General Motors is bringing back the “Red Line” moniker for trial run during the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas.
The name will be used for a series of concept vehicles from Chevrolet specially outfitted with performance parts, special badges and accessories just for the SEMA, which annually draws more than 120,000 visitors annually to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The objective is to see if the idea of Red Line series of Chevrolet cars, trucks and utility vehicles could be commercialized, according to Jim Campbell, GM vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports.
Accessories are a growing part of almost every carmaker’s business and manufacturers are eager to do what they can to boost sales.
“We want to see what the reaction will be,” said Campbell, who noted GM’s old Saturn division had once used the Red Line name but it had been on the shelf before the Performance Parts unit decided to dust it off for the 2015 SEMA show.
Blending equal parts style and functionality, Chevrolet’s Red Line Series concept vehicles show both the lifestyle and personalization possibilities of the Chevy Line.
Chevrolet previewed the Red Line concepts, including Trax, Malibu, Camaro, Colorado and Silverado 1500 models, ahead of their public debut at the SEMA Show.
“The Chevrolet Red Line Series concepts integrate accessories that offer greater personalization choices,” said Campbell. “Each vehicle wears production and concept accessories thematically linked under the Red Line Series banner. We look forward to gauging public reaction at the SEMA Show and other venues.”
All of the production and concept accessories were developed in Chevrolet’s design studio with the vehicles themselves. The production accessories will be available as the 2016 models arrive in dealer showrooms.
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“Chevrolet Accessories bring value and the added security of knowing the parts are designed, engineered, tested and backed by the same team that developed the vehicles,” said Roger McCormack, director, Accessories & Performance Parts Marketing, who added nearly all the parts used for the Red Line series are currently part of GM’s extensive portfolio of accessories and performance parts.
McCormack said all of the Red Line Series concepts share Enhanced Silver Metallic exteriors, with a custom Charcoal roof panel and Satin Graphite and red accents.
Each vehicle included in the Red Line display with also have specific features such as a Custom Trax nameplates in gloss black with red accent as well as tinted tail lamp lenses and window and a suspension lowering kit as well as 18-inch wheels with custom red accents and center caps, black bowtie kit, roof rack cross rails and roof mounts from Thule.
The Malibu Red Line Series comes with Satin Graphite window molding accent as well as black bowtie kit, rear spoiler, hash mark graphics, grille surround and inserts and a Malibu nameplate in gloss black with a red accent. The other features include red fog lamp bezels, tinted tail lamp lenses and windows and a suspension lowering kit.
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Besides Satin Graphite mirror caps and window moldings, the Camaro Red Line concept vehicles also features hash mark and deck lid panel graphics, 20-inch wheels in Satin Graphite with red accent and Camaro nameplates in gloss black with red accent as well as the Red fog lamp bezels, air intake kept and special brake package as well as black bowtie kit and fender badge kit, darkened tail lamps and premium carpeted floor mats, cargo mat and sill plates.
The Red Line portfolio also includes trucks such as the Colorado Red Line with at in Graphite mirror caps, window moldings, grille surround and inserts, door handles and fog lamp bezels, the Colorado nameplates in gloss black with red accent and Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude tires as well as air intake and exhaust kits, 18-inch wheels with Floor liners.
A Silverado 1500 Red Line includes the Satin Graphite mirror caps, window moldings, grille surround and inserts, door handles and fog lamp bezels, red tow hooks, Z71 bedside graphics and Silverado nameplates in black with red accents, tinted tail lamp lenses and windows, air intake and exhaust kits, Brembo front brake kit and 22-inch wheels.
The Spark RS features a concept carbon-fiber front splitter, rocker extensions and a carbon-fiber rear-lower extension. Seventeen-inch wheels inspired by the Corvette Z07 fill out the wheel openings, while a lowered suspension gives the car an aggressive stance.
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“Every Chevrolet has the DNA of the Corvette and the Spark RS concept shows how the brand’s smallest car can deliver big on personalization,” said Todd Parker, director of design, Global Chevrolet. “It advances the RS heritage and interprets it in an entirely new way.”
There is good margins in aftermarket parts for manufacturers. If GM actually engineers and sells the parts, it could be good unlike some car companies that primarily rebadge some other companies product and sell it.
Back in the day when factory engineers developed the aftermarket product line, there was some excellent engine/trans and suspension products because they were designed by the same engineers who did the original chassis designs so everything fit properly and performed as intended.