Chevrolet Blog
Video: Episode 1 of Chevrolet's Corvette Racing Series hits the interwebs cinemaFiled under: Motorsports, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing 
Corvette Racing Series, Episode 1 - Click above to watch video after the jump
As Chevrolet Corvette Racing team heads into its first full season of competition in the American Le Mans Series GT2 class, the first full episode of a new General Motors video series chronicling their journey has been posted on YouTube. The 12-part series will follow the team as it gets ready for the nine race series as well as the annual June treck to Le Mans for the 24 Hours.
Episode one begins with a look back at where 2009 left off. On the final corner of the final lap of the Laguna Seca race last October, Jan Magnussen slammed into a retaining wall with a 57 g impact after making contact with one of the Flying Lizards Porsches.
As soon as the cars returned to the team's Wixom, MI shop, the crew set about getting ready for 2010 including preparing for the all-new 5.5-liter V8. First, though, they had to rebuild the #3 C6.R. Check out the first episode of the series after the jump.
[Source: YouTube]Continue reading Video: Episode 1 of Chevrolet's Corvette Racing Series hits the interwebs cinema Video: Episode 1 of Chevrolet's Corvette Racing Series hits the interwebs cinema originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments2012 Chevrolet Malibu design completely revealed in patent filings?Filed under: Sedan, Chevrolet 
2010 Chevrolet Malibu patent drawings - Click above for high-res image gallery
Over the past nine months, we've seen the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu twice at General Motors media events that were closed to the public. On neither occasion were we allowed to take any photographs of the styling buck, but now we can finally show you what the next Malibu looks like. A General Motors filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office shows what is obviously an unidentified Chevrolet four-door sedan.
It retains all of the standard Chevrolet design features including the dual-port grille and four individual tail lights. Compared to the current and very well reviewed Malibu, the new car has more sculpted surfaces, especially around the corners. The chopped off tail of the current generation car is generally considered to be the weakest part of that design, and the new model addresses that area with what looks to be a much more attractive posterior.
The new Malibu will ride on the same Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick LaCrosse and Regal. The new model will have a shorter wheelbase than the 112.3-inch span of today's car, but it's not clear if it will be as short as the 107.8-inch wheelbase of the new Buick Regal. The new Malibu will, however, be both wider and taller than the current model. The interior is also significantly upgraded with higher quality materials as GM tries to keep up with the advances of new models from Ford.
The next Malibu will probably debut in late in 2011 as a 2012 model, and we may see it in public at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. The timing of the Malibu should line up nicely with the Ford Fusion/Mondeo replacement and make for a very interesting battle in the mid-size sedan market.
[Source: Carscoop]2012 Chevrolet Malibu design completely revealed in patent filings? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsChevrolet to employ new "Excellence for Everyone" ad campaignFiled under: Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM 
General Motors is working hard to improve the image of its core brands, and the largest GM division, Chevrolet, will be getting some fresh new marketing in the near future. The theme, "Excellence for Everyone" will debut in ad spots over the next two months.
In a web chat yesterday, GM's North American president Mark Reuss told the Detroit Free Press that Chevrolet will be using the Camaro and Corvette more frequently in its advertising to improve the brand's overall image. "When have you ever seen 'Vettes and Camaros in ads for Equinox and Malibu?" Reuss stated. And speaking of the Malibu, Reuss says that GM needs to "re-energize the car," so expect a new set of ads focused around Chevy's well-liked midsize sedan, as well.
[Source: Detroit Free Press | Image: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty]Chevrolet to employ new "Excellence for Everyone" ad campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HDFiled under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, GMC, Diesel 
2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD - Click above for high-res image gallery
Not even a month ago, at the end of our post on the 2011 Ford Super Duty engine specs, we wrote: "General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court." Someone at GM has apparently grabbed their big ass racket and said, "Oh, I got this...", then smacked the ball right back into play. The Ford's measurements 390 horsepower, 735 pound-feet of grunt. The General has just announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel has 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft. of torque, a jump of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. over the previous Duramax.
