GM
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General Motors is one step closer to emerging from bankruptcy, with a judge on Sunday approving an asset sale to allow the most profitable assets to exit bankruptcy protection under government ownership. Judge Robert Gerber of the U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan said the sale would "prevent the death of the patient on the operating table." Gerber has issued a four-day stay of the order approving the sale, which should allow it to close as early as Thursday. The sale will include substantially all of GM’s assets to the newly established NGMCO Inc., an entity funded by the U.S...
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Report: Buick LaCrosse hybrid in the works
The new 2010 Buick Lacrosse has made waves with its attractive design and overall build quality since its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Soon after that General Motors increased the appeal of the car by announcing that it will be available with not only a 3.0L and 3.6L V6, but also...
James Martinez -
Transformers 2 movie pushes Camaro sales over the top
Just last week we profiled the Camaro's rise to above-sticker sales prices due to huge enthusiast demand, including 14,000 pre-orders placed before the car even entered production. But now the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie is helping to push the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro fan base out...
Kenneth Hall -
HSV boosting power and economy for E-Series 2 lineup
Even V8 performance groups like Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) cannot afford to ignore the new spate of environmental consciousness that’s sweeping the globe. Whether it’s a case of consumers griping about how much they have to pay for fuel, or a genuine desire for greener performance...
Jeremy Weber -
GM ends 25-year NUMMI partnership with Toyota
General Motors has confirmed that it will dump its ownership stake in the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) joint venture that it established with Toyota more than 25 years ago. Located in Fremont, California, the NUMMI plant was last responsible for versions of the Toyota Corolla and...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy shots: 2010 Opel Meriva MPV
GM’s next-generation Opel Meriva compact MPV has been caught undergoing testing once gain. Though it remains in full camouflage, many details are still discernible, including the overall shape, which remains close to the original Meriva concept from last year's Geneva Motor Show. A very...
Ralph Hanson -
At first glance, there's very little to differentiate the main contenders for your hybrid sedan dollar - the new Insight looks remarkably like the Prius. For that matter, so does the upcoming Chevrolet Volt. Aerodynamic necessity is a harsh master. But General Motors is planning to set the Volt apart from the crowd on its sporty demeanor. Sporty is definitely not an adjective that can fairly be applied to either the 2010 Honda Insight or the 2010 Toyota Prius, though both are efficient and fun in their own way. Chevrolet is hoping its torquey electric-drive vehicle will shine with a superior...
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Dealers say Camaro sales hot, average price $500 over sticker
Fans of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro have already placed orders for over 25,000 vehicles, only half of which have been filled since the car went on sale. Demand hasn't let up even a little bit despite the overall downturn in the economy and market, with the average Camaro leaving the lot in a new...
Nelson Ireson -
Report: Hummer deal on the rocks, China doesn't want gas guzzlers
General Motors' deal with China's Tengzhong to buy Hummer was thought to be as good as done in early June, but today reports of chatter on China's state radio casts the sale in a different light. The gas-guzzling SUVs just don't fit with the conservation plans in place in Beijing. So now the AP is...
Ralph Hanson -
First pre-production Chevrolet Volt prototypes hit the road
You may think you've already seen the 2011 Chevrolet Volt inside and out (online at least) but in truth you've only seen mock-ups. The first real, complete pre-production Volts are currently testing on the streets around GM’s Warren test center in Michigan and these are the first images of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Lexus tops J.D. Power Initial Quality study, Porsche and Cadillac close behind
When it comes to luxury-car quality, taste often plays as big a role as fact, but J.D. Power tries to boil the issue down to a simple metric: problems per 100 cars. The resulting ranks are dubbed the Initial Quality Study, and used to guide consumer decisions. As usual, Lexus rates at the very top...
