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If you’re looking for the most collectible American-made vehicle on sale right now, you might want to stop by your local Chevrolet dealer. According to the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is the most collectible car on sale right now. Each year, members of the organization get together to vote for the single domestically produced car or truck that’s bound to be a good return on investment later down the line. There’s no arguing that the 2010 Camaro is a hot piece of metal, but we could think of a few other vehicles that could have nabbed the honor.

Such as? We’re glad you asked.

If it were us picking, we’d lay a finger on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. With the amount of abuse those trucks are designed to take, we can imagine that the future won’t exactly be littered with operational examples, much less show-room quality trucks. Throw the simple fact that Ford will only build a small number of the desert pounders compared to the fleets of Camaro models rolling out of Canada, and you’ve got an even better case for a future moneymaker. But hey, who are we to argue with the group that picked the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as a winner in 1996? Hit the jump for the full press release.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Detroit Public Library]

Continue reading National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

Better, But Plenty of Room For Improvement

The Chevrolet Cruze has the potential to succeed for two key reasons: 1) The Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic are nearing the end of their product life cycles, showing some crow’s feet around the eyes, and 2) GM now has the wherewithal to create a small car that shows its actually understands small cars.

If you consider this rare moment in time, it’s the perfect opportunity to pull a few hundred thousand buyers into GM showrooms for a closer look. Is the Cruze the car that will finally establish a strong relationship with entry-level buyers, or is it just another joker card in GM’s deck?

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT

Review: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT

Many eco-friendly car buyers have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the Chevrolet Volt at their local dealer since the extended-range juggernaut was unveiled in concept form nearly four years ago, and now the wait is almost over. To be more precise, the wait is nearly over if you ordered one of the first 160 retail examples of General Motors’ halo car and you live in one of the battery-powered sedan’s initial launch markets. The first batch of Volts have left the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant and are en-route to California, Texas, Washington D.C and New York.

Volt marketing director Tony DiSalle says that the first batch of Volts represents a milestone for Chevrolet, adding that customers will soon “experience gas-free commuting with the freedom to take an extended trip whenever or wherever they want.”

The Volt finally hits prime time with an EPA-approved range of 35 miles on a single charge, and with the ability to travel up to 379 miles when also using its 1.4-liter gas engine generator. The Volt also enters the Chevy showroom with the Motor Trend and Automobile Car of the Year awards. Hit the jump to read over GM’s official press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevrolet Volt begins shipping to dealers

Chevrolet Volt begins shipping to dealers

We’re recording Episode #208 of the Autoblog Podcast is being recorded tonight, and we’ve put some topics below. Drop us your own feedback and questions or vote on your fellow readers’ submissions to help determine what we discuss this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #208

• 2011 Ford Explorer First Drive
• 2011 Jeep Compass
• BMW 1M
• Volkswagen Golf R
• Chevrolet Aveo replacement named Sonic
• Noisy hybrid bill

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #208

It’s that time of year, kids. Horsepower-crazy General Motors fans are anxiously dancing around their mailboxes waiting for the latest edition of the company’s performance parts catalog to arrive. As with past years, the glossy pages are packed from margin to margin with everything you need to give your Bow Tie a little extra giddy up. For 2011, the catalog has fully embraced the Camaro, and a pair of dealer-tweaked versions of the Chevrolet muscle car show exactly what you can do with little more than a crate engine and some spare time.

DeNooyer Chevrolet in New York decided to plop an LSX454 in their orange Camaro, coupled to a six-speed manual transmission via the same clutch used in the mighty Corvette ZR-1. The car turns over 520 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels thanks to a tune-port fuel injection system.