A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford's maximum tow rating is 21,600 pounds, while GM's is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins. Still, the RenCen pickups take the power crown, and the new Duramax is more efficient than the previous one - GM didn't put a specific mileage number to it, but claims 680 miles of highway going possible from the 36-gallon tank. You'll find GM's press release on the new engine after the jump.
In related news, GM has released the first image of its GMC Sierra Denali HD pickup, mechanical and sheetmetal twin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD. There's an additional press release after the jump for it as well.
So... anyone else want to take a swing at that even bigger ass ball?
[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]Continue reading GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon slots in right below ZR1Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet 
2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon - Click above for high-res image gallery
For the truly hard-core Corvette fanatic who likes to spend weekends thrashing his or her car at the track, there is only one Corvette worthy of consideration: the Z06. However, thanks to the ZR1, the lightweight, normally aspirated 7.0-liter coupe is no longer the absolute quickest Vette, but it is felt to have the most responsive handling. What it doesn't have is the uber-cool carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon-fiber body panels and magnetic ride active damping system of its supercharged sibling. That can now be changed to past tense with the birth of the Z06 Carbon edition announced today by General Motors.
The Z06 Carbon was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of the Corvette at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when John Fitch and Briggs Cunningham won their class and finished eighth overall. The Carbon edition is essentially a Z06 with a ZR1 chassis and some of the carbon skin. When production starts this fall, only 500 examples will be made and they will only come in two colors, Inferno Orange and Supersonic Blue. All examples get black-painted wheels and a black interior upholstered in leather and suede. Follow the jump and we'll tell you more.
[Source: Chevrolet]Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon slots in right below ZR1 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon slots in right below ZR1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: GM scouring the globe for next Corvette design, first time looking beyond U.S.Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style 
Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Chevrolet Corvette is a uniquely American invention. It's the quintessential sportscar from the land that brought us baseball and apple pie. Interesting, then, that General Motors would choose to seek out design studies from its various styling studios from all around the globe, particularly those in Europe.
According to AutoWeek, though, that's just what GM's vice president of global design, Ed Welburn, did late last year when the time came for The General to start drafting proposals for the next-gen Corvette. Why would GM consider looking at European design flavors for its oh-so-American, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive sportscar? Demographics. According to Welburn, "We have challenges in the States with the Corvette. The average age of the customer is really rising."
That average age, for those keeping track, is 54 years-old (so says the Power Information Network). And it seems that the import-favoring younger generation in America isn't all that interested in the current 'Vette, a fact that has undoubtedly played a part in the Corvette's 48-percent sales decline in 2009 over the previous year.
One thing's for certain - its certainly not the Vette's all-conquering performance that's holding it back. Perception seems to be a bigger problem. "We have to develop a design that feels trimmer, meaner, to go along with the incredible performance that the car has," said Welburn, referring to the notion that many believe the current Corvette looks too big despite being roughly the same size as the benchmark Porsche 911. We might also suggest that GM needs to gag the beancounters who will undoubtedly threaten to nickel-and-dime the quality out of the next Vette's interior.
Whatever the case, Welburn knows the car can't stray too far from its heritage. "It can't mutate into something that gets so far away from Corvette that it is no longer a Corvette," he said. It seems the future may hold very interesting things for the iconic Corvette within the next two or three years. We anxiously look forward to seeing what Chevrolet manages to cook up.
[Source: AutoWeek]Report: GM scouring the globe for next Corvette design, first time looking beyond U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsWho says Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers don't race each other?Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford 
2010 Ford Mustang Boss 302R - Click above for high-res image gallery
Last week in The Wall Street Journal, writer Ben Austen publised an article in which he ruminates on why no one appears to be racing the Detroit Three's neo-muscle offerings - the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. That the piece succeeds overwhelmingly at, however, is highlighting the myopia of America's mainstream press when it comes to motorsports. Many people in media seem to be completely unaware that there are forms of automotive competition other than NASCAR, because the cars the WSJ article focuses on most assuredly are involved in active competition.
NASCAR may be the big dog in terms of the number of races, sponsor participation, and even people at the track. But by no means is anything about modern stock car racing in any way relevant. A more important question might be why automakers continue pour hundreds of millions of dollars into NASCAR every year, but we'll leave that for another day.
