Oh Hi: 2012 Chevrolet Colorado Concept

Ford has recently confimed that the current generation Ranger would be the last it would produce for North America. Apparently we no longer have a market for compact pick up trucks like, say, the rest of the world does because apparently we think we need the biggest truck possible to get groceries and tow a boat 2 days of the year. Yeah, don’t get me started.

Anyway, GM has had the Colorado compact pick-up on the market for a while now which, to be honest, is a bit underwhelming in terms of, well, everything. But that doens’t mean that GM isn’t prepared to invest in a next generation version which they just introduced today in concept form.

All we know for now is that the concept dons a 2.8 litre turbo diesel under the hood which should be good for both towing an efficiency.

Now, this concept is actually developed specifically for the market in Thailand. There’s no word yet if this verison will be the one that us Canadians get or even if we will see a Colorado. That said, this would leave the compact pick-up truck segment completely open to GM so they would have a clear advantage in bringing the next generation Colorado here.

Even if this isn’t the verison we will get, GM is rumoured to keep the Colorado alive in some form or another for North America, so don’t worry pick-up truck fans.

[Autoblog]

GM Says the Cruze is Better Than…

…a previous generation Hyundai Elantra.

Which is kind of like PC saying that Windows 7 is better than Mac OS 7.6. Of course it’s better!

I don’t know why GM wasted their time and money on this ad or why no one bothered to point out to them that they are comparing apples to oranges. Not only are they comparing their new product to an old product but they’re comparing the Cruze 1LT to the base Elantra.

I’m sure GM will argue that the comparison is still valid since there are probably remaining 2010 Elantras still for sale, but I’m fairly certain that there are also 2010 Chevy Cobalts still for sale. Comparing the Cobalt to the 2010 Elantra and the Cruze to the 2011 Elantra would be more fair.

So why didn’t GM do that? Because they know they would lose in both comparisons. Ha!

While I’m sure the Cruze is a fine step up from the Cobalt, I must say the 2011 Elantra looks way more impressive.

On another note, this is the first time GM has actually targeted Hyundai in their history. Usually they go after Honda and Toyota. That says something about the product now coming out from Hyundai. You have every reason to be scared, GM. The Koreans are coming!

[Youtube]

Oh Hi: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Chevrolet has officially revealed its replacement for the aging Aveo at the Detroit Auto Show this year. Despite the ridiculous name, Chevrolet has come up with a decent looking vehicle.

A turbocharged engine is now a new option. It generates 138 horsepower from a 1.4 litre four. That’s about 18 more horsepower than a Ford Fiesta. The standard 1.8 litre is also available. A five speed manual is standard and there is also an optional six speed automatic available.

The more interesting part is that GM has actually reqorked the suspension. They gave the task to the people responsible for the Corvette’s suspension and they came up with McPherson struts up front and torsion beams in the back.

The new Sonic is also roomier than the Fiesta in both sedan and hatchback forms. It seems the General had the Fiesta in its sights from the get-go.

Click here to see more pics of the sedan and here to see pics of the hatch. Overall the design is much improved from the current generation.

[General Motors]

Bucking the Trend: Canadians Prefer Mustang to Camaro

For the first time in 25 years, the Chevrolet Camaro will outsell the Ford Mustang in the States this year. Ford has even conceded that its stallion will end up in the number 2 spot. In a bit of an odd trend, however, us Canadians apparently prefer the Mustang to the Camaro.

According to the New York Times, the Mustang’s sales is currently sitting at 4,935 units compared to the Camaro’s 3,974 sales.

This is especially odd since the Camaro is home grown, it’s built in Oshawa while the Mustang is built in Michigan.

Ford says it’s because the Mustang is “an icon” and many Canadians consider it to be their “dream car” (I must be in the minority if that’s the case). But really, the Camaro is fairly iconic as well.

GM says it’s because there is a lack of incentives on the Camaro and the convertible model is very limited at the moment.

Whatever the reason, it’s good to hear that Canadians aren’t so wrapped up in buying a product simply because it was made in our own backyard. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for supporting our workers and stimulating our economy, but the fact of the matter is, a car is the second biggest purchase someone will ever make. The decision on what to buy better go to the best car, and not simply because of where it was made.

I’m not suggesting that the Mustang is the better vehicle, however. I’m just saying that I’m glad Canadians are buying with their hearts and not what political figures tell them to do with their hard earned cash.

In any event, congrats to the Mustang. I think a test of both these vehicles are in order, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll get on it. I promise.

[New York Times photo credit: Autoblog]

GM CEO Calls Toyota Prius ‘Geek-Mobile’, Wouldn’t Be ‘Caught Dead In One’

David Akinson, CEO of GM, is apparently following in the footsteps of his predecesor Bob Lutz by making controversial off the cuff remarks.

