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Fighting Zombies? Chevrolet Reveals New "Black Ops" Concept Truck
cartechboy writes "Whether its the Mayan calendar, a rough economy, or a fear of zombies, there are people who are currently preparing for the end of the world, coming, like, soon. And they can attract some fringe elements. So maybe those elements are worth a little truck marketing. Yesterday at the Texas State Fair, Chevrolet unveiled a "Black Ops" concept truck that it says will "explore the extremes of preparedness." The truck comes with a vault storage unit, solar power pack, gas masks, gloves, a military first aid kit, a folding shovel, a generator and some rope. Twinkies apparently not included."
This is just a basic Silverado 1500 Crew Cab with a stupid paint job and a bunch of crap thrown in that and "prepper" already has. For Chevy's sake I hope this stays a "concept car" because the "concept" sucks and if this is a serious direction, Chevy is in serious trouble.
This is posted at Slashdot why? Oh. Zombies.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
I looked at TFA and saw the links to related articles on the right hand side. I found my preferred zombie apocalypse vehicle. Not the Chevy.
Have gnu, will travel.
You keep using that phrase. I do not think it means what you think it means.
The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
TFA says the paint job might "scare zombies away"... I think it would be more the premium price... unfortunately, some will pay because zombies are cool now...
Unless it comes with an oil rig and refinery.
That is all.
Because when I buy something to prepare myself there always be someone else who is prepared to take it from me. I better live like it is here, and not in some warzone. Or some retarded survivalist citadel.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
Can anybody explain to me this fascination with "zombies" that we see in certain online communities?
The few times I've ventured over to reddit, I've seen a lot of submissions with "zombies", "pirates", or "ninjas" in their titles. Are these just really strange hipster obsessions?
Even within the hipster community, is it one of those things that everybody actually thinks is quite stupid, but they all pretend to like it in public because it's widely considered "the thing to do"?
As somebody who isn't a hipster, and who isn't part of Generation Y, maybe I just won't ever understand it. But the whole concept of "zombies" and any fascination with it comes off as really idiotic, petty and rather stupid.
Chevys, Mayans, Zombies, Black Ops, end 'o the world - all they missed were panda cub pairs and President Lincoln's Doctor's dog.
"In the bed is a (presumably) zombie-proof Truck Vault storage unit, containing a solar power pack, gas masks, gloves, a military First Aid kit, a folding shovel, and rope. Mounted atop the storage locker are a generator, fuel can, and food and water rations."
Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
Unless it's got a fully manual transmission and an engine that can run on when the electrical system goes away, it's crap. And guess what? This vehicle has neither. It's got a six-speed automatic and it's got a gasoline engine with full electronic control. Gasoline spoils rapidly and it's nontrivial to make more. Not impossible — you can use the ABE process, which is not exactly a new thing, to make Butanol. That's a 1:1 replacement.
If you would like an actual apocalypsemobile, that's a Unimog (to get the seating capacity of this Silverado, a Doka) with an OM617.951 upgrade. It will cost you a pretty penny for a nice one with amenities like a heater, but it will go places that would make the Silverado weep and you can get one with hydraulics which can be used to run a winch that you would be hard-pressed to damage without ripping it out of the front of the truck. It will also continue running in the event of complete electrical failure, including your hydraulic winch.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Why do people want to survive the end of the world? So after the dust settles they can starve to death eating their own loneliness?
Except for the vault and gas masks, I think I have all that stuff in my car right now. Plus rope and tools.
Thank's Chevy but if I go shopping for a zombie apocalypse vehicle I think I'll start with something like the Marauder
I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
Right.... And what are you going to do when this thing runs out of petrol 10 miles down the road...
Without Twinkies, one is simply not prepared. We survived the first Twinkie-pocalypse, but we'd be hard pressed to survive another one.
Take these Twinkies, just in case.
