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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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. "

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

GM originally stated that the production version of the Chevy Beat and Chevy Orlando would not be coming to the US, but things change. With a lack of small cars in the US, it makes sense to bring the two vehicles to the US.

The production version of the Beat, officially now dubbed the Spark and the Orlando will come to the US in 2011. The Chevy Spark is going to have its official debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Sales of the Spark in Europe will begin in the first-quarter of 2010.

The one photo we have of the Spark was apparently leaked. Expect more details soon.

Production of the 2010 Chevy Camaro was supposed to start next month, but now it looks like production has been delayed a month until March 16th.

The one month delay is not due to supplier issues, since the issues with supplier Cadence Innovation have been solved with secondary suppliers.

The Camaro convertible had been put on hold but now it will be released at a later date as a 2011 model.

2008 is finally over and with it ends one of the worst years for the automotive industry in recent history. Most of 2008 was plagued by high fuel prices, which forced buyers to look for more fuel efficient vehicles. Even with this trend the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado pickups managed to remain at the top of the list for 2008.

In addition, even though buyers continued to ask for more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic were the only "small" cars to make the list.

GM has unveiled the all-new 2010 Chevy Equinox, which will have its official public debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month.

The all-new Equinox receives new styling inside and out in addition to new 2.4L and 3.0L direct injected engines. The 2.4L four-cylinder engine puts out 182 horsepower and gets 30 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg in the city. The 3.0L V6 puts out 255 horsepower and gets 25 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city. GM expects the driving range to be more than 500 miles between fill ups with either engine.

In terms of styling the all-new Equinox gets Chevy's new face that is similar to that of the Malibu and larger Traverse crossover with its two-tier grille and prominent gold Bowtie insignia. The Equinox continues to share its Theta platform with the Saturn Vue.

Inside the new Equinox gets features such as Bluetooth, a USB port for your audio devices, DVD-based rear entertainment system and an available power liftgate.

GM hasn't announced if the Equinox will eventually get one the same two-mode hybrid system as the Saturn Vue.

Today Congress is meeting to discuss the details of the $25 billion bailout plan for U.S. automakers. Debates are going back and forth from both sides on how to solve this problem. Some senators are now even saying that the CEO's of the Big 3 should consider stepping down from their positions if that is what it will take for Congress to approve the plan.

During an interview yesterday on NBC’S “Meet the Press”, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin stated I’d be happy to tell (GM CEO) Rick Wagoner that he ought to consider resigning if that is the difference between getting this kind of support and not. If it was the difference between getting this kind of support or not, obviously the management should consider resigning."

GM has put together an informational video of what it predicts will happen if the Big Three automakers all fail next year.

Some highlights:
-If all three fail next year it will result in 3 million U.S. jobs lost in the first year
-Total governement tax loss over three years = $156.4 billion
-The U.S. GDP would drop 4 percent, compare that to the fact that the current economic downturn was caused by a .3 percent drop
-One out of every ten jobs in the U.S. relies on the U.S. auto industry

These past few weeks have been really bad for GM and now comes news that the automaker has canceled all of its press events at the LA Auto Show next week.

It's already been reported that GM canceled plans to unveil the new Buick LaCrosse and the production version of the CTS Coupe at the show. GM spokesman Scott Fosgard told the Detroit News that all of GM's bad financial news and the pending government bailout would have overshadowed the show.

Instead of showing anything new GM is going to bring the Chevy Volt and the Saab 9-4X Air Concept that was unveiled in Paris.

Very sad...

Last week GM reported that it lost $2.5 billion in the third quarter of 2008, while spending $6.9 billion. Today General Motors stock has plunged more than 31 percent to their lowest level in more than 55 years after two analysts downgraded GM's stock claiming that it will be worth very little of nothing if GM does receive a government bailout.

Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache reduced GM to sell and put a price target of $0 a share.

"Without government assistance, we believe that GM's collapse would be inevitable, and that it would precipitate systemic risk that would be difficult to overcome for automakers, suppliers, retailers, and sectors of the U.S. economy," Lache wrote. "As part of GM's restructuring, we are also convinced that a large number of stakeholders who are senior to GM's equity will have to settle for pennies on the dollar."