His latest came at a public appearance at the Economic Club of Washington where commented on this thoughts of the Toyota Prius. Here’s what he said:

“We commonly refer to the geek-mobile as the Prius. And I wouldn’t be caught dead in one”.

Shots fired.

I would never own a Toyota Prius either but I’m not ignorant enough to say things like that about it. You can’t deny that the Prius is a phenomenal technicalogical breakthrough in fuel efficiency. You can’t deny that it’s currently the most fuel efficient car available in the world. Maybe you should wait to see how well the Chevy Volt does before opening your mouth.

But maybe Akinson is just being truthful. In which case, I’ll offer him another thruth:

I wouldn’t be caught dead in 95% of GM products.

[Autoblog Green]

Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year Is…

The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD.

After declaring the Chevy Volt as their Car of the year, and ruffling some feathers in the process, this winner isn’t quite as controversial. After all, if there’s one thing that American car companies do well, it’s pick up trucks. The imports just can’t compete in this segment.

Most of the big three’s heavy duty pick ups have been significantly re-worked for 2011, but with the Silverado HD, you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. GM decided to put more time and money into improving the engine among other things. The Duramax turbodiesel, reworked suspension, a better shifting six speed transmission and a fully boxed frame made the Silverado HD a clear winner over the Ford F-series Super Duty, Ram super duty and even the Silverado’s cousin, the Sierra HD.

Congrats to Chevrolet and GM for sweeping Motor Trend’s Car and Truck awards this year!

[Motor Trend]

FAIL: GM Re-names Aveo to…Sonic

Oh GM. Why do you make it so easy for me to make fun of you?

GM has just announced that its next generation Aveo will now be called the “Sonic”. And guess what? It’s just called the Sonic for us North Americans. It’ll still be called the Aveo worldwide.Yup, because North Americans are the only ones stupid enough to think Sonic is a cool name for a car. Not that Aveo was ever a cool name, but it was certainly better than Sonic.

Chris Perry, U.S VP of Marketing had the unfortunate job of explaining why:

“The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name. The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.”

Yes, that’s right GM. Why not name your new subcompact after a video game character that isn’t even around anymore and that only 12 year old boys know about. Good, good.

I know they probably weren’t referring to Sonic the Hedgehog when they came up with this name, but that’s what most people think of. I think it’s time for some sort of Alphanumeric system at GM. They’re clearly running out of names.

If you wanna check out with the “Sonic” is gonna look like, hit the jump for a pic.

[General Motors]

Read the rest of this entry »

Ward’s 2011 Engines of the Year Announced

This year’s engine of the year award winners are full of repeat winners and a few surprises.

The first big surprise is the Nissan LEAF winning this award. Mostly because it doesn’t even have an engine, it’s has an electric motor only. What was Ward’s reasoning? Apparently since the LEAF feels like a regular car (i.e four doors, five seats, an accelerator and brake) it deserves this award. That’s like saying since Stephen Harper has arms, legs and a face he should win a beauty contest.

Another big surprise is the engine/electric motor set up in the Chevy Volt. With the electric motor primarily propelling the car, it’s a wonder why it’s on the list. Ward’s sites reasons similar to the LEAF for its choice.

But despite those odd choices, the one that shocked me the most was Chrysler’s 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 making the list. This has been a traditionally awful engine. Just terrible. However since Fiat has taken the reigns, it appears they have put some work into this engine making it much better. It can be found in the 2011 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200.

Volvo also picked up an award for the 3.0 litre inline six that it uses in the redesigned S60. Ward’s says this engine almost rivals BMW’s 3.0 I-6 as it is buttery smooth, has great mid-range pick up and has virtually no turbo lag. Quite the statement, I’ll have to try it out to see if it stacks up.

Speaking of BMW, they unsurpsingly won once again for their N55 3.0 litre twin scrolled turbo engine for the 5th year in a row. I can wholeheartedly agree with this decision after experiencing the 135i (read my test drive in the post below).

BMW also won a second award for the 1.6 litre turbocharged inline 4 that it uses in the Mini Cooper S. With more power, more efficiency and little turbo lag, it helps make the Cooper S quite the little performance machine.

Volkswagen picked up two awards as well. One for the supercharged V6 found in the Audi S4 and one for new Clean Diesel 2.0 litre TDI found in the Golf, Jetta and Audi A3. The former delivers all encompassing performance while the latter does exceptionally well at combining efficiency with performance.

Rounding up the list is the Ford and Hyundai. After reintroducing the 5.0 litre V8 found in the Mustang they were actually able to make a car that could keep up with the BMW M3. Enough said.

Hyundai on the other hand won for its 5.0 V8 as well found in the base Genesis sedan and the upcoming Equus flagship sedan. It won for keeping power plentiful while being even more efficient than the previous engine.

Congrats to all the winners!

