GM SAYS $600K IN AD AGENCY WORK TIED TO CFO'S WIFE

By Automotive News - General Motors Co. said Pernilla Ammann, the wife of Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann, is an officer and a partner in an advertising agency that received about $600,000 for services last year to a GM subsidiary.

The transaction was "properly ratified" under the company's policy covering related-party transactions, GM said today in a regulatory filing. Not all required procedures were followed, according to the company, headed by CEO Dan Akerson.

"Properly ratified" means our CEO and general counsel approved the transaction as being appropriate and in the company's interest," GM spokesman Dave Roman said in an e-mail. "In this instance, it was ratified after the fact."

Pernilla Ammann is a partner at Mother New York, which worked on a project related to the centennial of the Chevrolet brand, Roman said. The arrangement wasn't disclosed in the original proxy material for GM's annual meeting on June 12, according to today's filing.

GM said it "recently learned about" the relationship. "They are not doing any work for us at this time," Roman said. The automaker spent about $1.8 billion on advertising in the U.S. in 2011, trailing only AT&T Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co., Jon Swallen, head of research at Kantar Media, has said.

GM's marketing department is changing as Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick looks for efficiencies and strives to make Chevrolet and Cadillac global brands.

GM picked Aegis Group Plc's Carat as the automaker's agency for media planning and buying, and consolidated Chevrolet's ad business under one newly formed company, Commonwealth. Chevrolet previously used 70 ad agencies around the world, the company has said.

REVIEWING THE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1

By The New York Times - In Sunday's Automobiles section, Ezra Dyer reviews the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a throwback piece of American muscle capable of romping through the quarter-mile in under 12 seconds.

Gaudy horsepower levels and straight-line speed, however, do not tell the story of the ZL1, a tale that is filled with surprising levels of nuance, as Mr. Dyer writes:

A day of driving during the press introduction at Virginia International Raceway here -- a fast, challenging road course near the North Carolina border -- revealed a Camaro that evokes blue-ribbon sport coupes like the BMW M3. Except that the ZL1 surely gets around V.I.R. much quicker.

Caveats enter the narrative only when it comes to price:

Is $54,995 too much for a Camaro? (Don't forget to add the $1,300 guzzler tax for the manual transmission model or $2,600 for the automatic.) That's a question only you and your wallet can answer. But I will say that for your money, nothing else with a back seat can approach the ZL1's thundering performance.

THE REAL PRIZE FOR GM'S ECOCAR2 CHALLENGE? A JOB OFFER

Ohio State University students participating in
the EcoCar2 Design & Simulation competition

By Liane Yvkoff, Autoblog.com - In each of the three years of EcoCar2 Challenge, General Motors will give away approximately $100,000 in prizes to the students participating in the alternative fuels vehicle competition. But for some students, the real prize will be a steady paycheck.

Headliners GM and the Department of Energy, along with 25 suppliers, sponsor EcoCar2, a three-year alternative fuels vehicle competition, as a way to encourage college students to enter the automotive industry. It provides a chance for young engineers to apply the theoretical education they gain in the classroom in the lab, giving them an advantage when it comes to finding a job at the end of their higher education. It also provides GM a great opportunity to find budding automotive innovators.

The 15 teams from across North America participating in EcoCar2 will be tasked with developing, implementing, and refining an alternative-fuel power train for a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. In this first year of the competition, teams are being judged on their engineering design plans and technology simulation, and those that meet GM's requirements will receive vehicles and funding to execute their plans over the next two years. Last year, the Virginia Tech team won the EcoCar challenge by increasing the fuel economy of a Saturn Vue SUV from 24 mpg to 80 mpg.

Teams will face a very similar challenge this go-round, and will be required to improve the 2013 Chevy Malibu's 29-mpg fuel economy average. Winners will be chosen based on a wide range of criteria, including gas mileage, tailpipe emissions, consumer acceptability, and data presentation. They'll have the added task of working with interior electronics system, such as developing a user interface to relay vehicle information to the driver. In other words, you can expect to see more apps at the end of year three, giving engineers a chance to showcase their programming skills.

The previous contest saw a range of power-train platforms, including a couple of ambitious fuel cell vehicles. However, the Malibu's smaller cargo capacity could make it even more difficult for teams to tackle complex systems. Brian Harries from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical School competed in EcoCar last year, and in a conference call yesterday with a few event participants and judges he explained that his team will use a simpler engineering strategy this year and focus more on consumer acceptability -- a key area in which vehicles are judged -- than architectural sophistication.

His team previously designed a compound hybrid system that enabled the Saturn Vue to operate as either a series hybrid or parallel hybrid, Harries said, which required them to move the energy sources to the cargo space. For this competition they'll keep it simple and just implement a plug-in hybrid power train and make sure the cargo area stays component-free for consumers.

At least one GM employee is sympathetic to Embry-Riddle's dilemma.

"All these trade-offs are challenges we're facing in the industry," Kent Helfrich, executive director of Electronic Controls and Software at GM, said in the same phone interview. "And that's why we want to hire them when they finish this vehicle program."

With a Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirement of 54.5 mpg by 2025, acquiring top engineering talent will be kay to automotive manufacturers complying with this aggressive target while delivering vehicles that consumers want. For the government, the EcoCar2 Challenge supports its energy strategy by developing the next generation of all-star engineers, which will help domestic manufacturers and suppliers competing with overseas markets, added David Danielson, assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy at the DOE.

The U.S. has a highly innovative culture, Danielson said, and he believes that these programs give students the motivation to rise to the tough engineering challenge companies face. And in this case what's good for the country is also good for GM. Over the last few years, GM has hired over a hundred students that participated in the competition, Helfrich said.

Last night Mississippi State University was named Year One winner of the EcoCar2 Challenge and plans to implement a series-parallel plug-in hybrid power train in the Malibu it receives next year. But a dozen students can already count themselves winners even as the MSU team takes home the bulk of the cash prizes.

"We interviewed 12 students last night and made 12 job offers on the spot," Helfrich said. For them a job offer is probably better than a trophy.

CHEVY CRUZE FIRE PROBE BROADENS TO 370,000 SEDANS

By Autoblog.com - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expended its investigation into Chevrolet Cruze engine fires to two model years.

