The Auto Blog .ru

There’s a whole lot of technology built into the Chevy Volt, and some upcoming advertising for the plug-in hybrid looks to be just as futuristic (unlike General Motors‘ earlier efforts). Case in point: Chevrolet and Microsoft Advertising have announced that its new hands-free Xbox 360 Kinect accessory used with a new game called Kinect Joy Ride, will let you virtually test drive the Volt. In case you were wondering, this isn’t about you figuring out if a real Volt is right for you; the Kinect is really about providing advertisers “an innovative way to connect with consumers by enabling them to physically explore and engage with a brand through voice and gesture.” Microsoft is also showing off the Kinect technology with a Forza Motorsport tie-in but Chevy is the first ad partner for the device (the Kinect, not the Xbox, which is flooded with ads).

In order to drive the Volt in the game, players will first need to unlock the car and watch a Chevy Volt ad either on Xbox Live or on the web. Microsoft also demoed a huge potential Chevrolet Volt campaign at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival today that includes being able to:

“…add a local Chevrolet promotion event to their calendar to go test-drive a Volt or use voice-enabled search on Bing to find locations near them. Chevrolet will be the first auto marketer to incorporate a branded advertising experience for the new Windows Phone 7.”

There may also be Microsoft Surface tables and and Kinect kiosks at future Volt promotional events. There’s a video interview with Paul Edwards, executive director of marketing strategy with General Motors, talking about the ad deal after the jump.

[Source: Microsoft, Fast Company, Clickz]

Continue reading Drive a Chevy Volt without using your hands on the Xbox Kinect

Drive a Chevy Volt without using your hands on the Xbox Kinect

      

Tags: advertising, Bing, Calendar, Car, chevrolet, chevy, Free, game, Games, general motors, gm, green, hybrid, Microsoft, NOVA, plug-in, POI, ring, sale, tC, test, Video, Windows

	Report: Nissan considering ER-EVs in addition to battery electric vehicles Options, anyone?		Autocar discovers the Mini E is long-haul capable, provided you aren’t in a hurry Average speed: 8 mph.
	Video: Green Overdrive presents insanely expensive home-brewed eco rides Got cash?	Other news: Soon, you can drive a Chevy Volt without using your hands on the Xbox Kinect Electric vehicles supporters testify on Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2010 With efficiency improvements on the way, V8 engine is far from dead

AutoblogGreen for 06.23.10

      

Tags: 3.1, abg, autobloggreen, Car, chevy, green, nissan, Other, ring, test, V8, Video

Look what the spies have caught. Fresh from our time in the nothing-else-looks-like-it Cadillac CTS Coupe, comes these furtive shots of what we think is the upcoming Cadillac ATS. We’ve heard different rumors, but the dedicated BMW 3 Series fighter will either show up in 2013 as a 2014 model, or 2014 for the 2015 model year. Whenever it shows up, the ATS will be riding on a smaller version of GM’s new/upcoming Alpha platform, the same basic RWD chassis that will also underpin the third generation CTS as well as the next Chevy Camaro.

We’ve taken a long, hard look at these spy shots, and have concluded that whatever sits under the CTS shell has had its wheelbase shrunk, leading us to believe this is in fact an ATS mule. The wheels are far too close to the passenger compartment. The other giveaway are the two places to insert fuel. At first we thought perhaps this is an XTS prototype and that the second orifice was (maybe) because of the new big Caddy’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. However, we think the vestigial door in the photographs is actually there because of the shortened chassis of the ATS. Also, GM will be placing PHEV plugs on the driver’s side for convenience. We’ve also heard nothing about an ATS PHEV, though an ATS Hybrid has been rumored.

As for the mule in these pictures, here’s hoping whatever’s under there is worthy of all six ducks.

Spy Shots: Cadillac ATS hits the test track

    

Tags: 2011, bmw, BMW 3 Series, cadillac, Cadillac CTS, cadillac cts coupe, camaro, chevy, Coupe, CTS, CTS Coupe, gm, hybrid, Other, photo, Photos, plug-in, rumors, spy shots, test, Time

There was a time when General Motors was a design leader. Before the Aztek, before the Catera, before the Sunfire and before the Citation, GM was synonymous with bold, strong, emotional automotive design. The General was so good at it that in the 1950s it was able to flood dealerships and stress factories just by tweaking a given model’s sheetmetal a few shades. Imagine anyone caring about a new rear end on a 2011 Chevy Malibu. Yet the revised bodywork of the 1956 Bel Air was a major cultural phenomenon.