Alex Kaufmann -
Saab 9-4X crossover on track for early 2010 launch
Saab’s split from General Motors and pending sale to supercar company Koenigsegg will apparently have no major affect on the Swedish automaker’s future model launches, such as that of the upcoming 9-4X crossover. The new crossover will share much in common with the recently-revealed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The 638hp (476kW) ZR1 and brand new Grand Sport models may be getting all the limelight but the race-bred Corvette Z06 supercar is still tearing up pavements around the country and like the rest of the Corvette range has been updated for the 2010 model year. The 505hp (377kW) Z06 remains one of the biggest performance bargains on sale today, and with only a $360 price rise to 75,235 it remains incredible value. Like the rest of the 2010 Corvette range, the latest Z06 comes with a new launch control system and side airbags as standard. Buyers opting for the top-end 3LZ package now get powered...
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GM sees possibility for early exit from Chapter 11
Much talk over the messiness of so-called 'surgical' bankruptcies has spun about the web, and before Chrysler and General Motors went into the process, there was a lot of doubt that they'd be out within the planned 60 days. But Chrysler is already working with Fiat and now GM sees itself possibly...
Nelson Ireson -
GM denies any plans to license Toyota's hybrid Synergy Drive system
Earlier this week news broke that General Motors would in fact be discontinuing the Pontiac Vibe, built alongside the Toyota Matrix at the California New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) the two carmakers share. Since then, speculation as to what sort of joint GM-Toyota project might emerge...
Nelson Ireson -
Hennessey drops new photos of 562hp HPE550 Chevrolet Camaro
Texas-based tuning firm Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) has already announced plans for a highly modified 705hp (526kW) version of the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, which it plans to launch early next year, but if over 700 horses under your hood seems a bit extreme Hennessey also sells a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fornasari announces 610hp Racing Buggy for series production
It's hard to pin down the qualities of the 'ultimate' vehicle, but the new Racing Buggy from Fornasari looks to be a fair attempt. Its design, however, is as extreme as its capabilities so it's sure to polarize. With 610hp on tap, routed through an AWD system with 60% rear bias and built around a...
Ralph Hanson -
GM bumps price of 2010 Corvette ZR1 up $2,910 to $107,830
Supercar performance from a 638hp supercharged V8 engine, carbon fiber bodywork and sharp styling should all add up to a price tag in the $200,000+ range if you look to the competition, but the Corvette ZR1's unmatched value put its sticker price at just $104,920 for 2009. That price will be going...
Ralph Hanson -
If the rumors are true, General Motors may be in the process of developing a new Buick crossover - with a new two-mode plug-in hybrid engine that should take the alternative fuels fight to its competitors. GM, Daimler, Chrysler and BMW have been jointly developing the two-mode hybrid for some time now, though the Buick application could be the first to see retail sales. GM had previously planned to debut the drivetrain in a plug-in hybrid version of the Saturn VUE. But now, with Saturn essentially sold off to Penske Automotive, GM will need a car to stick its latest drivetrain in, which is...
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Hummer won't stop U.S. production, sale to new owners complete by October
Poor sales, growing public concern for the environment and the recession have all added up to weaken General Motors’ chances of finding many buyers for Hummer but the struggling automaker confirmed last week that at least one company was interested in the sale. That company was Chinese...
Ralph Hanson -
Saab buyer to be revealed this week, most likely Koenigsegg
The ongoing tale of Saab's sale may be drawing to a close, as early reports out of Sweden today have General Motors and Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg, along with a group of Norwegian investors, agreeing to the deal in a letter of intent. GM confirmed in its February viability plan that it would...
Kenneth Hall -
HSV working on high-performance LPG system
Even V8 performance groups like Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) cannot afford to ignore the new spate of environmental consciousness that’s sweeping the globe. Whether it’s a case of consumers griping about how much they have to pay for fuel, or a genuine desire for greener performance...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Henderson confident he’ll stay on as GM CEO following bankruptcy
General Motors' current CEO Fritz Henderson has only had the top job for a short time since former CEO Rick Wagoner was asked to step down after heading the automaker through some of its most troubled financial years. Following GM's bankruptcy proceedings, Henderson expects that he will remain as...
James Martinez -
World's rarest Corvettes heading to Chicago
The Chevrolet Corvette has had a historic run as America's iconic supercar, spawning imitations in the past and inspiring allegiance from Corvette aficionados around the world over the decades. With 1,500,000 Corvettes built over the years, it’s a good time to look to the past, and now, one...
Ralph Hanson