Jim Tubman Chevrolet

GM MARKETING CHIEF THINKS THERE ARE ONLY TWO TRUCK COMPANIES: CHEVY AND FORD

2012-02-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

By Autoblog.com - The Super Bowl ad for the Chevrolet Silverado shows that the rivalry between Chevrolet and Ford still rages strong. But is there room for another brand or two to mix it up in the battle for pickup supremacy? Not according to General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick.

Fox News reports that Ewanick said during a web chat on Jalopnik that "the two big players are Ford and Chevy." Ewanick added that it's like a presidential debate, saying "We want to have it with the other strong candidate -- and we want to engage them and want them to engage us." A quick look at the numbers shows that Ewanick has a point. The Ford F-Series was the top dog in 2011, with 584,917 trucks sold. The Silverado came in second with 415,130 sales, but if you add the nearly identical GMC Sierra, General Motors makes the battle much closer with 564,300 unit sales. That's more sales than the Toyota Tundra, Ram full-size and Nissan Titan combined (even without the Sierra).

The Ram, also an excellent pickup, finished a distant third with a reported 244,763 sales. Still, Ram brand spokesperson Dave Elshoff insists that Ram trucks remain part of the equation, adding "across much of the west -- where trucks are worked hard -- it's Ram that's either number one or two in market share."

We're not so sure that the truck battle is Chevy versus Ford and then everybody else, but it sure is nice to see GM and Ford getting a little chippy. It's a good bet that the chatter grows louder as the next generation Silverado and F-150 hit the auto show circuit in about a year.

CRUZE WAGON MAY BOOST CHEVY FLEET SALES IN EUROPE

2012-02-10T07:15:00.001-08:00

The Cruze wagon has a tapering single arch
roofline and roof rails as standard.

By Nick Gibbs, Automotive News - Chevrolet will unveil a Cruze station wagon at next month's Geneva auto show. The car may help to boost the brand's fleet sales in Europe where a wagon is a typical company car.

The wagon will join the Cruze hatchback and sedan already on sale in European markets.

"The Cruze station wagon caters to an important market segment. It ticks all the boxes for European drivers in terms of distinctive design, dynamic driving, space and economy," Chevrolet Europe Managing Director Susan Docherty said in a statement.

The wagon will have Chevrolet's new 1.7-liter diesel engine, along with a 2.0-liter diesel and 1.6- and 1.8- liter gasoline engines. The engine range will be available on the entire Cruze line-up starting summer 2012, Chevrolet Europe said.

IHS automotive analyst Ian Fletcher said the low emissions 1.7-liter diesel will be important to Cruze sales in Europe where diesels are popular because of lower overall running costs compared with gasoline models.

The 130-hp 1.7-liter diesel has stop-start technology as standard.

Fletcher said the station wagon would help Chevrolet in the company car market. "Like the Korean manufacturers, Chevy has got its eye on the fleet markets and the wagon is a typical company driver vehicle," he said.

The Cruze was Chevrolet's No. 3 seller in Europe last year after the Spark and Aveo with sales of 48,564, according to market researchers JATO Dynamics.

CHEVROLET SONIC DIGITAL EFFORTS HELP DRIVE EARLY SALES

2012-02-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

By General Motors Corporation - The all-new Chevrolet Sonic is building a digital reputation and a legion of fans by bungee jumping, sky diving and successfully completing a skateboard-style kick flip. The one thing missing in its first six months on sales -- traditional TV advertising.

That ends Sunday during Super Bowl XLVI when "Sonic Anthem" chronicles what the subcompact has been up to while posting month-to-month sales increases and rising to the upper echelon of subcompact sales leaders.

Sonic, the only subcompact made in America, more than doubled the sales in January of the January 2011 sales for the vehicle it replaced.

"The Sonic is a great new addition to the Chevrolet line-up and we are encouraged by the steady increase in sales that we are seeing each month," said Alan Batey, vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service. "In addition to the early sales momentum of the Sonic, the rest of the Chevrolet passenger cars are building on the tremendous sales success of last year posting stronger than expected numbers in the first month of the New Year."

The first phase of Sonic marketing focused on reaching younger consumers through jaw-dropping stunts like the Sonic sky dive, and the skateboard-style kick flip -- a 360-degree rotation in mid-air -- successfully executed by MTV-reality and action sports-star Rob Dyrdek.

Digital efforts like The Game of Firsts where Chevrolet challenges the public to do something first, post it to letsdothis.com, and get people to love it, for a chance to win a new Sonic. Sonic has nearly 300,000 "likes" on its Facebook fan page, more than any other vehicle in the segment.

"The launch of the Sonic is allowing the Chevrolet brand to engage with consumers on a more personal level," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Marketing and Strategy. "Focusing our early efforts on the digital space gave us the freedom to attempt some of our own firsts and establish a solid presence for the new Sonic nameplate."

The next phase of the Sonic launch includes several advertisements that will begin airing Sunday during the telecast of Super Bowl XLVI. Sonic Anthem features footage of the Sonic stunts as well as footage of the Sonic making its first music video with the band OK GO.

The Sonic, delivers 40 mpg highway with class-leading acceleration when paired with the 1.4L Turbo and six-speed manual transmission. The Sonic is offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. Each is designed to deliver outstanding rear-seat roominess and cargo space.

Sonic is built at the General Motors Orion Assembly Center in Michigan, which received a $545-million investment in upgrades and retooling and helped restore approximately 1,000 jobs in the Detroit area.

To learn more about the all-new Sonic, visit the Chevy Sonic Facebook page; follow on Twitter at @ChevyLife or check out letsdothis.com.

ELI MANNING'S NEW CHEVROLET CORVETTE

2012-02-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

By FoxNews.com - Just like the stadium he quarterbacked the New York Giants to their Super Bowl victory in, Eli Manning's new car is a convertible.

As a prize for being named MVP of the game, Chevrolet handed Manning the keys to a Corvette Grand Sport Centennial Edition.

No run of the mill Vette, the special package celebrates the 100th anniversary of Chevy's founding on November 3rd, 2011, and is only being offered on 2012 model year cars.

Availabile on any of the Corvette models, the $4950 option includes Carbon Flash Metallic paint, Satin Black wheels with red accents, a suede-trimmed black interior, special 100th Anniversary badges and an advanced active suspension system.

Eli's drop top has a starting price of $69,115, but a top of the line hp Corvette ZR1 with a top speed of 205 mph will run you $128,515.

Soon to have two Super Bowl trophies on the shelf of his Hoboken, N.J., apartment, Eli could likely afford to fill his parking spot with either Vette, but the Grand Sport should be just fine for his 15 minute commute to MetLife Stadium to defend the team's title next season.

iPHONE APP CONTROLS TINY HOT WHEELS CAR

2012-02-09T07:15:00.001-08:00

Hot Wheels' iPhone app controls
the little Ken Block Fiesta radio controlled car.

By Wayne Cunningham, Autoblog.com - Most remote control cars come with dual stick controllers, but Hot Wheels opens up many more driving options with its iPhone controller app.

Although a little clunky to set up, Hot Wheel's iNitro Speeders gives the option of using an iPhone to control its little remote control cars. The iPhone app includes the standard dual stick controller, but also lets you drive the car with the iPhone's accelerometer, choose a predefined driving pattern, or draw your own pattern.

Hot Wheels sent us the iNitro Speeders kit with a Ken Block Fiesta car, one style of about eight. The Ken Block Fiesta is only 1 3/4 inches long, with a 1-inch width body. The body style is very close in look to the actual car on which it is based, but the wheels stick out far from the body.

The car comes with a carrying case that serves as charger and physical controller. This case has the dual stick controller setup, with forward and reverse on the left, and turning on the right.

Push the control stick forward, and the car takes off like a shot. Hit the turn stick and it pulls 180s and 360s. The car is a little too fast, making it difficult to control. Instead of having the front wheels actually pivot, the car turns by torque, shifting power to the left or right.

But the cool thing is the iPhone app controller. The car relies on infrared signals for its remote control, something not native to the iPhone. So Hot Wheels includes an infrared module that plugs into the iPhone's headphone port. It is not the most elegant solution, but it works.

After a calibration function, which does not seem to make much difference, the app shows five methods of controlling the car. The first is the dual stick controller, which offers some interesting graphic choices. It works just like the carrying case controller, and is equally difficult to do much but make the car go zipping off in random directions.

The accelerometer option lets you control the car by tipping the phone forward and back, right and left. This one might be easier to use for people with a fine sense of balance. However, we still found the car charging off, albeit making more interesting maneuvers that were almost under control.

An option called Slide shows something like the old Spyhunter game graphic, and you control the car by moving your fingertip up or down over the graphic. This method seemed to be the easiest for actually controlling the car.

We found the final two options the most intriguing. The first lets you select patterns, such as a figure eight or spiral, which the car will follow. The second is similar, but you can actually draw a pattern, then make the car follow it, kind of like a cross between an Etch A Sketch and a car controller.

Hot Wheels says the iNitro Speeders are appropriate for children eight years old and up. Not many children that age own an iPhone, but many a parent hands over a phone for games. And although having to attach the control module to the iPhone is a little clunky, the app gives some interesting control possibilities. It also includes a built-in racing game you can play anywhere. The iNitro Speeders are available now for $32.99.

FORD THREATENS LEGAL ACTION OVER CHEVY SILVERADO SUPER BOWL AD

2012-02-09T05:59:00.000-08:00

Despite Ford's efforts to stop GM, the apocalypse-surviving
Chevy Silverado commercial aired last weekend during the Super Bowl.

By Autoguide.com - According to GM, the advertisement was intended as a "good-humored" spoof on the Mayan calendar predictions. Depicting a band of Silverado owners that are navigating across a "completely over-the-top, outrageous version of the devastation and destruction predicted to occur this year by the Mayan calendar," the ad also features giant attack robots, meteors, and frogs that are falling from the sky. The punch line is when the gang of Silverado owners realized one of their friends did not survive because they drove a Ford rather than "the longest lasting, most dependable truck on the road."

Ford took issue with the ad and we now know what the company said in a formal letter sent to GM requesting for the ad to be pulled. Representing lawyer Lynne M. Matuszak wrote, "Ford demands that Chevrolet immediately cease and desist from making any unsubstantiated and disparaging claims regarding Ford's pickup trucks." Matuszak's letter further demanded that GM, "permanently remove the commercial from its website, its YouTube and Facebook pages and any other internet sites."

Ford's letter then warned, "If Chevrolet does not comply with the above terms prior to the start of the Super Bowl, then Ford will take all appropriate steps to enforce and protect its reputation."

Taking it a step further, Ford called out the Silverado's safety record, noting that the 2012 Ford F-150 earned an IIHS Top Safety pick while the Silverado received less than impressive side impact, rear crash, and rollover results.

GM's global chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick and GM are committed to broadcasting the ad and sharing it on YouTube. Joel Ewanick said, "We stand by our claims in the commercial, that the Silverado is the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickup on the road. The ad is a fun way of putting this claim in the context of the apocalypse. We can wait until the world ends, and if we need to, we will apologize. In the meantime, people who are really worried about the Mayan calendar coming true should buy a Silverado right away."

Like Coca Cola versus Pepsi, the clash of Ford vs. GM will last for many years to come. We will be expecting a humorous and entertaining rebuttal ad from Ford soon.

FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH SAYS HE WOULD BAIL OUT AUTOMAKERS AGAIN

2012-02-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

During the closing speech at this year's National Automobile
Dealers' Association convention in Las Vegas on February 6,
former president George W. Bush said he'd bail out
US automakers again in a heartbeat if he had to.

By Detroit Free Press - Speaking in front of some 22,000 dealers from the US and around the world, the former president (shown above visiting the GM plant in Fairfax, KS while still in office), said that although he was a firm believer in the free market economy and corporations having to pay for consequences resulting from bad decision making; he also believed stepping in to save Chrysler and General Motors was the right thing to do.

"Sometimes circumstances get in the way of philosophy," he said, yet if it came down to saving the US auto industry, "I would make the same decision again."

While still in office, Bush pushed through a rescue package of some $25 billion in emergency aid; $4 billion set aside for Chrysler, while some $13.4 was allocated to GM. This was followed by an additional $60 billion from the Obama administration in 2009.

Chrysler paid back its loans last May, six years ahead of scheduled and posted a net profit of $183 million for 2011, it's first time in the black since 2005. GM, so far has paid back about $23 million of the money it borrowed, though some 26 percent of the company is still owned by the US Treasury.

Bush's speech at the NADA convention was littered with humor, including remarks that he missed some of the perks of being C-in-C. "I had to stop at some of the stoplights coming from the airport," he said, jokingly.

OBAMA PRAISES U.S. AUTOMAKERS AT DC AUTO SHOW

2012-02-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

By David Shepardson, Detroit News - President Barack Obama touted the turnaround of Detroit's Big Three Automakers Tuesday, as he did something millions of Americans do at car shows every year: He got behind the wheel of a bunch of new cars.

He didn't buy any of the new models in his visit to the Washington Auto Show -- and even if he did, the Secret Service wouldn't let him drive them. In numerous interviews, Obama has lamented that he can't go for a drive as president.

Obama made a quick 20-minute round of the auto show as he met executives from General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC.

He praised new fuel-efficient models, but also got into some American-made muscle cars and pickups.

Obama got a look at 18 U.S. models that were lined up and briefly sat in a 650-horsepower Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a ZR1 Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Malibu eco, Chevrolet Silverado, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Dart, Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, plug-in Ford C-Max Energi and plug-in Ford Fusion Energi.

"This is a testimony to the outstanding work done by workers, American workers, American designers," Obama told reporters. "The U.S. auto industry is back. The fact that GM is back, No. 1, I think shows the kind of turnaround that it is possible when it comes to American manufacturing. It's good to remember the fact that there were some folks who were willing to let this industry die."

Obama has repeatedly noted that Republican presidential candidates opposed the auto bailout. But the bailout has come with costs. The Treasury Department told Congress this month it had upped its estimate of taxpayers' cost of the bailout to $23.77 billion.

After sitting in the Ford Mustang, Obama called it a "classic" and joked: "This is what I needed in high school."

Told the vehicle can go up to 200 miles per hour, Obama joked: "Of course, nobody ever drives that."

Obama also admired a new Chevrolet Corvette and a Camaro decked out with an American eagle. A friend let Obama drive his Corvette "one time", he said. GM design chief Ed Welburn noted the ZR1 can go 205 miles per hour and the one Obama drove "probably wasn't anything like this."

"You can actually get 20 miles per gallon on this thing. That's not bad," Obama said.

He told Dodge CEO Reid Bigland that his first new car had been a Jeep Grand Cherokee. "How's it selling?" Obama asked.

Bigland joked that Obama's Grand Cherokee would be worth a lot on eBay today. In fact, Obama's former 2005 Chrysler 300c is on eByay for $1 million.

Obama touted the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in. He said the vehicle would have an all-electric range of about 20 miles. "So if you live in the city, you never have to fill up with this. You never have to buy gas."

Obama said the cars were proof Detroit is back.

"We are now back in a place where we can compete with any car company in the world," he said. "I'm just very proud of what we're seeing here."

Foreign automakers had set up a bunch of cars nearby and had been asked by the White House to provide cars. Obama didn't look at them, including many U.S.-built vehicles.

Mike Stanton, president and CEO of Global Automakers, the trade association representing Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co. and others, said Obama should have looked at their vehicles.

"We are terribly disappointed that the president did not spend time with our manufacturers who have created jobs, employ more than 80,000 people in the United States, invested more than $43 billion and last year built more than 3 million cars here," Stanton said.

FIRST CAMARO ZL1 OFF THE LINE GRABBED BY HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

2012-02-03T08:54:00.001-08:00

By Dave Pankew, Autoblog - The Canadian auto industry is strong, very strong. Not only does Ontario produce more cars than any other region in North America but also builds some of the best cars in the market today that have won award-after-award for quality and reliability.

Although we don't have many domestic car companies in Canada except for modest ventures like: Zenn, HTT, Pléthore and to some extent Bombardier's NEV, we have much to be proud of. Canada (more specifically Ontario) has some of the most advanced plants in the world and produces some outstanding cars like the Chevrolet Camaro. And that isn't just your average Camaro but the top of the line trim ZL1 now, which promises to embarrass even the mighty 660hp Ford GT500 in anything but a straight line.

The ZL1 is now rolling off the line at the GM Oshawa assembly plant and a special customer has snagged the first two, chassis #001 and #002. Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports who campaigns in NASCAR cars: 5, 24, 48 and 88 has purchased these ZL1s and came across the border to personally pick them up as they finished assembly. While that fact alone may drive Chevy guys into a jealous rage, Hendrick is an avid car collector who also owns the first two of the Camaro Comvertible and SS Couple as well!

The event at the plant attracted several VIPs to hear Kevin Williams, President of GM Canada address what the ZL1 means to the Chevrolet brand. The outspoken Al Oppenheiser who is the chief engineer for the Camaro was also on hand to address how the performance of the ZL1 stacks up against rival GT500 and the Dodge Challenger SRT8 (also built in Canada) and any competition from the Europeans and the Japanese.

LATEST REASON FOR TEEN CRASHES? PEER PRESSURE

2012-02-03T08:45:00.001-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoguide.com - A new study from the water-is-still-wet research department has found that teens may have been the victims of peer pressure just before a crash. The studies were crafted by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm. The first study surveyed 198 teens and found that those who were more likely to have friends pile into a vehicle with them were also apt to call themselves "thrill seekers". Those teens also said they didn't want their parents to set rules or keep an eye on their comings and goings. In addition, they were less likely to perceive the risks associated with driving in general.

The second study, meanwhile, analyzed information from 677 teens who were involved in serious crashes while behind the wheel. As it turns out, both male and female drivers were more likely to be distracted just before the incident, with 71 percent of males saying they were distracted by their passengers. The study found 47 percent of female teens admitted the same. The study also found teen males with passengers were six times more likely to perform an illegal maneuver and twice as likely to drive aggressively before a crash compared to their counterparts driving alone.

While it's no secret that teens with passengers are more likely to get into an accident, the two studies help shed some light on why that is.

GM'S AKERSON DEFENDS VOLT BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE

2012-01-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

Akerson told a House committee: "We did not
engineer the Volt to be a political punching bag."

By Christina Rogers, Automotive News - General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said the company is now going about "reconstructing" the Chevrolet Volt's image, after a recently closed federal probe called into question the safety of the plug-in car.

"As you see, there is certain political air around this discussion about a car that is safe," Akerson said, after testifying before House Oversight subcommittee on the handling of an investigation into the Volt's safety.

To have GM's product mentioned in the same phrase as fire, he added, "causes collateral damage because it makes the market pause, so we're going to go about reconstructing that image."

In his testimony before the House panel, Akerson said GM and U.S. regulators tried several times to replicate the initial fire and only once, under conditions unlikely to occur in real-world driving, did the test produce a second blaze.

He added that the battery fire in November only occurred in simulated, laboratory environment where the battery was pierced with a rod, rotated and then "drenched" in coolant fluid.

"For all the loose talk about fires, we are here today because the test by regulators resulted in a fire under lab conditions that no driver would experience," Akerson said.

Reputation hurt

Even so, the car's reputation has taken a hit, and GM has already responded by tapering back its production plans for the $39,145 US vehicle. GM had originally planned to build 45,000 Volts this year for the U.S. market. Now, it's going to match production with demand. GM also took the extra step of offering to buy back Volts from owners concerned about the safety probe. Akerson said he'd recently purchased one of the returned Volts.

"So what we saw last year before this investigation was started might have been one perspective," he added. "We're going to have to see what plays out in the coming months."

When asked if GM had any communication with the White House about the Volt fire, Akerson said "absolutely not". Akerson, who drove a Volt to the hearing, reiterated that the government has no presence in GM's boardroom or input in the company's business.

He rejected suggestions that politics influenced GM's handling of the Volt investigation and stressed that the Volt's development was well underway before the government saved GM with a $49.5 billion bailout in 2009.

Written testimony changed

In an advance copy of his testimony, he said the company's halo car has become a political lightening rod for critics of the Obama Administration. Those remarks weren't included in his spoken testimony.

"The Volt seems, perhaps unfairly, to have become a surrogate for some to offer broader commentary on General Motors' business prospects and administration policy," Akerson stated in his original written testimony.

"These factors should not be discounted as to why federal regulators opened an investigation into the Volt's battery safety."

But in his actual testimony today, Akerson said: "Unfortunately, there is one thing we did not engineer. Although we loaded the Volt with state-of-the-art safety features -- we did not engineer the Volt to be a political punching bag."

Investigation timeline

In November, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation after two incidents in which the Volt's battery pack either caught fire or emitted sparks in the days or weeks after crash tests. An earlier battery fire occured in June, three weeks after the agency completed side-impact testing on the Volt.

Last week, NHTSA closed the investigation, saying it does not believe that the Volt or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered ones. The agency also said that a modification that GM has proposed to reinforce the Volt's vattery pack should make the car safer.

In two hearings, House subcommittee members pressed Akerson and NHTSA administrator David Strickland about the timing of the fire's disclosure, at times accusing regulators of "pulling punches" because of the government's 32-percent ownership stake in GM.

The House panel, in a report released this morning, raised concerns about an "unnatural relationship" between GM and the Obama Administration. It also questions why NHTSA, which learned about the fire June 6, didn't bring it up when it was negotiating new fuel economy standards for the auto industry. The proposed standards offer a slew of new incentives for electric vehicles.

NHTSA first acknowledged the June fire in a Bloomberg News report on Nov. 11, five months after it learned of the initial fire on June 6. NHTSA opened a safety investigation on the Chevrolet Volt on Nov. 25.

Strickland also rejected suggestions that if it weren't for the report, NHTSA wouldn't have told the public about the fire or investigation.

Irresponsible idea

Rather, he said it would have been irresponsible, even illegal, to deem the Volt a safety risk without evidence to back up that claim. The agency had planned to inform the public about the probe "fairly soon" and worked with a Bloomberg reporter to ensure the Nov. 11 story was correct.

Moreover, Strickland said replicating the initial fire was "difficult" and took a "tremendous amount of engineering" to produce a second fire under laboratory conditions.

Still, because of the sensitive surround this new technology, NHTSA took the unusual step of continuing its investigation, even though there'd been no reports of real-world fires involving the Volt.

Asked by subcommittee members whether GM or the Obama administration requested NHTSA to keep the investigation quiet, Strickland replied: "Absolutely not."

House Oversight Chairman, Rep. Darrel Issa, R-Calif., said he's satisfied with GM's response but now plans to focus his panel's inquiry on NHTSA.

"We are disappointed," Issa said. "NHTSA could have done a much better job both in transparency and speed. When you have a new vehicle, it's better to take a pause."

2012 CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1

2012-01-24T12:32:00.001-08:00

By Jeremy Korzeniewski, Autoblog.com - Ford versus Chevy. It's one of the greatest rivalries in the world, joining the likes of Coke versus Pepsi and Michigan versus Ohio State. While the Mustang and Camaro can't be credited as the first two vehicles to start the Blue Oval and Golden Bowtie wars, it's fair to say the two muscle cars kicked the battle into high gear in the 1960s.

Wherever there are rivals, you can be sure there will also be healthy levels of both respect and distaste for one another. In fact, emotions from Ford fans following the debut of both the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 culminated in Camaro lead engineer Al Oppenheiser being unwittingly cast in the lead role of another Downfall Hitler overdub spoof. Perhaps it was something he said ...

Of course, none of this ZL1 versus GT500 smack-talk will amount to anything if either car isn't up to snuff. With that in mind, at Chevrolet's behest, we traveled to the Bondurant Road Course just south of Phoenix, Arizona to put the 2012 Camaro ZL1 through its paces.

It used to be that the only meaningful bits of Camaro or Mustang performance data could be measured in a straight line. We're talking 0-60, 0-100 and the ever-important quarter-mile time and trap speed. Let's get them out of the way right now.

The official 0-60 time is 3.9 seconds and the quarter mile is dispatched in 12 seconds flat.

The Camaro ZL1's 6.2-liter supercharged V8, which shares its basic spec sheet with the Cadillac CTS-V and Chevy Corvette ZR1, puts out 580 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 556 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. The official 0-60 time is 3.9 seconds and the quarter mile is dispatched in 12 seconds flat. Top speed is listed as 184 miles per hour, thanks in part to an aero package that includes a new front fascia, a carbon fiber hood with functional air extractor vents and an undertray with NACA ducts for cooling.

Those data points still matter in a big way, and will undoubtedly be the most oft-quoted stats by Ford Fanatics and the Bowtie Brigade. But, these days, you've got to be able to do more than go fast in a straight line to impress the true diehards.

And that's where the orange corner is placing its bets with the ZL1. Perhaps the most significant change to the ZL1 over its SS sibling, besides the supercharger, of course, are the magnetorheological dampers fitted at all four corners. We've seen this technology on a number of high-performance vehicles -- from various Ferrari GTs to GM's own Cadillac CTS-V and Corvette ZR1 -- but these shocks boast a new generation of both hardware and software that makes it all tick.