The name Harvey Earl – the legendary head of GM design from 1927 until 1958 – still strikes reverence into the hearts of many. One glance at his famed Buick Y-Job, a 1949 Cadillac or the original Corvette is enough to see why. Earl’s parting shot was the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado – the one with the tail fins that could nearly touch the moon. Then you have Earl’s successor, Bill Mitchell, the man responsible for the third generation Corvette, the 1966 Toronado and the magnificent boattail Buick Riviera.

For a variety of reasons, in the 1970s General Motors and striking design parted ways. GM’s styling wandered through the desert, swapping glitz, purpose and chrome for tighter profit margins, increased badge engineering and a large patina of plain ol’ dull. All you need to do is take a gander at the third-generation B-bodies to see how far GM went in the wrong direction. Let’s not even mention cladding.

For the last decade or so there have been signs of hope. Vehicles like the Chevrolet SSR, Pontiac Solstice, C6 Corvette and the new Camaro were proof that GM and great design are on the road to reconciliation. As a division, Cadillac has made the biggest strides with their Art and Science design motif, showing great signs of life. The front end of the second generation CTS is fantastic. From a pure design point of view, and with the possible exception of the now dead Pontiac Solstice, no General Motors product has been world class since Mitchell retired in 1977.

That changes now. Meet the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe.

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe is audacity in motion

First Drive: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe is audacity in motion

    

Tags: 2011, 911, cadillac, Cadillac CTS, cadillac cts coupe, camaro, Car, chevrolet, chevy, Corvette, Coupe, CTS, CTS Coupe, CtsCoupe, design, general motors, gm, photo, Photos, POI, Pontiac, profit, ring, tC, Time, tweak

Just weeks after starting production of the new 2011 heavy-duty pickup trucks at the Flint, MI assembly plant, General Motors suspended work last Thursday to replace a defective component. Engineers found a problem with the unidentified part during routine testing and immediately found a replacement. Three shifts of Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD production were canceled on Thursday and Friday, but assembly is scheduled to resume on Monday morning.

Trucks that have already been built and shipped to dealers over the past four weeks will also be retrofitted before customer delivery. In July, GM will also add production of light-duty pickups at Flint.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Report: GM suspends production at Flint HD pickup plant over part issue

    

Tags: 2011, 3G, 4G, chevrolet, chevy, duty, general motors, gm, GMC, photo, Photos, Pickup, pickup truck, ring, SD, test, truck

When the Chevrolet Volt finally hits the market late this year, the U.S. Department of Energy will help out by providing free 240-volt home chargers for 4,400 early buyers. The chargers are made either by ECOtality (which will install 2,600 Volt chargers) or Coulomb Technologies (1,800 chargers). In all, the DOE is helping to fit around 15,000 plug-in vehicle chargers across America. Of course, ‘free’ might be a relative term here. That’s what the headline says, but Tony DiSalle, product and marketing director for the Chevrolet Volt, said in a statement that, “For Volt owners who want to install a faster 240-volt charge station, we expect the Department of Energy project to save $1,000 and $2,000.” We have heard that these chargers will cost around $2,000.

What does the DOE get from this? Data. Part of the deal is that Volt drivers agree to let the government agency collect information to help “understand what is required for widespread electric vehicle use.” Nissan also has a partnership with ECOtality to bring home chargers to Leaf buyers and Ford is also working with Coulomb.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading First 4,400 Chevrolet Volt owners could get free home charging stations

First 4,400 Chevrolet Volt owners could get free home charging stations

    

Tags: 2011, chevrolet, chevy, epa, ford, Free, general motors, green, nissan, photo, Photos, plug-in, ring, U.S.

In 2007 General Motors broke Chinese sales records with over one million vehicles sold. That sounded pretty impressive at the time, but just three years later GM’s sales have come so far so fast that the General is now officially selling more vehicles in the Land of the Great Wall than it is in the States.