But that’s downright child’s play compared to what the minds at NeSmith Chevrolet in Georgia cooked up. Those wrenches plopped an LS9 behind the Camaro’s headlights. With minor tweaking, the supercharged V8 is kicking out right at 700 horsepower, and NeSmith threw in beefier axles and a Baer brake system to bring the whole party to a stop. Hit the jump to check out the press releases.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM Perfomance Parts let you build your own 700-hp Camaro

GM Perfomance Parts let you build your own 700-hp Camaro

Sure enough, The Crest is headed back to the race track, this time with its menacing CTS-V Coupe. Cadillac last took to the field of battle in 2007, when it campaigned in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, and according to General Motors, the company will once again race in that series with a two-car team next season. Pratt & Miller, the shop responsible for the wicked American Le Mans Series Chevrolet Corvettes we all know and love, has been tasked with developing the racier version of the CTS-V Coupe. While the cars are largely production-based in the World Challenge GT class, some of the vehicle’s systems will need to be upgraded to meet SCCA specifications.

The two CTS-V Coupe race cars will compete for the first time on March 25 in St. Petersburg, Florida with Johnny O’Connel and Andy Pilgram behind the wheel. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait that long to see these machine in the metal. Cadillac is planning to show the vehicle off at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Cadillac returning to SCCA World Challenge with CTS-V Coupe

Cadillac returning to SCCA World Challenge with CTS-V Coupe

Motor Trend is following up its somewhat controversial decision to crown the Chevrolet Volt as its 2011 Car of the Year with a safer call for its 2011 Truck of the Year award. The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD was announced as the magazine’s TOTY during a ceremony before the 111th Army-Navy Game at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, giving General Motors’ volume brand a pair of golden calipers to crow about all next year.

Chevy’s heavy-duty version of its Silverado pickup truck was significantly upgraded this year, though it faced a tough pair of competitors in the equally improved 2011 GMC Sierra HD and the also-upgraded 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty. The Sierra HD looks almost identical on the outside compared to the 2010 model, but Chevy engineers worked magic on all the mechanicals beneath the surface. A significantly more powerful Duramax turbodiesel, excellent six-speed transmissions, reworked suspension and fully boxed frame were enough to put the Silverado HD ahead of its corporate cousin and crosstown rival in the minds of Motor Trend editors.

Curiously, the magazine claims it doesn’t often have an apples-to-apples fight for its Truck of the Year award, but this year just happened to line up a trio of new-enough heavy duty pickups. The only truck missing was the Ram Heavy Duty, which was new for 2010. Chevy should probably be glad the Ram HD missed the cut off mark, as Dodge’s heavy hauler holds the crown as Motor Trend’s 2010 Truck of the Year.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Continue reading Motor Trend Truck of the Year? The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD

Motor Trend Truck of the Year? The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD

Charles Jordan, better known as ‘Chuck,’ was the driving force behind the modern design era at General Motors. After graduating from MIT in 1949, Jordan joined the GM design staff in the role of Junior Engineer. Throughout the years, Chuck Jordan rose through the ranks and designed some amazing vehicles. One notable design includes the GM Motorama-featured 1956 Buick Centurion Concept.

Other vehicles that you may have heard of, which featured Jordan’s guidance, include:

-1958 Chevrolet Corvette
-1959 Cadillac Eldorado
-1968 Opel GT
-1970 Opel Manta
-1992 Cadillac STS

That is just a partial list that can be filled with the Oldsmobile Aurora, a handful of Camaro models and a lot of stylish concepts.

Chuck Jordan was just the fourth person elected to the position of Vice President of Design, a position he held from 1986 until his retirement in 1992. He passed away in the evening hours of Thursday, December 9.

[Source: AutoWeek Image: General Motors Archive]

Fabled GM design chief Chuck Jordan dead at 83

Since 1978, the Holden Commodore has been roaring across the land down under. It’s worn a plethora of body styles ranging from coupe and sedan to wagon and ute, brought the Pontiac G8 to American soil and sold over 44,000 units last year in Australia. During its run, the Holden Commodore has been a rear-wheel drive vehicle, but new reports state that the front-engine/rear-drive layout may not be in the cards for much longer.

