Owner's Review: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse

Motor Authority - blog Tag: Canceled

  • Report: Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Back On Production Path

    Report: Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Back On Production Path September 21st, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, September 21st, 2009 Ralph Hanson 7 Comments

    Report: Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Back On Production Path

    When General Motors' financial situation turned from serious to bankruptcy-bound, two of the first models to get pushed back or canceled were the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible and the high-performance Z28 variant. Just a couple of months ago, talk of the Z28's revival was looking grim, but a new report has GM's Vice President for global design, Ed Welburn, talking positively about it.

    According to Welburn, the Z28 is back in the product plan and is set for production. He went on to explain that the modified Camaro body is complete but that there was still some calibration work needed on the powertrain--work that will likely last at...

    When General Motors' financial situation turned from serious to bankruptcy-bound, two of the first models to get pushed back or canceled were the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible and the high-performance Z28 variant. Just a couple of months ago, talk of the Z28's revival was looking grim, but a new report has GM's Vice President for global design, Ed Welburn, talking positively about it. According to Welburn, the Z28 is back in the product plan and is set for production. He went on to explain that the modified Camaro body is complete but that there was still some calibration work needed on the powertrain--work that will likely last at least a year. Distinguishing features will be a unique bodykit, a slightly raised hood to accommodate the supercharger and intercooler assembly, a new rear spoiler, and custom wheels. Under the hood is likely to be the Cadillac CTS-V’s supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V-8, complete with six-speed manual (or optional automatic) and 556 horsepower output. In the 4,300lb CTS-V, this combination is good for a 0-60 mph sprint of just 4.1 seconds and a 12.3 second quarter mile time. Factor in the Camaro’s 200 to 300lb lighter kerb weight and the Z28 would likely be completing the 0-60 mph benchmark in less than four seconds and passing the quarter in the very low 12 second bracket. Combine these performance numbers with the Camaro’s fully independent suspension and stability control, as well as a completely modern chassis based on the Zeta rear-wheel drive architecture, and the modern-day Z28 may be the first Camaro to outgun rival sports cars from Japan and Europe. That is if GM ever builds one. The story doesn’t end there as there are whispers that GM is also working on a higher-performance version of the base V-6 Camaro (pictured) aimed at the non-V-8 crowd. [Inside Line] Read More

  • Aston Martin Lagonda SUV shelved due to weak market

    Aston Martin Lagonda SUV shelved due to weak market July 20th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, July 20th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Aston Martin Lagonda SUV shelved due to weak market It's a situation already hackneyed: a new car model has been put on ice by the cold global economic climate. Fortunately for esthetes and fans of Aston Martin, however, the latest model to face that fate is the Lagonda.

    Widely lambasted for its Saab 9X Aero-meets-recreational-bus looks, the Lagonda Concept displayed at this year's Geneva Motor Show was an inauspicious rebirth of a once legendary brand. Fans were few and foes were many.

    It turns out that the car's looks weren't all it had working against it. The weak economy has caused it to be shelved - or at least offered Aston Martin a convenient excuse to go back to the drawing board,... It's a situation already hackneyed: a new car model has been put on ice by the cold global economic climate. Fortunately for esthetes and fans of Aston Martin, however, the latest model to face that fate is the Lagonda. Widely lambasted for its Saab 9X Aero-meets-recreational-bus looks, the Lagonda Concept displayed at this year's Geneva Motor Show was an inauspicious rebirth of a once legendary brand. Fans were few and foes were many. It turns out that the car's looks weren't all it had working against it. The weak economy has caused it to be shelved - or at least offered Aston Martin a convenient excuse to go back to the drawing board, reports Edmunds. "We have several sources ready to invest upward of a quarter-billion pounds," said CEO Ulrich Bez, "but the timing right now is simply wrong. We have some work to do yet, and it takes a lot of investment." In the firestorm that surrounded the Lagonda Concept's debut, reports of a plan to introduce a completely different model as the first Lagonda - scrapping the concept altogether - began to emerge. This latest word from Bez confirms that while Aston may have future plans for the Lagonda brand, it won't be with the polarizing concept pictured here.2009 Aston Martin Lagonda Concept Read More

  • Audi abandons plans for R8 V12 TDI

    Audi abandons plans for R8 V12 TDI May 6th, 2009 ByKenneth Hall Kenneth Hall, Author, May 6th, 2009 Kenneth Hall 3 Comments

    Audi abandons plans for R8 V12 TDI When Audi's R8 V12 TDI made its debut at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, the world stood in awe of the sheer beauty of the idea: a fuel-efficient, torquey and potent diesel vehicle that could rival Lamborghinis and Ferraris in performance. But unfortunately new reports say the global industry downturn has claimed the oil-burning R8 as its latest victim.