In April, NHTSA began investigating two complaints concerning fires erupting in 2011 Cruze engine compartments. Now, Reuters is reporting that the U.S. government agency has added 2012 Cruze models to the list, upping the number of total vehicles from 177,000 to 370,000.

General Motors told Reuters it has cooperated with investigators and there have been no reported injuries or accidents related to the probe.

According to a pair of complaints filed on NHTSA's website, two Cruze sedans were on the open road when smoke began streaming out from under the hood. A few minutes later, the cars were ravaged by fire.

"In two minutes, the car was fully engulfed and flames were 15-feet (4.5 metres) high," one complaint said. "GM needs to find out and correct this problem before someone gets seriously hurt."

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CARS TO OWN IN NORTH AMERICA

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - Picking up a used luxury car is a great way to save some coin. Letting the previous owner take the fall on depreciation is a smart move, but it's worth remembering that high-end autos carry with them high-end maintenance and repair costs. Using Edmunds.com data, 24/7 Wall Street has compiled what it says are the 10 most expensive vehicles to own, and the list is populated by some not-so-surprising names.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz soak up the lion's share of the offenders, though other manufacturers make a showing as well. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG takes top honors as the most expensive of them all with a "true cost of ownership" of US$245,469. That's in addition to the gullwing supercar's US$210,875 MSRP.

The calculations not only factor in depreciation, but also things like fuel, maintenance and insurance costs.

All told, Mercedes-Benz models takes four of the top 10 spots on the list. That's twice as many as BMW, and the rest are split between makes like Land Rover, Audi and Nissan makes the mighty (and mighty complex) GT-R.

NEW CHEVROLET MALIBUS, OLDER ACURA TLS RECALLED

By Jonathan Welsh, Wall Street Journal - General Motors Co. is recalling certain Chevrolet Malibu cars from the 2013 model year because of a potential electronic problem that could trigger airbags at the wrong time.

In vehicles built from October 24, 2011 through March 31, 2012, a part called the sensing and diagnostic module, or SDM, may reset itself after a hard application of brakes.

If this occurs during an aggressive turning maneuver, and the car's electronics sense a potential rollover, the roof rail airbag may deploy unintentionally. Additionally, the air bags or seatbelt pretensioners or both may not deploy during a severe crash, increasing the risk of injury.

GM said the recall afects 4,304 cars. While its scope is small, the recall is a setback for the redesigned Malibu that Chevrolet recently launched. The company said dealers will reprogram the SDM free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 1.

Honda Motor Co. is recalling certain Acura TL cars from the 2007 and 2008 model years to fix a problem with their power-steering systems.

In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the car maker said prolonged high temperatures in the engine compartment and, hi steering-fluid temperatures can cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, potentially causing cracks and leaks. The fluid can leak onto the car's hot catalytic converter and possibly cause a fire.

Under the recall, which affects 52,615 vehicles, dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The recall is expected to begin about June 15. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 800-999-1009.

SINGLE PARKING SPOT BEING OFFERED FOR US$1M IN NEW YORK CITY

By Autoblog.com - That's right a parking spot for US$1 million! Well, that's not quite fair. It's a one-space, 12x23 foot parking garage with 15-foot ceilings that would allow the space to be "duplexed" to allow storage of two cars. The garage comes with its own deed and the owner will still pay monthly maintenance fees.

But wait, there's more! While the price tag is a cool million, eligible buyers first must purchase a condo in the building of at least 8,000 sq. feet. The penthouse would qualify with 8,000 square feet of living space and a 3,000-square foot terrace. You'll need at least US$38.8 million for that one. But the water used in its showers will at least be fortified with vitamin C and aloe.

The New York Post calculates that for the same amount of money you'll pay for just the garage, you could incur a US$115 NYC parking ticket every day for almost 24 years.

FACTS AND FIGURES OF THE 96TH INDIANAPOLIS 500

By The Associated Press - Facts and figures of the 96th Indianapolis 500-mile race Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Event: The 96th Indianapolis 500

Distance: 500 miles; 200 laps around the asphalt-on-brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, a 2.5-mile rectangular oval

Sanctioning Body: Indy Car

Race Cars: Open-cockpit, open-wheel and single-seat, with 2.2-liter, 550-700 horsepower turbocharged V-6 engines

Engine Manufacturers: Chevrolet, Honda, Lotus

Chassis: All cars use Dallaras

Pace Car: 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 driven by Guy Fieri

Start: Noon EDT from a flying start, following warm-up, parade and pace laps

Finish: Standings are unoffical until posted by the IndyCar Series

Number of Starters: 33 cars; three abreast in each of 11 rows

Pole Position: Ryan Briscoe, the first Australian national to win Indy's pole with a four-lap qualifying average of 226.484 mph in the closest pole battle in 500 history. He will start first, from the inside of the front row, for the first time in seven Indy starts.

Slowest Qualifier: Jean Alesi, who averaged 210.094 mph. Will start 33rd, the outside of the 11th row

Fastest Rookie: Josef Newgarden, 224.037 mph. Will start seventh, the inside of the third row.

2011 Winner: The late Dan Wheldon, who averaged 170.265 mph for his second win at Indianapolis

Former Winners in Race (3): Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010), Scott Dixon (2008)

Rookies in Race (8): Jean Alesi, Rubens Barrichello, Bryan Clauson, Wade Cunningham, James Jakes, Katherine Legge, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud

Youngest in Race: Josef Newgarden, 21 (Born Dec 22, 1990)

Oldest in Race: Jean Alesi, 47 (Born June 11, 1964)

Most Previous Races: Helio Castroneves (11)

Foreign Born (24): Jean Alesi, France; Rubens Barrichello, Brazil; Ana Beatriz, Brazil; Sebastien Bourdais, France; Ryan Briscoe, Australia; Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Mike Conway, England; Wade Cunningham, New Zealand; Scott Dixon, New Zealand; Dario Franchitti, Scotland; James Hinchcliffe, Canada; James Jakes, England; Michel Jourdain Jr., Mexico; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Katherine Legge, England; Simon Pagenaud, France; Will Power, Australia; Sebastian Saavedra, Colombia; Takuma Sato, Japan; Oriol Servia, Spain; Simona De Silvestro, Switzerland; Alex Tagliani, Canada; E.J. Viso, Venezuela; Justin Wilson, England

Field Average in Qualifications: 222.835 mph (Record 228.648 mph, 2002)

Qualification Record: 236.986 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1996

Race Record: 185.981 mph, Arie Luyendyk, 1990

Closest Finishes: 0.043 seconds, Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear, 1992; 0.0635 seconds, Sam Hornish Jr. over Marco Andretti, 2006

Purse: Depends on attendance and accessory awards; 2011 payoff was $13.51 million, of which winner Dan Wheldon received $2.57 million for Bryan Herta Autosport

Crowd: Estimated at up to 400,000. Speedway never discloses attendance but admits to more than 250,000 reserved seats in permanent stands and room for 100,000 or more in the infield.

