CHEVROLET ALRO (GM P90) test drive since 1999 -

Charming "Alero"

The European Debit Chevrolet Alero took place in February 1999 in Amsterdam. It is produced with a sedan body, a gasoline four of 2.4 liters or V6 3.4 liters and so far only with an automatic four -speed gearbox. The same model, sold in America under the ladsmobile brand, was presented in Detroit for a month earlier. It is produced in Lancing, Michigan.
Perhaps you will laugh if you find out that in the USA gasoline costs as much as in Russia - 25-30 cents per liter with, to put it mildly, a noticeable difference in income. At European gas stations, prices range within one dollar. That is why in the Old World they are so concerned about efficiency, and in the new one, they refuel some Saberben, devouring twenty liters per hundred, and do not blow in the mustache. There are some other national features, but the desire to expand the sales markets forces automobile companies, and primarily American ones, to obey the charters of foreign monasteries, without forgetting their own.
The first acquaintance with Alero, and with the V6 motor, took place in Europe. Against the backdrop of stiff Germans, practical French and expressive Italians, he stood out not in a spiteful, free design. What are only huge light blocks in half a month! By the way, the scatterers on them are smooth, without corrugation, so that the burned thread in any lamp is visible with the naked eye. At the same time, the sedan did not seem bulky, but rather, on the contrary, with lean and dynamic - thanks to the light rear racks and a short roof. Another characteristic detail is more narrow than Europeans, wheel discs, only six inches for the wheel with a dimension of 215/60R15. However, such a solution has its own dignity - you can rub it to the curbs without risk to damage expensive alloy wheels that are included in the standard equipment.
Out of connection with nationality, but simply as a fact, we note powerful elastic bumpers that can withstand a blow at a speed of 8 km/h without consequences for the owner’s wallet. At the same time, the massive rear bumper somewhat complicates access to the trunk. The volume of the latter can be increased by folding the cut back of the rear seat.
The salon is equipped in American, with chic: leather chairs with many adjustments, cruise control, board, air conditioning, an audio system with a compact disk player, and, of course, electric transforms and mirrors. Or ashtray is original - a plastic cup with a lid in front of a machine gun selector. For the most lazy drivers - a light sensor automatically including the headlights in the evening or, say, when the tunnel is traveling.
Driving spacious and comfortable. It surprises a large range of adjusting the steering column in height and the side support for the seats unusually developed for Americans.
The review from the bridge is not bad, but the anti -wing on the trunk lid limits it from behind. However, if it got behind the wheel, the engine is not shining - after turning off the guard, the automation allows 40 seconds to do so. I did not have time - Davi button on the key fob again. Frankly, this annoys from habit, although you can’t endure for the sake of the preservation of your beloved car.
Planting in the back seat is peculiar. It is located, according to our concepts, is low, so that only the heads of passengers rise above the side. Above, above them is not a roof, but the rear window. The average propagates it with the crown, because it is placed on a rather hard roller. The only way out is to crawl down a little, the benefit to the backs of the front seats is far away.
European voyage was quite long - about 800 km had a chance to drive Alero, some of which sample through the Alps. I liked the powerful quiet motor, an adaptive machine, adjusting to the driving style - from calm to sports. The presence of a rigid locking of the hydrrotransformer provides an almost mechanical connection with the wheels, without boring an annoying switching down with moderate acceleration. The steering wheel is light during parking, not bad on the highway at small corners of rotation, but on the winding mountain roads it almost lacks information content - it is too easily spinning. However, the missing information about the rotation tension regularly enters another channel - acoustic: the wheels begin to squeak quite early and the faster, the louder. The brakes are good, and ABS and Takshn Control (ETS) work simply jewelry, at the limit of the adhesive properties of tires. Suddenly modest was the average fuel consumption - 8.5 l/100 km.
Acquaintance with the machine turned out to be two -stage - a month later it was possible to try Alero with a 2.4 liter engine. And this time - on our native potholes and tram tracks. The energy intensity of the suspension was on top - these same ways can fly, as they say,. It would be completely beautiful if the front spoiler is located higher. Nevertheless, the rolls and the buildup inherent in many Americans are minimal.
And now about a respectful attitude to other people's monasteries. The expulsion from under the hood of two cylinders and one liter of the working volume on the dynamics was slightly affected (plus 1.1 s in acceleration to hundreds and minus 1 km/h of maximum speed). The change in the transfer of the steering (2.7 turns from the stop to the stop instead of 2.9) added a little sharpness to him. The four are significantly more economical than six (9.4 l/100 km for a mixed cycle versus 12.0 l), although more picky (95th gasoline instead of the 92nd).

Alero is conceived so as to become his own on both sides of the Atlantic - not to disappoint the Americans, but at the same time attract Europeans. The first half of the problem seems to have been solved successfully - in spring -summer 64 thousand cars were sold in the USA. But how good it is for Europe, we have to pretend to be wealthy Russians - since October, a machine with a 2.4 -liter engine is offered for $ 26-31 thousand.

+ Good dynamics, effective brakes, dense energy -intensive suspension, excellent sound insulation, rich equipment.

- limited review through the inner mirror, uncomfortable landing of the average passenger
behind, a small road clearance.

Technical characteristics of Chevrolet Alero with a 2.4 liter engine
(in brackets - 3, 4 l):
General data: number of places - 5; Equipped mass - 1480 (1483) kg; Full mass - 1855 kg; maximum speed - 200 (201) km/h; acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h - 10.6 (9.5) s; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 7.1 and 13.4 (9.4 and 16.6) l/100 km; fuel supply - 57 l; Fuel-unhealthy gasoline AI-95 (AI-92). Dimensions, mm: length - 4742; width - 1780; height - 1399; base - 2719; The track in front/back - 1500/1500; Road clearance - 120; trunk volume - 433 l; The turning radius is 5.5 m. The engine: four -cylinder, gasoline, in order (V6) with distributed injection and four (two) valves on the cylinder, located in front of the front; working volume - 2392 (3350) SMZ; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 90.0x94.0 (92.0x84.0) mm; compression degree - 9.7 (9.5); Power - 104 (130) kW/141 (177) l. With. at 5800 (5200) rpm; Maximum torque - 199 (271) N.M at 4200 (4000) rpm. Transmission: front wheel drive; gearbox - four -speed automatic; Transporting numbers: I - 2.96; II - 1.62; III - 1.00; IV - 0.68; h. X. - 2.14; The main program is 3.42 (3.05). Suspension: such as McEferson, with reproach stabilizers, collected on subframes, in front - single transverse levers, from behind - one longitudinal lever and two transverse rods. Brakes: hydraulic disk with a vacuum amplifier and ABS, the front are ventilated. Steering: rheck with a hydraulic wrap. Tire size: 215/60R15.

SUMMARY
Chevrolet Alero is a charming appearance, friendly character, courteous manners, approximate behavior, excellent physical training, in a word, Yankees who graduated from Cambridge.


Yuri Nechetov. Photo by Alexander Polunin

Source: The magazine "Driving"