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Horseman of the apocalypse gets an axe: Esteban-endorsed Camaro guitar

Just when we thought we'd seen the worst celebrity-endorsed product placement of the new Camaro, our new bestest friend Hernando delivers this gem: The Esteban Camaro Legend Limited Edition Guitar Package. The self-proclaimed master of the six-stringed arts has assaulted late night viewers of the Home Shopping Network for years. And if his unnaturally coiffed hair and darkened sunglasses weren't enough to send a chill down your spine, this will. Whoever at General Motors signed off on this licensing deal needs to be drawn, quartered, fired on a spit and then served to a rabid pack of lemmings – for starters. The kit includes the Camaro guitar coated in "Hugger Orange and twin Gun Metal sport stripes", a custom guitar strap, numbered certificate of authenticity and "is sleek, slick and ready to burn rubber with its heavy-hitting sound." Mullet sold separately.
posted : 9/2/2008 @6:48:43 PM
2010 Chevy Camaro SS gets unfortunate Fergalicious debut

Of all the places for Chevy reveal the 2010 Camaro SS, it's chosen a GM-sponsored photo spread for Conde Nast. The free supplement's zeitgeist is "Fashion Rocks" and in keeping with the theme, they've chosen the decidedly un-rocking Fergie as the musical icon to accompany the Camaro SS on glossy stock. Comparing the image above with the pictures Chevrolet released last month, you can clearly see the SS badging, deeper fascia and upgraded brakes, reported to be sized 14-inches up front and clamped by calipers by Brembo. The Camaro SS will be packing a 422 hp (estimated), 6.2-liter V8 and will go on sale in March of next year, along with the V6 RS models.
posted : 9/2/2008 @5:40:30 PM
2011 Chevy Cruze

They're here! The first official pics of the 2011 Chevy Cruze have been released by General Motors, and we're not ashamed to say it – we like it. Of course, we're comparing it to the current small car in GM's lineup, the Cobalt, so the bar is pretty low. That said, GM's new small car takes the split-grille motif made famous by the Malibu and makes it more interesting with sharp creases rather than rounded corners. The front end features headlights that extend up and "point" to the A-pillars, and a strong character line running the length of the vehicle sits below a concave bend that sweeps up to meet the windows. GM claims that fit and finish of the Cruze will be world class for a small car, and that its interior will use "grained surfaces, soft-touch materials and low gloss trim panels" to improve its perceived quality. Unfortunately, no shots of the interior were provided, but you can catch a glimpse in this rear 3/4 shot. The Cruze will be a global car, and as such it's going on sale in Europe first. It will makes its global debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, where European customers will be the first to check it out in person before it goes on sale in March 2009 overseas. It will be available at launch with a 112-hp 1.6L engine, a 140-hp 1.8L and a 150-hp 2.0L turbodiesel. The North American version will likely get GM's upcoming direct injected 1.4L four-cylinder. The Cruze will also offer a five-speed manual and GM's first application of a six-speed automatic in a small car. The kicker? The 2011 Chevy Cruze will be built at GM's plant in Lordstown, OH where the current Cobalt and Pontiac G5 are built. Though it'll be built right in our own backyard, the Cruze reportedly won't be available in the U.S. for at least a year or two.
posted : 9/2/2008 @1:44:11 PM
First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1

Last week, General Motors' Bowling Green, KY assembly plant began manufacturing the fastest, most powerful production Corvette in its 55-year history. We got our first official look at the 2009 Corvette ZR1 at the Detroit Auto Show in January and, at that time, Chevrolet officials hadn't finalized the numbers. Over the intervening months, GM continued to tease us with bits of information, including the ZR1's 205 mph top speed, 638 horsepower, 605 lb.-ft. of torque, and 7:26.4 lap time at the Nurburgring. Throughout all of this, we've been waiting patiently for one of the most anticipated invitations of 2008: the ZR1 First Drive. That wait finally ended a few weeks ago when we got the call to arrive at GM's Milford Proving Grounds. All we needed was cooperative weather. As the sun crested the horizon on the appointed day, the darkened skies threatened to put the kibosh on our time with the King. But a few hours later, the clouds dissipated and the fun was officially underway.
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posted : 9/2/2008 @3:20:21 AM
Katech unveils track-oriented Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ClubSport

