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Chicago 2008: Chevy HHR has a big sales spike, drinks E85 to celebrate
click above for high-res gallery of the E85 Chevy HHR
Apparently, the movement toward smaller cars in the US market also includes the Chevrolet HHR. According to GM, HHR sales jumped 73% last month compared to 2007 with a total of 9,650 being shipped out the door. At the Chicago Auto Show today, the automaker announced further enhancements to the retro wagon for the 2009 model year. The smaller 2.2L four cylinder will inherit the variable valve timing that's already installed on the optional 2.4L engine. To celebrate the improved sales, both engines will also be able to drink ethanol as well. The HHR will be the first American-market GM model to have a flex-fuel four cylinder engine, something that Saabs have offered for several years now.
[Source: General Motors]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MikeW 12:10PM (2/06/2008)
6 speed automatic yet?
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geo.stewart 12:10PM (2/06/2008)
so, can you retrofit to run E85? what's the diff between a non E85 and an e85 capable?
I have the HHR with the 2.4 and its the one thing I didnt like was not being e85 capable
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Seoultrain 12:18PM (2/06/2008)
The difference, IIRC, is a bunch of components, mainly in the fuel line, are corrosion resistant. A regular car can run on E85, but the issue is the corrosive nature of ethanol. Not sure about retrofitting.
btw, don't do it unless you have many E85 stations around you and want to switch to ethanol full-time (involving a lot of engine mods to take full advantage of hi-octane ethanol). Flex-fuel (being able to use both) is a mistake.
Eric77TA 12:15PM (2/06/2008)
It probably wouldn't be worth it to convert a regular gas engine to E85.
As with everything nowadays, it seems, there is a Wikipedia article on this here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85_in_standard_engines
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Seoultrain 12:20PM (2/06/2008)
if they really wanna celebrate, they should hand out cups of E100 and party.
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mike 12:25PM (2/06/2008)
Why make cars FLEX FUEL, if everyone knows that ethanol is avaliable only in very very very few places.
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Alex Nunez 12:49PM (2/06/2008)
CAFE. They get fuel economy credits. The flexfuel versions are rated at higher fuel economy than the gas counterparts.
Eric77TA 12:26PM (2/06/2008)
Automakers get EPA credits for making E85 capable vehicles, even if they never see a drop of E85.
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sydbot 12:51PM (2/06/2008)
So is this the chicken or the egg?
Did you happen to get the specs on the new 2.2L? And can it be assumed that the Cobalt gets this engine too?
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geo.stewart 12:52PM (2/06/2008)
seoultrain,
thanks for the info. based on your notes, its a non-issue at this point for me. good to know about the mixing though if/when e85 seeps to this part of the country.
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DKB_SATX 12:52PM (2/06/2008)
You know it's a sad market when the best people can find in the small practical car market is a humpbacked Cobalt trying to be a '49 Suburban.
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geo.stewart 12:54PM (2/06/2008)
eric77,
thanks also
cant wait for replies to work again....
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fsx 1:05PM (2/06/2008)
"Apparently, the movement toward smaller cars in the US market also includes the Chevrolet HHR."
When you consider this to be a "smaller car", your country has a problem.
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Mr. Oak 1:51PM (2/06/2008)
fsx: folks like you get my drawers in a knot. This is a small car by US standards. Live with it. We here, do not drive the little sardine cans that you drive. It is only a problem in your small mind.
blogged to death 1:08PM (2/06/2008)
Cobalt sales also increased? My bet is on fleet sales were the cause.
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Mr. Oak 1:57PM (2/06/2008)
I'm sure some Cobalts are doing rental duty. However, sometime within the last 18 months, these things seems to have caught on as an entry level car. Both the sedan and the coupe are moving, and not just to rental lots.
ma7mgte 1:17PM (2/06/2008)
When you consider this to be a "smaller car", your country has a problem.
The HHR is a small people mover. What's wrong with that?
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John 1:22PM (2/06/2008)
Wouldn't E85 be great in the turbo SS? I bet it could run higher boost.
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YouFaceTheTick 1:42PM (2/06/2008)
Loser Cruiser II, named in honor of the original Loser Cruiser, the PT.
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YouFaceTheTick 1:43PM (2/06/2008)
Yep, the HHR litters rental lots like fleas on a dog. Show up late at night to a rental place and they seem to only have HHRs and Cobalts in the parking lot.
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