2010 Equinox: Chevrolet's New Edge?
New 'Nox to sport ~210+ HP, bigger size, Edge in the crosshairs.
www.gminsidenews.com
July 16, 2008
As everyone knows by now, yesterday in the General Motors press conference Bob Lutz spilled that the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox would utilize a 2.3L engine with direct-injection. GMI has gotten a few more tid-bits on the 2010 Equinox since yesterday; including some power numbers and details on the goals of the GMT-172 program.
From what we gather the base engine in the new Equinox will be an ECOTEC 2.3L four-cylinder with direct-injection as Lutz stated. The engine is said to be good for about 208-230 HP and highway fuel economy of upwards of 27-30 MPG. The final power and fuel economy numbers have not been worked out yet. We have not confirmed what V6 the vehicle will use, but we expect it to be without any doubt a member of the High-Feature V6 line. There are really only two possibilities; a new 3.0L direct-injected which will be good for about 270 HP or the well-known 3.6L direct-injected V6 that would probably dish out somewhere in the 280 HP range. Both engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic. When we can confirm a V6, we will let you know.
We have also been told that the primary target of the 2010 Equinox has been the Ford Edge. As you can see from the leaked photos of the new Equinox, it is larger in size (probably quite close to the Edge). This Equinox will be built on GM's Theta II platform, which is different than the current Saturn Vue, which is a blended platform of Theta I and Theta II. We can only hope that the new Equinox and it's GMC brother the Terrain are not pigs like the Vue.
As of a few weeks ago the Ingresoll, Ontario assembly plant was already performing pilot builds of the 2010 Equinox and Terrain. At the current time production for both vehicles will begin in March-April 2009, with them on dealership lots by May. That leads us to believe that the Equinox and Terrain have been pushed up a bit, as the initial launch date use to be Fall 2009.