The popular Ford F-150 Raptor is getting a few changes for the 2011 model year. A new four-door SuperCrew option is now available in addition to a more powerful standard engine.

"When we launched the F-150 SVT Raptor, consumers were blown away with the capability of the vehicle," said Jost Capito, director of global performance vehicles and motorsports business development. "By adding the SuperCrew, we have expanded the versatility of Raptor, and now even more enthusiasts will be able to experience the no-compromise off-road performance that only Raptor delivers."

The F-150 SVT Raptor is seven inches wider than a base F-150 and it features internal triple-bypass shocks by FOX Racing Shox, unique cast-aluminum front control arms and VT-tuned 35-inch BFGoodrich® All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tires. The SuperCrew version has a 12-inch longer wheelbase than the standard version.

For 2011 the 5.4L V8 has been dropped and the previously optional 6.2L V8 is now standard. It puts out 411-hp and 434 lb-ft. of torque. The standard 6.2L V8 makes the 2011 F-150 SVT Raptor, the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market.

Chrysler has officially unveiled the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango.

The Durango rides on an all-new unibody structure and has three rows of seats. There will be two engine options, the 3.6L Pentastart V6 or a 5.7L HEMI V8. The interior of the Durango was designed by the same studio that created the interior in the Ram trucks and new Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Durango will start showing up in dealers in the fourth quarter of this year.

Following the introduction of the Taurus Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford has now unveiled the Police Interceptor Utility, which is based off the 2011 Explorer. The Police Interceptor Sedan and Utility are going to replace the aged Crown Victoria Police Interceptor next year.

The Police Interceptor Utility is powered by a 3.5L V6 that puts out at least 280 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Both front and all-wheel-drive drivetrain options will be available.

"We understand today's police departments require adaptability," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "Ford is committed to remaining the nation's largest provider of police vehicles, and we're offering law enforcement officials a complete portfolio of options that are purpose-built, capable and delivered with the safety, technology and performance they need to excel at their jobs."

Production of the Police Interceptor Utility isn't expected to start until late 2011.

According to GMInsideNews, GM's mid-size sedans are eventually only going to be offered with four-cylinder engines. GM is making an effort to downsize its engine lineup in preparation for the 2015 CAFE standards.

This means that the next generation Chevy Malibu that is expected to arrive late next year will no longer be offered with a V6. It will likely be powered by the same 2.4L four-cyl that powers the 2011 Buick Regal. Speaking of the Regal you will notice that it's only available with either a 182-hp 2.4L or a turbocharged 220-hp 2.0L 4-cyl engine.

Other larger sedans like the Chevy Impala will continue to have V6 engines.

Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of 1.13 million 2005-2008 Corolla and Matrix vehicles to address and issue with the 1.8L four-cylinder engine. According to Toyota some of the engine control modules have been improperly manufactured.

The engine could stall in effected vehicles due to cracks that could develop on the ECM's circuit board. There have been at least three accidents related to this issue.

Beginning next month, Toyota will replace the ECM on the recalled vehicles.

Don't forget that the Pontiac Vibe was built on the same platform as the Corolla/ Matrix. GM has also issued a recall of the 2005-2008 model year Vibes.

For 2011 the Jeep Wrangler is getting a much needed interior update in addition to a body-color removable hardtop on the Sahara model.

The interior of the Wrangler gets a new instrument panel, steering wheel and an updated center stack that is easier to operate. The Wrangler also gets new storage areas and larger rear windows. Power heated mirrors are also available.

Production of the 2011 Wrangler began earlier this week.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that the 2011 Cadillac CTS and Infiniti M have earned its top rating of good in roof strength tests. The new roof strength tests, test how well a vehicle will protect its passengers in a rollover crash.

The CTS and Infiniti M beat out the Lexus GS and Audi A6, both of which only received acceptable ratings and the Acura RL, which only received a marginal rating.

The Cadillac CTS and Infiniti M received the institute's Top Safety Pick Award after receiving a good rating in all four of its safety tests.

Dodge has officially killed the rumors that it's new SUV would ditch the Durango name and be renamed Magnum. The automaker has released teaser images of the new 2011 Durango which has a lot in common with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The 2011 Durango is expected to be powered by the 3.6L Pentasta V6 and the 5.7L Hemi V8 that are also available in the Jeep.

Expect more details soon...

Mustang fans just got exciting news this morning. Ford has announced the return of the Mustang Boss 302 for the 2012 model year.

"The decision to build a modern Boss was not entered into lightly," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "The entire team at Ford felt the time was right and with the right ingredients, the world-class 2011 Mustang could support a successful, race-bred, worthy successor to the original Boss 302. For us that meant a production Mustang that could top one of the world's best - the 2010 BMW M3 - in lap times at Laguna Seca. We met our expectations."

The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 starts with the Mustang GT, but gets a race-inspired clutch, adjustable suspension, short-show shifter, improved brakes and most importantly an upgraded version of the 5.0L V8. The 5.0L V8 now puts out 440-hp and 380 b-ft. of torque thanks to a new intake and revised camshafts.

In addition to the upgrades under the hood, Ford has included some subtle changes on the exterior to set the Mustang Boss apart. The Mustang Boss will either have a black or white roof panel, coordinated to the color of the side C-stripe. Available exterior colors are Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue Metallic, Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat Metallic and Race Red.

The front of the Mustang Boss gets a unique fascia and grille that is highlighted by the blocked-off fog lamp openings and aggressive lower splitter, a version of the design used on the Boss 302R race car.

The interior gets a unique Boss steering wheel that is covered completely in Alcantara suede. The standard seats are trimmed in cloth with a suede-like center insert, but Recaro bucket seats are optional. A dark metallic instrument panel finish, gauge cluster and door panel trim also differentiate Boss from the standard Mustang. Hopefully you will enjoy the added sound from the engine and exhaust as well, since eleven pounds of sound-deadening material has also been removed.

GM has announced that its current CEO, Ed Whitacre is going to step down on September 1, 2010 and that his title of Chairman of the Board will terminate at the end of 2010.

Whitacre is going to be replaced by Dan Akerson, who has served on the GM board of directors since July 2009.

"My goal in coming to General Motors was to help restore profitability, build a strong market position, and position this iconic company for success," said Whitacre. "We are clearly on that path. A strong foundation is in place and I am comfortable with the timing of my decision."

"There are remarkable opportunities ahead for the new GM, and I am honored to lead the company through this next chapter," said Akerson. "Ed Whitacre established a foundation upon which we will continue building a great automobile company."

Ford's EcoBoost engines are slowly making it into the engine bays of all of its models. Ford has just announced the engine lineup for the 2011 F-150. For 2011 the F-150 is getting four new engines, a 3.7-liter V6, 5.0-liter and 6.2-liter V8, and the twin-turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5-liter. All four engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

"Our new engine lineup allows greater flexibility for customers to select the powertrain choice that best suits their needs," said Barb Samardzich, vice president of Powertrain Engineering. "We are in the midst of a powertrain revolution, with 30 new powertrains over the next two years, and our loyal F-150 customers are the next ones to benefit."

At launch the 300-hp 3.7L V6 and 360-hp 5.0L V8 will be available followed by a version of the 6.2L V8 that is available in the 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty. A 3.5L EcoBoost engine specifically tuned for the F-150 will be available in early 2011. Once the 3.5L EcoBoost joins the lineup the the 2011 F-150 will have up to 20 percent better fuel economy compared with the outgoing 2010 F-150.

Kelley Blue Book has announced the results of its latest Market Intelligence Brand Watch study, which contains the five most-considered auto brands. For Q2 2010 Ford remains on top, but the big news is that Hyundai has made a significant jump into the top five, pushing Nissan out.

"According to the Q2 2010 Brand Watch Study, over the past quarter Hyundai consideration has surged nearly six percentage points in the non-luxury coupe/sedan/hatchback segment, now garnering 29 percent of the total consideration among shoppers of this segment and bested only by Honda (45 percent), Toyota (42 percent) and Ford (38 percent)," kbb said in a statement.

Ford held the number one spot followed by Toyota, Chevy, Honda and then Hyundai.

Ford is continuing its partnership with Harley-Davidson and has unveiled the 2011 Harley-Davidson F-150. The partnership has already produced nine F-150 models as well as s six Super Duty F-250 and F-350 models.

The exterior of the Harley-Davidson F-150 features a front fascia with a six-bar-shaped billet-style satin chrome grille and "Harley-Davidson" satin chrome badging. It also features a standard, fully integrated deployable running board that gives the truck a lowered appearance. 22-inch Euroflange wheels are standard and buyers have a choice between either Tuxedo Black and Ingot Silver exterior paint colors.

Inside the interior trim panels are covered in Tuxedo Black paint while the door scuff plate and console lid also carry the engine-turned finish. It comes standard with a 4.2-inch LCD screen, second-row heated seats, power moonroof and a rear view camera.

The exciting news under the hood is that the Harley-Davidson F-150 is powered by the same 6.2L V8 as the F-150 SVT Raptor. It puts out 411-hp and 434 lb-ft. of torque.

"This engine has tons of torque and already has been proven in the field with both the F-150 SVT Raptor and Super Duty," said Mike Harrison, V8 engine program manager. "The exhaust for the Ford Harley-Davidson edition has been specially tuned to feature a throaty V8 rumble customers will love."

It's been rumored that GM has been working on a mid-engined Corvette and now according to Autocar, its been confirmed.

According to a Saab engineer, Saab's engineers had developed a double-clutch transmission for a mid-engined version of the Corvette when Saab was still part of GM. The source also revealed that the double-clutch transmission was designed to handle up to 590 lb-ft. of torque, which is only slightly less than the output of today's ZR-1.

Originally it was thought that the mid-engined Corvette was dropped due to the economic downturn in 2008, but now it looks like it is back on and should be ready within the next five years.

GM executives are also looking at a downsized turbocharged V6 engine for the next Corvette.

It's pretty common for some dealers to try to tack on a premium for models that are in high demand, but $20k? GM officially announced the pricing for the Volt last week, so researchers from Edmunds decided to inquire about getting one of the first Volts. At a lease rate of $350 a month with only $2,500 due at signing, who wouldn't want

One of the researchers emailed a California dealer to lease the Volt and here is the shocking reply:

Hello *****

Thank you for your online request, as you know the Volt is going to be a very limited production vehicle for the first 2-3 years. Demand is going to far exceed supply for this vehicle, initially our asking price for the Volt is going to be MSRP plus $20,000, we are expecting only receive 9 Volts all of next year.

I will keep you in my customer base for when the Volt comes out and I will contact you with any information as I receive it. We are taking orders right now for the Volt, if you would like more information, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help you. Thank you.

***** *****, Internet Specialist
******* Chevrolet
********, CA

It's not known if this reply was sent before the dealer received word that GM is increasing production of the Volt 50 percent, to 45,000 units.

In addition to the $41,000 base price, GM also announced a lease rate of $350 a month with only $2,500 due at signing. So even if a dealer is trying to take on an insane premium, why wouldn't you just lease it.

Ford's 6.7L Power Stroke turbocharged diesel engine is getting an upgrade with an extra 10 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque, which brings the final numbers to 400 horsepower and a massive 800 lb-ft. Those numbers are enough to put the Super Duty pickup at the top of the class, narrowly beating GM's 6.6L Duramax.

In case you bought a 2011 Super Duty diesel early this year and you feel shafted by the fact that it now has more power, Ford is offering a free 30-minute software upgrade. For the next 12 months buyers who bought the Super Duty diesel before the power upgrades can bring their pickups into their dealership.

"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.

GM officially announced the pricing for the 2011 Chevy Volt this week, with a starting price of $41,000. GM has boasted about the fact that the Volt can travel up to 40 miles without using any gasoline, but now comes word that the gasoline range extender requires premium fuel.

The fact that the Volt requires premium fuel seems a bit odd considering that the gasoline engine is only 1.4 liters and barely puts out 80 horsepower. GM has not provided any insight into why this is the case...

GM has officially announced the starting price for the 2011 Chevy Volt, which starts at $41,000 before any federal income tax credits. After the max credit of $7,500, the Volt will set you back $33,500. But if you dont want to buy the Volt, GM has also announced a special 36-month lease offer for the Volt at $350 a month with $2,500 due at lease signing.

"The Chevrolet Volt will be the best vehicle in its class...because it's in a class by itself," said Joel Ewanick, vice president of U.S. marketing for General Motors, who made the announcement at the Plug-In 2010 conference. "No other automaker offers an electrically driven vehicle that can be your everyday driver, to take you wherever, whenever. The Volt will be packed with premium content and innovation, standard."

Initially the Volt will be available to customers in California, New York, Michigan, Connecticut, Texas, New Jersey and the Washington D.C. area.

Now that the new Explorer has switched over to a unibody SUV, that means that one model is getting the axe, the half-pickup, half-SUV Sport Trac.

After a decade being sold next to the Explorer, the Sport Trac is officially dead.

Yesterday Ford officially took the wraps off the all-new 2011 Explorer and Ford has already launched the online configurator which details all the pricing.

The Explorer will be available in three trim levels: base, XLT and Limited.

Pricing:
-Base: $28,190 (FWD), $30,190 (AWD)
-XLT: $31,190 (FWD), $33,190 (AWD)
-Limited: $37,190 (FWD), $39,190 (AWD)

The 2011 Explorer can be powered by either the 290-hp 3.5L V6 or a new 237-hp 2.0L turbocharged 4-cyl. Pricing has yet to be released for the 4-cylinder, but it's expected to be priced higher than the V6 powered Explorer.

Well here it is! After what seemed like month's of weekly teaser photos, Ford has officially unveiled the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer.

"The all-new Explorer will deliver today's SUV buyers the attributes they really want and value, and a few they might not even have dreamed of," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. "We're proud to introduce the new Explorer to customers and fans around the world today and pleased to begin a whole new era that blends strong SUV fuel economy and performance."

20 years after the first Explorer was introduced, the all-new Explorer is completely different and ditches the old-school body-on-frame design for a more modern unibody structure that it will share with the Taurus, Flex and Lincoln MKS and MKT. In addition to the new unibody structure, the 2011 Explorer will also be available with Ford's new 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. The 2.0L puts out 237-hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. The standard engine will be the 3.5L V6 engine that puts out 290-hp and 255 lb-ft. of torque. The V6 is mated to a six-speed automatic and according to Ford will get more than 20 percent better fuel economy compared to the outgoing Explorer V6.

The Explorer will be available with either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. Although some may criticize the fact that Ford is switching to a unibody design for the Explorer, Ford remains committed to its off-road going ability with a new intelligent 4WD system, which features a terrain management system. Drivers only have to turn the console-mounted knob to select the proper setting among snow, sand, mud and normal modes.

The Explorer will be available in three trim levels: base, XLT and Limited. Standard features include the MyFord driver connect technology including 4.2-inch LCD screen, MyKey™ owner control feature, power windows and locks, media hub and a telescoping steering wheel.

Ford's Chicago plant will start building the Explorer later this year with sales starting early next year.

Chrysler has yet to officially unveil the 2012 Dodge Durango (which may get a name change to Magnum), but thanks to a handy camera phone and the internet we have our first unofficial photo of the new SUV.

The overall design is pretty simple and close to the drawings that surfaced a while back. The new Dodge SUV will hit the market in early 2011 and it is expected to be powered by Chrysler's new Pentastar 3.6L V6 and the 5.7L Hemi V8.

GM has announced the new Corvette Engine Build Experience, which takes the delivery process of the Corvette even further than just seeing where your new Corvette was built. The new hands-on program allows customers who order a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 the option to help assemble their car's LS7 or LS9 engine at the GM plant in Wixom, Michigan.

"Corvette owners are some of the most passionate - and most involved - enthusiasts in the industry," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet marketing. "The Corvette Engine Build Experience offers customers an unprecedented opportunity to participate, hands on, in creating the car."

The Engine Build Experience costs $5,800 bucks.

Ford has announced that the new 2011 Lincoln MKX has been officially rated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway, with a combined fuel economy of 21 mpg by the EPA. Those numbers put the 2011 MKX at the top of its class.

The 2011 MKX is powered by a 305-hp 3.7L V6.

"The Lincoln MKX doesn't sacrifice power to receive its great fuel economy," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president, Global Product Development. "Our engineers were able to deliver an increase in power and torque in a fashion that reflects the luxurious driving experience that Lincoln is known for."

GM announced today that the much anticipated Cadillac CTS Coupe has entered production at Cadillac's Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant. The 2011 CTS Coupe joins the sedan and sport wagon and officially stats at $38,990.

The once popular, but now forgotten Chrysler PT Cruiser is set to officially end production next month. According to the Detroit Free Press, after 10 years of production, the final PT Cruisers will roll off the line on July 9th.

In 10 years, Chrysler sold more than 1.3 million PT Cruisers and initially it was the best-selling Chrysler-brand vehicle, but Chrysler has been criticized for not following up the initial success of the car. The PT Cruiser remained largely unchanged throughout its lifetime. The PT Cruiser was initially given a death sentence a year ago, but with only 5,400 sales this year, it's finally dead.

According to sources inside General Motors, the next generation C7 Corvette is going to be powered by GM's next-gen small-block V8. GM has announced plans to invest $890 million to develop and produce the new V8.

GM has stated that the new small-block V8s will feature aluminum blocks and heads and direct-injection. Sources are claiming that the engine in the Corvette will be a 5.5L with an output around 440 horsepower.

Tesla Motors will begin offering shares to the public for the first time ever today. Although the company has lost $260.7 million since its birth, investors remain optimistic about electric car company.

Tesla Motors will start trading today on Nasdaq under the symbol TSLA with shares priced at $17 bucks, which is more than the initial $14 to $16 range. This has allowed Tesla to raise more than $226 million.

Tesla has sold more than 1,000 roadsters, but much of the excitement surrounds the upcoming introduction of the Model S sedan that is slated to go on sale in 2012. Until the Model S is released it is expected that Tesla will continue to lose money.

According to the guys over at Allpar, Chrysler has quite a few things in store for the 2011 Dodge Challenger. Overall the styling of the 2011 Challenger will look almost identical to the current model with the exception of a revised lower opening in the front bumper, new door handles and the deletion of the Ram emblem.

Under the hood the Challenger will get an electric power steering system and rumors also claim that the floor plan of the Challenger has been modified to make it easier to build Challengers alongside Chargers and Chrysler 300s. The V6 powered Chargers are expected to get a much needed bump in horsepower due to the upcoming Pentastar V6. Output will likely be somewhere around 290-hp. The output numbers for the V8 powered Challenger R/T are expected to remain the same, but according to Allpar, the SRT-8 is going to get a 55-hp increase to a final output of 480-hp and 460 lb-ft. of torque.

Lincoln has announced a new promo for the summer that will offer free scheduled maintenance for three years or 45K miles on all new vehicles that are purchased by September 7th.

The promotion comes on the heels of Ford's announcement to officially kill the Mercury brand and to expand the Lincoln lineup.

"Our commitment is to further grow the Lincoln brand and offer our luxury customers the premium experience they deserve and expect," said Ken Czubay, Ford Motor Company's vice president of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "Our free scheduled maintenance offer marks only the first step in our plans to further upgrade the Lincoln experience."

GM has officially announced the pricing of the 2011 Chevy Cruze that will go on sale in the US this September. The 2011 Chevy Cruze will have a starting price of $16,995.

"We believe the Cruze can redefine the expectations for compact-car owners and shoppers who are new to the segment," said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President of Chevrolet Marketing. "For the price of a compact car, Cruze offers the styling, safety features, roominess, amenities, and refinement of a much more expensive car."

For $16,995 you can get the Cruze LS which is powered by the 1.8L Ecotec engine and comes standard with power everything. The Cruze LT starts at $18,895 and is powered by the turbocharged 1.4L Ecotec. The top model is the Cruze LTZ that starts at $22,695.

As was predicted, Ford has officially killed the Mercury brand. Ford released a press release earlier today in which the automaker has announced the demise of the Mercury brand and the further expansion of the Lincoln lineup.

Ford is going to end production of the Mercury brand in the fourth quarter of this year. With sales dropping significantly over the past ten years and a lack of new models it was only expected that Ford was going to kill off the brand.

Although Mercury is now officially dead, the news isn't all that bad since Ford has announced plans to expand the Lincoln lineup with seven all-new or significantly refreshed models within the next four years.

"We have made tremendous progress on profitably growing the Ford brand during the past few years. Now, it is time to do the same for Lincoln," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "The new Lincoln vehicles will transform luxury for North American premium customers through an unexpected blend of responsive driving enjoyment and warm, inviting comfort. We will also offer our customers a world-class retail experience through a vibrant retail network."

Ford is going to expand the Lincoln lineup with its first ever C-segment vehicle as well as the 2011 MKZ Hybrid and 2011 MKX.

According to the Detroit News, Ford is going to hold a press conference at 3 PM EST in which the automaker is going to announce the official death of the Mercury brand.

Stay tuned....

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem that owns Albert Einstein's publicity rights is suing GM for the unauthorized use of his image in an ad for the GMC Terrain.

The university sued GM in U.S. District Court in California on May 19 for more than $75,000. Einstein willed his publicity rights to the university before he died in 1955.

This is just another marketing issue for GM following the recent commercials which featured Chairman and Chief Executive Ed Whitacre discussing the fact that GM had repaid its federal loans. He was accused of stretching the truth. GM has also switched ad agencies for the Chevy brand twice in the recent months.

According to GM's spokeswoman, Ryndee Carney, GM purchased the right to use Einstein's image from a "reputable firm." GM's ad agency Leo Burnett created the ad which ran in People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue last September.

After years of promising new products for its Mercury line, it looks like Ford is finally going to kill Mercury.

Mercury sales have dropped 74 percent since 2000 and without any new product, the sales will only continue to fall. According to sources, Ford's top executives are preparing a proposal to kill Mercury.

Mercury has long been a forgotten brand and the fact that it keeps losing models, only makes it worse. Ford CEO, Alan Mulally originally promised that the brand would survive, but it looks like Mercury is set to follow the same route as Pontiac, Saturn and Oldsmobile and Plymouth.

According to sources, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and other members of the founding family all support killing Mercury.

Mercury was originally launched by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford in 1939.

GM currently offers the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse (above) and GMC Acadia, which are all 7-passenger crossovers based on GM's Lambda platform. It was reported before that Cadillac would also be getting a version of the crossover, but that was before GM went into bankruptcy.

Well according to GM's vice president of global engineering, Karl Stracke, the Lambda-based Cadillac crossover is still on.

There is no other info about the new Cadillac crossover. Do you think that GM really needs a fourth Lambda crossover? Lets hope that GM isn't returning to its old method of badge engineering all of its vehicles.

Although the segment is much smaller than it was in the 80's and other manufacturers are pulling out, GM is working on a new small truck. According to sources GM is working on a new compact truck that will be similar to the originial S-10.

GM's current small trucks, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon have been losing sales over the past few years and the future of the two trucks is uncertain. GM currently plans to end production of at the Shreveport plant where the two trucks are produced in 2012.

One of the main reasons for the decline of the segment is that the current players like the Toyota Tacoma have gotten bigger and more expensive. Former small truck buyers have moved into the full-size segment because the price tag is often close to that of the current midsize trucks.

GM now sees room for a new small truck that would get better fuel economy than the larger trucks and also be much cheaper. The small truck would be similar in size to the compact pickups of the 1980's.

Ford is planning on Ranger next year, which means Ford truck buyers will have to make due with the F-150. But even though Ford is pulling out of the segment, Chrysler is hoping to produce a successor to the soon to be dead Dodge Dakota. Toyota's Scion is also considering a small truck as well.

Toyota and Tesla have announced a partnership to develop electric vehicles in northern California.

Toyota is going to purchase $50 million of Tesla's common stock and Tesla has purchased the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California that used to produce the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma.

"I sensed the great potential of Tesla's technology and was impressed by its dedication to monozukuri (Toyota's approach to manufacturing)," said TMC President Akio Toyoda. "Through this partnership, by working together with a venture business such as Tesla, Toyota would like to learn from the challenging spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility that Tesla has. Decades ago, Toyota was also born as a venture business. By partnering with Tesla, my hope is that all Toyota employees will recall that 'venture business spirit,' and take on the challenges of the future."

Production of the Model S will take place at the NUMMI plant and will bring back 1,000 employees that will produce up to 20,000 vehicles a year initially. The plant has the capability of employing up to 10,000 employees.

"The Tesla Factory effectively leverages an ideal combination of hardcore Silicon Valley engineering talent, traditional automotive engineering talent and the proven Toyota production system," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. "The new Tesla Factory will give us plenty of room to grow."

Ford has unveiled a new top-end model of the Ford Flex, dubbed the Flex Titanium.

The Flex Titanium is based on the Limited model and comes in four exterior color choices: Red Candy, White Platinum, Tuxedo Black and Ingot Silver. All four colors are mated to a new tuxedo black two-tone roof. There is also a blackout treatment for the headlamps and taillamps. The beltline moldings, fog lamp bezels and side-view mirror skull caps are blackened while the liftgate appliqué is now black chrome.

Inside the black theme continues with charcoal black leather-trimmed seats with gray Alcantara suede inserts.

HD Radio and one-touch PowerFold third row seats are also part of the package.

The front-wheel-drive non-turbo V6 model starts at $40,350, while the EcoBoost AWD model goes for $45,185.

GM has officially announced the pricing for the anticipated 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe.

The 2011 CTS coupe goes on sale in August with a starting price of $38,990. It's powered by a 304-hp 3.6L V6 that is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Buyers can also choose between rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive.

"CTS Coupe is a compelling new alternative for luxury and performance-minded drivers," said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. "The addition of a Coupe, especially one this dramatic, provides an important entryway for new consumers to experience Cadillac Art and Science."

If 304-hp isn't enough for you, the CTS-V with its 6.2L supercharged V8 starts at $62,990.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is almost here and Jeep has released several new photos of its new SUV.

Jeep already released the official starting price last week for the new Grand Cherokee ($32,995). The 2011 Grand Cherokee gets Chrysler's all-new 290-hp 3.6L Pentastar V6 that gets an 11 percent improvement in fuel economy with up to 23 mpg on the highway. A 360-hp 5.7L V8 is optional.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will official enter production tomorrow, May 21st.

GM unveiled a concept version of the Regal GS at the Detroit Auto Show in January, but at the time GM would not say if it was going to actually be produced (it made sense that it would). Well Tom Stephens, vice chairman of global product development, confirmed exclusively to The Detroit News that the Regal GS has been approved for production.

Stephens did not give any other details about the high-performance version of the Regal. The Regal GS concept was powered by a turbocharged 2-liter engine with an estimated 255 horsepower that was mated to a six-speed manual and all-wheel-drive.

It's obvious that GM needs more models like this to bring in a younger buyers with the average Buick buyer coming in at 65 years old. Although that is lower than the average age of 72 several years ago.

The production version of the Regal GS could hit showrooms as early as next year.

Ford just announced that the 2011 Fiesta officially gets 40 mpg on the highway and now Ford has announced the launch of a new ad campaign for the new Fiesta, "It's a Pretty Big Deal."

"The Fiesta Movement enabled us to introduce the car to market in a whole new way," said Matt VanDyke, Ford's director of U.S. Marketing Communications. "We are continuing that nontraditional approach with a unique advertising campaign designed to get people's attention by entertaining them as well as educating them about the vehicle."

A new 60 second ad will debut tonight during "American Idol" on FOX.