Chevrolet makes full use of the MR shocks' computer-controlled adjustability with the ZL1, and it pays big dividends on the track. The driver can choose from five settings using a trio of buttons just ahead of the shifter on the center console. A quick two-tap routine engages Performance Traction Management mode. The first stage of PTM is for adverse weather, and in the sunny climes of Arizona, we skipped it. PTM Mode Two affords moderately skilled drivers -- even those unfamiliar with the car -- the ability to have fun on a track with little danger of losing control. Modes Three and Four gradually allow more tire slip, stiffen up the Magnetic Ride Control and quicken the steering for drivers who have outgrown Mode Two.

And then there's Mode Five. This is the setting Chevrolet recommends for the track, and it's tuned to improve lap times of even the most highly skilled drivers. It works. Countless algorithms are programmed into all facets of the car's most technological bits and pieces, particularly the MR shocks and traction control. The suspenders get race-car stiff and the rear wheels are allowed just the right amount of slip to help a trained driver eke out the most corner exit speed possible.

The ZL1 rather impressively managed to lap the Nurburgring in seven minutes and 41 seconds.

Thankfully, the ZL1's brakes have also been upgraded to cope with the power of its engine. The six-pot Brembo pistons clamp down hard on two-piece ventilated rotors up front, while single-piece rotors with four-piston calipers do the deed out back.

To say we were impressed by the overweight Camaro's ability at Bondurant would be an understatement. With an official curb weight of 4,120 pounds, this car should be more of a linebacker than a ballerina. And it is. But it's a linebacker wearing a fluffy pink tutu and those crazy lace-up shoes with blunt-tipped toe boxes ... and we mean that in the best way possible. After all, the ZL1 rather impressively managed to lap the Nurburgring in seven minutes and 41 seconds. That's almost 40 seconds quicker around the 'Ring than the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro SS.

If there's one place its devotees would expect the ZL1 to shine, it's at the drag strip. Bowtie fans will not be disappointed. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will easily eat up 1,320 feet of asphalt and spit out a time slip in the low-12-second range. We know, we tested it in far-from-ideal conditions ourselves and have slips to prove it. It won't take much more than good weather, a manicured track surface and adequate seat time to drop a few tenths from the mid-12s at 114 miles per hour that we instantly recorded.

Part of the ZL1's race-car-in-drag performance can be attributed to good old-fashioned horsepower and wide, sticky tires. There are 20-inch forged alloy wheels at all four corners, available in either black 10-spoke or polished five-spoke designs, to which 285-front and 305-rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires are mounted.

We also noted good throttle response, predictable clutch feel and a slick-shifting six speed manual gearbox. These items alone should be all a seasoned drag racer needs to post the best numbers possible. For those who will only take their shiny ZL1 to the drag strip once or twice a year, Chevrolet has a trick up its sleeve to keep you from red-faced embarrassment and endless excuses.

PTM Mode Five is optimized for drag strip launches. As Chevrolet explains it, the starting line of a quarter-mile track is normally a death sentence for traction control systems. Right off the bat, a huge spike of G forces are loaded into the drivetrain at launch from the sticky surface, so the car gets full power from its computer. Then, the street tires (not low-pressure racing slicks) break traction, and all that power goes up in tire smoke. To combat this problem, the ZL1's PTM incorporates launch control into its bag of tricks. Nothing measurable is left to chance, from temperature and barometric pressure to the heat of the engine, the computer's megahertz-addled brain figures out the proper way to leave the lights.

Here's the step-by-step for launching the ZL1 in Mode Five: Pull up to the staging lights, mash the throttle and step off the clutch right about the time the last yellow light is lit. Keep your foot planted to the floor as you row through the gears -- the ZL1 is equipped with no-lift-shift programming -- until you pass the last set of timing lights. You've just managed a quarter-mile pass in the 12s. Congratulations are in order ... there were only a handful of muscle cars in the 1960s or '70s that could manage such a feat, and they all command well over a hundred thousand dollars in today's horsepower-fueled classic car market.

Opt for the six-speed automatic and you'll be rewarded with eminently repeatable time slips.

Want to know a secret? There's an even easier way to dominate the drag strip. Opt for a 2012 Camaro ZL1 with the six-speed automatic transmission and you'll be rewarded with eminently repeatable time slips by following just one simple step: hit the gas. Well, first turn off the traction control completely and put the shifter in manual mode. But then hit the gas and let the transmission row the gears -- the auto-equipped ZL1 will pre-select the next gear and upshift right at redline in this mode, though it will sit at its fuel-cutoff point all day long otherwise.

Would we buy the automatic? No. While the 6L90 gearbox is a fine unit, we'd choose the six-speed manual every day of the week. And while we're on the subject, we'll also mention that the steering wheel paddles of the auto-box'd ZL1 are flimsy plastic pieces that feel utterly out of place on a performance car.

There are downsides to the ZL1 package that apply to any Camaro model, including piss-poor visibility, overtly large exterior dimensions and an elephantine curb weight without the interior space to match. Worst of all, a complete dearth of headroom is exacerbated when wearing a helmet at the track. Finding a comfortable seating position was a big problem for our six-foot-two long-torsoed frame.

The Gas Guzzler tax should add $1,300 for a manual-equipped model and $2,600 for an automatic.

Finally, as you might expect, fuel economy is bad. Like, really bad. The EPA estimates you'll get 14 miles per gallon city and 19 mpg highway driving a ZL1, which means it's also subject to the federal government's Gas Guzzler tax. If its similarly tuned corporate cousin, the Cadillac CTS-V coupe, is anything to go by, that should add an extra $1,300 to your tab for a manual-equipped model and $2,600 for an automatic. Ford fans will freak if we don't also mention that the more powerful 2013 GT500 is efficient enough to earn exemption from the GG tax. And naturally, the ZL1 only drinks premium.

Fortunately, there are a botaload of positives that manage to outweigh the negatives, including a comfortable ride from the magnetic shocks, a highly refined drivetrain and suede interior inserts that dress up otherwise kitschy cabin. And, lest we forget the big V8 underhood, there's an active exhaust system that belches out one of the most glorious petroleum-fueled soundtracks in America, with just a hint of whine to remind you of the supercharger nestled atop the vee.

Perhaps the most impressive feat performed by the Camaro ZL1 isn't that it's fast -- that's to be expected right? -- it's that the ZL1 will be fast for anyone, with almost any talent level, each and every time. And it will do so for the price of $54,095. That's certainly a lot of coin to spend on a Camaro, but we think it's a bargain in the world of performance. And the best part? All the go-fast goodies are standard equipment, including the magnetic suspension, PTM computer and heavy-duty cooling for the engine, transmission, brakes and rear differential.

The Camaro team seemed quite sure their baby would beat the 2013 GT500 around any race track with curves.

By comparison, GM reps are happy to point out that Ford recommends three additional coolers from its official parts catalog for any GT500 that will be subject to track use ... and makes it clear that such use may result in the loss of warranty coverage. That is, at least for the 2012 model. Need we also mention the Mustang's live rear axle, as opposed to the fully independent setup affixed to the Camaro? As if to place the ball squarely in Ford's court, the Camaro team we spoke to at the ZL1 launch seemed quite sure that their baby would beat the 650-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 around any race track with curves ... and possibly in a straight line.

While the upcoming ZL1 versus GT500 fight is sure to go down guns blazing, without having driven the future Shelby alongside this super Camaro, we're not ready to concede the victory to Ford based on spec sheets alone. Until both cars line up head-to-head, the endless pokings and proddings from Ford and Chevy fans will be nothing but a chorus of predictions.

GM'S BUSINESS IN IRAQ IS BOOMING

2012-01-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Long before the first U.S. soldier laid a boot on Iraq soil in the first Gulf War, General Motors planned to build a manufacturing facility in the country. According to The Detroit News, the years since haven't been entirely kind to the automaker's sales efforts in Iraq. That's no shock given America's reputation in the Middle East nation, but its prospects are beginning to look up. Whereas GM once trailed even Renault in sales, the company managed to move 35,000 vehicles last year. Not bad considering the entire new vehicle market in Iraq totaled just 115,000 in 2011.

GM's sales largely consisted of SUVs and pickup trucks (like the locally available version of the Colorado seen above), though The Detroit News notes that some Chevrolet and Cadillac sedans have sold as well, too. That's particularly impressive given that Iraqi drivers aren't required to have insurance and kidnappers in the country have been known to favor those who drive high-dollar luxury vehicles.

CHEVROLET CREATES WORLDS LARGEST CLAW GAME, CLAIMS GUINESS RECORD

2012-01-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

GM continued flexing their marketing prowess with a new
promotion for the Chevy Sonic, creating the world's
largest claw game on Hollywood Boulevard out in Los Angeles.

By Jason Siu, Autoblog.com - The five-story 3D projection of a claw game was created on the side of The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California and even won itself a spot in the Guiness World Book of Records for being the world's largest claw game. Passer-bys were able to line up for a chance to use a human-sized joystick to direct the claw -- which was essentially a huge projection on the side of the building -- and had a chance to win prizes. The top prize of course was a brand new 2012 Chevy Sonic, but other prizes included a $4,000 vacation and a Burton snowboard.

BARRETT-JACKSON 2012: FIRST 2013 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 427 CONVERTIBLE SELLS FOR $600,000

2012-01-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

By Drew Phillips, Autoguide.com - Earlier this week we showed you the recently unveiled 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible at Barrett-Jackson. Chevrolet didn't just bring the car to display, though, and announced that it would be auctioning the very first production example for charity.

There was plenty of excitement as the Corvette was brought up on the auction block, and bidding quickly skyrocketed past the six-figure mark. During the middle of the auction, a few extra goodies were thrown in, including a Jeff Gordon racing suit and a VIP trip to the 2012 Daytona 500, and soon thereafter bidding quickly went passed the half-million-dollar mark to finally rest at $600,000. The new owner of the car? Ron Pratte, the same man who has generously bought many previous charity auction cars at Barrett-Jackson over the last several years. To top it all off, Eddie Vannoy even added on another $100,000 donation to the price of the car, all of which will be going to benefit the AARP Drive For Hunger.

STATEMENT ON NHTSA CLOSURE OF VOLT INVESTIGATION

2012-01-24T11:58:00.000-08:00

By General Motors Corporation - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's decision to close its investigation is consistent with the results of our internal testing and assessment. The engineering enhancements that General Motors announced on Jan 5, 2012 will provide additional protection for the battery, minimizing the risk of a post-crash fire in the days and weeks after a severe crash and rollover.

The voluntary action that GM is taking is intended to make a safe vehicle even safer. In fact, the Volt has earned top safety ratings from key third-party organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which designated it a Top Safety Pick.

GM is proud of the technological innovation the Volt represents. We appreciate the confidence our Volt customers continued to provide during the investigation. Our overriding commitment will always be to provide our customers with the best ownership experience and peace of mind in the industry and we're focused on delivering that every day.

GMC VERSION OF CHEVY COLORADO TO LOOK 'SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENTIATED' IF IT GETS BUILT

2012-01-17T05:54:00.000-08:00

By Chris Shunk, Autoblog.com - The mid-size pickup truck segment should get a much-needed shot in the arm when the global Chevrolet Colorado reaches our shores in the near future. We're not exactly sure when the Colorado will be built and sold here, but thanks to its 2011 reveal we have a good idea of what it will look like. We also don't know any specs for the North American model, and we haven't received confirmation whether a GMC variant will follow to replace the current Canyon model.

Car and Driver reports that General Motors President Mark Reuss still won't confirm a GMC spinoff, but he does add that if a "Professional Grade" version of the Colorado is built, it will be very different than its Bowtie-wearing counterpart. As the current Canyon is essentially a badge-swap away from being a Chevy, the idea of increased differentiation strikes us as a welcome development. We aren't exactly sure how much different the would-be pickup might be, but we're guessing that Reuss is referring to more unique parts than the front fascia and minor trim enhancements that differentiate the GMC Sierra from the Silverado.

Reuss also tells C/D that the new Colorado is surprisingly large -- about 90-95 percent of the size of the Silverado, and he notes the truck will feature different powertrains. We assumed that the Colorado will feature different powertrains, and we hope that a fuel-efficient six-cylinder and a diesel offering will be available under the hood.

NHTSA SAYS WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T FACTOR IN CHEVY VOLT FIRE DISCLOSURE

2012-01-17T05:46:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed the Obama administration didn't ask the government agency to delay announcing potential safety issues with the Chevrolet Volt. According to The Detroit News, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was briefed about Volt fires that occurred after two crash tests in September, three months after the first extended-range hybrid began smoldering. According to the report, the office of the president was then informed of the fires shortly thereafter, as well as being notified of NHTSA's intent to investigate whether the results of the tests could be replicated.

The Detroit News quotes NHTSA administrator David Strickland as saying no one within the office of the president "requested or in any way suggested that NHTSA delay public release of information related to the Volt fire."

That seems to be a fairly definitive answer to the three house Republicans who asked General Motors and the Obama administration whether the White House had called for any delay in publicly disclosing the Volt fires. A House panel plans to undertake a hearing on the Volt controversy later this month.

CORVETTE ZRI-POWERED CHEVROLET SILVERADO HAS US FEELING SLEEPY

2012-01-17T05:44:00.000-08:00

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - Here we have the kind of sleeper that'll wake you up in no time: a short-bed, four-wheel-drive Chevrolet Silverado with an LS9 from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. With dyno numbers of 510 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque, there's a jump of at least 205 hp and 169 lb-ft over the most powerful factory engine you can get in that truck.

The results? Sound and fury.

NHTSA TO TAKE CRASH-ASSESSMENT TESTING HIGH TECH

2012-01-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

By Danny Choy, Autoblog.com - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering at length the changes that could be made to its 5-star crash-assessment testing. Rather than concentrate only on crash-worthiness, the NHTSA is looking into new technologies that put an emphasis on accident-avoidance.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland says, "Crash-worthiness has been the guiding star for NHTSA. But if there's an opportunity to prevent a crash -- that is the goal." Holding a speech for the Society of Automotive Analysts the day before the North American International Auto Show, Strickland wants to raise consumer awareness towards these new technologies.

On top of accident-avoidance devices like lane departure warning sensors, Strickland says NHTSA is also working on a framework for in-vehicle electronics in order to minimize driver distraction. Strickland explains, "We don't want to stifle innovation, but we recognize technology (can impact) safety, so we will be setting in-vehicle guidelines so auto makers can innovate within a zone of safety."

In order to collect data on driver distraction, NHTSA's research program will be conducted on 2,000 vehicles with cameras to monitor driver behavior over a 2 year period. "The goal is to make sure we have an accurate picture of what is happening in the vehicles so that we're not creating something that is a risk for every driver."

The holy grail for automotive safety would be through the development of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, which NHTSA is committed to turning to reality. Studies have proved that the V2V system could eliminate 80% of crashes involving non-impaired drivers. This effectively lowers the number of traffic fatalities by almost 33,000 a year.

While it is unknown exactly when the V2V systems will be ready for mass use, a 3-year test program is currently being conducted, with automakers GM, Ford, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen all taking part.

GM CONSIDERS PRODUCING THE CRUZE AND OTHER CHEVY MODELS IN EUROPE

2012-01-16T12:50:00.001-08:00

By Carscoop - Reclaiming the number one spot as the world's best-selling car manufacturer in 2011 must have been quite satisfying for GM management. Still, there is a blemish in GM's ornament as the company's CEO Dan Akerson admits: its loss-making European operations.

Even though Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne expressed an interest in a possible tie-up with Open, GM vice chairman Steve Girsky quickly responded that the German carmaker and its British division, Vauxhall, "are not for sale".

But while Opel is not up for grabs, Akerson says that the company must do better and should "reevaluate its operations". That's why GM is shifting some of its Cruze compact sedan production to its European plants, in order to return the loss-making (US$13 billion since 1999) operation into profitability, according to a report from Autonews.

In November, Akerson stated that "Clearly, you can't have a unit as important as Opel is to General Motors Co. chronically unprofitable". He reiterated his opinion last week at the Detroit Motor Sho, when he told reporters that the situation at Opel "is not tenable. We can't lost money in perpetuity".

Sources from IG Metall, the biggest workers' union in Germany, told Reuters that GM is negotiating the transfer of the production of certain Chevrolet models from South Korea to Opel's plants. What its management wants in exchange is the union's consent in cost cutting.

The same sources claim that one option would be manufacturing the Cruze at Opel's plant in Poland and moving production of the Astra, which is currently assembled there, to one of its Western European factories.

Another option on the table is assembling the Orlando SUV in the Bochum plant in Germany, which already builds the Zafira MPV. IG Metall has proposed that the same plant, which the company's management had indicated was the one most likely to be closed, to be used for production of the Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara SUVs.

Former Opel union boss Klaus Franz said last year that they also wanted the next-generation Agila mini to be built in Poland instead of Suzuki's plant in Hungary where the current model is assembled, or South Korea, and the recently unveiled Mokka small SUV to be built in Spain.

Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke wants the carmaker to make a US$1.27 billion profit by 2016, increase its European share to 8.5 percent and minimize costs. "We must focus our entire strength into lowering structural costs next year. We must abolish unnecessary processes and get rid of every form of bureaucracy," Stracke said in a recent company newsletter.

GM ANNOUNCES NEW ECOTEC ENGINE, PHASES OUT OLD FOUR CYLINDER

2012-01-16T12:46:00.001-08:00

By Luke Vandezande, Autoguide.com - Fuel mileage, horsepower and overall performance are key ingredients in the recipe for any successful car these days.

Maybe that's why GM made the announcement to reporters at the North American International Auto Show that they plan to scrap the unimpressive naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four cylinder found in the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick's Verano and Regal. In its place, a 2.5-liter direct injected (cue fireworks) Ecotec inline four! The new engine will be 18 horses peppier than its predecessor for a total of 190 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. It's also going to be a lot less noisy, smoother and best of all, more efficient.

GM said they plan to make the transition between engines within the next 12 months, so look forward to a more refined American experience from GM.

DAVID E. DAVIS, JR. ITEMS AND HIS CHERRY '51 CADDIE HIT THE BLOCK AT BONHAMS ACUTION IN SCOTTSDALE

2012-01-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

By Matt Davis, Autoblog.com - On January 19th starting at precisely 10:30 am, Bonhams auctioneers at the Barrett-Jackson mega-event in Scottsdale will begin bringing to the stage lots 1 through 151 as part of the auction house's "The Scottsdale Sale". The lots represent a wide range of significant and unique items from the estate of automotive journalism guru and personality David E. Davis, Jr. who suddenly and sadly passed away on March 27th of last year following surgery.

The items are a vast array of Mr. Davis' collection of rarities assembled during his nearly 60-year career history with automobiles, the people who designed and built them, and especially with those legends who risked their lives racing them.

Among the array of a lifetime's collectibles are included several pieces of desk art, original wall art, rare signed photographs of Dan Gurney, Juan Manuel Fangio, Carroll Shelby, and others, plus a great number of authoritative books, many now out of print. Not to mention a perfectly preserved crimson red 1951 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe -- a favored Harley Earl design -- with fewer than 9,000 original miles, listed as lot number 326.

Behind every item there's a big and personal story and the pleasure of bidding on and owning any of these choice memorabilia would be made finer only by the original owner and ractoneur being present to regale us with the details. Davis is acknowledged as being the one responsible for the original success of Car and Driver Magazine in the 1960s and of having saved it again in the 1970s and 80s. Prior to that, Davis had worked originally at Road & Track. Following the C&D years, Davis then founded Automobile Magazine which he turned into a success despite heavy industry skepticism about the need for another car enthusiast title.

The two key items on auction by our assessment -- though it's tough to choose, of course -- are the all original '51 Caddie with smooth running 331 cubic inch OHV V-8 and lot n.128 -- a well preserved red felt race-day pennant from the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race, won in that edition by the Lancia boys at an average speed of 60 mph. This was the first race in history with photographic evidence of a chequered flag being used to hail the winning car.

There are items available for all budgets and all levels of car enthusiast. Go to the Bonhams site http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/19680 and start your bidding for a piece of history from the lifetime of a larger than life car connoisseur and story teller.

2012 CHEVROLET SONIC MODELS GET TOP SAFETY RATINGS

2012-01-11T09:55:00.001-08:00

By General Motors Corporation - The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic received a 5-star overall score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The vehicle was tested under NHTSA's revised New Car Assessment Program implemented starting with the 2011 model year. The Sonic brings to 10 the number of General Motors 2012 models with 5-star overall vehicle scores for safety.

The overall rating is based on frontal and side crash tests in addition to rollover resistance testing. The three test conditions are combined mathematically into an "Overall Vehicle Score."

The Sonic achieved an overall vehicle score of 5 stars -- the highest rating possible -- even though Sonic received four stars for rollover. NHTSA applies the results for the Sonic sedan to the 5-door hatchback model because of the same safety equipment and performance.

"We developed Sonic to exceed customer expectations of subcompacts in terms of segment-leading safety features," said Gay Kent, GM Executive Director of vehicle safety. "From the largest vehicles in our lineup to the smallest, we are putting overall crashworthiness and state-of-the-art safety technologies at the top of the list of must-haves."

The Sonic is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in a crash. Sonic offers an exceptionally strong body structure through the incorporation of a single welded side ring unit and more than 60 percent of the vehicle safety cage consisting of high-strength steel. Other standard safety features include:

Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax air bags, knee air bags and head curtain side air bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear seating rows. The Sonic also has side impact air bags in the outboard rear seating positions for a total of ten standard air bags.

Rollover sensors, which can activate the head-curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.

Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes with ABS, full-function traction control and panic brake assist that activates when an emergency braking maneuver is detected. The system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage ABS.

Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward occupant movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision.

OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event that a crash is detected.

Starting with 2011 models, NHTSA introduced tougher tests and more rigorous requirements for its 5-star ratings that provide more information about safety feature performance and crash-avoidance technologies. Changes included a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side.

ONSTAR, VERIZON PREVIEW THE VOLT'S 4G LTE FUTURE AT CES 2012

2012-01-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

OnStar's going to need more data bandwidth with
its new apps platform. Enter Verizon's 4G LTE network.

By Antuan Goodwin, Autoblog.com - Now that OnStar is courting app developers, it's going to be needing a bigger data pipe to feed the new mobile apps it's expecting for the next generation of OnStar-equipped vehicles.

This is where Verizon comes in with its broadband wireless network. OnStar and Big Red have jointly unveiled what they call a "second-generation connected research vehicle" at CES 2012. Based on a Chevrolet Volt, the research vehicle is connected to the cloud via Verizon's 4G LTE network and will be used to help test and develop new capabilities for OnStar's Advanced Telematics Operating System (ATOMS).

Armed with this new, more robust connection to the cloud, the OnStar research vehicle is able to stream Web and home content into the car with multiple zones. For example, the driver can stream podcasts, while each rear passenger is given independent control over his own local or streamed content. Rear passengers are also able to video chat via Skype and play games on the dual headrest-mounted monitors.

With the extra bandwidth, OnStar hopes to give passengers access to a variety of streaming-media and games.

In addition to entertainment, the 4G LTE bandwidth will be put to work providing home and Smart Grid connectivity, including real-time vehicle diagnostics, smart eco-routing for navigation that takes EV charge state into account, and home energy management of, for example, Web-connected thermostats, lights, and garage door systems from the vehicle's interface. From outside of the car, users will still be able to communicate with the research vehicle via the OnStar RemoteLink mobile app for smartphones.

Of course, one could argue that every smartphone-toting passenger already brings this level of connectivity into the car in his pocket, so this next-generation of OnStar will live or die based on its interface, ease of use, and any vehicle-specific features that can be rolled in. Which is why I think a vehicle with a complex, but flexible power train like the Volt is a prime candidate for showcasing the advantages of an always-on in vehicle data connection. Most users won't care what their conventional car is doing while they're not behind the wheel, but factor in the management of a battery and its a whole different ball game.

We'll be bringing you more information about the next evolution of OnStar as soon as we can find ourselves behind the wheel of the Volt research vehicle. Then again, I'm thinking one of the gaming and media-streaming back seats would probably be more fun in this case.

CHEVROLET TRU 140S CONCEPT IS THE MEANER CRUZE

2012-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - General Motors has just unveiled the Tru 140S Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, the second of it's youth-oriented concepts. Spiritual sibling to the Code 130S Concept, the Tru 140S is designed to bring exotic styling to the compact segment./ Based on the bones of the Chevrolet Cruze, the vehicle comes equipped with the same 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, though with a bit more power. The vehicle puts 150 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Like the Cruze, GM says a production version of the Tru 140S Concept could be capable of up to 5.8 litres per hundred kilometres on the highway.

Like it's rear-wheel drive twin, the Tru 140S Concept would carry an MSRP of around $25,000 were it to go into production. And how likely is that to happen? GM has made it clear it intends to offer a more stylish, evocative compact vehicle in the near future. Given the fact that the Tru 140S rides on the Cruze platform, there's a good chance we may see something like it roll out of GM in a few years. Consider our fingers crossed.

