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Represents Major Redesign Copley News Service The 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer was a dream to design, says its chief engineer, Ted Robertson.
The four-door Trailblazer -- it replaces the Blazer -- goes on sale in late March with a starting price of $25,755 for the base LS two-wheel drive model. The 2002 Ford Explorer, a prime competitor, has a starting price of $25,715. "Blazer was good," says Chevrolet General Sales Manager Kurt Ritter, "but we didn't quite step up to where the SUV market was going." The finished product is going into production, he says, "it is one of our biggest stories in a long, long time." There were four major objectives in the redesign: Strength, power, security and ride. It also had to have passenger-car drivability and a truck's work ethic.
Robertson could have used a unibody or car chassis, but he went for the strength of a conventional ladder-style frame. However, by building the frame with hydroformed rails - hand-me-down technology from the Corvette - he saved weight and added strength. Eight cross-members add resistance to twisting forces and make this frame 270 percent stronger than that of the Blazer. There are no carry-over parts from the old Blazer, and the Trailblazer shares only the front doors, roof, tailgate and glass with the 2002 GMC Envoy and 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada. (A 2-door Blazer will be continued until 2003.) Compared to its predecessor, the Trailblazer is 8.5 inches longer, but the turning radius is a little tighter. It is 6.8 inches wider, with a 6-inch-longer wheelbase. There are 5 more cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat.
To put the "sport" in this utility vehicle, Robertson says, they needed a brand-new engine. He pitched the idea for an in-line 6-cylinder; the competition has V-6s or V-8s. In-line sixes are smoother running than a V engine, and Robertson was able to route the front axle shafts through the oil pan to lower the center of gravity. The horsepower rating also is convincing. The aluminum 4.2 liter engine puts out a staggering 270 horsepower and 275 foot-pounds of torque. It matches Chevy's 4.8 liter V-8 for horsepower and is only 15 foot-pounds short on torque. Trailblazer also has 60 horsepower more than the V-6 in the 2002 Ford Explorer and 50 more than the 2001 Toyota Highlander. Robertson says Trailblazer will accelerate up a grade -- at 70 mph -- pulling a 6,000-pound trailer. Fuel economy of 16 mpg city and 21 highway is 1 mpg better, it runs on regular unleaded and it is certified as Low Emission Vehicle in 50 states. "All the latest engine technology in the world has gone into this engine," Robertson says. For example: The onboard engine electronics can handle 43,000 commands a second. The power plant has an electronic throttle, variable valve exhaust timing, coil-on-plug ignition, four valves per cylinder and double overhead camshafts. It has been put through 300,000-mile durability testing with a wide-open throttle and 4 million miles of testing on a dynamometer.
The narrower engine also improves offset crash results, Robertson says, adding that he expects Trailblazer to get the lowest damage rates in testing by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. Safety features include four-wheel disc brakes -- with large 12.8-inch discs at the front and 12-inch rear discs with antilock braking system -- dual front and side-impact air bags, front seat belts integrated with the seats, 5 mph bumpers and turn signals built into the side mirrors.
Better balance from front to rear has tamed the truckiness of Trailblazer. Also new are 16-inch tires, rack-and-pinion steering and softer springs but firmer shock absorbers for more wheel control. Missing from the redesign is a third row bench seat, which is offered in the Explorer. It's on the way. "We didn't want to be last to the market with a bad third seat," Robertson says. "We wanted to be first to market with a good third-row seat."
The 2002 Trailblazer, in two- or four-wheel drive configurations and three trim levels.
Prices include the $600 destination charge. News Index | Features Index |
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AutoWord Copyright© 2001 Copley News Service |
Robertson was part of a team that had a blank sheet of graph paper to reinvent this sport-utility vehicle. "In the past we started with pickups and put an SUV body on them," he recalls.