Back in January GM announced the creation of a new OnStar smartphone application for the upcoming Chevy Volt. The application would give Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of their Volt. The application displays charge status, miles per gallon, has the ability to remotely start the vehicle, etc. It was also reported last week that GM has been working with Google to create a new operating system for its vehicles.

Well GM has officially announced that it is indeed working with Google to create a new mobile app for the Chevy Volt.

"While OnStar will never lose sight of our core focus on safety and security, this relationship is an example of how we're evolving our leadership position in connected vehicle technology," said Chris Preuss, OnStar president. "What we're talking about today is only the beginning."

The features of the application that GM unveiled in January will be combined with a new "navigation" tab that will allow Volt owners to use Google Maps to find their vehicles and to integrate Google Maps with the OnStar system for turn by turn voice-guided directions.

There's good news coming out of GM this morning. GM recorded its first quarterly profit in almost three years in the first quarter of this year. During the first quarter of this year, GM made $865 million.

Operating income in the first quarter was $1.2 billion and revenue rose 40 percent to $31.5 billion. GM also generated $1 billion in free cash flow.

GM Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell stated, "In North America, we are adding production to keep up with strong demand for new products in our four brands. We're also steadily growing in emerging markets, keeping our costs under control, generating positive cash flow and maintaining a strong balance sheet. These are all important steps as we lay the foundation for a successful GM."

The EPA has officially rated the 2011 Ford Fiesta at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg in the city when it is equipped with the new six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

"The new Fiesta is yet another car in Ford's lineup that delivers class-leading fuel economy," said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Global Powertrain Engineering. "From Super Duty to Fusion Hybrid and the new Mustang V-6, Ford is committed to fuel economy leadership with every new vehicle it introduces in all segments."

The Fiesta is powered by a 1.6L Duratec engine that puts out 120-hp. It can be mated to either the dual-clutch automatic transmission or a five-speed manual. The five speed manual is rated at 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

The 2011 Fiesta sedan and five-door hatchback will be in showrooms this summer.

The Ford Explorer was once the best-selling SUV for years, but lately its been off the radar with sales dropping sharply the last few years. Well Ford hopes to reverse that with the next-generation Ford Explorer, which for the first time is going to be built off a car platform.

Jim Holland, chief engineer for the redesigned Ford Explorer, is pictured here standing next to the new Explorer. Many of the questions that Ford is getting about the new Explorer surrounds the fact that it is going to ditch its more rugged body-on-frame design. Ford has already revealed a new terrain management system that has five different settings: Normal, mud, sand, snow and hill descent.

The next Explorer is going to actually share its platform with the Taurus, which actually means that it's technically a crossover, but Ford plans to still market it as an SUV. It will be interesting to see how the Explorer does compared to the seven-seater Flex crossover, which has already failed to meet sales expectations.

Production of the new Explorer is expected to start being produced at the end of the year. It remains to be seen if the new Explorer can recapture some of the sales its lost in the past six years.

Chrysler has announced the pricing for the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new Jeep Cherokee, which will be in showrooms next month starts at $32,995 for the Laredo 4x4 model.

The Jeep Cherokee will be available in three models: Laredo ($32,995), Limited ($39,995) and Overland ($42,995). The standard engine is a new 290-hp 3.6L V6 that gets an 11 percent improvement in fuel economy with up to 23 mpg. A 360-hp 5.7L V8 is optional.

Ford has announced plans to bring its seven-seater Grand C-MAX to North America in late 2011.

The Grand C-MAX is based off Ford's new c-segment platform, which is shared with the new Focus and the Mazda5. The small minivan marks the return of a Ford vehicle with sliding rear doors. Ford has yet to announce what will power the Grand C-MAX when it goes on sale here.

In addition to the announcement about the Grand C-MAX , Ford also announced plans to release a hybrid version of the five-seater C-MAX in 2013 for European customers.

"The Hybrid Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric derivatives of the all-new Ford
C-MAX are great news for the Valencia plant and region, for Spain, and for Ford customers across Europe. These new advanced technology models are key to Ford's commitment to delivering a portfolio of alternative powertrain vehicles globally and to European customers in the next few years," said John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe and executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Labour Affairs.

GM announced today that it is recalling all Hummer H3s produced since the 2006 model year to fix an issue with the hood.

The recall affects 198,404 Hummer H3s and H3Ts. According to Hummer spokesman Nick Richards, a device on the hood called a hood louver can come loose during driving and in some cases it can detach. The louver is a panel on the hood that allows air to enter the engine compartment. It was used to cool the engines of older Hummer models, but on the H3 it was only decorative.

GM is going to repair the hood louver by applying an adhesive to keep it attached to the hood, since the current tabs holding the louver could fracture, causing it to come loose and possibly hit other vehicles if it were to fall off.

GM is currently in the process of shutting down the Hummer brand since the plans to sell the brand to Chinese company Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. (Tengzhong) fell through.

The pony wars have been heating up and although many people agree that the Chevy Camaro looks great on the outside, many have complained about what's on the inside.

Well it looks like our cries have been answered. GM is reportedly working on a revised interior for the 2012 Camaro. A GM insider confirmed to Inside Line that a substantially reworked interior is currently being worked on. Much of the upgrades are going into the dash and the area in front of the front passenger.

GM has announced that it is going to launch the Chevrolet brand in Korea in 2011.

"The introduction of Chevrolet will enable us to provide our customers an array of exciting new vehicles from the brand's global lineup, giving them more driving options," said Arcamone. "This will help GM Daewoo increase our sales and market share in the domestic market while generating additional revenue, strengthening our employees' job security, creating new jobs and resulting in additional investment in Korea. We regard it as a key to our long-term success."

The Camaro will go on sale in Korea in 2011.

It's already been reported that Chrysler is possibly going to ditch the Sebring name for its refreshed midsize sedan that is expected to launch later this year. According to dealers and those that are familiar with Chyrsler's product plans, the Nassau name is going to used for the new sedan.

The Nassau name was used on a concept car at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007, but the new sedan is not expected to look like the concept.

The 2011 Nassau and its Dodge Avenger counterpart are expected to get all-new interiors and new styling on the outside. Buyers will have the choice between a 2.4L four-cyl and Chrysler's new Pentastar V6 engine.

Last week GM announced that it paid off its government loans early and now GM has announced plans to invest $890 million a new generation of fuel efficient small block truck and car engines.

"GM is investing in our plants, restoring and creating jobs and making progress toward our vision of designing, building and selling the world's best vehicles," said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. "These latest investments show our commitment to improving fuel economy for buyers of every GM car, truck and crossover and giving them the best possible driving and ownership experience."

The next generation small block engines will be more fuel efficient thanks to direct injection and an all-new advanced combustion system design. The engines will also use aluminum engine blocks and be E85 ethanol capable.

The investment is expected to create or retain more than 1,600 jobs.

The patent drawings that surfaced earlier this week showing an MPV version of the Chevy Volt were real. GM has unveiled the Chevy Volt MPV5 concept that is going to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show.

The Chevy Volt MPV5 concept borrows styling cues from the Chevy Volt, such as the headlights, grille and taillights. The overall styling also looks similar to the Chevy Orlando. The concept seats five

The Volt MPV5 concept uses the same Voltec system as the Chevy Volt.

"The Volt MPV5 concept demonstrates the flexibility of the Voltec propulsion system, which can produce enough electric power to propel a range of vehicles. from a compact sedan like the Volt to a crossover like the Volt MPV5 concept," said Doug Parks, Global Vehicle Line Executive and Global Vehicle Chief Engineer for Electric Vehicles at GM.

Ford has used the Beijing Motor Show to unveil the Start Concept.

"In an era of constant visual noise, we have created a car that conveys visual purity and harmony, in which every line has meaning and purpose. The Ford Start delivers a dynamic, personality driven design that stays true to the global Ford brand," said J Mays, group vice president, Design, and chief creative officer.

The overall design of the Start Concept is based on simplicity with its exterior body panels made from deformable, pre-colored recyclable composites. The concept also features a lightweight aluminum safety cell, which is part of the hybrid aluminum/high strength steel body construction.

Although the Start Concept is a pure concept, what lies under the hood is close to being a reality. The Start Concept is powered by a new one litre three cylinder EcoBoost engine. the small turbocharged 1.0L engine features a cast iron block with cast aluminum cylinder heads. Ford did not release official specs for the engine other than saying that its power and torque levels are comparable with a normally aspirated 1.6 liter four-cylinder.

GM Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre announced this morning that the automaker has made its final payment of $5.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury and Export Development Canada, ahead of schedule. The announcement was made at a ceremony to highlight an investment of $257 million at GM's Fairfax, Kansas, and Detroit Hamtramck assembly centers.

"GM is able to repay the taxpayers in full, with interest, ahead of schedule, because more customers are buying vehicles like the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse we build here in Fairfax," said Whitacre. "We are now building some of the best cars, trucks, and crossovers we have ever built, and customers are taking note. Our dealers are increasing their sales, we are investing in our plants, and we are restoring and creating jobs."

The U.S., Canadian, and Ontario governments gave GM loans of $8.4 billion and took equity stakes in the new GM. Today's payment of $5.8 billion ($4.7 billion to the U.S. Treasury and $C1.1 billion to Export Development Canada) completes the payback of the loans.

"GM's ability to pay back the loans ahead of schedule is a sign that our plan is working, and that we are on the right track. It is also an important first step toward allowing our stockholders to reduce their equity investments in GM," said Whitacre. "We still have much hard work ahead of us, but we are making progress toward our vision of designing, building, and selling the world's best vehicles.

GM also stated that sales of GM's four brands are up 36 percent through March versus the same period in 2009.

Patent drawings of an MPV based on the Chevy Volt have surfaced before the MPV is officially unveiled at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show.

According to Autocar the MPV will use the same powertrain as the Volt.

Stay tuned for more details next week.

Ford has announced that the all-new 2011 Explorer will be available with an advanced terrain management system that optimizes the four-wheel-drive system.

"Talking with customers told us that flexibility and freedom to tackle any road, anytime is important to them," said Explorer Chief Nameplate Engineer Jim Holland. "We saw the opportunity to eliminate a compromise by adding an intuitive and efficient terrain management system that can demystify four-wheel-drive control and enable the driver to properly match 4WD traction to the situations and road conditions they encounter."

The new terrain management system eliminates the guesswork when it comes to deciding between 4WD high, 4WD low and 2WD high. Drivers can simply choose the correct setting with the turn of a dial which has simple to read icons. The icons depict the various settings to best suit driving conditions.

The all-new Ford Explorer will go into production later this year.

After the release of the upcoming Buick Regal, Buick's next sedan will be a small sedan based on the Opel Astra, dubbed the Buick Excelle. The Buick Excelle that is pictured here without any camouflage is expected to officially debut at the Beijing Motor Show later this month.

The Excelle is expected to be released in the US in 2011.

Expect more details from the show.

Two photos of the Chevy Camaro Convertible have shown up on Facebook.

There isn't really anything else to go with the photos, but we do know that the Camaro Convertible is expected in early 2011.

When Ford unveiled the changes to the 2011 Mustang, the V6 was officially rated at 305-hp, which beat the 2010 Camaro with its 304-hp. Well of course GM wasn't about to let the Mustang hold the horsepower crown for long. GM has officially announced the updates to the 2011 Camaro and with it comes a new 312-hp rating.

New SAE certification testing on the 2011 Camaro now officially rates it at 312 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 278 lb-ft of torque at 5100 rpm.

"The 304 horsepower in the 2010 Camaro was actually a conservative rating on our end," said Tom Sutter, GM V-6 chief engineer. "But we knew already that this award-winning engine produced at least the amount of power we stated, but now we've gone the extra step in certifying the engine for this application and have verified an additional 8 horsepower."

So that means that if you bought the 2010 model, you actually have 312-hp under the hood as well.

Well the third month of 2010 is officially over and although most of today's news is surrounding the New York Auto Show, we can now report the sales totals for last month.

It looks like the dismal sales of 2008 and 2009 are behind us, since March 2010 was a great month for most of the automakers. Buick actually had the highest percentage increase of almost 76 percent compared to March 2009, which helped GM's core brands post a 43 percent increase over the same month last year. Everyone has been wondering how Toyota is doing with all the recalls, but don't worry, Toyota had a great month with almost a 41 percent increase, which was largely attributed to some aggressive incentives. Ford sales improved by almost 40 percent and Honda posted a 22.5 percent increase. Sadly the Chrysler Group posted an 8 percent drop last month.

For a breakdown of the top 10 best-selling cars last month check out the list after the jump.

Chrysler has kicked off production of the 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X is the ultimate Viper, which is powered by a 8.4L V10 with 640 horsepower and 605 lb-ft. of torque.

"The 2010 model year is going to be unique for the Dodge Viper in many ways both on and off the track, so to kick it off with production of our ultimate special-edition Viper ACR-X is our way of paying tribute to the performance engineering expertise of our SRT team, combined with the passion and dedication of Viper Nation, to keep the tradition going strong," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand. "With its amazing on-track performance, the Viper ACR-X is going to seriously turn the heads of all road-racing enthusiasts, whether it is the grassroots driver all the way up to the professional."

The 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X starts at $110,000.

Chrysler is in dire need to new product, but Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne recently told a group of reporters that Chrysler is on track to break even this year. He is confident that Chrysler will sell 1.1 million vehicles in the US this year. Additionally Marchionne also said that Chrysler will not get into the incentive war, by boosting the incentives on its vehicles.

The all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is expected to enter production on May 3, with sales starting in late June or July. By 2014 more than half of Chrysler's vehicles will be built on Fiat platforms. It was also reported earlier this week that Chrysler is moving up the introduction of the new 300 to the end of this year instead of early next year.

Lincoln is debuting the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, which is set to become the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in the US.

"Lincoln's hallmarks are design, technology and comfort. Now, Lincoln also delivers the best fuel efficiency of any luxury sedan in America," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas.

Like it's Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrid siblings, the Lincoln MKZ hybrid is powered by a 2.5L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder mated to an electric powertrain. The setup puts out 191 horsepower and yields at least 41 mpg on the highway, which tops its nearest competitor the Lexus HS 250h. The MKZ can also travel up to 47 mph in electric mode compared to only 25 mph in the Lexus.

The 2011 MKZ Hybrid will go on sale later this year.

To mark the the end of current Focus RS production, Ford of Europe has unveiled teh limited-edition Ford Focus RS500. The model is set to debut at the 2010 Leipzig Motor Show in Germany on April 9 and the RS500 highlights the strictly-limited production run of 500 individually-numbered vehicles.

The Ford Focus RS500 is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that puts out 350 PS and 460 Nm of torque (345 horsepower and 339 lb-ft.). It also comes in a unique matte black 'foil' paint finish with matching alloy wheels.

"We were determined to mark the end of production for the current and acclaimed Focus RS with something even more special," said Joe Bakaj, Ford of Europe's vice president for Product Development. "From its stunning looks to its intoxicating performance, we have no doubt that the RS500 will be appreciated and quickly snapped up by performance car enthusiasts.

Chrysler's current product portfolio is definitely in need of new models, but other than the new Jeep Cherokee in the next few months and the Dodge Durango later this year, it's not looking that great this year for Chrysler. Well now it looks like Chrysler is going to push up the launch date of the redesigned Chrysler 300. It was originally planned that the new sedan would be introduced in early 2011, but the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that it will be introduced this November.

The Chrysler 300 was once a hot-selling model for the brand, but it has remained largely untouched since its introduction in 2004.

Just in case you've always loved the Cadillac CTS-V sedan, but have always needed a little more room in the cargo area, GM has officially unveiled the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon.

The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon is powered by the same 556-hp 6.2L V8 as the sedan that can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. It also features Magnetic Ride Control, Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 performance tires mounted on 19-inch forged aluminum wheels.

"The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a natural extension of both the V-Series and the CTS lineup, offering an uncompromising performance car to enthusiasts who want the extra room of a wagon," said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing. "The V-Series Sport Wagon is another hallmark of the dramatic presence and power of Cadillac vehicles."

The Sport Wagon offers 25.4 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and and 58 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, double the available space in the sedan.

The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon will be available late this year.

It's surprising that the Cruze is still not on the market in the US with all the press that GM has surrounding it. This week, GM is going to unveil the high-mileage Cruze Eco and the RS trim package.

The Cruze Eco is powered by the 1.4L Ecotec turbocharged engine that when it is mated to the six-speed manual transmission gets an estimated 40 mpg on the highway. To achieve greater fuel economy the Cruze Eco features a A lower front grille air shutter that closes at higher speeds to improve aerodynamics and opens at lower speeds to optimize engine-cooling airflow, the upper grille has more "closeouts" to improve aerodynamics, lower front air dam extension, lowered ride height and unique 17-inch wheels with ultra-low rolling resistance tires.

"The Cruze Eco delivers hybrid-like efficiency without the price tag," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president Chevrolet marketing. "Along with the Volt electric vehicle, it demonstrates how Chevrolet is working to bring new products to market that range from gas-friendly to gas-free."

The RS package adds a sportier touch to the LT and LTZ trim levels with unique fascias, rocker moldings, rear spoiler and fog lamps.

The 2011 Chevy Cruze will go on sale in the US this fall.

GM has announced that the 2010 Buick LaCrosse is now available with the 182-hp Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder engine.

"As Buick continues its transformation, new products like the 2.4L-powered LaCrosse CX are helping us reach all-new customers," said Craig Bierley, Buick's product marketing director. "It gives them a fuel-efficient option that's simply not available with the competition."

The 2.4L LaCrosse CX starts at $26,995 and gets an estimated 30 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. GM has also announced that the 2011 LaCrosse will only be available with either the 2.4L or 3.6L V6. The 3.0L V6 is going to be discontinued.

GM unveiled the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. The large sedan was a preview of an upcoming flagship sedan for Cadillac and now according to sources the sedan has been given the green light.

The XTS flagship will replace the aging DTS and STS models in the Cadillac lineup. The final design of the XTS is expected to be virtually unchanged from the concept, which also includes the interior.

GM is expected to release a plug-in hybrid version of the XTS, which would be powered by the 3.6L V6 and plug-in hybrid system that was originally developed for the Saturn Vue. A twin-turbo 3.6L is supposedly also in the works.

The XTS Platinum Concept was powered by a 3.6L V6 mated to a plug-in hybrid system that put out a combined 350 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque.

The 2011 Ford Mustang V6 is finally getting a much needed power boost thanks to a new 305-hp 3.7L V6, which means that it now has more power than the 2010 Camaro V6. On top of that, the Mustang also gets better gas mileage. But now it looks like the Mustang's lead may be short lived according to Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette marketing manager John Fitzpatrick.

The 2011 Mustang puts out exactly one more horsepower than the Camaro V6 305 vs 304, but according to Fitzpatrick, that could soon change. The Camaro SS already has a power advantage over the 2011 GT at 426-hp vs 412-hp. When asked if Chevy is going to respond to the numbers challenge in the next couple of years, Fitzpatrick told Automobile, "you might see it sooner than that." Details on the 2011 Camaro are expected in the next few weeks. It shouldn't be that hard to beat the Mustang's horsepower numbers, but we'll have to wait and see if Chevy can also match the Mustang's 31 mpg on the highway.

Ford is determined to prove that the 2011 Mustang V6 is the most fuel efficient pony car. Last year Ford proved that the Ford Fusion Hybrid could travel over 1,000 miles on a single tank and this year, Ford is set to do a similar challenge with the new Mustang.

This time Ford is going to take the 2011 Mustang V6 to the Bristol Motor Speedway, where a team of Ford engineers will prove that the Mustang can circle the half-mile NASCAR bullring at least 1,000 times, which is more than 500 miles. The 2011 Mustang V6 gets 19 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

"We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today's market it's also about fuel economy," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. "By going 1,000 laps or more on one of NASCAR's most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to Mustang, you can be mean and green."

Fans can have a chance to win a new Mustang by entering the national sweepstakes in which they can guess the total number of laps that the Mustang will complete. The grand prize winner will be randomly selected from all those who correctly guess the number of laps completed during the Challenge and will take home a 2011 Mustang V-6 coupe.

Last week GM revealed the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition, but at the time only two photos were released, but now GM has released more.

The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition features black headlamps and mirrors, a ZR1-style body color spoiler, body color door handles, carbon fiber raised hood, and black carbon fiber rockers and splitter. Brembo carbon ceramic brakes with specific dark gray metallic calipers and black 20-spoke 19-inch front/20-inch rear wheels are also included.

"For track use, the Z06 Carbon is the best balanced Corvette yet. It combines the lightweight and naturally-aspirated Z06 engine with the road-holding and braking of the ZR1," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette Chief Engineer. "For technical tracks like Laguna Seca, the Z06 Carbon could shave up to three seconds off the Z06 lap time."

The Corvette Z06 Carbon will be available in two colors: Inferno Orange and the all-new Supersonic Blue.

"Designed to further incorporate technology developed through racing, the Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Corvette's first race in the 24 Hours of LeMans," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet General Manager. "With a limited production of 500 units, this car is a must-have for the true Corvette collector and driving enthusiast."

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its 2010 long-term dependability study. The study measures problems with vehicles that are three-years old (2007 models). Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

This year Porsche leads the overall nameplate rankings, followed by Lincoln, which improved by six rank positions from 2009. The rest of the top five nameplates are Buick, Lexus and Mercury.

Regarding specific models, Toyota took home the most awards with four segment awards, Honda took home three and Lincoln received two awards.

Currently vehicles that feature "head-up display" technology generally display important information like vehicle speed, navigation directions, etc. on small part of the windshield, but GM's new system is going to go even further.

GM is currently working on a new system that would use data collected from vehicle sensors and cameras to project images generated by compact ultra violet lasers directly onto the entire windshield.

"We're looking to create enhanced vision systems," says Thomas Seder, group lab manager-GM R&D. His team is working with Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Southern California, as well as other institutions, to create a full windshield head-up system leveraging night vision, navigation and camera-based sensor technologies to improve driver visibility and object detection ability.

"Let's say you're driving in fog, we could use the vehicle's infrared cameras to identify where the edge of the road is and the lasers could 'paint' the edge of the road onto the windshield so the driver knows where the edge of the road is," Seder said.

The system would help alert drivers of objects that may exist in the road or beyond their normal vision.

It's not known when this technology will actually make it into production, but don't expect it anytime soon.

The 2011 Ford Mustang GT gets a new 412-hp 5.0L V8 and when it's mated to the six-speed manual transmission it gets 26 mpg on the highway, giving it the best fuel economy in its class. The six-speed manual GT gets 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway and the six-speed automatic gets 18/25 mpg. In comparison the Camaro SS gets 16/24 mpg with the manual and 16/25 with the automatic.

Ford has also announced that the 305-hp Mustang GT gets 19/31 mpg.

GM is currently looking for the new design for the next-generation Chevy Corvette and for the first time ever, GM design studios from all over the world have submitted design studies for the next-generation. Last year GM's vice president of global design, Ed Welburn invited GM's 10 styling studios to submit design proposals.

"Some were absolutely phenomenal," Welburn said. "There is a lot to pick from. The direction that we take is very important, and the decision has not been made."

Global input on the design of the next Corvette is one of the steps GM is taking to make the car more appealing to European buyers and young buyers that favor imports models.

"We have challenges in the States with the Corvette," Welburn said. "The average age of the customer is really rising."

Last year Corvette sales dropped 48 percent from 2008.

Ford has announced the official EPA numbers for the 2011 Ford Mustang V6, which gets 31 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. This marks the first production car in history that has over 300 horsepower and that also manages to get over 30 mpg on the highway.

The 2011 Mustang is powered by a new 3.7: V6 with 305 horsepower that is mated to an available six-speed automatic.

"Advanced powertrains like our Ti-VCT V-6 and six-speed automatic really speak to the future of Mustang," says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering. "We've proven that, using technology, Ford can deliver both power and fuel economy."

Ford has already received over 11,000 orders for the 2011 Mustang, with half of those orders for the V6 model, which goes on sale this spring.

As we begin the third month of 2010, February has come to a close and the sales numbers have come in. The big news for most of February was the tragedy that has overcome Toyota, which resulted in a significant nine percent sales decline due to the recall issues. Although Toyota had a very difficult month, some automakers enjoyed a nice increase over the same period in 2009. Ford was one of those automakers with a great month that resulted in sales that topped both GM and Toyota last month. Ford posted a 43 percent increase in sales last month, although much of the gain is attributed to a 74 percent jump in fleet sales.

Many analysts predicted that Toyota's problems would have improved sales for Ford and Honda, but although Honda's sales were up 13 percent last month, it was not the case. Most would be Toyota buyers simply waited on the side lines. GM's sales rose 12 percent compared to February 2009, but its sales were slightly down from January.

"The February results demonstrate that not only are the recent Ford product offerings being well-received, but also that GM is still suffering from post-bankruptcy syndrome," said Jack R. Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

GM has announced a recall of 1.3 million Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac G5 models to replace a motor in the power steering system. The affected models were built from 2005-2010. The motors need to be replaced due to the fact that over time they can fail.

"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," said Jamie Hresko, GM Vice President of Quality. "Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind.

"While greater steering effort under 15 mph may be required, if the customer experiences loss of power steering assist, it is important to note that the vehicle can still be safely controlled because the customer can still steer the vehicle," Hresko said. "When the condition occurs, both a chime will sound and a 'Power Steering' message will be displayed."

GM has killed plans for the Cadillac Converj, which was based on the same platform as the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid to focus on cheaper plug-in hybrids for the brand.

GM decided that the Converj wouldn't have enough amenities and electric range to appeal to buyers and to produce a profit. Two months ago, GM's Bob Lutz claimed that the Converj was in GM's product plans. The problem was that by adding the amenities that Cadillac buyers demand, the weight of the car would have increased, thereby reducing the range that it could travel on electricity alone. The added amenities would have also significantly raised the overall price of the car. GM has yet to release the pricing for the Volt, but it's expected to be in the $40k range.

Ford has announced that it will unveil the 2012 Ford Focus Wagon at the Geneva Motor Show, which starts tomorrow. The Focus Wagon is the fifth model out of at least ten from Ford's new global C-car portfolio.

"Our next generation of C-cars shows how Ford is using its global resources to develop at least ten new models or derivatives from the same platform globally," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Product development. "The Focus wagon is the next model to be revealed, and is particularly significant for the European market as more than a third of our C-car customers here prefer a wagon bodystyle."

In Europe, Ford expects that the Focus wagon will account for at least one-third of all sales.

It hasn't been announced if the wagon will be offered in the US.

"As with all of the models in our new global C-platform portfolio, there is scope to offer this dynamic wagon additionally in other markets around the world, provided the business case and customer demand exist," said John Fleming. "We see this as an integral part of our global next-generation Focus line-up, and we're eager to hear the reaction to what we believe is a very stylish and distinctive car."

Tag Heuer, luxury Swiss watchmaker and Tesla have teams up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the watchmaker. The 2010 Tag Heuer Tesla Roadster will premiere at the Geneva Motor Show this week.

The one of a kind collector's car is painted in Foucault Field Gray and features a TAG Heuer Meridiist mobile phone as well as a one-fifth second Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch.

"TAG Heuer has a rich history and expertise with the world's most prestigious racing teams -- but this is the first ever partnership we've forged with an electric sports car company," said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer. "We believe that high-performance drivers are increasingly searching for products that are efficient, socially responsible and stylish. TAG Heuer and Tesla are two of the few companies arleady achieving these ideals today."