Television: Televised live and in high definition by ESPN on ABC starting at 11 a.m. EDT, one hour before the race, with host Brent Musburger, lead announcer Marty Reid, analysts Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear, and pit reporters Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. ABC will use views from two onboard cameras from the same car at the same time, a first.

Mortality: There have been 68 deaths at the Speedway, including pre-500 races of 1909-10. Last death was August 30, 2010 when motorcycle rider Peter Lenz of Vancouver, Washington, was killed in a preliminary race to the Indianapolis MotoGP.

The Trophy: Sterling silver Borg-Warner Trophy, 5-feet, 4 3/4-inches, 110-pounds, with bas-relief bust of each winner. Valued at more than $1 million, on permanent display at Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Each winner receives an 18-inch sterling silver replica.

CHEVY CRUZE WINS "BEST COMPACT CAR FOR THE MONEY" HONORS

By Motor Trend - Chevy Cruze is redefining what a compact car can be.

Cruze has already received the coveted "2012 Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And the accolades keep coming.

U.S. News and World Report has named the 2012 Cruze "Best Compact Car for the Money."

In choosing Cruze as a "Best Compact Car for the Money", U.S. News and World Report noted that Cruze has been praised by automotive journalists for its great fuel economy, roomy cabin and upscale feel for the price. They also took note of a number of popular options like Bluetooth wireless technology for select phones, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and a USB port.

The Best Cars for the Money Awards help identify cars that hit quality and value from all sides. The award-winning vehicles have the best combination of praise from car reviewers and lower up-front and long-term ownership costs. In short, the winners aren't just good cars or good values. They're both.

Sounds just like Cruze to us.

CHEVY MAKES TRAX FOR CANADA

By Michael Bettencourt, Globe and Mail - The Canadian Chevrolet lineup will once again expand beyond that of its U.S. counterpart with the addition of the Trax compact crossover, which will be based on similar architecture to the already announced Buick Encore.

The five-seat Trax will arrive in Canada and Mexico during the fourth quarter of this year, and eventually in 140 countries, GM Canada announced this week, after it is publicly unveiled at the Paris auto show in September.

That will bring it in just ahead of the Buick Encore, now scheduled for a spring 2013 launch, even though the Buick has already been shown at various international and Canadian auto shows.

From a single released photo, the Chevy Trax looks to be an attractively swoopy mini-ute that could make increasingly fuel conscious Americans look longingly over their borders. GM Canada already sells the Orlando company seven-seater that's not available in the U.S., though its practical but more homely body likely holds less design appeal than the Trax promises.

According to Chevrolet's U.S. office, the Trax won't be marketed there "because of the strong position of the Equinox," a vehicle that has sold similarly well here in Canada.

The Trax, and the Encore, will be derived off the platform used in the Chevrolet Sonic, a small sedan or five-door hatch that currently straddles the compact segment in between its larger Cruze sedan sibling and the upcoming smaller Spark subcompact hatchback.

CRUSHED FERRARI MAKES FOR WORLD'S MOST TRAGIC COFFEE TABLE

By Zach Bowman, Autoblog.com - This post isn't for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. The sad truth of being an automotive enthusiast is that we're all horders on some level. We yearn to collect various bits of paraphernalia plucked from our favorite race teams and derelict junkyard hulks. Now Charly Molinelli Design has elevated our pack rat tendencies to high art. Or at least clever interior design. Using the cubed remains of an indistinguishable Ferrari, the designer set about crafting a coffee table that doesn't look like it belongs tucked away in a tacky man cave.

Behold, the Crashed Ferrari Table. The designer calls wedging the squared remains into the glass case "a dead hero placed into a coffin." Sounds fitting to us. There's no word on how much one of these would cost you if you wanted to take it home. Then again, there's something more than a touch depressing about seeing all that poor red super car crammed into a pine box. Head over to the Molinelli Design site for a closer look at the table's creation. Maybe millionaire-investor Robert Herjavec will turn his recent Ferrari crash into a coffee table conversation piece too?

GUY FIERI TO DRIVE CORVETTE ZR1 PACE CAR IN INDY 500

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - Diners, Drive-ins and Dives TV persona Guy Fieri is making more news with garages these days than kitchens. The Food Network host, who recently had his Lamborghini Gallardo stolen and then recovered in a teen's storage container, has been selected to drive the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car at the Indy 500 this year.

Guy's an admitted gear head, and should feel at home in the Corvette ZR1; he owns seven Chevrolet models that span the decades from 1968 to 2011, and a Cadillac Escalade ESV. He'll be pacing the field in the 638-horsepower special edition Arctic White coupe on Sunday, May 27 at noon EST.

GM CUTS FACEBOOK AD SPENDING, BUT FORD STEPS ON THE GAS

By Automotive News - On the eve of Facebook's wildly anticipated initial public stock offering, General Motors said Tuesday that it will stop buying advertisements on Facebook -- about $10 million a year -- but "remains committed" to the social network as part of "an aggressive content strategy with all our products and brands."

In other words, GM will not pay Facebook for ads but will continue to maintain content, for which Facebook doesn't collect revenue. News of the decision was reported in The Wall Street Journal.

But GM's position is far from universal. Ford Motor Co. said it would "accelerate" ad spending on Facebook in conjunction with the content it's producing for the network.

Chris Perry, vice president of global marketing for Chevrolet, confirmed the move to Automotive News on Tuesday.

Perry told Automotive News on the sidelines of a marketing event in Los Angeles that the return on investment for paid ads on Facebook -- the small ads that appear on the right hand side of Facebook pages that can be targeted based on the interests of users -- was insufficient.

"I think we've learned through our experience that the paid advertising is not the best way of activating Facebook," Perry said.

The automaker will continue to promote its brands and vehicles on Facebook by producing content such as videos, contests and photos designed to engage Facebook users.

"Facebook is still going to be an integral part of our social strategy, no doubt about it -- it's the biggest game out there. The question is where does paid advertising (on Facebook) come into play versus earned media," or other advertising mediums.

Facebook's challenge

But GM's pullout points to Facebook's biggest challenge: Though most consumer brands see the social network as a way to connect with consumers, opinions are mixed on the value of advertising there. Posting messages is free, but Facebook astonished the market in February when it revealed that only 16 percent of "fans" see any given piece of content. To reach more "fans" as well as their friends, marketers were urged to buy advertising.

Automotive is a tough category for Facebook, as the purchase cycle is long and many factors influence a decision. A spokesman for the company said it would have no comment on GM's decision.

Sources told Advertising Age, an affiliate of Automotive News, that the world's second-largest automaker has been reviewing the effectiveness of advertising vs. placing content on the site for a while. (GM named Carat as its new media spending agency in January).

GM spokesman Tom Henderson said that the carmaker would continue to budget for content spending on Facebook "because Facebook continues to be a really effective tool for engaging with our customers."

Henderson emphasized that "adjustments" were ongoing in ad spending. "This is a regular part of business, and its not unusual for us to move our spending around various media, especially considering growth of digital and social outlets."

Ford bullish about Facebook

Besides putting a damper on the Facebook IPO, scheduled for Friday, GM's move -- a company source said timing had nothing to do with the announcement -- raises the question of whether Facebook advertising is effective, especially in the automotive space.

But Scott Monty, Ford's head of social media, said that the automaker is bullish about Facebook ads -- particularly "sponsored stories" that contain a social layer -- and intends to "accelerate" spending on them.

"We've found that Facebook ads are very effective, and they're most effective when we strategically combine them with great content and innovative forms of storytelling rather than a straight media buy," Monty said.

He declined to give the percentage of Ford's overall Facebook budget allocated to ads. (He did say, however, that 20 percent to 25 percent of Ford's overall marketing budget goes to digital and social media.)

According to Avi Savar, founder of Big Fuel, which was GM's social-media agency until GM ended the relationship in December, the automakernever seemed persuaded of the value of social media in general and Facebook likes in particular.

"In a sales-driven culture, it is very hard to wrap your head around putting money in places where you don't see immediate results in an uptick in sales," Savar said.

GM is taking its questions directly to users. On Tuesday it posted a link to its Facebook page asking fans how they found out about it. Possible responses include an ad in Facebook, an ad outside of Facebook, "searched for GM on Facebook" and "saw it on someone else's Facebook page."

GM, the third-largest U.S. advertiser, spent $2.8 billion domestically and $3.9 billion globally in 2010, the most recent year for which data are available, according to Ad Age data.

After a creative-agency review earlier this year, GM assigned its global creative account to a new firm, Commonwealth, made up of talent from Omnicom's Goodby Silverstein & Partners and interpublic Group of Cos.'s McCann Erickson Worldwide.

SHOULD INVESTORS FOLLOW BUFFETT INTO GM?

By Jonathan Barr, MSN.money - General Motors shares were up Wednesday after it was disclosed that Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway had acquired a position in the automaker.

GM closed up more than 2% to $21.91.

The purchase of 10 million shares underscores one of Buffett's famous investment rules: Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Buffett was drawn to GM because its stock is dirt cheap, trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 6.22, well under the industry average of 13.49, according to Reuters.

Wall Street analysts are also optimistic about the company. Their average price target is $34, more than 50% above where the stock recently traded.

"While buying 10 million shares of GM isn't a huge bet (yet), the market signal for the U.S. auto industry is as unprecedented as it is fascinating," according to a Morgan Stanley note cited by Bloomberg News.

Shares of the company, though, are down more than 29% over the past 52 weeks as its market share hit a 90-year low. One reason for the decline is the disappointing sales of the much-hyped Chevy Volt along with worries about the fragility of the economic recovery. GM is not an easy stock to like because many of the wounds that the company experienced over the past few years have not entirely healed.

The company emerged from Chap 11 bankruptcy in 2009 after it received a $52 billion government bailout, most of which was converted to company stock. In 2010, GM repaid $8.1 billion in government loans five years ahead of schedule though it continues to struggle. Losses in Europe dragged down GM's first quarter results though sales in the U.S. remained strong.

The rest of the year won't be easy. Sales in the current quarter are expected to fall by 2% to $38.61 billion. Revenue for the year may rise 3.2% to $155.02 billion.

Remember, the Oracle of Omaha invests over the long term -- almost forever -- and has made his share of mistakes over the years. Investors shouldn't buy stocks just because Buffett, or any one else, likes them. Buffett has made many mistakes over the years, which to his credit he regularly owns up to in his shareholder letters.

Buffett, one of the world's most richest people, can afford not to worry about quarterly swings in market share or whether GM is adding more incentives to lure buyers into dealers showrooms. Most shareholders don't have that luxury. Also, this may not be the best time for most investors to buy GM, since the U.S. government is reportedly planning to unload most of its shares in the automaker this ummer. As shares flood the market, their price may fall.

People who buy GM shares shouldn't expect a smooth ride even if Buffett is helping steer the company.

CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 JOINS DRAG STRIP '11-SECOND CLUB'

By Chris Woodyard, USA Today - Though we've always been impressed with members of the "Mile High Club", Chevrolet says its membership based on its engineering prowess is remarkable nonetheless. The team ran a stock Camaro ZL1 with an automatic transmission over the quarter mile in 11.93 seconds, hitting 116 miles per hour. A Camaro ZL1 with stick shift ran the same distance in 11.96-seconds.

GM says not only could the ZL1 ace the quarter mile, but it could rocket from zero to 60 mph in 4 seconds. And it can do so with street-legal components.

"The ZL1 is great at everything and we're very proud of that," said Tony Roma, Camaro ZL1 program engineering manager. "You can take it to the drag strip and run 11-second quarter-miles all day long. You can also take it to a road course, where it's balanced, handles well, and does exactly what you want."

The new ZL1 is a throwback to a special-order 1969 Camaro ZL1 that was renowned for its performance on the drag strip.