GM has taken the wraps off of four Camaro concepts that will be unveiled tomorrow at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

This year's Official Vehicle of SEMA will be shown in four distinct concepts: Camaro LS7 Concept, which features the GM Performance Parts LS7 Crate engine with 550HP; Camaro Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concept, which was produced with input from the Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Camaro GS Racecar Concept, which is powered by a production LS3 V8 mated to a Tremec 6060 six-speed; and the Camaro Black Concept, which features a blacked out exterior and interior.

The U.S. isn't getting the Chevy Cruze until 2011, but GM has recently introduced the car in South Korea as the Daewoo Lacetti.

The launch of the Lacetti in South Korea is the first market that one of GM's most important new cars has been launched in.

GM's LS9 6.2L supercharged V8 makes the 2009 Corvette ZR1 the fastest production GM car ever. GM Performance Parts has announced that the 638 horsepower engine will be available as a complete crate engine package.

The LS9 crate engine is ideal for enthusiasts that want to add even more power to their vintage Corvettes and project cars. The crate engine comes with the ignition system, supercharger assembly, exhaust manifolds, etc. Those that are interested in the crate engine will need to also get an external oil tank, external coolant tank (for the charge cooler) and an ECU/wire harness.

GM has officially unveiled the Chevy GPiX Crossover Coupe Concept at the Sao Paulo International Auto Show.

The 2-door crossover concept was developed by GM in Brazil. GM claims that its 2-door body with high ground clearance makes it ideal for the roads in emerging markets around the world.

"It offers the sporty design and versatility necessary for a country with the continental dimensions of Brazil," said Carlos Barba, General Director of Design for GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East.

The GPix Concept features Chevy's traditional grille highlighted with LED headlights. Inside the concept seats four and all seats are able to fold forward for increased versatility.

The name GPiX is a pseudonym for Global Image. "G" for global and "Pix" meaning "picture" or "image".

Chevy has already taken 6,000 orders and counting for the 2010 Camaro that is set to be released early next spring.

It's only expected that Chevy would already have that many orders considering how long consumers have been waiting for it to be released. What is interesting is that most of the orders are for the V8 SS Camaros. 84 percent of the orders are for the SS Camaros, while the lesser powered V6 Camaros have received significantly less orders. The base Camaro LS has only received 2 percent of all the orders. Of course most of the initial orders are from enthusiasts that definitely wouldn't settle for the lesser powered model. It's not known how long it will take GM to fill the orders once production starts since GM may end up producing more V6 Camaros and V8 powered models.

It was already reported that GM had postponed the replacements for the Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade SUVs, but now according to Bob Lutz there will not be replacement at all.

Lutz told the New York Times, “It would have been very difficult in today’s environment to spend a couple of billion dollars to do a replacement.”

The next-generation Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade were set to arrive in 2011 as 2012 models. It is not known if the current models will continue past 2011.

GM announced plans earlier this month to kill the Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x due to slow sales. GM also announced plans to close its plant in Janesville, Wisconsin that currently produces the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban.

GM is definitely going through some hard times with the declining US market and still managing to blow through $1 billion bucks a month.

GM is trying to cut costs across the board, which may lead to a delay in the introduction date of the new Chevy Cruze and the next-generation Chevy Malibu. Last week it was announced that the upcoming Cadillac CTS Coupe and next-gen Buick LaCrosse are being delayed. Now BusinessWeek is reporting that the Chevy Cruze is going to be delayed a year until 2011 (2012 model) and the next-generation Chevy Malibu is going to be delayed 6 months until 2013.

The delays are expected to help GM save some money, but is it smart to delay the introduction of the Cruze? GM needs more quality small cars in its lineup and 2011 is not soon enough.

GM has announced the pricing for the 2010 Chevy Camaro that will be in dealerships next spring.

The 2010 Camaro LS starts at $22,995 and the V8-powered Camaro SS starts at $30,995.

The 2010 Camaro will come in three versions, the V6-powered LS and LT models and the V8-powered SS. The V6 Camaros feature a 300 horsepower 3.6L engine. The V8 SS is powered by a 6.2L V8 when it is mated to the six-speed manual it puts out 422 horsepower. The automatic equipped SS puts out 400 horsepower.

GM has announced that it's going to close its Janesville, Wisconsin SUV plant by the end of the year due to poor SUV sales.