CHEVROLET CODE 130R CONCEPT IS A REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE DREAM

2012-01-10T11:10:00.001-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - General Motors would like to lure in younger buyers with a new small car that boasts more evocative styling. To that end, the company unveiled two new concepts at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show that may hint at things to come from Chevrolet. The first is called the Chevrolet Code 130R Concept, which boasts a traditional coupe profile and seating for four. Subtle fender flares and an upright fascia help give the vehicle an aggressive, masculine presence, though GM says a production version could boast up to 40 miles per gallon.

Under the hood of the Code 130R, a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivers 150 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, and an eAssist system lends an electric hand when needed. The Code 130R also boasts either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. With a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Code 130R would offer buyers an engaging drive and design in an economical and affordable package, it if were ever built.

While purely a concept at this stage, GM says a production version would likely carry a price tag of around $25,000. That would put the sports car in perfect fighting range with the likes of the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S should the Code 130R Concept ever make it to the factory floor.

HOT DETROIT RUMOR: CHRYSLER TO REPLACE DODGE CHALLENGER WITH A BARRACUDA!

2012-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

By Todd Lassa, Motor Trend - The 2012 North American International Auto Show has barely opened to the international press, and already the hottest rumour on the show floor is that Chrysler/Fiat is working on a replacement for the Dodge Challenger. It will be called Barracuda (though probably not Plymouth) and could be ready in time to launch for the original's 50th anniversary, which would be a couple of months before the Ford Mustang's 50th anniversary in April 2014 and the launch of that new car.

Two unimpeachable -- though not inside -- sources have told me about the Barracuda. The Dodge Challenger is the most literal interpretation of its ancestor. Because it uses the Dodge Charger/Chrysler 300 platform, it has the high front cowl of those two large sedans, and so its overall length is considerably longer than the 1970-74 Challenger, which already was the biggest car in its class. That Challenger shared its platform with the 1970-74 Barracuda, but with a stretched wheelbase.

The '74 Challenger was followed by a Mitsubishi-sourced coupe because it needed to be more fuel efficient to get through mid-decade gas prices. There is no way to follow up the current Challenger without either changing everything but the sheetmetal, or fully redesigning it to make it look nothing like the '70-'74/'08-current model. If Chrysler is going to redesign it, why not make it a radical departure?

A 2014 Barracuda would be much shorter, lighter and smaller overall than the current car, something we're hoping to see from the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro. It would not use the new Charger/300's LY platform, but would be on a shorter rear-wheel-drive platform, probably something closer to the Hyundai Genesis coupe.

What makes this scenario economically plausible is that such a platform also would serve Alfa Romeo well, with a new moderately priced RWD platform for a sports car and sports coupe. The question is whether the platform would package a V-8 for the Barracuda as well as a small, high-output and probably breathed-on turbo four for Alfa.

The Dodge Challenger launched in the 2008 model year, which means a five year cycle would end with MY13. A new Barracuda would launch in the 2014 model year. Ford plans to unveil an all-new Mustang in Spring of 2014 as a 2015 model. The original Mustang made its debut in April 1964 at the New York Auto Show as a '65 model.

One source speculates that the new Barracuda would borrow a number of cues from the original, fastback Valiant model, all the way through the 1970-74 model, when the Barracuda converged with the Challenger and no longer used the Valiant platform. Will the new car be a fastback, like the 1964-66 model, or a notchback, like the '70-'74, or both, like the '67-'69?

We'd bet on the notchback, at least, because it would make it easy for Chrysler to do a convertible as well, a better way to compete with Mustang and Chevy Camaro.

CAMARO TOPS MUSTANG IN SALES RACE FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

2012-01-10T10:20:00.001-08:00

More than four decades ago, the Ford Mustang became
America's first "pony car" and has established itself as
the segment leader ever since. However, in the last two years,
Mustang's closest rival, the Chevrolet Camaro, has incontestably
dethroned the Mustang as the new sales leader.

By Danny Choy, Autoguide.com - When the Chevy Camaro beat the Ford Mustang by 81,299-to-73,716 units in 2010, analysts believed it was down to buyer excitement over a newly-released Camaro. Surprisingly, sales figures for 2011 revealed that not only did the Mustang not regain its spot at the top, but the sales gap actually widened. Last year, Americans bought 88,249 Camaros and only 70,438 Mustangs.

Little explains why the Camaro has pulled ahead in sales while the Mustang lagged behind. Even when comparing performance figures between the two machines, the difference is negligible as the Camaro only has fractionally more horsepower while it carries a couple of more pounds than the Mustang. Price wise, the MSRP of the Mustang B6 and GT are both less expensive than its Camaro counterpart.

Competition between the two rivals promises to intensify for 2012. On the Chevrolet corner, Camaro is preparing a high performance ZL1 producing an outrageous 580-hp, capable of reaching 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 184 mph. On the Ford corner, the new Mustang Shelby GT500 answers the ZL1 with a staggering 650-hp promising to reach speeds beyond the 200 mph holy grail.

No doubt, the GT500 is a statement car in its purest sense. If Camaro manages a threepeat for 2012, could the Mustang's failure come down to its long-criticized live rear axle?

THESE ARE YOUR TOP 10 WORST-SELLING VEHICLES OF 2011

2012-01-06T08:15:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Where there are winners, there are inevitably losers. Last year was exceedingly kind to big pickups, sprawling family sedans and SUVs, but not every model came out of 2011 with big sales figures. We took the time to dig through the low-selling models of the past 12 months to find out which vehicles produced throughout the year were the biggest duds. Since we aren't interested in how few Lamborghini Aventador models rolled off of dealer lots in the U.S. in 2011, we kept the MSRP under $100,000.

Our criteria immediately nised vehicles like the Mazda RX-8, Volvo V50, Ram Cargo Van and everything in the Saab stable due to the fact that those models weren't manufactured through all 12 months of 2011. High-end metal like the Mercedes-Benz SL, CL and G classes were also kicked to the curb due to our price ceiling. Which was the worst of them all? We'll give you a hint. It wasn't the Acura ZDX.

Acura RL; MSRP $47,700; Units Sold 1,096

Hyundai Azera; MSRP $25,495; Units Sold 1,524

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback; MSRP $18,395; Units Sold 1,548

Acura ZDX; MSRP $46,020; Units Sold 1,564

Toyota Land Cruiser; MSRP $68,920; Units Sold 1,662

Cadillac Escalade EXT; MSRP $63,060; Units Sold 2,036

Suzuki Equator; MSRP $17,899; Units Sold 2,127

Mercedes-Benz R-Class; MSRP $52,690; Units Sold 2,385

Mazda Tribute; MSRP $20,555; Units Sold 2,696

Subaru Tribeca; MSRP $30,595; Units Sold 2,791

THESE ARE YOUR TOP 10 BEST-SELLING VEHICLES FOR 2011

2012-01-06T08:06:00.001-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - The figures have been tallied for the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. in 2011, and not surprisingly, the Ford F-Series pickup truck is king of the heap once again. Dealers sold a total of 584,917 F-Series units in 2011, beating out the second-place Chevrolet Silverado by 169,787 units. The Toyota Camry filled out the podium with 308,510 sales, which left the top three unaltered from their 2010 rankings. Fourth place went to the surging Nissan Altima, which jumped from its seventh place position last year. Likewise, the Ford Excape enjoyed a jolt in popularity as well. While the aging CUV took the 13th spot last year, the Ford sold 254,293 units to take fifth place in 2011.

That bumped the Honda Accord and its Crosstour variant to sixth place. Interestingly enough, the Honda duo just barely beat out the Ford Fusion by 5,000 units. Were the two Honda models to be split, the Fusion would have easily knocked the Accord further down the list. Likewise, the Toyota Corolla and Matrix teamed up to edge out the Chevrolet Cruze for ninth and tenth places, respectively.

SOLAR POWER PAYING FOR AND POWERING A CHEVY VOLT

2012-01-05T12:37:00.001-08:00

By Liane Yvkoff, Carblog.com - Few people are getting rich selling solar energy back to the grid, but one homeowner has made enough to pay for his Chevy Volt.

Retired nephrologist Bob Stonerock says that he used the $5,600 he's made over the last two years selling solar electricity to the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) for the down payment on his red 2012 Chevy Volt.

The Chevrolet Volt is an extended-range electric vehicle that can operate for the first 40 miles on electricity alone before switching on its gas-powered engine. The plug-in hybrid retails for $41,000 and leases for $350 per month. Stonerock's Volt cost him $46,000.

That sounds impressive, but before you map out a solar array for the roof to justify splurging on a new car, keep in mind Stonerock's scenario is unique, and the economics probably won't be the same for the typical homeowner.

Years ago the Orlando, Fla., resident installed a 20.8 KW photovoltaic system that includes a 33-foot-by-33-foot "tower of power" made of solar panels. The elaborate setup cost $170,000 to install. Most homeowners opt for the more modest 4 KW system.

But Stonerock's solar installation more than adequately powers his home's monthly average electricity usage of 2,400 kilowatt hours, and also powers the Volt for free. The rest he sells back to the OUC, and at the end of the year the utility company cuts him a check for his earnings.

While the exercise highlights Stonerock's commitment to low-carbon living, it also shines a light on the long break even (in this case, decades and decades long) for green technology first movers.

GM DEVELOPS FIX FOR VOLT BATTERY PACKS

2012-01-05T12:14:00.000-08:00

By Mike Colias, Automotive News - General Motors executives said today that they have come up with a fix to a design flaw that led some Chevrolet Volt battery packs to catch fire in days or weeks after government safety tests.

GM will reinforce the steel surrounding the Volt's battery pack to prevent it from being punctured during a crash. It also will add a sensor to the battery pack to monitor coolant leaks.

The action is not a product recall but a voluntary "customer satisfaction program" intended to make the Volt "even safer" and give the more than 8,000 Volt owners peace of mind, GM global product chief Mary Barra told reporters during a conference call today.

Volt owners can visit their Chevrolet dealership for the free fix, which should be ready sometime in February, officials said.

The same solution is being offered to owners of the Volt's European sibling vehicle, the Opel Ampera, GM said.

Probe still open

Barra said the fires that occurred in June and November after testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were the result of a puncture in the side of the battery pack that allowed a small amount of coolant to leak into the pack. The coolant then interacted with electronics inside the pack, igniting them later.

Barra said GM informed NHTSA officials of the fix but would not comment on the status of a safety defect investigation the agency opened in November to assess the Volt's battery-related fire risks.

In a statement today, NHTSA said it crash-tested a Volt on Dec. 22 with the newly designed steel reinforcement and the test showed no damage to the battery compartment, nor any apparent coolant leakage.

The agency said it will continue to monitor the crashed Volt as a precaution for one more week and that the investigation remains open.

"Preliminary results of the crash test indicate the remedy proposed by General Motors today should address the battery intrusion," NHTSA said.

A voluntary fix

GM has sold more than 8,000 Volts since its December 2010 launch, with another 4,400 on dealer lots, GM North America President Mark Reuss said today. GM is not requiring dealers to make the fix to the units in their inventory, he said.

GM will incorporate the design fix into the manufacturing process at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which remains idled for scheduled holiday downtime. The enhancements will be in place when production resumes, Reuss said.

Reuss declined to say how much the fix would cost GM or how many Volt owners he expected to come in for service.

Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 21, GM conducted four test crashes on Volts that had undergone the fix. None of the crashes resulted in a punctured battery pack and subsequent coolant leak, GM said in a statement.

Few taker on buyback

In late November, GM offered loaner vehicles to Volt owners who were concerned about safety problems, even though the automaker insisted the Volt was safe to drive. GM also offered to buy back any Volts from worried owners.

Reuss said today that about 250 owners have requested loaners or asked to sell their car back to GM. He said those requests are being processed.

Reuss said he doesn't think the news about the battery pack fires have negatively affected Volt sales or its image.

"I trust the Volt with the most important thing in the world to me -- my family," Reuss said. "I'm confident in asking our customers and potential customers to do the very same."

GM sold 1,529 Volts in December, its highest sales month since the car's launch. About one-third of those went to commercial fleet customers, the first Volts to be sold to fleets rather than individual buyers.

News of the government's investigation has threatened to dampen Volt sales and the enthusiasm around the car, which has become a source of corporate pride for post-bankruptcy GM.

Problems with the Volt battery pack surfaced on Nov. 11, when NHTSA disclosed that a Volt that had been involved in a side-impact crash test in May caught fire three weeks later in a storage facility.

Later in November, NHTSA opened a formal investigation after conducting three-follow-up tests that intentionally damaged the Volt's battery pack. One of the packs caught fire and another began to smoke and emit sparks. Both incidents occurred days or weeks after the batteries were damaged.

GM has said that the fires wouldn't have occurred had the batteries been drained immediately after they were damaged. In real-world Volt crashes, GM sends engineers to depower the battery, the automaker has said.

2012 CHEVROLET SONIC MODELS GET TOP SAFETY RATINGS

2012-01-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

By General Motors Corporation - The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic received a 5-star overall vehicle score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The vehicle was tested under NHTSA's revised New Car Assessment Program implemented starting with the 2011 model year. The Sonic brings to 10 the number of General Motors 2012 models with 5-star overall vehicle scores for safety.

The overall rating is based on frontal and side crash tests in addition to rollover resistance testing. The three test conditions are combined mathematically into an "Overall Vehicle Score."

The Sonic achieved an overall vehicle score of 5 stars -- the highest rating possible -- even though Sonic received four stars for rollover. NHTSA applies the results for the Sonic sedan to the 5-door hatchback model because of the same safety equipment and performance.

"We developed Sonic to exceed customer expectations of subcompacts in terms of segment-leading safety features," said Gay Kent, GM executive director of vehicle safety. "From the largest vehicles in our lineup to the smallest, we are putting overall crashworthiness and state-of-the-art safety technologies at the top of the list of must-haves."

The Sonic is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in a crash. Sonic offers an exceptionally strong body structure through the incorporation of a single welded side ring unit and more than 60 percent of the vehicle safety cage consisting of high-strength steel. Other standard safety features include:

Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax air bags, knee air bags and head curtain side air bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear seating rows. The Sonic also has side impact air bags in the outboard rear seating positions for a total of ten standard air bags.

Rollover sensors, which can activate the head-curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.

Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes with ABS, full-function traction control and panic brake assist that activates when an emergency braking maneuver is detected. The system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage ABS.

Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward occupant movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision.

OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event that a crash is detected.

FIRST DRIVE: 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO GLOBAL EDITION

2012-01-02T08:58:00.001-08:00

By Daniel Fernandez, Motor Trend - Until recently, most trucks in Thailand were no frills, work-themed models designed and built to be affordable and tough enough to handle rugged off-road conditions. But with the rollout of the all-new, global editions of the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado and the Ford Ranger, that's starting to change as automakers look to gain more sales from the urban consumer.

Previously, Thai trucks especially didn't have the interior and ride comfort levels of a car, rear leg- and shoulder room for three adults, carlike interior features, or the all-important cabin noise insulation from the hard-working diesel engine. There's one other factor needed for urban success: It is essential to reduce the cost of running diesel-powered pickups, which consume more diesel in start-stop city traffic.

Most of these issues have been resolved with the introduction of Chevy's new Colorado. The engineers have taken part of the new Chevrolet Captiva (a crossover sold in Europe, Asia, and Australia) dashboard and the gauge cluster from the Camaro to make the Colorado cabin user-friendly and modern. Chevrolet has introduced a new pair of class-leading diesel engines from GM's powertrain factory in Rayong, Thailand, as well as debuting a segment-first truck-chassis system. This redefines the global Colorado as more than just a traditional pickup: It's a pickup truck with an SUV interior and ride.

General Motors has announced the Colorado is coming to the
U.S. While is will be significantly different, we hope
it retains the global truck's styling.

We drove the Colorado in the northern Thailand province of Chaing Rai over a mix of tarmac, gravel, and sand. In urban conditions, the Colorado's compromises are kept to a minimum. It offers easy entry and exit, thanks to its SUV height and a design that focuses on practicality and refinement. It's built with an ultra-rigid steel frame structure, which means ride and handling are much more akin to a conventional road car than many like-minded four-wheel-drive pickups.

Under the skin is an SUV-style control-arm suspension with coil springs and a stabilizer bar for the front. The rear has a semi-elliptical leaf spring live axle. On tarmac, the Colorado turns into corners very well, considering its tall 70-series tires, and it never feels lethargic when hustled along in city traffic. Its straight-line cruising stability is also exceptional, as we managed an easy 85 mph or so on the highway with negligible wind and tire road. The fingertip feel through the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is smooth and well-damped, and responsive front-wheel disc brakes (with standard ABS with PBA) return the braking performance of a SUV.

Another surprise is the automatic six-speed gearbox, which is exceedingly smooth with no hint of an abrupt kick-down prevalent in other pickup trucks. Even in manual mode, the gearbox works well, and its electronics help prevent balky gearshifts (an indicator will appear on the information display). The engine we tested is a 2.8-liter common-rail turbodiesel (180 horsepower at 3800 rpm with a peak torque of 347 lb-ft at 2000 rpm), and proved powerful enough to haul our fully loaded Colorado up the steepest slopes and around the tightest corners as we raced up the Mae Salong hill to Doi Chang Moob on the outskirts of Chaing Rai to the Thai-Burmese border.

The Chevy Colorado is built with an ultra-rigid steel
frame and an SUV-style control-arm
coil-spring suspension

We got a challengine off-road route to tackle using the stock trucks we had driven on the highway, and the Colorado completed the course with little or no issues. No one -- not even the die-hard 4x4 enthusiasts in the group -- had anything negative to say about the truck's off-road capability. Apart from the expected jolts and bumps over some rougher sections, the Colorado met the route's challenges rather well. The impressive torque from the new diesel engine allowed the truck to ride up steep, rocky inclines with little efort, needing only slight nudging of the accelerator pedal, and the ABS and panic brake assist easily managed the descents. The drive mode selector goes from rear- to four-wheel drive with a simple twist of the electronic knob selector located below the gear shifter.

This Chevy's looks are sufficiently rugged, with aerodynamic efficiency that accomplishes the neat trick of being robust and sporty at the same time, with SUV-like shoulders over the front wheel arches that complement the hammerhead headlamps. A set of foglamps is integrated into the front bumper, below which resides a metal skidplate to protect the powertrain from damage during tough off-road excursions.

Three cab configurations are offered: crew, extended, and regular. Only the crew cab was available for this test drive, and the cabin has a generous amount of space. The overall fit and finish and level of features within the spacious cabin are impressive and include the SUV-quality dashboard and a hands-free connectable Bluetooth CD/MP3/WMA sound system that is iPod- and USB-ready. The overall sound quality from this combination is good.

The airbag steering wheel has buttons to control the audio system, and the steering column and driver's seat are adjustable for reach and height. Smallish pockets in the front doors contain cup/bottle holders that can accommodate most beverage sizes. Some shortfalls include a console between the front seats positioned too far aft to serve as an armrest. Then there's the shallow, two-tier glovebox, whose bottom tire is so narrow that only a small PC tablet and service manual will fit. The top tier is of little use.

For the Asian market, the Colorado comes with two airbags (LTZ version only). Safety features vary among models, and only the LTZ gets traction control, stability control, and panic brake assist, which increases braking force and triggers the ABS; hydraulic brake assist; cornering brake control (an extension of the ABS, TCS, and ESC systems to help the driver maintain control when the brakes are applied mid-corner); and hydraulic brake fade assist, which increases braking pressure when the system detects brake fade.

This new Colorado is sure to help GM's sales figures in this region. It comes with a bold, evergreen look that will not fade quickly, a decent-sized cabin, family-friendly interior features, and a powertrain that is frugal with diesel while producing impressive performance for the midsize pickup segment. In Asia, where this truck just went on sale, it's expected to be a clear sales winner, spanning the market from families to contractors.

KAZIMER AND FAMILY WIN THREE ALL-NEW CHEVROLET VOLTS

2012-01-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Edmonton, AB, TSN News Release - Campbell River, BC's Barry Kazimer has three extra reasons to celebrate this New Year's Eve, as the 48-year old retired military veteran and his family took home a trio of all-new Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles in TSN's sixth annual, international award-winning million-dollar giveaway, the Chevrolet Volt Million Dollar Shootout.

The event aired live nationally on TSN and TSN Mobile TV during the first intermission of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship round-robin game featuring Canada vs USA.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be a part of something like the Chevrolet Volt Million Dollar Shootout, much less step on the ice at a World Juniors game and have the opportunity to win cars and $1 million," said Kazimer. "To go home with three cars just really caps off what has been in incredible three days in Edmonton and to be able to share this experience with my family makes the trip even more special."

Kazimer and his two shooters - cousin Stew Patterson and brother-in-law Ken Bilski - each had 15 seconds to shoot 10 pucks into an open net from centre ice. Kazimer and Patterson's combined 16 goals scored were enough for the trio to win three all-new Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles.

Immediately after winning the cars, Kazimer moved back to the far blue line and had the chance to win $1 million in a one-time payout by shooting at least 15 out of 20 pucks into an open net in 24 seconds or less. Kazimer scored 11 goals into the open net, falling just four goals short of the $1 million prize.

"The Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range is a revolutionary vehicle and we're thrilled to welcome Barry, Stew and Ken to the Volt team," said Marc Comeau, Vice-President, Sales, Service and Marketing for General Motors of Canada. "With the Volt, Barry will be able to eliminate gasoline from his daily commute while having the flexibility to go further, something no other electrified vehicle can provide."

Kazimer was randomly chosen from more than 26 million total online entries. As part of the promotion, Kazimer had the chance to hone his wrist shot in a special one-hour practice with Hall of Fame defenceman and Chevrolet Hockey Ambassador, Bobby Orr, at Rexall Place yesterday.

Born in Comox, BC and raised in Ottawa, ON, Kazimer is a retired master corporal with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Kazimer stays active by skiing and playing squash, baseball and tennis, but he considers hockey to be his favorite sport and Sidney Crosby his favorite athlete.

CHEVROLET RECALLS ITS SONIC SMALL CAR FOR BRAKE ISSUES

2012-01-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

By Chris Woodyard, USA Today - The Chevrolet Sonic has barely gone on sale, but already it is being recalled. General Motors said today it is recalling 4,296 of the subcompact cars to check for missing brake pads, the Associated Press says.

Some Sonics could be missing an inner or outer brake pad, which could increase stopping distance. GM said there are no known crashes or injuries related to the issue.

The Sonic is GM's latest attempt to build small cars in the U.S. at a profit, instead of importing them. They were built at the plant in Orion Township, Michigan, which makes Sonics for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Dealers will inspect front brakes on Sonics for missing inner or outer pads and install new pads, if necessary. Customers affected by the recall will receive dealer letters beginning January 14.

POP QUIZ: WHICH BRANDS AND NAMEPLATES DIED IN 2011?

2012-01-02T08:12:00.001-08:00

By Rick Kranz, Automotive News - The auto industry runs fast and furious. Each year there are winners and losers.

If you are looking for a New Year's Even game to test your friends' automotive IQ, here's an idea. Get some pencils and paper, and ask them to write down what automaker, brands and nameplates were dropped in 2011.

Give 10 points for naming the automaker correctly, eight points for naming each brand, and five points for each nameplate.

This calendar year marks the end of one automaker, two brands and 26 models, according to a list that appears on the Motor Trend Web site.

Specifically, Saab's automotive history ended when the automaker filed for liquidation in a Swedish court recently.

Daimler AG pulled the plug on Maybach, its ultrapremium brand, and Ford Motor Co. dropped Mercury, a brand that was little more than a Ford.

By the way, while the Lincoln Town Car sedan was killed off, the Town Car name will appear on a livery version based on the MKT next year, so I did not include it on this list.

These are the nameplates -- some with a legacy of decades -- that were abandoned in 2011:

Buick Lucerne

Cadillac STS

Chevrolet Aveo

Chevrolet HHR

Dodge Caliber

Dodge Dakota

Dodge Nitro

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Ford Crown Victoria

Ford Ranger

Honda Element

Mercury Grand Marquis

Lotus Elise

Lotus Exige

Mazda RX-8

Mazda Tribute

Maybach 57

Maybach 62

Mitsubishi Eclipse

Mitsubishi Endeavor

Saab 9-3

Saab 9-4X

Saab 9-5

Tesla Roadster

Volvo S40

Volvo V50

A LOOK BACK AT 59 YEARS OF TOP STORIES

2012-01-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

By Automotive News Staff - Every year since 1953, reporters and editors at Automotive News have chosen the year's top auto story. Here are their picks.

1953: Fire destroys General Motors' Hydra-matic plant in Livonia, Michigan

1954: Reduction of "phantom-freight" charges

1955: Senate hearings on auto trade practices; attainment of supplemental unemployment compensation by the UAW

1956: GM begins offering five-year franchise contracts, up from one year, in response to dealer complaints

1957: The rise in imported-car sales

1958: Enactment of price-sticker law

1959: Compact cars introduced by Ford Motor Co., GM and Chrysler Corp.

