The internets are aflame with word that General Motors will unveil a new Cruze hatchback at this year’s Paris Motor Show. According to Go Auto, the concept was worked up by none other than The General’s Down Under contingent at Holden. Now, before you start hoping for a more functional version of the Chevrolet Cruze to show up in a showroom near you, know that the production version of the car will be built in Australia and sold to, you guessed it, Australians. Chances are looking slim that the long-roof Cruze will ever make it to the Land of the Free in any official capacity.

Shucks.

GM has made it clear that it will debut no less than four new models in Paris, including production versions of the Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Orlando. While the Orlando is another piece of forbidden fruit from the General, buyers in the U.S. can look forward to getting their hands on the Ford Fiesta-fighting Aveo sometime soon. From what we’ve seen of the new subcompact, the car looks galaxies better than the outgoing model – of course, that’s not hard…

[Source:Autoblog]

When General Motors announced a couple of weeks ago that it had completed the arbitration process with all of its discontinued dealers, the automaker no doubt hoped that its painful retail shrinkage process was over. But sadly, it was not to be – Rally Auto Group of Palmdale, CA, is apparently not quite ready to call it quits.

The arbiter in Rally’s case removed the dealer’s Chevrolet franchise and awarded it to a Saturn dealer that was located nearby; but allowed Rally to keep its Cadillac, Buick and GMC dealerships. Rally claims that, under the law passed by congress last year that created the dealer arbitration process, the arbiter should not have split the franchises but rather kept the whole dealership together or ordered it closed in its entirety.

So far, Rally is the only GM dealer to sue in the wake of the arbitration process, though three Chrysler dealers have also reportedly sued.

[Source:Autoblog]

The Sport Utility Vehicle is dead. Long live the Sport Utility Vehicle.

We all know by now that the SUV, considered the Official Car of the 1990s and early 00s, has mostly fallen out of favor. But that doesn’t mean we should expect the large, body-on-frame behemoths – with the exception of impractical niche models like those from Hummer – to completely disappear from automaker showrooms any time soon.

Instead, the market may just right-size itself back to a more natural mix, with those users who really do need the off-road and towing capabilities of a proper SUV sticking with their ‘utes and the rest of the population switching to crossovers. With that in mind, Automotive News reports that the redesigned GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe, due in 2013 or 2014, will likely stick to their truck-based roots. No surprise.

Nor should we be shocked by the revelation that the GMC Granite, which was first shown at the Detroit Auto Show early in 2010, is still in the works. In today’s market conditions, an entirely truck-based lineup makes very little fiscal sense, but we’d imagine that General Motors’ Lambda triplets will remain the automaker’s volume sellers.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

[Source:Autoblog]

Fans of classic Americana, here’s yet another anniversary to keep in the back of your mind: 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette. And, while we don’t have to tell true Corvette aficionados this, here’s another interesting little nugget of knowledge: the original version of Chevy’s iconic sportscar came equipped with a six cylinder engine.

Where are we going with all of this? According to Autoweek, there is a distinct possibility that a downsized six cylinder engine will be offered in the next generation (C7, for those keeping track) of the Chevrolet Corvette, and there’s an apparent push to try and get the car out the door in time to celebrate the car’s 60th anniversary.

Yes, we know a downsized engine for the Corvette isn’t exactly the newest rumor ’round the block – we’ve been hearing whisperings about the C7 ‘Vette since before the C6 model went public – but with the recent revelation that Saab had been working on a transmission for a twin-turbo V6-powered Corvette, it’s worth sharing once again.

[Souce:Autoblog]

Let’s try this again, shall we? General Motors has announced that it will jump back into the mild hybrid game by the third quarter of 2011. Larry Nitz, the company’s director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, made the announcement at a seminar in Traverse City, Michigan, though he declined to comment on exactly which models would get the fuel-saving tech next year. Nitz did say that at least one American model and one Chinese model would be a mild hybrid by the end of 2011, which leads us to believe that the tech will work its way into the Buick lineup.

GM walked away from mild hybrids after Saturn was sent to the company’s scrap heap. At the time, both the Chevrolet Malibu and the Saturn Vue wore the tech, but with the Vue out of the picture, the company couldn’t justify the cost of investing in the drivetrains. Unlike a full hybrid, mild-hybrid vehicles can’t cruise along on just electric power. Instead, the system allows the gasoline engine to shut off when the vehicle is stopped. The electric motor then starts the engine again when the accelerator pedal is depressed.

If we were guessing, we’d say that GM will debut the rebirth of the tech on the Buick LaCrosse – a model that has enjoyed equal success in China and has the potential to revitalize the brand in the U.S.