The plant currently produces the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban. GM originally planned on closing down the plant sometime in 2010, but the scary automotive market has sped up the process. The plant employs 1,200 workers and will close right before Christmas on December 23rd.

Earlier this month GM also announced plans to close another SUV plant in Moraine, Ohio that currently produces the Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7X.

Yesterday DigitalCorvettes started a rumor that GM had stopped production of the Corvette ZR1 and that the car had been killed. Well today those rumors have been put to rest by Terry Rhadigan ), Chevrolet’s manager for global communications.

Rhadigan recently told Autoblog that the rumors were "Not True." GM still has orders for the ZR1 and production is going to start up again next week.

GM has officially unveiled the Chevy Orlando Concept at the Paris Motor Show.

The Orlando Concept hints at a new production MPV for the Chevy brand. The 7-passenger Orlando Concept is based on a modified Delta II platform, the same platform that the Cruze is built on.

GM is going to officially debut the new Chevy Cruze at the Paris Motor Show tomorrow, but GM has released official photos a little early.

We've already seen photos of the Chevy Cruze compact that will hit our shores in 2010, but this is the first time that we are seeing official photos of the interior of the car. The overall interior design is aligned with GM's new design theme and draws cues from the Malibu. It looks far better than the current Cobalt interior!

The Cruze is going to launch in Europe first next spring, but we will not see it until the spring of 2010 as a 2011 model.

GM recently introduced the all-new Chevy Traverse crossover that is based on the same architecture as the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia. GM is hoping that the Traverse will have what it takes to grab the number one sales spot in the large crossover segment.

Currently Toyota and Honda own the segment with the Highlander and Pilot. Last year Toyota sold 127,878 Highlanders and Honda sold 117,146 Pilots. Chevy boss, Ed Peper claims that the Traverse can beat both of them.

When the 2011 Chevy Volt was unveiled last week it was understood that the small 1.4L engine would not recharge the battery for the electric motor, well now it looks like it may.

John Lauckner, GM's VP for Global Program Management claims that the engine in the Volt will indeed send whatever surplus energy it has to the lithium-ion battery. It was originally understood that once the Volt reached 40 miles the battery would become a"paper weight" until the battery could be recharged using a 120 or 240-volt outlet. Although the engine does have the ability to recharge the battery, the engine will never come close to fully charging the battery.

GM has announced plans to invest $370 million in a new manufacturing plant that will build global 4-cylinder engines.

The plant is going to produce the new 1.4L engine for the Chevy Volt and Chevy Cruze small car. Construction of the new plant is expected to start immediately and be completed in 2010. The new plant will create 300 hourly jobs.

Here's a video of two of GM's beloved cars hitting the track together.

GM is going to unveil the Chevy Orlando Concept at the Paris Motor Show next month. The automaker released two sketches of the concept earlier this month and now we have a third shot of the rear of the car.

As the world waits for GM's newest small sedan the Chevy Cruze, now comes word that the pricing for the car could be higher than its main competitors.

GM officially unveiled the 2011 Chevy Volt today during its 100-year celebration. Here are a bunch of videos for your enjoyment.

After weeks of photo leaks, GM has finally unveiled the 2011 Chevy Volt during the automaker's 100-year celebration today.

GM is going to halt production of the Chevy Corvette for a week starting Oct. 6th due to the economy and the ongoing automotive recession.

Here's a video of the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 speeding down the Autobahn. In this video the uber-fast Corvette reaches 315 kph (195.73 mph). Apparently it could have gone even faster if it hadn't run out of road.

Yes, yes...I've heard your gripes about all the Camaro news..but get over it. Some people still want to hear about this car. :P

GM is going to unveil the Chevy Orlando at the Paris Motor Show next month.

Almost 300,000 Chevy HHR's are being recalled to fix a storage bin latch issue.

The first official photos of the 2011 Chevy Volt aren't expected until next week to celebrate GM's 100th anniversary, but thanks to The Car Connection we have some shots of the car now.

Last week we saw our first glimpses of the production version of the Chevy Volt on the set of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. GM has released a few teaser photos, but the grainy pics from last week were much better...Now to coincide with GM's 100th anniversary, GM is going to officially unveil their most highly anticipated new model.

We've seen so many photos of the new Chevy Camaro, but very few of the SS variant. Last week a batch of un-official photos surfaced on the internet, but now GM has released the first official photo of the Chevy Camaro SS.