Ford has announced plans to invest up to $155 million and add 60 jobs at its Cleveland, Ohio plant that will build the new 3.7L V6 for the 2011 Mustang. The new 3.7L V6 puts out 305 horsepower and also gets 30 miles per gallon on the highway.

"Ford is absolutely committed to delivering class-leading fuel efficiency with every new vehicle we introduce, and this investment in Cleveland provides further proof," said Bill Russo, director of manufacturing for Ford's powertrain operations.

Last week Ford announced that the automaker has already received over 11,000 orders for the 2011 Mustang, with half of those for the new V6 model.

"Mustang is completely transformed with this new engine," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "Everything people love about the car is still there and now under the hood is a V-6 engine that uses premium technology to deliver the power, the feel, the fuel efficiency, even the sound of the best sports coupes in the world."

Ford has announced that the automaker has received almost 11,000 orders for the new 2011 Mustang in the first month that orders were taken, which is triple the orders for the 2010 Mustang during the same time period.

Of all the orders, 50 percent are for the V6 models, which are now powered by a new 305-hp 3.7L DOHC V6. The engine gets an estimated 30 mpg on the highway, which is a 25 percent improvement over the 2010 model.

"The new engine transforms Mustang," Ling said. "Everything people love about the car lives on, and now under the hood is a V-6 engine that uses premium technology to deliver the power, the feel, the fuel efficiency, even the sound of the best sports cars in the world."

The 2011 Mustang GT is now powered by a 5.0-liter four-valve, Ti-VCT V-8 engine that puts out 412 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque, while getting 25 mpg on the highway.

Nine percent of the orders are for the Shelby GT500 models, which are powered by an all-new aluminum-block 550-hp 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine.

Ford has released the specs for the 2011 F-Series Super Duty. The 2011 Super Duty starts with the all-new 6.2L V8 with 385-hp and 405 lb-ft. of torque, which is 85 more horsepower and 40 lb-ft. more torque than the current 5.4L V8. The more exciting news is the introduction of the all-new 6.7L Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel that puts out 390-hp and 735 lb-ft. of torque. Ford also claims that the engines has class leading fuel-economy. Both engines are mated to a new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift® six-speed automatic transmission.

The new powertrains give the 2011 F-Series Super Duty class leading towing capability of 24,400 pounds and best-in-class payload capability of 6,520 pounds.

"The 2011 Super Duty offers the widest array of solutions for the widest array of heavy-duty work truck customers," said Chris Brewer, chief engineer. "The Super Duty lineup offers a variety of bodystyles and powertrains, from diesel and gasoline engines, each with a new six-speed transmission, to pickup trucks and chassis cabs, each with the towing and payload capabilities that define Super Duty."

GM has just announced that China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. (Tengzhong) was unable to complete the purchase of the Hummer brand.

"One year ago, General Motors announced that we were going to divest HUMMER, as part of focusing our efforts on Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac going forward. We have since considered a number of possibilities for HUMMER along the way, and we are disappointed that the deal with Tengzhong could not be completed," said John Smith GM vice president of corporate planning and alliances. "GM will now work closely with HUMMER employees, dealers and suppliers to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner."

GM is not going to start winding down the brand, just like it did when the Saturn deal fell through. Even though a similar announcement was released at one point about Saab, it's doubtful that there will be an 11th hour deal for Hummer.

GM's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz recently spoke to journalists in Los Angeles where he spoke about GM's strong portfolio. But he failed to mention the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups. PickupTrucks asked him what the future holds for the small pickups and he said:

"It's uncertain at this point," Lutz said. "They may well [go away]."

GM has yet to announce a plan for its small pickups. Last year Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said that GM plans to end production at its Shreveport plant in 2012 where the trucks are produced.

It looks like the GM pickups may be on their way out following the Ranger and Dodge Dakota pickups.

At the Detroit Auto Show in January, GM showed off the Chevy Aveo RS concept, which was a preview of what to expect for the next-generation Chevy Aveo. The first official photos have shown up of the new subcompact.

The 2012 Chevy Aveo is going to ditch its rental car looks for something that is much more competitive. In either sedan or hatchback form the new Aveo should a good competitor to the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta.

Stay tuned for the official unveiling.

GM is expected to announce today that a third shift is going to be added at its Lordstown plant in Ohio that will produce the new Chevy Cruze. The 40 mpg Chevy Cruze is a critical model for GM's recovery and is expected in showrooms in the third quarter of 2010.

This announcement means that the once idled plant will now be working round-the-clock.

Yay for more recalls. Chrysler has just announced a recall of 312,442 2005-2006 Town & Country, Grand Caravan and Caravan models. According to the press release the front crash airbag sensors may crack under certain environmental conditions and allow water to enter the sensor. The announcement lists the coldest states in the US as places where the minivans are most effected. If water does enter the sensor the sensor could become inoperative causing the airbag light to come on and worst case the airbag may not work in a crash.

Chrysler is going to fix the effected models with new front airbag sensors.

Ford touts the F-150 SVT Raptor as the "first-ever high-speed off road performance truck" and this spring it will also become the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market thanls to a new 411-hp 6.2L V8. Ford has announced that the F-150 SVT Raptor is exceeding sales expectations with over 5,300 orders already placed.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the popularity of the F-150 SVT Raptor," said Mark Grueber, F-150 Marketing manager. "Orders have exceeded our expectations. The truck is so popular that we actually wound up building more 5.4-liter V-8 models than we had originally anticipated. The order banks are now open for the all-new 6.2-liter V-8, and the orders keep rolling in."

Most of the orders have come in from the Southwest and Texas. Tuxedo Black has also been the top color by accounting for 52 percent of all orders.

GM has announced plans to invest $494 million to produce the next generation Ecotec engines. The investment will also create nearly 550 jobs.

There will be three plants involved in the investment, Tonawanda, NY; Defiance, OH and Bay City, MI. At the Tonawanda plant, GM plans to invest a whopping $425 million, which is where the engines will be produced. In Defiance, GM will invest $59 million and the Bay City plant will get $10.5 million.

"GM is transforming its product portfolio to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and the next generation Ecotec engine is an integral part of that transformation," said Denise Johnson, vice president - labor relations. "The investment in state-of-the-art four-cylinder engines is another example of GM's commitment to replace larger-displacement engines with more compact, advanced four-cylinder engines that optimize fuel savings and performance. We look forward to working with our union partners at these three plants to make this investment a success."

Currently the Ecotec engines come in 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4L displacements.

Mark Fields, Ford President of the Americas unveiled plans to launch a new small car for the Mercury brand in early 2011 during a meeting with U.S. dealers at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, Florida.

The new small Mercury will be built off the same platform that is also the basis for the new 2012 Ford Focus. The small Mercury is one of ten models that Ford is planning on building off its global small car architecture. It's been a question for years if Ford was going to eventually kill off the Mercury brand since Mercury hasn't had a completely new product in years. When the new small Mercury launches, Mercury will only consist of the Milan, Mariner and whatever the small car is named.

Ford unveiled the 2011 Ford Edge at the Chicago Auto Show, which is Ford's first application of the much talked about 2.0L EcoBoost engine. It looks like the Edge will not be the only vehicle getting the new engine for 2011. During Ford's press conference it was confirmed that the new unibody 2011 Ford Explorer will also be available with the EcoBoost 4-cyl engine when it is released by the end of the year.

Ford has yet to provide any horsepower numbers for the 2.0L EcoBoost, but Ford claims it will have the performance feel of a V6.

Stay tuned...

Although the 2011 Chevy Silverado Heavy-Duty pickups do not look much different on the outside, GM has heavily revised the pickups under the skin, where it matters in this class. The 2011 Chevy Silverado Heavy-Duty pickups benefit from by all-new frames and strong suspensions for maximum capability, which contributes to segment-best towing (20,000 lb / 9,072 kg) and payload (6,335 lb / 2,873 kg).

The trucks are either powered by a Vortec 6.0L gas V8 that is mated to a strengthened version of the Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission or a new Duramax 6.6L diesel mated to an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission. The 6.6L diesel is expected to have more horsepower and torque, while returning the best fuel economy in its class.

The 2011 Chevy Silverado HD pickups will be available this summer.

At this year's Chicago Auto Show, Ford is set to unveil the new 2011 Ford Edge, which gets new styling inside and out, plus the availability of three different engines. Like it's cousin the Lincoln MKX, the 2011 Edge gets a new front fascia and revised rear end. Inside the Edge get's Ford's new MyFord Touch driver connect technology, which replaces traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges with LCD screens and five-way controls like those found on cell phones and MP3 players.

Under the hood, the 2011 Edge will have a choice of three different engines, one of which is Ford's new 2.0L EcoBoost 4-cyl. Ford claims that the new 2.0L will be 30 percent more fuel efficient than the V6 was in 2006, but will have the performance feel of a V6. The second engine is the 3.5L V6, which gets (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing, or Ti-VCT) and now puts out 285 horsepower and 253 lb-ft. of torque. The Edge Sport is powered by the 3.7-liter V-6 with 305 horsepower and 280 ft-lb. of torque. All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2011 Ford Edge will be will be available this summer.

Ford has officially unveiled the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric, which features an all-electric powertrain that will be available for fleet customers.

The 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric will use a Force Drive electric powertrain manufactured and integrated by specialty upfitter Azure Dynamics. It has a range up to 80 miles on a full charge and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets.

"Transit Connect Electric exemplifies how we are leveraging our relationships as well as our hybrid and advanced powertrain programs to bring energy-efficient technologies from the laboratory to the street," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "Not only is this an ideal vehicle for eco-conscious fleet operators, it is an important part of Ford's future."

In addition to the Transit Connect Electric, Ford is also planning on introducing the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and a next-generation hybrid in 2012.

Following the introductions of the more powerful Mustang and Mustang GT, Ford has unveiled the 2011 Shelby GT500, which benefits from a new aluminum engine and improved handling.

For 2011 the Shelby GT500 is powered by a 550-hp 5.4L V8 with 510 lb-ft. of torque. IN addition to the increased horsepower, the new engine is 102 pounds lighter than previous cast-iron engine. The new lighter engine improves fuel economy (15 city/ 23 highway), therefore the gas guzzler tax has now been eliminated.

"The SVT team continues to push the performance standards of the Shelby to even higher levels and better refinement," said Jost Capito, director of global performance vehicles and motorsports business development. "All the changes we made reflect a desire for even better handling and outstanding driving dynamics - from weight savings to improved balance."

The addition of Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), a new optional SVT Performance Package, enhanced convertible rigidity and a lowered ride height contribute to improved driving dynamics and handling.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Challenger, Dodge is going to release 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic and Challenger SRT8® Furious Fuchsia editions.

The Dodge Challenger R/T Classic Furious Fuchsia edition features dual throwback A-line body-side R/T stripes in Matte Black or Bright White, Challenger" fender badges in classic script, large 20-inch polished-aluminum heritage wheels, a body-color rear spoiler, functional hood scoop and bright racing style fuel-filler door.

The 425-hp Dodge Challenger SRT8 Furious Fuchsia edition features white leather SRT performance seats with Furious Fuchsia accented stripe, unique 20-inch SRT forged-aluminum wheels with Satin Black accents, serialized dash plaque indicating the limited production series of 400 and retro-inspired chromed quad-exhaust tips.

The pricing for the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic in Furious Fuchsia Pearl Coat is $35,140, while the high-performance SRT8 model is $45,150 (both prices include $725 destination).

We're still waiting for the introduction of the Chevy Cruze in the US, which will happen in the third quarter of this year, but new reports are coming out that GM is considering introducing other models based on the Cruze's platform.

The Cruze is based on GM's Delta platform and according to Motor Trend, GM is thinking about creating a four-door coupe based on the same platform. Think of it as Chevy's version of the Mercedes CLS or VW CC. It would share the same wheelbase and powertrains, but with a sleeker roof that would sacrifice some rear headroom. It would also be priced higher than the regular Cruze.

In addition to a four-door coupe, GM is also considering an SS version of the Cruze, which would be powered by the turbocharged 2.0L Ecotec engine.

GM's upcoming rear-wheel-drive model plans were recently unveiled to the Automotive Press Association Thursday afternoon, which outlines GM's plans to move to more common, global platforms. GM most likely preferred that these plans were not made public, but too late...

The next Camaro, due out in 2014, is going to switch to the global Alpha platform that GM is developing for the new BMW 3 Series fighter, codenamed Cadillac ATS. The new Alpha platform is also going to be the basis for the next Cadillac CTS, which is due out in 2013 as a 2014 model. What's interesting is that at this time the CTS coupe and wagon will be discontinued. The next CTS is also expected to grow in size as it becomes Cadillac's mainstream luxury car.

Ford is going to officially unveil the 2011 Shelby GT500 on Monday, which will get a new SVT performance package and a more powerful V8 engine.

The 2011 Shelby GT500 will still be powered by the same 5.4L V8, but with an extra 10 horsepower, for a total of 550. A new lighter aluminum block should help improve handling and fuel economy numbers. The SVT performance package includes visual changes such as skinnier hood stripes and a solid body stripe on the side. It also features 19-inch wheels in the front and 20-inch wheels out back and upgraded springs and shocks. The final drive ratio has been upgraded to 3:73 from the the base GT500's 3:55.

Other new options for the 2011 GT500 include the glass roof for the coupe and two new colors (Race Red and Ingot Silver Metallic).

The shot above is from a teaser reel.
Expect more details on Monday.

The first month of 2010 is officially over and the final sales numbers have come in. It was a crazy month for Toyota since it was forced to stop selling eight models a few days before the end of the month, which definitely hurt its final sales numbers.

But enough about that. Here are the top ten best selling vehicles from last month. The Honda Accord took over the number one best-selling car spot from the Camry, which dropped to number 7 on this list. It's also interesting to note that with the exception of the two best-selling vehicles on the list, the Ford F-Series and Chevy Silverado the rest of the vehicles on the list are all sedans (the Accord Crosstour was lumped into the Accord's sales). Both the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V are missing from the list this time.

Check out the full list after the jump.

Next week Ford is going to unveil the new 2011 Ford Edge. Like the recently unveiled Lincoln MKX, the Ford Edge is going to get a facelift. According to the latest reports and spy photos the Edge will be new from the A pillar forward. But the big news is that the Edge will be Ford's first vehicle to get the new four-cylinder EcoBoost engine.

The new 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder is expected to put out the same power as a 3.0L V6, but get better gas mileage. The 3.5L V6 will still be offered.

In addition to the new EcoBoost engine, the Edge will also be the first Ford vehicle to feature the MyFord Touch system, which replaces most of the traditional gauges with computer screens.

Expect more details from the show.

Chrysler is working on a new larger crossover for the Dodge brand and the US patent drawings of the 2012 crossover have leaked. It's been speculated that Dodge may ditch the Durango name and use the retired Magnum name for the new crossover. The 2012 Dodge Durango/ Magnum is expected to use an extended version of the 2011 Grand Cherokee's platform. This also means that the Dodge version will likely get the same 3.6L V6 and 5.7L V8 engines as the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ford is expected to add 1,200 jobs at its plant in Chicago that will start building the new Explorer by the end of the year. Currently the Explorer is being built at Ford's Louisville, Ky plant.

The Chicago plant has been underutilized the past year, but by shifting the Explorer production will likely add a second shift. Currently the factory employs 1,400 workers. Currently the plant produces the Taurus.

The next-gen Explorer is expected to be smaller and more fuel-efficient as it switches to a unibody platform. The final styling is expected to be based on the Ford Explorer America concept that was unveiled in 2008.

The Ford Mustang got all-new engines for the 2011 model year and next up for Ford's ponycar is the 2014 model year. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Mustang and according to Motor Trend, Ford aims to have an all-new pony car to celebrate it.

The big challenge facing Ford's product planners is how are they going to build the next Mustang. CEO Alan Mulally's "One Ford" theme insists that vehicles cannot be built unique to one country. Ford's original plan was for the Mustang to be apart of the global rear wheel drive platform which would have also been the basis for the next generation Australian Ford Falcon, and possibly a new flagship sedan for Lincoln. But the next-generation Falcon isn't going to happen due to slow sales.

Either way a source insists that the next Mustang will have an independent rear suspension. Ford's planners are apparently looking at three different possibilities for the next Mustang: an evolution of the current model with a continued focus on the 412-hp 5.0L V8 as the halo engine; an M3-style car with a turbocharged V6 for markets outside the US, like Europe; or to transform the Mustang into ultra-high performance coupe like the Nissan GT-R.

GM has announced the pricing for the 2011 Buick Regal. The 2011 Buick Regal is going to start at $26,995 for the Regal CXL that is powered by the 182-hp 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine. The CXL will be the only trim offered for the 2011 model year with others going to be added for 2012. The Regal's CXL turbo model will start at $29,495 and is powered by a turbocharged 220-hp 2.0L engine. The turbo model will be available late-summer 2010. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic. The 2.4L gets 30 mpg on the highway, while the 2.0L gets 29 mpg.

"The Regal is the next chapter in Buick's transformation and we're excited to bring this Buick sport sedan to market," said Craig Bierley, Buick Marketing Director. "The dynamic driving experience and intuitive, personal technologies offer customers a premium sport sedan for great value."

To coincide with the 45th anniversary of the 1965 Shelby GT350, Shelby American has unveiled the 2011 Shelby GT350. The 2011 Shelby GT350 builds on the 2011 Mustang GT, which means it is powered by the same 5.0L V8 fitted with a Ford Racing supsercharger that bumps the power up to 500 horsepower.

In addition to the supercharger under the hood the Shelby GT350 gets an upgraded suspension with new Ford Racing springs, struts, sway bars and adjustable caster/camber plates. The GT350 also gets a Baer brake system, Borla exhaust system and 19-inch Cragar wheels. The car also receives a new front fascia, tail light trim, front splitter, rear deck lid filler panel and rear fascia.

The Shelby GT350 is a post title program, which means that buyers buy the Mustang GT from a local dealer and then it is turned into the Shelby GT350 by the Shelby American Team. The price of the conversion is $33,995, which does not include the price of the base car. So expect to pay in the low $60K range once it's all done.

There has been so much hype for years now about GM's upcoming Chevy Volt and it's surprising that the plug-in hybrid is finally going to be on sale by the end of the year. The big question now remains, how much will it cost? Well GM's CEO, Ed Whitacre recently spoke to Lyle Dennis at GM-Volt.com, in which he stated that the Volt will be in the low $30s and be profitable.

When asked about the Volt's pricing, Whitacre simply stated,"We're not in business to lose money," he said. "We did enough of that already."

The Volt "is going to sell in the low 30s," said Whitacre. "We'll get a margin on that."

Well that announcement still doesn't completely answer the question, since it's not known if that is before or after the $7,500 federal tax credit. Early on during the Volt's development, GM's Bob Lutz set a goal of the Volt starting under $30,000, but eventually that target price moved higher. Recent media speculation priced the car as high as $40,000. We'll have to wait for the official word from GM.

Ford has announced the changes to the 2011 Mustang and Mustang GT, but has yet to release the pricing for the now more powerful pony car. Well The Mustang Source has posted a leaked PDF of the basic pricing for the new Mustang. If the PDF is correct the base 305-hp Mustang is going to start at $22,145 and the 412-hp Mustang GT will start at $29,645. The base Mustang convertible is going to start at $27,995, while the Mustang GT convertible will start at $34,645.

We haven't heard much about the Ford Ranger lately, but according to the latest reports, Ford is still planning on ending production of the US-built Ranger next year. The Ranger was the second best selling compact pickup selling over 55k units, while the Tacoma sold 111,824 last year.

Even though the Ranger sold 55,600 units last year, Ford is still moving forward with the Ranger's death and the larger F-150 could be its replacement as Ford plans more fuel-efficient powertrains for the F-150.

"Today, a lot of customers who buy Rangers are the people who use it as a commuter vehicle," Derek Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of product development, told PickupTrucks.com last week at the North American International Auto Show. "But with the new Ford Fiesta and Focus coming into the lineup, those kinds of customers will have other alternatives to the Ranger."

"We're going to continue to make the F-Series significantly more fuel efficient while still providing the level of capability that the F-150 provides today," Kuzak said. "There will be no compromise for better fuel efficiency. The vast majority of Ranger buyers are not using the full capability of the truck. We have to compare those customers choosing a very affordable and fuel-efficient F-150."

The F-150 is expected to get Ford's new 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost, which is supposed to be as powerful as a V8 with the efficiency of a V6 engine. The 3.7L V6 from the Mustang and Lincoln MKX is also expected to be offered. A four-cylinder EcoBoost is also reportedly in the works for the F-150.

Although the Ranger is slated to be discontinued next year, there is still a chance that the new global Ranger, code-named T6, could be offered here.

"It's no secret we have a new Ranger coming globally. We're working on one for all the other markets in the world," Kuzak said. "The difference is that all of those other markets only have a Ranger. They don't have an F-150 above it.

The 2011 Ford Mustang GT is set to pace the 2010 Daytona 500 on February 14th. The 2011 Mustang GT sees the return of a 5.0L V8 under the hood and now puts out 412 horsepower. The Mustang GT that will pace the the field will be a one of a kind Mustang.

The 2011 Mustang GT pace car will be painted in a special Daytona 500 Race Red paint scheme with Blue/White Lemans stripes. It also gets a Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace, mufflers, unique painted wheels and special interior treatment including lighted sill plates. The Mustang will also be an actual production car with an early VIN and will be offered for auction at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction on Saturday January 23rd. All Proceeds over MSRP will go to help cure childhood diabetes through a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This marks the first time in 40 years that a Ford vehicle has paced the Daytona 500. The last time was the 1970 Torino GT convertible.

Chrysler is planning on using Fiat's C-segment platform as the basis for future Jeep models.

The same platform is currently used by the Alfa Romeo Milano. The platform is ideal since it is available in two different lengths and can accommodate a four-wheel-drive system. According to Autocar, Jeep plans to use the platform for upcoming entry-level models developing them as urban city cars with off-road capabilities.

If this report is true Fiat and Chrysler are also planning on building a production line in the US for the Fiat platform.

GM's Bob Lutz is constantly quoted in the media about possible future GM products. This time he is being quoted discussing Chevy's interest in the next generation Holden Commodore as a premium Chevy sedan in the US.

"If we can pull that off and we have the next generation Commodore in as a police vehicle then we want to take a look at reintroducing a civil version as a high-end Chevrolet. Because when you get down to it the thrill of high performance driving is unmatched by anything that doesn't have rear-wheel drive, bags of torque and a nice transmission. So there's a possibility of a premium Chevrolet sedan that would be sold in limited numbers. Think of it as a kind of four-door Corvette."

You may recall that GM recently unveiled the Chevrolet Caprice PPV as a law enforcement-only model and ever since there has been enthusiast demand for a civilian version, especially now since the G8 is dead. Of course all this could mean nothing...so here's hoping...

Trucks produce large profits for automakers, especially the Detroit automakers. The truck market has been badly hurt with the economic downturn, especially since the housing market is dead. But it will come back, which explains why GM is going to spend $1 billon bucks on redesigning its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

Chairman and Chief Executive Edward Whitacre recently approved the project. GM is betting big that the full-size truck market will eventually come back strong. The Chevy SIlverado and GMC Sierra are currently the oldest trucks out of the Detroit automakers, even though they were redone in 2006.

The current plan would bring GM's new trucks to market between 2012 and 2013.

This year's Superbowl is right around the corner, which means the usual hype about the commercials is beginning and the advertiser list is starting to trickle out. It looks like out of the the three Detroit automakers, only one is advertising this year. It's a little surprising that it's going to be Chrysler, considering their current financial situation and standing in the marketplace.

"What better way to illustrate to our customers that we are still here than to air on the Superbowl, which is not only watched for the game, but also for the advertising spots," said Chrysler spokeswoman Dianna C. Gutierrez.

The Dodge Charger will be the focus of the high price commercial. CBS has identified Honda, Audi, VW, Hyundai and Kia as being the other advertisers during the broadcast.

The Jeep Wrangler is not set to get a diesel engine in North America in 2011.

"We have no plans at the moment for diesel Jeeps in North America, although one of the things I've learned in this business is to never say never," said Michael Manley, president and chief executive officer of the Jeep brand. "I wouldn't rule it out, but specifically on Nov. 4, we were commenting on diesel in Europe."

Instead of getting a new diesel engine, the Wranger is expected to get Chrysler's new Pentastar V6 engine when it gets a refresh next summer.

The Jeep Wrangler is expected to get interior improvements this summer.

Let's be honest, the current Chrysler Sebring has been a failure since it launched. It's styling was questionable and it was behind the competition from the start. So it's not a surprise that the revived Chrysler may not use the Sebring name for its replacement that is coming late next year.

According to CEO Sergio Marchionne, when the new sedan launches next year "You'll see a completely different animal." Marchionne promises. "Actually, we were having a discussion about what name this animal should have."

Let's just hope that whatever the name is, it's attached to a sedan that we actually won't hate!

Chevy has unveiled the Camaro Synergy Special Edition, which will only be in production from February until May of this year.

The Chevy Camaro Synergy Special Edition starts at $26,790 and is based on the Camaro 1LT, which is powered by the 304-hp 3.6L V6. The Camaro Synergy Special Edition is available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and comes standard with Cyber Grey Rally Stripes on the hood and trunk, a rear spoiler and 19-inch wheels. The green theme continues on the inside with with Synergy Green instrument panel and door inserts. Synergy Green stitching also accents the Jet Black cloth seats, steering wheel, shift knob and center console.

"Synergy Green continues a long tradition of dramatic Camaro colors," says Camaro historian Scott Settlemire. "Some of the most sought-after Camaros are first generation cars - those from 1967 to 1969 - in Hugger Orange, Daytona Yellow, and Rallye Green."

Most of the news this week is coming out of Detroit, but that doesn't mean that there aren't a few things going on in the rest of the world. GM has unveiled the Chevy New Sail in China, which was developed by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), both GM-SAIC joint ventures. The New Sail will be sold in China and other emerging markets.

The Chevy New Sail will be offered in five variants with the base model priced around RMB 60,000 (US$8,800).

"Our mission has always been to enable more individuals and families to realize their dream of owning a car," said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group. "With the New Sail, we are setting a new standard for the lower-end small car segment while fully living up to the global standards of Chevrolet, one of the world's leading vehicle brands. The fact that the New Sail will be exported is a testament to the capabilities of our product development organization in China."

The New Sail is available with the choice of 1.2-liter S-TEC II and 1.4-liter S-TEC III engines.

So it's be widely known for a while that GM has been planning on replacing the Cadillac STS and DTS sedans with one flagship model for the brand. Well GM has just unveiled the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept, which is supposed to be a preview of what we can expect from Cadillac's upcoming flagship sedan, the 2012 Cadillac XTS.

The Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept showcases the progression of the Cadillac Art and Science philosophy with exterior styling that is similar to the CTS and SRX models.

"The XTS Platinum concept is the next expression of Cadillac's Art and Science execution philosophy, reflecting our drive to deliver the latest innovations in the most artful manner," said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. "We envisioned this concept as an automotive personal headquarters, using advanced technology to enable new levels of connectivity and luxury."

The concept uses Cadillac's 3.6L V-6 Direct Injection gas engine, paired with a plug-in hybrid system. The combined output of the V6 and electric motor yields 350-horsepower and 295-pound-feet of torque. The concept can be recharged at any standard external electrical outlet and takes about five hours to recharge. The system in the XTS Platinum Concept is not the same design as the one in the Chevy Volt, since the Volt's engine's main job is to recharge the battery.

