compartment side frame rails increase energy absorption during frontal impacts. This design is conducive for crash compatibility. The extensive use of high-strength steel is behind many of its structural enhancements.
All seven seating positions have three-point safety belts, with more effective load-limiting retractors with pretensioners.
Front dual-stage air bags for both driver and front passenger are standard. They are designed to inflate with greater or less speed and pressure depending on the crash severity. Optional seat-mounted side impact air bags now also provide head and torso protection for the both the front passenger and the driver.
Production of the SV6 will begin in the fourth quarter of 2004 at the GM Doraville Assembly Plant near Atlanta, Georgia – a plant recognized for building the best-quality mid-vans in America. For two years in a row, GM Doraville ranked as the No. 1 plant in its segment in terms of productivity, according to The Harbour Report North America 2003 and The Harbour Report North America 2002.