All lifeforms are genetically programmed to ensure the survival of their DNA. Typically it takes parasites in the nervous system to turn off this programming.
In their minds, most of their competition dies out and the Earth is left to their offspring. The offspring will be able to flourish with the knowledge they pass on.
If anything, I have to say there is something wrong with people who don't want to survive. What kind of chemicals or parasites have invaded their brains to turn off their genetic programming?
I had a fascinating talk last month with a man who lives near a flood plain. Not in it, but the dikes have been overwhelmed enough times in his lifetime that he's seen failures of basic transport and utilities for the area half a dozen times. He uses "surviving a zombie apocalypse" as his guideline for preparedness. So he keeps a plentiful supply of ammo, and practices with his weapons, and loads his own ammo: he also hunts with those and with a bow, and keeps a freezer full of venison. He also keeps quite a large amount of long-term stable food stores, some water and _water testing and purification_ tools. His vehicles are well built, maintained, and he has several small generators, one in the basement (for weather reasons) and one in a vehicle (for portable use).
He's also doing backup fire and rescue duties for his county, and if there's a problem nearby, I want _him_ as one of my first responders.
Why do people want to survive the end of the world?
Because their dictionary does not include the words "end" and "world"?
A better way to be prepared would be to own and be able to ride a horse. Only fuel it needs is grass, hay, and water(and if there isn't enough water for both you and a horse where you are, you are probably screwed anyway), and when it eventually breaks down at least you can eat it. Best option would be 2 horses that you can switch out to avoid tiring them out. Can go places vehicles can't (you can ride along comfortably on the median or shoulder of a road, right past all those people trapped in a traffic jam or out of gas), and, in the case of zombies, a canter or even a slow trot will easily get you past any somewhat mobile rotting corpses. Plus the skittish nature of horses would serve as a warning system to any dangers while traveling through the woods or camped out at night. It would be cheaper than this truck, more useful, and would certainly last a lot longer.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
They should call it the Tallahassee.
I am becoming gerund, destroyer of verbs.
Ted Nugent and George Zimmerman have already placed orders.
a folding shovel... and some rope
They left out the bottle of whiskey and the huge dildo... :p
Gasoline is probably the worst fuel type to rely on after the Zombie apocalypse -- most gasoline sources will be in underground gas station tanks and you'll need to find a way to pump it out while fending off the zombies. Diesel can be found in above ground generator tanks in most large commercial buildings.
They should have gone with a Multi-fuel engine to broaden the potential fuel sources - adding diesel and jet fuel to your potential fuel sources gives you a lot of flexibility as you escape the zombie horde.
I think it should come with an AR-15. Flame on! Mode me down.
What kind of chemicals or parasites have invaded their brains to turn off their genetic programming?
Thought. Higher brain functions, contemplating the purpose of such programming. Nature is dead. Nature remains dead. And we have killed it. Yet its shadow still looms...
"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
Even if the concept is stupid...possibly even a bit subversive, I say any way or reason to allow normal civilians access to more "hardened" or "battle ready" vehicles that can operate under more extreme working conditions or doing hazardous tasks...even if the differences are minor...can only be a good thing. I suspect the market for such is larger than many people would think.
In humans the most common such parasite is the memetic complex called religion.
...only the one I saw had an Oscillation Overthruster.
"..... but also gets 18 mpg combined...........There won't be many functioning gas stations after the undead rise to feast on the living, so gas mileage is important."
The above quote is that enjoyable, i dont even need to comment.
What will appeal to red necks visiting a car show?
Well, they like to think they are self sufficient and like the 'be prepared' excuse when buying their man toys. As weak in analytical skill and technical knowledge as they are with keeping down their beer guts. A cool food? Twinkies. Naturally. I couldn't see the beer but it must be in there.
I'm surprised they didn't put in a place for a beer maker. This isn't made to attract nerds; it is made to draw in some potential truck buyers to their area (booth babes would be cheaper... I wonder how much success they'd have at a show with no cars on display but instead with 10x the girls.)