GM launched the "Employee Pricing for Everyone" campaign last month to move the remaining 08' models and a few 09' models off dealer lots...well GM has extended the program until the end of September.

Earlier today a photo of the interior of the production Chevy Volt hybrid surfaced and now we have some shots of the car on the set of Transformers 2. What's exciting is that these our are first look at the production version of the car.

GM has slowly been releasing more teaser images of one its most highly anticipated new models, the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid.

GM has yet to officially release any photos of the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, so for now we've had to just deal with the photos of the lesser powered Camaros..until now.

GM has officially released three photos of the upcoming 2011 Chevy Cruze small sedan that is going to be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October .

GM has officially unveiled the V6 powered 2010 Chevy Camaro, but has yet to unveil the V8 Camaro SS...although thanks to Fergie and Conde Nast, we have the first photo of the car.

Ok...so its been what about a week or two since we've had any new Camaro news. Well it looks like one dealer has already received the salesperson reference guide for the 2010 Camaro and of course here it is on the internet.

GM has announced the return of employee pricing for its 2008 models and the 2009 Pontiac Vibe.

GM has released more photos the production version of the upcoming Chevy Volt.

Earlier this year GM quietly released the XFE version of the Chevy Cobalt. XFE stands for "Xtra Fuel Economy" and means that vehicles labeled with this tag feature more fuel-saving technologies to save even more gas. GM has announced today that the Cobalt XFE is going to be joined by XFE versions of the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

Chevy is going to replace the current Cobalt with the Cruze in late-2010 and the new vehicle can't come soon enough to help save GM.

The very first 2009 Corvette ZR1 went for $1 million at the recent Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released the results of its first ever side crash testing of five small pickup trucks.

GM finally took the wraps off the 2010 Chevy Camaro on Monday and the news is still coming in on the new car.

Well the wait is finally over GM has officially taken the wraps off the production 2010 Chevy Camaro.

Well its still a few days until the official unveiling of the 2010 Chevy Camaro, but a few photos of the coupe have already leaked.

This month has been a very difficult month for GM with its declining sales and plans to reduce costs by $15 billion by the end of 2009.

GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner announced today the many new steps that GM is going to take to cut costs by $15 billion by the end of 2009.

Chevy is just about to unveil the production version of the long-awaited Chevy Camaro and more details are starting to surface about the car.

GM released a video of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 on the famed Nurburgring yesterday. The video shows the ZR1 completing a lap around the track in 7:24:6, which officially beats the time of 7:29 that was set by the Nissan GT-R.

GM has released the video of the 2009 Chevy Corvette hitting the famed Nurburgring on June 27th.

By now most of us are tired of seeing photos of the many Camaro prototypes on the road. According to 5thgen.org the production version of the Camaro is going to be unveiled to Chevrolet dealers on July 22nd.

It's widely known that GM is currently conducting a review of the HUMMER brand which will most likely result in the brand being sold or eventually killed. GM is claiming that no other brands are currently under review.

GM's upcoming Chevy Volt is one of the most anticipated new cars especially with these insane gas prices. Well when GM originally unveiled the Volt the automaker boasted that the hybrid would have a 600 mile range...well things have changed.

Automakers have been hit hard this year due to declining sales and those that relied heavily on SUV and truck sales are even worse off, specifically the Big 3. GM has seen its sales drop off drastically since no one wants its many pickups and large SUVs.

2008 is half way over and its been a very difficult six months for most automakers. GM which saw its sales decline 16.3 percent so far this year may be thinking about cutting even more jobs and possibly selling off some of its brands.

GM has unveiled the special-edition Corvette S-Limited for the Japanese market to celebrate GM's 100th anniversary.

GM has released the 2009 Corvette ZR1's official lap time on the Nurburgring.

Chevrolet has announced the pricing for the all-new 2009 Traverse crossover.

Chevy officials have stated that the 2009 Chevy Traverse crossover is going to have more power and better fuel efficiency than the 2008 Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia.

Thanks to the Camaro5 forums we now have or first look at what looks like to be a production-spec 2010 Camaro SS in silver.

GM is postponing redesigning its large SUVs and full-size pickups as the market shifts towards more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Chevrolet has announced the final pricing for the uber fast 2009 Corvette ZR1.