1960: Chrysler's conflict-of-interest problems; a president is deposed, and other executives are affected

1961: Antitrust actions filed against the Big 3; GM accused in Los Angeles discount-house rhubarb; Ford's acquisition of Electric Autolite properties questioned; Chrysler charged with pressuring dealers not to dual with Studebaker

1962: Future of the franchise system; Los Angeles antitrust suit against GM viewed as threat to franchise

1963: GM wins criminal antitrust suit growing out of Los Angeles discount-house situation

1964: Record truck sales and the first 8-million-car year

1965: "The Year of Records": All-time highs in sales and production of domestic cars and trucks

1966: Safety: Congress holds hearings; bills are passed; William Haddon is appointed safety czar; standards are proposed for 1968 models

1967: 61-day strike costs Ford Motor 500,000 cars; Big 3 workers receive a raise of about $1 an hour in wages and fringes over three years

1968: Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen named president of Ford Motor a week after he quit as executive vice president of GM

1969: Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen fired as president of Ford Motor after holding the job for 19 months

1970: UAW strike shuts GM for 67 days in the United States, 95 days in Canada; the strike costs GM production of more than 1.5 million cars and trucks and more than $4.5 billion in sales

1971: President Nixon's economic program and its effect on the auto industry: Prices and wages are frozen; import duty is raised temporarily; currency is revalued; excise tax is repealed; program touches off auto sales boom

1972: Wankel engine advances: GM plans to offer Wankel-powered Chevrolet Vega in 1975 model year; other makers watch and wait; Mazda, with the only Wankel-powered cars in the United States, has a big year

1973: The energy crisis: Arabs halt oil exports to United States; gas rationing feared; uncertainty hurts auto industry and entire economy

1974: New-car sales (U.S. and import) fall to 8.6 million in 1974; 1975 model year is off to a dismal start

1975: U.S. automakers offer rebates of $200 to $500 to move huge inventories

1976: Auto sales rebound after two poor years, reaching 9.96 million for 1976; intermediates and big cars are hot, but small cars are hard to sell

1977: Government orders airbags on new cars, to be phased in with 1982 models; industry fails in bid to have Congress override Department of Transportation decision

1978: The fall and rise of Lee Iacocca, who is fired by Henry Ford II as president of Ford Motor in mid-July, then becomes president of Chrysler in November

1979: Chrysler's financial anguish: Federal loan guarantees sought; future of company in doubt

1980: GM, Ford, Chrysler, American Motors suffer combined loss of $4.2 billion for the year

1981: Another year of recession/depression for the domestic auto industry

1982: John DeLorean is arrested on drug-trafficking charges; he is later found not guilty; his sports car company folds

1983: A year of recovery for the domestic auto industry; sales and production rise after three bad years

1984: Record profits for each of the Big 3 as well as a record profit of $9.8 billion for the four domestic automakers

1985: Big 3 on buying binge: GM, Ford and Chrysler make major acquisitions outside the automotive field; biggest is GM's $5 billion purchase of Hughes Aircraft

1986: Turmoil at GM: Market share dips; plants to close; Saturn scaled back; plastic-bodied Camaro-Firebird dropped; bus operations for sale; Volvo to run heavy-truck venture; GM has third-quarter operating loss of $338 milion

1987: Chrysler buys AMC

1988: The sleeping giant stirs; GM's profits rise; car-market share stabilizes; new models aren't look-alikes; quality improves, overseas operation in high gear

1989: After eight quiet years, Washington again becomes a major thorn in the side of the auto industry; President Bush and Congress talk about tighter emissions rules, much higher fuel-economy standards and alternative-fuel cars

1990: GM's Saturn arrives after seven years of development; the car gets good reviews, pleases shoppers and dealers, but production problems hold output to a trickle, delaying evaluation of Saturn's sales success

1991: Car and truck sales drop 12 percent from a mediocre 1990; GM, Ford and Chrysler deep in red; end of Persian Gulf war fails to ignite sales; GM announces massive cost-cutting program and cutbacks in personnel and facilities as year ends

1992: The bloodbath at GM: Long-passive outside directors rise in revolt as staggering losses continue; chairman, vice chairman, president and two executive vice presidents ousted; Jack Smith named chief executive, and John Smale is first outside chairman since 1937

1993: J. Ignacio Lopez quits GM and joins Volkswagen; GM says he stole secret documents; Lopez and VW deny it; FBI and German court investigate as year ends

1994: Sixteen former Honda managers and two former dealers are indicted in U.S. probe of bribes and kickbacks in wholesale organization; all but three plead guilty

1995: Kirk Kerkorian, Chrysler's second-largest shareholder, makes a takeover run at Chrysler in April, but Chairman Robert Eaton beats it down

1996: Airbags kill kids and small adults; NHTSA delay means no action until 1997 on whether to order lower-powered bags or allow owners to disconnect them

1997: In less than a year, H. Wayne Huizenga's Republic Industries Inc. becomes the nation's largest new-car dealership group, with 270 franchises and annual revenue of $10.3 billion; acquisitions continue; Republic wins fight with Toyota

1998: Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corp. combine as DaimlerChrysler AG, with Daimler as the lead pony; headquarters are in Stuttgart; Juergen Schrempp and Robert Eaton are said to be co-CEOs

1999: Sales set a record: 16.9 million cars and light trucks for 1999; the old record was 16,025,426 in 1986

2000: Chrysler in crisis: Schrempp admits that he planned from the beginning to make Chrysler a division; the Chrysler group loses about $1.8 billion in the second half of the year; heads roll in Auburn Hills, Mich., starting with President Jim Holden; Dieter Zetsche heads the Chrysler group in the United States, and Wolfgang Bernhard is COO

2001: Ford fires Jac Nasser as CEO and president; Bill Ford (the fourth generation) succeeds Nasser as CEO and continues as chairman

2002: Ford's financial and quality problems continue, a turnaround strategy, announced in January, includes a pledge to deliver $7 billion annual pretax profit by 2005 after losing $5.45 billion in 2001; Bill Ford brings back Allan Gilmour as CFO

2003: The Big 3 moved the iron with high incentives but lost market share again; Big 3 share fell to 60.0 percent, down 1.7 points from 2002

2004: Rebates remain sky-high; sales continue near 17 million despite weak fundamentals; Asians boost market share; Big 3 and others try new incentives

2005: Delphi Corp., the world's largest auto supplier, files for bankruptcy protection. GM refuses to bail out Delphi, its former property; Delphi CEO Steve Miller wants to cut wages in half and reduce benefits; UAW threatens a killer strike that would cripple GM

2006: An awful year for Detroit 3. Ford loses $5.8 billion in third quarter; the Chrysler group, felled by sales bank, loses $1.5 billion; GM makes progress but is still light years from financial health. Detroit 3 lose 3.2 points of market share in 11 months; Japanese gain 2.2 points

2007: The Detroit 3 closed the gap in labor costs with their Japanese rivals. The car companies agreed to pay about 55 cents on the dollar to shift nearly $100 billion in combined retiree health care obligations to UAW-controlled trusts. The UAW also relented on two-tire wages that allow the Detroit 3 to replace workers earnings $28 an hour with new hires earning half that wage.

2008: It was a tough year from start to finish, and it ended with GM and Chrysler on their knees before Congress begging for money to keep operating. Ford was in better shape, but it wanted a line of credit. They didn't get anything from Congress, but GM and Chrysler did get a $17.4 billion loan from President Bush and the Treasury Department

2009: The industry slump went from bad to worse, and two of the Detroit 3 - GM and Chrysler - filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. The good news: Most of the hard work was done in advance, and each of companies emerged from bankruptcy in less than six weeks

2010: The industry began to claw its way back, but Toyota didn't share in the recovery. Allegations of unintended acceleration sparked a heated safety controversy, ugly headlines and global recalls of millions of units. Toyota's prime asset - a pristine reputation for quality - was seriously tarnished. The company lost U.S. market share, along with the trust of many shoppers

2011: On March 11, a massive earthquake rocked northeast Japan and a devastating tsunami followed. Thousands died, and Japan's auto industry was severely wounded, deep into the supply chain. Shortages of vehicles and parts disrupted the global auto market through the year. In the United States, vehicle shortages stifled a modest sales recovery that had been taking root

2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Meeting the next generation Chevrolet Mid-Size

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - It's been a very long time since the midsize market went easy on American automakers, and recent years have conspired to make an uphill sales slog even steeper with a rash of new and redesigned models. Kia and Hyundai have taken up arms by offering buyers the stylish and efficient Optima and Sonata in an effort to dethrone longtime D-segment stalwarts like the Honda Accord and the freshly redesigned Toyota Camry. Not one to back away from a fray, Nissan has been busily sharpening the next-generation Altima to do battle with the rest of the war horses on the field, and Volkswagen has just recently unleashed a new Americanized Passat to riotous praise from the automotive press.

The barbarians aren't just at the gates for automakers like Ford and General Motors. They're picknicking on the front lawn.

Ford has turned to its global operations for help designing a new Fusion fit to beat back the invading hordes while General Motors has focused on transofrming the aging Chevrolet Malibu into a weapon capable of carving out a more sizable market share. Built on new bones borrowed from the company's Global Mid-Size architecture, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will boast an all-new direct-injection 2.5-litre Ecotec four-cylinder engine by mid-2012 and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder version will debut shortly thereafter.

But buyers who flock to Chevrolet dealers in the first quarter of 2012 won't find those vehicles waiting for them on the show room floor. Instead, GM has moved to launch the new 2013 Malibu with just one engine option -- it's most efficient. Meet the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco.

The outgoing Chevrolet Malibu benefited from a stylish exterior that was simply starting to grow stale in the face of fresher sheetmetal from the competition. Designers have managed to incorporate the familiar face of the 2011 model in a new way. While the company's corporate dual-inlet grille and centre-mounted Bowtie have tagged along for another generation, elements like the heavily contoured halogen projector headlights, aggressively sculpted front fascia and scalloped hood all help lend the sedan a bit more personality. The vehicle is also substantially wider than before, with a 51 mm of width added in the rear and 64 mm of span up front.

GM unleashed the aerodynamic hounds on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu in an effort to squeeze even better fuel economy from the vehicle. Subtle adjustments like squared headlight housings, slightly smaller sideview mirrors and a specifically proportioned and chamfered rear decklid are all part of the recipe along with plenty of unseen tidbits. Engineers chose a unique grille set up for the Malibu in which the upper opening is completed sealed at all times. The middle opening remains partially open to provide proper air flow for the engine compartment and the lower inlet makes use of the same active shutter technology.

Throw in a dash of underbody cladding and the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco is good for a .30 coefficient of drag. For reference, the Chevrolet Corvette is only slightly slipperier at .29 -- a figure the standard 2013 Malibu will reach in part thanks to its more aerodynamic wheel and tire package. GM tallied the pros and cons of greater fuel efficiency by decreased drag or decreased rolling resistance courtesy of the Goodyear Assurance rubber found on the Eco, and the 17-inch alloy wheels and low-rolling rubber won out against the slicker 18-inch option. GM says that the standard Malibu will feature a coefficient of drag that's within spitting distance of the .28 of the Chevrolet Volt -- a figure that vehicle shares with the 2012 Toyota Camry.

GM specifically said the automaker wanted to give mid-sized buyers a sportier, more aesthetically interesting vehicle in the 2013 Malibu. While we'll gladly agree the four-door looks as sharp as a snake bite from the front compared to most of its competitors, but as before, the design quickly grows dull toward the vehicle's rear. The company's designers have taken pains to draw parallels between the new Malibu and the Chevrolet Camaro by importing the muscle car's square taillight treatment. To put it simply, the stunt doesn't work, and the large, jutting fixtures detract from an otherwise well-executed exterior.

Even so, it's clear Chevrolet has finally taken to sweating the details on a vehicle like the 2013 Malibu. The sedan boasts incredibly tight and uniform panel gaps that help lend it a sense of quality largely absent elsewhere in the segment. The company also turned its attention to cleaning up the intermediate surfaces between interior and exterior, and as a result, you won't find any exposed fasteners or unsightly structural adhesive between the outer sheetmetal and the vehicle's newly plush innards.

Step indoors, and the Malibu welcomes you with a cabin that feels more expansive than its figures would suggest. The clever double-concave dash design serves up the impression of added spaciousness, despite the fact that the vehicle now rides on a wheelbase that's 114-mm shorter than the previous generation. Surprisingly, that abbreviation has had little impact on interior space. At 1,069 mm, front occupants will have to make due with three fewer mm of leg room, but those in the rear will be forced to make a larger sacrifice. The 2013 Malibu offers up 927 mm of rear leg room, which is a full 30 mm less than last year.

The real hitch in this giddy-up is that the Malibu isn't clearly better than any of its competition, at least in terms of interior volume. The Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima best the Chevrolet in front legroom, while the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat trump the vehicle in both front and rear categories.

The designers at Chevrolet have executed a very nice cabin, however. Quality materials abound on the upper dash with texturized soft-touch rubber. The door panels serve up a complex and attractive design with a quality feel all their own, and we appreciate the simplified centre stack immensely. The seven-inch colour LCD touch screen is a nice addition to the cabin as well, and while Chevy is proud of a hidden storage compartment behind the touch screen, the door feels cheap and flimsy compared to the rest of the interior.

Under the hood, GM has paired the same 2.4-litre four-cylinder Ecotec engine from the previous-generation Malibu with a 15 kilowatt electric motor and 115 volt lithium-ion battery pack. The engine alone produces 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, though the electric motor adds in an extra 15 horsepower and 75 pound-feet of torque to that mix. Like other GM eAssist vehicles, however, this isn't a hardcore hybrid. At no point can the electric motor turn the vehicle's wheels by itself. Instead, the motor allows the 2013 Malibu to use a taller final drive gear than would otherwise be possible. That means the internal combustion engine can turn fewer rpm and consume less fuel while the electric motor picks up the slack.

In addition, the motor allows GM to cut fuel to the engine entirely upon deceleration, resulting in an aggressive auto stop system that further conserves fuel. The electric motor sits in the same location as the old alternator and is plumbed into the engine's cooling system to maintain optimum operating temperature regardless of the weather. GM has also graced the 2013 Malibu with an all-new six-speed automatic transmission, and while the car's paddle shifters have gone the way of the obsolete, the console-mounted shift lever now includes and up/down gear selector rocker on the top of the shift knob. Do yourself a favour and let the cogs swap themselves.

GM estimates that the 2013 Malibu can deliver up to 9.4 L/100 km city and 6.4 L/100 km highway, and the city figures fall fairly well in line with what we experienced during our brief time with the vehicle. Unfortunately, those numbers nearly fall in line with the base four-cylinder Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry and fall well short of both competitors' hybrid variants.

Behind the wheel, the Malibu Eco seems to suffer from nearly all the pitfalls of a hybrid vehicle without being able to offer buyers the benefits of dual-mode fuel economy. GM estimates the Malibu Eco can pull to 60 miles per hour from a dead stop in around 8.7 seconds, which is acceptable for a four-cylinder sedan. We have to wonder how the vehicle will perform with four adults and their luggage aboard, however. Throttle response feels murky and ambiguous and the vehicle's regenerative brakes are far from confidence inspiring.

Those downfalls are a real shame, too. Even with low-rolling resistance tires on all four corners, the Malibu is a confident and quiet driver at highway speed. The vehicle's steering is appropriately weighted and the comfortable front bucket seats kept us happy even after over three hours at the helm. We would have appreciated a little more power for quick two-lane passes, though chances are that has more to do with the vehicle's tall gearing and curb weight than actual horsepower figures. At 1,642 kilos (3,620 pounds), the Malibu Eco does have some weight to move around. The Chevrolet tips the scales at more than 136 kilos (300 pounds) heavier than the automatic-equipped base model Sonata and Camry. Don't think all that heft comes from the Eco's battery pack, either. The tech weighs in at just 29 kilograms (65 pounds).

We figure the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will likely set you back around $27,000 once GM reveals final pricing in the near future. If our estimate is correct the Malibu doesn't exactly make it a steal compared to the more efficient 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid at $26,990 excluding destination.

GM has said that when it came to benchmarking vehicles for the next-generation Malibu, the company specifically looked inward with the aim of bettering the old model instead of besting the competition. To that end, the company has succeeded. The 2013 Malibu is better than the 2011 model, but based on our first drive, it still fails to stack up against the ranks of vastly improved D-segment vehicles on the market right now. With an even sharper Ford Fusion baking in the oven and substantially more efficient hybrid models from Hyundai and Toyota, the 2013 Malibu still finds itself trailing the pack.

CORVETTE Z06 TOPS MOTOR TREND LIST OF SHORTEST-STOPPING VEHICLES

2011-12-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

By Jeremy Korzeniewski, Motor Trend - Any modern performance car worth buying puts just as much emphasis on stopping as it does on going. After all, what's the point in being able to hit ludicrous speed if you can't manage to get it back down without heading fascia-first into an unmovable object?

So, what's a good stopping distance? According to the crew at Motor Trend, 100 feet from 60 miles per hour is a pretty good starting point. And the best of the best do the deed in significantly less. How's about 93 feet, recorded by both the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition and the 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

There's a smattering more Corvettes and Ferraris in the under-100-feet club, plus a couple Audis, Porsches and Vipers, along with a lone Lamborghini and the 2011 Nissan GT-R. If you're willing to allow non-DOT-approved tires, a prototype Lexus LFA managed to halt from 60 in 94 feet.

Speaking of tires, it seems that the best stopping treads are the Michelin Pilot Sport Cups, which are joined on the list by the Pirelli Pzero Corsas and a couple sets of Bridgestone Potenzas.

We've got to hand it to the Corvette Z06 for topping the list, especially since it's one of the least expensive vehicles in the under-100 club.

GM COMMITS ANOTHER $70M TO OSHAWA TO BUILD IMPALA

2011-12-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - General Motors has announced that it will invest an additional $70 million CAD into the company's Oshawa assembly plant to produce the next-generation Chevrolet Impala. Those funds are on top of over $104 million headed toward the facility to help launch production of the Cadillac XTS in the plant. The Impala marks the fifth new model to be manufactured at Oshawa since 2009, and GM says the new investment will secure approximatley 350 jobs. The next-generation Impala will be built both in Oshawa and at the GM plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, which is also responsible for building the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.

From what we've heard so far, Impala buyers can expect their new vehicle to be based on a variant of the GM Epsilon 2 platform with a 3.6-litre V6 under the hood. The vehicle may also boast a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, and the GM eAssist system may rear its head as well.

The Oshawa assembly plant currently employs 4,400 workers, and the facility produces the Chevrolet Camaro, Camaro Convertible, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Regal. The plant recently added two new shifts, thereby securing 1,300 jobs in the process.

2013 CHEVROLET SONIC BOWS BEFORE DETROIT AUTO SHOW DEBUT

2011-12-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Chevrolet has pulled the wrap off of a hotter version of the Chevrolet Sonic. The 2013 Sonic RS is headed for an international debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show next month, and onlookers can expect to see the hatch curtsey with a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. Speaking from experience, we can say those numbers are good enough to slather a grin over even the most hardened cynic's face. The RS also brings along a few exterior treatments, including a new front and rear fascia, rear spoiler, side sills and five-spoke alloy wheels.

More importantly, the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS packs a lower, stiffer suspension for improved handling. General Motors isn't saying just how much lower or stiffer the pieces are over the base Sonic, which leads us to believe the changes aren't large enough to raise any eyebrows.

Inside, the Sonic RS features sport seats and a sport steering wheel along with aluminum sport pedals and a new gauge cluster treatment. So far, there's no word on how much the Sonic RS will cost.

GM SUSPENDS OUTPUT AT CRUZE PLANT IN OHIO

2011-12-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

By Automotive News - General Motors suspended production on Monday afternoon at an Ohio plant that makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car due to a supplier issue.

Production at the Lordstown, Ohio, factory was halted around 1 p.m. ET. Employees on the first and second shifts worked shortened schedules, while the third shift was suspended, GM Lordstown spokesman Tom Mock said.

Mock said skilled trade workers at the plant are due to report to work their regular hours.

GM spokesman Chris Lee declined to describe the nature of the supplier issue, saying only that the automaker was looking to restart production as swiftly as possible.

So far this year, the Cruze is the second best-selling small car in the U.S. market, behind the Toyota Corolla/Matrix, and the 10th best-selling vehicle overall as consumers seek more fuel efficient options.

GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said this month that he hoped the Cruze, which gets up to 42 miles per gallon, would become the top-selling car by the end of 2011.

The Cruze has outsold Honda Motor Co's Civic, a longtime leader in the small car segment, and Ford Motor Co's Focus.

The Ohio plant was idled for a week last month to adjust inventories of the Cruze.

GM CROSSOVERS GET INNOVATIVE NEW AIRBAG, LANE DEPARTURE TECHNOLOGY

2011-12-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

General Motors is targeting a safety issue with
new equipment that until now has been unaddressed.

By Luke Vandezande, Autoblog.com - They plan to release a front-seat center-airbag (pictured above) that deploys between the driver and passenger seats. The new feature is supposed to improve safety in the event of far-side impact crashes, which statistics show to be responsible for 11 percent of all crash-related deaths.

When such a crash occurs, the bag deploys in 26 milliseconds using a combination of pressurized argon and pyrotechnic gas. It forms a hard barrier between the passenger and driver sides of the vehicle, protecting against the possibility of two people damaging each other during a collision. The bag is also angled away from the passenger seat to keep the driver from smashing against the center console and is sturdy enough to help protect against a poll during such a crash.

GM developed the device in partnership with Takata, which stays rigidly inflated for several minutes after impact. Expect to see it in the 2013 Buick Enclave as standard equipment and as an option in the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse. According to Motor Trend, GM chose the crossovers because they are the most likely to carry extra passengers. Despite being an option, the new airbags should appear on about 90 percent of these models.

The safety blitz isn't stopping there, though, GM is also offering a low-cost safety system that offers both front crash detection and lane departure warning systems for only $295. That's a bargain compared to the thousands it costs for similar features on Mercedes or BMW cars.

The difference is that GM's technology takes advantage of a high-definition camera capable of processing 14 images per second through the car's computer. In doing so, it recognizes pedestrians, motorcycles, cars and trucks while calculating your risk of hitting them. That risk is determined by how quickly the object in question is moving. The camera is mounted on the passenger side of the rear-view mirror, behind the windshield.

The system can be toggled to chirp at near, medium or far settings and can even be shut off completely. It also remembers what distance you set it to last when restarted. The notification system combines a red warning light on the dashboard with a series of eight beeps through the front stereo speakers. The system activates if the driver fails to signal a lane change and lower warning tones come from on the speakers on the corresponding side.

There might be plans in the future for GM to employ more safety features like high beam assist and traffic signal recognition but those features are more expensive because they use radar instead of the camera.

Expect the camera-based features to appear first on the 2012 GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Equinox.

GM AUCTIONING OFF MILITARY TRIBUTE CAMARO TO BENEFIT WOUNDED VETERANS

2011-12-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - General Motors is set to auction off a special Chevrolet Camaro airbrushed by Mickey Harris as a tribute to the nation's armed forces. The design pays homage to all five branches of the country's military with a unique mural, and the vehicle is headed to the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona next month.

Proceeds from the auction will go toward the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans. The organization helps wounded vets overcome their disabilities by participating in mainstream athletics and has doubled in size since 2010. GM has supported the charity with various donations in the past, including the contribution of 20 hand cycles.

GM will show off the Harris Camaro during this weekend's Army Navy game, with CBS Sports devoting some time to speak with GM CEO and U.S. Naval Academy graduate Dan Akerson as well as members of the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans.

GM BACK IN TALKS WITH LOTUS PARENT COMPANY PROTON

2011-12-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

General Motors is reviving negotiations that were scrapped
back in 2007 with Lotus parent company Proton Holdings,
Malaysia's biggest auto manufacturer. Both brands are looking
to form a manufacturing venture in the Southeast Asian country.

By Jason Siu, Autoblog.com - A collaboration between the two parties would probably be mutually beneficial, with GM getting access to Proton's production in Southeast Asia while Proton would be able to take advantage of GM's technologies to boost their exports.

Proton Holdings is a government-linked company (GLC) with the majority of its equity owned by a government-owned company named Khazanah Nasional Berhad. Ever since an unsuccessful relationship with Mitsubishi ended in 2004, the Malaysian government has been seeking a partner for Proton.

GM SEEING GAINS IN CHINA, FORD AND HONDA SALES COOL OFF

2011-12-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

General Motors was happy to report that their sales in China
during November rose at its fastest pace all year, thanks
to deliveries of Wuling light trucks and Buick Excelle sedans.
Deliveries to dealers in China last month rose 20-percent
(to 237,130) compared to a year ago.

By Jason Siu, Autoblog.com - After cutting prices on Wuling light trucks, sales of mini-commercial vehicles and sedans at SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co. jumped 40-percent. GM now has their sight set on passing Toyota in global annual sales. While this was great news for GM, Ford and Honda are both reporting a decline in deliveries last month in China.

Ford's sales in China fell 7-percent in November to 43,338 units with a 19-percent decline in deliveries at its joint commercial-vehicle venture. Honda on the other hand, sold 58,228 vehicles in China last month which is still 3.3-percent fewer than a year earlier. Overall deliveries decreased by 8.4-percent over the course of this year.

It's worth noting that overall demand in China has decreased in 2011 compared to 2010, when auto sales surged 32-percent to 18.06 million vehicles. Still, GM is relying on the vastly large Chinese market to offset the continually shrinking European market.