Anybody seriously thinking about disasters on that scale are not thinking about trucks.
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
Why do people want to survive the end of the world? So after the dust settles they can starve to death eating their own loneliness?
Because we don't expect to be lonely. We expect our friends and families to survive along with us. I live in California, so I am more concerned with a major earthquake than zombies. I am also concerned about a major contagious disease outbreak, or a weather anomaly that causes major crop failures (this happened in 535-536, 1315-1317, and in 1815). So I have about a year's worth of food for my family, basic tools and survival equipment, and (since I am an American) an assault rifle. Even if a crisis never comes, I am still saving money by buying food in bulk, and growing most of my own vegetables. I also have a some chickens for eggs. You may think that being prepared is kooky, but if you look back through history, there is at least a 30% chance of a major calamity occurring during your lifetime. By the time you see it coming, the store shelves will be bare, and it will be too late. So I think it is foolish to not be prepared. Some of my neighbors also have a stash of supplies, and we are prepared to work together to fight off the zombies.
Nope. Thought doesn't over-ride it. Outside brain damage, the desires still taint our thought process.
Learn to love Alaska
I live in California, so I am more concerned with a major earthquake than zombies. I am also concerned about a major contagious disease outbreak, or a weather anomaly that causes major crop failures (this happened in 535-536, 1315-1317, and in 1815). So I have about a year's worth of food for my family, basic tools and survival equipment, and (since I am an American) an assault rifle.
I live in California as well, so I only have a battle rifle. (No, really; it's a sporterized, meaning scope-and-red-dot-added, peruvian mauser.) Is your rifle grandfathered, or are you using hyperbole and describing a semi-automatic weapon as an assault rifle?
I'm with you on all of this other stuff, though. Of course, by posting about food stockpiles online, you've guaranteed that the government knows whose door to knock on when the SHTF.
Don't forget backup water filters. I have lifestraws and katadyns... California's water is going to shit like everyone else's.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
and (since I am an American) an assault rifle
Isn't an "assault weapon" a scary looking rifle, and an "assault rifle" a fully-automatic military weapon?
Learn to love Alaska
Good to know Chevy has tons of money to waste ... or a mental CEO.
Zombie movies are not about zombies.
They are about human behaviour when the constraints of civilization have been removed. Zombies are just the easy explanation why civilization collapsed (and stays collapsed).
Ideally, that is to show insights into society and the roles within it and how various types of people fit into those.
There is only one suitable car available to buy by everyone. The Paramount Marauder.
Here is a pic next to a hummer : http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNodvYO-1qs/T6rBLC-h1sI/AAAAAAAAAH0/lgJeiw3dxMA/s1600/Marauder+next+to+hummer.jpg
The Maurauder can withstand 8kg of TNT under any wheel without sustaining any substantial damage.
It's bullet proof (incl RPGs), is over-pressured to protect against biological and chemical attacks, has more torques than a HGV (it can pull real full size trucks; regardless if you put a foot on the breaks or flatfoot to accelerate), able to drive trough walls like a tank, etc etc.
But it costs 300000 GBP. Without options. But the option list is quite....interesting (included the option to electrify the hull to protect against people trying to climb on the vehicle)
I thought the guys at Top Gear figured out the best survivor-type pickup was the Toyota Hilux?
http://topgear.wikia.com/wiki/Toyota_Hilux/
This one was pretty awesome. I would want a truck that won't break down no matter what I do to it.
"You cannot find out which view is the right one by science in the ordinary sense." - C.S. Lewis on Intelligent Design
This is what you get when the President orders companies to allow college students to run them. Brian Deese at Yale had no experience and is just a kid so of course this is the type of thing that the student thinks is cool. How about instead try to turn the company around so that our tax money isn't wasted?
Is your rifle grandfathered, or are you using hyperbole and describing a semi-automatic weapon as an assault rifle?