All three of the current crop of pony cars compete in a wide variety of racing, from drags to ovals and road courses. Ford in particular has offered turnkey Mustang race cars for several years, and they've been very successful in a number of classes, including the NASCAR-owned Grand-Am series. In fact, fans watching the 2010 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will see Mustangs, Camaros, and at least one Dodge Challenger slugging it out on a regular basis.
Pratt & Miller racing currently runs a program in which it converts Grand-Am Pontiac GXP.Rs to Camaro bodies. Dodge Challengers can be found at many drag strips (along with innumerable Mustangs and Camaros). And let's not forget that NASCAR is running Challenger- and Mustang-branded stockers in a few Nationwide Series races this year as part of its own "Car of Tomorrow" program.
Admittedly, it would be nice to see a revival on the level of the old Trans Am series, with all three of these machines running in force, but journalists like Mr. Austen would do well to remove the NASCAR blinders before summarily dismissing the modern pony cars as being absent from today's racing scene. It's just not so.
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]Who says Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers don't race each other? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: GM builds 100,000th Chevrolet CamaroFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet 
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS - Click above for high-res image gallery
No matter which side of the Mustang/Camaro divide you fall on there's no arguing that Chevrolet's reborn entrant in the pony car wars has been a hit. It's been less than a year since production of the 2010 Camaro began at General Motors' Oshawa assembly and the 100,000th example rolled off the line this week. The milestone car was reportedly an inferno orange SS.
Ever since last June, the Camaro has been outselling its chief rival,, the Mustang, despite the Mustang's refresh at around the time of the Camaro launch. Ford, however, left out one important aspect in the 2010 redesign, the powertrains. That oversight has been addressed for the 2011 model year, and the Ford vs. Chevy battle begins anew next month. That's when 2011 Mustangs will start rolling off the line with power on par with the Camaro, along with the significantly better interiors that carry over from 2010. We'll be watching this horse race very carefully over the rest of this year. Hat tip to Henry!
[Source: Camaro5]Report: GM builds 100,000th Chevrolet Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFinal three World Car of the Year finalists announcedFiled under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Chevrolet, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Diesel  The votes from 59 international journalists have been counted and the finalists for World Car of the Year have been named. The Detroit News is reporting that the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have made the final cut, and the three vehicles will go toe-to-toe on April 1st (no foolin') at the start of the New York Auto Show, which is where the World COTY award is announced.
On the performance vehicle front, the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California are jockeying for the big prize. We feel sorry for the judges who have to choose from among these three junkers, but we're sure they'll somehow make it fun for themselves.
Design finalists are the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro, and from the green category we have the previously mentioned Prius, the Honda Insight and Volkswagen's BlueMotion diesel offerings. Check back on these pages to see the winners of the individual categories when they are announced in New York on April Fool's Day.
[Source: The Detroit News]Final three World Car of the Year finalists announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsHow a Corvette C6.R comes to life: Autoblog tours Pratt & Miller shopFiled under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM 
Autoblog tours Pratt & Miller shop - Click above for high-res image gallery
Racing improves the breed. How many times have you heard some automaker PR flack spout that line in order to justify a motorsports program? When it comes to NASCAR, which is still the most popular form of racing in the United States, it's clearly a complete fallacy. Open wheel racing, be it at Indianapolis or Monaco, largely falls into the same bucket. There is, however, one form of motorsports where there truly is a feedback loop: sports car racing like the kind on display in the American Le Mans Series.
One example is staring you in the face every time you look at the nose of a contemporary Corvette. When the C6 Corvette debuted, many fans complained about the styling, including the front air intake and the departure of the long running pop-up headlamps. The C6 brought a new larger central air intake and exposed, flush lighting. The design was influenced directly by the C5.R racing program and its need for better air-flow to the engine and brakes of the racecar. Learn more about the connection between Corvette production and racing after the jump.