Ford has officially unveiled the refreshed 2011 Lincoln MKX. The 2011 MKX benefits from a refreshed exterior with a new front fascia that now includes Lincoln's new signature grille. Out back there are new taillights and exhaust tips.

The most noteworthy changes to the 2011 MKX lie beneath the hood and in the interior. First the new MKX gets new engine, a 3.7L V6 that puts out 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft. of torque. Even though horsepower has been increased 15 percent over the 2010 model, the MKX gets 25 mpg on the highway and runs on regular fuel. To improve its handling the revised MKX gets retuned springs, shocks and stabilizer bars.

Inside the 2011 MKX gets Ford's recently announced MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology. MyLincoln comes standard on the 2011 Lincoln MKX.

"With its combination of style, performance and uncompromising luxury, the Lincoln MKX has brought new customers into the Lincoln showroom in a way that very few products have before," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "Lincoln customers tell us they care most about style and technology, and the new Lincoln MKX meets these needs perfectly. The new MyLincoln Touch technology will change the way customers interact with their vehicles while its new design language gives the vehicle a distinctive and stylish silhouette we know customers will love."

In addition to the new Aveo and Cruze, GM has announced that the small Chevy Spark will also be joining the Chevy lineup in the US.

The five-door Chevrolet Spark will go on sale in early 2012. Other than that GM has not announced any other details about the small car.

The Detroit Auto Show is just getting started this morning and it has just been announced that Ford has received both of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards for 2010.

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Ford Transit Connect take home the awards. This is only the third time in 17 years that an automaker has taken home both of the awards. The last time this happened was in 2006 when Honda received the awards for the Civic and Ridgeline.

Ford has officially unveiled the next-generation Ford Focus which is going to be the same model on both sides of the Atlantic...finally!

The all-new Focus will start production at the end of 2010 simultaneously in Europe and North America and go on sale in early 2011, as a 2012 model. When the Focus was originally launched in 1998 and the US a year later the model was basically the same in North America and Europe, but in 2004 Europeans got a second generation Focus, while those of us on this side of the Atlantic had to make due with the original model with mild facelifts. The current Focus we have is still based on that original model and for years we've been begging Ford to bring the Europen model to North America. Well now our wishes have been granted. The next-generation Ford Focus is going to once again be a true global vehicle that adopts Ford's European "Kinetic" design language.

The new Ford Focus is a clear demonstration that our ONE Ford strategy is providing global consumers with great products that harness the best of Ford Motor Company," said Alan Mulally, Ford's president and CEO.

"The efficiencies generated by our new global C-car platform will enable us to provide Ford Focus customers with an affordable product offering quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology beyond their expectations," he added.

The next-generation Focus spearheads Ford's new generation of global C-cars, which are all based on the same platform and will eventually produce up to 10 different models. Ford expects 2 million units of annual production by 2012.

When the new Focus debuts it will launch with Ford's EcoBoos four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection engines including the 1.6L in Europe and a 2.0L in North America. The 2.0L unit uses DI and Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) technology and puts out 20 more horsepower (est 155 hp and 145 lb-ft.) than the current 2.0L Duratec four-cyl and gets up to 10 percent better fuel economy. The 2.0L is mated to a six-speed manual or Ford's dual-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission.

Both the four-door sedan and five-door hatchback Focus will be offered in North America.

At this year's Detroit Auto Show, GM is going to unveil the smallest GMC ever, the Granite Concept.

"Granite was conceived as a new type of vehicle from GMC - one that could stretch people's ideas of what a GMC can be," said Lisa Hutchinson, product marketing director for GMC. "We call it an 'urban utility vehicle' and our goal was redefining what the GMC name could mean to a new generation of customers looking for both bold design and functionality."

The Granite is a full two inches shorter than the GMC Terrain and is aimed at young professionals. The concept is powered by GM's new turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed transmission. In the Chevy Cruze the engine puts out138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of torque. The Granite concept features a four-door design with suicide doors. Since the concept doesn't have a B-pillar there is easier access to the passenger area.

GM hasn't announced if the Granite concept is destined for production.

2010 is going to be a big year for Ford with the introduction of nine new engines and six new transmissions, which is part of a five year plan to overhaul its entire global powertrain portfolio, which totals 60 new powertrains.

Ford began working on the new engines and transmissions in 2008 and the push continues through 2013.

"Ford is delivering on our commitment to lower emissions, improve fuel economy and deliver the highest quality powertrains in the industry," said Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president, Powertrain Engineering. "We are making this happen with one of the most ambitious powertrain upgrades ever undertaken by Ford. By the end of 2010, nearly all of Ford's North American engines will have been upgraded or replaced since 2008."

In 2010 Ford is going to introduce new engines in the Fiesta, Mustang, F-150 and Super Duty. The all-new 2012 Focus will be powered by an all-new normally aspirated 2.0-liter direct fuel injection engine.

Today GM's Bob Lutz officially announced at the conference of the Society of Automotive Analysts that GM is going to build the Cadillac Converj extended-range electric vehicle. Teh Cadillac Converj will officially be the second plug-in extended-range electric vehicle that GM is going to introduce.

The Converj Concept was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show last year and was based on the same powertrain that is going to power the upcoming Chevy Volt. According to Lutz, GM has just started developement on the Converj and it is at least a few years away.

The Cadillac Converj is cleared for production," Lutz said. He wouldn't commit to a production date. "You'll see it when you see it. It won't be next year or the year after that."

At the Detroit Auto Show in a few days Steve Saleen's company, SMS Supercars is going to unveil the 2010 SMS 620 Camaro, which follows the introduction of the SMS 460/460X Mustang and the SMS 570x Challenger.

Chief Creative Officer of SMS, Phil Frank notes, "We have incorporated our well-known functional SMS Red Butterfly™ Dual Side Induction Hood as well as our race-proven aerodynamics in this third vehicle in our SMS Signature Series. The SMS 620 Camaro is a dramatic and iconic visual statement that very clearly bears the SMS design DNA."

The SMS 620 Camaro is powered by the same 6.2L engine in the Camaro SS, but its power has been bumped up to 575-hp and 600 lb-ft. of torque. It reaches 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds. If that's still not fast enough for you the SMS 620X Camaro is also powered by the 6.2L V8, but puts out 715-hp and 700 lb-ft. of torque. The SMS 620X Camaro reaches 0-60 mph in 4 seconds. Both engines feature the SMS 296™ Supercharger and can be mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

In addition to the upgrades under the hood the 620X will feature options such as Magneto-Rheological Semi-Active Dampers and Torvec Isotorque Differential and 21″ rear wheels. Both models also get new SMS 16″ 8-piston front and 14″ 6-piston rear brakes.
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Jeep is going to unveil three new limited edition models at the Detroit Auto Show next week: the Liberty Renegade, Wrangler Islander and Wrangler Mountain.

The Liberty Renegade will be positioned between the Liberty Sport and Limited models. It features painted Mineral Gray Keystone 16-inch wheels; dark neutral metallic wheel flares, lower side sills, front and rear fascia. Inside there are new seats, driftwood accent bezels and a leather-wrapped center console. The Liberty Renegade is powered by the same 3.7L V6 that powers all Liberty models mated to Jeep's Selec-Trac II active four-wheel-drive system.

The Wrangler Islander package returns after 20 years and with an optional Surf Blue Pearl Coat and an Islander "Tiki Bob" decal on the hood. It also includes blackside steps and Moab 17-inch wheels with 32-inch tires. Inside the Islander's seats are Dark Gray with Surf Blue inserts. The Islander package costs $1,120.

The Wrangler Mountain package is based on the Wrangler Sport S package. It features a "Mountain" decal on the hood, painted high-gloss Mineral Gray 17-inch Moab wheels, grille and bumper appliqués; tubular side steps; 32-inch tires; black tail lamp guards; and a fuel-filler door from Mopar. Inside the seats are embroidered with a "Mountain" logo. The Mountain package costs $1,820.

GM has unveiled the Chevy Aveo RS Concept ahead of its official unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show next week. Let's just say it as it is...this concept is so much better than the current bargain basement Aveo. The Aveo RS Concept is our first hint of what to expect from the next Aveo, which should arrive in a year or so.

Small cars have finally become important in the US following the success of the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. By the end of the year, Ford's much acclaimed Fiesta will also be roaming US streets, so it's nice to see that GM is finally getting serious about the segment as well. The Aveo RS Concept ditches the boring econocar looks of the current Aveo for something that is much more aggressive with a wider stance and styling reminiscent of the Chevy Spark. Inside the concept gets an interior that is similar to that of the new Chevy Cruze and Equinox.

The Aveo RS Concept also finally has something decent under the hood since it is powered by the same turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder with138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of torque as the larger Cruze. GM hasn't officially announced if there will be an RS version of the next Aveo, but it would be nice.

2009 is officially over and although many models experienced sales declines, some were worse than others. The Chevy Corvette had its worst year since 1961, with only 13,934 Corvettes sold.

According to Edmunds, 2009 was the worst sales year for the Corvette in 19 years when only 17,472 units were sold in 1991. And according to Auto Observer's Bill Visnic, who did an informal survey of Corvette Black Book data, sales in 2009 haven't been this low since 1961. 2006 and 2007 were great years for the Corvette with 36,518 and 33,685 units sold, respectively.

Ford as introduced a new smarter, safer, simpler system to connect drivers with in-car technologies, dubbed MyFord. Building on its successful SYNC system Ford has combined a variety of technologies into one powerful, intuitive connected driver experience.

"MyFord delivers a premium interior experience that will help consumers fall in love with their vehicles again," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "It integrates all our signature features so customers will know exactly what they're going to get in any Ford vehicle they may find themselves driving, no matter where they are in the world."

The MyFord Touch system does away with the buttons and knobs that we've become accustomed to in today's car interiors. Instead they have been replaced by dual 4.2-inch LCD screens in front of the driver, five-way button steering wheel controls and an 8-inch touch screen all controlled by a simplified SYNC.

The MyFord system will initially launch this year in the 2011 Ford Edge and globally with the introduction of the 2012 Focus. The MyLincoln Touch system will will be standard equipment on new Lincolns beginning with 2011 Lincoln MKX.

Ford has announced that the Ford F-Series has been the best-selling truck for 33 straight years, outselling its nearest rival by 97,000 units, largest margin in three years. Sales in 2009 totaled units 413,625, outselling its nearest rival by more than 97,000 units, the largest margin in three years. In addition the F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the US for the past 28 years.

This spring, Ford is going to introduce a new F-Series Super Duty that will be powered by a new "Scorpion" 6.7L Power-Stroke V8 or an also new 6.2L gas powered V8 .

Just in case you haven't heard the news, the Buick Regal is back. The 2011 Buick Regal is basically a Buick version of the Opel Insignia sold in Europe. Ever since GM officially announced the introduction of the Regal, enthusiasts have been waiting eagerly to hear if GM is planning a high-performance version based on the Opel Insignia OPC. Well GM has unveiled the Regal GS Concept, which is somewhat based on the Insignia OPC.

The Regal is only going to be sold with four-cylinder engines, so that means even the high-performance version isn't going to get the 325-horsepower turbocharged V6 from the Insignia OPC. Instead the Regal GS is powered by a higher output version of the 2.0-liter direct-injected EcoTec four-cylinder that has been in other GM models. The engine puts out 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is also mated to a six-speed manual transmission and an adaptive all-wheel-drive system.

As of right now GM is not announcing if this car will be produced, but it is very likely.

GM has released teasers of a new GMC concept dubbed the GMC Urban Utility Concept. The concept was previously mentioned as the GMC Granite, which is based on the Chevrolet Orlando.

"We've designed a new breed of truck that's as efficient as it is chic, innovative as it is functional," says Frank Saucedo. "Our goal was to create the next generation of urban mobility, fusing a flexible, functional social space with an urban-box design that's equally at home at the cabin or the club."

Think of the concept as GMC's as a Kia Soul, Nissan Cube and Scion xB competitor. Either way the concept hints at a new direction that GMC may eventually enter. Would you buy it?

GM and OnStar have announced the introduction of a new smartphone application that will allow Chevy Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of vehicle functions and OnStar features remotely.

The mobile application allows drivers to communicate with their Volt via there Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm smartphones. Some features of the application are that it displays charge status, provides flexibility to "Charge Now" or schedule charge timing, displays percentage of battery charge level, sends text or email notifications for charge reminders, displays miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings and you can remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature.

"The Chevrolet Volt ushers in a new era of automotive technology and calls for a new level of connectivity and control," said Walt Dorfstatter, president, OnStar. "Nearly 6 million vehicles on the road today use OnStar to stay connected, and our new smartphone app will make that even easier for Volt drivers."

The OnStar Mobile Application will be available for Volt owners when the vehicle is released later this year.

So it looked like the Chevy Camaro was set to outsell the Mustang this year with a strong month over month showing in the latter part of this year, but the final numbers are in and the Mustang holds onto its title.

Ford sold 66,623 Mustangs, while Chevy sold 61,618 Camaros. Of course the Camaro didn't go on sale until April 2009, which gave the Mustang a slight head start. But the fact that the Mustang is getting two new engines this year, a 305-hp V6 and 412-hp 5.0L V8 means that this race probably won't be as close this year.

GM is set to unveil the V-Series performance of the 2011 CTS coupe at the Detroit Auto Show next week and here's our first look at what we can expect. The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe combines the shell of the coupe with the 556-hp 6.2L V-8, which can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

"The CTS-V Coupe marries our most potent and sophisticated technology with our most dramatic production design," said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. "This combination of visual and technical attributes is designed to create a very compelling choice for luxury sports car consumers."

Production of the 2011 CTS-V Coupe begins this summer.

Detroit's automakers have been focusing more on fuel-efficient small cars lately, but more than 20 percent of their sales still come from full-size trucks. Additionally even with competition from Toyota and Nissan, Detroit's Big 3 hold 91 percent of the market.

"There is still that one stronghold left over," said Jesse Toprak, auto analyst for TrueCar.com. "It is important -- at least in the interim -- that the domestics experience strong truck sales because it generates cash."

Full-size trucks could help play a role in the recovery of Detroit's Big 3, especially once the housing market rebounds, thanks to the construction industry. Although full-size trucks account for 20 percent of their sales, sales have dropped 31.2 percent this year. The automakers and dealers are hoping for a rebound next year.

Now that GM has officially killed Saturn and Pontiac there is a good chance that you can get a good deal on the few remaining models at your local dealer. According to The Wall Street Journal GM is offering dealers incentives to speed up the sale of the remaining vehicles.

The latest reports claim that GM sent a letter to Saturn and Pontiac dealers offering them up to $7,000 per vehicle that is moved to rental-vehicle or service-vehicle fleets. This means that the remaining vehicles would first be owned by the dealer making them "used", but then the dealer could then sell them at a deeper discount.

The deal has an expiration date of January 4th, the last last day of the December car sales month.

2011 sees the return of the 5.0L V8 in the Mustang GT. After a series of embargo leaks, Ford has officially unveiled the changes to the 2011 Mustang GT.

First off the 2011 Mustang GT is now powered by an all-new 412 horsepower 5.0L V8 wth 390 lb-ft. of torque that is mated to either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy is expected to be better than the old engine with 25 mpg on the highway with the automatic transmission.

"This all-new 5.0-liter engine is the next chapter in the development of the world-class Mustang powertrain portfolio," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "It's a thoroughly modern engine for the times, delivering the performance and fun-to-drive factor that enthusiasts want, while improving fuel economy."

The other changes to the 2011 GT include new 5.0 fender badges and three new colors.Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat, Race Red and Ingot Silver. A Brembo brake package is also available which includes 14-inch vented front discs from the GT500 Mustang, unique 19-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires.

Ford already unveiled the changes to the V6 powered Mustang for 2011, but Mustang fans have been eagerly awaiting the news of what's in store for the Mustang GT. Ford is going to unveil the 2011 Mustang GT in Detroit next month, but according to Inside Line the Mustang GT is going to be powered by a 412 horsepower 5.0L V8. In comparison the Camaro SS puts out 421 horsepower and the Challenger STR8 puts out 425 horses.

Stay tuned for more details from the show next month.

GM has announced the pricing for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that is equipped with the direct-injection 2.4L four-cylinder engine. The 2010 LaCrosse CX starts at $26,995.

"We're pleased to announce a competitive price for this new engine," says Craig Bierley, Buick's product marketing director. "New customers have been attracted to the LaCrosse by its sculpted design and luxurious interior, and now the new 4-cylinder engine gives fuel-conscious customers a new choice not even offered by our competitors."

The 2.4L four-cylinder puts out 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft. of torque. It's mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and is expected to get 30 mpg on the highway and 20 mpg in the city.

Buick expects about 25 percent of customers will opt for 2.4L-equipped models.

GM has unveiled the first ever GMC Denali crossover, the 2011 GMC Acadia Denali.

The 2011 GMC Acadia Denali stands out from the rest of the Acadia lineup with a mono-color exterior and chrome honeycomb grille, a feature on all GMC Denali models. The exterior also features unique lower front and rear fascias, HID headlamps, Denali badges and 20-inch chrome wheels and dual chrome exhausts.

Inside there are perforated leather seats, heated and cooled driver and passenger seats, the Dual SkyScape sunroof system, Tri-zone automatic climate control, Rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a rear view camera, etc.

The Acadia Denali is powered by a 3.6L direct injection V-6 engine that is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2011 GMC Acadia Denali will be available in the third quarter of 2010.

Ford officially unveiled the 2011 Ford Fiesta at the LA Auto Show yesterday and now all the pricing details have been posted on Ford's website.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta starts at $13,320 and is available in four and five-door body styles. It's powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder that gets up to 40 mpg on the highway.

Now the Fiesta is listed on Ford's website you can build the Fiesta to your personal tastes. The cheapest Fiesta is the four-door sedan at $13,320. If you want the five-door hatchback it starts at $15,120. The hatchback equipped with Ford's new dual-clutch automatic transmission starts at $16,190 and the SES model starts at $17,120. A fully loaded Fiesta will cost you over $20k.

If you decide to reserve your Fiesta before it goes on sale Ford will throw in no charge SYNC with navigation, premium sound and a VIP customer service experience.

GM has officially unveiled the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, the third model of the CTS lineup. The CTS Coupe is going to also be offered in the CTS-V variant as well, but the latest reports are claiming that GM has no plans for a convertible.

Inside Line is reporting that they received an inside scoop that GM has no plans for a convertible and that the introduction of the coupe will complete the CTS lineup.

November 2009 is officially over and luckily for most automakers the huge declines that were experienced earlier in the year leveled off with a pretty flat month in sales. Hyundai, Subaru and Nissan all saw gains with 46 percent, 24 percent and 21 percent respectively.

It's no surprise that the top two vehicles are the Ford F-Series followed by the Toyota Camry. Overall the list of top ten best selling vehicles last month is pretty much the same as its been most of the year, with the order just changing a little bit. Note that the Honda Civic dropped all the way to the number 10 spot last month.

Check out the full list after the jump.

GM has just confirmed this morning that the launch of the upcoming Chevy Volt will commence in California, late next year.

"It is natural that California is the lead market for Volt. Not only is it the largest automotive market, Californians are known to be leaders in adopting groundbreaking new technologies," said Brent Dewar, GM vice president, Global Chevrolet Brand.

GM is also partnering with three California utilities (Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utility District) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as part of the roll out. The partnership will provide an extended, real-world demonstration and research program to introduce customers to electric vehicles. GM is going to supply 100 Volts to program participants to use in their fleets for two years.

It's finally here, Ford has officially unveiled the US-spec version of the 2011 Fiesta.

As expected the US version of the Fiesta is pretty much identical to the version our friends in Europe get. The main distinction between the two is noticeable from the front where the body color grille of the Euro version has been replaced by the chrome three bar grille. Personally I think the Euro grille looks better, but I guess Ford knows better. In addition to the new grille are new LED light strips that are where the fog lights are on the Euro version. The fact that the lights are surrounded by a large chrome backdrop is off putting. Also what if buyers want fog lights? There were also some changes on the inside to the dashboard and seats.

Once you get past the few cosmetic changes, the US-spec Fiesta is pretty much the same as the Euro version, which is a good thing. The Fiesta is powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder with 119 horsepower and 109 lb-ft. of torque. The engine can be mated to either a five-speed manual or a new six-speed PowerShift electronic dual clutch automatic transmission. Unfortunately Ford isn't going to offer paddle shifters with the dual clutch transmission. On the plus side Ford claims that the Fiesta will get 40 mpg on the highway when its equipped with the dual clutch transmission. Ford also claims that the US-Spec Fiesta will be just as fun to drive as the Euro version and will best the Honda Fit.

The 2011 Fiesta will be offered in four and five-door body styles when it is released next year.

Wow that was fast! GM's CEO Fritz Henderson has stepped down. This has been quite a year for GM, since this is now the second CEO that GM has lost this year.

It's not exactly known why Henderson has stepped down, but the past few months GM has had a rough time offloading Opel, Saab and Saturn. All three deals that were expected to conclude fell through. It's also being reported that there was some clashing between Henderson and Chairman Ed Whitacre.

Chairman Ed Whitacre is going to act as the interim CEO until a replacement is found.

GM has unveiled the Excelle XT in Buick's biggest market, China. The Excelle XT is basically a rebadged version of the new Opel Astra.

The Excelle XT will be available with three engine choices, a 181-hp 1.6L turbocharged four-cyl, 116-hp 1.6L and a 138-hp 1.8L engine. The Excelle is based on the same platform as the Chevy Cruze.

"The Excelle XT carries the same self-confident air as its sibling, the popular Buick New Regal sedan," said Shanghai GM Vice President Terry Johnsson. "When people see this car, they'll notice its presence, stance and proportions. When they get inside, they'll recognize its craftsmanship and attention to detail. And when they get behind the wheel, they'll appreciate its responsiveness and excellent handling."

The US is expected to get a sedan version of the Excelle XT, but it is not known if the Excelle name will be on the model sold here.

As expected the 2011 Ford Mustang is going to get some changes under the hood to make it more competitive. Ford has announced the changes to the base Mustang, which for 2011 will be powered by a 3.7L V6.

Currently the base Mustang is powered by a 4.0L V6. The 2011 Mustang gets a new 3.7L V6 that puts out 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft. of torque. The V6 can be mated to either a six speed automatic or six speed manual transmission. According to Ford, the V6 mated to the six-speed automatic gets 30 mpg on the highway.

"Mustang is completely transformed with this new engine," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "Everything people love about the car is still there and now under the hood is a V-6 engine that uses premium technology to deliver the power, the feel, the fuel efficiency, even the sound of the best sports coupes in the world."

Since this new V6 easily outguns the current 4.6L V8, it's no surprise that Ford is also going to announce a new V8 for the Mustang.

GM has officially unveiled the US-spec version of the 2011 Chevy Cruze, which is going to debut at the LA Auto Show this week.

The Chevy Cruze was unveiled more than a year ago and has already been on sale overseas. The US-Spec version will be powered by a choice of two engines, a 1.4L turbocharged four cylinder with 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of torque or a non-turbo 1.8L. Both engines can be mated to either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. GM hasn't released official fuel economy numbers, but the 1.4L is expected to have a cruising range of more than 500 miles. It's also expected that the 1.4L will achieve 40 mpg on the highway.

The 2011 Chevy Cruze is larger than the outgoing Cobalt and features a more spacious interior than the current Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

"The amenities, quietness and roominess you expect in larger cars are what the Cruze delivers," said Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet product marketing manager. "This is a car that will shake up the compact segment, with a more spacious interior and more cargo room than the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla."

The 2011 Chevy Cruze will go on sale in the third quarter of 2010.

For the 28th year in a row, CARandDRIVER has picked the 10 best cars. This year's list consists of a few returning models like the BMW 3 Series and Honda Accord, which have both been on the list 19 and 24 times, respectively.

The publication tested 58 models worth $2.5 million total and logged a total of 12,000 test miles. New to the list this year is the Ford Fusion Hybrid, note that the gas only version isn't though. The Chevrolet Corvette, Infiniti G37, and the Jaguar XF are all off this year's list.

Check out the complete list after the jump.

GM has officially taken the wraps off the much anticipated 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe. The CTS coupe only shares everything in front of the A pillar with the sedan although the coupe two inches lower and two inches shorter overall than the sedan.

The CTS coupe will come standard with the 304-hp 3.6L V6 engine mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. A 556-hp CTS-V coupe will be available later in 2010.

The 2011 Cadillac CTS coupe will be available in spring of 2010.

GM is set to debut the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show this month.

Bob Lutz confirmed back in July that the CTS-V coupe was still on and he also recently revealed that GM is also going to release a CTS-V Sport Wagon. Both CTS-V versions of the Sport Wagon and Coupe will be powered by the same 556-hp 6.2L Supercharged V8 that powers the sedan.

A Buick with a manual transmission? It's true. At a press event today in Michigan, GM's Jim Federico confirmed that the 2011 Buick Regal will have an available six-speed manual transmission.

The 2.0L turbocharged Regal, which will arrive shortly after the car's launch early next year, will indeed be offered with a six-speed manual.

Many of us have always thought of Buick as the old man's car. It looks like GM is trying to change that...

For decades Chrysler has had problems with the quality of its vehicles. Chrysler is now seeking to become a quality leader by 2012 and it is doing so with a revamped and much larger quality team and tougher standards.

"It's different now," said Doug Betts, senior vice president in charge of quality at Chrysler. "People are talking openly about problems now and how to fix (them.)"

Betts was recruited from Nissan two years ago under Chrysler's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management LP. At that time Cerberus also pledged to improve Chrysler's quality issues, but then the Chrysler ran out of money.

Chrysler sales are down 38.9 percent this year, so there isn't a better time than now to fix Chrysler's issues. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles continue to perform poorly in quality surveys, which has hurt the automaker's sales.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made quality a priority and Betts is hiring more than 200 quality engineers bringing the total to 1,700 from 200 when he started 2 years ago.

What is surprising to at least GM is that 2 out of 3 Chevy Camaros that drive off dealer lots do so with a V8 under the hood. GM had originally hoped that most of the Camaros sold would be the V6 model so that it would boost the automaker's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). But according to Edmunds, approximately two-thirds of the 47,233 Camaros sold from April 2009 to October 2009 have been SS models.

The Camaro SS is powered by a 420-hp 6.2L V8 and is the most expensive Camaro in the lineup with a starting price of $31,595. In contrast the lowest priced V6 Camaro starts at $23,530. According to Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman, the V6 Camaros cost almost as much to build as the V8 models.

Ford is definitely on a roll right now and the good news keeps coming in. Today Motor Trend announced that the 2010 Ford Fusion is the recipient of its Car of the Year award.

The 2010 Ford Fusion managed to beat out 23 other models for the award, which included the Toyota Prius, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Ford also had three models this year that were in the running for the award. The Taurus, Fusion and Mustang.

"The MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award is another testament of our commitment to delivering a world-class car lineup," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development, who accepted the golden calipers on behalf of the Ford team. "Whether it is the best-in-class fuel economy or quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are clear evidence that Ford is serious about our car lineup."

This announcement comes on the heels of Ford announcing that the Fusion is now the best-selling midsize domestic sedan in the US and that the model is now in the list of top ten selling vehicles.

In addition to news about future of the Regal and Impala, GM's Bob Lutz has also confirmed that the Cadillac Sport Wagon is also going to be offered as a CTS-V Sport Wagon. This means that buyers will be able to get the CTS-V any way they want it, since the CTS-V will also be offered as a coupe.