It is an AR-15, and I have owned it since 1982. I also have a M870 shotgun. In the event of a zombie attack, my wife would use the rifle, and I would use the shotgun (it kicks too much for her). I don't own any other guns, so our kids will focus on reloading magazines (I have trained them to use a speed loader).
It was only recently declassified when the NSA realized someone leaked the blueprints to the original Big Tex and his Russian counterpart.
I can neither confirm nor deny whether this had anything to do with Big Tex's sudden "silencing" last year.
Compared to a Jeep decked out for the same thing. Problem is Chevy is built for roads, Jeep is built for dirt and rocks.
They might as well built a Chevy Volt zombie edition.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
1. Feed the trolls
2. Sell to trolls
3. Profit
Table-ized A.I.
Recipient of billions in government bailout money uses rugged individualist self-sufficiency as marketing tool. The irony is so thick you need a chainsaw attached to your arm stump to cut it.
Depending on the type of zombies (slow and lumbering Night of the Living Dead type versus fast Zombieland type), you may do well to save the ammunition for normal humans. With a societal breakdown, you're just as likely to run across looters and bandits as helpful people.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Isn't it a bad idea to give Texans a truck and some rope?
I think it looks cool at least. I was expecting to see some kind of better armor though.
Wherein 'zombies' are a placeholder for 'other (hungry) people', I presume? How christian of you..
Zombie survival is just a big gimmick, and even if it did happen, it would never amount to the extermination of the human race. I'd love it if there was a movie where the protagonist is an American soldier who goes around securing strategic areas in the US, all he does is drive around in a tank and run over zombies for 2 hours. Once the tanks secure the supplies and there's air support then it's basically game over for any zombie situation to end the human race. Simply, zombies are depicted as completely incapable of communicating with each other and carrying out complex strategy. Focusing on zombies as a potential threat to the human race is intellectually dishonest, and the threat of nuclear war is something worth discussing about. Don't see this generation making a new brilliant movie like Dr. Strangelove though.
Even so. Rolling out "black Ops" vehicles in Texas? The market they're going after is far more worried about brown people than zombies.
Wherein 'zombies' are a placeholder for 'other (hungry) people', I presume? How christian of you..
I am only a "3" on the Dawkin's Scale, and certainly not a Christian. Instead of the bible, I prefer the moral lesson of The Little Red Hen. Why should my family starve because you made a conscious decision not to prepare? But I am still helping my fellow humans more than you are: When the Yellowstone Caldera erupts, and blocks out the sun, you will rush out in a panic buying spree, thus depriving others. But I will already have my stash, built up during times of plenty, so I will need to take nothing from others.
Assault rifle is selectable full auto by definition. You don't own one.
Assault weapon means scary ugly gun that's on some list.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Good, because my neighbors are stocking up on the incandescent (60W, 75W mostly) lightbulbs before companies stop making them and switch over to them 'green' energy-saving lightbulbs
WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
So, it's not an assault rifle. If the selector switch doesn't go around to the 3 O'Clock position enabling 3 round burst or full auto fire, it's not an assault rifle. It's a semi automatic rifle that people think "looks scary." Please don't perpetuate the misinformation and fear mongering of the media.
Assault rifle is selectable full auto by definition. You don't own one.
Assault weapon means scary ugly gun that's on some list.
Sorry, I was unaware of the distinction. So I own an "assault weapon" that is a rifle, but not an "assault rifle". Got it.
Rather have a pre-1975 4x4 with solid axles, carburetor and points ignition. Ideally diesel. Can be had for under 3K: 1970's broncos, GMC K5's, Jeep CJ/5's, old school land rovers, WW2 dodge power wagons and 6x6 trucks.
OK, who gave Chevrolet modpoints?
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Seriously, just live near an airport, save up enough money and fly the hell out of the country. That's what all the rich people will be doing.
READY.
