Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Green, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drive

With the 2009 editions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrids just now beginning to appear on dealer lots around the country, we decided it would be a good idea to strap ourselves behind the wheel of the fuel-saving duo to see what fuel efficiency improvements we could manage in some typical city driving scenarios. Plus, there's all kinds of techno-wizardry at play as soon as the driver's right loafer touches the go-pedal, so we were keenly interested to see if The General was able to harness the power of three distinct power sources (one gas engine, two electric motors) while keeping everything smooth and controlled as one would expect from a $40,000 pickup truck.

Interested? Click here for the whole story on AutoblogGreen.

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Jeremy Korzeniewski / Weblogs, Inc.

First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors, Chicago - When the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle debuts next year, advanced, fuel-efficient tires by Goodyear and a new sound system by Bose will be among the components helping the Volt to achieve up to 40 miles of electric-only range.

GM announced today that the production version of the Chevrolet Volt will include energy-saving Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires and the Energy Efficient Series sound system by Bose.  Internal tests show the low rolling resistance Goodyear tires will allow for approximately one mile more of electric-only range under certain driving conditions on a fully charged battery when compared to other tires of a similar performance level. Read the rest of this entry »

General Motors, Oshawa - The recent release of Natural Resources Canada’s EnerGuide Fuel Consumption Ratings confirms that General Motors of Canada offers more cars and crossovers that achieve 7L/100 km or better on the highway than any other automaker.

“GM is a leader in the Canadian marketplace with a broad range of fuel-efficient vehicles for customers,” said Marc Comeau, vice president, sales, service and marketing for GM Canada.  “GM uses advanced technologies to reduce fuel consumption across our entire vehicle line-up.  We offer more hybrid models than any other automaker and are pushing forward with the revolutionary Chevrolet Volt and hydrogen fuel cells.”

GM vehicles that achieve 7L/100 km or better on the highway include:

Chevrolet: Aveo and Aveo 5, Cobalt, Cobalt SS Turbo, Cobalt XFE, HHR and HHR Panel, HHR SS Turbo and HHR Panel SS Turbo, Malibu, Malibu Hybrid, Impala

Pontiac: G3 Wave and G3 Wave 5, G5, G5 XFE, G6, Solstice GXP, Vibe and Vibe GT

Saturn: Astra, Aura, Aura Hybrid, Sky Turbo, Vue Hybrid

Saab: 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 Sportcombi

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Green, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

General Motors isn't saying how it plans to do it, but according to our friends at PickupTrucks.com, it is saying that consumers are "...going to see substantial improvements in towing capability in our next hybrids." Right now, the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid can pull 6,100 pounds with their electrically-assisted, multi-displacement 6.0-liter V8 engines. The improvement will be "up to 50% more," meaning a tow rating of 9,000 pounds could be coming this way.

If GM can wring a full 50% improvement out of the drivetrain, that would put the hybrids just 1,600 pounds short of the max towing capacity of the standard gasoline V8 crew cab half-ton with the enhanced tow package. The transmission torque capacity and the necessary cooling systems are the apparently the chief limitations to be overcome, and GM says if the current package can evolve enough, then "one of the things you might consider is E-Flex." And how neat would a Volt pickup be?

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

REPORT: GM says next-gen hybrid pickups could have 50% better towing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors, Oshawa, Ont - Already offering the industry’s freshest new vehicle line-up, Saturn is upping the ante yet again for 2009 with the planned addition of a third hybrid model and by offering its line-up of fuel efficient cars and crossovers at a price point designed to impress, all backed by Saturn’s leading customer service and retail experience.

Consistent with its legacy of offering a leading customer experience, Saturn was recently ranked in first place among auto manufacturers in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study, which measured customer satisfaction with the overall service experience.

An important element of this has been Saturn’s no-hassle approach, and for 2009, Saturn is building on that by bringing added pricing clarity, reflecting financing incentives directly in cash purchase prices.  The result will be Saturn’s most compelling prices ever. Read the rest of this entry »

Sunday Sun ~ February 8, 2009

Glen Woodcock ~ Victoria B.C.

For critics of General Motors, the 2009 Traverse could be the poster vehicle to illustrate one of the automaker’s chief woes: namely too many products competing for the same customer.

The Traverse seems to be a holdover from GM’s long standing strategy that each of its marques must offer something for everyone.  Because its main rivals pursued the same goal, this led to overproduction and a glut in the North American marketplace. Read the rest of this entry »

Yahoo! Finance, Chicago - Cars from General Motors Corp. will once again play a dominant role in the sequel to the 2007 action movie “Transformers”.

The Detroit automaker announced at the Chicago Auto Show Wednesday that its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car will appear in the movie, as will the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car, its Beat and Trax subcompact concept cars and a Stingray concept that looks like the next generation Chevrolet Corvette.

The sequel, due out in the spring, is called “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”.  Both movies are about humans caught in an intergalactic war between armies of giant robots that can change into cars, planes and other technological creations. Read the rest of this entry »

Whitby This Week by Melissa Mancini:  Keep your eyes peeled, the 2010 model is on the road.

It’s a guy magnet.  The new Chevrolet Camaro is out on the road being tested by General Motors employees to see how it fits, feels and performs.  GM spokeswoman Suzanne Harrison is one of the evaluators of the redesigned classic and she said she can’t go anywhere without getting a lot of attention.  Especially from the opposite sex.

“Whenever I stop at a gas station or grocery store there are always at least two or three people huddled around the car looking at it,” she said. Read the rest of this entry »

Durham Wheels by Jim Robinson ~ Carguide Magazine Metroland Newspapers

GM is supposed to be going away from the minivan, but is it really?

New to the Chevrolet lineup is the 2009 Traverse CUV . While Traverse shares much with the Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook, Chevrolet’s version looks more like a 4X4 SUV when it is, in fact, a minivan.

And that’s the clever part of the Traverse. It has all the seven- or eight-seat passenger utility of a minivan, while having that rugged SUV look that remains in vogue these days.

There are four models (LS, 1LT, 2LT, LTZ) separated primarily by trim. All four share one engine, GM’s ubiquitous 3.6 litre V6 with variable valve timing. In the LZ/1LT/2LT it produces 281hp and 266 lb/ft. the topline LTZ gets a slight boost in powerto 288hp. Read the rest of this entry »

Auto123.com - Unveiled at the last Chicago Auto Show, the latest Hummer dubbed the H3T, is a pickup version of the popular H3.  Following the H3T Concept, the production model is an almost perfect blend of the concept and the standard version.  The main difference is that the H3T proves decidedly practical thanks to a 5-foot box, big enough to easily load plywood panels or 4×8s once the tailgate is open. It boasts the capacities of a mid-size pickup.

The production model is an almost perfect blend of the H3T concept and the standard version.

The H3T defines a new niche in the declining extended-cab pickup segment. The superior off-road capabilities remain intact. Long suspension travel and 33-inch tires mounted on the brand’s typical 16-inch wheels perpetuate the Hummer’s indestructible image. Read the rest of this entry »