Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Autoblog tipster Mark has sent in these images of what appears to be some sort of Chevrolet Camaro body restyling kit that turns the Bowtie musclecar a latter-day Pontiac Firebird tribute. As posted on GMInsideNews forums, there is speculation that the mule could actually be a Camaro Z28, what with its big hood bulge and all, but the styling doesn't seem right to us, nor does the prototype's camouflage pattern. We suspect it's more likely an aftermarket affair, something along the lines of the Kevin Morgan Designs 'Phoenix' project, the ASC redux, or the Lingenfelter 455 T/A concept.

The prototype was spotted in suburban Detroit area when its car cover partially blew off while parked, giving Mark the opportunity to capture his quarry. Unfortunately, the cover apparently never came all the way off, so we're left wondering what's been done to the back end. Judging by what we can see of the cover's outline, it doesn't appear to have been left alone, so our curiosity remains piqued. Thanks for the photos, Mark!



[Source: GMInsideNews]

Reader Spy: Are you a new tuner Pontiac Firebird homage, the Chevy Camaro Z28, or something else? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Concept Cars, Spy Photos, Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Aveo RS concept received a fairly warm reception at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The question now is how closely will the production version adhere to what we saw in decidedly unsunny D? Here are some fresh spy shots of the production Aveo to help us answer that.

The quick and dirty answer is that the production Aveo will stick close to the basic proportions of the RS concept, and the sharply tapered nose combined with miniscule front and rear overhangs appear intact as well.

Camouflage obscures much of the car's exterior, but our spy photographers did manage to get a clear view of the interior, which appears to be remarkably faithful to the concept. Chevy designers kept the trick dual analog/digital gauges perched atop the steering column, and the center stack retains the same flared out shape. The big difference we're seeing are the radio controls, which in this prototype appear to be from the GM parts bin. The concept featured a better integrated set of buttons that fit well within the console's layout. The production version? Not so much.

Stay tuned as we're likely to see the production version make its official debut for the end of this year's auto show season.



[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2011 Chevrolet Aveo caught post-Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Hybrid, Crossover, Chevrolet

Like its kissing cousin from another mother, the Chevrolet HHR is not long for this world. And development of its replacement is underway in the form of the 2011 Chevrolet Orlando.

Originally unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2008 and later spied in production guise this past August, the Orlando is likely to debut sometime in 2010 and go on sale later this year. Seven seats are supposedly part of the package and there's also talk of a range-extending Voltec drivetrain pulled from the Chevrolet Volt.

It would appear that some of the Orlando's edgy and angular styling seems to have been lost in the translation from concept to production, particularly in front where the taut headlamps and chiseled fascia makes way for a decidedly more Malibu-like appearance. Thankfully, the blistered fenders front and rear appear to be part of the package, and hopeful Chevy can retain some of the concept's blocky rump when the Orlando hits U.S. and European shores later this year packing a few fuel-efficient fours.

Spy Shots: 2011 Chevrolet Orlando shows its face originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, Cadillac

A previously unseen prototype has been spotted wearing surprisingly light camouflage. Given the visible details at the back of the car, this appears to quite clearly be a Cadillac of some sort, as the vertical taillamps and the horizontal spoiler/high-mounted stop lamp are dead giveaways. The confusion lies with the rest of the car. While Burlapp Cars is speculating that this may be a prototype of the upcoming ATS that will slot in below the CTS, we have our doubts. The styling buck we saw at GM's design center last summer was a notchback two-door, and we would expect a four-door sedan to follow a similar layout.

A more likely scenario is that this is a prototype of a four-door Converj. The Chevrolet Volt-based Converj appeared at last year's Detroit Auto Show as a two-door coupe with a similar profile to this car. The car in the photos appears to offer similar proportions to the Volt.

It's certainly possible that Cadillac has shifted design directions for the ATS to go with this fastback look. It's also possible that Cadillac is developing a five-door hatch based on the ATS for the European market to go up against the Audi A5 Sportback and the Gran Turismo version of the next generation BMW 3 series that was recently spotted testing. Thanks to Ed for the tip!

[Source: Burlapp Cars]

Spy Shots: Mystery small Cadillac spotted - ATS or Converj? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Buick

Yesterday, we showed you the first official rendering of Buick's forthcoming small car, a shrunken LaCrosse lookalike that is expected to be based on the European market Opel Astra. The image was flashed on the screen during General Motors' presentation of the new 2011 Buick Regal at this week's LA Auto Show, and judging by these latest spy shots from our friends at CarPix, it would appear that the rendering gives us a very good look at the upcoming sedan.

As we saw in an earlier batch of shots, the Delta-II platform-based model (known as the Excelle in China) will retain Buick's signature waterfall grille, yet unlike the Regal, it will have a set of horizontally-mounted ventiports to add a bit of the marque's characteristic flash. In the past, the number of ventiport holes indicated the number of cylinders of the engine lurking beneath the sheetmetal, but in this case, we don't expect for the as-yet-unnamed U.S. sedan to carry more than four cylinders.