Continue reading How a Corvette C6.R comes to life: Autoblog tours Pratt & Miller shop How a Corvette C6.R comes to life: Autoblog tours Pratt & Miller shop originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM Olympic fleet vehicles will all find their way to Canadian dealersFiled under: Etc., Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Canada  They won't make you ski, skate or snowboard with any additional talent or zest, but the "official" Olympic-branded vehicles used during the 2010 Winter Games are going up for sale in Canada later this month. Each of the General Motors supplied cars and trucks spent time in Vancouver and Whistler shuttling athletes, officials, VIPs and dignitaries to and from the competitions and related events. Now, with the Winter Olympics written in the history books and the Paralympic Winter Games closing at the end of the month, more than 4,600 lightly-used vehicles will find their way to dealerships across the vast country. The fleet includes:
Differentiating the "Olympic" vehicles from the standard GM offerings are the commemorative (and "permanent") Vancouver 2010 medallions adorned with the iconic Inukshuk symbol and Olympic rings on each model. That, and fact that the vehicles are all "specially-priced," says GM. If you are interested, contact your local GM retailer ASAP as the first cars and trucks will be available for purchase in just a couple weeks. The official press release is available after the jump.
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading GM Olympic fleet vehicles will all find their way to Canadian dealers GM Olympic fleet vehicles will all find their way to Canadian dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Corvette Racing behind-the-scenes trailerFiled under: Motorsports, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing 
2010 Corvette C6.R GT2 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Over the course of this coming season, Corvette Racing will be posting a 12-part video series on the Corvette Facebook page that tracks the development of the C6.R and its progress on the track. In the run-up to the first race of the year at Sebring in a couple of weeks, Chevrolet has released a trailer as a bit of an introduction.
2010 will be the first full season of competition for the new second-generation C6.R as the American Le Mans Series moves ahead with a single unified GT class. The biggest change this year is an all-new 5.5-liter V8 based on the production LS7 aluminum block. Check out the trailer after the jump.
[Source: Chevrolet]Continue reading Video: Corvette Racing behind-the-scenes trailer Video: Corvette Racing behind-the-scenes trailer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM recalls 1.3 million Cobalts, G5s for power steering problemFiled under: Recalls, Safety, Chevrolet, GM, Pontiac 
2010 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE - Click above for high-res image gallery
Communications professionals know that the best time to release bad news about a company is at 5:15 pm on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend. By the time everyone comes back to work the following week, so much other stuff has happened that the story often gets lost in the shuffle. In the auto industry, another good time would be late in the evening just hours before a major overseas auto show while at the same time your biggest competitor is mired in a crisis of its own.
As many of the world's automotive journalists were converging in Switzerland for the Geneva Motor Show late Monday night, General Motors announced it would recall 1.3 million Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s built between 2005 and 2010. GM will replace the motors on their electric power assisted steering (EPAS). Over time the motors can reportedly fail and lead to a loss of steering assist.
When the EPAS fails, the result is similar to a belt breaking on a hydraulic power steering pump. The car is still drivable and controllable, but the steering effort at low speeds rises significantly, making it difficult to maneuver at parking lot speeds. At higher speeds, relatively little steering assist is needed and drivers should be able to make it safely to the side of the road if the warning lamp comes on.
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading GM recalls 1.3 million Cobalts, G5s for power steering problem GM recalls 1.3 million Cobalts, G5s for power steering problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsExodus Pictures unveils FireBreather movie car at Detroit AutoramaFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM 
Classic Design Concepts FireBreather - Click above for high-res image gallery
Earlier today, the folks from Exodus Pictures - a Michigan-based film studio - officially unveiled the FireBreather, a Camaro-based creation built in collaboration with Classic Design Concepts of Novi, Michigan. The one-off Camaro was designed by Ajmal Ahmad, the writer and director of the upcoming sci-fi film Jinn, in which the FireBreather will make its big screen debut.
Underneath the slightly revised sheetmetal is a factory-fresh Camaro SS, but the creative team from Classic Design Concepts have outfitted it with a new front fasica, hood, rear fascia and some incredibly hot-looking wheels. The new nose has a bit of Pontiac Trans-Am nostalgia to it, and we very much approve. No modifications have been made to the Camaro's 6.2-liter V8, but CDC has outfitted an Elbach Pro-Plus Performance handling package, as well as sticker Pirelli PZero Rosso tires.
