From boyz to men with restyled Luminas

Chevrolet's boy toy Lumina range has received a subtle makeover.

Both the Lumina SS sedan and Ute are upgraded for a new appealing look.

The changes include upgrades to the vehicles' specification and changes to the exterior and interior styling of both vehicles.

The front of the Lumina features a revised bumper and air dam as well as new styling treatments for the fog lights and headlamps. A chrome strip is added to the boot lid above the number plate on the sedan, while the rear tailgate moulding on the Ute is finished in body colour.

The design of the massive 18-inch diameter alloy rims has also been refreshed. The tyre specification remains unchanged at 245/45 R18.

A more subtle change is the addition of a V, changing the model designation from SS to SSV to bring the South African models in line with naming of other V series vehicles in the Lumina range.

Significant revisions have been made to the instrument cluster and the centre console of the Lumina.

The audio system has been upgraded to include a USB socket and advanced Bluetooth functionality - including mobile phone connectivity. The system features satellite controls on the steering wheel and touchscreen controls on the audio display screen.

Chevrolet has added roof airbags to the Lumina Ute, which earned it a maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (Ancap) making it the safest LCV in the country. The addition of roof air bags to the Ute brings it in line with the safety features of the Lumina sedan - with six airbags now standard on both vehicles.

The Lumina SS sedan and Ute come standard with high levels of spec, including leather seats; dual-zone climate control air conditioning; power windows and side mirrors; sports-contoured seats with four-way electronic adjustment and lumbar adjustment for the driver's seat; and sports alloy pedals. A driver information centre in the instrument cluster provides trip, vehicle and audio information.

Safety features include a six-airbag system, including roof airbags, on both the sedan and the Ute, as well as ABS braking with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP). Traction control and cruise control are fitted across the range. Handling is enhanced by the advanced linear-control suspension system.

The Lumina's 6-litre V8 all- aluminium engine remains unchanged with a maximum of 270kW and a massive 530Nm of torque driving the rear wheels with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The Lumina SS sedan retails at R441930 (auto) and R444390 (manual). The auto and manual Lumina SS Ute both retail for R413700.