CHEVY VOLT HYSTERIA: WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! OR, AN APPLICATION OF FACTS AND RATIONALITY TO FLAMING BATTERIES AND MELTING CHARGERS

2011-12-13T10:15:00.001-08:00

By David Gluckman - One can learn a lot from history. When gasoline-fueled motor cars began roaming streets (and their proxies) in great numbers at the beginning of the 20th century, fuel tanks were thought to be ready to burst into flames if looked at sideways, and gasoline run-off was blamed for sewer explosions. Such feat and misinformation prompted the New York Times to release a piece in 1912 entitled "Gasoline Is Not Dangerous Fluid". Action-flick writers excepted, people today generally understand that the internal-combustion engine's fuel doesn't explode. The lesson: New technologies have a way of intimidating and scaring the uninformed.

A similar panic has unfolded a century later. Since two crash-tested Chevrolet Volts caught fire following government testing, GM's plug-in has everyone afraid of batteries. Thanks largely to media sensationalism, old hysteria is new again. And it's likely as unfounded now as it was then.

It's important to understand the circumstances surrounding those Volt fires. The first occurred three weeks after a NHTSA crash test. The car sat in storage, its lithium-ion battery pack damaged from the impact but not discharged according to GM's recommendation in such situations. The pack's coolant system was also compromised and is thought to have helped cause the fire. NHTSA later crashed three more Volts in a similar manner, one of which caught fire a week afterward. Then everyone went nuts.

If you ask us, even just one day is plenty of time to safely exit a vehicle that's in peril of burning. And get this: We've even heard of internal-combustion cars catching fire during a crash. When such an even happens -- unless it's indicative of a more widespread problem, as in the case of the Pinto, for example -- the individual models generally aren't the subject of big government investigations or recalls as a result.

We'll also point out that the above incidents are the only two known conflagrations resulting from Volt accidents; no Volt owners have had their battery packs go up in flames from real-world events -- but that didn't prevent some bogus media reports from stating such. A search of the U.S. government's complaint database turns up a total of three entries for 2011 and 2012 Volts, none of which contain the terms "battery" or "fiery death". (Recall that the same NHTSA database was inundated with hundreds of runaway-car reports -- many of them hilarious -- in the wake of the media overhyping Toyota's non-problem.)

Starting New Fires: Not satisfied to simply paint the Volt's battery pack as the scapegoat, other reporters looked for additional smoking guns. One found smoking 120-volt chargers. More accurately, one reporter found charger plugs that have the chance of becoming deformed as a result of high heat. But since shouting "Melt!" in a crowded movie theater won't get anyone's attention, headlines on the original item and those parroting its "information" suggested the charger has a propensity to go up in flames. No person has actually reported such an occurrence.

The same media outlet also claimed that GM calls the Volt's 120-volt charger a stopgap to be used until an owner gets a 240-volt charger, an inference never made by the company. Beyond that, the 120-volt charger can't be a stopgap for obvious reasons. Many owners use the 120-volt charger exclusively; it's designed to fit under the load floor to be portable and used with some frequency. Some quoted owners of melted chargers openly admitted that they were using the unit improperly by not following instructions that are marked on the charger -- which include a warning to not plug the charger into an extension cord, a surge protector, or any other outlet intermediary.

GM recommends that an owner get their house's wiring inspected before plugging in the 120-volt charger, as old wiring can cause heating issues that lead to melted plugs. That's fine if you only use it at home, but the charger, again, is portable for a reason. Having an electrician follow you around in a van kind of defeats the car's purpose. Still, safety is ultimately more important than mobility, and we're all on an EV learning curve with infrastructure attempting to catch up.

Any damaged or nonfunctional charger can be returned to GM for replacement, and the company will take it back and test it. GM told us that "returned units with visible thermal damage to the wall plug had no electrical faults or excessive temperature rise over ambient temperature observed when tested." This backs up the improper-use hypothesis. GM has made changes to the 120-volt unit since launch, but they have been limited to improving the strain relief at the plug to avoid cracking. That strain is likely caused by the charger brick hanging off of a wall-mounted outlet; unfortunately, the one-foot distance from plug to brick can't be increased, as it's mandated by the National Electric Code. (The Nissan Leaf's 120-volt charger suffers from the same problem.)

The PR Response that Backfired: From where we sit, GM has done everything it could to address and allay the fears of the nearly 6000 Volt owners. Maybe too much. When the firest first hit the news, the General immediately responded by offering loaner vehicles to owners for the length of the investigation. A few took it up on the offer, while some -- reports have the number at "a couple dozen", but GM won't confirm the total -- requested that the company buy back their Volts. Those requests were no doubt spurred on by inflammatory media reports. Through all of this, the company has asserted that the cars are safe; it really only offered these options to the small number of early adopters as a way to save face and keep customers happy.

No vehicle is completely and infallibly safe. High-voltage batteries and electricity, like gasoline and fuel tanks, come with risks and must be handled with care and common sense. There's a learning curve here, and fortunately the ones doing the experimenting are government agencies and not motorists. The problem is that lessons learned are being broadcast across the country in misleading, fear-mongering reports topped by misleading, fear-mongering headlines.

The onus is on owners and emergency responders to understand the idiosyncrasies of battery-equipped vehicles. None of us would store gasoline in a bucket in our garage, smoke at a gas station, or attempt to rig up our own gas pump with hoses that are visibly cracked or about to burst. At the same time, no one would reasonably expect to run (high regulated) gas stations in their home, either. There's some common sense and personal responsibility that needs to be learned yet.

Imagine if NHTSA had existed at the birth of the automobile, crash-testing Curved-Dash Oldsmobiles or Henry Ford's Tin Lizzie, cars which, of course, were free of any safety devices and were not built to any sort of regulations. The automobile never would have made it off the ground. As the industry tries to reinvent itself -- or at least a portion of its products -- let's not kill the modern electric car with misinformation.

SO FAR MOST VOLT OWNERS PASSING ON GM'S BUY-BACK, LOANER OFFER

2011-12-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

By Liane Yvkoff, Autoblog.com - It's going to take more than a couple of battery fires to shake the confidence of most current Volt owners -- so far only 24 people have taken General Motors up on its offer to buy back their extended range electric vehicles.

The Volt is being investigated by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration because of fires that started in the liquid cooled lithium-ion battery three weeks after side-impact crash tests were performed by the organization. Proper post-crash safety protocols were not followed by NHTSA engineers, which requires the Volt's battery to be drained of power until repairs are completed. Although GM says it stands by the safety of its vehicle, it has offered to purchase the Volts from wary customers to keep them satisfied.

Repurchase price will vary for each vehicle (probably based on condition and mileage) and owners will have to consult with a tax adviser if they've already claimed the $7,500 federal tax credit. That could be why only a couple dozen people want to get rid of the Volt all together. But it's also noteworthy that Consumer Reports announced last week that the Volt has the highest customer satisfaction rate of all vehicles, with 93 percent of owners saying they would buy the Volt again.

Although the repurchase program isn't generating much interest, GM's offer of a loaner vehicle until the NHTSA investigation of the extended range electric vehicle are completed is slightly more popular. GM spokesperson Greg Martin wrote in an e-mail that "less than a hundred" owners have been given loaner vehicles to replace Volts. Customers can choose from nearly the entire lineup of GM vehicles with a few exceptions. For example, any of the performance V-Series vehicles are not an option.

Other than that limitation, customers get the run of the house in choosing a car, said Martin. Replacement vehicles are decided by the owners and their respective Volt advisers, ranging from the fuel-sipping Chevrolet Cruze to the Equinox crossover. The vehicle will be loaned for the duration of the investigation. When asked when the investigation will be completed, Martin answered, "When we get it right."

2012 CHEVROLET CAMARO COUPE ACES NHTSA CRASH TESTS

2011-12-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

By General Motors, Detroit - The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe is the first vehicle to receive the highest possible five-star score in every individual safety rating segment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program since the federal testing procedures were revised for 2011.

"Camaro has always been about performance, and that includes safety performance," said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. "We always strive for five-star ratings, and the fact that we achieved them under more rigorous requirements is a great accomplishment."

The Camaro is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in the event a crash occurs. Standard safety features include:

New Rear Vision Packagte, which includes a new rearview camera system (standard on 2LT and 2SS; available on 1LT and 1SS).

Six standard air bags include head curtain side air bags, which provide added head and torso protection for outboard passengers in the event of a side-impact crash.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.

Standard four-wheel disc brake system featuring smooth, quiet operation and more resistance to brake fade.

Pretensioners to reduce forward movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision are standard on front safety belts.

Standard remote keyless entry system provides a second function for the red panic button. Drivers can use it to locate their cars without sounding the panic alarm.

Starting with 2011 models, NHTSA introduced tougher tests and more rigorous requirements for its five-star ratings that provide more information about safety feature performance and crash-avoidance technologies. Changes include a new side barrier test and a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side.

In addition, new overall ratings which combine the results from the various tests, are provided. Under the revised program, the 2012 Camaro Coupe is the first vehicle to receive five stars in each individual rating segment and also receives the five stars in the combined categories such as overall vehicle score.

The Camaro Convertible is not rated for the various crash segments since it has not yet been tested under the revised NCAP program, but it has received a five-star rollover rating.

XBOX 360 CAMARO CASEMOD HAS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

2011-12-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

By Chris Brandrick, PCWorld - We here at GeekTech cover our fair share of casemods, and this recent Xbox 360 effort is one that definitely caught our eye. Descriptively dubbed the 'Transformer Xbox 360', this impressive modification takes Microsoft's home console and crams it all within the body of a remote-controlled Camaro.

This casemod comes to us by way of its creator, Mark Bongo of Major League Mods, and it's the latest in a long line of casemod work from the outfit. In the past, Major League Mods has put out a case modeled on R2-D2 and, in keeping with the Star Wars theme, a Millenium Falcon 360 machine.

This Transformers-inspired console sees a 250GB slim Xbox 360 placed inside the shell of a remote-controlled Bumblebee Camaro. But despite the unusual shape, the modified 360 is still fully-functional.

You turn on this custom machine by pressing the gas cap. Once you switch it on, you will find the disc tray is concealed within the front grill of the RC car -- to open it you just have to hit the Chevy logo. The rear window of the Camaro is fitted with an 8-inch LCD screen, and below that, underneath the rear bumper, is access to the HDMI and USB ports. Oh, and yes, it moves.

CHEVROLET GIVES 3-DAY SONIC TEST DRIVE TO PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA KLOUT

2011-12-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

Chevrolet is using social media as a "sampling source",
so if you've got some pull on social media hubs, you could
be sampling the Chevy Sonic for three days.

By Amy Tokic, Autoblog.com - Working with Klout, a company that rates and ranks a person's "social influence," Chevrolet is trying out a new kind of sampling program for people with social media influence. This could be bloggers or Twitter-savvy individuals who have a Klout score of at least 35 (scores range from zero to 100 and measure a person's social influence). These people will then have the change to "sample" the 2012 Sonic for three days. The program, which started in November and runs through December 14, has already generated quite a buzz, with complimentary blog posts and about 2,000 tweets so far. People who test drive the car can say whatever they would like about the car, whether it be positive, negative, or nothing at all.

"It's effective for getting out the message," said Cristi Vazquez, a Chevrolet spokeswoman in Detroit. "One of the things we've found is that the best way to get people to change their perception about our company is to get them behind the wheel."

For this sampling, 130 test drives will be offered in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Dallas and San Francisco, with about four or five Sonics available in each city.

GM BUILDS ON BATTERY SAFETY TO ENSURE CONFIDENCE IN CHEVROLET VOLT

2011-12-08T06:05:00.001-08:00

Customer safety, satisfaction remain highest priority

Volt owners, including those in Canada, offered alternative GM vehicle loans for peace of mind

Senior GM engineering team to work with NHTSA on possible changes

By General Motors Detroit - General Motors announced Monday initiatives for customer satisfaction and battery safety research to ensure ongoing confidence in the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle.

The initiatives follow six months of research and testing in the United States with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration designed to induce electric vehicle battery failure after severe crash situations.

The agency advised GM on Friday that it would open a preliminary evaluation of Volt battery assemblies after NHTSA test results caused electrical fires up to three weeks after an initial vehicle New Car Assessment Program side pole crash test.

Mark Reuss, GM North America President, said the company would take every precaution to assure the driving public of GM's commitment to the safety of the Volt being handled after a severe incident and the total satisfaction of everyone who owned one.

"The Volt is a five-star safety car. Even though no customer has experienced in the real world what was identified in this latest testing of post-crash situations, we're taking critical steps to ensure customer satisfaction and safety," Reuss said.

"Our customers' peace of mind is too important to us for there to be any concern or any worry. This technology should inspire confidence and pride, not raise any concern or doubt.

"The question is about how to deal with the battery days and weeks after a severe crash, making it a matter of interest not just for the Volt, but for our industry as we continue to advance the pursuit of electric vehicles."

Senior GM engineering investigation team

Mary Barra, senior vice president, Global Product Development, said GM had established a senior engineering team to develop changes to eliminate concern of potential post-crash electrical fires and work with industry to ensure appropriate electric vehicle protocols were in place. Barra said such electrical fires had not occurred on public roads and NHTSA was not investigating any such potential imminent failure on the roads.

"GM and the agency's focus and research continues to be on the performance, handling, storage and disposal of batteries after a crash or other significant event," she said.

"We're working with NHTSA so we all have an understanding about these risks and how they can be avoided in the future. This isn't just a Volt issue. We're already leading a joint electric vehicle activity with Society of Automotive Engineers and other automotive companies to address new issues such as this protocol of depowering batteries after a severe crash."

Barra said the team would continue to work closely with NHTSA, suppliers, dealers and manufacturing teams to initiate any necessary changes as soon as possible.

Volt owner loan program

Reuss said GM would establish a Volt owner satisfaction program offering any Volt owner concerned about safety to contact their Volt adviser to arrange exchange for a free GM vehicle loan until resolution of the issue. Canadian Volt owners can contact their Volt Advisor or contact the Customer Care Centre at 1-800-263-3777.

"A vehicle loan program of this nature is well beyond the norm for a preliminary investigation, and it underlines our commitment to the vehicle and its owners," he said. "These steps are the right ones to take regardless of any immediate impact on our operations."

Launched in late 2010, the Chevrolet Volt has won more than 30 awards in the United States and other markets. The Volt achieved a five-star NCAP overall vehicle score for safety by the NHTSA and is a Top Safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. GM carried out more than 1 million test miles in vehicle development

ROAD TEST: 2012 CHEVROLET ORLANDO

2011-12-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

By Graeme Fletcher, National Post - The list of cars sold in Canada but not in the United States is depressingly short. Over time, it has included some good rides such as the Acura EL and Toyota Echo along with some real dogs. One only has to look back to the bad, old days when the Ladas and Skodas of this world were using Canada as the launching point for a foray into the U.S. market.
The latest to join this abbreviated list is the Chevrolet Orlando. It is another product from GM Daewoo (yes, that Daewoo), one that is heavily based on the Chevrolet Cruze. In this case, it is large enough to accommodate seven riders yet small enough to be a city-friendly conveyance. As such, it swells the ranks of the mini-minivan market.

As with the other contenders in the segment, namely the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo, the Orlando is an either/or proposition. With seven riders aboard, cargo capacity is limited to just 3.6 cubic feet of space -- it is essentially a vertical load area with little depth to it. Dropping the third row flat, which is a one-handed operation, opens up a large cargo area (General Motors does not provide a number) while providing enough space to carry five adults -- four if they happen to be of the large variety. Lowering the middle row reveals a commendably flat floor and 56.3 cu. ft. My lone wish is for a fold-flat front passenger's seat -- it would allow much longer items to be accommodated inside the Orlando with the tailgate closed.

Up front, the Orlando is very Cruze-like in its layout. The anomaly is the plastic that rings the cabin. While it is of decent quality, it is a mismatch of types. Some of it is textured, some not, some is piano black, other bits are titanium-like. Then there are the chromed door handles and air vent surrounds. It makes little sense. Likewise, forcing someone to move up to the top-level Orlando to enjoy toasted buns is not a wise move either.

Quibbles aside, there are two very cool features. The first is a small button by the power window switches. When depressed, it not only locks out the rear windows, it also activates the childproof door locks -- someone was obviously thinking. The second feature is something that's destined to catch on and not just within GM. On the radio's faceplate there is a button -- push it upward and the whole faceplate lifts to reveal a fair-sized compartment that houses USB and auxiliary inputs. The beauty is that it allows an iPod to be plugged in and the face closed, which keeps it hidden and away from prying eyes.

The Orlando is powered by GM's ubiquitous 2.4-litre Ecotec engine. It puts out 174 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. In this application, the available oomph is up to the task of ferrying a couple of riders around with the desired punch. From a standstill, the Orlando runs to 100 kilometres an hour in 10.4 seconds and accomplishes the more important 80-to-120-km/h passing move in seven seconds. The nit has to do with the noise the engine makes when it's pressed to redline. Thankfully, this is an infrequent occurrence. Using the Orlando to capacity does blunt the edge noticeably -- this is where the turbocharged torque of GM's 2.0L peppy turbo four would pay big dividends.

The tester fired its power to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission that is typical GM -- smooth and refined. There is a manual mode, but, given the Orlando's station in life, it is not going to see much use. In somewhat of an unusual move, the Orlando arrives with a manual transmission as the base unit on all but the range-topping LTZ. This begs the obvious question -- why? This is not a speedster where stirring one's own gears amps up the fun; it is a utility vehicle that keys on its multi-passenger/cargo ability.

The Orlando's ride and handling characteristics are surprisingly good. Unlike many seven-passenger rides, the suspension has a planted feel that limits body roll almost as well as it cushions a rough road. Likewise, the steering delivers great feedback and it is nicely weighted across a broad speed range. The brakes are also up to the task of hauling the Orlando down from speed without fading into oblivion. This holds true when there is a full complement of passengers aboard. At last, here's a multi-passenger vehicle that does not bore the driver to death.

The Orlando cannot do what a full-on minivan does, but that is not where it comes into its own. Its forte is found in its availability to carry seven people without feeling like one is driving a bus. In somewhat of an irony, the original Honda Odyssey minivan failed in the mid-'90s because of its size; the Orlando is likely to succeed because of it.

GM PLANS WORLD PREMIERES OF FOUR VEHICLES IN DETROIT

2011-12-07T12:58:00.001-08:00

By General Motors, Detroit - The all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS compact luxury rear wheel drive sedan will be among four General Motors' concept or production vehicles making world premieres at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in January.

"ATS is a crucial part of Cadillac's expansion," GM Senior Vice President of Global Product Development Mary Barra told the Automotive Press Association on Friday. "ATS enters the biggest market segment in the global luxury car industry, both in terms of volume and importance.

"It's a segment dominated by German cars, including the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, so we've developed a compelling and convincing new challenger," she said.

ATS marks the debut of a new rear-wheel-drive-based architecture designed for agile, quick-and-fun driving dynamics and advanced technology. The ATS goes into production next summer at the Lansing, Mich, Grand River Assembly plant.

Barra, who was named to her position about a year ago, oversees a $15 billion operation currently designing and engineering 113 major product programs globally "from concept to production ... mini-cars to full size body-on-frame trucks ... and everything in between," she said.

Barra said she has spent much of her time seeking and executing efficiencies in the way GM develops products. Core architectures -- the basic building blocks of new vehicles -- accounted for 30 percent of volume when she took over. Today, the same architectures cover 48 percent of volume.

"We're targeting 60 percent by 2014 ... and 90-plus percent by 2018," she said. "It's a similar story with our engine platforms. As recently as 2009, we built 20 different engine platforms around the world. Over the next several years, our goal is to reduce that to 10.

FEDS PLAN MORE TESTS ON CHEVY VOLT

2011-12-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

By Christina Rogers, Automotive News - U.S. safety regulators have ordered a closer look at the Chevrolet Volts crashed during testing this year as part of a defect investigation into whether the car's lithium ion batteries pose a fire risk after a wreck.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking a better understanding of the damage done to the battery upon impact, including how it affects welded materials, according to a memo on the agency's safercar.gov Web site. The request for the evaluation is dated Tuesday, December 6. A NHTSA spokeswoman declined further comment.

NHTSA said it has five Volts all at its Vehicle Research and Test Center in Ohio, where it will inspect and evaluate possible damage to the battery tunnel on the driver and passenger sides of the vehicles. Any additional testing would be agreed upon at a later date.

The agency, working with General Motors engineers, is trying to determine the cause of a June fire involving the Volt. The hybrid plug-in car caught fire three weeks after the agency completed side-impact testing on the vehicle. The Volt caught fire in a storage facility, and the blaze spread to three other vehicles.

Further testing during the week of Nov. 14 produced another fire, and the following week NHTSA announced it was opening a safety investigation.

According to yesterday's memo, NHTSA is testing for a possible defect that would cause the battery to catch fire after being damaged in a crash.

Among the goals, NHTSA hopes "to document if any changes in the welding process are visible at the area of intrusion."

GM and NHTSA have stressed that the Volt is safe, and so far, neither the agency nor GM has received any reports of real-world fires involving the Volt. NHTSA doesn't plan to change the five-star crash test rating it gave to the Volt this summer.

GM spokesman Greg Martin said the evaluation was just a part of the investigation process.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that GM engineers plan to propose several engineering and design changes to the Volt. The proposed changes will be presented to senior management by the end of the week, Reuters said.

2013 CHEVROLET SPARK MINI CAR IS THE KEY TO THE CITY

2011-11-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

Available Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system includes seven-inch color touch screen

Choice of vibrant exterior and interior colors makes Spark stand out in a crowd

Fuel-efficient, affordable and maneuverable for young city dwellers

Integrated safety system including 10 air bags and OnStar

By General Motors Corporation - The 2013 Chevrolet Spark mini car, to be revealed Wednesday, November 16 at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, is the only car in its segment to offer a seven-inch color touch screen radio capable of displaying smart phone-based navigation, media and contacts for hands-free calling.

A sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch updated for United States and Canadian consumers, Spark is designed to excite first-time buyers and city dwellers with its bold styling and colors, affordability, the safety of 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and maneuverability.

Though compact, Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini cars such as the Fiat 500, Smartfortwo and the Scion iQ. Equipped with the 1.2L four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, Spark will offer competitive fuel economy.

Chevrolet's exclusive MyLink infotainment system, which features the personalized connectivity of Pandora and Stitcher internet radio, will be offered on 1LT and 2LT models when Spark goes on sale in the United States and Canada in mid-2012.

In addition to MyLink, Spark is the only car in its segment to provide the added value of a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty and the safety and security of OnStar.

"Spark is for buyers who want much more than a 'cute' small car -- they want a car that can be personalized, is dynamic and fashionable, and delivers a lot of value for the money," said Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy. "Spark's vibrant exterior and interior colors make a fashion statement, but it is also affordable, safe, maneuverable and very fuel-efficient."

The original version of the Spark is already on sale in Europe, Asia, Australia, Mexico and South America, where it has received several styling and safety awards.

Designed for those who live large and loud: Just as the Chevrolet Cruze helped strengthen Chevrolet's position in the small car setment with its more-than-expected value, the Spark is designed to challenge preconceived notions of how an affordable mini car can look, feel and drive.

While the Spark looks like a three-door hatch, designers cleverly disguised the rear doors by integrating the handles into the C-pillar area. The technique gives Spark its sporty appearance without sacrificing four-door comfort and utility. An integrated spoiler over the rear hatch door enhances Spark's dynamic appearance while also improving the car's aerodynamics, for fuel efficiency.

Spark's wheels-at-the-corners stance is further emphasized by standard 15-inch alloy wheels. Other exterior styling enhancements include a new grille and front fascia, a longer rear fascia, and modified headlamps and taillamps. Redesigned outside rearview mirrors also improve aerodynamics.

Uplevel features include matching rocker panel moulding, chrome brightwork at the beltline and liftgate handle trim, detail around th poke-through exhaust outlet and around the fog lamps.

Attention-grabbing exterior finishes include Salsa, Jalapeno, Denim, Lemonade and Techno Pink, as well traditional hues such as Grey Area, Black Granite, Silver Ice and Summit White.

Inside, the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, included on 1LT and 2LT Spark models, provides a seven-inch color touch screen. With MyLink, Spark buyers can bring their customized music libraries into the vehicle and use their smart phones and Bluetooth connectivity to access both Pandora and Stitcher internet radio and navigation. When the vehicle is stopped, owners can project video and even personal photo albums onto the screen.

SiriusXM Satellite Radio also is available on uplevel Spark models.

"This level of infotainment and connectivity was unheard of in this segment, until now," said Perry. "We know Spark buyers do not want to give up personalization just because they drive a smaller car."

Air conditioning and power windows are standard across the Spark lineup. Color-coordinated interiors feature a lower instrument panel -- with a motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster -- and lower center console for maximum visibility and storage. Decorative inserts in the front door and instrument panel add a premium touch, as does the ice blue ambient lighting and faceplates across the door pockets and dash. Heated leatherette seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel are included on Spark 2LT.

Efficient powertrain saves fuel, money: In the United States and Canada, the Spark will be powered by a 1.2L dual-overhead cam four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing that delivers an estimated 85 horsepower (63 kW). It is mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission for competitive city and highway fuel economy. A four-speed automatic transmission will also be available.