[Ward's]

Bumblebee Gets Into Accident With Police Car!

Bumblebee nooooooooooooo!!

Alright, I’m gonna admit, I have no idea who Bumblebee is. I haven’t seen any of the transformers movies, despite the fact I used to be into transformers as a kid (the toys) and despite the fact that Megan Fox is a major character. But I can deduce from common sense that Bumblebee is a transformer, yes? He appears to be a Chevy Camaro in his car form.

Anyway, apparently producers are in the process of shooting for the third installment of the transformers series and things have not been going so well. The video above shows Bumblebee (or the Camaro that plays him) getting into an accident with an on duty police car that was apparently on its way to a call. It’s not clear if they were actually shooting at the time of the collision, however I would assume if they were, they would have blocked off the street before hand. Unless emergency vehicles are granted special access through movie sets in the interest of saving time or something. I’m not quite sure how these things work.

What is clear, however, is that the crew of the movie seemed to be a bit more concerned about the car than the driver, which is kinda messed up. They wasted no time putting a tarp over Bumblebee so that no sneaky photogs could catch a pic of him in his crumpled state. It turned out the driver was fine though. The police officer sustained minor injuries. Judging from the video, it would seem as though Bumblebee was at fault for not yielding to an emergency vehicle.

This is just the latest bad news for the new Transformers 3 movie. Apparently Megan Fox has not been casted this time around either. An injured Bumblebee and no Megan Fox? Now there’s really no reason to watch this movie.

[Youtube]

GM’s Been Lying About Chevy Volt For Years?

GM’s supposed savior, the Chevrolet Volt, is very nearly ready to hit the production lines and dealer lots – as early as next month in the States in fact. But a new revelation has Volt enthusiasts and auto journalists alike fuming.

Since the announcement of the Volt about three year’s ago, GM marketed it as a full on electric vehicle that had a gasoline engine meant to be used as a range extender. In other words, the gas engine did not power the wheels at all, it just generated power for the electric motor in the event it ran out of juice before you were able to plug it in. GM was asked time and time again whether the gas engine powered the wheels at all, and while GM didn’t outright say no, the typical non-answers and PR language for years made it seem like indeed it was just a range extender.

Well, now comes official word that the GM’s gas engine does in fact power the rear wheels. A lot of people feel quite miffed. Why? Well as mentioned, this was supposed to be GM’s halo car – a car that used a unique technology that no one had attempted in any production vehicle for the main purpose of ultimate efficiency. One of the main downsides of electric vehicles (EV’s) after all, is “range anxiety”. Meaning the driver always has a fear of running out of juice before they are able to make it back home or to a charging station. GM made it seems like it came up with a solution to that problem by having the gasoline engine act as a generator of sorts. Since that is no longer true, the Volt is not, by definition, a full electric vehicle anymore. It is a plug-in hybrid. Those interested in the Volt and those reporting on it, understandably, feel led on or lied to even. Chevy’s response is that they couldn’t reveal information about the Volt’s power train for patent publishing reasons, but now that they have it, they revealed the true nature of the power train.

My personal point of view is not quite as animated as other car blogs. Apparently Inside Line feels lied to, frustrated and have strong feelings of disbelief while Jalopnik went and photoshopped the Volt to look like the devil. However, as a fellow car enthusiast and automotive journalist, I must agree, this really is quite the disappointment. It’s not because it’s wrong for the Volt to be a plug-in hybrid, it’s because it has been force fed to us as a full on EV for years. It’s almost like having a friend who brags about working at the White House, but then you find out he’s just the janitor. Not a lie per se, but definitely misleading.

I have defended the Chevy Volt in the past against fools like Rush Limbaugh, but I’ve also been quite critical as well. This new revelation has me feeling a bit let down. I wanted the Chevy Volt to succeed and I wanted it to offer a breakthrough in power train technology. Turns out it’s just using technology that Toyota, Volvo, and Honda have been working on for years. It’s not so much the fact that the Volt isn’t a full on EV with a range extender, it’s the fact that it has apparently come to light that no one is working on such a feat when we thought GM was the whole time. Quite the let down GM. Here’s hoping the Volt will still save you as much as you think it will.

[General Motors]

Rush Limbaugh Knows Nothing About Cars, Has Opinion Anyway

If there’s one thing that drives me mad it’s when people who know nothing about a topic try to form an opinion on it anyway and then try to convince others that their opinion is right. This accurately describes Rush Limbaugh’s entire life.

If you don’t know who Limbaugh is, consider yourself lucky. If you are curious, well, let’s just say that he is an extreme right winged so-called political pundit who, for some reason, has his own radio show. As you can see by his picture, it’s obvious why no one wants to give him a  TV show.

Oh, and he’s also severely addicted to various pills. Nice.