    At 5.5L and 500hp (373kW)/740lb-ft (1001Nm) of torque, the R8 TDI's V12 engine was a thing of beauty. Based around the company's dominating Le Mans diesel engine design, the V12 TDI was expected to be a sure hit with high-performance aficionados and diesel-heads everywhere. When a second... When Audi's R8 V12 TDI made its debut at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, the world stood in awe of the sheer beauty of the idea: a fuel-efficient, torquey and potent diesel vehicle that could rival Lamborghinis and Ferraris in performance. But unfortunately new reports say the global industry downturn has claimed the oil-burning R8 as its latest victim. At 5.5L and 500hp (373kW)/740lb-ft (1001Nm) of torque, the R8 TDI's V12 engine was a thing of beauty. Based around the company's dominating Le Mans diesel engine design, the V12 TDI was expected to be a sure hit with high-performance aficionados and diesel-heads everywhere. When a second concept was revealed at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, many thought the car was a shoo-in for production. But that high-tech engine and the technology that goes into it equate to huge costs - costs that a racing team can eat or recuperate, but are too high for a road-going car to bear, reports Auto Express. Of course, just because the market isn't currently at a level that could make the car a successful business proposition doesn't mean it won't be at some point in the future. And Audi won't be letting its diesel racing technology languish in the mean time, so while the R8 V12 TDI may be dead, it could yet prove to come alive again several years down the road.Audi presents second R8 V12 TDI concept in GenevaAudi R8 V12 TDI Read More

  • Report: Audi canceling A8 W12 and S8 sedan for MY2010

    Report: Audi canceling A8 W12 and S8 sedan for MY2010 April 24th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, April 24th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 4 Comments

    Report: Audi canceling A8 W12 and S8 sedan for MY2010 Improvement means change and sometimes change means leaving behind old favorites to focus on new. That's the case for Audi according to the latest reports, which say the A8 W12 and S8 sedans are done as of the 2009 model year, as is the VR6 V6 engine.

    The decision to get rid of the VR6 is an easy one, according to Edmunds: it is old technology, using a narrow V-angle and lacking direct injection. Switching over cars that used it to the 3.2L V6 found in other Audis will be no problem.

    But dropping the relatively rare and certainly over-the-top A8 W12 is a blow to lovers of simple excess and quirky technology alike. So too the death of the... Improvement means change and sometimes change means leaving behind old favorites to focus on new. That's the case for Audi according to the latest reports, which say the A8 W12 and S8 sedans are done as of the 2009 model year, as is the VR6 V6 engine. The decision to get rid of the VR6 is an easy one, according to Edmunds: it is old technology, using a narrow V-angle and lacking direct injection. Switching over cars that used it to the 3.2L V6 found in other Audis will be no problem. But dropping the relatively rare and certainly over-the-top A8 W12 is a blow to lovers of simple excess and quirky technology alike. So too the death of the V10-powered S8. Though the Lamborghini-sourced mill will continue to power the S6 and the R8 V10, the sport big sedan slot in Audi's lineup will be vacant starting from the 2010 model year. Small volume sales and large expenses related to the complex engines make the business decision easy, but that doesn't make it a bitter pill for enthusiasts. On the other hand, compared to competitors BMW and Mercedes Benz, the lack of a big and bad uber-sedan puts Audi at a competitive disadvantage - think S63 AMG and BMW 760i - and perhaps reflects new corporate cousin Porsche's desire to have a little more breathing room for its Panamera.BMW 760i and long-wheelbase 760Li2010 Mercedes Benz S63 and S65 AMG sedans Read More

  • Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M

    Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M March 20th, 2009 ByKenneth Hall Kenneth Hall, Author, March 20th, 2009 Kenneth Hall 3 Comments

    Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M Late last year BMW retired the straight-six engine used in the previous-generation Z4M, prompting aficionados to start hoping for an even better unit for the 2010 car. Unfortunately however, the latest news appears to draw a line through that possibility, and the 2010 Z4 M model altogether.