The next-generation Commodore is going to appear by 2015 and it’s possible that General Motors may switch it to a front-wheel drive car. The goal is increased fuel-efficiency for GM’s large cars and the front-wheel drive platforms are the ones set up to deliver the highest fuel efficiency.

The Holden Commodore could ride on the Super Epsilon II platform, which will also make its way into the next Chevrolet Impala and the upcoming Cadillac XTS. Sure, we understand why an automaker would look to make this change but it doesn’t mean we have to like it. We prefer our Maltidas waltzing and our Commodores drifting.

[Source: Go Auto]

Will the next Holden Commodore go front-wheel drive?

It’s good to know that there’s still some sense left in the world. The minds at Four Wheeler have announced that of all the excellent pickup trucks for sale right now, the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2 is king of the heap. The magazine has officially crowned the big Blue Oval as its Truck of the Year, saying that the go-fast off-roader is every four-wheel-drive enthusiast’s dream machine straight from the factory. After our stints behind the wheel of the Raptor, we’re inclined to agree.

Four Wheeler has been choosing a truck of the year since 1989, and to classify, a model must be new or significantly revised compared to its predecessor. This year, the magazine lined up the Raptor alongside the Ford Super Duty Power Stroke Lariat FX4 and the Chevrolet 2500 Silverado Z71, but it was the Ford’s bird of prey that came out on top. You can check out the full report in the March 2011 issue of Four Wheeler, which is set to hit the stands in January, logically.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips and Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Source: Four Wheeler]

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor named Four Wheeler 2011 Pickup Truck of the Year

In mid-October, Hyundai announced that its 2011 Sonata Hybrid would be eligible for a $1,300 tax credit. The electrified mid-size sedan was to officially hit the market before the end of the year and the first 60,000 buyers who plopped down some coin for the Sonata Hybrid would’ve walked away with that juicy credit in their pockets. However, there’s a hitch: the Sonata Hybrid has been delayed and its release date pushed back until January, and GreenCarReports.com indicates that that will dash any hopes of receiving the credit, which expires on December 31.

Even so, the Sonata Hybrid still remains one of only a few mid-size hybrid sedans capable of achieving great fuel economy – 36 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway – and many of its competitors like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid either no longer qualify for the tax credits or aren’t available for purchase. The Sonata Hybrid is a capable car and one of the most compelling new vehicles in the mid-size segment, so missing out on the credit probably won’t affect sales dramatically, but its delay will mean that early adopters won’t have an extra $1,300 in their couch cushions next year.

[Source: GreenCarReports]

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delay means no $1,300 tax credit?

The inaugural season of the FIA GT1 World Championship is in the history books. But after just one season, reports are already cropping up of teams looking to withdraw.

Twelve teams participated in the opening series campaigning six different cars between them: GT1-spec versions of the Maserati MC12, Ford GT, Aston Martin DBR9, Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Corvette and Lamborghini Murciélago LP670. And while all the cars look set to carry on for next season, not all of them will necessarily have two teams representing.

Reports indicate that Matech – one of the teams racing the Ford GT, having carried out much of the development work itself – and Hegersport – the second team fielding the Maserati MC12 behind series champions Vitaphone – may be gone from the grid next season, dropping the field from twelve teams to ten.

The report cites sponsorship difficulties as the reason for their potential withdrawal, but with rumors potentially placing a BMW Alpina B6, Veritas RS III and the Lexus LFA on the GT1 grid for next season, it may be just as likely that the organizers will be able to line up two or more new teams before the series returns in the new year.

[Source: Autosport]

Teams reportedly dropping out of FIA GT1 World Championship after first season

Pickup truck sales are on the rise in the U.S., and that’s good news for Detroit since trucks tend to come with big price tags and hefty margins. Truck owners can be a different breed, often padding their bedded beauties with high trim levels and copious quantities of options. Ford has made this task easy with F-150 variants like the Platinum and King Ranch, while Chrysler has upped their game with the Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn. If you want a high-end General Motors truck, right now the best bet is to opt for the GMC Sierra Denali, while Bow Tie-branded trucks top out at the LTZ model.

