(GM Press Release) Designed for enthusiasts who are passionate about performance, the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan – arriving at dealerships in early 2008 – is the first North American application of GM’s new global rear-wheel-drive architecture. The V8-powered G8 GT SEMA Edition was displayed at the ’07 SEMA Show with a host of tuner-inspired custom touches, including a hot orange paint scheme with matching leather seat inserts, door panels and instrument panel pad.

Under the hood is the production 6.0L V-8, rated at 361 horsepower (268 kW) and 385 lb.-ft. of torque (520 Nm). A six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control backs the powerful small-block engine and complements a four-wheel independent suspension outfitted with unique 20-inch wheels and performance tires. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chevrolet Malibu is a legendary nameplate in my mind. I cut my teeth on dad’s bland, beige 1982 Chevy Malibu Classic station wagon. Not exactly cool, but as a 16-year-old from a small town, it was my ticket to freedom and happiness. Like a boat, it was big and bulky with a soft, supple ride. Reliable and tough, it could withstand weekend outings jam-packed with friends, shopping sprees to Buffalo and Toronto, and the occasional ding and scratch. Read the rest of this entry »

GM’s has -electric driving is possible at speeds under 30 miles per hour, courtesy of GM’s new Two-Mode hybrid drive system. Additionally, the 6.0 litre V8 engine employs some fuel-saving technologies of its own- including Late Intake Valve Closing (LIVC) and Active Fuel Management to de-activate cylinders when appropriate. There’s even a specially tuned exhaust system that takes the hybrid powerplant’s unique characteristics into consideration. Read the rest of this entry »

It was the large “Powered by Ethanol” stickers on the flanks of my Impala tester that spurred me on, sending me on a mission to find the corn- based alternative fuel source and fulfill the carmaker’s bold claims. Domestic automakers like General Motors have been quick to provide “FlexFuel” vehicles, which can operate on E85, a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline - quicker off the mark, in fact, than the imports. GM alone claims to have put more than 2 million FlexFuel vehicles on the road so far. The thinking is, the more ethanol your vehicle can run on, the less fossil fuel it will require, ultimately reducing dependence (at least in the U.S.) on imported oil. Part of the U.S. enthusiasm for E85 doubtless lies in the fact that ethanol, which is a form of grain alcohol, is produced primarily from corn - a popular crop in North America, with all of its social and political implications. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chevrolet stand at this year’s Toronto Auto Show just got a lot more powerful. The automaker just displayed a new Corvette model to the public, and it’s one that aims to be the fastest production ‘Vette yet.

In case a 500 horsepower Z06 doesn’t excite you sufficiently, GM’s engineers have created the ultimate factory Corvette that will go on sale as a 2009 model. The new ZR1 designated Corvette uses suspension, braking and chassis enhancements to make it the best handling production Vette ever- while the massive V8 under the hood makes it the most powerful too.

ZR1 packs 6.2 litre smallblock V8 that’s supercharged to cram in as much air and fuel as possible. The purpose of this forced breathing is to deliver performance that will leave other cars in the price range gasping for breath. Horsepower is estimated at 620.

“When you experience the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the terms performance and refinement take on a new meaning,” said Tom Stephens, group vice president for GM Powertrain and Quality. “The LS9 demonstrates an outstanding performance range, with smooth driveability at low speeds, and surprisingly fierce performance when the customer wants more power.”

Production starts in July, and will be limited to 1,000 units a year.

The Windsor Star’s Chris Vander Doelen says that with a quiet confidence it hasn’t shown in years, General Motors has just launched its biggest product bet of 2008: the Chevrolet Traverse. With big people movers out of favour due to rising fuel costs, the Chevrolet Traverse crossover has the amenities of an SUV with none of the fuel costs.

Introduced at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped crossover that gives customers people-hauling and cargo-carrying capability typically found in larger SUVs.

Byline: John LeBlanc
Publication: Wheels Section - The Toronto Star
Date: Saturday, December 8, 2007
Make no mistake. The world’s first full-size gasoline-electric hybrid sport utility vehicle was designed first and foremost for Americans who can’t kick their large SUV habit.
I say Americans because for every full-size SUV sold in Canada, many more are sold down here south of the 49th parallel.

With the tripling of gas prices, U.S. subprime interest rate crisis, and growing environmental awareness notwithstanding, getting some Yanks out of their large SUVs is like asking them to hand over their firearms, or (worse yet) stop watching the NFL on Sunday afternoons.

For those souls addicted to such vehicles, Chevrolet has the first step to recovery that doesn’t ask you to change your big SUV lifestyle: its new 2008 Tahoe Hybrid.

Read the rest of this entry »

Original Publisher: The Gazette

For a number of years, when friends and family members who were not into cars asked my advice on what was a good, safe, reliable family sedan that wasn’t too expensive, I would mentally go through my list of what was new, what I’d driven recently and what I knew was coming up, before invariably concluding with: “Of course, you can’t go wrong with either the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.”

For more than two decades, those two cars’ near-bulletproof reputations have earned them the right to be standard-bearers for the mid-size sedan segment. Over the past couple of years, and certainly since its redesign in 2006, I have added the Chevrolet Impala to my list of fallback stalwarts.

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The Toronto Star Published:

Toronto – The contenders in this category are the Chevrolet Malibu LT, Dodge Avenger R/T, Honda Accord EX, Kia Rondo, Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid and Subaru Impreza Wagon.

This proved to be a very tough category as each car has a lot going for it.

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After watching arch rival Toyota get all the glory during the past seven years for its push into gasoline-electric hybrids, General Motors Corp. now seems intent on catching up. The world’s largest automaker now has more hybrids in its lineups or on the way than Toyota does, with the latest two having been introduced at auto shows earlier this month.

These newest ones are the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 full-size pickup, unveiled in Los Angeles, and the Cadillac Escalade full-size sport utility vehicle, shown first in Miami, then in Los Angeles.

Equipped with GM’s new two-mode hybrid system, which is similar to the setup used by Toyota, these two new hybrids go on sale next year. The Escalade will arrive in the summer, and the Silverado in late fall.

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