An American supercar with lightweight components, sport suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, aerodynamic body kit, and menacing black wheels. No, we're not talking about the Dodge Viper ACR. It's Katech's new ClubSport package for the Corvette Z06. The Detroit-based company has the credentials to build a 'Vette for the track. After all, it's responsible for building the race engines that go into the Le Mans-winning Corvette C6R race cars and the SCCA SPEED World Challenge cars. For the ClubSport, Katech adds a 14-inch, six-piston Brembo brake system, Moton ClubSport suspension, 15-spoke wheels, sticky Michelin tires, Katech appearance package, carbon fiber air intake, lightweight exhaust system and more. Also on the options list are leather race seats, A/C and radio delete, roll bar, and six-point harnesses. Add one of Katech's fully built motors, and the ClubSport will surely put down some pretty impressive numbers at the track.
posted : 9/2/2008 @3:14:11 AM
GM brings back employee pricing to sell remaining 2008 modelsIt is no secret that the automotive industry is hurting for sales to close out 2008. Over the past few months incentives have been thrown out left and right to draw in more buyers. The deals have not done enough to bring folks into the showroom, though. With all the media talk of bleeding Detroit, consumers know that the domestic manufacturers have been holding out on their best offers. Perhaps the memory of 2005's employee pricing incentives has kept many waiting on the fence. With 2009 models heading to dealerships as we speak, General Motors is hoping to end the stalemate. It will be testing the waters of employee pricing yet again beginning Wednesday, August 20th and running through September 2nd. The employee discount program will apply across all 8 GM brands. Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealers will mark down 91 percent of their inventory on all 2008 models, along with the 2009 Pontiac Vibe and G5, Chevy Cobalt and HHR and, surprisingly, the Cadillac CTS. Chevrolet dealers can unload 90 percent of their 2008 inventory with all 2008 models eligible for the employee price. Cadillac, Saturn, SAAB, Hummer will each have their own stipulations as well, but it is certain that the discount will be widespread. The price reduction varies from vehicle to vehicle, but is typically on order of a few thousand dollars. Additional incentives will also still be offered on some slower selling items, such as, you guessed it, trucks and SUVs. So the question is, will employee pricing get you off the fence and into a dealership?
posted : 9/2/2008 @2:46:41 AM
VIDEO: Larger of view of production Volt, debut at centennial?

We got our first sneak peek at the production Chevy Volt last week, but a recent presentation by Bob Boniface, director of design for the Volt, has revealed a bit more. We've pasted a video of the presentation and slide show after the break, and in it Boniface notes how the concept's straight lines and tight corners have been smoothed over and rounded out in an effort to reduce turbulence. This streamlining improves the Volt's fuel mileage, range on electricity and the amount of regenerative braking that can be captured. Also seen for the first time is a rear shot of the Volt, showing a pronounced "vertical fin," and a new rear spoiler design. Likewise, the side-view mirrors' mounting arrangement was revised for reduced aerodynamic drag. These changes, along with countless others which have not been fully revealed, have allowed the Volt's engineers and designers to increase EV-only range by six to seven miles. While we're salivating over all the little tidbits of information on the Volt, we look forward to its official debut expected in Paris at the Motor Show this October. However, recent rumors indicate that the extended-range electric-vehicle could be seen at GM's Centennial celebration on September 16.
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posted : 9/2/2008 @2:30:29 AM
Unofficial Volt Wait List surpasses 30,000 hand raisers

Shortly after the Volt Concept was shown, a Volt adherent started a website called GM-Volt.com to show General Motors that it was on to something. After the Volt was approved for production, the site added a feature to allow people to "raise their hands" to show interest in the Volt, much like what was done for the smart fortwo before its arrival on our shores.A little more than a year later, there are almost 34,000 hand raisers in 50 states and 56 countries. While the list is unofficial and doesn't mean that any of these hand raisers are in line ahead of you to purchase a Volt, the site claims that GM is aware of the list and considering making it official in some capacity.
California, no surprise, accounts for the greatest interest in the Volt, but even the folks in the dirty dirty -- that's the South -- have put in a strong showing. Alabama's got 86 Volters on the list, as opposed to Vermont, one of the states suing the EPA over emissions regulations, which has just ten.As far as countries interested in the Volt, number three on the chart is Turkey (among those who identified their nationalities). Who knew? And tiny Vanuatu has double the number of hand raisers than all of Russia -- two to one. What could be most interesting is the average price people say they are willing to pay for the Volt: $31,298.27. That's about $9,000 short of Lutz's number, but hey, there's still time to negotiate.
posted : 8/30/2008 @5:08:47 PM

Spy Shots: 2010 Chevy Equinox

The stealthy lensmen at KGP have caught the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox making the rounds at General Motors' internal testing facility, and they've provided us with a better glimpse of Chevy's new crossover, beyond the low-res image that appeared last month.

The revised fascia predictably apes the new Malibu's front end, with a horizontal bar bisecting the enlarged grille. The headlamps and taillights have a new shape that sweeps down and back, following into fenders fitted with seriously blistered wheel arches. The rear hatch features a steeper rake, and the C- and D-pillars cleanly integrate into the more modern exterior.

General Motors has already announced that the new Equinox will be available with either a direct-injected 2.3-liter inline-four or a V6, and sales should begin next summer, after production begins in May.

posted : 8/30/2008 @3:19:25 PM

Inside the Volt, in video

ABC News recently did a segment on the Chevy Volt, calling it "the automotive equivalent of the moon shot." Most of it you've heard before -- GM's in trouble, if the Volt doesn't work then it means more doom, and "industry experts" don't believe the Volt will come out in time. But there was a glimpse of the production model of the car, including the interior.

One intriguing line was, "it will look a lot more like a typical 4-door than the show car concept." The front quarter view you get of the clay model is quite a bit altered from the concept, but still slick. The presenter also calls the interior reminiscent of Apple, but unless he means the fact that there's not a button in sight, it doesn't look much like an Apple. It's got a nice steering wheel, though.

Either way, we really hope GM pulls this one off. But frankly, no one knows if that will happen, and that includes, apparently, GM. So we have to wait until November 2010 to see if Lutz ("Yes!") or the Volt engineer ("We'll see...") is correct. Until then, get your bets in now, folks.

posted : 8/11/2008 @9:13:00 PM
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