Pickuptrucks.com is quoting GM sources who claim that a higher end Silverado is on the way. The new model would build on the high levels of standard equipment already present and accounted for in the LTZ, and we’re betting that likely additions would include upgraded interior materials and unique wheels and trim. The rumored branding for this top Silverado trim is the Scottsdale; a name that hit the scene in 1975 before it was discontinued in the 1990s.

[Source: Pickuptrucks]

Report: Chevrolet considering new high-end Silverado

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt made major media waves when it was first revealed that its engine could power the drive wheels independently under certain circumstances. According to a report from HeadlineAuto in the UK, though, General Motors‘ European division is actually considering adding a switch for the Opel Ampera (the Volt’s more attractive European cousin) that would allow the driver to control how the drivetrain operates.

For instance, when driving longer distances, such as when traveling from city to city, the driver could potentially switch the car into its so-called charge sustaining mode so that the gasoline-powered engine would run constantly in order to maintain a full charge of the battery. Then, after the speeds slow back down and the driver re-enters an urban area, the car could be put back into its normal battery-first mode.

At this point, this report appears to be little more than speculation based on statements made by GM’s Lars Peter Thiesen, who is overseeing the process of tuning the Opel Ampera for the European market. There’s currently no reason to believe that GM would make such a modification to the U.S.-spec Volt.

[HeadlineAuto UK - sub. req.]

Report: GM may let Euro drivers switch Opel Ampera to gas power to save batteries

Despite the wave of all-new compact and subcompact fighters hitting the market right now, sales of small cars in the U.S. don’t appear to be budging much. According to Cars.com, models like the much-hyped Ford Fiesta are struggling to do much better than their older, stale counterparts at other automakers. So far, the Fiesta is number four in sales in the subcompact segment, falling well behind the Nissan Versa with 6,724 sales in November, the Honda Fit with 4,180 units and the Hyundai Accent at 4,052. In fact, Ford only managed to move 3,473 Fiesta units – just a hair above the 3,262 soon-to-be-replaced Chevrolet Aveo vehicles that rolled off of dealer lots last month.

Fortunately, the news is a little better for larger vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze. General Motors managed to sell 8,066 of its small sedans in the vehicle’s first full month on the market, and a total of 8,955 new-for-2011 Volkswagen Jetta models found homes during the second to last month of the year as well. Even the aged Ford Focus saw its sales jump by 27 percent to 13,030 in November thanks in no small part to an aggressive incentive program.

Head over to Cars.com for a full breakdown of America’s disappointing subcompact sales, then chime in with your thoughts on the matter in Comments.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Cars.com]

Subcompact sales fail to impress; Ford Fiesta and Chevy Aveo selling similarly

If there was any doubt as to who dominates the international sportscar racing circuit, let those doubts be put to rest. After taking top honors in the now-defunct FIA GT Championship with little exception every year since 2005, Maserati has claimed overall victory in the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship that has replaced it this year.

Driving duties were handled with mastery once again by Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini for the Vitaphone Racing Team behind the wheel of the Maserati MC12. The Trident duo took the checkered flag at four out of the ten rounds that comprised this year’s championship, more than any other team, claiming 138 points in the drivers’ standings to runner-up Thomas Mutsch with 119 in the Matech Ford GT, and 195 in the teams’ standings to the Hexis Aston Martin squad’s 177. Other contenders included GT1-spec racers based on the Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Corvette and Lamborghini Murcielago LP670.

Hexis won the final round in San Luis, Argentina, by a considerable margin with their Aston Martin DBR9, but it wasn’t enough to steal the title from the Vitaphone Maserati team, crowning the MC12 as the undisputed king of the hill. Follow the jump for details in the press release.

[Source: Maserati]

Continue reading Maserati claims title in inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship

Maserati claims title in inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship

Quick Spin: Audi Quattro Concept

Thirty years after the original, Audi wants to build another all-wheel drive masterpiece.