Yes, we know all the Corvette news lately has been about the uber fast ZR1, but for 2009 the Z06 version gets a few updates.

There have been so many photos of the upcoming Chevy Camaro..that its getting a little crazy, but due to the positive feedback of the first pre=production photos, GM has released two new ones of the Camaro Convertible.

Chevrolet has announced the pricing for the 2009 Aveo and redesigned Aveo5.

Camaro5 forums (the site that is all about the new Camaro) has just put up photos of the V6 Chevy Camaro. Rather than just a few pics of the exterior of the car, these photos give us our first glimpse of the actual V6 engine under the hood.

Corvette ZR1 chief engineer Tadge Juechter recently sat down to answer many of the current questions about the upcoming Chevy Corvette ZR1.

GM has released details on its new 4.5L V8 Duramax turbo-diesel engine that will debut in the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks.

Yesterday Nissan announced that the Nissan GT-R completed a lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:29. That announcement may be put to rest sooner than later if GM engineers manage to pull it off. They are hard at work on the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1. Last week GM released official stats, 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque. GM also released a video of the car reaching 205 mph on the track.

The slowing economy and insane gas prices in the US have made it increasingly harder for automakers to sell their large SUVs and trucks.

GM officially unveiled the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, but at that time the automaker had yet finalize the certification of the 6.2L LS9 V8.

Gas prices are over $4 a gallon in some places in the country, so everyone is finally demanding more fuel efficient models. Couple that with the Bush administration announcement a few days ago about the new fuel economy standards. Now automakers are trying to figure out creative ways to squeeze out even better fuel efficient models. Chevy is hoping to capture some of these fuel-economy minded consumers with an updated Cobalt.

Chevy launched the all-new Malibu last fall and it has recieved a lot of attention especially from the automotive press. I even drove all three versions right before it was released. One of the main sore spots was the 4-cylinder that was mated to a four-speed automatic (how archaic for a 2008 model). GM promised that eventually the 4-cylinder would be mated to the six-speed automatic transmission and here it is...

GM unveiled the Corvette ZR1 at the Detroit Auto Show this year and the car just recently hit the Nurburgring in Germany to get some track times. Engineers behind the wheel claimed that the ZR1 was able to achieve lap times in the low 7:40s.

GM just held a press event for the upcoming Chevy Volt, where those lucky enough to get invited were able to see an actual pre-production Volt dressed up in Malibu sheetmetal and a scale model of what the Volt will look like.

Chevy has released one official photo of the upcoming Chevy Cobalt SS Sedan.

According to the person that posted these photos on the Camaro5 forums, these two photos are of the production base Chevy Camaro.

In addition to the many spy photos and now leaked production photos of the Camaro Convertible, the Camaro5 forums now have the first photos of a full scale Camaro that features many of the accessories that will be available on the car.

The guys over at Camaro5 seem to have new photos of the Camaro every few days. Well the latest batch even includes a very short video of the new Camaro in Arizona.

By now I'm sure most of us are tired of seeing the countless spy photos of the 2010 Chevy Camaro, but anyways here are some more.

GM has announced the pricing for the Cobalt SS coupe.

According to GM's Bob Lutz there is a possibility that GM could put GM's 2.0L turbocharged DI 4-cylinder engine in the new Camaro.

Another forum member at Camaro 5 has caught more photos of the 2010 Chevy Camaro, this time its in white.

We've seen several spy photos of the 2010 Chevy Camaro in white, but now we have our first shots of the car in black.

Chevy has released more photos of its all-new Cobalt SS Coupe.

Chevy has unveiled the Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06, alimited edition model that pays homage to the Stingray models of the 1960's.

The upcoming re-introduction of the Chevy Camaro has had some people speculating that a Pontiac Trans Am version could be in the future. Pontiac has also been lobbying for a version of the Camaro, but GM has rejected it.

GM has officially unveiled the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse crossover, which is the fourth Lambda-platform crossover from GM.

The new fuel-economy rules are forcing automakers to rethink their current and future vehicle lineups.

GM has released a second image of a Camaro prototype undergoing testing.

According to GM's Fastlane Blog, Bob Lutz has ordered that all pre-production Camaros have all of their camouflage removed.