The Detroit Bureau reports that GM’s China sales are up 54 percent in 2010 versus the first five months of 2009, with 1,032,665 cars and trucks sold so far this year. The General isn’t doing nearly that well here in the U.S, with 882,277 units sold during the same period.

The biggest reason GM’s sales continue to outpace the growth of its competition is the shot in the arm provided by the Chevy brand. The Bow Tie brand’s sales are up 104 percent on the year, led by a 113 percent increase in sales of the Cruze. GM sold 14,524 copies of the Cruze in May alone, while the new-for-2010 Sail already hit 7,616 sales. While Chevy is quickly growing in the Chinese market, the still hot Buick brand is starting to show some signs of leveling off. Sales of the Tri-shield are up a mere 22 percent so far this year. Cadillac appears to be stealing a bit of Buick’s thunder as well, as the Wreath and Crest is up 98 percent on the year.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

GM: Big(ger) in China

      

Tags: ARM, cadillac, Car, cars, chevrolet, chevy, China, general motors, gm, Official, photo, Photos, ring, sale, Time, truck, ynews

Just after we flip our calendars to the year 2011, we’ll have three new sedans on the street, all poised to compete against one another and priced from around the $16,000 mark – the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2012 Ford Focus. Each car has a lot of positives and we’re sure the automotive media will be lining up comparison tests as soon as each are ready. But right now, we want to know what you, the reader, thinks has the makings of the best $16,000 sedan. Read the details and vote for your pick below.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta

• Dimensions (inches): length: 182.7, width: 70.1, height: 57.1
• Engines: 2.5-liter inline-five with 170 horsepower, 177 pound-feet of torque; 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four with 140 hp, 236 lb-ft; 2.0-liter turbocharged four with 200 hp, 207 lb-ft; six-speed automatic, dual-clutch and manual transmissions will be available
• Fuel economy: Over 40 mpg for TDI diesel models
• Available features: Navigation, Bluetooth, 60/40 split rear seat

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

• Dimensions (inches): length: 181.0, width: 70.7, height: 58.1, wheelbase: 105.7
• Engines: 1.8-liter naturally aspirated inline-four with 138 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque; 1.4-liter turbocharged four with 138 hp and 148 lb-ft; six-speed manual and automatic transmissions available
• Fuel economy: 40 mpg for Eco models
• Available features: Bluetooth, USB connectivity, OnStar support

2012 Ford Focus

• Dimensions (inches): length: 179, width: 72, height: 58, wheelbase: 104
• Engines: 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four with 155 horsepower, 145 pound-feet of torque, mated to a five-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic; 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four reportedly in the works with 240-plus hp and a six-speed manual
• Fuel economy: 40 mpg highway targeted for base 2.0-liter model
• Available features: SYNC, active park assist, navigation

View Poll

Note: Official specifications for the 2011 Jetta and 2012 Focus have not been released as of this writing, but these are the details that Autoblog has learned through industry sources.

The $16,000 Question: Jetta, Cruze or Focus? [w/poll]

    

Tags: 2.0, 2011, bluetooth, Calendar, Car, chevrolet, chevy, feature, features, focus, ford, ford focus, FordFocus, gm, horsepower, navigation, Official, Other, photo, Photos, POI, tC, test, USB, volkswagen

This week,Chris joins Sam, Dan and Alex on a phone line from 1922. News topics we cover are a short chat about the exciting action at Le Mans, the Chevrolet/Chevy memo flap, Mini’s nipping at Porsche’s heels, GM’s HD pickups, and the new Volkswagen Jetta. It’s a short, sweet sub-one-hour podcast this week. See you soon!