PRINT ""+-0
seriously, the zombies will seriously kill the owner of this truck in no time, simply break the windows!
windows are the weakest point in this truck and they reinforce the side panels? the second that the window is broken, zombies will simply walk up to the door and take a bite out of anyone in that truck!
They forgot the tin foil hat!!!
Right...the NSA now knows who you are and where you are. Good luck sucker...
They'll sell a million.
The dynamic principle of existence, which connects all living things and was discovered by L. Ron Hubbard is to "survive!" This can be further divided into four different types of survival, known as the four dynamics.
The perfect zombie destroying weapon (assuming the undead are not carrying weapons):
http://news.slashdot.org/story/13/09/29/1252223/new-real-life-laser-rifle-cuts-through-metal-like-a-blowtorch?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
Why do people want to survive the end of the world? So after the dust settles they can starve to death eating their own loneliness?
Because we don't expect to be lonely. We expect our friends and families to survive along with us. I live in California, so I am more concerned with a major earthquake than zombies. I am also concerned about a major contagious disease outbreak, or a weather anomaly that causes major crop failures (this happened in 535-536, 1315-1317, and in 1815). So I have about a year's worth of food for my family, basic tools and survival equipment, and (since I am an American) an assault rifle. Even if a crisis never comes, I am still saving money by buying food in bulk, and growing most of my own vegetables. I also have a some chickens for eggs. You may think that being prepared is kooky, but if you look back through history, there is at least a 30% chance of a major calamity occurring during your lifetime. By the time you see it coming, the store shelves will be bare, and it will be too late. So I think it is foolish to not be prepared. Some of my neighbors also have a stash of supplies, and we are prepared to work together to fight off the zombies.
535AD to 1315AD : Approx 800 years
1315AD to 1815AD : Approx 500 years
Following the pattern, the next major crop failure is 1815AD + 200 years.....
Does it also come with the sort of cheap windows that any zombie can smash with their hands just by slapping against them a few times? How about an ignition that never works in the presence of danger? I like the way the storage is all open on the back tray of the truck, so if I want to get that shovel I better be prepared for a jump shot zombie attack!
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Both of those terms are "loaded" as in full of shi.....
A rifle, is a rifle, is a rifle.
Muzzle loading, breach loading, break action, bolt-action, lever action, semi-automatic, fully-automatic, belt-fed, and plasma are the only correct terms when refering to civilian or military rifles. (did i miss any?)
Terms like Sniper or assault or hunting are either "use" terms or in the case of assault "politically charged" terms and have absolutely NOTHING to do with the rifle itself.
All rifles are rifles. Nothing more, nothing less.
You own a "rifle" it is neither an assault rifle nor an assault weapon.
It's a made up term to make gun "enthusiasts" sound more like gun "nuts".
I guess you'd consider yourself a 'prepper' then? I used to watch 'Doomsday Preppers' and always got a chuckle out of the sort of things people were prepping against. While it is possible that Yellowstone Caldera will supererupt, the last one was 640,000 years ago - so I give you reasonable odds it won't happen in your lifetime or even the lifetime of humanity. It is true that it might erupt today due to being a fairly unpredicatable event, but it's far more true that it likely won't erupt for another 100,000 years.
Do you use extreme couponing to help stock your food supplies? This strikes me as the perfect mash-up - doomsday preppers + extreme couponers :D
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
After the ZA has come and gone it's going to be Mad Max over here. I'll be cruising around with my bro in a 1973 Torana G-Pak (Canary Yellow with a thick black stripe) looking cool as fuck while you guys all drive around in your soccer mum crapboxes ;p We all know how zombie movies go - the hero drives the best looking ride - everyone else ends up dead.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Just need an old Nissan or Toyota and a few hours to spare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS8KXHBCimo
I have the same truck, but with the following modifications.