Want one? Exodus will be offering up 50 individually numbered FireBreathers for just under $60,000. Orders can be placed at the FireBreather's sales website, and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Click through our gallery to see high-res shots of the FireBreather from all angles.
Exodus Pictures unveils FireBreather movie car at Detroit Autorama originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsConsumer Reports releases annual list of American Top Picks, Ford the big winnerFiled under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Crossover, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM 
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery
Each year that Consumer Reports offers up its annual list of Top American Picks, it seems less and less a consolation bracket and more like a reasonable set of choices. To wit, if you wanted the very best family-sized SUV (Chevrolet Traverse) or fullsize pickup truck (Chevrolet Silverado), Consumer Reports will tell you that you're best off choosing American, regardless of which list its from.
Further, CR has found the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan twins have proven to be more reliable than a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Blasphemy, you say? To borrow a marketing phrase from the Blue Oval itself, Drive One and find out for yourself. We have, and we found out that it's a great car. Apparently, it's also reliable. Not surprisingly, the Fusion managed to earn two more awards in its hybrid guise, including CR's Best Overall Car.
All told, seven of the 10 awards handed out by CR went to Ford - an impressive performance. Two Top Picks were filled by vehicles from General Motors while Chrysler didn't have a single model on the list, which isn't particularly surprising since the Dodge Ram is the only model from the Pentastar that CR even recommends. Click here to check out the rest of the winners from CR.
[Source: Consumer Reports]Consumer Reports releases annual list of American Top Picks, Ford the big winner originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: GM may euthanize Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon small pickupsFiled under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Rumormill 
2010 Chevrolet Colorado - Click above for high-res image gallery
The future of the small pickup truck market in the United States doesn't look good. A new global Ford Ranger is in the works, though we have good reason to doubt that will replace the model currently available in North America. For its part, Chrysler has plans to nix the Dodge Dakota next year, and new reports suggest that the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins may have their plugs pulled, as well.
In speaking with General Motors vice chairmain Bob Lutz, PickupTrucks.com asked about plans to kill off the two models, with Lutz responding, "It's uncertain at this point...They may well [go away]."
GM has not announced any official plans to update or kill off the Colorado and Canyon, but we won't be surprised if these two dated models meet that Great Car Crusher in the sky over the next couple of years.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]Report: GM may euthanize Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon small pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments2012 Chevrolet Aveo makes an early debutFiled under: Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet 
2012 Chevrolet Aveo - Click above for image gallery
With the recent unveiling of the Aveo RS concept at the Detroit Auto Show and spy shots of Chevrolet's diminutive hatch testing in Michigan, Chevy is obviously prepping all-new Aveo for prime time. And judging by these pics procured by KickingTires after a presentation by Bob Lutz, the Aveo is getting a much-needed makeover both inside and out.
 With a front end that stays true to the RS, along with a set of bulging fenders and an artfully carved swage line, the 2012 Aveo is a dramatic departure from the budget-conscious model roaming the streets today. Coupled with a thoroughly revised interior, complete with upgraded materials and the RS' motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster, the Aveo has its sights set squarely on the new Ford Fiesta, particularly when it arrives in five-door form.
Pricing remains a question mark, but we'd suspect all the details to be revealed before the end of the year, with sales starting sometime in 2011.
[Source: KickingTires]2012 Chevrolet Aveo makes an early debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsConsumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversityFiled under: Budget, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Luxury, Off-Road 
2010 Consumer Reports Top Pick Cars - Click above for high-res image gallery
Each year, the automotive editors of Consumer Reports select their Top Pick Cars, representing vehicles that are the best in their individual segments. These cars are deemed to have "average or better" predicted reliability and have scored high marks in government safety testing. In past years, automakers like Honda and Toyota have dominated this list, but since more and more manufacturers are ramping up their quality within each competitive segment, the 2010 list proves to be the most diverse CR Top Picks group in over a decade.