ONSTAR GROWING IN POPULARITY AMONG NON-GM VEHICLES

OnStar is General Motors safety and security service that offers navigation, emergency personnel contact and more, and is now becoming popular in other manufacturers vehicles thanks to the For My Vehicle (FMV) aftermarket mirror.
By Stephen Elmer, Autoguide.com - The FMV mirror can be installed in any car, and offers all of the services you find in a factory equipped OnStar vehicle. Toyota vehicles account for 15.6 percent of OnStar FMV sales, followed by Ford who make up 12.3 percent. Also, more than 30 percent of the Ford vehicles that installed the aftermarket OnStar service were equipped with Ford's own infotainment system Sync.

The majority of purchasers of this software own cars from 2011 and 2012, most of which are already equipped with each manufacturers infotainment systems, telling us that many new car buyers value General Motors mirror mounted OnStar system over other comparable services.

OnStar is offering the aftermarket package for $99.99 from May 6 through June 16. The directions and connections OnStar will run you $299 a year.

CHEVROLET SS WILL COST MORE THAN IT'S WORTH

A Holden-sourced hotrod for the U.S. has all but been confirmed by GM after an OnStar slipup and the resulting media storm, but official details are still just out of reach. Even without that information, there's a reasonable argument to be made that the rear-drive Chevrolet SS will be less than prolific.

By Luke Vandezande, Autoguide.com - Aussie dollars are thriving in the world market right now -- a huge change from just a few years ago where it was a nothing-currency valued well-under the U.S. dollar. Why should you care, you may ask? It's really very simple.

Australia's strong exports are sending its dollar through the roof, which means anything exported from the country will also be more expensive. A certain Chevrolet SS that perked so many ears in recent weeks falls smack dab in the middle of that category. Simply put, under the current economic climate, you probably can't afford to buy one.

Even the folks who can might choose not to. The truth is, unless you have some sort of misplaced loyalty to either GM or Holden, there will probably be a competing car with better per-dollar value.

With details still totally in the dark, folks like us start dreaming and that's exactly what automakers count on. Media members create a buzz and that helps sales, but don't forget that the Chevrolet SS will likely be a reiteration of the previous U.S. Holden Commodore (the Pontiac G8). While it had impressive specifications and a big V8, lackluster sales and an almost automatic-exclusive drivetrain spelled the G8's doom.

At its peak, the Aussie dollar sat in February at 1.08 to the Greenback. It's true that the disparity between our currencies is shrinking, but the fact remains that Australia's success is due largely to Chinese demand for its goods, something that is likely to continue for the immediate future.

Given that, it seems reasonable to assert that a Caprice, G8 successor, Chevrolet SS, or whatever the company labels it will be priced as a niche car. People with moeny to burn and a keen sense of individuality may find merit in something like that, but it isn't a recipe for mass appeal.

Similarly, it's doubtful that the cars will be easy to market in fleets, that is unless GM is willing to stretch the already razor-thin margins associated with that sort of deal.

The end result? Don't hold your breath for a hot Holden in North America at a resonable price -- you'll turn blue and keel over first.

MOTOR CITY MOMS MAKE THEIR MARKS ON THE MALIBU

By General Motors - What can unite a blue-haired, roller derby jammer; a crash exper; an organic gardener with specially trained hearing skills, and a Harvard master's degree candidate with a patent for lighting technology?

In addition to being engineers and moms, they all bring expertise and unique perspectives that make the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu fuel-efficient, safe, extremely quiet and available for purchase today.

Malibu moms Suzanne Cody, Julie Kleinert, Kara Gordon and Tracy Mack-Askew also help demonstrate the important role women and mothers play in engineering today's family vehicles.

The Malibu is Chevrolet's first global midsize sedan, and will be sold in 100 countries on six continents. Though based in Metro Detroit, the Malibu moms' work will be felt from Birmingham to Bulgaria, Ann Arbor to Austria and from St. Clair Shores to Seoul, Shanghai and beyond.

"People spend a lot of time in their vehicles," said Gordon, the Malibu's lead acoustic noise engineer and mother of two active boys. "It's really important for me to spend that time with my kids in a positive way. If your car isn't quiet, you can't hear your kids talking to you in the background, and you can't hear how their day went."

Gordon recalls an incident that drove home the importance of her work.

"We were about to get on the freeway and my younger son was mumbling something I couldn't hear. I kept asking him over and over what he was saying and my older son finally yelled, 'His seat belt isn't buckled'. So I pulled over -- luckily -- before we actually got on the highway."

Involving more engineer moms in vehicle development is happening as women continue to take a bigger stake in the market. Women buy a little over half the cars sold in the United States, and take part in 80 percent of all family car buying decisions, according to U.S. traditional industry statistics.

Yet according to the American Society of Engineering Education, the percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees going to women in 2009 was 17.8 percent, a 15-year-low.

Recognizing this need, General Motors and the GM Foundation in the U.S. support several programs aimed at encouraging women to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects, including high school robotics programs and college scholarships.

"Women are major automotive consumers, and automakers that want to appeal to them need to understand what their needs and requirements are," said Rebecca Lindland, director of research at IHS Automotive. "Women engineers can provide a unique perspective to the design and engineering process. For example, women are generally smaller than men, so ergonomic needs are different. We also have a heightened awareness of safety, and tend to be more sensitive to the needs of family."

"We need to encourage more young women and girls to venture into engineering and show them it's not just numbers, but it's colour and style and design," she said. "Women add a necessary element to enhance a vehicle's appeal and the entire development process benefits from that added dimension."

Meet the four accomplished women engineers and moms behind the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu: The Malibu moms.

Suzanne "Suzy" Cody, aerodynamics engineer -- Cody is a rocket scientist -- literally -- with a degree in aerospace engineering. Known for her "GM blue" hair highlights, she is also a force to be reckoned with in the wind tunnel and on the roller derby track.

A mother of two young boys, she has been responsible for the aerodynamic performance of the new Malibu, and her work has resulted in a vehicle with a superior wind drag rating -- close to that of the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle -- which means increased gas savings for Malibu drivers.

"I'm a single mom, and every dollar I spend on gasoline is a dollar I'm not investing in my boys' futures," said Cody. "So this is personal to me."

Her knowledge of wind drag also helps her on the Bath City Roller Girls roller derby team, where fans know her as Shovey Camaro, after her passion for the Chevrolet Camaro sports car. Cody is also a passionate leader of a local moms club that helps support local charities.