GM officially unveiled the much anticipated Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 today. After much speculation it looks like GM finally decided on the ZR-1 name (instead of Blue Devil or SS).

Hennessey has announced its performance kit for the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10.

GM announced today that it is going to increase the prices on most of its 2008 models to make up for the rising cost of steel and other commodities.

The concept version of the upcoming Chevy Camaro was revealed almost two years ago at the Detroit Auto Show in 2006. Since then we have yet to see very many actual photos of the production model...until now.

It's been almost a year since GM first unveiled the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show. Last month Bob Lutz revealed that the production version of the Volt would be different than the concept version although it would still borrow some of the same design cues. Well today GM released the first official teaser image of the production Volt.

According to the latest rumors the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro is going to start being produced on February 16, 2009. You can expect the car to start trickling into showrooms about a month or so after that.

Car and Driver's January 2008 issue is just starting to hit mailboxes and in it is their 10 best list for 2008.

Final details on the upcoming Corvette ZR1 weren't expected until January at the Detroit Auto Show, but Jalopnik has already received official photos of the LS9 V8 that will power the 2009 ZR1.

According to sources at the LA Auto Show the upcoming Chevy Volt will not look like the concept.

GM's new 2-mode hybrid system has already been revealed in the Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Tahoe SUVs and now it is making its way into the Silverado pickup.

According to recent reports, Chevrolet is working on a new compact seven-seater crossover.

Chevrolet's all-new 2008 Malibu is just now hitting your local Chevy dealers. GM has high hopes for the Malibu, as the new sedan is one of their most important new releases for the 2008 model year.

This past weekend GM invited me out to Memphis to test the all-new Malibu against the Camry, Accord, and Altima.

Although there is a new 600 horsepower Corvette ZR1 right around the corner, Jay Leno decided it couldn't come soon enough.

There has been some speculation the last few days that Chevrolet is going to release a new more powerful Cobalt SS. Now those rumors have been confirmed and the new Cobalt SS Turbo has 55 more horsepower than the old Cobalt SS.

The SEMA Show is still a week away, but GM has given us a preview of what to expect at this year's show.

There has been speculation for quite a while about a new 600-700 horsepower "Blue Devil" Corvette. Well yesterday the car hit the track at the Laguna Seca Raceway for a few quick laps (take a look at the video).

One of the most important new vehicles this year for GM is the all-new Chevrolet Malibu.

On October 16th the Transformers DVD will finally hit stores. It is being reported that GM is taking part in this release by holding a sweepstakes where three lucky buyers will win a 2009 Chevrolet Camaro.

According to a new analyst report by Goldman Sachs the "Big 3" all had sales declines last month.

Thanks to the guys over at Edmunds we have a video of the upcoming 2009 Chevrolet Traverse.

GM has been talking about their upcoming full-size SUV hybrids for a while now and there has been lots of speculation about how great they will be.

Earlier this summer it was rumored that the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado are going to get a new V8 option for the 2008 model year. Well after some digging the rumor has been confirmed.

Chevrolet unveiled the 5-door Chevy Aveo today for the European market. It's basically the same Aveo 5-door that we get in the US, but with a new front end that is very similar to the new Malibu sedan, although it is so not cute.

Chevrolet as announced the pricing for its all-new 2008 Malibu sedan. The base LS will start at $19,995 and the hybrid variant is going to start at $22,790.

The next-generation Chevrolet Malibu is very important to GM. The automaker has already announced that when the all-new sedan hits showrooms, Chevy dealers will have Accords and Camrys on hand to show consumers how it compares (or is better). GM is also planning a $100 million campaign to help launch the new sedan.

Spy photos of the SS version of the Chevrolet HHR have been posted several times all over the net. Chevy has finally officially unveiled the high-performance version of the tall wagon. 260 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds.

Or Maybe not... According to BusinessWeek Volkswagen takes the award for having the most recalled 2007 models. VW recalled just over 1 million New Beetles because of faulty brake light switches.

Brenda Priddy & Co. have taken some new shots of the upcoming Lamda-based Chevy CUV. GM currently has three CUVs based on this platform, the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook. It is up in the air if Chevrolet is going to stick with the Traverse name when the CUV debuts in 2009.