[Source: Autoweek]

[Source:Autoblog]

Ford has made it official: beginning with next week’s production, the 6.7-liter PowerStroke turbo diesel in the 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup will be upgraded to 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. That’s a bump of 10 hp and a jump of 65 lb-ft, enough to leapfrog General Motors’ 6.6-liter Duramax by 3 hp and 35 lb-ft. Or, to put more bluntly, enough to run over the Duramax on its way to the top of the heavy duty engine heap.

Further, at the end of August, the Super Duty’s frame will be strengthened, upping its payload rating by 550 pounds (to 7,070), which will also increase its fifth-wheel tow rating by 1,000 pounds to 22,600.

Although not much can be done for your tow rating if you bought a Super Duty as soon as it hit the showroom, you can get the power upgrade from your suddenly feeble 635 torques. For one year starting on August 31, 2010, will be able to take their pickups into Ford dealers and get their engines tweaked to the new standard. Since there’s no hardware involved, Ford says it should take just 20 minutes to get the reflash job done – learn more with the official press release after the jump.

UNIQUE CUSTOMER PROGRAM ALLOWS ALL PICKUP OWNERS TO GET 2011 FORD SUPER DUTY POWER GAINS

* The 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbocharged diesel powering the 2011 Ford F-Series
Super Duty is now rated at best-in-class 800 lb.-ft. of torque and 400 horsepower
* Existing 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty diesel pickup owners can get the increased power along with additional fuel economy improvements through a free dealer-installed software upgrade to the truck’s powertrain control module

For more news from the CAR Management Briefing Seminars, please click here.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 3, 2010 – In an industry first, Ford Motor Company will make sure all 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup customers – past and future – receive the added power produced by the all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel.

The new Power Stroke is now rated at a best-in-class 800 lb.-ft. of torque and 400 horsepower. Owners who purchased a 2011 Super Duty diesel earlier this year will receive a letter inviting them to their dealership for the free 30-minute software upgrade to the truck’s powertrain control module.

The upgrade program will begin by Aug. 31 and continue for the next 12 months. The 2011 Super Duty diesel pickups in dealer inventory also will receive the upgrade.

“We want to take care of our loyal, F-Series Super Duty pickup owners who supported us when we debuted our all-new Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built Power Stroke earlier this year and reward them by offering them the same best-in-class torque, horsepower and fuel economy our new customers are receiving right now,” said Barb Samardzich, Ford Motor Company’s vice president of powertrain engineering.

Samardzich made the announcement at the Center for Automotive Research’s annual Management Briefing Seminars.

Marc Cross, co-owner of Jordan Ford in San Antonio, is eager to share the news with his loyal customers. His store is in the center of the largest truck market in the country – about 20 percent of truck sales nationally – and among the top 100 retail Super Duty volume dealerships in the country.

“Simply put, I love it,” said Cross, who has been with the dealership since 1987 and a co-owner since 2003. “Not just the increased power, which is fantastic, but the fact that I can call my loyal customers who bought the 2011 Super Duty diesel pickups at the outset and let them enjoy this upgrade, too.

“It’s human nature to say, ‘Darn, I should have waited.’ But with this program, there’s no penalty for being an early adopter, so to speak.”

Cross’ affiliation with Ford dates back to 1978; he says this type of program is a first as far as he can remember.

“I think this is unprecedented; I don’t remember anything like this,” said Cross, who added the 2011 Super Duty diesel pickup is outselling the outgoing product about 3:1. “This shows the tremendous alignment between Ford Motor Company and its dealers and its customers. I also think in a way people expect this type of action from Ford. Ford is operating differently – at a higher standard.”

This latest initiative complements ongoing customer service related to the introduction of the new Power Stroke. 2011 Super Duty diesel pickup customers also can return to their dealers for one no-charge DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) top-off. DEF is used in the aftertreatment system to help reduce emissions. It generally is topped off during oil-change service intervals, depending on customer use.

“For customers who haven’t yet taken advantage of this free offer for a DEF top-off, the software upgrade might be the perfect time to come in and have both services at once, free of charge,” said Doug Scott, Truck Group Marketing Manager.

[Source:Autoblog]

Edmunds is honoring the top new vehicles of 2010 with its first annual Launch Breakthrough Award, and the online research site gives the winning nod to the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The award is given based on 18 different factors, including “pricing, sales, market share, dealer profit margins, incentives, consumer consideration, consumer ratings, inventory levels and residual values.” Senior Analyst Ray Zhou says the award “recognizes the vehicle that had the most successful introduction of the past year.” The Camaro captured the top prize with consistently strong demand from the minute it hit the showroom floor.

In total, Edmunds picked the top 10 new launches for 2010 among 54 eligible vehicles. To be eligible for the Launch Breakthrough Award, the new vehicle had to receive an all-new model or a complete refresh during calendar year 2009 (through December 1, 2009) with at least 100 sales per month. Domestics absolutely dominated the top 10 as well, with five General Motors products and two Fords. The second place winner went to the Porsche Panamera, while Toyota took the last two spots with the RX 350 and the Prius. Hit the jump to read over the Edmunds press release, which includes the complete top 10.