Car and Driver recently got some alone time with Lutz, in which he stated, "You know what's really going to get you guys [on board with wagons] is the CTS-V wagon."

Last week GM officially unveiled the 2011 Buick Regal, which many of you may easily recognize as the Opel Insignia with a Buick grille. Well it looks like GM has more in the works than just the front-wheel-drive four-cyl powered Regals that were unveiled.

Bob Lutz confirmed that GM is discussing the possibility of 335-hp all-wheel-drive model, which makes sense, since Opel offers the Insignia OPC with a 325-hp turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive. In addition to a more powerful Regal, Lutz also stated that GM is considering a Regal Sport Wagon.

Now that the Pontiac G8 is officially dead there had been rumors of it living on as a Chevy. Many of us were hoping that GM would release a consumer version of its upcoming 2011 Chevy Caprice police patrol vehicle. Well those rumors were put to rest and now Bob Lutz has confirmed that the next generation Chevy Impala will keep its front-wheel-drive layout.

Lutz didn't provide much detail about the next Impala, only saying that it will be slightly larger. The next Impala will also be compatible with GM's hybrid technology, so an Impala hybrid is expected at some point.

Ford has announced that the automaker is working on a new Police Interceptor that will replace the aged Crown Victoria in 2011.

The new Police Interceptor will be offered in 2011, when the Crown Victoria is finally discontinued.

"We have heard the repeated requests from the law enforcement community to continue uninterrupted support of the law enforcement community," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "Ford is answering the call with the new Police Interceptor - engineered and built in America."

Ford currently holds 75 percent of the police pursuit vehicle business in the U.S. This announcement also follows GM's announcement to release a new Chevy Caprice sedan for police duty.

Each year Ford sells about 45,000 police vehicles.

The 2010 Ford Fusion has been quite the success for Ford. It's been a while since Ford has been competitive in the mid-size sedan market. The days of the best-selling Taurus are a distant memory, but after five years on the market and a successful redesign, the Fusion is picking up pace.

Sales of the 2010 Ford Fusion have already reached 151,137 units, which already eclipses the previous full-year sales high of 149,552 in 2007. In the first 10 months of 2009, Fusion sales have improved 15 percent.

"It's extraordinary that a car could set a sales record in an environment where overall industry sales are down 26 percent from a year ago," Ford sales analyst George Pipas said.

Of course Fusion sales are still way off from the Camry and Accord, but the Fusion is now the best selling domestic car.

GM has unveiled the model that signifies the return of the Buick Regal. The 2011 Buick Regal will officially return to the US in 2010. Most of you will recognize the Regal as the Opel Insignia that is sold in Europe, with a Buick grille. The Regal has also been on sale in China.

The 2011 Regal shares its platform with the new LaCrosse, but is over six inches shorter with a wheelbase that is also four inches shorter. The Regal is only going to be offered with four-cylinder engines. The standard engine is the same 182-hp 2.4L from the LaCrosse. The optional engine is a turbocharged 2.0L with 220 horsepower. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.4L Regal will be available in the first half of 2010 and the turbo will launch by late summer.

The Detroit News is reporting that GM has finally decided to build the Cadillac Converj, which shares the same extended-range technology as the Chevy Volt.

GM originally unveiled the Cadillac Converj concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. A production date has not been set, but it will likely be a few years before it hits the showroom. When it was unveiled Bob Lutz claimed that a production version would remain very close to the concept, just how GM did with the Camaro.

The Converj seems to make sense, since it would increase the number of electric vehicles offered by GM and it would help spread the cost of the technology that is shared with the Volt. GM would also be able to apply a higher sticker price to the Cadillac version, which would also help with costs.

The Volt is still on target for production at the end of 2010, we'll have to keep our fingers crossed that the Converj is going to actually be produced.

Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: The 1993 Taurus
Oh gotta love The Onion!

Ford has unveiled the auto industry's first ever inflatable seat belt, which is designed to add more protection for rear seat passengers.

The new inflatable seat belt is designed to inflate in a mere 40 milliseconds and when expanded the belts spread crash forces over five times more area of the body than conventional seat belts. The new seat belt inflates slower than a conventional air bag and uses cold compressed gas instead of a heat-generating chemical reaction.

"It's a very simple and logical system, but it required extensive trial and error and testing over several years to prove out the technology and ensure precise reliable performance in a crash situation," said Srini Sundararajan, safety technical leader for Ford research and advance engineering.

The new inflatable seat belt will debut first on the next-generation Ford Explorer in 2010 and then it will eventually be offered in vehicles globally.

When Ford launched the F-150 SVT Raptor it was powered by Ford's 5.4L V8, but Ford promised that a new 6.2L V8 was in the works. Well Ford has announced the introduction of the 411-hp 6.2L V8, which is the most powerful engine available in a half-ton pickup.

The new 6.2L V8 puts out 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft. of torque and according to Ford it has 1.5 seconds faster 0-60 mph time than the standard 5.4L.

Pricing for the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor with the 6.2L V8 starts at $41,995.

Lincoln is poised to downsize its current lineup with the addition of new smaller vehicles that are a huge departure from its other vehicles like the Navigator SUV.

Lincoln has shown off the possibility of small Lincolns with its recent concept cars and It's rumored that Lincoln could be working on a new compact car that would share its platform with the new global Focus. But it's not certain if Lincoln is ready to take a risk that its other luxury rivals have shied away from, fearing that the US market isn't ready for smaller cars.

But in the meantime a new compact crossover based on the European Ford Kuga is expected to be offered in late 2011. Redesigned versions of the Kuga will be released by Lincoln and Mercury. The Kuga is also expected to replace the Ford Escape.

Ford has reported a third quarter profit of $997 million compared to the $161 million net loss for the same period last year. The announcement represents Ford's first operating profit in nearly two years.

"Our third-quarter results clearly show that Ford is making tremendous progress despite the prolonged slump in the global economy," Ford CEO Alan Mulally stated. "Our solid product lineup is leading the way in all markets. While we still face a challenging road ahead, our One Ford transformation plan is working and our underlying business continues to grow stronger."

Ford expects its positive cash flow to continue into the fourth quarter.

Chrysler is still planning on introducing a hybrid-powered Dodge Ram in 2010, but a diesel-powered model is up in the air. Chrysler announced last year that both models would be introduced in 2010, but those plans may have changed.

Scott Kunselman, Chrysler senior vice president of engineering confirmed that the hybrid is still on, but wouldn't comment on the future of the diesel. Only saying that he doesn't think there is enough of a market among recreational buyers for the diesel. We can expect more details when Chrysler will outline its five-year business and product plan on November 4th.

The hybrid powertrain for the Ram is the result of a partnership between General Motors Co., BMW AG and Daimler AG.

GM is hard at work on fixing Buick's portfolio. It was just announced that the Regal name is going to return on Buick's next mid-size sport sedan. The announcement was made at the Buick GMC dealer business meeting.

"The transformation of Buick began with our luxury crossover, the Buick Enclave and continued this year with the launch of the 2010 LaCrosse premium sedan," said Susan Docherty, Buick GMC General Manager. "We're thrilled to announce that the Regal will be the next member of the Buick family."

The Regal name hasn't been used on a Buick model in six years, but it continues to be one of the top nameplates that consumers remember.

GM did not release any details on when it will return.

Motor Trend has announced the list of SUV contenders for its "SUV of the Year" award.

Of course this award is great to whomever wins, due to all of the bragging rights that come along with it. It's usually heavily used in every ad campaign. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.

Which SUV do you think should win this year's award?

In July Ford announced that the Mustang would compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning in July 2010. Today we have our first glimpse of the Mustang that will race in the series, which is a collaboration with Roush Fenway Racing and Con-way Freight.

21 year old Colin Braun will drive the No. 16 Con-way Freight Mustang.

"I'm so happy that Con-way Freight decided to move up with me to the Nationwide Series for 2010," Braun said. "They have been a great sponsor for the past two years in the truck series so it means a lot to me that they will continue to support me in the future. I'm also looking forward to driving a Mustang next year. I've always thought they are such incredible cars, but have never owned one. Maybe when I win my first race the guys at Ford will want to give me one of my own."

Ford is expanding its largest recall ever over a faulty switch that has lead to at least 550 vehicle fires and many complaints.

The recall concerns cruise-control deactivation switches, made by Texas Instruments that were installed in 16 million Fords over a decade before Ford stopped using them in 2002. This new announcement of an additional 4.5 million vehicles being recalled brings the total to more than 14 million vehicles in eight separate recalls over a 10-year period. Part of the recall includes nearly 1.1 million 1995-2003 Ford Windstar vans.

"Ford is making a safety-related defect determination for the Windstar vehicles," James Vondale, director of Ford's automotive safety office, said in the letter. "We have not made a safety-related defect determination for the other vehicles included in this recall, but are including them to avoid any future concerns related to a potential fire risk resulting from the Texas Instruments (switch) either from the agency or from our customers."

The switch that is being recalled deactivates the cruise control once the driver presses down on the brake pedal.

Now that Saturn, Pontiac, Saab and HUMMER are no longer under the GM umbrella, GM's remaining plans have to pick up those lost sales. Chevy in particular is being given the task of recovering GM's lost market share.

Vice president of Chevrolet, Brent Dewar, wants Chevy to represent 70 percent of GM's North American sales. "As Pontiac goes away, Saturn goes away," Dewar said, "Chevrolet has to step up. The 70 percent target is the right kind of number we need to work on."

So far Chevy has been responsible for more than 60 percent of GM's sales in 2009, which is up from 54 percent in 2002. GM plans to boost Chevy sales with new models like the Cruze and Volt.

General Motors has officially reached an agreement with Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., to sell HUMMER, with Tengzhong acquiring 80 percent of brand. The remaining 20 percent has been acquired by Suolang Duoji, a private entrepreneur.

"HUMMER is a strong global niche brand and this agreement signifies another important milestone in writing the next chapter for both GM and HUMMER," said Fritz Henderson, GM President and CEO. "For HUMMER, the combination of its knowledgeable leadership team, vehicle design expertise and the capital financing of Tengzhong portend a successful future."

Under the agreement, GM is going to continue to build the HUMMER H2 and H3 models for Tengzhong until June 2011. There is an optional one year extension that would extend the contract to June 2012. Recent reports have claimed that the sale of HUMMER will bring in $150 million to GM.

Green Car Journal has announced the five finalists for its Green Car of the Year award.

And the finalists are:

-Audi A3 TDI
-Honda Insight
-Mercury Milan Hybrid
-Toyota Prius
-Volkswagen Golf TDI

The winner of the 2010 Green Car of the Year award will be announced at the 2009 LA Auto Show on December 3.

Which car do you think should win?

There are some strange rumors brewing between DeLorean Motor Company and Pontiac. You will recall that DeLorean was responsible for the production of the "Back to the Future" car in the 80's. Well since then the company has basically been just servicing the old DMC's. Now there are rumors that DeLorean may be considering buying the recently killed Pontiac Solstice platform and the Wilmington Assembly Plant that produced it from GM.

Apparenly DeLorean's founder had a long history with Pontiac, so it's current management is speculating if their founder would have tried to save it.

"JZD always said that the best memories of his automotive career were at Pontiac, and that connection between JZD and Pontiac is probably one of the better known associations among car enthusiasts," said James Espey, Vice President of the DeLorean Motor Company.

Currently the company has a Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe in its possession for evaluation. DeLorean has also released the drawings you see here.

This December we will finally get our first look at the US-spec Ford Fiesta that has been on sale in Europe since last year. We've seen the Fiesta all over the internet, print, television, etc., but those Fiesta's were never US-spec. The Fiesta destined for the US will have a slightly different look thanks to our different crash standards.

The Fiesta is the number two best-selling car in Europe, with almost 340,000 units sold since it was launched last autumn.

The official unveiling of the Fiesta in December marks the culmination of the first phase of the Fiesta Movement, which has led to more than 50,000 hand-raisers for the Fiesta, 97 percent of whom currently do not drive a Ford.

"This is the perfect time to show the North American Fiesta," said Sam De La Garza, Ford Fiesta marketing manager. "The Fiesta Movement will have wrapped up, and after hearing so much about this car leading up to the reveal, everyone will finally get to see what we are so excited about."

The 2011 Fiesta is set to arrive in showrooms by next summer.

Last week an unexpected announcement from GM and Penske that the pending deal was off, led to the unfortunate death of the Saturn brand. Shortly after the official announcement that GM would be killing Saturn, all production ended.

According to Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of U.S. sales, GM has about 12,000 Saturns currently in its inventory.

"We sold about 3,000 Saturns last month, so that's about a four-month supply if you maintain that selling pace," LaNeve said. "I don't think [the canceled sale of the brand] will affect our total 2010 production rate at all."

The rumor that Chrysler was going to create a standalone Dodge Ram brand has been confirmed. Chrysler has announced new CEO appointments for both the Dodge Ram and Dodge car brands.

"The brand-focused strategy has been refined further with the unbundling of the Dodge Brand which now consists of the Dodge RAM Brand and the Dodge Car Brand organizations. This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge Brand," Mr. Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Group LLC said.

Fred Diaz Jr. has been appointed President and CEO, Dodge Ram brand, while Ralph Gilles has been appointed President and CEO, Dodge Car Brand.

GM has announced the 2011 Chevy Caprice Patrol Vehicle for North America. The Chevy Caprice Patrol Vehicle is based on the Zeta-platform that is the basis for the Chevy Caprice in the Middle East. Sorry to disappoint you if you were hoping that it's a version of the Holden Commodore, a.k.a. Pontiac G8.

Initially it will be powered by an E85-compatible 6.0-liter V8 that puts out 355 horsepower and 385 lb-ft. of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic. GM claims the cop car reaches 0-60 mph in less than six seconds. GM is also going to offer a V6 version in 2012.

Sorry you can't buy one...

The general manager for Buick GMC, Susan Docherty recently did a web chat on the GM FastLane blog where she stated that the new GMC Terrain is not going to be offered with a diesel engine or a Denali version.

Docherty also stated that GM has no plans to produce a Buick version of the Chevy Equinox/ GMC Terrain. GM originally planned to produce a Buick version, but pulled the plug in late August due to negative feedback. Docherty called out the early success of the Terrain by announcing that there has been limited availability, which should improve in October.

Well for sometime now we've all been under the assumption that Penske Automotive Group was going to acquire the Saturn brand from GM. The deal involved Penske buying the brand and GM would continue to provide Saturn vehicles on a contract basis...well it looks like that deal is off.

GM issued a statement tonight that states "Penske Automotive Group (PAG) has decided to terminate discussions with General Motors to acquire Saturn."

It looks like Penske was having problems finding other products to sell after the contract with GM ended. GM originally planned on only supplying the Outlook, Aura and Vue until the end of next year. As a result of this announcement, Saturn will officially join Pontiac and Oldsmobile six feet under.

While we wait patiently for the introduction of the Tesla Model S, Tesla has announced that the platform of the seven passenger sedan will be used for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets.

The announcement was part of a release from Tesla about the automaker's plans for $465 million in low-interest loans from the Department of Energy that Tesla received.

Tesla plans on using the loans for the US-based production, engineering, and assembly of the Model S and for a powertrain manufacturing facility in Northern California that will build advanced EV powertrain components for other automakers. The Model S will be produced in Southern California.

The Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger midsize sedans were pretty much dead under Chrysler's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management, but now that Chrysler has a new owner, the sedans have a new lease on life.

Cerberus had originally planned to kill the Sebring and Avenger at the end of 2010 and close the Sterling Heights, Mich., factory where they are built. The factory could still be closed, but the sedans will continue to be produced until the end of 2012.

The Sebring is slated to get an extensive face-lift in 2011, while the Avenger is slated to get a milder refresh, which may bring it to the market sooner than the Sebring. The changes can't come soon enough...

It's being reported that part of Chrysler's restructuring will be the creation of the Ram nameplate as a stand alone brand. The Ram nameplate would focus on trucks, SUVs and vans, which would allow the Dodge brand to become affordable performance-car brand.

Future Dodge models are expected to share components with Alfa Romeo.

Additionally Chrysler is expected to withdraw the Dodge brand from Europe. It launched in Europe in 2006.

Chrysler and Fiat Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne is set to submit a five year plan to the company's board of directors Friday. In his plan, Marchionne is calling for facelifts of at least five models by mid-2011. This would include the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot. Chrysler is also working on an update for the aged PT Cruiser.

Marchionne wants the updates completed within 18 months, which would normally take 2-3 years. To meet this goal Chrysler's current workforce is expected to work overtime and some of the workers that were laid off may be rehired.

Of course all of this is dependent on if the board approves the plan and if it does then it will be sent to to President Barack Obama's auto task force next week.

Ford officially took the wraps off the 2011 Super Duty at the Texas State Fair. The 2011 Super Duty gets new styling and two new engines, a diesel powered "Scorpion" 6.7L Power-Stroke V8 and a new 6.2L gas powered V8. A new TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission has also been announced.

Ford has yet to release power figures for either engine, but simply states that the diesel engine will be class leading and that the new 6.2L offers more power than the outgoing model.

In addition to the engine upgrades, Ford engineers also improved the ride, handling and steering of the new Super Duty. They optimized the leaf springs and spring rate and the steering gear is new.

The exterior now features a new bold front end with stacked headlights and an enormous Ford logo. Inside there is a new reconfigurable flow-through console and storage space has been increased by 60 percent. There's also a new 4.2-inch LCD Productivity Screen that lets you keep track of what's going on with the truck's technologies.

Ford has unveiled the new Figo for the Indian market.

The new Figo is going to built at manufacturing facility near Chennai, which is currently undergoing a $500 million transformation.

"Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India," Mulally said. "It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value."

The Figo was designed to compete in India's small car segment, which accounts for 70 percent of the new vehicle market. It shares some of its components with the Ford Fiesta and actually looks quite similar to the last generation Euro-spec Fiesta.

Ford has yet to release the specifics of the Figo.

GM newest release on the recently launched site "The Lab" features a new Buick concept, the Buick Avant, which is meant to study the possibility of small premium models.

"We agreed that a small premium vehicle shouldn't be viewed as a compromise in any way," says Andrew Smith, Director of Advanced Design at GM's tech center in Warren. "It isn't a vehicle you buy when you can't afford the larger size version. It should be unapologetic of size and just make you feel great."

In total GM came up with six exterior and four exterior designs.

One of the main criticisms of the new Taurus SHO is that it lacks styling differences from the regular Taurus. Currently the only way a person can tell the difference between the SHO and the lesser powered Taurus is by larger wheels, SHO badging, and a tiny rear spoiler. Well according to a Ford insider this will change for the 2012 model year.

Car and Driver claims that when Ford held focus groups on the level of pizazz that the SHO should receive no consensus was made, so Ford decided to play it safe. Well Ford has decided to make some changes for 2012 that will include more than just new wheels. The insider wouldn't reveal any of the other changes.

Ford decided to not make the changes to the 2011 model, since it would look like Ford made a mistake if it released the changes too soon.

The on-again, off-again Chevy Camaro Z28 is reportedly back on. According to Ed Welburn, GM's Vice President for global design, the work on the modified body is done, although work still needs to be completed under the hood.

For a while it had been reported that the Z28 was dead, but now the latest reports are claiming that the Z28 is back on and probably about a year or so away. The Z28 will be powered by the same 6.2-liter supercharged V8 as the Cadillac CTS-V. In the CTS-V the engine puts out 556-hp and is mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The modified body will include a raised hood to make room for the supercharger, tall rear spoiler, new wheel designs and wider tires.

GM may consider putting a hybrid powertrain in the Chevy Corvette if the car's existence is in jeopardy. The new CAFE standards, which dictate that an automaker's entire fleet has to average 35.5 mpg by 2016, could force GM to be more creative with the Corvette in order to squeeze out extra gas mileage.

GM has reportedly killed plans to produce a unibody pickup after figuring out that it wouldn't get really get better fuel economy than its current trucks. GM's vice chairman of global product development, Tom Stephens, told the Automotive News that the unibody pickup would have had less capability, but not better fuel economy.

Cadillac's CTS-V sedan packs a whopping 556-hp thanks to its supercharged 6.2L V8, which aims it squarely at the BMW M5, Audi RS6 and Mercedes E63 AMG. Well according to a GM insider, GM is currently working on a CTS-V Sport Wagon in addition to a V version of the upcoming coupe.

Bob Lutz and CEO Fritz Henderson have both alluded to the fact that GM is working on V versions of the new CTS-V Sport Wagon. It remains to be seen if the wagon version of the CTS-V will sell in the U.S. BMW and Audi do not sell high performance wagons in the U.S. due to low sales and even the Mercedes E63 AMG barely manages to even register on the sales charts here. The main difference is that the CTS-V Sport Wagon starts at a much lower price point than its German competitors.

Ford is predicting more demand for bold colors. In the past white and silver have been the top selling colors for new models, but Ford is seeing increased demand for models with brighter, bolder colors.

Two of Ford's current models the Mustang and F-150 SVT have seen increased demand for bold colors like "Grabber Blue" and "Molten Orange." When the 2011 Fiesta launches next summer there will be many bright color options such as "Bright Magenta" and "Lime Squeeze."

"Brilliant colors are transforming the norms in how we think about all sorts of products, allowing people to express individuality more and more through the electronics they use and the cars they drive," said Susan Swek, Ford group chief designer, Color and Materials Design. "Color is a simple way to allow people to add a personal touch to their everyday lives - something that speaks to them and expresses a little of their personality."

Tonight on Jay Leno's new prime time show, the first celebrity, Drew Barrymore will race an all electric Ford Focus in Leno's new segment called "Green Car Challenge." Ford has released photos and specs of the electric Focus that will be featured in the show.

Ford engineers in Dearborn started with a five-door Euro-spec Focus ST and removed the engine and fuel tank. In its place the engineers installed an electric powertrain, which uses a permanent magnetic electric motor that puts out 141 horsepower and 236 lb-ft. of torque. The electric motor gets its power from lithium-ion batteries that are positioned in such a way to give the car near 50-50 weight distribution.

The Focus BEV that is featured on the show gives us a glimpse of the actual production electric Focus that will be available in 2011.

Ford isn't slated to introduce an electric powered Ford Focus until sometime in 2011, but in order to raise interest and public awareness, Ford is going to feature a prototype of the car on Jay Leno's new show.

On September 18th viewers will see Drew Barrymore race an all-electric Ford Focus on Jay Leno's new prime-time show on NBC. Over the next year celebrities will have the chance to race the Focus for the best lap time on the show. It's something similar to what Top Gear does.

Although car buyers can't go buy an electric powered Focus right now, Ford is hoping that this will show the public that electric cars can be exciting.

Nancy Gioia, director of hybrid vehicle programs for Ford stated, "It opens up the dialogue to the next step. Because if (electric cars are) only seen as quirky or off the beaten path, it's really hard to get people" excited.

The electric Ford Focus can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge.

Ford has announced the introduction of the new EcoBoost 4-cylinder engines, which will join the existing 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine. The new turbocharged 4-cyl engines will be available as a 1.6L and 2.0L.

Ford has yet to announce official performance numbers, but the 1.6L is expected to put out around 180 horsepower and 175-180 lb-ft. of torque. The first application of the 1.6L will be in the Ford C-Max in late 2010. The 2.0L will be launched in larger European models and in North America in 2010.

Ford has unveiled the Grand C-Max in Frankfurt, which is a larger version of the 5-seater C-Max. In addition to unveiling the larger 7-seater version, Ford has also announced that the Grand C-Max will be available in North America in late 2011.

The arrival of the Grand C-Max provides a small minivan for Ford. It is slightly larger than the current Mazda 5. The Grand C-Max is the first of a new generation of Ford global C-cars that will be released in the next few years, which includes the next-generation Focus.

"The C-MAX brings more emotive, dynamic design to the segment, along with a great driving experience," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "People will gravitate toward C-MAX for the way it looks and drives, and not just because it's practical and versatile - and that's going to help us reach a whole new group of customers."

Ford has yet to announce if the smaller C-Max will also show up in the U.S.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show this year Ford is going to show off the new C-Max and the extended version shown here, the Grand C-Max. The new C-Max and Grand C-Max are based on Ford's new global C-platform architecture that will also be the basis for the next Focus. The both models will be powered by a new 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder.

The 2010 Grand C-Max looks very similar to its smaller sibling, but has been stretched to accommodate three rows of seats. The extra length also adds sliding rear doors, instead of the conventional rear doors on the C-Max.

Expect more details soon...

A new study by Consumer Reports claims that 81 percent of respondents who stated that they are looking to buy a new car, would consider a domestic brand. This compares to only 47% for an Asian vehicle and 46% for a European brand.

Of course not every domestic automaker is equal. Ford has benefited the most with a 17 percent increase compared to a year ago. GM interest is only up 6 percent, while Chrysler is down 25 percent among new car buyers.

"The Detroit 3 have been in the spotlight all year," said Rik Paul, automotive editor, Consumer Reports. "Ford was the only one of the Detroit 3 that did not seek federal assistance, and this has likely helped bolster its reputation among car buyers."

Out of those surveyed only 9 percent are likely to buy a car in the next year compared to 19 percent a year ago.

It's already known that the 2011 Mustang is set to get engine upgrades to both the V6 and V8 engines. Little details have surfaced until now about how much horsepower we can expect.

A forum member over at The Mustang Source has posted some of what we can expect, hopefully when the 2011 Mustang is released.

First the V6 powered Mustang will see an increase in horsepower to 315 thanks to a new 3.7L (15 more than the Camaro). The V8 powered Mustang GT also gets a horsepower upgrade to 400 thanks to an expected 5.0L Coyote V8. The 5.0L V8 will be mated to a new six-speed manual transmission. Sadly, due to the small horsepower gap between Ford's EcoBoost V6 and the new V8 ( 365 vs 400) it looks like there won't be an EcoBoost V6 powered Mustang.

Let's hope these rumors are true...

The sales numbers for August 2009 are in and thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program sales were up for a few of the automakers. Toyota, Honda and Ford saw sales increase by 10.5%, 14.2% and 17%, respectively. Although GM was down 20.2% and Chrysler by 15%.

The Toyota Camry surpassed the Ford F-Series to become the best selling vehicle in the US last month, although the F-Series also had a good month. New to the list for August was the Hyundai Elantra, likely due to increased sales from the Cash for Clunkers program. The Honda CR-V also made a return this month, surpassing the Ford Escape, which is missing this time.

* Toyota Camry: 54,396
* Ford F-Series: 45,590
* Honda Civic: 43,294
* Toyota Corolla: 43,061
* Honda Accord: 39,726
* Chevy Silverado: 32,421
* Honda CR-V: 30,284
* Nissan Altima: 26,833
* Ford Focus: 25,547
* Hyundai Elantra: 21,673

Mercedes-Benz is planning on getting into the commercial van business in the US and will appoint up to 120 dealers to sell the Sprinter van. Currently Dodge sells the Sprinter van through 350 of its dealers. The contracts with the Dodge dealers will be canceled by Jan 1, 2010, which means there will no longer be a Dodge version of the Sprinter. Dodge has been selling the Sprinter since 2003.

In January the Sprinter will be branded as a Mercedes-Benz in the US. The Sprinter will be launched with a 3.0-liter, V-6 common-rail diesel in all 50 states.

The Dodge Caliber has consistently received negative marks for its low grade interior. To hopefully improve its standing in the hatchback segment, Chrysler has finally updated its interior.