The dual-overhead cam 1.2L was developed using best practices from GM Powertrain technical centers.

It combines competitive performance with sophisticated technologies such as dual continuous variable cam phasing, electronically controlled thermostat and low-friction engine oil to give customers an engine that is low-maintenance, with reduced emissions and outstanding fuel economy.

Ride and handling: Spark's body-frame integral structure is tight and stiff for improved driving dynamics. The electronic power steering, MacPherson strut-type front suspension and anti-lock braking systems are designed to deliver taut, tight handling characteristics that better connect the driver with the road and provide outstanding overall stability. StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard.

Spark is equipped with vented front disc and rear drum brakes with low-compressibility brake pads for optimal stopping performance and good pedal feel. Low-rolling resistance tires use a silica compound and revised tread design for a solid road feel and improved fuel efficiency.

Safety features include 10 air bags: Spark was designed with occupant safety in mind, and has won safety awards in both Europe and Korea.

Its safe design begins with a structure composed of 60 percent high-strength steel.

In addition to crash-avoidance technologies such as StabiliTrak and ABS, Spark is equipped with 10 standard air bags, including both driver and passenger front knee air bags to reduce the risk of lower extremity injuries in frontal crashes. Dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side air bags and side curtain air bags that extend over the front and rear seating rows are also standard.

Other safety technologies include rollover sensing system; three-point safety belts in all four seating positions; seat belt pretensioners in the front driver and passenger seats; the LATCH child seat attachment system; releasable pedals; adjustable head restraints, and a collapsible steering column.

Spark also is equipped with the OnStar safety and security system, which uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash.

CHEVY SPARK REVEALED AHEAD OF LOS ANGELES SHOW

2011-11-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

By Dan Roth, AutoBlog.com - On Wednesday, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The small hatchback has been tweaked for the North American market, and the hope is that the Spark takes off like wildfire with buyers. Chevrolet thinks the Spark will find favor with buyers living in cities, as well as first-time purchasers.

To that end, the entry-level Spark has been designed carefully. Obvious forethought went into the packaging of the virtually hidden rear passenger doors (not unlike its larger cousin, the five-door Sonic), and color choices with names like Salsa, Jalapeno, Denim, Lemonade, and Techno Pink are clearly aimed at a customer looking for something imaginative. Unique to our Spark will be a redesigned front fascia with distinct foglamp housings and airdam. The grille stretches further down the nose, too, and out back there are taillamps and bumper designs specific to the United States and Canadian markets.

Beyond the aesthetic alterations, important Spark details include a 1.2-liter dual-overhead cam four cylinder that spins 15-inch alloy wheels with 85 hp through a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic. Chevrolet MyLink is available in the Spark with a seven-inch touchscreen. Mylink features Bluetooth phone integration, and Pandora or Stitcher can be piped through yur smartphone and directly into Mylink. Standard air conditioning and power windows, along with a motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster (there's that Sonic influence again) and color coordinated interior serve to spiff things up. It seems the message has sunk in that small cars don't have to be brutally decontented.

CHEVROLET SHARES A BIT OF ITS TUNNEL VISION FOR CAMARO ZL1

2011-11-14T12:56:00.001-08:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - The engineers behind the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 are our kind of people. They were the ones who stepped up to the immeasurable task of transmuting the Camaro from its current state as a straight-line princess into a hairpin street fighter. While America has typically fallen back on the old "no replacement for displacement" adage when it came time to win races, the engineers responsible for the ZL1 left no stone unturned. Suspension, brake performance and weight balance all played a huge role in the vehicle's development, and, as the company's latest video on the sports car reveals, so did aerodynamics.

Every piece of aero equipment on the ZL1, from the front splitter to the under-belly trays, rockers, rear spoiler and wheel spats are all functional pieces. The company says that there's over 100 hours of wind tunnel development on the ZL1, and the result is the first vehicle in General Motors history to boast neutral or negative lift.

If GM can pull this sort of magic off on the porkly Camaro, we can't wait to see what the company has in store for the next generation Chevrolet Corvette.

2012 CHEVROLET SONIC SEDAN: WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUBCOMPACT SEGMENT, CHEVY IS BACK IN TOWN

2011-11-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

By St Louis Today - With the flexing of Japanese sales muscle in the 1970s, the U.S. small-car segment really began to blossom. It's been confounding Detroit ever since.

The parched landscape of U.S.-brand small cars includes names like Chevette, Pinto, Vega, Aspire ... you get the idea.

But Motown finally seems to have cracked the compact nut, as evidenced by Ford's Focus and Fiesta, Chevy's Cruze and, just arriving, the bowtie brand's new Sonic.

The third Chevy, following Malibu and Cruze, to show that GM, after years of truck intensity, is again serious about cars, the subcompact Sonic is notable in that it competes in a category in which GM heretofore had shown little interest. The only subcompact built in the U.S., Sonic is available in sedan and hatchback versions, each offered in LS, LT and LTZ trim.

Far from being least expensive in class, the well-equipped Sonic starts at $14,495, a price that includes 15-inch alloy wheels, a best-in-class 10 air bags, traction and stability control, ABS, air, AM/FM stereo with auxiliary input, power locks, trip computer, folding rear seat, auto headlights, hill-hold with the manual transmission, six months of OnStar with navigation and tilt/telescoping wheel.

We drove a top-of-the-line LTZ sedan that boasted all of the above, plus power windows and mirrors, faux-leather trim (a convincing forgery), cruise and 17-inch wheels. The only option on our car, which bottom-lined at $17,995, was a turbo.

Sharing Cruze drivetrains -- a 1.8-liter four or a 1.4-liter turbocharged four -- Sonic feels peppier than the larger and heavier Cruze. Its blown engine makes the same 138 hp as its naturally aspirated brother, but the turbo supplies a significant boost in torque: 148 lb.-ft. compared to 125 in the 1.8.

The result is livelier performance in sto-and-go driving. In fact, with 138 hp and 148 lb.-ft. of grunt, the Sonic turbo is as potent a ride as you'll find in the class. It also offers some of the best economy, with an EPA rating of 29 city and a lofty 40 hwy.

The base engine bolts to a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The turbo gets six speeds either way. We drove a turbo manual -- the auto turbo doesn't arrive until February -- and found the shifter smooth and precise, belying its econo-car lot in life. In about 350 miles of mixed city/hwy driving, we got 35 mpg.

On the road, the car feels tightly bolted together and the cabin is quiet. Also, interior fit and finish is impressive -- as good as anything in the class, and better than most. Only the tiny gauge package, designed to mimic motorcycle instrumentation, is an odd duck. It crams a lot of digital info into a small display screen on its right while, on the left, it shows a large, round analog tachometer. That tach features a bright red needle that refuses to dim when the rest of the display is dulled at night. I found that retina-searing nighttime needle distracting.

Otherwise, switchgear is intuitive, passenger room is good, with a fine back seat by segment standards, and interior storage is generous.

Finally, the car looks good, with its capless multi-lens headlight assemblies and numerous character lines in profile.

Sonic is handsome, frugal and well-equipped. Look out Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent. Chevy is back in town.

DETAILS OF VOLT FIRE OFFERED TO CLARIFY ELECTRIC VEHICLE SAFETY

2011-11-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

By Los Angeles Times - Federal safety regulators released more details about the Chevrolet Volt fire that has caused officials to look into post-crash protocols for electric vehicles.

The fire occurred more than three weeks after the plug-in hybrid sedan was crashed as part of the agency's New Car Assessment Program in May.

Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the crash damaged the Volt's lithium ion battery and that damage eventually caused the fire.

"That incident -- which occurred at the test facility and caused property damage but no injuries -- remains the only case of a battery-related fire in a crash or crash test of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, despite a number of other rigorous crash tests of the Chevy Volt separately conducted by both NHTSA and General Motors," regulators said in a statement.

NHTSA said it believes that electric vehicles have no greater risk of fire than any other vehicles.

But since electric vehicles represent new technology just coming to the market, regulators want to develop protocols for post-crash situations to make sure that consumers and emergency responders don't get hurt and that damaged vehicles are stored in a manner that would prevent a fire at a later time.

The agency has asked all electric vehicle manufacturers to provide information on the protocols they have established for discharging and handling their lithium-ion batteries -- including any recommendations for reducing the fire risk.

"Ultimately we hope the information we gather will lay the groundwork for detailed guidance for first-responders and tow truck operators for use in their work responding to incidents involving these vehicles," the agency said.

The Volt is designed to run purely off its batteries for about 40 miles. When the batteries run low, a gasonline engine kicks in and functions as a generator, powering the electric motors and extending the range of the sedan to more than 300 miles.

Other electric cars currently for sale include the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster. Several other automakers, including Toyota, Ford and Mitsibushi plan to launch sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the coming months.

General Motors Co., which owns the Chevrolet brands, said the Volt is safe. It said it is working "cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation."

GM'S AKERSON: FIRST-HALF $6.3 BILLION PROFIT NOT GOOD ENOUGH

2011-11-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

By David Welch, Automotive News - General Motors Co. CEO Dan Akerson is pushing for more cost reductions to send a message to the automaker's employees: GM's $6.3 billion first-half profit, its best in at least 20 years, isn't good enough.

Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann made several presentations in recent months to explain that more cuts are needed because GM's 6 percent margins -- calculated by Morgan Stanley Investment Banking using earnings before interest and taxes -- led only tsunami-stricken Toyota Motor Corp. and French carmakers Renault SA and PSA Peugeot Citroen.

GM, poised to take back the global sales crown, wants to beat Ford Motor Co.'s and Volkswagen AG's 7 percent margins, said Jim Cain, a spokesman.

Ammann and Akerson are scrutinizing product programs, squeezing marketing spending and trying to consolidate the family of engine and vehicle platforms used to make cars. GM is even turning down thermostats in some offices.

"Ford's North American margins are easily two percentage points better than GM's," Adam Jonas, an auto-industry analyst at Morgan Stanley, said in a telephone interview. "We think that gap can narrow."

In the first half of the year, GM posted an operating margin of 5 percent compared with 7.5 percent for Ford and 7.8 percent for Volkswagen, according to information compiled by Bloomberg. GM's third-quarter earnings, which will be announced tomorrow, will show if the company is making progress.

Analyst Estimates: Four analysts surveyed by Bloomberg predicted, on average, that GM's third-quarter net income would fall to $1.6 billion, down from $2.16 billion a year earlier.

Higher prices for commodities as well as engineering and marketing costs have eroded profits this year. In the fourth quarter, Jonas expects GM's earnings to fall in North America.

Inventories rose from 67 days worth of vehicles in September to 82 days in October. That may result in higher incentives or production cuts during the quarter, Jonas said.

Target: Vehicle Architectures: One target is reducing the number of architectures that form the basic foundation of GM vehicles. The company wants to pare its architectures to 14 by 2018 from 30 now by building more high-volume vehicles using the same architecture, Mary Barra, the company's senior vice president for global product development, said in a phone interview.

In 2010, 31 percent of GM's sales came from vehicles built on a handful of core architectures such as compact and mid-size cars, GM said at an investor presentation in August. Ford gets more than 70 percent of sales from its core architectures, Jonas said.

With the Chevrolet Cruze compact now on sale, GM's sales from core-architecture vehicles is in the mid-40 percent range, Barra said. GM's current family of global mid-sized cars, such as the Chevrolet Malibu, Buick Lacrosse and Opel Insignia share one architecture.

GM used to use three different architectures globally for mid-sized cars. Consolidating to one mid-sized car platform reduced engineering and capital costs by 30 percent, she said.

Fewer Engine Models: The company is also trying to use fewer engine models. GM has reduced its engine platforms to 16 from 20 in 2009. GM's target is 10 by 2018.

GM further is more disciplined with product planning. The company had wasted $1 billion a year in engineering costs annually by starting and then shelving or delaying future models, Barra said.

The company has already firmed up its product plan by approving core products in all regions, she said. GM can use the savings to add more new models or boost profits, Barra said.

"We're not talking just a couple hundred million dollars," Bruce Clark, a New York-based analyst for Moody's Investors Service, said in an Oct. 28 phone interview. "We're talking about substantial savings over the long term. It's a very rich area to mine."

Shifting Engineers: The automaker has also cut the number of engineers assigned to internal processes and moved "a couple hundred" of them to vehicle programs, Barra said. She declined to provide a more specific figure and also didn't rule out future job cuts.

Akerson is also looking to cut marketing costs. In April, he asked Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick to review marketing strategy. Ewanick said in a telephone interview that he flew about 250,000 miles looking at GM's global marketing operations for ways to more efficiently market its brands.

More than 50 agencies were doing creative work for Chevrolet, Ewanick said. GM looked at companies such as Apple Inc., Coca-Cola Co. and rival Ford. None had as many agencies working for them as Chevy, he said.

Ewanick has started a review and has asked four major global agencies to give GM proposals on how the company would manage the Chevy account. The company wants to drop the number of agencies to fewer than 10, he said. While Chevy could go with one agency, Ewanick said that isn't likely.

"We spent too much on production work, fees and bricks and mortar and not enough on marketing," Ewanick said. "Anybody of our size has already done this. Over a five-year period, it should enhance the bottom line. It's significant."

Lowerint The Temperature: The company is looking everywhere. In late October, GM sent a memo to its engineering staff saying they were lowering the thermostat to 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) from 68 degrees at three engineering centers outside of Detroit to save $1 million a year.

"A lot of the cost focus at GM is about discipline," said Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., a consulting firm in suburban Detroit. "The company has to make a statement to employees. If you don't, then corporate entropy will creep back in."

CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 UNDERGOES OVER 100 HOURS OF WIND TUNNEL TESTING

2011-11-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Often times people think that cars are just all about horsepower. Throw some more
into it, add a couple of letters and a number to the model name, and sell
it as a new model where everyone is just drooling over the performance.

By Jason Siu, Autoguide.com - But Chevrolet knew there's more to just bragging about the 580-hp in the new Camaro ZL1, they knew they had to thoroughly improve the aerodynamics to start making it a real impressive machine.

The ZL1 is the fastest Camaro ever, with over 100 hours of testing and tuning the car's front bumper, hood, front splitter, front tire deflectors, belly pans, rocker panels and rear spoiler. The result is a thoroughly tuned machine inside and out, and we can't wait to see it perform once its on sale in 2012.

SELL 10,000 VOLTS? UH ... OK, BOSS

2011-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

By Automotive News - General Motors is sticking to its 2011 U.S. sales goal of 10,000 Chevrolet Volts -- even though it would have to sell as many in the final two months of the year as it did in the first 10.

GM sold 1,108 Volts in October, a 53 percent increase from September and its best month since launching the plug-in hybrid last December. Sales have accelerated after a July overhaul of the Detroit plant where the car is built that boosted production sharply. Through October, sales totaled 5,003.

"I've never given up on a sales target in my life," Don Johnson, GM's vice president of U.S. sales, told analysts and reporters on a conference call. "Given the momentum we've got right now, I'm not going to give up on it now."

His motivation might be linked to the man who set the 2011 target late last year: GM CEO Dan Akerson. And when the boss says 10,000, that's what you shoot for.

GM'S CLIMB BACK TO GLOBAL NO. 1 REFLECTS TECTONIC INDUSTRY SHIFT

2011-11-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

A GM employee works on the underside of a
Chevrolet model at the automaker's manufacturing
plant in Talegaon, India in May 2010. India has
emerged as a new battleground as GM, VW and
Toyota fight for global sales and profits.

By David Welch, Automotive News - It's not just Toyota Motor Corp's recalls last year or Japan's earthquake driving General Motors Co. back to being the world's largest automaker.

Nor is it completely to GM's credit. What's really happening is a historic shift in the car business. This year, GM is poised to retake the mantle as No. 1 automaker that it fumbled away to Toyota in 2008 as the Detroit giant careened toward bankruptcy.

With 6.79 million sales through September of this year, GM leads Toyota by 1 million vehicles. Germany's Volkswagen AG is the surprising second with 6.17 million vehicles sold this year.

GM's revival has cut short what seemed like Toyota's destiny to take the throne from the old, complacent king. That victory lasted three years, giving way to a battle royale that now includes VW.

The industry has taken a tectonic shift as GM rebounds and Toyota reflects on whether its race to be No. 1 was wise, said Harvard Business School professor Willy Shih.

"It's a rather remarkable recovery given the shape GM was in two years ago," said Shih, who has written on restoring American competitiveness. "GM lost a generation of customers. To win some back is an achievement."

GM said global sales have risen 9.2 percent this year and has earned fatter profits than it has in more than 20 years. The Detroit-based carmaker earned $6.17 billion last year and $8.47 billion in the first nine months of this year.

'Not a goal': The Obama Administration's Auto Task Force, which oversaw GM's $50 billion bailout, figured the company could make big profits once freed of its massive debt and high labor costs.

The group didn't see GM retaking Toyota this soon after its June 1, 2009, bankruptcy filing, said former member Harry Wilson, now chief executive officer of consulting firm Maeva Advisors LLC in Scarsdale, New York.

"It's not something we counted on," Wilson said. "Being biggest was not a goal for us. It was being profitable so they could survive and grow."

The U.S. government still owns almost a third of GM. The government would have to sell its stake at an average of $53 a share to break even. GM shares closed down almost 11 percent, or $2.73, to $22.31 at 4 p.m. ET in New York Stock Exchange trading amid a broad decline in equity markets.

GM hasn't solved all of its problems. In the U.S. market, the company spent $3,070 per vehicle on incentives last month, second only to Chrysler Group LLC among mainstream automakers, according to market-research firm Autodata Corp. in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

The automaker also has been sacrificing margins for sales in China. GM's China deliveries rose 10 percent in October from a year earlier helped in part by price cuts on its Wuling minivans.

Lower EBIT: GM's earnings before interest and taxes relative to sales lags behind those of Ford and VW, according to an analysis by Morgan Stanley.

CEO Dan Akerson is pushing for cost reductions to improve GM's EBIT margins. Net income fell in the third quarter to $2.11 billion from $2.16 billion a year earlier.

The culprits were losses in Europe and lower production of GM's more-profitable trucks and SUVs and higher production of lower-price small cars, Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann said in a media briefing. In Europe, GM hasn't posted an annual profit in over a decade.

GM also has been helped by Toyota's bad luck, said longtime industry watcher Maryann Keller, principal of a self-named consulting firm in Stamford, Conn.

The earthquake in March disrupted production in Japan and allowed GM, VW and other competitors to snap up plenty of buyers. Floods in Thailand shut down suppliers, making it difficult for Toyota to recover production lost earlier in the year.

Toyota's Challenges: Still, GM may be able to keep the sales crown even after Toyota recovers from the effects of the earthquake and floods because Toyota buyers have had reasons to look around, Keller said.

Last year, Toyota recalled millions of cars because of problems with floor mats and a sticky accelerator pedal. That damaged its reputation as the vanguard for quality, she said.

Toyota's sales of 8.42 million vehicles in 2010 exceeded GM's by 30,000. It has sold 5.77 million through September this year, 8.8 percent fewer than a year earlier. Winning market share back won't be as easy for Toyota as it was over the past two decades, when Detroit's Big Three all had financial problems and quality issues, Keller said.

"Toyota won't gain back all of the share it lost this year," she said. "It was easy for the Japanese to steal buyers when their primary competitors in the U.S. put out low-quality cars. The competition has gained on them."

There are simply too many good brands selling quality cars for any player to dominate, Keller said. Besides the three giants, Renault SA, Nissan Motor Co., Ford Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. all are selling competitive cars and have the financial strength to invest in technology, new models and marketing.

Alliance partners Renault and Nissan have sold a combined 4.93 million vehicles through September this year. Hyundai and its partner Kia have delivered a total of 4.73 million. Ford has sold 4.27 million. Volkswagen has a stated goal of becoming the world's largest carmaker.

On October 14, Christian Kingler, group board member for sales, said the Wolfsburg, Germany-based automaker will likely sell 8 million vehicles this year.

If GM maintains its global growth rate in the fourth quarter, it will sell about 9.16 million cars. GM has had a few things to brag about, as well.

The company has proved itself nimble enough to become the top seller in China with joint ventures selling luxury Buicks, bread-and- butter Chevrolets and subcompact cars with native Chinese partner Wulling.

U.S. Gains: The company has also rebounded in the U.S. market.

In 2009, the company and its overseers at the U.S. treasury Department debated shuttering all but two of its eight brands, including Buick and GMC, which would have left only Cadillac and Chevrolet in the United States.

After much deliberation, GM closed Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn and sold Saab. Through October of this year, sales of the once-stodgy Buick brand are up 20 percent on the strength of its new Regal sedan.

GMC sales are up 24 percent with sales of the Terrain SUV up 54 percent. GM's total U.S. market share has risen to 19.8 percent through October from 19 percent a year earlier, according to Autodata.

Some of the credit for GM's recovery at home goes to the management team led by former Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, who was fired by the Treasury Department in 2009, said Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com, a consumer-research website based in Santa Monica, Calif. Wagoner hired retired Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who led a product renaissance.

'Some Credit': "Wagoner gets some credit for this," Anwyl said. "He invested in China more than 10 years ago. A lot of the product that is selling in the U.S. goes back four to six years."

Under the old management team, GM developed hot sellers like the Lacrosse, Terrain, Chevrolet Equinox SUV, the Chevy Cruze compact and the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid.

Through October, the Cruze was America's best-selling compact sedan.

While the Volt sells in small numbers, it has given GM a technology story to tell. GM's strength in emerging markets should keep it on top of the heap, said Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., a consulting firm in Birmingham, Mich.

The Detroit automaker is well-positioned in China and in India.

"GM is in a better position in China than Toyota. That could do it for them," Hall said. "To keep the lead in the long term, GM will have to match VW's growth here and push more sales in China."

India's Importance: India will be another big battleground, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Automotive, a research firm based in Oxford, England.

The market is dominated by local players.

GM ranks third with 3.4 percent of the market, just ahead of Toyota, with 2.8 percent, and VW with 2 percent, he said.

The Indian car market will buy 3 million cars this year and may grow to 5.5 million by 2015, Schuster said.

A big question for all three automakers is whether being No. 1 is a good idea, Keller said.

"You'll have a three-way battle and you can't pick a clear winner," Keller said, adding, "The only thing that matters is being No. 1 in profit."

CHEVROLET SEMA DISPLAY REVEALS SONIC BOOM

2011-11-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

By Damon Lavrinc, Autoblog.com - Chevrolet has rolled a dozen customized Sonic models into SEMA, and while it hasn't released details on every single variant of its entertaining subcompact, one of the modified hatches caught our eye.

If Chevy decided to launch a one-make race series for the Sonic, the Super 4 Concept would be the blueprint. Sporting a SCCA-approved roll cage, racing seat, five-point harness, fire suppression kit and a detachable steering wheel, the Super 4 is as close to race-ready as the Sonic can get. The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot hsn't been modified aside from a new intake and exhaust, but adjustable coilovers are fitted at all four corners and the braking hardware has been upgraded to four-piston front calipers with two-piece drilled rotors and two-piston piston rears with one-piece rotors, replacing the stock drums. Sticky rubber is wrapped around 18x7.5-inch wheels while a carbon fiber lower splitter, rocker panels and rear diffuser, along with a Concept Z-Spec spoiler round out the package.

Being SEMA, a brace of Sonics wouldn't be complete without a hi-fi-infused version, and the Boom concept from Kicker answers the call.

CHEVROLET CENTENNIAL: 100 YEARS OF ICONIC CARS

2011-11-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

By Stephanie Rutkowski, ABC News - Chevrolet celebrates its centennial anniversary November 3, 2011. The Chevy division of General Motors prides itself on its rich place in U.S. auto history and its standing as an affordable global brand.

Auto racer Louis Chevrolet co-founded the Chevrolet Motor Co. with William C. Durant in 1911, with the goal of creating a racer's dream car. The Series C "Classic Six" vehicle premiered in 1912, and sold for $2,150. Louis left the auto-making industry in 1913 to focus on racing, but granted Durant the rights to continue using the Chevrolet name on future models.

Chevrolet aims to design cars that possess a spirit of their own -- a car with personality and spunk that can inspire new and old generations of Chevy owners alike -- a car that you can, as Dinah Shore sang, "see the USA in."

General Motors' vice president of design, Ed Welburn, will never forget the first time he saw a Chevy. He was about 6, walking down a leaf-lined street with his mother in a suburb of Philadelphia. A '55 Corvette whipped around the corner, kicking up fallen autumn leaves, and just as quickly as it came it was gone.

The Corvette's sleek, sporty frame had a lasting impact on young Welburn, and a few years later, at age 11, he wrote a letter to General Motors expressing his interest in designing cars and seeking career advice. GM wrote back offering advice on what he should study and details of their internship program, advice that he took to heart. Welburn went on to intern at GM, and after graduating from Howard University in Washington, D.C., he was hired full-time. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is just one of the car designs on which Welburn worked.

On the past century, Chevrolet has produced several iconic cars and trucks that have revolutionized General Motors' reach. Chevy has also secured a place in US pop culture history, popping up in the songs of Don McClean, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Prince and Young Jeezy.