With the Regal and this forthcoming small sedan, GM is clearly making a big push to lower the average buyer age of its Buick division by injecting a bit of sport and perhaps a greater measure of affordability. Is this the right strategy for the brand, or is The General at risk of revisiting the same brand perception (and brand overlap) issues it had in the Eighties with smaller cars like the Somerset and Century? Be sure to check out our high-res gallery below and then hop into Comments to let us know what you think.



[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Baby Buick sedan caught in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, China, Buick, Chevrolet

Soon Buick will have an entire lineup of competitive vehicles with the Enclave, all-new LaCrosse and soon-to-arrive-from-Europe Regal. Since the latter model is basically a direct port of the Opel Insignia, its success may help General Motors decide whether or not to snag a fourth model from another overseas market. The likely candidate is this car, the next-gen Buick Excelle that is currently sold only in China.

Recently snapped by spy photographers while undergoing testing with very little camouflage, the next-gen Excelle will adopt GM's Delta II small car platform that also underpins the new Chevy Cruze and Opel Astra. It's more closely related to later, however, as previous generations have been not much more than rebadged Astras. Just because Buick could sell the Excelle in the U.S., however, doesn't mean it should. Would the market really accept a Buick this small, especially when the Cruze is on sale across the street? Time will tell but you can let GM know what you think now in the comments.



[Photos: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Next-gen Buick Excelle for China snapped originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

Back in August, in the wake of General Motors emergence from its pre-packaged bankruptcy, the automaker gave select members of the media a preview of several upcoming products. Among those was the next Chevrolet Aveo, which will take up the B-segment mantle to battle the new Ford Fiesta, Mazda2, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris. Unlike the current Aveo, which is built in South Korea by Daewoo, the new model will be built at the Orion, MI assembly plant north of Detroit.

While there had been speculation that the ungainly-looking Chevy Viva from Brazil would be the Aveo replacement, that is an entirely different car - although it will likely share some mechanical bits with the Aveo.

At the August preview, GM design manager Bob Boniface confirmed to us that the Aveo moniker would be retained because, in spite of the baggage the current model carries, it does have recognition and launching a new nameplate has been deemed too expensive a proposition. Of course, that was three months ago and the Aveo is still a year or so away from launch, so things could change. Whatever it's called, early spy shots from Brenda Priddy and Co. suggest that it's shaping up to be a better-looking car than the current model, with a wider stance that looks less tippy.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Spy Shots: First look at the 2011 Chevy Aveo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Cadillac

It hasn't been a secret for a long time that Cadillac is prepping a high performance V edition of its upcoming CTS coupe. It's also no secret that we're big fans of the CTS-V in the virtual Autoblog office. And yet Cadillac continues to tease us by putting camo on the nose and fanny of its two-door CTS-V prototypes. Why must they mock us?

The nose of the V coupe is pretty clearly visible in these images and is essentially much the same as we've already seen on the sedan down to its mesh grille.

Out back, it appears the coupe will carry the center mount exhaust pipes from the concept coupe of January 2008. However, the V gets big round pipes in place of the shield shaped unit on the concept. Mechanically we don't expect any significant changes from the sedan and frankly, that's just ducky with us.

[Source: LLN]

Spy shots: Cadillac CTS-V coupe spotted again, so close... yet so far originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Buick

One of the two new sedans that Buick has promised to introduce in the next 12-18 months is a compact based on the new Opel Astra. We had a chance to see the new car a few weeks ago at the GM design studios in Warren, Michigan, but no photography was allowed.

That same car has now been spotted in the wild in China where it seems likely to be very popular. It won't look anything like the current almost unsellable Astra available from Saturn and will likely only be sold in North America as a four-door sedan. So far, the Astra itself has only been shown as a five-door hatch although that may change when it is publicly displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

At this time, there is no word on what powertrains will go into the North American Buick, but four cylinder engines displacing between 1.6 and 2.0 liters are likely. The 1.4-liter turbo that will go into the Cruze is also a possibility. GM has said that a C-segment car like this could be built at its Lake Orion, MI assembly plant alongside the new Aveo, though it could also be built in Detroit with the Volt or in Lordstown, Ohio with the Cruze.

[Source: China Car Times]

Buick's new compact sedan spotted in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spy Photos, Buick

One of the two new sedans that Buick has promised to introduce in the next 12-18 months is a compact based on the new Opel Astra. We had a chance to see the new car a few weeks ago at the GM design studios in Warren, Michigan, but no photography was allowed.

That same car has now been spotted in the wild in China where it seems likely to be very popular. It won't look anything like the current almost unsellable Astra available from Saturn and will likely only be sold in North America as a four-door sedan. So far, the Astra itself has only been shown as a five-door hatch although that may change when it is publicly displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

At this time, there is no word on what powertrains will go into the North American Buick, but four cylinder engines displacing between 1.6 and 2.0 liters are likely. The 1.4-liter turbo that will go into the Cruze is also a possibility. GM has said that a C-segment car like this could be built at its Lake Orion, MI assembly plant alongside the new Aveo, though it could also be built in Detroit with the Volt or in Lordstown, Ohio with the Cruze.

[Source: China Car Times]

Buick's new compact sedan spotted in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments