19.11.2001
The Chevrolet Trans Sport AWD for a safe path through the winter

The new Chevrolet Trans Sport AWD is on sale at GME dealerships right in time for the winter season. Thanks to its automatically activated "Versatrak" all-wheel drive mode, the seven-seat van stays safely on course even under adverse weather conditions.

The new Chevrolet Trans Sport AWD is on sale at GME dealerships right in time for the winter season. Thanks to its automatically activated "Versatrak" all-wheel drive mode, the seven-seat van stays safely on course even under adverse weather conditions. Under normal road conditions, the 3.4-liter V6 (138 kW/188 hp) in the Trans Sport AWD drives the front wheels via a four-speed automatic gearbox. If the Versatrak system detects wheel slippage at the front, however, the rear wheels are activated. This occurs automatically without driver intervention and in a fraction of a second. Nevertheless, the system keeps a low profile; it works silently and with no perceptible influence on the handling or driving comfort. At the same time, the Versatrak components are light and compact enough to fit under the floor of the cargo area without reducing its volume.

Versatrak is a purely mechanical system. It employs two so-called gerotor pumps and two multi-plate clutches. The inner rotor of each gerotor pump is connected to a rear half-axle and to the inner discs of the clutch, and therefore always rotates at the speed of the wheel. The outer rotor of the pump is connected to the differential and rotates with the driveshaft. The pump can then build up hydraulic pressure when there is a difference in the rotational speed of the front and rear wheels. The multi-plate clutch then closes – with varying strength according to pressure. A particular advantage of Versatrak is that the torque is transferred not just from front to rear, but also between the rear wheels. This gives the rear wheel with the best traction the most torque – the reverse being true for many other all-wheel systems. Further positive factors are the "soft" engagement and the temperature insensitivity.