The 2010 Caliber gets a new, better looking interior, which hopefully ditches the crappy hard plastic from the current model. Although Chrysler has addressed one main issue with the Caliber, we in the US still have to make due with the current engine. Europe on the other hand now has the option of the new 2.2-liter Common-rail Diesel (CRD) engine. The diesel puts out 163-hp and 236 lb-ft. of torque. It delivers 16 percent more power, 3 percent more torque and 25 percent more towing capability than the old diesel engine.

Cadillac has started airing a new commercial that shows off the new CTS wagon, SRX and the upcoming CTS Coupe. The CTS Coupe is currently slated for a summer 2010 release.

Enjoy...

Eight pre-production Chevy Camaro Convertibles were spotted outside of GM's Holden plant in Fisherman's Bend, Australia. Seven out of the eight convertibles are silver with tan roofs...an interesting color combination that hopefully isn't destined for the production line.

The Camaro Convertible is currently scheduled to enter production in early 2011.

GM showed off the Cadillac Converj concept at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, which showcased GM's plug-in technology in a luxury vehicle. Although it was designed in such a way to give way to a production version, there was opposition from the US government and within GM. The U.S. Treasury Department was opposed to the Converj due to its high costs when GM was in bankruptcy. Additionally then GM North America President Troy Clarke and Mark McNabb, who headed Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab were also against it, but both of those guys are no longer with GM.

Now that GM has emerged from bankruptcy there has been a renewed interest in the Converj, mainly thanks to Bob Lutz. The new marketing chief is reportedly trying to find a way to get the car into production. It could potentially act as a technology halo vehicle for Cadillac. If it does receive the green light it wouldn't see the light of day until around 2014.

In a surprise move, GM has decided to stop putting the silver corporate logo on its vehicles in an attempt to emphasize the four brands that survived GM's bankruptcy.

The decision was made earlier this month and will start with the 2010 model year.

"We are just really focused on the four core brands and this provided us with another opportunity to make sure they were at the forefront," GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan said.

According to Rhadigan people outside the midwest do not always link Cadillac or Chevy with GM.

Chrysler's Lifetime Powertrain Warranty was the best warranty in the industry, but Chrysler spokesman Rick Deneau has confirmed that the automaker is ditching this warranty for more conventional five-year/100,000 warranty. The main issue with the lifetime warranty was that it only applied to the original owner, once it had been sold the warranty changed to 3yr/ 36k.

Deneau stated, "The issue of transferability was something people found very appealing," he said. The lifetime powertrain warranty "wasn't as valuable to consumers as we might have hoped."

The new warranty applies to all 2010 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models (except the Sprinter van and diesel powered trucks).

In a surprising move, GM has canceled the upcoming Buick crossover that was announced last week.

The Buick crossover would have simply been a rebadged Saturn Vue, but negative feedback from the media, GM employees and dealerships has caused GM to rethink the idea. According to Michelle Bunker, Manager of Buick Communications, the vehicle did not fit with the direction the automaker said it was taking the Buick brand.

Although the rebadged Vue is no longer headed to the Buick brand, the Vue's plug-in hybrid powertrain will continue on in another vehicle and is still on track for 2011.

At least GM is finally responding to feedback and killing vehicles that we simply don't want or need...

The Camaro isn't even on sale in Japan yet, but apparently it's already sold out. General Motors Asia Pacific has already received 120 orders for the new Camaro, which is the quota for the year.

Pricing has yet to be released, but its expected to range from $45,325 to $56,390. Both the V6 and V8 versions will be offered.

The Camaro is selling well in the US as well, with it outselling the Mustang the past two months.

The GM news just keeps rolling in.

Quite possibly one of GM's best sedans, the Chevy Malibu is set for an update in 2012. The midsize sedan is set for an update inside and out. The new Malibu will feature new powertrains and better fuel economy.

GM previewed the design of the next Malibu at its event today in Detroit. According to one on looker it has a look that is reminiscent of the Kia Forte.

The next Malibu is set to be released in 2012, likely as a 2013 model.

In addition to the announcement about the Volt and the 25 new models that GM is planning on releasing, the automaker also announced the launch of "The Lab," a microsite featuring future projects by GM's Advanced Design team. The microsite currently features two new concepts that are being developed, the Bare Necessities Truck and the Bare Necessities Car.

The theme of the two concepts is to offer buyers what they want and nothing more, hence "bare necessities."

In addition to the announcement about the Chevy Volt, GM has also announced plans to introduce 25 new models between now and 2011.

Chevy is going to introduce 10 new models; Buick and GMC will also introduce 10 new models, including a a Buick plug-in hybrid compact crossover in 2011; Cadillac is introducing five new models through 2011.

One of Cadillac's new models will be a new entry-level sedan that will slot below the CTS in the lineup. The new sport sedan will be offered in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions.

"We are determined to repeat what CTS has already achieved in design, quality, driving dynamics, performance and fuel economy to grow our presence in this high-volume and highly competitive segment," Henderson said.

GM's CEO Fritz Henderson officially revealed the details surrounding the "230" mystery and to our surprise the marketing campaign was related to the Chevy Volt.

The EPA has developed a new methodology for determining fuel economy numbers for extended-range electric vehicles and under this new method the Volt is expected to have a urban fuel economy rating of 230 mpg. According to GM the Volt consumes 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in a city cycle.

Production of the Volt is expected to start at the end of 2010.

GM's new chairman, Ed Whitacre has announced that the automaker will release some new models sooner than originally planned to regain some of the market share that its lost.

GM is fresh out of bankruptcy, but received $50 billion in federal aid, which will help it regain some of its losses. GM's market share dropped to 18.9 percent last month down from 20.5, which was more that 50 percent decades ago.

"Our cash position is good," Whitacre said. "We have some flexibility."

Whitacre did not announce which models we can expect to see sooner, but GM's market share is expected to further erode since it is selling or phasing out the Saturn, Saab, Hummer and Pontiac brands.

The sales numbers for last month are just coming in and now we have the list of the top ten best-selling cars.

As expected the Ford F-150 and Toyota Camry are at the top of the list, but the surprises this time can partly be attributed to "Cash for Clunkers." The Ford Focus was the top vehicle chosen by buyers that traded in their old cars, which added it to July's top ten list. The Toyota Prius also makes an appearance at the number 10 spot.

* Ford F-Series: 36,327
* Toyota Camry: 33,974
* Honda Civic: 30,037
* Honda Accord: 29,774
* Toyota Corolla: 29,593
* Chevy Silverado: 27,617
* Ford Focus: 21,830
* Ford Escape: 20,241
* Nissan Altima: 19,252
* Toyota Prius: 19,173

The government's Cash for Clunkers program has definitely given a slight jolt to the automotive industry. In less than a week the program reportedly ran out of funding that was supposed to last until November, but fortunately the government has added more money although who knows how long that will last. In the last week, 47 percent of the sales attributed to the program have gone to the Big 3. Through Saturday afternoon 80,500 transactions had taken place.

In addition to nabbing almost half of the sales, Ford can also be happy knowing that the Ford Focus was the most popular vehicle in the program.

Just as Chrysler's sales improved last month and is now running out of vehicles, Ford's sales also improved due to the Cash for Clunkers gov't program.

Ford has announced that its retail sales improved 9 percent in July thanks to the Cars Allowance Rebate System (Cash for Clunkers).

The Ford Fusion saw a 66 percent increase with the Milan up 60 percent. Ford Escape sales were up 94 percent and the Mercury Mariner saw an increase of 71 percent. Focus sales were up 44 percent as well. Ford's hybrid sales were up by 323 percent, which can largely be attributed to the new Fusion hybrid.

"We had another strong month in progress before the 'Cash for Clunkers' program started," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service.

"Our products, our dealers and our advance preparation enabled us to leverage the program and drive traffic and sales to another level," he added. "In addition, we achieved a sales increase even though we decreased incentive spending in an increasingly competitive environment."

Chrysler has announced that the automaker is dropping its double rebate incentive campaign, effective Tuesday. In July Chrysler announced that it would double the Cash for Clunkers rebate of up to $4,500 on eligible vehicles, which meant that on some vehicles buyers could get up to $9,000 in rebates. Of course this drove lots of traffic into Chrysler dealers and now the automaker is running out of cars.

Chrysler is changing the message "to focus less on the deal but more on the products," said Jodi Tinson, a spokeswoman for the company. The double your cash campaign "did what it needed to do" in terms of driving traffic to Chrysler dealerships, she said.

Chrysler's inventory levels are low due to long factory shutdowns, which means popular vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler Town & Country minivan are in short supply. Many Chrysler dealers are now left only with the vehicles that didn't qualify for the government's program.

German tuning house Irmscher has teamed up with GM to create a tribute to Transformers Bumblebee by creating a Bumblebee version of the Chevy Cruze.

The changes are only cosmetic with the body being lowered 30 mm with orange 18-inch Imscher-designed Turbo Stars wheels. There's also the orange stripes and mirrors and fog lamps. Under the hood the car is powered by the stock 1.8L mated to an automatic transmission.

The car wil make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

Although the PT Cruiser was expected to be dead by the end of 2010, Chrysler has announced that the small car will live on. But for how much longer? Chrysler didn't mention how long the PT Cruiser will survive in its current state or if a redesign is in the future. It will most likely remain in production until the new Fiat based cars are ready to hit Chrysler dealers.

The last Pontiac Solstice has rolled off the line at GM's Boxwood Road assembly plant. When GM entered bankruptcy on June 1st, the automaker announced that it would be closing the plant by the end of July that builds the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters. The announcement at the time wasn't a total surprise since GM had been looking for a buyer for Saturn and since Pontiac had been given a death sentence.

The last roadster produced was a silver Solstice.

GM has released the first sketches of the upcoming Chevy Agile, which is sold in South America.

The Agile, which was developed in Brazil features Chevy's trademark two-tier grille and headlights similar to the Chevy Cruze.

"The Agile goes beyond a traditional hatchback. Our task was to conduct a vehicle for a demanding client. Great design, interior space and a crossover, ie a car transpired versatility to attract customers from a different urban public or to a surfer who loves the countryside, "said Carlos Barba, General Director of GM Design Mercosur.

Production of the Agile will begin in Argentina in the next few months. The Gamma II-based B-segment hatch is also expected to be produced at GM's Lake Orion, Michigan facility since this is expected to be the next Aveo in 2011.

Ford's Lincoln and Mercury brands are expected to get an array of fresh new vehicles to keep Ford's ball rolling. Ford has been focusing much of its energy on small vehicles and the same is going to happen over at Lincoln and Mercury. Sales of the Navigator SUV have dropped significantly and now Ford is looking at developing new Lincoln models built off the same platforms as the Focus and Escape.

Who knows when or if the Navigator will be replaced, but Lincoln could add a third crossover to its lineup that would be smaller than the current MKX and MKT models and based off the next-gen Ford Escape for the 2012 model year. Lincoln is also working on a small compact car that is built on the same platform as the next Focus, but it has yet to receive the green light. Mercury is also expected to get a version of the Focus for 2012.

In 2013 the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ are scheduled to move to a new front-wheel-drive platform that is shared with the European Ford Mondeo.

The body-on-frame Mercury Grand Marquis, Mountaineer and Lincoln Town Car are all getting ready to be six feet under...

Sales of the Ford Explorer have dropped significantly to just 78,439 units in 2008, down from over 400K at its peak. Next year Ford is going to release a new Explorer which ditches the current body-on-frame design for a new unibody platform that is shared with the new Taurus. When the new Explorer is released the slow selling Sport Trac version and Mercury Mountaineer will be dead according to the Automotive News. Sales of the Explorer are even worse this year and the Sport Trac and Mountaineer are even lower, which means that Ford can't justify their existence.

Fans of the Sport Trak or Mountaineer better go buy one now before they are gone forever...

The 2010 Chevy Camaro Transformers Special Edition has been unveiled today for those diehard fans.

For an extra $995 you get:
-Autobot insignia on the driver and passenger side panels, wheels and center console
-Transformers logo on driver and passenger doors' sill plates and hood rally stripes
-High-gloss black center rally stripe package

The Transformers Special Edition can be ordered as a Rally Yellow LT or SS model.

Ford has officially announced the introduction of the new 2.0L 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine and that the automaker is expecting a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy as a whole by the end of 2010 versus 2005.

The new 2.0L 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine will be the first EcoBoost engine to include Twin-Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) when it is introduced sometime next year. Ford's goal is a 10 to 20 percent fuel economy improvement over larger displacement V6 engines without compromising power. It's expected to have at least 230 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. Ford hasn't announced which models will receive this engine and surprisingly the first application may not even be in a car. Note that the Explorer America Concept was shown with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine.

The 2010 model year sees the introduction of EcoBoost engines in the Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS and MKT. Ford expects its to offer EcoBoost engines in 90 percent of its vehicles by 2013.

The current Ford Transit is built in Turkey on a version of the Euro Focus platform. By mid-2012 production of the Transit is expected to move to one of Ford's plants in the U.S.

The next-gen Transit will be built on the new Focus platform that we are expected to get here as well. Production of the Focus and other vehicles on that platform will commence at Ford's Wayne, Michigan and Louisville, Kentucky plants.

Last year Ford built custom Mustang AV8R the for the annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Gathering of Eagles festival. The car was auctioned off for the charity for $500,000.

This year Ford has produced another Mustang with the same aviation theme, dubbed the AV-X10 Dearborn Doll. It is based off the 2010 Mustang and features 19" wheels, a rear spoiler, and a lower rear fascia that were all borrowed from the GT500. The glass roof also features a star and bar design.

Under the hood the 4.6L V8 now puts out 550 horsepower thanks to the Ford Racing Performance Parts surpercharger kit. The FR500S exhaust, and FRPP's Handling Pack are also included.

The car will be auctioned off during the 2009 EAA Air Venture in Oshkosh starting next week.

The U.S. House approved a plan that will force GM and Chrysler to renew agreements with the dealers that were unexpectedly closed during their bankruptcy proceedings. The bill that is opposed by Barack Obama passed 219 to 208 yesterday and would require the automakers to restore franchise agreements with the dealers in order to get future government aid. U.S. lawmakers feel that the automakers terminated dealerships with little notice or explanation.

"There is so much confusion about how they went about it," House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat, said before the vote. He pointed to a dealer in his district who he said "runs a good business."

"I do not, for the life of me, understand why he would be knocked off," Obey said. Lawmakers "are trying to send a message they want clearer decision-making in terms of who got weeded out and who didn't."

It's unclear how the Senate will vote on the bill although the Obama administration "strongly opposes" the bill. "The decision by Chrysler and GM to rationalize their dealer networks was a critical part of their overall restructuring to achieve long-term viability," the administration said in a statement.

Earlier this week, the newly unretired Bob Lutz stated that the soon to be dead Pontiac G8 was going to live on under the Chevy brand as the Caprice in the US. This statement contradicted statements from GM CEO Fritz Henderson who stated that the G8 would not be rebranded for one of GM's remaining brands.

Well now it looks like Lutz is retracting his earlier statements:

"The G8 will not be a Caprice after all. I'd mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too good to waste."

"That's all still true. But I have to say that, with my new "marketing" hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today's market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be."

According to a recent Merrill Lynch report Ford is expected to gain market share in the next few years, while its domestic competitors, GM and Chrysler are expected to see declines.

The annual "Car Wars" study from Merrill Lynch claims that Ford's market share could surpass GM's. Over the next three years Ford's share could go up three points to 18 percent, while GM would likely be around 15-16 percent.

"We continue to believe Ford is effectively executing on its restructuring plan, while bolstering liquidity, and view the results of our Car Wars study as further evidence that management is making all of the right moves," Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy said in a separate note to clients on Wednesday.

Ford is just about to launch the new Taurus and now comes word that the next Taurus could be built off the same platform as the next Fusion/ Mondeo. Ford is currently working on plans to consolidate three different platforms that are the foundation of the automaker's mid-large size vehicles worldwide.

The next Fusion is expected to use an evolution of the European C/D-class platform which underpins the Ford Mondeo and Galaxy in Europe. The next Taurus could also use a version of this platform, although it would be longer than the Fusion, but smaller than the one that is about to be launched.

If Ford does go ahead with these plans, it would still be a few years off. Ford is currently working on an all-new Explorer that will share the same platform as the Taurus.

GM is also looking at a similar strategy by moving the Chevy Impala to the same platform as the Malibu. Although GM won't confirm it, the automaker is considering moving the Impala to the Epsilon II platform that is expected to be the foundation of the next Malibu.

Although GM CEO Fritz Henderson has repeatedly stated that the Pontiac G8 would not be sold under another GM brand after Pontiac's demise, Bob Lutz has reportedly stated it will. Bob Lutz recently stated that the Pontiac G8 will live on under the Chevy brand as the Chevy Caprice.

"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet," Lutz said. "It is kind of too good to waste."

GM has officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and what's left is what GM is now referring to as the "new" GM.

"Today marks a new beginning for General Motors, one that will allow every employee, including me, to get back to the business of designing, building and selling great cars and trucks and serving the needs of our customers," said Fritz Henderson, president and CEO. "We are deeply appreciative for the support we have received during this historic transformation, and we will work hard to repay this trust by building a successful new General Motors."

The new GM consists of four core brands: Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet and GMC, which means a total of only 34 nameplates. Less GM models will allow GM to focus more attention on making each model more competitive. In addition the new GM has a more competitive cost structure, a cleaner balance sheet, and a stronger liquidity position that will enable GM to invest in new products, key technologies, and its future.

The U.S. Treasury department reportedly owns 60 percent of the new GM, while Canada holds 11.7% and the UAW holds 17.6%.

June 2009 auto sales are just being reported and it looks like the revived Chevy Camaro outsold the also new Ford Mustang. According to GM, the automaker sold 9,320 Camaros, which compares to the 7,632 Mustangs that Ford sold.

GM still has a backlog of 10,000 Camaro orders to fill, so it remains to be seen if the Camaro will continue to outsell the Mustang once all the pre-orders are filled. Just in case you're wondering, Chrysler only managed to sell 1,369 Dodge Challengers last month.

Today is officially the start of July and with that comes the sales numbers for the month of June. While we wait for all the official numbers, here are the top ten best-selling vehicles last month:

* Ford F-Series: 35,915
* Toyota Camry: 26,394
* Chevy Silverado: 24,766
* Honda Accord: 23,995
* Honda Civic: 20,954
* Toyota Corolla: 19,935
* Ford Fusion: 18,561
* Nissan Altima: 16,350
* Ford Escape: 15,385
* Chevy Impala: 14,931

Of course the Ford F-Series continues to dominate the list. Ford as a whole also had the most top models with the F-Series, Fusion and Escape all making the list. Missing from the list is the recently redesigned Dodge Ram.

GM has announced the start of a 72-hour sale that includes zero percent financing for up to 72 months on all Pontiacs and large Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs.

The soon to be dead Pontiac Vibe, G3, G5, G6 and G8 are all included in the sale, which starts today and funny enough runs through July 6th. Too bad that is a little longer than 72 hours... In addition to all the Pontiac models, GM is also including the Chevy Impala, Silverado and Tahoe in addition to the GMC Yukon and Sierra models in the sale.

Other GM models will also have zero percent financing, but for only 60 months.

GM has announced plans to end its 25 year New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota.

The plant currently produces the Pontiac Vibe and has produced other GM vehicles such as the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm in the past. Production of the Vibe will end at the plant in August. GM and Toyota could not come to an agreement on a product plan that made sense for both parties.

It's not known what this announcement will mean for the Fremont, CA plant that also produces the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma.

GM has announced the pricing for the 2010 GMC Terrain that will be available in dealerships this September.

The 2010 GMC Terrain starts at $24,995 for the front-wheel-drive model and $26,745 for the all-wheel-drive version (including a $745 destination charge). The Terrain is powered by a 182-hp 2.4L direct-injection engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and gets an estimated 32 mpg on the highway. A 264-hp 3.0L direct injected V6 is also available.

The Terrain comes standard with such features as a rear-view camera, a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with USB connectivity and XM satellite radio, six airbags and StabiliTrak vehicle stability control.

How sad this 2010 Ford Taurus SHO apparently left the Ford dealership only to return on a flatbed. It's not even on sale yet and apparently it ended up in a three car pile up.

More bad news for Detroit's automakers, a new study from Grant Thornton LLP's Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Service estimates that by 2012 they will produce less vehicles on US soil than their Asian and European competitors.

Although domestic automakers are expected to return to profitability by 2012, their production will be outpaced by import automakers like Toyota, VW, Hyundai and Honda. The estimated projection is that domestic automakers will reduce production in the US by 35 percent, while import automakers will increase US production by 20 percent. The final total from Chrysler, Ford and GM is estimated at 7.5 million with all other automakers coming in at a combined 8 million units.

Grant Thornton Principal Kimberly Rodriguez stated "Suppliers largely dependent on Detroit OEMs will have to present a new value equation to potential customers from Europe and Asia if they want to participate in the accelerated shift that is coming."

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) with Lexus taking the lead this year with only 84 problems per 100 vehicles.

This year's top five nameplates were Lexus followed by Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai and Honda. Hyundai managed to move up to the number 4 spot from 13th position in 2008 and Cadillac moved up from the 10th spot in 2008.

Suzuki managed to have the most gains this year moving up to the 9th spot from the 32nd spot last year.

The study also claims that domestic automakers improved their quality by 10 percent compared to 2008, which is higher than the 8 percent industry average.

Besides the 300 and Challenger, Chrysler doesn't really anything else exciting in its car range. The current Sebring and Avenger mid-size sedans don't even come close to their Camry/ Accord competitors, so now Chrysler is trying to figure out a way to bring the 200C concept to life.

The 200C concept was shown at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January and should have been everything the Sebring and Avenger were when they were launched. The concept is based on a shortened LX platform, which means the possibility of RWD and AWD configurations for the new midsize. There is a possibility that Fiat's D-Evo platform could be used, but execs are worried that the platform may not be large enough.

Ford has unveiled the 2010 Ford Mustang with the glass roof option and just in case you're worried about the sun's rays, the roof blocks out 90 percent of UV rays. Ford even claims that roof's UV-filtering capability is equal to wearing SPF 50.

The glass roof option adds another $1,995 to the price of either the V6 Mustang or Mustang GT.

It has been reported for quite a while that Chrysler was going to eventually kill the PT Cruiser. The latest reports had slated its death for this summer, but since the automaker now has a new owner it looks like the little wagon will continue in production for a little longer.

The PT Cruiser officially went into production at the end of 1999 and now ten years later the vehicle has remained largely unchanged. According to new reports the PT Cruiser will continue to be produced until the end of 2010 at Chrysler's Mexico plant. Once production is stopped, Chrysler will start retooling the plant for the Fiat 500 and a Jeep version of the Fiat Panda. The Fiat 500 will start production at the Toluca plant in the summer of 2011.

Citing increased inventory levels, GM has announced that production of the 2010 Chevy Malibu hybrid have been suspended.

Apparently inventory levels are high enough of the 2009 Malibu hybrid, that GM doesn't need to produce any more at the vehicle's current selling rate. GM's hybrid spokesman Brian Corbett recently told AutoblogGreen that there are no plans to produce any of the mild hybrid models:

"There will be some MY2010 production. We will fulfill some MY2010 fleet orders for the Malibu Hybrid. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding between GM and Penske Automotive Group, Saturn plans to offer the Aura, Vue and Outlook models in 2010. Specific details of which versions (i.e. hybrids) has not yet been determined. "

Fiat has officially closed the deal and taken over Chrysler this morning. The takeover now means that Fiat's Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne will become CEO of Chrysler.

Fiat is now going to start transferring Fiat's technology, platforms and powertrains to Chrysler plants. Chrysler's plants are also going to resume production soon, since they were idled during the bankruptcy process and cost the automaker up to $100 million a day.

"We intend to build on Chrysler's culture of innovation and Fiat's complementary technology and expertise to expand Chrysler's product portfolio both in North America and overseas," Marchionne said.

"This morning's closing represents a proud moment in Chrysler's storied history," said the U.S. Treasury Department. "The Chrysler-Fiat Alliance has now exited the bankruptcy process and is poised to emerge as a competitive, viable automaker."

Fiat currently owns a 20 percent stake in Chrysler, which will eventually be increased to 35 percent, but Fiat cannot gain majority control until all taxpayer funds are repaid.

The U.S. Supreme Court has removed the temporary stay that was issued yesterday clearing the way for the completion of the Fiat/ Chrysler deal.

The high court rejected arguments from three Indiana pension and construction funds who are against the sale.

Chrysler and Fiat are now free to complete their deal.

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court delayed the Fiat/ Chrysler deal to listen to arguments from three Indiana pension and construction funds who are against the sale. The funds have been fighting the sale since since they feel that it unfairly favors Chrysler's unsecured stakeholders ahead of secured debtholders like themselves.

Under the terms of the agreement with Fiat, Fiat has the option to abandon the deal if it is not completed by June 15th. It is not known how long the Supreme Court is going to delay the deal, but Fiat has announced that the automaker has no plans to end the deal.

"Fiat won't walk away from Chrysler," Fiat spokesman Gualberto Ranieri said.

GM has announced this morning that the former AT&T CEO, Edward Whitacre, Jr. will become chairman of the "new" GM when the company is launched this summer. GM's interim Chairman Kent Kresa will continue to serve as interim chairman until the launch.

"The appointment of Ed Whitacre as chairman represents a very auspicious beginning for the New GM," said Kresa. "We look forward to working with him to complete the reinvention of GM and maximize the enormous potential of this new enterprise."

Whitacre and Kresa will join current board members Philip A. Laskawy, Kathryn V. Marinello, Erroll B. Davis, Jr., E. Neville Isdell and President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick A. Henderson will serve as the board for the new GM. The six other members of the board will likely retire.

"I am honored to be able to serve GM at this critical juncture and take part in its reinvention," said Whitacre.

The upcoming sale of Chrysler LLC to Fiat has been temporarily delayed by a by a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg acted right before the 4pm deadline from a U.S. appeals court in New York. Indiana pension funds and consumer groups asked the Supreme Court over the weekend to stop the sale of Chrysler so that they could challenge the sale. The end of the appeals court would have allowed Chrysler to proceed with the sale to Fiat.

Chrysler and the Obama administration are worried that if the deal is delayed too long it could kill the deal. Fiat has the option of walking away from the deal if it is not done by June 15.

Chrysler and the U.S. Treasury Department had no immediate response to the announcement.

Days after GM officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the automaker has announced an deal with Penske Automotive Group, which will officially acquire the Saturn brand.

Under the proposed deal, Penske would officially own the Saturn brand and GM would continue production of the Saturn Vue, Aura and Outlook on a contract basis. The Saturn Astra and Sky are apparently not part of the deal, which means they will be dead. The deal will save 350 dealerships and approximately 13,000 jobs.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

Following yesterday's bankruptcy announcement, GM has announced that the automaker has entered "into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a buyer for Hummer."

GM stopped short of revealing who the buyer is, but stated that the sale is expected to close by the end of the third quarter this year. GM also stated that the buyer is committed to aggressively funding future HUMMER vehicles, hopefully like the H3T and that 3,000 jobs are now secure.

Well it was Chrysler last month and now as many people expected, GM has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

GM has officially filed for bankruptcy in a New York court citing $82 billion in assets, but an astounding $172 billion in debts. Although GM for most of its 100-year history has managed to hold the title as the world's largest automaker, the automaker has seen its sales drop almost 50 percent this year.