1936 Chevrolet Suburban: The first Chevrolet Suburban Carryall not oly changed Chevy's lineup, it influenced the entire industry of car design. The 1936 Suburban was the first crossover vehicle with the feel of a passenger car and the room of a truck. The Suburban was a pioneer in the SUV market.

"Like a Rock": Trucks have played a major role in Chevy's history, starting with the first truck model in 1918. Ed Welburn, General Motors' global vice president of design, describes the spirit of Chevy's pickup as "honest," "an everyday hero."

1953 Corvette: The '53 Corvette model marked the industry's first fiberglass body. This first Corvette was intended to shake up Chevrolet's offering and rival European sports cars.

1955 Bel Air: Hitting the roads alongside the rock n' roll explosion of the 50s, the sleek design of the '55 Bel Air Sport Coupe appealed to a younger market. Because of its sporty, contemporary body, Ed Welburn says, the Bel Air "looked like it would be more expensive than it is."

As the Chevy brand continues to grow nationally and globally, the company places strong emphasis on fuel efficiency and fuel alternatives. The Chevy Volt premiered in 2007, with a rechargeable electric driving system and backup gas tank.

New Chevy models for 2012 include the 2012 Cruze Eco and the 2012
Chevy Sonic.

What can we expect from Chevy in the next 100 years? Only time will tell if there will ever be an actual transforming Bumblebee Camaro on the market one day.

CHEVROLET CAMARO CONCEPTS STORM THE GENERAL MOTORS BOOTH

2011-11-04T07:10:00.001-07:00

By Jeremy Korzeniewski, Autoblog.com - It just wouldn't be SEMA without a whole slew of Chevrolet Camaro coupes and convertibles staring us in the face, and this week's Vegas show doesn't disappoint. General Motors' own booth features four rather interesting specimens.

First comes the Camaro ZL1 Carbon Concept, which boasts a sinister Ashen Gray look with a smattering of carbon fiber bits and pieces. Power comes from the same 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque supercharged V8 that's set to debut in 2012 in the ZL1.

Up next is the Camaro Red Zone Concept. Based on the convertible version of the Chevrolet pony car, this machine wears a coat of Crystal Claret that's newly available for 2012 along with Chevrolet Accessories silver Ice interior pieces. The exterior features Accessory wheels and a full body kit, all available straight from the dealer. Finally, that stripe package you see will soon be availble to Camaro owners.

The silver convertible is the Camaro Synergy Series Concept, and it's wearing a coat of Silver Ice plus black Synergy decals with red line inserts. Chevrolet Accessory black-painted wheels join a body kit and body-color grille.

Finally, there's the Camaro 1LE Concept. As with other 1LE packages, this one has a suspension kit that is intended for road race circuits. It's Victory Red exterior is set off by a flat black hood and hash mark extensions. Most of the underpinnings will be available on the ZL1 for 2012, including the magnetic ride suspension.

GM ROLLS OUT A LIFE SIZED CAMARO HOT WHEELS MODEL AT THE 2011 SEMA SHOW

2011-11-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

While General Motors devoted a huge portion of their 2011 SEMA Show display to their sporty new compact Chevy Sonic. The Chevrolet Camaro was also out in full force with one of the most impressive versions being the gorgeous green-chrome unit shown above -- designed in the style of a vintage Hot Wheels racer.
By Patrick Rall, Torque News - The Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept might look like another bright green Camaro, but if you look closely you'll notice that this green paint is actually a high gloss green chrome with a variety of conceptual (not currently for sale) and GM accessories to give it a completely unique look. From the front to the back, this Camaro Hot Wheels Concept is unlike any other concept Camaro we have seen before and that starts up front with the grille from the ZL1 sporting the familiar Hot Wheels logo. Next, the hood gets a black aluminum hood insert with eight prominent heat extractors -- all of which is finished in a black satin stripe that runs the length of the car. Across the back, the Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept gets some unique "Euro style" smoked taillights, a rear fascia with an integrated diffuser and exhaust bezels and the spoiler from the ZL1 super Camaro. The exterior is finished off with more Hot Wheels logos with a ground effects package in satin black, while a set of 20" satin black wheels with a red stripe complete the package.

Inside, the Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept gets gobs of black leather with torch red accents, Hot Wheels sill plates and seat logos, a Chevrolet Accessories pedal kit and red ambient lighting. This Camaro show car also features all of the leather bits and premium sound system items of the traditional Camaro SS.

Finally, the Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept receives some performance enhancing items beginning with a Brembo brake package with six piton front calipers, four piston rear calipers and two piece rotors. A GM-licensed Pedders suspension kit adjusts the handling and stance of this green chromed out muscle car with additional help from a Chevrolet Accessories strut tower brace and last but most certainly not least, the Hot Wheels Camaro gets a Chevrolet Accessories exhaust system that adds some sound and performance. This is all based on the 6.2L LS3 V8 packing 426 horsepower mated to a proper 6-speed manual transmission -- the same items found in the current Camaro SS.

While we are unlikely to see the elaborate show car package seen on the Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept offered in fully built production form, many of the items are currently offered at your local Chevy dealership so a Camaro SS owner could build this car -- although the green chrome paint will cost you a pretty penny.

GM AND COSTCO HOOK UP TO SELL 2011-'12 TRUCKS AND SUVS

2011-11-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

Just the Facts:

In a first for General Motors, the Detroit automaker has hooked up with Costco to sell 2011-'12 trucks and SUVs, including the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Acadia

Costco members will get GM "preferred pricing" through the limited-time program -- about equivalent to the discount that GM offers its suppliers' employees

The warehouse club said on its website that it is giving a $500 Costco cash card to members who complete a survey after the purchase.

By Insideline.com - In a first for General Motors, the Detroit automaker has hooked up with Costco to sell 2011-'12 trucks and SUVs, including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Acadia.

Eligible vehicles also include the 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe and Traverse, along with the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL.

The Costco program can be combined with other GM rebates and incentives. The program runs now until January 3.

To participate, Costco members must register with the program online. "A promotion specialist will contact you to discuss the offer in more detail and provide you with your authorization and PIN, as well as the participating dealership's contact information," said Costco in the description of the program.

Members will receive the $500 Costco incentive in 6-8 weeks after completing a member satisfaction survey.

Inside Line says: GM starts to move the metal outside of the traditional dealership setting.

CHEVROLET ORLANDO: SPORTY SPACE ON A MODEST BUDGET

2011-11-03T12:44:00.001-07:00

By Steph Willems, EMC - Following last year's aggressive re-entry into the resurgent compact car market with its Chevrolet Cruze sedan, General Motors is again looking to satisfy downsized tastes in the age of pricey gasoline.

October marks the launch of both the subcompact Chevy Sonic sedan and hatchback, designed (in America) to replace the slow-selling Aveo, and a new Cruze-based family vehicle called the Orlando that defies easy categorization.

The EMC got its hands on a 2012 Orlando from Jim Tubman Chevrolet last week to put the new age grocery getter through its paces.

So, what exactly is the Orlando?

From the outside, its looks seem to fit somewhere between an SUV, crossover, wagon and minivan. Peering inside the vehicle (and its accompanying sales literature), the Orlando's intent is clear -- to hold as many kids as a minivan -- or as much stuff -- but without looking, driving or sucking fuel like a minivan.

Underneath the seven-passenger Orlando -- billed as the most space-efficient and fuel-efficient seven-seater on the market -- lies the architecture of the Chevy Cruze, namely its GM Delta II platform.

That same global platform is utilized in both the Cruze and the new Chevy Volt, as well as the upcoming Buick Verano compact sedan. Having tested the Cruze during last year's launch, the Orlando exhibits the same structural stiffness and planted handling characteristics as its sedan stable mate, only with much, much more cargo room.

Driving through the city over the course of a couple of days confirmed the Orlando can be a compromise for people who need the room of a van, but don't want to erase driving fun from their lives. Nor do they want to spend lots of time and money at the pumps to achieve this feat.

The only engine offered in the Orlando is the 2.4-litre, direct-injection four cylinder found in the Verano, the larger Chevy Equinox and in 'mild hybrid' eAssist form in the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and the future Chevy Malibu Eco. With 174 horsepower and 171 pounds-feet of torque, the engine is easily up to the task of hauling around the Orlando's 3,500-3,600 pound curb weight.

In fact, it feels downright sporty, as a comparison, the Cruze's topline engine is a 138-horsepower 1.4-litre turbo unit, and that vehicle only undercuts the weight of the Orlando by 400 pounds.

Our mid-level LT tester came equipped with an optional six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, also available (and the only choice on the base LS) is a six-speed manual gearbox that sounds like a lot of fun. Nothing on the road today will give you the option of hauling seven people while rowing your own gears.

The automatic does a good job of making use of the Orlando's on-tap power. The vehicle launches with authority, upshifts are subtle and there is little hesitation before downshifting when the Orlando is pressed harder. While most automatics want to hold the highest gear possible for as long as possible (usually leading to a delayed, abrupt two-gear kickdown), the six-speed in the Orlando has a tendency to position itself for the bursts of acceleration needed in city driving, quickly dropping a gear a few seconds after the driver lifts off the throttle to bleed off some speed.

A savvy passenger noticed this and actually commented on it. The driver of an automatic Orlando certainly isn't driving a penalty box.

The LT and base LS come with 16-inch aluminum wheels, 60-series tires and four-wheel disc brakes -- all found on the Cruze -- while the top-level LTZ model brings 18-inch wheels and 45-series low-profile tires, no doubt improving performance even more -- presumably for times when the kids aren't along for the ride.

For anyone used to driving a regular commuter car, the volume-seller LT model is sporty enough, and will probably feel like a performance upgrade.

Because of the Orlando's higher seating position, visibility out the front of the vehicle is good, aided by a low dash and door sills. A big plus is that the seating position isn't so high the driver feels acrophobic, like in a towering van or SUV -- it's more like being behind the wheel of a tall sedan with a low centre of gravity.

Driving along, the Orlando feels and handles like a largish car, which is essentially what it is. Only when shoulder checking does one realize how much utilitarian vehicle there is behind you.

Both rows of rear seats can be folded flat in seconds, making for a lengthy, 56.3 cubic foot cargo floor, folding the rearmost row makes for the conventional five-seats-plus-cargo-bay setup most crossover and wagon drivers are used to. The three middle row headrests do compound rearward visibility, so the quick-fold function is a useful one.

GM lists the Orlando as having a fuel consumption of 6.7L/100 km on the highway, which translates into 42 mpg -- a figure not achievable in a seven seat van or SUV. The Orlando's base price of $19,995 also undercuts the price of most alternatives.

The ubiquitous Dodge Grand Caravan is listed at the same price, but gets 36 mpg highway, is larger and is very much a van.

The interior of our whit test vehicle came with black cloth seats, and an attractive black dash that alternated between matte and shiny surfaces. The seats were firm but comfortable, and could slide back far enough to accommodate the tallest basketball player.

The tilting/telescopic steering wheel -- straight out of the Cruze parts bin -- completed the requirements for a comfortable driving position. On the wheel were controls for the Sirius XM Satellite Radio (available on all models) as well as the cruise control.

If you plan on having the Orlando serve double duty as an office space, the 2LT model comes with Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and a USB port -- something bored kids could make use of if the scenery just doesn't cut it anymore.

While the Orlando isn't a gizmo-laden luxury hauler or a rock-crawling go-anywhere 'ute (it is a front-wheel drive only), it does excel in the role it was created for -- being efficient in terms of space, value, ride and comfort.

RACER RICKY CARMICHAEL GUSSIES UP A CHEVROLET SONIC

2011-11-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Mostly it was just beautiful. The black paint was accented by neon green accents
on the wheels and Ricky's signature on the sides. The colors, he says, "make the car hop".

By Chris Woodyard, USA Today - Chevrolet is calling it a Sonic "all activity vehicle," and who are we to argue? Designed with a hand -- and a signature -- from Motocross champion Ricky Carmichael, the black Sonic had a place for a mountain bike, wakeboard and other sports equipment.

Carmichael was there to show it off earlier this week before the opening of the SEMA aftermarket auto parts trade show in Las Vegas. The subcompact is one of 20 Sonics that were all customized to varying degrees in hopes of inspiring others to try their own designs.

Carmichael is the 15-time American Motorcyle Association (AMA) champion, three-time X-Games gold medalist and now a NASCAR racer, driving a Chevy Silverado. His NASCAR truck, No. 4, is emblazoned in the seats along with the Fox log, one of his sponsors.

TOMBSTONE ADDED ON CHEVROLET ANNIVERSARY

2011-11-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis, Indiana - On Thursday's 100th anniversary of the Chevrolet automobile, Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced the placement of a headstone on the Indianapolis gravesite of Arthur Chevrolet.

Louis Chevrolet, who founded the auto brand that bears his family name, is buried in Holly Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis alongside his younger brothers Gaston, the 1920 Indianapolis 500 winner, and Arthur.

But Arthur Chevrolet died without family or the means to pay for a gravesite marker, so since 1946 his burial site lacked a headstone.

The Speedway arranged for David Ring, an Indy 500 fan who owns a funeral business, to have the stone placed at Arthur Chevrolet's burial site adjacent to those of his brothers, who did have markers bearing their names.

"When I heard that Arthur did not have a headstone I worked with IMS to arrange for one to be created and placed," Ring said.

Louis Chevrolet, born to Swiss parents, grew up in France and worked in a French car factory. He emmigrated to the United States and opened his car factory, then sent for his younger brothers to join him.

Louis Chevrolet raced in the Indianapolis 500 four times, his best showing a seventh-place finish in 1917.

Arthur Chevrolet raced twice in the Indy 500, finishing 36th in the 1911 inaugural race and 18th in 1916.

Gaston Chevrolet won the 1920 Indy 500 but was killed later that year in a race at Beverly Hills, California.

CHEVY SONIC: SMALLER CAR, BIGGER EFFORT

2011-11-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

By Steph Willems, The EMC - The second half of GM's massive October dual launch is the smallest of Chevrolet's new offerings, the Sonic.

Built in America to replace the late, unlamented Aveo, the Sonic is offered as a four-door sedan or five-door hatch, with the choice of two engines and three transmissions.

This differs from the one-engine/two transmission combo offered by the Aveo, which was based on the Korean-built Suzuki Swift and was regarded as basic transportation at best.

The new Sonic shares no parts -- or personality -- with the old Aveo, a model GM is eager for consumers to forget.

As the division's entry-level model, the Sonic has the hefty responsibility of taking market share back from the many Japanese and Korean vehicles that have dominated the sub-compact market for years. With driving preferences turning to small, fuel-efficient vehicles due to high gas prices -- as well as renewed competition from Ford -- the choices are many for consumers and the stakes high for GM.

To do battle with the competing subcompacts, Chevy needed to focus not just on achieving a low starting price, but also on matching the fit and finish, comfort and drivability of the newer crop of subcompacts -- which include the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent and Ford Fiesta.

In other words, reclaim the brand's competitiveness in the small car world.

The base LS form, the Sonic brings a 1.8-litre, 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, with a sedan coming in at $15,855 after freight.

Basic amenities include ABS brakes, traction control, six airbags, and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Convenience options are many; among them a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift toggle located on the thumb side of the gearshift knob.

While base trim would most emulate the value of the previous Aveo and be competitive with the competitors, it is the higher trim levels that would excite driving enthusiasts. The LTZ with a 1.4-litre turbo four that produces the same horsepower at lower RPM's and considerably more torque.

A standard six-speed manual tranny adds to the fun, while 17-inch wheels increase the already nimble nature of the vehicle.

The Sonic's biggest styling signature is its quad, motorcycle-inspired headlights, which are offset from each other for an aggressive front end appearance. The word 'menacing' comes to mind.

This is bolstered by a similarly-themed gauge display, which consists of a round tachometer with attached digital speedometer/gauge layout set in a rectangular metallic housing.

Driving a five-door tester of the LT2 trim level with optional automatic gave a taste of what buyers of the volume model can expect.

Front seat comfort and legroom is substantial, helped by the telescoping wheel. The two-tone dash layout seen in larger Chevy models is continued in the Sonic, diving drivers more to look at than an expanse of black or grey plastic. It gives an upscale feel to the interior, as does the over/under dual glove compartments.

Rear legroom is as ample as a midsize car from the 90s; rear-seat passengers won't have to ask the front seat passenger to hug the dashboard to achieve necessary legroom. This driver fit with the front seat halfway back, and he stands 6'4".

In the five-door visibility is aided by long rear seat windows, making shoulder-checks easier.

Driving along, there was considerable road noise at highway speeds; however, in all types of driving the Sonic was agile thanks to precise steering feedback and capable brakes.

The 1.8-litre engine in our tester was no powerhouse, but the Sonic's lightweight, agility and the transmission's gearing allowed for aggressive launches and not much sluggishness on the highway. It was also able to cruise city streets with the engine barely above idle RPM, which accounts for the competitive gas mileage.

We were able to cruise as low as 46 km/h in 6th gear; the manual function allows for starts in 2nd gear as well.

While we were unable to test the LTZ model, there's little doubt the turbo/6-speed stick combo would make it a fun pocket rocket for driving enthusiasts.

Even the base engine and five-speed would likely make a lively vehicle for the cost-conscious car buyer.

While the Sonic can be as spartan or optioned-out as the owner wants, depending on their reason for purchasing, there will soon be a way for Sonic owners to personalize their vehicle with specialized paint schemes, graphics and accessory packages thanks to a partnership with 3M. Available through dealerships, the paint 'body wraps' are expected later this calendar year.

With the introduction of this vehicle, GM hopes all memories drivers might have of the old Aveo will be replaced by pleasant driving memories of being behind the wheel of a Sonic. The Sonic seems ready for the challenge.

CHEVY'S AD GOAL: GLOBAL REACH

2011-10-24T10:20:00.001-07:00

By Mike Colias, Automotive News - General Motors' decision to put Chevrolet's global advertising work up for grabs spotlights two core priorities of the "new GM":

Squeeze out cost and complexity.

Transform its all-American brand into worldwide player.

GM said last week that it has asked four ad agencies for "proposals on creative solutions for Chevrolet's global marketing operations." GM spends most of its $4.3 billion global ad budget on the Chevy brand.

Three of the agencies now do work for GM, and the result of the review is likely to have a profound effect on how their workloads, and billings, will change.

The most is a step toward driving "efficiencies in our marketing operations on a global scale," Joel Ewanick, GM's global marketing chief, said in a statement.

It's also about getting Chevrolet to speak to consumers around the world with one voice -- something Ewanick has acknowledged that the brand hasn't done well in the past.

As he works to carry out CEO Dan Akerson's strategy to increase Chevy's global market share, Ewanick is trying to stitch together his sprawling marketing apparatus by combining budgets and borrowing ideas. "I'm bringing these guys together and making them talk," Ewanick to Automotive News in July. "Some of the work they're doing in India we could run in North America or in Europe."

It's also a cost-savings move, Ewanick said then, because "we can pay for it once and get that same bang around the world."

The ad review renewed speculation around Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, the lead creative agency for the Chevy brand in the United States since May 2010. In August, Ewanick told Automotive News that Goodby's work, which includes the "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign, "hasn't been consistent."

But the review is not aimed at Goodby, which remains in good standing with Ewanick, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The agencies that will offer proposals are Goodby, which is owned by Omnicom Group Inc.; Interpublic Group of Cos.; Publicis Groupe of France and Cheil Worldwide of Korea. Except for Cheil, all four of those firms do work for GM and have much to lose -- or gain -- from GM'snext move. Dozens of smaller firms globally also could lose GM's business if it consolidates accounts.

GM said late last week that the review will be complete by year end.

The ad review is consistent with Akerson's view that GM needs to cut cost and layers out of its massive enterprise.

'CHEVY RUNS DEEP" CAMPAIGN TO STICK AROUND

2011-10-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

By Chris Shunk, Autoblog.com - When General Motors announced that the ad agency in charge of Chevrolet was up for review, the speculation was that its "Chevy Runs Deep" ad campaign could be on the ropes after only one year. Critics say "Runs Deep" doesn't have the same impact as previous campaigns, for example "Like a Rock", but GM apparently doesn't see it that way.

The General has reportedly informed Advertising Age that the creative review of Goodby Silverstein & Partners is all about reducing complexity and cutting costs. GM spokeman Tom Henderson is quoted as saying that the review "is consistent with GM's push to reduce complexities across the business." Henderson reportedly added that GM hopes to "make a decision on a way forward, concurrent with a decision on our media-buying and planning review, by the end of this year."

The new year at GM may or may not come without Goodby Silverstein & Partners, but it looks like we can expect the "Runs Deep" campaign in 2012 and beyond.

GM INVESTS $325 MILLION IN WARREN, MICHIGAN PLANT

2011-10-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

General Motors Warren Transmission employee Michael Burrows
assembles a six-speed transmission Friday, October 21 in Warren, Mich

By Suzanne Ashe, CNET.com - General Motors' latest investment will provide tools and equipment to support production of future electric vehicle components. The company announced on Friday that it will invest $325 million in its Warren, Mich., plant and create or retain 418 jobs.

The plant's current 679 employees produce transmissions for the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers and the Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

The 2.1-million-square-foot plant, equivalent to the area of 15 city blocks, produced more than 338,000 transmissions in 2010, the company said in a press release.

"This investment in the future recognizes the excellent work force and operation of this plant," said GM Manufacturing Manager Gerald Johnson in the release. "While we aren't sharing many details about this product, I can tell you that this investment demonstrates how GM, working with our UAW partners, continues to innovate and bring new electrification solutions to our customers."

Last spring, the company announced it would invest $2 billion and add an additional 4,000 jobs in 17 U.S. plants.

DIESEL CHEVROLET CRUZE TO BE BUILT IN THE U.S.

2011-10-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - The Detroit News reports that the diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze will be manufactured at the General Motors Lordstown, Ohio plant. GM is slated to retool the facility's body shop and assembly line next year through a US$5.5-million investment, according to Tom Mock, a spokesman for GM. The Lordstown facility already produces the gasoline Cruze on three shifts Monday through Friday in order to keep up with demand. The Detroit News reports that the plant has recently taken to operating on the weekends to maintain the volume, as well.

The diesel Chevrolet Cruze is set to arrive in 2013, and though GM hasn't released any official powerplant decisions or fuel-economy estimates as of yet, the vehicle is expected to return somewhere around 4.7 L/100 km when it arrives. This is the first legitimate diesel passenger car effort from a domestic manufacturer in years, and rumours indicate the vehicle will come boasting a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with around 147 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque.

CHEVY PUSHES SONIC OUT OF PLANE FOR FIRST MARKETING EFFORT

2011-10-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

By Jeff Sabatini, Autoblog.com - We're big fans of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, which is launching this month behind a large-scale digital marketing effort. Chevy is calling the campaign "Let's Do This," and it features the Sonic "performing" a variety of YouTube-worthy stunts, like skydiving and bungee jumping. You can check out the 27-camera skydiving video after the jump.

It's no secret that the ads are targeted at millenials, just like the car itself. General Motors would really like the Sonic to be a hit with the kids, rather than just appealing to people who want the cheapest car they can find. Chevy's ad director told Automotive News that GM is hoping to connect with young people who don't "have the history necessarily or even the baggage you might say that a lot of the more traditional consumers might have."

To that end, GM is also bankrolling a 10-car giveaway through a social media game. To win, participants have to do wacky stuff like "working out in the middle of a grocery store or donating blood dressed as a vampire" then upload proof of their deeds. Chevy is calling it the "Game of Firsts," no doubt inspired by having finally built its first credible compact.

U.S. CHEVY CAPTIVA DELIVERIES BEGIN AS GM MULLS SONIC-BASED CUV FOR BUICK

2011-10-24T08:48:00.001-07:00

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Chevrolet began deliveries of its Capitva fleet vehicle last week. The compact crossover is imported from Mexico and bears a striking resemblance to the recently deceased Saturn Vue. Don't think we're about to see the vehicle show up in the company's consumer lineup, however. General Motors says that the Captiva will remain a fleet-only offering in the near future. That doesn't mean that GM isn't keen to grow its compact crossover offerings, though. Automotive News reports that GM is currently mulling a high-riding vehicle based on the Sonic for both Chevrolet and Buick.

Earlier this year, our spy photographers spotted a high-riding Sonic out testing, and the AN report suggests that the baby Buick crossover could arrive on showroom floors sometime next year, possible as a 2013 model. The only question is whether or not Chevrolet will follow suit with a version of its own. That would leave the Chevy lineup with the Traverse, Equinox and this new model for a very crossover-heavy lineup. GM is apparently considering every angle at this point.

FUTURE CHEVROLETS TO BENEFIT FROM SMALL GAS ENGINE FAMILY

2011-10-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

By General Motors Corporation - General Motors will develop an all-new global family of small-displacement Ecotec gasoline engines over the next several years that will give customers in markets around the world improved fuel economy, higher quality, better performance and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

The program could encompass more than 2 million engines a year by the end of the decade.

The new global engine family will comprise a range of three- and four-cylinder engines - in displacements from 1.0L to 1.5L - engineered and manufactured in multiple regions for global use. They will feature lightweight design and advanced technologies such as direct injection, turbocharging and alternative fuel compatibility to provide customers with both efficiency and on-demand performance. The new engine family also will be designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, a common trait of smaller engines.