[Source: Edmunds]

Chevy Camaro Wins Edmunds.com 2010 Launch Breakthrough Award; Top Ten Launches Include Seven Domestic Cars

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, today announced that the winner of the first annual Edmunds.com Launch Breakthrough Award is the Chevy Camaro.

The Edmunds.com Launch Breakthrough Award is provided annually to a vehicle that earns the highest overall score in a thorough analysis of 18 factors associated with the launch of a new vehicle, including pricing, sales, market share, dealer profit margins, incentives, consumer consideration, consumer ratings, inventory levels and residual values for all eligible vehicles. A total of 54 vehicles were eligible for the 2010 award. To be eligible, an all-new or totally redesigned vehicle had to be launched between January 1 and December 1, 2009 and must sell at a rate of at least 100 vehicles per month.

“The Launch Breakthrough Award recognizes the vehicle that had the most successful introduction of the past year,” stated Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Ray Zhou, PhD. “According to our analysis, seven of the top ten launches were domestic vehicles, and many of those new cars are still selling at an impressive rate.”

The top ten vehicle launches of the year were:

1. Chevy Camaro

2. Porsche Panamera

3. Chevy Equinox

4. Ford Fusion Hybrid

5. Cadillac SRX

6. Lexus RX 350

7. Buick LaCrosse

8. Toyota Prius

9. Mercury Milan Hybrid

10. GMC Terrain

“With its highly anticipated launch, the Camaro was the clear winner, commanding premium prices, spending little time on the dealership lots and becoming one of the bestselling vehicles in its segment,” asserted Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. “The other top-ranked vehicles in this survey did not have an historic nameplate or an established fan base, but are still overcoming tough market conditions to resonate with consumers.”

[Source:Autoblog]

A new generation of police cruisers is afoot. We’ve already seen the likes of Ford’s Taurus-based Police Interceptor up close, and we’ve even seen General Motors opens the floodgates with a full raft of images of its Caprice PPV. While Ford has opted to use its EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 for high-powered police action, Chevrolet has taken a more traditional approach, fitting the Caprice with a 6.0-liter V8 cranking out 355 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

We already knew what to expect for the standard police-spec Caprice, but we’ve been extra curious about the special “Detective package” that adds some plainclothes stealthiness to the Caprice, especially as it seems to hint at what the oft-rumored civilian version of this car might look like. It’s available in seven different colors (we’ll just stick with black, thanks), uses all the same mechanical underpinnings as the standard Police PPV, and for the moment at least, remains unavailable in a retail model for John Q. Public.

Be sure to scroll through the gallery below to check out the entire PDF of the Caprice PPV’s features.

[Source:Autoblog]

During a marathon presentation on Tuesday, General Motors Vice Chairman Tom Stephens showed off slides of a new family van based on the company’s compact car platform. The van and other vehicles were shown as part of the session detailing a new Chevrolet SUV, a compact car concept and a three-row Buick van for the Chinese market. The images shown were not released to journalists.

While executives were intentionally vague about the new van, the production version of the Chevrolet Orlando immediately springs to mind, as it would seem to fit that description. Based on product-man Stephens’ assertion that the van will launch soon in multiple markets around the world, the Cruze-based Orlando seems a logical assumption. The Cruze is already on sale in Europe and Asia, so production kinks have been smoothed, and a platform variant seems like the most likely step. Worldwide markets have plenty of MPV options, and the Orlando slots right in. GM’s moves have defied logic in the past, but CEO Ed Whitacre characterized yesterday’s presentation as an introduction of a new GM. We’ve heard talk like this before, of course, but maybe this time they mean it.

[Source:Autoblog]

According to Motor Trend, which is citing unnamed sources within General Motors, the next-generation Corvette will come with a brand-new engine. Despite rumors to the contrary, it seems that Chevrolet’s halo vehicle will continue using its trademark V8 engine and not a V6. Still, the C7’s powerplant will be downsized from its current 6.2 or 7.0 liters.

It’s likely that this new engine will be the first application of GM’s next-gen small block family, and we’d expect it to sport direct injection, E85 capability and a new combustion system design. One thing not to expect, though: overhead cams. You can bank on the fact that The General will stick to its tried-and-true overhead valve design, which serves to lower manufacturing costs and allows for comparatively small overall engine dimensions.

All of these technologies should make the venerable V8 more fuel efficient and cleaner, but also sufficiently powerful to uphold its sportscar heritage. In fact, Motor Trend reports that the C7’s V8 will displace 5.5 liters while hammering out 440 horsepower. Though that significantly smaller in displacement, the power figure would actually be up from the current 430 ponies. We can hardly wait… but we’ll have to anyway. We don’t expect the next Corvette to bow before 2012 at the earliest.

[Source:Autoblog]