“Today marks a new beginning for General Motors,” GM Chairman Kent Kresa said in a statement this morning. “A court-supervised process and transfer of assets will enable a New GM to emerge as a stronger, healthier, more focused and nimbler company with a determination not to just survive but to excel.”

The process will see GM divided into two groups, good assets and bad assets. The good assets will become part of the new "leaner" GM and the bad assets will be liquidated. To aid in the process the U.S. treasury is going to provide an additional $30 billion to finance GM during the bankruptcy, which brings the total to almost $50 billion.

Cadillac has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover.

The new SRX will be at dealerships this summer with a starting price of $34,155. For 2010 the SRX will be offered with a choice of two direct-injected V6 engines. Either a 260-hp 3.0L or a 300-hp turbocharged 2.8L. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Additionally Cadillac is also going to release the CTS Sport Wagon later this summer. The CTS wagon will feature the same 3.0L V6 as the SRX and get an estimated 28 mpg on the highway.

The new 2010 Mustang is just beginning to hit the streets and for most Mustang enthusiasts the current engine lineup leaves much to be desired, especially compared to the new Camaro.

Well before the 2010 Mustang was launched it was stated that the 2011 model would see changes to the engine lineup. Well it is now being confirmed that Ford is working on a new 5.0L V8 that will put out somewhere around 400 horsepower. Codenamed "Coyote", the new V8 will be used in the Mustang and F150 thereby replacing the 4.6L and 5.4L V8s. Ford Australia product development director Russell Christophers has confirmed the existence of the new aluminum double-overhead cam 5.0-liter V8, “I have seen the performance curves and it is a pretty good engine,” he said.

The new V8 will begin appearing in the Mustang and F150 sometime in 2010.

The last Mercury Sable is expected to roll off the production line this Thursday. Even though Ford is releasing an all-new Taurus, Ford decided to not spend the money on a Mercury variant...so we're saying bye bye to the Sable once again.

"The last Sable will roll down the line on Thursday," said Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski.

The death of the Sable leaves Mercury with only four models, the Mariner, Mountaineer, Milan and Grand Marquis. Both the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis are expected to be dead within the next few years. Mercury is supposed to be getting a new small car, even though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

Ford chose to not develop a new Sable so that they could invest more money in the Taurus.

"They had to make a choice, and their choice is to polish the Blue Oval," Analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics said.

Ford has officially announced the debut of the 2010 Lincoln MKS with the new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 puts out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft. of torque thanks to direct-injection and twin turbochargers. The EcoBoost V6 gives the Lincoln MKS the power of a normally aspirated 4.6L V8, but without sacrificing fuel economy. The MKS with EcoBoost will get at least 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The 2010 MKS with EcoBoost has standard 19-inch wheels, steering-wheel paddle shifters, all-wheel-drive and adaptive HID headlights. Also included are rain-sensing wipers and a rear-window power shade.

For even more distinction there is the Appearance Package which includes, luxury seats in Sienna with Charcoal Black Tuxedo Seam, illuminated MKS sill plates and upgraded floormats. Outide the package gives you a distinctive grille, front lip spoiler rear fascia lower, side rockers and door cladding, decklid lip spoiler with chrome insert and modified MKS decklid badge ("S" in red).

Just like Chrysler did yesterday, GM has announced plans to close 1,100 of its "underperforming" dealers.

Although GM has identified the 1,100 dealers that will be closed, the automaker is not closing any dealerships today. GM will be working with the dealerships over the next few weeks to come up with a long term plan. It is expected that their will be a wind-down of the affected dealers over the next year. This is in contrast to Chrysler's plans to close its affected dealers by June 9th.

GM likely to announce more dealer cuts in the future since the automaker wants to pare down its network from 5,969 stores to approximately 3,600 by the end of 2010.

Chrysler has announced plans to reject 789 of its current dealers. The 789 dealers were sent overnight letters informing them that they have until June 9th to close their doors.

Chrysler officially filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to reject certain Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep dealers. 2,392 dealers will continue to sell vehicles under the new company in a global alliance with Fiat. Chrysler plans on continuing "business as usual" with all of its dealers and intends to honor warranty and incentive payments during the period that "rejected" dealers remain open.

Following yesterday's photo leaks, GM has officially unveiled the next-generation 2010 Opel Astra ahead of its unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.

The 2010 Astra borrows styling cues from the mid-size Insignia. The new Astra has more interior room thanks to a longer wheelbase. It also features a cab-forward design that exhibits Opel's new design language, sculptural artistry combined with German precision. The wing and blade design cues on the exterior are also used on the inside.

There are a total of eight engines that will be offered, four diesel and four gasoline powered. The diesel engines range in size from 1.3L to 2.0L units, putting out between 95- 160 horsepower. The four gasoline engines put out from 100hp to 180hp.

Now that Saturn is dead, it's been rumored that Buick will receive this new Astra.

Ford has announced a new series of safety testing that the automaker is using to evaluate the the sensitivity of new air bag pressure sensors being introduced on the new 2009 F-150 and 2010 Taurus.

The new "extreme" testing involves ramming shopping carts into car doors and blasting water cannons. The new airbag sensors being used in the new F-150 and 2010 Taurus use pressure-based sensors rather than acceleration-based sensors to determine the severity of a crash. The new sensors perform better in crash tests and are less likely to be effected by vehicle design differences.

Since engineers were worried that everyday mishaps could trick the new sensors, Ford's engineers came up with came up with tests like a shopping cart loaded with a 110 pound weight that was rammed into the car at 10 mph.

A new document has surfaced that reports that GM is planning on selling vehicles it makes in China, in the US by 2011. The document that was given to lawmakers reports that GM plans on selling 17,335 units of China-made vehicles in the U.S. by 2011 and hopes to increase that number to 51,546 by 2014 according to the Automotive News.

The plan does not reveal which vehicles the US will receive, but the 50,000+ vehicles only represents 1.6 percent of the planned 3.1 million vehicles GM expects to sell in 2014.

Of course union leaders are not too happy about the plan.

Ford is recalling 8,735 2009 Ford F-150 trucks to fix an issue with the brake lights.

According to NHTSA the issue has to do with the brake stop lamp switch and in some situations of very mild braking, the brake stop lamps may not illuminate. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the affected vehicles and to reinstall the brake stop lamp switch free of charge.

Chrysler has only been in bankruptcy for close to two weeks, but the automaker is beginning to see how serious Obama's Automotive Task Force is. Chrysler had planned on spending $134 million over the next nine weeks on advertising, but Obama's team has reportedly only given the automaker half that amount.

Judge Arthur Gonzalez was skeptical about spending even 50 percent of that amount considering all of Chrysler's plants have been idled. Robert Manzo, executive director of Capstone Advisory Group and a consultant to Chrysler, testified at a May 4 hearing that the task force "believed that it was not feasible to not spend anything on marketing and advertising for fear of eroding the image of the brand," during the company's planned nine weeks in bankruptcy.

Steven Landry, Chrysler exec VP-sales and marketing said in a statement that the advertising efforts "gives us the opportunity to reinforce that it's business as usual and demonstrate a bright future ahead for Chrysler."

GM North America President Troy Clarke and soon to be departing Vice Chairman Bob Lutz plus four other execs have sold more than 200,000 shares of GM stock.

Spokeswoman Julie Gibson says the sales don’t show a lack of faith in the company. As GM comes closer to the June 1st deadline, GM has publicly disclosed to its shareholders that they run the risk of losing their investments if GM does end up filing for bankruptcy.

Bob Lutz sold all of his 81,360 shares for a total of $130,989.60, while Troy Clarke sold his 21,380 shares for $31,001.

The deal between Fiat and Chrysler could mean that Ford could eventually bring its small Ka to the US.

The Ford Ka and Fiat 500 are built on the same platform that as developed by Fiat. Currently there are plans for Fiat to build the 500 at one of Chrysler's North American plants, when the vehicle eventually goes on sale here. Chrysler also wants a small car that would share the same underpinnings as the 500 and Ka. Since US car buyers historically like larger cars, the only way to make a profit would be to some how manage to sell more of them and bringing the Ford Ka here could help achieve that goal. By building three cars all built on the same platform in the US, costs could be more evenly spread out. This would provide more fuel for the business case to bring the little Ka here since the vehicle could actually be profitable.

There is no word yet on if Ford does indeed plan on bringing the Ka here. If the Ka did come here, it would be one of the smallest vehicles on the road, since its only marginally bigger than the Smart ForTwo.

GM has dropped the SS versions of the Chevy Impala and Cobalt sedan for the 2010 model year.

The news came from GM's 2010 Online Order / Reference Guide for dealers. The death of the Impala SS is not that great of a loss, but the Cobalt SS sedan was a decent competitor with its 260-hp, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine.

At the end of April a Camaro5 forum member Bumleb was driving his brand new 2010 Chevy Camaro SS with only 40 miles on it, when it shut down. The culprit was a battery cable that was run from the trunk. The insulation had worn down from rubbing against the starter, which caused it to short out and shut down the car. GM has issued a voluntary safety recall of the 2010 Camaro SS because of a potential shorting problem with the starter making contact with an exposed battery positive starter cable.

GM has a temporary fix, which involves wrapping the battery positive starter cable with protective insulating tape and rerouting the cable to ensure proper clearance between the starter and the battery positive starter cable. A permanent fix is available after May 11th and that includes doing the same procedure as the temporary fix, but with engine wiring harness tape.

Owners have the option of getting the temporary fix now or they can leave their cars at the dealer until the engine wiring harness tape is received by the dealers on May 11th. Lastly the recall only affects V8 equipped Camaros.

Now that Saturn has one foot in the grave, GM is looking at other ways of selling Opels in the US. The newest rumor claims that Buick is going to receive a version of the small Astra.

If these rumors are in fact true, Buick will be getting a new small car in 2011 as a 2012 model. It's not yet known if the Buick will use the Astra name or get something entirely new. It's also not known if it will be a hatchback, a sedan or both. Saturn was expected to get three and five-door versions of the next Astra.

Does Buick really need a new small car? This rumor brings back memories of the not so great Skylark.

Ford has announced plans to turn its former Michigan truck plant into a more modern small car production facility.

Ford is going to invest $550 million in the Michigan Assembly Plant to transform it into a "lean, green and flexible" plant that will build the next-generation global Ford Focus and a new battery-electric version for the North American market. The new Focus is set to start production next year and the all-electric Focus will debut in 2011.

Formerly the plant was the production site for the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

Demand for the 2010 Chevy Camaro has prompted GM to add a shift for the week of June 29th at the Oshawa, Ontario plant. That week was originally planned as a week off.

The Peterborough Examiner is also reporting that the flex line workers will begin working overtime on Saturdays during June, July and August.

Chrysler has announced new incentives for the month of May to move more of its vehicles off dealer lots by giving buyers what they want...more cash.

Beginning today, Chrysler is now offering $4,000 consumer cash on 2009 vehicles, $1,000 owner loyalty for current Chrysler owners and $1,000 credit union bonus cash for qualified members. So that basically means that some buyers will be able to get up to $6,000 towards the purchase of a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep.

The incentives run through June 1, 2009.

GM has announced in its most recent Viability Plan to pull forward the resolution of Saturn by the end of 2009. So even though Saturn will not be a part of GM by the end of the year, the automaker is going to move forward with the hybrid plans that were initially planned for Saturn.

Saturn currently has two hybrids in its lineup, the Aura and Vue. A Vue plug-in hybrid was planned for 2011, but now that the Vue will be dead soon GM has pledged that the technology will be used in one of its other four core brands. In addition there will not be a delay in the introduction of the plug-in technology.

It's still not known, which brand will get the technology. Maybe the new Chevy Equinox or GMC Terrain, since they are built on the same platform as the Saturn Vue...

Last week Chrysler officially declared Chapter 11 and now more details are surfacing about what the future holds for the automaker. Chrysler’s manufacturing chief Frank Ewasyshyn recently stated in court that the bankruptcy and plant shutdowns are going to delay the introduction of the 2010 models and that some 2011 models may also be delayed.

Once Chrysler starts producing vehicles again, the first models to be produced will be the remainder of the vehicles that are now partially built in Chrysler's plants. Preparations to switch over to the new models will delay the introduction of 2010 models.

The delay is likely to cut into Chrysler's already dismal sales. Let's hope they can get it all ironed out before the introduction of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300.

Now that Chrysler and Fiat have managed to come to an agreement and Chrysler has officially entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, what is next?

Industry analysts predict that by 2011 a Fiat-run Chrysler will look very different in the US. Many of Chrysler's under performing models will likely be nixed and replaced by Fiat sourced models and some will not be replaced.

Chrysler is expected to become more of a niche automaker. It's new lineup will not likely guarantee huge profits, according to some analysts, but the bankruptcy reorganization puts Chrysler in a position to be profitable.

Following the announcement of Chrysler's bankruptcy yesterday, attention is now focusing on what will happen to GM at the end of this month.

GM has a deadline of June 1st to convince 90 percent of its bondholders to swap $27 billion in debt for a 10 percent stake in the company. If the United Auto Workers and bondholders cannot agree to money-saving concessions by the end of the month, GM could also be forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

"When there is a lot of bluffing going on in any negotiation, this shows the government is serious," said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive officer of Edmunds.com

Earlier this week GM announced an updated Viability Plan that announced the death of Pontiac, more plant and dealer closures and more job cuts in an effort to qualify for more government aid.

Currently GM and its bond holders remain far apart on an agreement to swap debt for stake in the company. GM originally offered a 10 percent stake in exchange for $27 billion in debt, but the bond holders quickly counter offered with a deal that would give them a 58 percent stake in the company.

GM's current exchange offer expires on May 26.

Part of yesterday's announcement that Chrysler is going to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings is that Chrysler’s chairman and chief executive, Bob Nardelli will step down once the restructuring process is complete.

When Nardelli leaves Chrysler, he will leave with nothing. Meaning he will not get a hefty severance package.

I’ll pick up my pencil and walk out the door”, Nardelli said on Thursday.

In contrast when Nardelli left his last post at Home Depot he made $32 million in his last year and also received a severance package worth $210 million. Nardelli did not have a contract at Chrysler when he took control of the automaker in August 2007.

Following the completion of the restructuring process, Fiat will control 20 percent of Chrysler, which could rise up to as much as 35 percent as Fiat pays off the government loans that Chrysler received. Nardelli's replacement will be decided upon by Chrysler's new board and with Fiat's approval.

The news that GM has killed Pontiac may make some of you want to rush out and buy a G8 or Solstice in the hope that it may one day become a collectors item, but you may want to rethink that.

According to General Manager Rob Huting of AutoTrader Classic, the current Pontiacs are unlikely to become significant to collectors. GM has already produced 12,000 units of the G8, which has only been on the market for a short time. Although it represents a good performance value, it is unlikely to become as collectible as say a Corvette. The same will likely go for the Solstice or any other car currently in the Pontiac lineup.

President Obama has officially announced that Chrysler will enter into Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and on a more positive note the automaker has finally reached an agreement with Fiat and will enter into a partnership. The Chrysler and Fiat partnership will provide each automaker with access to additional markets. Additionally Fiat powertrains and technology will be produced at Chrysler plants.

"This partnership transforms Chrysler into a vibrant new company with a wealth of strategic advantages," said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler. "It enables us to better serve our customers and dealers with a broader and more competitive line-up of environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient high-quality vehicles. Benefits to the new company include access to exciting products that complement our current portfolio, technology cooperation and stronger global distribution."

The restructuring plan is expected to last 30-60 days. Also part of the announcement is that Chrysler CEO, Nardelli is going to step down once the restructuring process is complete. Nardelli claims that leaving is his choice and that he was not asked to leave.

"Now is an appropriate time to let others take the lead in the transformation of Chrysler with Fiat," said Nardelli. "I will work closely with all of our stakeholders to see that this new company swiftly emerges with a successful closing of the alliance."

Part of the restructuring process states that most manufacturing processes will be temporarily idled starting on May 4, 2009. Production will not restart until the restructuring is complete.

Also part of the plan states that Fiat can not become a majority owner until all the government loans are repaid.

This past weekend a team of Ford drivers sought out to drive 1,000 miles in a 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid on a single tank of gas. Well it looks like they succeeded.

The drivers passed the 1,000 mile marker Monday morning and still managed to have more than a third of a tank of gas left. In total the drivers managed to get 1445.7 miles on a single tank, which averaged 81.5 mpg.

The event also raised more than $8,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

In addition to announcing the death of Pontiac, GM is launching an exchange offer with its bondholders in exchange for equity in the automaker.

GM has announced that it is offering common stock plus accrued interest in cash for $27 billion of outstanding public debt. Bond holders would own 10 percent of GM. If GM does not get enough enough tenders of notes to consummate the exchange offers by June 1, 2009, GM will seek "bankruptcy relief."

If the plan does go through bondholders will own 10 percent of GM, while the U.S. government and VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association) would then own around 89 percent of GM's stock post- debt-for-equity swap. The remaining 1 percent would be owned by GM's current common shareholders.

As was rumored last week, GM has officially announced the death of the Pontiac brand this morning.

General Motors released an updated Viability Plan this morning that focuses on speeding up the reinvention of GM's U.S. operations. GM hopes to become more leaner, more customer focused and a more cost-competitive automaker.

GM is going to continue to focus on its four core brands, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC, which unfortunately for G8 fans means the death of Pontiac. Pontiac is going to be phased out by the end of 2010. In 2010 GM plans on offering a total of 34 nameplates, which is a reduction of 29 percent from 48 nameplates in 2008.

The updated plan also moves up the resolution of Saab, Saturn and Hummer to the end of 2009, at the latest, which is two years earlier than expected for Saturn.

Last week it was rumored that GM could eventually kill Pontiac and GMC to cut costs. Now according to Inside Line, GM could kill Pontiac as early as this coming Monday.

Inside Line called Tom Wilkinson, news relations PR man for General Motors, who said: "There's nothing I can share with you at this time. Keep your eyes on our media site. Officially, nothing has changed with Pontiac's niche-brand status, until you hear differently."

Pontiac was officially labeled as a "niche" brand in GM's first viability plan that was released last December. According to a source GM is going to announce a "faster, deeper" reorganization plan that will likely include a death sentence for the brand that brought us the GTO, Firebird and most recently the G8.

Ford has announced a team of drivers that will attempt to drive more than 1,000 miles in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid on a single tank of gas.

The team will drive more than 1,000 miles for more than 43 continuous hours on a single tank to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The drivers consist of Ford engineers, Wayne Gerdes and the NASCAR star Carl Edwards. The drivers will have to average at least 57 mpg in order to reach their goal. During preliminary testing engineers reached as much as 70 mpg in the Fusion Hybrid.

The 1,000-Mile Challenge starts at around 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and ends the morning of Monday, April 27, in Washington, D.C.

Buick chose the Shanghai Auto Show to unveil the Buick Business Concept MPV.

The Buick Business Concept is meant to showcase Buick's future vision of "business class on the road." The MPV was developed in China by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. Designers started with the design language that was established by the Riviera concept car and applied it to an MPV architecture.

"The Business Concept Vehicle has a grand presence and makes a strong statement when it pulls up to the front of any establishment," said Ed Welburn, GM Vice President of Global Design. "The Chinese market and business person have some unique requirements. Our team has responded with an elegant solution to their business and personal needs."

The Business Concept is powered by a 2.4L four-cylinder with direct-injection mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The concept has also been designed to accommodate the next-generation GM Hybrid system. The new system builds upon the belt-alternator-starter hybrid technology and improves fuel-economy by 20 percent.

Ford has released a new study today that claims that the automaker's initial quality is better than Honda and that it is now in a tie with Toyota.

According to the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) survey conducted quarterly for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Ford is now statistically tied with Toyota at the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality.

The survey measured two things, the number of things gone wrong and customer satisfaction with vehicle quality over the first three months of ownership.

Ford's initial quality has improved five percent over last year.

GM may be close to a June 1st bankruptcy filing if the automaker can't restructure. In an effort to show that the automaker is serious GM may kill Pontiac and GMC in an effort to further cut costs.

Killing Pontiac and GMC would eventually mean that GM would only have three brands: Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. The Saturn, Saab and HUMMER brands are either going to be sold off or closed.

According to some sources GMC has a better chance of surviving than Pontiac.

Currently the two brands are being studied as GM tries to find a way to avoid bankruptcy.

Fiat's CEO, Sergio Marchionne has told the Globe and Mail and mail that the possible partnership with Chrysler will succeed if the automaker cannot cut labor costs.

Marchionne told the newspaper that the partnership only has a 50-50 chance because of the lack of progress in talks with union leaders. He also stated that Canadian unions have been especially resistant.

"Absolutely we are prepared to walk. There is no doubt in my mind," Marchionne said in an interview posted on the Toronto newspaper's website.

In order for the partnership to work, Chrysler's unions need to agree to labor costs that are equal to that of Japanese and German automakers.

The latest version of the proposed partnership between Fiat and Chrysler states that Fiat would take a 20 percent stake in Chrysler in exchange for the technology to make small cars and access to foreign markets. Fiat would also gain access to the US market.

Fiat and Chrysler have until the April 30th deadline to finalize the deal. If a deal is not reached Chrysler will be forced into bankruptcy. If a deal is reached the U.S. government will provide an additional $6 billion in funding.

According to Motor Trend, GM has approved the Cadillac Converj Concept for production. The extended-range electric coupe is based on the same architecture that powers the Chevy Volt.

GM execs want the car on the market by 2011 as a 2012 model. In addition a source claims that GM is also working on a crossover that will use the same technology.

A GM spokesperson claims that the Converj has still not been given the green light, but sources that have talked to Motor Trend have given many details that provide more proof that it is likely to be approved.

Of course all of this could change if GM's finances don't improve.

Late last year when GM announced plans to sell a Pontiac-badged version (G3) of the Korean made Chevy Aveo, many of us asked why. Well apparently car buyers have asked the same question or have at least ignored the thinky revised Chevy Aveo that is now also sitting in Pontiac showrooms as the Pontiac G3.

Last month Pontiac only sold 141 units, which means that roughly only 1 in every 19 of GM's approximately 2,700 Pontiac dealers sold a G3. To make matters worse at the end of March Pontiac dealers had 3,479 G3's in stock, which based on the current selling rate would mean that it would take 617 days to move them...almost two years!

Of course the G3 was just launched in February and sometimes it takes new models a few months to ramp up, but the news doesn't look good.

NHTSA has just announced that GM is recalling 1,497,516 vehicles due to potential engine fires.

The vehicles being recalled are powered by GM's 3.8L V6. In some of these vehicles engine oil may drop from the engine onto the exhaust manifold. If the manifold is hot enough the oil could ignite and a fire could spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel, thereby causing an even bigger fire under the hood.

GM dealers are going to remove the existing spark wire retention channel on effected vehicles and install two new spark plug wire retainers.

Buick has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

The 2010 LaCrosse CX starts at $27,835 and that includes a new 255 hp 3.0L direct-injection V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and standard 17-inch wheels.

The CXL FWD at $30,395 adds heated leather seats, automatic climate control, fog lamps and 18-inch wheels. The CXL AWD starts at $32,570. The top of the line CXS starts at $33,765 and includes a 280 horsepower 3.6L V6, leather heated and cooled seats, and chrome-plated 18-inch wheels.

Chrysler has officially unveiled the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the 2009 New York Auto Show.

The new Grand Cherokee features a more sculpted crossover-like exterior. Although the Grand Cherokee has been a unibody SUV, just like the new crossovers, it has been lumped in with the aging body-on-frame SUVs in terms of popularity. Chrysler is attempting to appeal to the crossover fans with a sleeker, more athletic exterior. The wheelbase has also been stretched 5.3 inches, its 3 inches wider and the overall length has been increased 1.8 inches.

The 2011 Grand Cherokee gets the first application of Chrysler's new flexible fuel 3.6L V6 engine that puts out 280 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. The V6 is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy has also been improved 11 percent over the previous V6 engine. If you need more power the 5.7L HEMI V8 is available with 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque. The 4x2 Grand Cherokee with the HEMI V8 can tow up to 7,400 lbs.

GM officially unveiled the 2010 GMC Terrain over the weekend and now we have a video that goes in-depth to explain the car’s styling and design from some of the designers and engineers that worked on it.

The 2010 GMC Terrain will be officially unveiled at the 2009 New York Auto Show this week.

Although the new 2010 GMC Terrain shares its basic platform with the equally new Chevy Equinox, its obvious that GM finally tried to make them look different...although the Terrain definitely has the more controversial design.

"We wanted to carve the GMC Terrain away from the pack and establish its identity as a powerful, fresh crossover SUV with a confident and strong stance," said John Cafaro Jr., director of exterior design, Global Crossover Vehicles. "Everything about the Terrain communicates a sense of tailored toughness and passionate craftsmanship."

After you move past the bold design, the Terrain is powered by the same 182 hp, 2.4L 4-cyl and 264 hp, 3.0L V6 as the Equinox. GM expects the 4-cylinder Terrain to achieve 30 mpg on the highway.

The 2.4L equipped Terrain also sees GM's first use of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology to counteract noise inside the vehicle. Th Terrain also features a standard MultiFlex rear sliding seat that can be fore or aft nearly eight inches.

A new poll shows that a majority of U.S. voters feel that the U.S. economy can recover even if GM goes out of business.

The Rasmussen Reports’ poll found that 76% of U.S. voters surveyed believe that the U.S. economy could recover even if GM were to go out of business. Fifteen percent weren't sure and nine percent disagreed.

Further 77 percent of investors and 74 percent of investors feel that the economy will bounce back even if GM does not.

Additionally 62 percent of voters oppose the U.S. government giving GM and Chrysler further loans to stay in business. Lastly 59 percent believed that it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely" that GM or Chrysler will go out of business in the next few years.

What do you think?

The poll consisted of 1,000 voters and had a margin of error of three percent.

Last week Tesla unveiled the Model S all-electric family sedan that seats up to seven passengers and travels up to 300 miles per charge. Since its unveiling on March 26th, Tesla has received 520 reservations for the car.

“Frankly the number of cars reserved in the first week has exceeded our optimistic internal projections,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Enthusiasm surrounding the Model S is proof that there’s pent-up demand for more affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles - including those made in America.”

The Model S can be recharged from any 120V, 208V or 240V outlet. The Model S reaches 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph.

The expected base price for the Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. There is a reservation fee of $5,000 that is refundable.

Production is scheduled to begin in late 2011.

GM has asked the U.S. government for an additional $2.6 billion in loans to support the development of new hybrid vehicles.

The loan request would help the development of two spinoffs of the upcoming Chevy Volt. This is the first time that GM has confirmed plans to produce spinoffs of the Volt. In January, GM unveiled the Cadillac Converj concept which was based on the mechanicals of the Volt. GM executives have stated that GM plans on using the Volt system in other models to raise volume and reduce costs.

Chevy has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Chevy Equinox.

The 2010 Chevy Equinox will start at $23,185, which is $1,800 less than the outgoing model. The new Equinox can be powered by either a 2.4L Ecotec 4-cylinder with 182 horsepower and an estimated 30 mpg highway or a 3.0L DOHC V6 engine with 264 horsepower and an estimated 25 mpg highway.

Although the 2010 Equinox has a lower starting price than the 2009 model, it will have more standard features when it goes on sale in June.

Of course March sales were down last month compared to March 2008 with GM down 45 percent. For the most part most of the major automakers posted a better month than February, but the sales were still dismal.