Julie Kleinert, child safety technical lead -- As the lead engineer responsible for child occupant protection, Kleinert's job is to evaluate and develop the safety performance requirements for the vehicle restraint systems that will protect children who ride in the Malibu and other GM vehicles.

"Knowing that the work I do helps protect other people's children is very rewarding," said Kleinert, a mother of four and grandmother of two. "I love to be able to tell people what I do, and how much work goes into the safety of every GM vehicle."

Kleinert relies on her 27-year engineering career and extensive knowledge of restraint system performance and vehicle safety integration, along with her real-world experience and perspective as a mother and grandmother. Her commitment to child passenger safety doesn't stop at the end of the work day.

As a certified child passenger safety technician, she volunteers with Safe Kids USA's Buckle Up educational programs to teach parents and caregivers about proper car seat installation and about child safety in and around vehicles. She utilizes her experience from working in the field with parents and caregivers to help drive interior designs that make child safety seat installation easier in the Malibu and other GM vehicles. Because three out of four child safety seats are incorrectly installed, Kleinert said, she urges parents to take advantage of local check-up events, even if they believe they are using their child safety seat correctly.

"When my kids were teenagers and learning how to drive, they didn't always apreciate a mom who was a safety engineer," said Kleinert. "Now that one of my sons has two children, I put my child passenger safety training to good use by teaching him and my daughter-in-law how to properly install car seats in their vehicles."

Kara Gordon, lead acoustic engineer -- Gordon is a specially trained audiologist whose sensitive hearing skills -- always a tactical advantage for a mother -- helped her identify where certain noises may have originated, and how to reduce, block and absorb the noise from entering the cabin of the new Malibu. She is a key part of a team that eradicates the main sources of noise -- wind, road and tire -- from entering the interior of the new Malibu.

Her work has helped make the new Malibu the quietest Chevrolet ever for interior cabin noise and, as a result, customers around the world can expect a quiet ride.

With two young boys, Gordon's home isn't always as quiet as the Malibu, but she adds a little serenity with yoga and enforces a house rule of quiet time until 9 a.m. on weekends. "At 9, all bets are off and the house becomes a circus!" she said.

Gordon is also a passionate environmentalist who hopes to live "off the grid" soon and loves tending to her organic garden and remodeling her 100-year-old home.

Tracy Mack-Askew, vehicle line manager -- Mack-Askew's passion for science and math was sparked during a high school field trip to view a vehicle crash test. That experience led her to pursue an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an engineering career at GM following graduation.

Today, Mack-Askew serves as lead engineering manager responsible for the timely development and launch of the Malibu, a role with great challenges and responsibilities -- and one typically held by men. She also has a patent in lighting technology that helps prevent premature lamp burnout.

As a wife, a mother of two young children, and a Harvard University master's candidate (she already has a master's degree from Purdue University), Mack-Askew is also an accomplished multi-tasker.

Ultimately, she says, it's her commitment to cultivating and nurturing a strong family that drivers her. Mack-Askew won't travel on her husband or children'ts birthdays, and despite a hectic travel schedule that saw her log about 40,000 miles in less than a year in support of the Malibu launch, she is adamant about picking up her children from school on Fridays.

"The Malibu is a vehicle that is very kid-friendly, that's easy for you to use to transport your kids to their activities -- whether it is soccer or swimming -- and that makes you look good and stylish while doing it," said Mack-Askew. "So not only are you a mother, but you are a mother with pizzazz."

On sale late this summer

The 2013 Malibu and 2013 Malibu Eco are scheduled to begin production this summer at plants in Fairfax, Kan. and Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich. The 2013 Malibu will serve as a flagship Chevrolet midsize in many parts of the world. The Eco model Chevrolet's most fuel-efficient Malibu ever, delivering an estimated fuel consumption rating of 8.1L/100km city driving and 5.3L/100km highway. The Malibu is built in China and Korea.

GM, FORD PLACED IN TOP 10 ON 2012 FORTUNE 500 LIST

By Jeff Sabatini, Autoblog.com - If you're a blue-blodded capitalist, there's nothing better than leading your company to the top of the Fortune 500 -- except for making billions of dollars in profits, that is. But thankfully those two objectives tend to go hand-in-hand, as proven by these two men.

Indeed, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson and Ford CEO Alan Mulally have plenty to smile about when looking at the 2012 Fortune 500 list, as their respective companies are pegged at fifth and ninth. While Ford's profit last year dwarfed GM's, according to the Fortune list, GM's revent was greater than all but four other corporations: Exxon Mobil, Wal-Mart, Chevron and ConocoPhillips.

The only other automotive firm to hit the top 100 was supplier Johnson Controls at 67, though plenty of other suppliers made the list, including Goodyear at 126 and Ford spin-off Visteon at 321.

2013 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 TO PACE 96TH INDIANAPOLIS 500

By Drew Phillips, Autoblog.com - Today Chevrolet announced that a 2013 Corvette ZR1 will pace this year's Indianapolis 500, marking the 23rd time that a Chevy has paced the race and the 11th time the Corvette has performed the duty. With 638 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-litre V8, the Corvette ZR1 will be the most powerful production machine to serve as the race's pace car.

Helping to celebrate six decades of production, the 2013 Corvette ZR1 pace car mimics the design cues of the 60th anniversary package that debuted earlier this year with Arctic White exterior paint and a full-length racing stripe in Pearl Silver Blue. Inside is a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede accents.

Look for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 during the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled to start at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday, May 27th.

2013 CHEVY TRAVERSE GIVES FAMILIES NEW GATHERING SPACE

• New athletic exterior debuts Chevrolet crossover utility face



• More refined interior with class-leading space for cargo and up to eight passengers



• New and industry-exclusive safety features including front centre air bag



• Improved car-like ride and handling

By General Motors Corporation - The new 2013 Chevrolet Traverse crossover-utility vehicle offers families a new gathering space with greater style, refinement and safety. It goes into production later this year, building on the space, comfort and efficiency that have made Traverse popular.

"The new Traverse is a family vehicle without compromise," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Global Marketing and Strategy. "It is more capable thanmany sport-utility vehicles, with as much room as a minivan and better functionality than both. The Traverse is clever, capable and confident -- and there when you need it most."

The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse has a new, athletic exterior design, complemented by a more expressive front end that introduces a new face for Chevrolet crossover utilities.