"Our customers around the world agree we need to reduce our dependence on petroleum and reduce vehicle carbon emissions," said Jim Federico, vehicle line executive for GM global small cars and electric vehicles. "We are working aggressively on vehicle electrification and other technologies, but the most immediate progress will come from continually improving the internal combustion engine."

The global engine family consolidation is part of GM's larger product development strategy to reduce engineering and manufacturing complexity and cost while improving competitiveness, efficiency and quality.

For example, to reduce engineering and manufacturing complexity, the engines will be designed and built using a modular approach with interchangeable global components. This also provides more flexibility for global vehicle programs.

Production is expected to begin mid-decade. The engines will be introduced in GM global vehicle programs across multiple vehicle architectures in various regions, through the end of the decade. Manufacturing locations and production timing will be announced later.

The new engine family is the result of an engineering partnership between GM and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), Shanghai General Motors (SGM) and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC).

SPARK JOINS CHEVROLET'S CANADIAN SMALL CAR LINEUP IN 2012

2011-10-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

By General Motors of Canada, Oshawa - Chevrolet hopes to excite first-time buyers and city residents when the Spark mini car joins the brand's small car family next year in Canada and the United States. The Spark is a sporty five-door, four-passenger hatch that is on sale in Chevrolet markets around the world.

"For young, urban dwellers, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark can be their key to the city," said Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy. "Spark's vibrant exterior and interior colors make a statement, but it is a practical car, too. Affordable, maneuverable and very fuel-efficient, Spark will be easy to own and easy to drive."

More details about the Spark, the smallest Chevrolet in the Canadian and U.S. lineups, will be unveiled next month at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The first version of the Spark is being sold in Europe, Korea, India, Mexico, South America and Australia.

The Chevrolet Spark is 14 inches (355 mm) shorter than the recently launched Chevrolet Sonic. It is three feet longer (0.91 meter) than the Smartfortwo and four inches (101 mm) longer than the Fiat 500. In Canada and the United States, the Spark will be powered by a 1.2L four-cylinder engine that delivers 83 horsepower (61 kW). The standard transmission will be a five-speed manual. An automatic transmission will be available.

The Spark will offer more interior room than other mini cars, and it will be the only car in the segment to provide standard benefits such as a five-year, 160,000 km powertrain warranty and the safety and security of OnStar.

Available packages include uplevel features such as color touch screen radio; Chevrolet MyLink infotainment connectivity with Stitcher internet radio; Bluetooth; exterior enhancements such as chrome accents; heated leatherette seats and alloy wheels.

The Spark was originally seen as the Chevrolet Beat concept at the 2007 New York Auto Show. Show goers and online fans chose the Beat over two other concepts, and it was developed into an updated version of the Spark that will come to Canada and the United States.

RECORD 1.2 MILLION CHEVROLETS SOLD IN THIRD QUARTER OF 2011

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

By General Motors Corporation - Chevrolet sold 1.2 million vehicles globally in the third quarter, the best July-to-September results in the brand's 100-year history. In the first nine months of 2011, Chevrolet sold 3.6 million vehicles globally, positioning the brand for its best-ever calendar-year sales.

"Nine months of record sales is a great testament to the strength of Chevrolet's products and service," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet global marketing and strategy. "That success would not be possible without first connecting with new customers individually -- no matter where they live -- listening to their needs, and then welcoming them to the Chevrolet family."

That customer-focused approach is best illustrated by the successful U.S. launch of the Cruze compact sedan. Chevrolet sold more than 175,000 Cruzes worldwide in the third quarter of 2011, fueled by U.S. and China sales growth. More than 970,000 Cruzes have been sold since it was introduced in early 2009, and the 1 millionth Cruze is expected to sell by the end of October.

"One million people have chosen a Cruze in less than three years," said Perry. "That success was made possible by offering customers around the world more than they expected in a compact car. We are applying that same customer-focused approach to every new Chevrolet car, truck, MPV and utility vehicle."

The Cruze is part of a wave of new models from Chevrolet, including the Spark mini car, all-new Aveo/Sonic small car, and Orlando MPV. They will soon be joined globally by the all-new Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan and the all-new Colorado compact pickup, which go on sale later this year. The 2013 Malibu began production this week in Korea and the Colorado earlier this month in Thailand.

Chevrolet posted double-digit sales gains for the third quarter in 20 markets throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

The strength of Chevrolet's global presence has helped the brand significantly outpace the rest of the global industry. Chevrolet's third-quarter sales were up 13.8 percent over the same period a year ago, more than tripling the 3.9 percent gain for the industry. Chevrolet also tripled the industry growth rate for the first nine months of the year: Chevrolet sales were up 14.4 percent compared to a 4.5 percent gain for the industry.

GM TO BUILD FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC CAR SINCE EV1

2011-10-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

By Charles Murray, DesignNews.com - General Motors has resumed its commitment to electric cars, officially announcing that it will produce and sell a new vehicle called the Spark EV in 2013.

Without a trace of the fanfare that accompanied the announcement of the Chevy Volt in 2007, GM said its new car will be sold in limited quantities in select US and global markets, and will be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems. The Spark EV will be the first all-electric vehicle built by GM since it scrapped its infamous EV1 program a decade ago.

"This car will not be aimed at the mainstream buyer, as the Volt was," noted Dave Hurst, senior analyst for Pike Research, in a Design News interview. "It's just too small."

Indeed, a GM press release refers to the Spark as a mini-car, about "three feet longer than the Smart Fortwo and four inches longer than the Fiat 500."

GM is believed to be targeting the vehicle toward Asia. "The Voltec technology in the Volt certainly has a place in the US, China, and Europe," Randy Fox of GM told us. "But there are other markets that will be best served by these vehicles."

Hurst said he expects India to be a key area of concentration for the Spark EV. There, he said, mini-car-sized vehicles are considered much more acceptable, and government agencies don't require the same safety features that have become common in the US. The biggest factor, however, could be cost, he said.

"You've got lower incomes there," Hurst said. "In India, mainstream buyers are looking at two-wheel vehicles and much cheaper cars."

GM says the smaller vehicle is also better suited to Asia's high population density. "When you get into the mega-cities and the shorter driving commutes that they have in those regions, the Spark EV might be a better fit than a vehicle like the Volt," Fox said.

GM will power the Spark EV with A123 System's nanophosphate lithium-ion battery technology. In August, the giant automaker said it would partner with A123 on the development of battery technology "at both the cell and system level" for vehicles in global markets. At the time, GM also announced that it was teaming with LG Group, a South Korean electronics and battery manufacturer, to jointly design and engineer future electric vehicles. The automaker has not yet announced any specific vehicle programs involving LG, however.

Hurst said he expects the Spark EV battery to be smaller and less costly than the batteries seen in earlier EVs: "This vehicle is not going to need the same speed or the same range as other electric vehicles, such as the Leaf. There's not going to be the same concern about going 50 miles per hour in India.

GM'S INTERNAL DEBATE: DOES CHEVY NEED ANOTHER CROSSOVER?

2011-10-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

By Rick Kranz, Automotive News - The question General Motors executives are debating: Does Chevrolet need another model?

Today, Chevrolet markets the Equinox and the Traverse, both successful crossovers for the bow-tie brand.

Chevrolet also offers the Captiva crossover, which is imported from Mexico. But that compact is sold only to fleets. The first deliveries began late last week. You won't find a Captiva sitting in a U.S. showroom.

So now the thumbs-up-or-down question is whether Chevrolet needs another crossover in its lineup, specifically a model based on GM's new subcompact platform. That entry-level crossover is currently under debate. If approved by GM management, the crossover would be positioned below the Equinox. The time frame is unclear.

The first U.S. vehicle on that platform is the Chevrolet Sonic, which went on sale a few weeks ago. Two Sonic models are offered, a sedan and a five-door hatchback. The hatchback has a separate greenhouse and is abaout 12 inches shorter than the Sonic sedan, creating a vehicle that is distinct from the sedan.

Buick also will share the platform, but Buick's model will be a small crossover, sharing underpinnings with the potential Chevrolet crossover. The Buick crossover is slated for sale sometime next year. Buick needs a model portfolio that appeals to a wider range of buyers, and the crossover fits in perfectly.

But does Chevrolet need one, too?

There's another issue lurking in the wings: Would a subcompact crossover add sales to the Chevrolet brand or cannibalize Sonic sales, resulting in a net gain of zero?

BLACKBERRY OUTAGE COINCIDES WITH REDUCED NUMBER OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

2011-10-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

By Chris Shunk, AutoBlog.com - When BlackBerry servers crashed between Tuesday and Thursday last week, owners of the popular business phones were left without a tool they've come to rely on. At the same time, the server crash could have made roads in the Middle East that much safer.

The National reports that traffic accidents in Dubai dropped 20 per cent compared to historical averages during the blackout. In Abu Dhabi, accidents dropped by 40 per cent, and there were zero fatalities. If you're thinking that this isn't a signifcant enough sample to show that smart phones and distracted driving are inexorably linked, consider this: There is an accident in Dubai every three minutes.

Dubai police chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim pointed out to The National that the accidents resulting from distracted riving "range between minor and moderate ones, but at times they are deadly." Officer Al Harethi took it a step farther, adding "the roads became much safer when BlackBerry stopped working."

While the loss of BlackBerry service was no doubt a major inconvenience, these real-life statistics once again show that smart phones and driving just don't mix.

GM DENIES RUMOURS OF BANKROLLING CANNONBALL RUN REDUX

2011-10-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

By Zach Bowman, AutoBlog.com - General Motors may not be handing over cold-hard cash to fund a remake of Cannonball Run after all. Detroit News DC Bureau Chief David Shepardson announced via Twitter that GM has denied the rumours, saying that there isn't even a script to go with the speculation. Those words came from Tom Henderson with GM communications.

Buzz that GM would step past the typical product placement role and into full-blown financial support of a film hit the wires late Tuesday evening. A report from New York Magazine indicated that Guy Ritchie may be helming the project with Brad Pitt serving as the lead talent. Of course, that same report also mentioned Ben Stiller as a possible star as well. Those sound like two very, very different movies.

While we're fine with a remake of Cannonball Run, we're a little apprehensive about what could amount to a two-hour long advertisement for GM metal. No one likes watching a movie where every main vehicle is from one brand or another, especially when the film specifically focuses on an illicit race. Who wants to see a Spark square off against an Equinox?

CHEVROLET VOLT DRIVEN

2011-10-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Jones, Topgear.com - This is the electric Chevrolet Volt. And it has a plan. Well, two actually.

It's called an extended range EV. That means it's powered by electricity, but to compensate for the dismal lack of charging infrastructure, it's also got a 1.4-litre petrol engine on board. But this doesn't drive the wheels directly - it fuels the electric motor, working as a generator. Hence extended range.

So you get the instant torque delivery of a full EV all the time but, because of the fossil-fuelled safety net, you don't have to purse your buttocks when the Low Charge warning light comes on (you get about 50 miles on electric power).

The other benefit is that the petrol lump works as a generator, not a direct engine. Because it doesn't rev beyond a few thousand RPM, you get colossal fuel economy and hyper-eco carbon credentials - 235mpg and 27g/km CO2.

Chevrolet admits that these numbers are best-case scenario - ie, rather optimistic - but not wholly unachievable. During a recent Alpine sojourn, we managed to get 81 clicks before the petrol engine kicked in - and it only took four hours from flat to charge on a 240-volt system.

So, all the cerebral eco numbery stuff's pretty good, but what about the drive?

Because of the clever generator/full-time EV setup, the instant thrust that's endearing about watt-powered kit is always on tap. Even when it's being powered by petrol. And it's a fair old whack of torque to deploy: 237lb ft, to be precise.

The world doesn't tumble out of the rear window when you prod the accelerator - 0-31 mph takes 3.1 seconds - but it's endearingly pokey. That's 0.7 seconds slower to 50 km/h than the new Audi TT, and in complete silence.

While sub-50mph is very much the Volt's comfort zone, it's not strictly an urban toy. 100mph is achievable, though the muted soundtrack's replaced by the slightly unnerving thrum of an engine doing entirely its own thing, as engine speed bares absolutely no relation to road speed.

It rides pretty well at motorway pace, and it doesn't make a fuss about bigger potholes around town either. You only start getting thrown around when the going gets really rough, and it's a pretty portly old hector, so wobblyness takes a while to settle despite otherwise solid damping.

Inside, it's predictably jet-aged. You get an iPod-white centre console and gear shift trim, which looks uncannily like a Gilette Venus, and most of the buttons are touch sensitive. If anything they'd be a little more receptive - you can quite easily find yourself witlessly pawing away without turning anything on, rather like our teenage years.

The Volt is pretty much identical to its GM stablemate, the Vauxhall Ampera, but for one key distinction: price. It's 450 pounds less at 28,545 pounds (that's after the maximum Government grant), and you get leather chairs as standard. Whis is a lot to forfeit for a Vauxhall badge.

In short, the Volt is a very pleasant surprise, proving that loving EVs doesn't mean you have to be a slave to them. At the very least, cars should offer a sense of unbounded possibility, which, thanks to pitiful range and little resources to sustain them, most EVs don't. This does.

CHEVROLET STAFFS TO LEARN DISNEYLAND-STYLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Classes at the theme park for dealers and sales staffs are part of a
campaign by General Motors Co. to boost market share in
California, where Chevrolet has lagged behind its import
competition for more than a generation.

By Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times - Most people go to Disneyland for the rides. Peter Hoffman is going there to learn how to sell rides.

Hoffman, the owner of Sierra Chevrolet in Monrovia, and other Chevrolet dealers and their sales staffs are headed for classes at the Anaheim theme park and elsewhere designed to turn fast-talking car salesmen into personable Prince Charmings.

They will learn such rules as a prince or princess never smokes in public. That take the magic out of the Magic Kingdom. They will also learn that sometimes it's better to be a little bit like Dopey. The silent dwarf doesn't have to say anything to make people feel good. When it comes to purchasing cars, customers remember less about what the sales staff said than they do about the experience they had at the dealership.

The customer service initiative is the latest in a campaign by General Motors Co. to boost market share in California, where the storied American brand has lagged behind its import competition for more than a generation.

The Toyota, Honda and Ford brands each sell more vehicles in the Southern California market than Chevrolet. When it comes to just passenger cars, Chevrolet also lags behind South Korean upstart Hyundai as well as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen.

That's about to change, said Mark Reuss, president of GM's North American operations.

"We are really going to have a go at California. This is not some half-baked plan," Reuss said. "We will be putting a serious amount of money into this."

There are three parts to GM's strategy. Along with improving customer service, the automaker is unveiling smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles that better compete with the imports Californians favor. It is also sprucing up dealerships.

A person familiar with the automaker's discussions with franchise owners said GM plans to give California dealers a combined $60 million to $100 million over the next year or so as long as they sign 10-year exclusive contracts to stick with the brand. GM declined to comment.

The company has identified more than 100 franchises, primarily in the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Fransicso metropolitan areas and has offered $500,000 to $1.5 million in improvement funds, depending on the dealer, according to the person, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the initiative.

The funds will be used to move some dealer locations and refurbish facilities, including creating a uniform entrance that will give Chevrolet outlets a more distinctive look. Chevrolet has taken a meticulous approach to the details, telling dealers the style of furniture to use in their showrooms and choices of paint colors on the walls.

"They are really all over it with the dealers. We are 100% in support and actively engaged in their facility program," said Marc Cannon, spokesman for AutoNation Inc., owner of two California Chevrolet dealerships.

But Reuss and GM executives acknowledge that no matter how great the dealerships look, customers won't come through the door unless they have vehicles people want to purchase. Reuss acknowledged that GM before its 2009 bankruptcy and government bailout had become a "truck funded, Midwestern and Southern" business that lacked cars that could sell on the West Coast.

However, Reuss said that for the first time in decades, Chevrolet has vehicles for California buyers, including fuel-efficient sedans such as the new Cruze, the Sonic subcompact and a new Malibu that comes out at the end of the year with a hybrid system that could get 38 miles per gallon on the highway.

Chevrolet is turning to Disney to teach the dealers how to retain customers.

"Disney has created a culture where they talk about how they are always on stage with their customer. Sometimes we take the customer for granted," said Alan Batey, Chevrolet's vice president of sales and service.

The Disney training will teach dealership employees how to interact with customers and to do dozens of small things that Batey hopes will create repeat business.

Niceties such as washing a car when it comes in for routine service and placing a bottle of cold water in the cup holder when the owner takes back the vehicle can help change consumers' perceptions of the car business, Batey said.

All this is playing out in California, the nation's largest auto market and one of the worst-performing regions for Chevrolet. The brand has been tarnished by a reputation over a generation - fair or not - for producing gas guzzling, unreliable vehicles.

It is facing flak from shoppers such as Bernice Greene, a retired teacher from Anaheim who has spent several recent weekends trolling dealerships shopping for a new car.

"I just looked at Kia and the Honda but not any American cars. I just didn't consider them," said Greene, who settled on a Subaru Impreza hatchback. "The quality of an American car was not that good. It might be up now, but I just didn't look."

In the 1930s, Chevrolet accounted for a third of new vehicles sold nationally. But its market share steadily declined all the way through the GM's bankruptcy and governmetn bailout in 2009, falling below 13% before bouncing back to just over 14%.

The picture in California's big cities is worse. Chevrolet has just 6% of the market, according to an Edmunds.com and R.L. Polk & Co. analysis of Los Angeles-area registrations. When it comes to just passenger cars, it has less than 3% of the market.

"The job in front of them is tough," said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive of auto information company Edmunds.com. "There still is a heavy consumer bias against Chevrolet in California.

"GM produced generations of bad vehicles that have lingered in the collective memory," Anwyl said.

Reuss said that Chevrolet has its first opportunity to make gains in the Golden State in many years. Sales of Toyotas have fallen steadily for nearly two years and Honda sales are down this year as the brands have suffered through large recalls and an inventory shortage resulting from the Japanese earthquake this year.

That's helped Chevrolet to begin to move the needle in Southern California. Through the first eight months of this year, Chevrolet accounted for 9,145 car registrations in the market, according to the Edmunds-Polk numbers. That's up from 5,093 during the same period last year.

For years, Sierra Chevrolet lived off selling trucks and sport-utility vehicles, but now "cars are becoming a significant part of what we are selling ... Now the products are very competitive," said Hoffman, who also owns Acura, Honda, Mazda and Subaru franchises in Southern California.

Hoffman and other dealers know that no matter how good the cars are, the chances of selling them can go up in smoke.

At one Disney session, Bruce Hamlin, owner of Guaranty Chevrolet in Santa Ana, learned how Disneyland cast members aren't allowed to do anything but play their role in public.

"Imagine that you have Cinderella going out and greeting these kids," Hamilin said. "Can you imagine her taking a break and kids seeing her puffing on a cigarette?"

Any smokers on his staff now must puff out of sight, behind a wall in a section of the dealership.

GM MOVES 2 MILLION VEHICLES IN CHINA, POISED TO RETAIN TOP SPOT AS MOST POPULAR AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER

2011-10-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, General Motors has sold 2 million
vehicles in China, with 10 weeks left in the calendar year 2011.

By Derek Kreindler, Autoguide.com - GM reported strong demand for Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles, up 24, 18 and 73 percent respectively. General Motors' SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture also reached a milestone, selling its 1 millionth vehicle in China in October of 2011. General Motors sold 2.35 million vehicles in China in 2010. That year marked the first automaker to sell more than 2 million units in what is now the world's largest car market.

A CHEVY WORTH SNIFFING: THE CAMARO SHARPIE CAR

2011-10-19T06:53:00.001-07:00

The Camaro Sharpie Car is finely detailed
and looks even better than the original.

By carbuzz.com - We know what you're thinking: "Great, another CarBuzz article about a Camaro." Well you're right, this is another article about the classic Chevrolet muscle car. Chris Dunlop out of Gait6hersburg, Maryland designed and drew some incredible artwork to adorn the latest Camaro to come out of the American automaker. The fifth-generation car took over 50 hours to finish, as he had to go through an extensive process from start to finish.

Speaking to LSXTV about his work, Dunlop aka Pinstripe Chris, said "First I remove the old stripes, wash the car, mask out new stripes across the entire car - roof, bumpers and all - and prep it to accept clear coat. Then I Sharpie like crazy. Once I'm done, I mask the rest of the car off, spray the clear coat, buff it, and do a final wash. In total the whole job took about 54 hours from start to finish." Dunlop used 10 sharpies on the Camaro. This is his fourth Sharpie car, as he has already made his mark on "a Cadillac in California and a Fiero here last year, then I did a Mustang and Harley Davidson here this year."

GENERAL MOTORS: SELF DRIVING CARS A REALITY BEFORE THE END OF THE DECADE

2011-10-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

It might be a scary thought to some, but according to
Alan Taub, vice president of Global Research and
Development at General Motors, the self-driving
car is less than a decade away.

By Huw Evans, Autoguide.com - Advances in technologies such as sensors, portable communications devices, radars, GPS systems and cameras, collectively make the idea more feasible now than ever before.

During a speech at the Transport Systems World Congress in Orlando, Florida yesterday, Taub declared that, "the technologies (GM is) developing will provide an added convenience by partially or even completely taking over the driving duties. The primary goal, though, is safety. Future generation safety systems will eliminate the crash altogether by interceding on behalf of drivers before they're even aware of a hazardous situation."

In fact, some of the technologies Taub talked about can already be found on current GM production vehicles, such as a lane departure warning and carsh avoidance system via a front mounted camera which is standard on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover. A blindspot alert system is also fitted to a number of the General's SUVs, including the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalled, as well as the Buick LaCrosse sedan.

In addition, GM is working on more advanced systems, such as vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication setups, where sensors gather information from other vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, obstructions, roadways, even traffic signals to warn drivers of potential hazards ahead, such as slippery road conditions, stalled or crashed vehicles or busy or dangerous intersections. Such systems can be added as apps to portable devices such as smart phones which wirelessly connect to the car, or are embedded in the vehicle itself.

In addition, GM is working on its next generation EN-V urban concept vehicle which combines GPS with vehicle to vehicle communications and distance sensing technology. This latest EN-V is designed to enable fully autonomous driving, incorporating such features as collision avoidance, platooning even automated parking and retrieval.

The idea is that one day, city dwellers will have a personal transportation device that will be able to drop off its driver, park itself and then be summoned when needed, simply via a command on the driver's smart phone.

GM DEVELOPS MOBILE TECHNOLOGY THAT WATCHES ROAD AHEAD

2011-10-19T06:32:00.001-07:00

By General Motors Corporation - New technology being developed by General Motors researchers could alert drivers of potentially dangerous driving situations in advance by using small, portable devices to create a wireless safety net.

These portable devices are designed to gather information from other vehicles and infrastructure to warn drivers about slowed or stalled vehicles, hard-braking drivers, slippery roads, sharp curves and upcoming stop signs and intersections.

Instead of minimizing a collision once it occurs, as most safety systems do today, these new technologies could help prevent crashes altogether. This technology, knows as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems could help avert nearly 81 percent of all U.S. vehicle crashes, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"These safety systems could provide a significant leap in automotive safety, but their effectiveness goes up dramatically as more people use them," said Don Grimm, senior researcher for GM's Perception and Vehicle Control Systems group. "By putting the technology into portable devices, we could make this potentially life-saving technology widely available and more affordable."

GM has been testing the technology in two mobile platforms: a transponder about the size of a GPS unit and a smartphone application that can be tied to the vehicle's display unit. GM is showcasing the technology this week at the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Orlando.

The portable transponder has its own display screen. For the smartphone application, GM engineers can connect the smartphone to the vehicle's audio and video display systems to seamlessly integrate notifications into the automobile.

The embedded system, portable transponder and smartphone technologies all use Dedicated Short-Range Communications, or DSRC, to transfer data between devices and have a communication range of about one-quarter of a mile in all directions. The DSRC radio can send and receive messages with other vehicles in the area, as well as communicate with fixed radios connected to traffic signals or construction zones.

These systems can provide critical information using basic location data. For example, if the driver at the head of a string of vehicles applies the brakes, those that follow can automatically get an alert. Two vehicles approaching an intersection can warn each other before the drivers can see each other. When fully connected to the automobile's computer system, these devices also can relay information already being collected by sensors throughout the automobile. The sensors that activate electronic stability control, for example, could alert drivers in other vehicles about hazardous road conditions ahead.

As an added benefit, the smartphones have the potential to be used by pedestrians and bicyclists, who could download a special application to let drivers know their location. The technology could help prevent vehicle-to-vehicle collisions and also reduce the number of collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists.

"The technology we're testing right now is a viable solution for providing crucial safety information to drivers," Grimm said. "Instead of just seeing what's right in front of them, drivers will be able to know about the truck a quarter-mile ahead that's stalled in their lane. Later this decade, smartphones, transponders and embedded systems could be working together to make our roadways safer."

GM is working on embedding these communications systems into new vehicles, but with the average age of U.S. vehicles at 10.2 years, according to Polk, GM researchers also have been focusing on finding ways to retrofit automobiles already on the road.