Here's the list of the top ten best-selling vehicles last month. Of course most of the same models are listed:

-Ford F-Series: 32,728
-Toyota Camry: 25,783
-Chevy Silverado: 23,508
-Honda Accord: 22,722
-Toyota Corolla: 22,257
-Honda Civic: 20,645
-Nissan Altima: 19,521
-Dodge Ram: 19,328
-Chevy Malibu: 14,772
-Honda CR-V: 12,959

Ford has released the official specs for the 2010 Shelby GT500.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 now puts out an additional 40 horsepower and 30 lb-ft. of torque from its 5.4L DOHC V8 (540 HP and 510 lb-ft.). In addition the new Shelby GT500 now gets an additional 2 mpg on the highway compared to the old model (14 mpg city, 22 mpg highway). Ford made the top gears taller in order to squeeze out more mpg.

Ford also points out that there were improvements to the twin-disk clutch system on the 6-speed manual transmission. Basically the twin disks are now larger and made of copper and fiberglass.

"If you went with one disk, the torque output of the 2010 Shelby GT500 would require that disk to be very large," said Baldori. "The twin-disk system allows us to get the required surface area in a smaller package. Having two disks also lowers the inertia compared with one large disk, which improves drivability."

All these improvements allow the Shelby GT500 to reach 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds and 0-100 mph in 9.4 seconds.

Just like Hyundai a few months ago and GM will start next month, Ford has also launched a new plan to improve consumer confidence and hopefully spark sales.

The Ford Advantage Plan will cover a buyer's vehicle payments for up to 12 months if there is a job loss (up to $700 a month). In addition Ford is also offering zero percent interest on many of its vehicles. Lastly Ford is also working with dealers throughout the country to assist local charities impacted by the economic downturn.

The Ford Advantage Plan starts today and runs until June 1, 2009.

General Motors has launched a new customer protection package called GM Total Confidence to encourage people to start buying cars again.

The new package is similar to what Hyundai launched a few months ago, although GM's version goes a bit further to help potential buyers. The payment protection plan will pay your car payment up to nine months if you lose your job within the first two years of vehicle ownership ($500 max per month). The residual value of the buyer's vehicle is also protected and one year of OnStar is also included.

The GM Total Confidence plan is available for vehicles purchased between April 1 - April 30, 2009.

In its Viability Summary of GM, the U.S. government stated, "While the Volt holds promise, it will likely be too expensive to be commercially successful in the short-term."

The Volt, " is currently projected to be much more expensive than its gasoline-fueled peers and will likely need substantial reductions in manufacturing cost in order to become commercially viable."

The Chevy Volt is expected to be released by the end of 2010 with a starting price of $40,000, which will likely hurts its volume. In the government's audit of GM's restructuring plan, the government stated that GM spent too much time developing the Volt to go against the Prius. Instead the government stated that GM should have been using the time to focus on building better small cars.

This past weekend the Obama administration asked GM's CEO Rick Wagoner to step down as part of its restructuring plan.

The Treasury Department has banned GM from issuing any severance packages to its executives, but that doesn't mean that Wagoner can't receive millions in retirement benefits. Wagoner has worked for GM for nearly 32 years and according to documents Wagoner could receive a $20.2 million pension package.

According to GM spokeswoman Julie M. Gibson, most of Wagoner's benefits will be paid out as an annuity over the next five years. But if GM is forced to file bankruptcy, Wagoner could get a lot less, since less than $1 million of his pension package is guaranteed.

Chrysler has unveiled the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye, which features a new five-speed automatic mated to the 3.5L V6.

The Dodge Challenger SE Rallye features dual body stripes, chromed fuel door, deck lid spoiler, and 18-inch aluminum wheels.

The new five-speed automatic replaces the archaic four-speed automatic on the V6 equipped Challengers.

The 2009 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye starts at $26,490 (including $725 destination).

President Obama has just finished his press conference regarding the government's decision on the viability plans that were submitted by GM and Chrysler on February 17th after they received $17.4 billion in loans.

“Neither goes far enough to warrant the substantial new investments that these companies are requesting,” Obama said. “They must produce plans that would give the American people confidence in their long-term prospects for success.”

Obama warned the two automakers that they may be forced into a quick bankruptcy. The quick bankruptcy would be quick and could last for as little as 30 days.

"We also cannot continue to excuse poor decisions. And we cannot make the survival of our auto industry dependent on an unending flow of tax dollars. These companies -- and this industry -- must ultimately stand on their own, not as wards of the state."

It's official Rick Wagoner has stepped down from his post as the CEO of GM.

As a request from the government, Wagoner is going to be replaced by Fritz Henderson immediately. The Obama administration requested Wagoner's departure as part of the rescue plan. Wagoner was named president and CEO in 2000, and assumed the role of chairman in 2003.

Fritz Henderson will assume the role immediately. He was previously vice chairman and chief financial officer.

There's more bad news for Cadillac fans in Europe. Yesterday it was reported that GM had stopped plans to introduce a much needed V6 turbodiesel for Cadillac in Europe. Today it looks like GM has decided to pull Cadillac out of half of Europe.

GM has decided to halt Cadillac sales in half of Europe following the collapse of its regional distributor, Kroymans. The issue obviously has to do with the collapse of auto sales.

“We will take it down to less than a dozen markets,” a GM Europe source told Automotive News Europe.

As of right now Cadillacs are sold in 25 European countries.

Tesla has officially unveiled the Model S, which can seat up to five adults and two children and can travel up to 300 miles on a single charge.

The Model S will be the world's first mass produced electric vehicle. It has a range of 300 miles and only takes 45 minutes to recharge. It can also be recharged from any 110V, 220V or 440V outlet. On a 220V outlet it will take 4 hours to recharge. It also costs as little as $4 to fully charge. Replacement batteries are expected to cost less than $5k.

The Model S is powered by a liquid-cooled 9-inch motor, floor-mounted battery pack and a single-speed gearbox. The powertrain accelerates the Model S from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 120 mph.

The exciting news is that it starts at after the $7,500 tax break the Model S starts at $49,900.

General Motors announced today that 7,631 United Auto Workers have accepted early retirement and buyout offers. The buyout will allow GM to cut costs and hire new, less expensive workers.

"This is a significant milestone of progress towards our restructuring plan," said GM Spokesman Tony Sapienza. "There is more work to do, but this will help us become leaner and stronger."

More than half of the workers accepting the buyouts are located in Michigan.

According to GM most of the workers that accepted the offer were eligible for retirement, meaning they had been employed by GM for over 30 years. Those workers were already eligible for a $37,000/ year pension plus the buyout package that included $20,000 in cash and a $25,000 voucher toward a new GM vehicle.

Those workers that accepted the offer must leave the company by April 1st.

Cadillac has been struggling to gain traction in Europe. A much needed diesel engine, which would have made Cadillac more competitive in Europe has now been canceled.

Cadillac was expected to receive a 2.9-liter V6 turbodiesel that was developed with and was to be manufactured by Italian diesel-engine expert VM Motori S.p.A. According to division spokesperson Joann Krell the diesel has been "indefinitely delayed." A source states that the design and development of the engine has been completed.

The cancellation of the V6 diesel now effectively means that Cadillac is going to have a hard time increasing market share in Europe, since 54 percent of all light vehicles sold in Western Europe are diesel powered. Currently the only diesel powered Cadillac is the slow selling front-wheel-drive BLS.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test.

More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans.

In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.

Only 4 of the small SUVs earned the top rating of good: VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot. the VW Tiguan had the strongest roof out of all the SUVs tested. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Mitsubishi Outlander are rated acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia Sportage received a poor rating.

The 2010 Chevy Camaro is finally starting to roll off the production line, but there are rumors that two of the hotly anticipated variants are in jeopardy.

The Detroit Bureau is reporting that the Camaro convertible and Z28 variants are being delayed and may eventually be canceled due to the budget crisis hitting GM and its many suppliers. The main issue with the Camaro convertible has to do with the collapse of the German company that was supposed to supply it. It was originally planned that the convertible would launch about a year after the coupe, but since GM now has to seek a new supplier, the convertible could be delayed even further.

As for the Z28, it may just cost too much to produce according to Gene Stefanyshyn, Camaro’s Vehicle Line Executive. Stefanyshyn estimated that it would cost GM approximately $50 million to bring it to market. The Z28 would have featured well over 500 horsepower and would have been the halo car for the Camaro lineup.

Ford has announced the pricing for the redesigned 2010 Lincoln MKZ.

The 2010 Lincoln MKZ now features more standard features and starts at $34,965. The MKZ now comes standard with Bridge Weir leather seats, genuine wood trim, heated and cooled front seats, the popular SYNC entertainment and connectivity system, a reverse sensing system and driver multi-adjustable power seat.

The MKZ is also available with the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert.

"Customers universally are surprised when they get into a competing vehicle and find out that they have to pay more for luxury features, such as premium leather seats," said Jonathan Richards, Lincoln MKZ Marketing manager. "That's what sets the MKZ apart from the competition. It comes standard with all the features you would expect from a world class entry-level luxury sedan."

The front-wheel-drive MKZ starts at $34,965 and the all-wheel-drive version starts at $36,855.

Chrysler Chief Executive Bob Nardelli is asking for another $1.5 billion from the US government to fund the company's financial arm, which would allow for more loans to individuals that haven't been able to qualify.

Due to the credit crunch it has become increasingly harder for individuals to receive financing, since banks are now requiring better credit scores and higher down payments.

In January the US government gave $1.5 billion to Chrysler Financial, which allowed Chrysler to subsidize zero percent interest loans on new vehicles.

GM is recalling 1,738 2009 HUMMER H3T models to fix an issue with the fuel tank.

The front support strap that holds the fuel tank in place could fracture, which would mean that the tank would only be supported by the rear strap and the stone shield. If left in this condition the rear strap and stone shield could also break causing the fuel tank could fall off the truck.

Dealers have been instructed to install a new-design fuel tank front support strap, free of charge.

Now that Saturn is all but dead in a few years it looks like GM is trying to figure out to bring its impressive Opel Insignia to the US. Originally the next-generation Saturn Aura would have been our version of the Insignia, but instead the sedan could come here as a Buick or Cadillac.

Automotive News is reporting that the Insignia is set to hit US dealerships under the Buick brand as a replacement for the discontinued Regal sedan. But the fact that the Insignia shares the same front-wheel-drive platform as the next-generation LaCrosse, it may not make much sense. Instead GM may bring the Insignia to the US under the Cadillac brand, which could feature both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions.

Ford has announced the pricing for the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan at $19,995 and $21,205, respectively.

The front-wheel-drive Fusion S features a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and starts at $19,995. The top Fusion Sport with its 263 HP 3.5L V6 starts at $25,825 for the FWD models and $27,675 for the AWD model.

The new Fusion Hybrid starts at $27,995 and gets 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

GM is set to unveil two more versions of the Volt at the Geneva Motor Show. In Europe the Volt will be called the Ampera and sold under the Opel and Vauxhall brands.

The Ampera is essentially the same thing as the Chevy Volt although with a bit more style on the front and rear of the car.

The Ampera will enter production in late 2011.

Ford is going to unveil the iosis MAX Concept at the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow.

The iosis MAX Concept previews the design of Ford's next generation global C-car family, which includes the Focus and C-Max. Ford has already announced that the next-generation Focus will be the same model sold in Europe and North America. The C-Max MPV could also eventually make it to the US.

The concept is powered by a 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder that puts out 178 horsepower thanks to turbocharging and direct injection. The engine is mated to a dual-clutch transmission. This engine could eventually makes its way into the next Focus.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has announced that the 2010 Chevy Camaro will be the official pace car of the 93rd Indy 500 on May 24, 2009.

The 2009 race marks the fifth time that a Camaro has been the official pace car. It also marks the 44th time that a GM vehicle has paced the event.

GM has unveiled the Australian versions of the Cruze and Volt as the Holden Cruze and Holden Volt.

The Australian version of the Chevy Cruze features a new grille and badges. Other than that everything else is pretty much the same. The Holden Cruze is powered by a 1.8L 4 cylinder petrol or an optional 2.0L turbo charged diesel.

The Holden Volt is nearly identical to the Chevy Volt besides new badges and the steering wheel being on the opposite side of the car.

Ford's Romeo Engine plant has produced its 10 millionth engine. The plant has been producing V8 engines since it was converted from a tractor plant in 1990. In 1990 it produced a 4.6L two-valve V8.

The 10 millionth engine was a 4.6L 3-valve V8 that will find its way under the hood of a 2010 Mustang GT.

Romeo now produces engines for the Ford F-150, Mustang, Shelby GT500, Explorer, E-Series van, Crown Victoria, and the Mercury Grand Marquis.

Ford has officially announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Ford Mustang.

Pricing for the 2010 Ford Mustang will start at $20,995 for the base Mustang with the 210 horsepower 4.0L V6. The Mustang undercuts its two main competitors with the Camaro starting at $22,995 and the Challenger SE at $22,545.

Moving up to the Mustang GT with its 315 horsepower 4.6L V8 will cost you $27,995, which is also less than the V8 powered versions of the Camaro and Challenger.

The ultimate Mustang, the GT500 starts at $46,325 and features a 540 horsepower 5.4L V8.

A droptop will add an additional $5k.

GM released its Viability Plan yesterday in which the automaker revealed its plans to return the company to profitability. Today GM has announced that it is disbanding its high-performance unit.

This team was responsible for the development of the V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.

"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," spokesman Vince Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."

There are currently no plans for high-performance versions of future vehicles.

The team could be reinstated once GM is back in the black.

Just as Chrysler submitted its Viability Plan to the U.S. Treasury Department, GM also submitted its own plan which detailed the automaker's plans to turn the company around. In Chrysler's plan the new Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee were revealed. GM also revealed a new model in its plan as well, the production version of the Cadillac CTS Coupe.

In addition to the CTS Coupe, GM also detailed plans for a new dual-clutch transmission, a new range of four-cylinder engines, a production version of the Cadillac Converj and a third generation hybrid system that will be released by 2015.

GM has already received $13.4 billion in loans from the U.S. goverment, but in its viability plan, the automaker asked for an additional $16.6 billion.

Part of GM's restructuring plan is to focus on its core brands; Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. GM is going to make a decision by the end of March if it will sell or phase out the HUMMER brand. Saab is currently on the market and Saturn is going to be phased out at the end of the current product cycle.

Chrysler LLC submitted its Viability Plan to U.S. Treasury Department today in which the automaker asked for an additional $2 billion in loans. That's in addition to the $4 billion Chrysler has already received and the additional $3 billion it has yet to receive.

For more details about the Chrysler's Viability Plan check out the press release after the jump.

Deep within the 177 page plan there were two photos of the 2010 Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which Chrysler is hoping will increase its sales. The 2010 Chrysler 300 receives all new styling that is overall very similar to the current generation. There will be a new more fuel efficient V6 engine and the HEMI V8 will still be offered. The 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee also gets all new styling inside and out. In addition the Grand Cherokee will get a 19 percent fuel economy improvement between the 2010-2012 model years.

All the months of speculation can now end...Ford has officially unveiled the 2010 Taurus SHO at the Chicago Auto Show.

The first Taurus SHO debuted in 1989 and after three generations it was killed 10 years later, but now its back and better than ever. The new Taurus SHO builds upon the recently unveiled Taurus, but features much more power thanks to the 365 horsepower EcoBoost V6 under the hood. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and all-wheel-drive is standard.

The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO will be available this summer wit a starting price of $37,995.

GM has officially unveiled the 2010 Chevy Spark that will have its official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The Chevy Spark draws its inspiration from the Chevy Beat Concept. The five-door hatchback features Chevy's two-tier grille mated to a wedge-like profile. The interior features a motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster that is mounted on the steering column.

The Spark is powered by either a 1.0L or a 1.2L 4-cylinder engine.

Sales will start in Europe in early 2010 with other markets following. Sales will start in the U.S. in 2011.

Ford has unveiled the 2010 F-150 Harley-Davidson edition, which marks the 14th Harley-Davidson edition of the F-150.

The exterior of the 2010 F-150 Harley Davidson edition features a bold front fascia and six-bar shaped billet style grille and boasts specialized forged aluminum and Harley-Davidson® chrome badging. The truck is available either in Lava or the same Tuxedo Black. 22-inch wheels are also standard.

The truck is powered by a 5.4L V8 that puts out 320 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque.

Pricing has yet to be announced.

GM has announced that Bob Lutz, GM's Vice Chairman of Global Product Development is going to transition into a new role starting on April 1, 2009 as Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor. Lutz's new role will allow him to provide strategic input into GM's global design until his retirement at the end of 2009.

Thomas Stephens will take over as the Vice Chairman of Global Product Development.

GM has released several photos of the first pre-production 2010 Chevy Camaros rolling down the assembly line in Oshawa, Ontario.

The first 2010 Chevy Camaros will start production on March 16th.

Enjoy the photos

The sales numbers from last month have been released and they are not good. Nearly every major automaker was down in January compared to January 08'.

Chrysler lead the pact with a 55 percent drop last month. GM's sales were off by 49 percent and Ford declined 40 percent.

Japan's major automakers didn't escape the dismal auto sales with Toyota being down 32 percent, Nissan's sales were down 30 and Honda's were off by 28 percent.

The news wasn't bad for everyone though with Subaru posting an 8 percent increase, its second month in the row of sales increases. Hyundai also posted a 14 percent sales increase. Hyundai attributed its sales improvement to its new program which will take a owner's car back if they lose their job in the first 12 months of ownership.

"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns — fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said in a statement.

Last month GM unveiled the Cadillac Converj Concept that combined the Volt's powertrain with a much sexier shell.

Although the Converj Concept is a coupe, GM is reportedly considering a four-door version for production. A four-door Converj would keep its coupe-like roofline, meaning it would be dubbed as a four-door coupe. Four-door vehicles simply sell better than two-doors so it would make for a stronger business case. According to Bob Lutz a production version of the Converj will not differ much from the concept, much in the same way that the production Camaro is very similar to its concept.

Even if the Converj is eventually given the green light, don't expect it to be released before 2013. Also who knows how much it would actually cost. The Volt is expected to start around $40,000, so a Cadillac version would definitely cost much more.

Well it looks like VW's attempt at a badge engineered Chrysler minivan is not going over so well. According to The Windsor Star, Chrysler workers are going to stop building the Volkswagen Routan, which is based on the Chrysler Town & Country.

VW has asked Chrysler Canada to stop producing the Routan due to inventory build up for the month of February. Currently Chrysler has been producing 300 Routans a day with about 29,000 already shipped to dealerships.

VW has only managed to sell a few thousand Routans.

Ford has announced that the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids are now eligible for a $3,400 tax credit.

The $3,400 tax credit is the highest credit amount offered for a hybrid since the end of 2005.

The Fusion and Milan Hybrids have been rated at 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which is better than its closest competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

If you are planning on buying one of Ford's newest hybrids you better do it before March 31, 2009 because after that the tax credit will be cut in half.

It is being reported that contracts for GM's new engine plant in Flint, Michigan have been canceled.

The $370 million plant was supposed to produce the 1.4L engine for the upcoming Chevy Volt and Cruze in turbocharged and naturally-aspirated forms. GM spokesperson Sharon Basel, confirmed the news to the Flint News. Basel also stated that GM remains committed to the area and could possibly build the engines at one of the existing plants in the future.

The plant would have created 300 new jobs for the suffering town of Flint.

For now the engines will be produced by one of GM's European plants that already builds variants of the "Family Zero" engines, which range from 1.0-1.4L in size.

The 2010 Chevy Camaro finally enters production this March, but GM has yet to officially unveil the convertible version. We've seen countless photos of the new Camaro, but here are two more of the convertible testing in Australia.

According to Bob Lutz, GM has reportedly pushed back the release date of the Camaro Convertible until sometime in 2011.

Chrysler and Fiat's newest agreement, which involves Fiat buying a 35 percent stake in Chrysler is going to lead to seven new fiat based cars making their way to the US.

According to unnamed sources four of the vehicles will be sold under the Chrysler brand and three will either be Alfa Romeos or Fiats. The official plan that will be announced on April 30th involves four Fiat platforms, a minicar, a subcompact, a compact and a mid-sized sedan. Chrysler's plants in the US are being tasked with producing the vehicles. Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico plant, which currently builds the soon to be killed PT Cruiser is going to produce the Fiat 500.

According to the Automotive News, under the plan its expected that Chrysler dealers will get two minicars, the Fiat 500 and a Dodge or Chrysler branded vehicle based on the Fiat Panda.

The subcompact segment will see the introduction of the Alfa Romeo MiTo and another Chrysler or Dodge branded vehicle.

A new compact car based Fiat’s C-Evo platform will likely replace the Dodge Caliber.

Lastly a replacement for the under performing Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger will be based on a stretched version of the C-Evo platform.

In case you are wondering what Fiat is going to get out of this deal, besides entry into the North American market, Fiat is going to sell the Dodge Journey and Dakota pickup in South America. In addition Fiat is going to use Chrysler's new Phoenix V6 engine in its own products.

GM was supposed to release the much anticipated Cadillac CTS Coupe this summer, but it looks like the coupe has been delayed a year until the summer of 2010.

The change is plans is most likely due to GM's current economic condition. Cadillac's director of communications cited "changes to the overall portfolio" as the reason for the delay.

Cadillac is still moving forward with the launch of the CTS wagon this spring and the new SRX crossover this summer.

The fate of GM's Saturn brand has been unknown ever since the automaker sought assistance from the federal government. Seeking to become more profitable it made since that GM would figure out a way to do away with its "less profitable" brands like HUMMER and Saturn.

Well now comes word that GM has funded the Saturn brand through 2012. Which is good news for Saturn dealers, since the brand should be around for at least another 3-4 years. But since GM is hard up for money any further Saturn product development has been put on hold until the fate of the brand is certain. According to Saturn's General Manager, the fate of Saturn should be known in the next three to four weeks.

So at this point the brand could still eventually die.

Times are tough..Chrysler has announced the new "Employee Pricing Plus Plus" program on 2008 and 2009 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles.

Customers can now receive up to $6,000 in rebates on remaining 2008 models and up to $3,500 on 2009 models. Zero percent financing for up to 48 months is also being offered. In addition an extra $1,000 bonus cash is also offered to those customers that finance through Chrysler Financial.

The new program starts on Jan 26th.

GM Holden chairman and managing director, Mark Reuss announced Thursday that plans to offer the Cadillac brand in Australia have been indefinitely delayed.

“With the downturn of the Australian automotive market and the broader global financial situation, we have made a common-sense, commercially responsible decision to not introduce a new brand into the exceptionally challenging Australian market at this time. GM Holden was faced with making a significant investment to launch a new, niche brand into a tough market.” Reuss said

The plans are not completely dead because once the economy improves, the plans to launch Cadillac in Australia will be re-considered.

This week Chrysler and Fiat announced a partnership that involves Fiat buying 35 percent of the U.S. automaker, which will give both automakers access to each other product lines and markets. The good news for Chrysler is that the automaker now has access to a whole new line of fuel-efficient small cars. According to Motor Trend the first fruit of the new partnership will be the Fiat 500.

Motor Trend editor Todd Lassa claims that the Fiat 500 is being fast tracked to U.S. showrooms within the next 18 months. The Fiat 500 would be sold in Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep showrooms.

Chrysler has unveiled the Dodge Challenger R/T Classic, which pays homage to the original Challengers.

The Challenger R/T Classic is based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and is powered by the 5.7L V8 mated to either a Tremec six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. A performance tuned exhaust provides even more "throatiness". The dual hood scoops are also functional.

The exterior of the R/T Classic features dual throwback A-line body-side R/T stripes, 'Challenger' fender badging in classic script, large 20-inch polished-chrome heritage wheels with all-season performance tires, classic egg-crate grille with heritage 'R/T' badge, body-color rear spoiler and chromed fuel-filler door.

The Dodge Challenger R/T Classic starts at $34,005 and is available now.

Ford officially unveiled the all-new 2010 Taurus at the Detroit Auto Show this week and now we have a new clue that a "performance" version is next to be unveiled.

Ford launched a brand new Taurus website. On the gallery page there is a small amount of text that says "Coming February 2009...Performance Series." Could this be a more powerful version of the Taurus with the new EcoBoost V6? It remains to be seen, but since the Chicago Auto Show is next month, we expect to see something there.

Chrysler LLC President Tom LaSorda, recently spoke with Bloomberg and announced the death of the PT Cruiser this summer.

It's not much of a surprise since sales of the PT Cruiser were down 49 percent last year for a total of 50,910 units. The PT Cruiser's most successful year was 2001 with 144,717 units sold.

Chrysler is also actively pursuing the sale of the equipment that is used to produce the PT Cruiser in Toluca, Mexico.

The death of the PT Cruiser leaves the Chrysler brand with only three models, the 300C, Sebring and Town & Country minivan.

Ford has announced the pricing for the 2010 Lincoln MKT, which was officially unveiled a few days ago at the Detroit Auto Show.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT starts at $44,995 for the base V6 with front-wheel-drive. Add $5k to the base MKT for the EcoBoost V6 and all-wheel-drive. If you don't want the EcoBoost engine, but all-wheel-drive and the base 3.7L V6 it will cost you $46,990.

If you want even more from your MKT there is the Elite Package for an extra $5k, which includes: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Warning with Brake Support, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™), Cross Traffic Alert, Voice-activated Navigation, Power-opening Panoramic Vista Roof.

A fully optioned MKT with the 355 horsepower EcoBoost engine and all-wheel-drive will cost around $55,000.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT will be in dealer showrooms in late summer 2009.

Ford is eager to launch its new Fiesta subcompact in the US and to get the ball rolling, Ford has announced the "Fiesta Movement."

What is the Fiesta Movement? To launch the Fiesta in the US, Ford is going to be giving away 100 Fiestas to 100 lucky people. Each tech savvy person will have the car for six months and will be able to share their experiences with the car on social networking sites like Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

Tesla has announced the new Tesla Roadster Sport, which is a "high-performance" version of the Tesla Roadster.

The Roadster Sport gets an upgraded suspension, adjustable dampers, anti-roll bars and Yokohama’s Ultra High Performance tires. Additionally the Sport comes with an hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque.

The upgrades help shave off .2 seconds off the car's 0-60 time from 3.9 to 3.7 seconds.

The Tesla Roadster Sport will be available this summer starting at $128,500.

Ford has announced the 2010 Lincoln MKS with the much anticipated 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 officially puts out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Even with those numbers it is estimated to get 16 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. With the EcoBoost engine, the MKS has more power and better fuel economy than the Lexus GS460 and Infiniti M45.

Ford has officially announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Taurus that will be in showrooms by this summer.

The 2010 Taurus starts at $25,995, which is the same price as the 2009 model.

Ford likes to point out that although the new Taurus starts at the same price as the outgoing model, it now has more standard features and new technologies.

The 2010 Taurus comes standard with Ford's 3.5L V6 that can be mated to two different six-speed transmissions.

The Taurus SEL series will begin at $27,995 and the Taurus Limited series will begin at $31,995.

Ford has officially announced that plans for rear wheel drive Ford and Lincoln sedans have been shelved.

Ford design chief J Mays told Automotive News on Sunday, "It's out of the cycle plan."

"We've got other priorities at the moment," Mays said. "We're going down a path right now that is all about fuel efficiency, and we've got a lot to do about that. So we're not talking about rear-wheel drive."

A year ago Ford announced plans to work with Ford's Australian arm to develop a new, large RWD platform that would yield sedans in the US. The first sedans were expected by 2013.

Ford has debuted the 2010 Lincoln MKT, which is Lincoln's version of the Ford Flex.