The front features a new shape supported by a powerdome hood, a three-bar upper and two-bar lower grille design, new lamps, chrome accents around the grille and fog lamps, and sculpted front corners similar to the Malibu sedan. The new design captures the overall character of Chevy's new car lineup, for a consistent family resemblance.

"We have injected a stronger presence into the Traverse exterior by focusing on the details," said Phillip Zak, GM director of exterior design. "The small but important changes give it a more vibrant personality that more closely reflects the lifestyles of the families who rely on the Traverse to get them through their busy lives."

At the rear, redesigned lamps and the license plate pocket are positioned in the new liftgate for a sportier look.

New family gathering space

Space is the hallmark of the Traverse interior. With its class-leading spaciousness, comfortable and flexible seating for up to eight adults, and more cargo-carrying capacity than any other vehicle in its segment, the 2013 Chevy Traverse builds on these established attributes by offering an interior environment with new features and refined appointments.

Upgraded materials include soft-touch surfaces on the instrument panel and front door uppers, contrasting stitching, chrome and silver accents, and available blue ambient lighting that flows through the cabin.

A new centre stack showcases a 6.5-inch colour touch radio with the available Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system. MyLink allows customers to seamlessly integrate their smartphones for hands-free calling through the audio system and Bluetooth streaming of popular internet radio favorites like Stitcher. The centre stack also has large and illuminated climate controls that are easier to use and have a more upscale feel.

The front seats now feature articulating head restraints that can be adjusted up or down and fore and aft for greater comfort. The eight-way power passenger seat includes leather trim. New wood trim treatments are standard on LT and LTZ.

Adding to the overall feel of quality, the fit and finish of the interior panels have been improved on all models. The new Traverse will come with three interior choices, in cloth or leather, including Ebony and Mojave, Light Titanium and Dark Titanium, and Ebony.

Passes the parent test

The Traverse passes the parent test with three rows of seating standard on all models, flexible seating configurations, class-leading people and cargo-carrying capacity, and family-friendly entertainment and other features.

Traverse's second-row seat comes with a pair of captain's chairs or a three-passenger bench. Each incorporates Traverse's child-friendly, second-row SmartSlide feature that enables unobstructed access to the third-row bench seat with one hand -- and is easy for children to operate.

The third-row seat can comfortably accommodate three adult passengers. Traverse's 24.4 cu. ft. (691 litres) of cargo room behind its third row is larger than many full-size utility vehicles. Traverse also has easy-to-operate safety belts, up to 12 cup holders and an available rear-seat entertainment system.

Efficient power and car-like ride

Traverse has a long 118.9-inch (3,019 mm) wheelbase, with a wide 67.8-inch (1,721 mm) front track and 67.4-inch (1,712 mm) rear track -- a combination that enables smooth, stable ride and handling characteristics.

Efficiency in the Traverse comes from a technically advanced 3.6L V-6 with fuel-saving direct injection technology and continuously variable valve timing. It is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission with improved shift feel that results in more confident acceleration when the driver needs additional power to enter the highway or pass another motorist.

The engine is SAE-certified at 288 horsepower (215 Nm) and 270 lb.-ft. of torque (366 Nm) with dual exhaust (281 hp/210 kW and 266 lb.-ft/36 Nm with single exhaust). Its direct injection fuel delivery helps produce power similar to many V-8 engines and uses regular unleaded gasoline.

The transmission controls have been revised to provide quicker and more consistent shifts. Along with additional transmission hardware changes, the Traverse is expected to continue to deliver among the best fuel economy ratings of any eight-passenger (FWD) utility vehicle.

Ride and handling improvements have been made through the use of rebound springs in the front struts that increase roll control. New shock valving has been employed for low-velocity control to deliver a smoother ride at lower speeds.

The available intelligent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system provides increased traction on slippery roads by ctively managing the torque distribution between the front and rear axles, based on factors such as wheel speed, throttle and surface conditions. There is no driver intervention; the system automatically decides how much torque to apply and delivers it to the wheels that have the best traction.

Traverse maintains capability to deliver improved ride and handling, offering utility-like towing capacity of up to 5,200 pounds (2,358 kg).

Smart and safe family hauler

The Traverse is among the safest vehicles on the road today, previously earning top honors and recognition from leading third-party organizations and in government crash testing.

For 2013 it enhances its safety reputation with the industry's first front centre air bag. It is engineered to provide additional restraint to drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes, where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

When a severe impact occurs, the air bag deploys in milliseconds from the inboard side of the driver's seat and inflates between the driver and front passenger, providing added protection for both front occupants.

"While no restraint technology or feature can address all body areas or all potential injuries, the front centre air bag is designed to address field-relevant, side-impact crashes that are not addressed by current regulatory or consumer metric test conditions," said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. "It works with the vehicle's other air bags, safety belts and structure to deliver a safer occupant environment."

Additional safety and security features:

• Available Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems (standard on LTZ) use radar to watch spots the driver may not see -- and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.




• Standard head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for outboard occupants in all seating rows. In addition to providing protection in moderate-to-severe side crashes, the roof-mounted head curtain air bags will deploy in a rollover to help provide increased occupant protection and containment.




• StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology is standard on all models and incorporates full-function traction control.




• Standard rearview camera system is designed to provide the driver with added capability to view what is in the rearward path of the vehicle.




• Standard four-wheel-disc brake system with ABS featuring smooth, quiet operation, longer pad life and more resistance to brake pulsation.




• Safety belt pretensioners reduce forward movement during a collision, and are standard on the front safety belts, along with load-limiting retractors that help limit the belts' impact on the occupants' chest. The dynamic locking latch plate locks to hold the occupants' pelvis in place.




• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child seat attachment system is included in outboard second-row seating positions.




• Tire pressure monitoring system is standard on all models.




• Strong body structure to absorb crash energy and provide a protective "safety cage" around occupants.




• Standard hill start assist brakes help reduce the tendency of a vehicle to roll forward or backward on a hill after the brake pedal is released by momentarily retaining pressure on the brake discs.

OnStar features

OnStar is standard on all Traverse models. It uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash. OnStar subscribers also can use the service to be a Good Samaritan by sending help to other motorists, and to call for help in other non-crash emergencies.

• OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the United States and Canada.




