Day: November 20, 2021

Chevy has unleashed the Beast.

Debuting at SEMA, the 650-horsepower desert runner is built on a Silverado chassis and features tubular doors, a lightweight clamshell-type front end and a widened 91-inch track supported by high-performance suspension.

“The Chevy Beast concept takes the popularity of high-performance off-road trucks to the next level,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “It’s a vision for a new dimension of Chevrolet Performance capability from a brand that’s been pioneering performance and supporting customer personalization for more than 50 years.”

Engineers started with the chassis of a Silverado short-bed model and modified it for high-speed desert running. The frame was shortened. A custom-designed, 4130 chromoly tubular safety structure was integrated, while the modified chassis was wrapped with a custom, lightweight body.

A Chevrolet Performance LT4 6.2L supercharged V8 that’s rated at 650 horsepower is bolted to a 10L90 10-speed automatic transmission that sends torque to a two-speed transfer case and distributes it to 37-inch-tall off-road tires mounted on 20-inch beadlock wheels. The concept also includes the Chevrolet Performance Big Brake Upgrade System.

A Chevrolet Performance LT4 6.2L supercharged V8 crate engine powers the Beast.ChevyFront suspension comes courtesy of concept upper and lower control arms and fully adjustable racing strut assemblies with remote reservoirs. The rear is treated to concept 5-link suspension with Panhard bar and fully adjustable racing shocks with remote reservoirs. Disc brakes are mounted at all four wheels and include Chevrolet Performance Brembo brakes equipped in the front with six-piston calipers.

A pair of spare tires are mounted in the bed while the rear of the vehicle itself is left open to help extract dust. Additional unique design cues include a custom front grille, front and rear bowtie emblems and off-road lighting from Baja Designs.

Inside, the customized cab has a minimalist, functional design, featuring a quartet of Recaro performance seats with four-point harnesses, as well as a pair of 7-inch-diagonal LCD screens that monitor vehicle functions and performance data, including pitch and roll during off-road driving scenarios.

“There’s nothing else like The Chevy Beast,” said Jeff Trush, GM program manager, Pace Car and Specialty Show Vehicles. “It delivers a ton of performance and capability, which makes it adept at conquering rough terrain — and it flat-out flies in desert running.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.3555pacific.com/?p=541

David Oliver

www.3555pacific.com

Work is set to begin next year on a three-year, $446 million widening of Interstate 17 north of Phoenix.

The project, which includes 15 miles of widening and 8 miles of new flex lanes, would alleviate congestion and improve safety, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. ADOT recently awarded the contract to design, build, operate and maintain the expanded roadway to a joint venture of Kiewit Infrastructure West and Fann Contracting.

The DOT says the 23-mile section of I-17 between Anthem Way and Sunset Point carries 1 million travelers a year, with most traffic on weekends. Along with road widening and flex lanes, the project involves two bridge replacements, one bridge deck replacement and the widening of 10 bridges.

A map of the 23-mile project area to widen and add flex lanes to Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona.Arizona Department of TransportationThe 8 miles of flex lanes would be used during peak travel times and in emergencies. Drivers would pass through a gate to enter the lanes, which would be separated from the main highway lanes by a concrete barrier. The two lanes, on a mountainous, curvy section between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point, would carry travelers in one direction, with that direction switching to accommodate traffic needs.

For example, says ADOT, the flex lanes would be able to carry heavy northbound traffic on a Friday or heavy southbound traffic on a Sunday. They could also be opened in an emergency.

I-17 currently has two lanes of travel in each direction and provides a highway connection between Phoenix and Flagstaff, from I-10 to I-40. The 15 miles of roadway between Anthem Way and Black Canyon City would be widened an additional lane in each direction to four lanes. Then from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point, the two separated flex lanes would be added to the southbound road.

Here’s a video rendering by ADOT of how the flex lanes would work:

CMSBrowserComponents.load({ el: ‘#vue-1637354712640-768’, name: ‘OEmbed’, props: {“mountPoint”:”/__oembed”,”url”:”https://youtu.be/EbJNh2hlso0″,”attrs”:{“type”:”oembed”,”id”:”https://youtu.be/EbJNh2hlso0″,”element”:”aside”}}, hydrate: false });

David Oliver

www.3555pacific.com