Engineering:Chevrolet Uplander

Chevrolet Uplander
Overview
Manufacturer	General Motors
Production	June 20, 2004 – September 26, 2008
Model years	2005–2008 (United States) 2005–2009 (Canada and Mexico)
Assembly	United States: Doraville, Georgia (Doraville Assembly)
Body and chassis
Class	Minivan
Body style	4-door minivan
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive / all-wheel drive
Platform	U-body/GMT201
Related	Buick GL8 Buick Terraza Pontiac Montana SV6 Saturn Relay
Powertrain
Engine	3.5 L LX9 V6 3.9 L LZ9 V6 3.9 L LGD V6
Transmission	4-speed 4T65-E automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113.0 in (2,870 mm) (SWB) 121.1 in (3,076 mm) (LWB)
Length	191.0 in (4,851 mm) (SWB) 204.3 in (5,189 mm) (LWB)
Width	72.0 in (1,829 mm)
Height	70.5 in (1,791 mm) (SWB) 72.0 in (1,829 mm) (LWB)
|uk|Kerb|Curb}} weight	4,084 lb (1,852 kg) (SWB) 4,470 lb (2,028 kg) (LWB)
Chronology
Predecessor	Chevrolet Venture Chevrolet Astro (passenger van)
Successor	Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for model years of 2005–2009, replacing the Venture and the Astro. Marketed over a single generation, the Uplander was offered in short and long wheelbase variations — each with foldable and removable second and third row seating; a V-6 engine and 4-speed automatic transmission.

Heavily based on GM's predecessor minivans, the Uplander was initially marketed with those vehicles, the Venture and Astro. The minivan and its rebadged variants, the Saturn Relay, Buick Terraza, and Pontiac Montana SV6, were manufactured at GM's Doraville Assembly and were discontinued in 2008 when GM left the minivan market, ended production and closed the Doraville Assembly plant.

The Uplander was marketed in the United States, Canada , Chile , Mexico, and the Middle East.

Year to year changes

2005: The Uplander was initially offered with a 3.5 L High Value 3500 LX9 V6 generating 200 hp (149 kW) and 220 lb·ft (298 N·m).
2006: A 3.9 L LZ9 V6, with 240 hp (179 kW) and 240 lb·ft (332 Nm) torque, was added as an option. Wheels were changed from a five-lugnut design to a six-lugnut design. The GM logo was added to the front doors. A short-wheelbase model became available, but only for the fleet market.
2007: The 3.5 L V6 was dropped, leaving the 3.9 L as the base engine. Consequently, the optional AWD system was also dropped, since it could not handle the torque of the 3.9 L engine. A flex-fuel version of the 3.9 L V6 also became available for 2007.
2008: The Uplander's last year for the United States, although production continued for export to Canada and Mexico up to the 2009 model year. The final vehicle (a 2009 Canadian-specification short wheelbase Pontiac Montana SV6 in Liquid Silver Metallic with a roof rack) rolled off the Doraville assembly line on September 26, 2008.

Safety

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Chevrolet Uplander has an improved crash test rating than its predecessor, the Venture. The Uplander, Pontiac Montana SV6, Buick Terraza, and Saturn Relay earned the highest rating of "Good" in the IIHS offset frontal crash test but was rated only "Acceptable" and "Poor" in the IIHS side crash test with and without the optional side airbags, respectively.

Sales

Calendar year	US	Mexico
2004	3,948
2005	72,980	5,438
2006	58,699	5,249
2007	69,885	3,821
2008	40,456	2,467
2009	1,758	405
2010	76	10

Gallery

• 

  Chevrolet Uplander LS SWB

• 

  Chevrolet Uplander LS LWB

• 

  Chevrolet Uplander LS LWB (rear)

External links

• Video of Chevrolet Uplander's 5-Star Crash Test

• Video of Chevrolet Uplander's IIHS Side Crash Test Without Optional Side Airbags