    The news, reported by the UK's iMotor, quotes an unnamed BMW spokesperson as saying, "Given the current economic crisis there is no business case for a full-on M version of the Z4." Given the weakness of the source, it's hardly a definitive statement on the matter, but the logic underlying the decision is undeniable.

    As BMW's already full lineup grows,... Late last year BMW retired the straight-six engine used in the previous-generation Z4M, prompting aficionados to start hoping for an even better unit for the 2010 car. Unfortunately however, the latest news appears to draw a line through that possibility, and the 2010 Z4 M model altogether. The news, reported by the UK's iMotor, quotes an unnamed BMW spokesperson as saying, "Given the current economic crisis there is no business case for a full-on M version of the Z4." Given the weakness of the source, it's hardly a definitive statement on the matter, but the logic underlying the decision is undeniable. As BMW's already full lineup grows, M models of certain cars are beginning to become non-starters - they'd encroach to heavily on higher-ranked vehicles, at least in terms of performance. See the 1-series for another prime example of this phenomenon. This isn't really something you can fault BMW for, however - their standard, non-M vehicles have gotten so fast, so powerful, that simply upgrading them would put them in contention with a whole other rank of vehicle. From a consumer's standpoint, that's about the best way to lose a high-performance variant. The standard Z4, for instance, gets a conservatively-rated 300hp (224kW) twin-turbo 3.0L inline six or a 255hp (190kW) variant of the same engine, sans-turbo. Even the lesser of these two roadsters dashes to 60mph in 5.6 seconds, with the turbo car threatening to break into the high 4-second range. Adding another 50hp (37kW) and wringing even more out of the braking, suspension and chassis would just put the car into a price and performance class alongside the M3 - something which just doesn't make sense, even in BMW's expansive and overlapping lineup. Instead of a 'full-on' Z4 M, there could be a Z4 'M Sport', with a tweaked and tuned ECU and exhaust system, visual enhancements, and interior upgrades, however.2010 BMW Z4 Roadster Read More

  • Smart dealers left holding the bag on canceled orders

    Smart dealers left holding the bag on canceled orders March 16th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, March 16th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 5 Comments

    Smart dealers left holding the bag on canceled orders News of blockbuster sales and pre-orders of the Smart ForTwo in the U.S. last year is being tempered today with the revelation that a large number of depositors that had reserved cars are now backing out.

    With the economy still circling the drain and a great deal of uncertainty in many people's futures, it just isn't the time to buy a car - a fact the industry is painfully aware of, and one which Smart's U.S. distributor, Penske Automotive Group, is now also feeling.

    The cars left behind after such cancellations are called 'orphans' by dealers, because they no longer have a home to go to. The rate ForTwos have been orphaned is up since... News of blockbuster sales and pre-orders of the Smart ForTwo in the U.S. last year is being tempered today with the revelation that a large number of depositors that had reserved cars are now backing out. With the economy still circling the drain and a great deal of uncertainty in many people's futures, it just isn't the time to buy a car - a fact the industry is painfully aware of, and one which Smart's U.S. distributor, Penske Automotive Group, is now also feeling. The cars left behind after such cancellations are called 'orphans' by dealers, because they no longer have a home to go to. The rate ForTwos have been orphaned is up since November, with some dealers having several dozen orphans on their lots. Still, Smart USA is optimistic about meeting its annual sales goal of 25,000 vehicles. Last year Smart sold 24,622 of the little city runabouts in the U.S. We have probably had a few more cancellations in January or February than in the middle of the year, but that is not unusual in this kind of economy," David Schembri, president of Smart USA, told Automotive News. Penske had previously figured on up to 32,000 units in sales in 2009, but that was before the bottom fell out of the market. Revising figures downward to near-maintenance levels on 2008 sales is a still a bold proposal, with many carmakers looking at a 40% decrease over a year ago. The company is definitely keeping a positive outlook, however, as rumors of plans for a revival of the ForFour - or at least a new four-seater Smart car - are also making the rounds. Read More

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