So, which cars garner the most praise from CR? The Nissan Altima has officially dethroned the Honda Accord from the top family sedan spot, the Volkswagen GTI takes honors as the best sporty car, the trusty Subaru Forester takes the cake in the small SUV category, the quirky Mazda5 wins for best family hauler, and both the Chevrolet Traverse and Silverado stand tall as the best family SUV and pickup truck. These six newcomers join the Hyundai Elantra SE, Infiniti G37, Toyota Prius and Lexus LS460L to round out the entire list of Top Pick Cars.
Unlike most automotive media outlets (Autoblog included), Consumer Reports actually buys its own test cars before putting them through rigirous evaluations of handling, braking, comfort, safety and more, and each test car is roughly 6,000 miles older by the time all of the tests have been completed. Follow the jump to read the official press release from CR, and scroll through our attached gallery to see high-res shots of all the 2010 Top Pick Cars.
[Source: Consumer Reports - sub. req.]Continue reading Consumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversity Consumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversity originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsEdmunds looks at Toyota Corolla, Chevy Cobalt steering complaints, calls out NHTSAFiled under: Recalls, Safety, Chevrolet, Toyota 
Toyota Corolla is one auto being investigated by NHTSA over steering complaints
Through much of the recent deluge of recall announcements and ensuing media coverage, there have been large groups on either side of the issue, quick to criticize or to defend the automakers and the governing bodies involved in the investigations. While many media outlets have merely reported the news, others have weighed in to give their opinion on what's going on. The latest to take a side on the issue is Edmunds.com. The well-known consumer information site issued a press release calling out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), questioning what they see as Inconsistencies in the NHTSA's handling of Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla steering complaints.
After reviewing the cases of these two cars and other complaints dating all the way back to 1990, Edmunds found "no clear pattern in terms of the number of consumer complaints that trigger an agency investigation." Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Michelle Krebs found that "as few as five complaints have triggered an investigation [while] other investigations haven't started until 1,500 complaints had accumulated."
In the case of the Chevy Cobalt there were 1,157 complaints about steering issues before the recall investigation was started, while the Toyota Corolla had registered just 84 complaints before that investigation was announced. Even more telling was the fact that NHTSA took an average of 262 days to conclude an investigation before launching a recall, but the range was curiously wide - from just 10 days to a full six years, according to the Edmunds.com report.
"Whether NHTSA's process works properly and quickly enough and whether it is transparent enough is highly questionable. Ultimately, this week's Congressional hearings may well reveal as many defects in NHTSA procedures as defects in Toyota vehicles," said Krebs. The hearings will likely be a chance to play to the cameras for everyone involved, but hopefully some real change can come out of it if the system is indeed shown to be flawed. The full statement from Edmunds.com is after the jump.
[Source: Edmunds, Inc.]Continue reading Edmunds looks at Toyota Corolla, Chevy Cobalt steering complaints, calls out NHTSA Edmunds looks at Toyota Corolla, Chevy Cobalt steering complaints, calls out NHTSA originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: GM adding extra shift at Lordstown to meet expected Cruze demand *UPDATEFiled under: Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM 
2011 Chevrolet Cruze - Click above for high-res image gallery
It looks like General Motors is going to announce that Lordstown will be getting a third shift. Lordstown, Ohio is the plant where GM is going to be building its new compact Chevrolet Cruze, and apparently they think the demand is going to be pretty high for this handsome little sedan.
If you recall, Lordstown was supposed to be a round-the-clock plant when then-GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced a third shift and $350 million investment in the plant. That was way back In August 2008, though, before the carpocolypse. By September, the industry and whole country found themselves in a free-fall. By January 2009, two shifts were eliminated at Lordstwown, idling some 2,800 workers. Last April GM idled the whole plant for three weeks to cut supply and lower operating costs.
The addition of a third shift should bring a number of union employees back to work building the all-important new Cruze, wit the highly efficient, 40-mile-per-gallon Cruze arriving in dealerships this fall.
UPDATE: General Motors made the extra shift at its Lordstown, OH plant official today saying it will add 1,200 new jobs. Follow the jump for GM's official press release.
[Source: Detroit News]Continue reading Report: GM adding extra shift at Lordstown to meet expected Cruze demand *UPDATE Report: GM adding extra shift at Lordstown to meet expected Cruze demand *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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