• Six months of complimentary OnStar Directions and Connections service with Turn-by-Turn Navigation for easier route guidance comes on all Traverse models. The feature is easy to use because all directions are sent to the car by an advisor, without the need to stop. Turn-by-Turn can be cost-effective, since map updates and aftermarket navigation systems are not needed.




• Stolen Vehicle Assistance helps police track the vehicle.




• OnStar Mobile App allows owners with Android or Apple smart phones to remotely start the engine, lock and unlock doors and view vital vehicle information such as tire pressure, fuel tank level, range, remaining oil life, etc.

For 2013, Traverse is offered in LS, LT and LTZ models (with two LT packages: 1LT and 2LT), in borth front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. It is built in Lansing, Mich. Pricing is not announced.

GM CEO: TOP WOMAN EXECUTIVE A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR

Mary Barra, 50, the Detroit company's
global product development chief

By Ben Klayman, Reuters - The boss of General Motors Co (GM.N) said on Monday the automaker's most senior woman executive is one of his potential successors, adding that women deal with change better than men and GM still has a lot of changes to make since its 2009 bankruptcy and $50 billion government bailout.

GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson also said he did not know whether taxpayers would get their money back, though the automaker is generating record profits.

Akerson said it was critical for the world's largest automaker to boost the ranks of its top female executives.

He said Mary Barra, 50, the Detroit company's global product development chief overseeing a $15 billion operation, is a candidate to succeed him.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she were, but I wouldn't handicap it today and I think there are a good number of candidates," Akerson, 63, told a Wall Street Journal conference in Palm Beach, Florida, that discussed women in the economy.

"It's the board's job (to pick a replacement), not mine." Akerson also said the U.S. Treasury, which still owns slightly more than a quarter of GM's outstanding stock, was not involved in decision making. "I know I've done things that have annoyed the U.S. Treasury."

Asked if taxpayers will get their money back, Akerson replied: "I don't know."

Akerson, who joined the company as it emerged from bankruptcy, has said he would prefer the next CEO to come from within GM but the board would decide. He gave no time frame for his exit and said he would stay as long as he was making a contribution and the board wanted him.

Analysts say other candidates to succeed him include Vice Chairman Steve Girsky, 50, and North American operations chief Mark Reuss, 48.

Explaining why he wants to ensure that women at the company are in positions beyond "softer" jobs such as human resources, he pointed out that he has two daughters and also said his mother, who worked as a cashier at a grocery store and rose to become a manager, had a greater impact on him than his father.

Akerson said women make up 20 to 25 percent of GM's top 50 executives. "Four of 12 of our directors are women, one of our women runs Europe and some of our biggest plants are run by women," he said. "Twenty percent of our technical staff are women. We seek women with engineering degrees."

Barra joined GM in 1980 and has had various manufacturing and engineering jobs and was vice president in charge of global human resources. She was named senior vice president in charge of global product development in February last year and in January was appointed to the supervisory board of GM's struggling Opel European unit.

SOME CARS TO BE AS CLEAN AS ELECTRIC TRAIN TRAVEL BY 2020

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - Ex-Ford engineer Richard Parry-Jones is now chairman-designate of the UK's Network Rail. Having looked into the futures of both car and train development, he believes that by the end of this decade the most Earth-friendly internal-combustion engine cars will be about as polluting, on a per-passenger basis, as high-speed electric trains.

Parry-Jones says carmakers are targeting 40g/km of CO2 tailpipe emissions by 2020. If the "average" occupancy of 1.6 people-per-vehicle stays the same in eight years, that would equal 25 gm per person per kilometre and put such cars in the same environmental category as the cleanest mass transit.

Since the emissions of electric cars and trains is usually given as zero, we're assuming he means diesel-electric high-speed trains; life-cycle emissions wouldn't be a valid comparison since those aren't factored into a car's tailpipe number. According to The Guardian's table of emission numbers by transport, right now you'd have to load four folks in a small diesel topped up with ultra-low sulphur fuel to get down to 42 grams per passenger per kilometre (gpkm), which would put you right with one of Virgin's Voyager class diesel-electric trains at 75 per cent capacity. If you want to go all the way low, though, you'll need a 50cc two-stroke and a passenger; at that point you're rocking just 19.5 gpkm. Slowly.

eBAY FIND OF THE DAY: 1981 CHEVROLET CAMARO YENKO TURBO

By Autoblog.com - You've never seen a 1981 Yenko Camaro? Maybe that's because only 19 were made and they usually sell for well north of what a new Camaro will cost you from your local Chevrolet dealer.

One gorgeously restored, matching numbers example is up for purchase on eBay Motors for the eye-watering Buy-It-Now price of $180k. But please consider the car's claimed history and stat sheet before passing judgement.

As the legend goes, in 1969, Yenko Chevrolet of Murray, Pennsylvania took a 12-year break from modding Camaros. But low compression '80s engines got under the skin of Don Yenko, and in 1981, the tuning legend proceeded to cram a turbocharged, four-barrel, 350 V8 under the hood of the second-generation car. Horsepower on the rare Yenko is unclear, but it should definitely be way more than the stock Z-28's meager 175 hp. Reports suggest this was to be Yenko's final big build, and the owner of this eBay find says this one is the very last 1981 Yenko produced.

On top of all that, the Charlotte, North Carolina seller says that the car has fewer than 30k miles, some of which were supposedly put there by curious automotive journalists. The winning bidder will get the original build sheet, window sticker and a production intent letter signed by Don Yenko.

NHTSA WORKING WITH AUTOMAKERS TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE COMMUNICATION

By Jeff Sabatini, Autoblog.com - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head-honcho David Strickland is big on emerging vehicle-to-vehicle communication, according to The Detroit Free Press. As a keynote speaker at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit this week, Strickland lauded the technology, saying it could eliminate up to 80 percent of crashes.

We've recently heard General Motors speaking enthusiastically about creating a network effect on the roadways, using portable devices like smartphones to share information about traffic conditions and what's going on in nearby vehicles to alert drivers and even pedestrians and cyclists. GM has been talking about vehicle-to-vehicle communications for a few years now, incorporating the idea into its EN-V concepts like the one pictured above, "cars" that promise a future in which autonomous driving is a reality.

More immediately, Strickland said NHTSA will be "finalizing a rule to improve rear visibility in passenger vehicles," and that the agency is "beyond proof of concept" for a system to prevent an intoxicated person from driving, according to the report.