On his radio show Limbaugh likes to talk about current events, of which he clearly does not follow or understand. Racist Rush, as I like to call him, decided to have a go at another topic that he is clearly ignorant about: Cars.

Specifically, Limbaugh decided to lay into the upcoming Chevrolet Volt. Limbaugh claimed that the Volt is stupid because it costs too much. I will admit, the $41,000 US starting price is about five grand more than anticipated, but since Rush’s hates the environment and will find any excuse in the book to slam efficient technology, he almost purposely failed to mention that the Volt can also be leased for a very reasonable $350/month.

He then declares that since there are government incentives on cars like the Volt of up to $7,500 off ($10,000 off in Ontario), there clearly must be no demand for cars like these.  Because it’s not like America was hit hard by the recession thanks to fools like your beloved George W. Bush and people need stimulus in order to buy new cars again, right Rush? Besides, as Autoblog pointed out, there were tax write -offs for Hummers and other huge gas guzzling SUV’s just a few years ago. How come you didn’t speak up against that then, eh Rush?

And to top it all off, and to showcase just how ignorant he is, Rush then decided to misinform all his listeners by proclaiming that the Volt is only capable of 40 miles (65 kms) then it runs out of juice. A little research goes a long way and if Limbaugh had the inclination or the wit to do so, he would’ve found out that the Volt can go an additional 300 miles on a regular gas engine when the electric motor runs out of power.

Now, I’ve been a bit critical of the Volt myself in the past, but I know cars. They are one of my few topics of expertise. And with that said, despite my minor criticisms, I still like the Volt. And I want it to succeed. I’m very eager to try one out for myself, mostly because I understand how it works and it’s intriguing. I would never claim to hate something without first understanding it. But that’s how Rush rolls and he is exactly what is wrong with society today.

You don’t like the Volt, Rush? Just pop a few more of those pills and the Volt won’t seem so bad, will it?

[Detroit Free Press]

Chevrolet Volt Uses… Premium Gas?

GM, GM, GM. What were you thinking?

Why would you go and develop a car that is supposedly going to be your saviour as well as an industry game changer for fuel efficiency and the environment and then go and make it require premium gas?

That’s like encouraging people to practice safe sex, yet charging them a premium to use condoms.

And the things is, I don’t even understand why the Volt would require premium gas. Why would a tiny 80 horsepower engine need a high octane output? I will concede, however, that’s it might be possible to get added efficiency by using higher octane for the Volt’s generator. And if it is, and it’s also the reason why premium gas is required, then you need to explain that to the public, GM. Because right now it looks kind of foolish offering no explanation for people to spend more money for your supposed halo car.

However, it’s not like you’ll be going through loads and loads of premium since GM claims you can go up to 65 kilometres on the electric motor alone before using a single drop of premium. It’s still a bit of a disappointment nonetheless.

[The Truth About Cars]

FAIL: You Aren’t John McClane

Alright, Die Hard 4 (also known as Live Free, Die Hard) is one of my guilty pleasures. Well, all the Die Hards are. And come to think about it, I don’t even feel guilty about liking them, John McClane is one of the most hilariously awesome movie characters ever created.

If you’ve ever seen the fourth installment of Die Hard, you likely remember when a very frustrated McClane uses a police car to “kill” a pesky helicopter chasing them through the streets with a machine gun. How does he do this? Well he drives the police cruiser to a high speed, jumps out at the last second and the police car catapults itself off the toll booth into the helicopter. It’s so stupid that I love it.

Anyway, apparently Yasmina Villasna tried to pull off something similar in her Chevy Impala. The only problem was there was no helicopter chasing her. Wait, that wasn’t the only problem. The other BIG problem was that she was allegedly drunk behind the wheel. Not cool. She wasn’t hurt and was arrested for DUI.

FAIL.

[Unfair Park]

Mustang Beats Camaro In Sales For May

Ford is again doing quite well in sales thanks to some credible product offerings, one of which is the all new Mustang.

Even though the Camaro has a loyal following in pop culture, that hasn’t swayed people in the muscle car market. In the States last month the Stang sold 10, 225 units while Chevy was able to move 8,931 Camaros. I won’t even bother mentioning how Dodge did with the Challenger. Let’s just say it isn’t posing much of a challenge. Heh.

Ford has been winning many of the unavoidable comparison tests between the two pony cars, but Chevy hopes new revamped engines for 2011 will help it gain some ground.

Which would you choose?

[Autoblog Photo Credit: EGM Cartech]

FAIL: Safety Car Causes Crash

Ah, irony.

Check out the video above where Chevy’s new Cruze gets ‘safety car’ honours for this race, yet hilariously enough, doesn’t drive so safely. In fact it actually causes an accident. If I were the BMW driver, I would be furious.

Let this be a lesson to all you oblivious drivers: Always check your blind spot and never pull into a lane in front of a car that’s going way faster than you are.

[FAIL Blog]