Chevrolet has unveiled the newly restyled Aveo 5-door for the European market, the successor to the Kalos. The sedan version already received a restyle for the 2007 model year, although for some reason Chevy did not update the 5-door. Well now the automaker has updated it and all I can say is....what's up with that wannabe Audi grille?

Reuters has posted a list of the 20 top-selling vehicles in the U.S. through July of 2007. There aren't really any big surprises here.

Last month will go down in the record books as the first month that Detroit's Big 3 (Ford, GM and Chrysler) sold less vehicles than their foreign competitors. Sales from Ford, GM and Chrysler only made up 48.1 percent of all vehicles sales in the U.S. last month, while foreign competitors made up 51.9 percent.

Forbes has put together a list of the top 20 most dangerous vehicles on the road. The Buick Rendevous SUV/ Minivan topped their list as possibly the worst car to buy right now in terms of safety. Compared to other minivans the Rendevous is up to three times more likely to cause a fatality.

Toyota for the first time ever outsold GM worldwide in the first quarter of this year. So far this year Toyota is still outselling GM, but only by 46,000 units. In addition GM even outsold Toyota last quarter (April-June). Could GM win back its title of number 1 automaker this year?

GM has unveiled the hybrid version of its upcoming 2008 Chevy Malibu sedan. The sedan will look exactly like the non-hybrid version and will be powered by a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Have you ever wondered if a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette powertrain could fit into a 1996 Honda Civic? Well LS1Tech.com member Civette may have done it. What else would you do if you had a Corvette and a Civic in your garage? Chop them up and make the ultimate Civic!

Saab is going to end production of the Saab 9-7x next year because of slow sales after only being on the market for three years. The 9-7x is built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Trailblazer and is built in Moraine, Ohio. The Trailblazer is also going to be discontinued. Both SUVs will be replaced by crossovers.

GM is going to build a new range of diesel in engines in 2009. The new 4.5L V8 will have class leading torque, power and refinement. According to GM, the new Duramax turbo-diesel will boost efficiency by 25 percent, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 13 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent.

Inside sources are confirming that the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup is going to have a V8 option. The V8 will be the same small block 5.3L V8 that is in the 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha. The engine is good for 295 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque.

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of their 2007 Initial Quality Survey. Porsche held the top spot with only 91 problems per 100 vehicles for the second time in a row. But it was Ford that made the biggest headlines.

According to the latest issue of Motor Trend, the next generation 2009 Cadillac CTS-v will get the same engine in the upcoming Z07 Chevrolet Corvette (also known as the Blue Devil). The ZO7 is expected to put out about 700 horsepower and the Cadillac will get a detuned version of the same engine with about 600 horsepower.

The Detroit Free Press has posted the list of the top-20 best selling vehicles in the US last month. The list looks pretty similar to last month, with only a few vehicles moving up or down the list. The overall trend seems to be that consumers are moving further away from trucks and SUVs.

Forbes has gathered what they believe to be the safest new cars on the market. They searched through Consumer Reports, Department of Transportation, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) to compile the list of the top 20 safest cars of 2007.

It seems like everyday an automaker announces plans for a new crossover vehicle. Well now we can add Chevrolet to the list. Due to slipping Trailblazer sales, Chevy is hard at work on a crossover replacement for its aging SUV. The new vehicle, will be built on the same platform as the new Saturn Outlook (shown above), GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave crossovers.

Apparently Bob Lutz (Vice Chairman of GM) admires what Porsche has done with their lineup. They have managed to make the jump from sports cars to SUVs and now they have the upcoming 2009 Porsche Panamera sedan. Lutz has spoken candidly about the fact that Chevy could do something similar with the Corvette (Which means he isn't opposed to it).

According to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, the federal government may need to bail out U.S. automakers in order to keep them in business. The bail out could amount to several billion dollars.

According to a report by the Automotive News, GM is going to try to convince buyers that its new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is better than the Toyota Camry by having the Camry in their showrooms.

Honda has announced that it will put its new fuel-cell vehicle into production next year. The automaker is also working on another hybrid vehicle that will be cheaper and smaller than the current Civic Hybrid.

In the past month GM has announced that their sales were down due to the slowing housing market and increasing gas prices. The automaker also stated that the sales of their new full-size pickups are not doing as well as they had hoped. Now comes word that the automaker is offering incentives to move the large trucks, since sales dropped 7% last month.

According to The Car Connection, GM is rethinking the future of their mid-size SUVs. The site has received insider reports that it is very possible that the automaker may decide to discontinue future development on their GMT-360 SUVs such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

Since the concept version of the Chevrolet Volt was unveiled earlier this year, GM has been working hard on the production model. The project which is going to cost the automaker at least $500 million is as top of a priority as the new 2008 Chevy Malibu.

Edmunds.com has posted a list of the most wanted cars in 2007 based on reader feedback. Out of the 32 categories you may be surprised which automaker took home the most awards....

The Car Connection has posted several images of the new 2009 Ford F-150 during testing outside of Detroit. Spy photographers managed to capture photos of the different configurations of the popular truck.

Although Bob Lutz, Vice-Chaiman of GM, recently reported that GM RWD vehicles were being put on hold, it looks as though the Corvette SS managed to slip through. The Car Connection has posted spy photos of the new 2009 Corvette SS "Blue Devil". This uber Corvette will go against the Porsche Carerra GT and Ferrari.

April's auto sales numbers have just been posted and almost every major automaker had a sales decrease last month. Even the Asian automakers that have been making headlines for their sales gains, took a hit.

Automakers have just released their April 2007 U.S. sales figures. Here is the list of the top 10 best selling vehicles last month (in order by number of sales). The bottom of the list may surprise you.

According to recent reports by Edmunds and the Detroit News, the new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks are not selling as well as the automaker projected. The automaker was hoping that the all-new trucks would speed their recovery, but that may not be the case.

Chrysler has announced that there will be a hybrid version of the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango on the market in 2008. The SUVs will feature a Two-Mode hybrid system that was developed with GM and BMW, coupled with a 5.7L V8 HEMI engine with cylinder deactivation.

GM has released a pic of GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz and Fritz Henderson standing in front of a production clay model of the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro. As you can tell the clay model that is being chiseled in the picture is very close to the concept version of the new Camaro. It is almost identical.

GM has officially unveiled the new 2008 Chevrolet Corvette C6, following an info leak earlier this week. The big news for the 08' year is that the car has received a new engine, a 6.2L V8 LS3 engine that puts out 36 more horsepower than the previous LS2 version.

Now that GM is the Number Two automaker in the world, many analysts are discussing what the automaker needs to do in order to get back on top. Alex Taylor at Fortune wrote an article on what he suggests the automaker do to gain back their title.

Spy photographers have caught the new 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS during testing. Chevy has been very quiet on the details of this car. The car features bigger wheels, a bigger grille and the 2.0L 260 horsepower engine from the Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Red Line. The car seen here has very little camouflage and under the black tape you can actually make out the "SS" badge.

According to a report by the Automotive News, between September 2006 and February 2007, 48.5% of Chrysler brand sales were to fleets. That is an increase of 10% from the same period a year ago. 44.9% of Pontiac sales go to fleets, which is slightly lower than the 46.2% from the year earlier.

Kelly Blue Book has compiled their list of the top 10 coolest cars under $18,000. Today as the average car price is well into the $20,000's it is good to know that there are cheaper alternatives that are still cool to own.

Following the announcements made by President Bush to raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, Vice Chairman of GM, Bob Lutz has announced that the company is going to have to put their RWD cars on hold.

Toyota's sales increased 9% last month compared to March 2006. This was largely driven by sales of the new Camry, the RAV4 and the Prius.

GM has set 2010 as their goal for the release of a production version of the Chevrolet Volt electric concept car. The concept car has a range of 640 miles on a single tank of gas. The main difference between this car and the Toyota Prius or Honda Civic hybrids is that the gas motor in the Volt does not directly drive the wheels. Instead, the gas motor simply powers the electric motors. GM's main goal is to make the car run for 40 miles on pure electric power. This means that most commuters can go a whole day without using a single gallon of gas. The car also has plug in capabilities, so the batteries can be charged at night. A running prototype of the car is expected by the end of this year.

The editors over at Autoblog have discovered that Chevy is quietly ending production of the Chevy Monte Carlo. May 4th is the last day that you can order the car and production will end on June 20th at the Oshawa plant in Canada. Apparently Chevy has high hopes for the new 2008 Chevy Malibu, which is going to take up the extra capacity left by the Monte Carlo. Sales in Jan 07' were down 64.2%.