Spy Shots: 2011 Jeep Compass sharpens up

The Jeep Compass is getting a much-needed makeover for the 2011 model year and should make its debut at next month’s Detroit Auto Show.

Wards announces 10 best engines

Wards Auto has announced its 10 Best Engine Winners for 2011, and not surprisingly, fuel-efficient creations like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf have taken top honors.

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 12.7.10

Wards Auto has announced its 10 Best Engine Winners for 2011, and not surprisingly, fuel-efficient creations like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf (the first EV to get the award) both found their beating hearts among the winners. Likewise, the 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI found favor with the judges for its green credentials, though the 10 Best list didn’t simply stick to the eco warriors of 2011 for its picks. Lumps like the 5.0-liter V8s in the 2011 Ford Mustang GT and Hyundai Genesis also made the cut. Wards said that it intentionally tried to make sure that there was an engine for everyone, and we have to admit that it looks like they’ve done a smart job of keeping the bases covered.

We’re glad to see that the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 from Chrysler is slotted among this year’s winners. The engine single-handedly managed to improve vehicles like the Dodge Avenger and Journey by leaps and bounds, throwing in excellent fuel economy and power at the same time. In fact, of all the engines on the list, we’d have a hard time finding an argument against any of the winners. Head over to Wards for a closer look.

[Source: Wards]

Wards announces 10 best engines

Can Governments Afford To Incentivise Electric Cars?

Live in the right part of California and work for the right company and you might be able to buy the new Nissan Leaf for as little as $12,500, as Autoblog has reported, due to the raft of incentives that are available for buyers of the little battery car and other high-mileage, low-emission products.

In recent years, lawmakers have been racing to come up with incentives designed to encourage motorists to migrate to clean, efficient vehicles. It’s a clearly noble effort, but one that deserves a closer look in an era of fiscal restraint.

The feds, and most states offering such incentives, have put caps on their zero-emission incentive programs, and most will vanish by mid-decade. But, ironically, if these programs do what they’re intended to, the fiscal impact could be felt for years to come. It turns out that going green could plunge state and federal balance sheets into the red.

The short-term costs are already potentially significant. At the federal level, a $7,500 tax credit could drain billions of dollars a year out of the Treasury if major automakers come even close to their battery car sales targets by mid-decade.

Such cash incentives – along with other perks, such as access to California’s HOV lanes – are designed to motivate the move to vehicles like the Leaf and the new Chevrolet Volt. Once momentum starts building, these givebacks can be phased out, proponents contend. But they’re missing a big part of the picture.

Continue reading…

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading How The Gas Tax Is Under Threat From Green Vehicles

How The Gas Tax Is Under Threat From Green Vehicles

Korean compact is a no-gimmicks eco-warrior

Were we the betting type, we’d put money on looming CAFE standards as the single biggest issue to keep auto execs awake at night. Organizations from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency have all made noise about increasing corporate average fuel economy standards to lofty figures that reside anywhere between 47 and 62 mpg in around 14 years – a blink of an eye in terms of product development. If you’ve been wondering why manufacturers continue to roll out a bevy of fuel-efficient, economical vehicles despite relatively stable fuel prices and luke-warm demand, wonder no more.

Hyundai, with its small-engined fleet of fuel-savvy bruisers, seems downright giddy at the news. The Korean manufacturer has announced that by the time 2025 rolls around, the company will have a corporate average fuel economy of 50 mpg. The groundwork for that dramatic increase is being laid right now with vehicles like the Sonata Hybrid and the most recent addition to the Hyundai stable, the 2011 Elantra.

The first-generation Elantra debuted four short years ago, but in meantime competition in the American small-car market has increased by leaps and bounds. Additions like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus have proven that domestic manufacturers are just as serious about producing compact, high-quality vehicles with excellent fuel economy as the long-reigning titans of the segment from Honda and Toyota. With its 40 mpg highway, stylish exterior and excellent drivetrain, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is set to put the rest of the segment on notice.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Zach Bowman / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Elantra