1. Bullet resistant windows
2. Airless tires (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.scientificamerican.com/media/inline/B33F74B4-B41F-AF07-FD7B7C294F3C45F4_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id%3Dtires-that-dont-need-air&h=320&w=320&sz=28&tbnid=YcZ6vW4PmJLs5M:&tbnh=101&tbnw=101&zoom=1&usg=__Nqyd8bTfBn4XH8-RWo41FTUOCmQ=&docid=8w3hIpoKa5ziuM&sa=X&ei=7XVJUoOEPMfKqgHd3YCYBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEgQ9QEwAw)
3. Bed Linner paint job.
4. Heavy roll bar with pivot point for attachements like a Communications array, camper, minigun, spotlights, etc.
5. Custom electronics so I can turn off all other lights besides the headlights. We don't want zombies chasing me just because they see my break lights.
Really? And how long will your stash last? Most food these days won't last you the few years minimum you will need. Guessing you don't have that much fresh water and probable don't have a toilet that will work. How are your medical supplies? Or even better your medical abilities....
Fact is that we are very dependent on each other in the form of infrastructure support. Most movies think that being prepared would mean a few boxes of food and some antibiotics. If such a disaster happened you would need far more than that. Especially in a city.
However something bad like Yellowstone or a large asteroid will not wipe out infrastructure and though it would change life as we know it. It would not even get close to wiping us out.
If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
Yes, the last Yellowstone Caldera eruption was about 640,000 years ago. Unfortunately, the pattern of 'super-eruptions' for that caldera are approximately every 600,000 - 700,000 years, so we're right in the middle of the super-eruption 'zone' for this cycle.
Personally, I use the Zombie Apocalypse as a measure for preparedness. If you're prepared to survive that particular disaster, you're in pretty danged good shape for *any* disaster short of one that actually ends the world. (Assuming, of course, that you survive the initial event that triggers the disaster.)
A Yellowstone Caldera super-eruption would kill most people in the US east of the Rockies. It would then proceed to darken the skies world-wide for quite a few years, resulting in crop failures and famine. We, as a species, would almost certainly manage to survive it, but the process would not be a pretty one.
It could actually go off at any time; between half a million years and a millions years is the time distances between past eruptions. But if it did, no amount of preparation is going to keep you alive if you life west of the Mississippi river because the ash is highly toxic. Over half of the US would be uninhabitable.
Really? And how long will your stash last? Most food these days won't last you the few years minimum you will need.
So your argument is that since we can't be ready for everything, therefore we should prepare for nothing?
Like I said, my primary concern is a major earthquake. That would probably disrupt supplies for only a few weeks. A major disease pandemic, like a "super-flu", might last longer, but no more than a few months. A major global crop failure cause by a volcano or asteroid, would be a bigger problem, but humanity has survived these several times in the past. The worst was probably the famine of 1315-1317, which may have killed 25% of Europe's population. But back then Europe relied on crops, such as wheat, that needed warmth, sunshine, and dry weather to harvest. Today, we have crops, such as potatoes, that can thrive in cold, wet, and hazy conditions. Supposedly people survived that famine by going into the woods and digging up earthworms to eat. Those people were your ancestors. You probably wouldn't be here if they had the same attitude towards survival that you do.
Nobody lies back and accepts sudden horrific death when it actually comes. You'll fight til you drop for your kids or your friends, or yourself just cos its instinct. So i think being prepared isn't a dumb idea. Even for something like a hurricane a few days prepper supplies can be a lifesaver. If you're serious though you really need to be growing your own food & running some meat/milk/egg animals. So you need land.
Not anywhere in that post did i suggest that you shouldn't prepare for nothing idiot.
If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
This is what I thought was funny about the World War Z movie. I am not sure they meant it as a commentary on human behavior constraints, but I think I was someone surprised that it went from totally normal to murder everyone in your way and rape people in supermarkets in a few hours.
Personally I thought you might have more time than that, but then again perhaps they didn't want to wait any time at the beginning of the movie.