Autoblog Podcast #182 – Le Mans, Chevrolet, GM HD Trucks, Mini’s aggression and the new Jetta

In the Autoblog Garage:

BMW X6 M
Lexus HS250h

News:

• Le Mans
  
• Chevy vs. Chevrolet
• Mini taunting Porsche
• New Volkswagen Jetta
• General Motors HD Pickups

Hosts:
Chris Shunk, Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 54:32

---

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #182 – Le Mans, Chevrolet, GM HD Trucks, Mini’s aggression and the new Jetta

      

Tags: 2011, A4, Apple, Audi, bmw, BMW X6, Chat, chevrolet, chevy, duty, Free, general motors, gm, GMC, iTunes, lexus, mp3, Official, Pickup, Porsche, review, Time, truck, volkswagen, X6

Autoline Daily for 6.14.10

Subscribe to Podcast Listen on Phone

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 6.14.10

    

Tags: 2011, 3G, 911, AMG, Apple, Audi, audi R8, banner, bmw, breaking, Car, chevrolet, chevy, CTS, duty, feature, features, ford, ford f-150, gm, GMC, iTunes, Official, photo, Photos, POI, Porsche, Porsche 911, R8, super, supercar, svt raptor, tC, truck, U.S., UK, Video, volkswagen

Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.

We actually appreciated this ‘backwards’ approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some ‘gut’ impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM’s new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

    

Tags: 2011, 3G, 4G, chevy, duty, general motors, gm, GMC, photo, Photos, sale, tC, truck, UK

Fuel efficiency has increased dramatically in the last decade, or at least that’s what we’ve been told. So it might come as a surprise to find out that six of the Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers from 1984 to present were built prior to 2000. Don’t believe it? We didn’t either, but this info comes straight from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website, the authoritative source on this fuel efficiency stuff.

While some current vehicles, such as the 2010 Toyota Prius, 2010 Honda Insight and the 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrid, garnered a spot on the top ten list, it’s really older lightweight models like the 1986 Chevy Sprint ER or 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI that make it obvious efficiency hasn’t come as far as we’d like to think.

Overall, Honda holds top honors for automakers with five models present on the list, while Toyota’s Prius made its mark twice. All of the vehicles on the list run with either 3- or 4-cylinder engines and five out of the top ten rely on hybrid motivation. The overall winner, the 2000 Honda Insight (pictured above), scores a combined rating of 53 miles per gallon, a number that exceeds even the modern-day Prius by three mpg.

In many cases, we’ve been mistakenly led to believe that buying a new car equates to increased efficiency, but this list clearly shows that many of the relics from days gone by can easily hold their own with the most efficient vehicles made today. However, finding a running example of some of these old fuel sippers may prove impossible and we’d venture to guess that many of them are far from safe to drive by today’s standards. Check out all ten fuel sippers in our gallery below.

[Source: Environmental Protection Agency Image: Beige Alert - C.C. License 2.0]

EPA reveals top 10 most fuel-efficient cars since 1984, original Honda Insight takes top honors

      

Tags: 2.0, Car, cars, chevy, epa, green, honda, hybrid, photo, Photos, toyota, Website

Chevygate 2010 continues. By now, you’ve probably heard all about the General Motors love/hate relationship with the Chevy nickname for its bread and butter Chevrolet brand. At first, the company seemed to be turning its back on America’s pet name for the Bow Tie brand before turning around and saying that the company downright loves it when the American people use the Chevy name, but it would be using Chevrolet in all of its branding and messaging for “branding consistency.” The whole dust-up centered around The General’s attempt to build a more easily identifiable brand in emerging markets. Or something.

Now GM’s social marketing guru Joe LaMuraglia has turned out a video featuring Sales VP Alan Batey to attempt to quiet the teaming masses. You can hop the jump to see the full flick for yourself, just beware, shaky hand-cam ensues.

Batey says that Chevrolet is one of the fastest growing brands in the world, and that for every one Chevy model sold here in the U.S., the company moves two units overseas. In order to stifle any confusion as to whether or not Chevrolet and Chevy are the same brand, the company is simply going to use Chevrolet moving forward. Simple as that.

[Source: Chevrolet via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: GM tries to explain away Chevy vs. Chevrolet debacle

Video: GM tries to explain away Chevy vs. Chevrolet debacle

    

Tags: chevrolet, chevy, feature, Free, general motors, gm, iCan, ring, sale, SIM, tC, test, U.S., Video, VP, YouTube

Chevrolet has built a special edition of its new Spark runabout for use as a pace car during World Touring Car Championship races this year. The Spark is powered by the new 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four that will power the Cruze when it goes on sale in the United States this fall. The turbo-four produces 140 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque while standard production Sparks are powered by 1.0 or 1.2-liter engines generating 67 and 80 hp, respectively, so this figures to indeed be a significantly hotter drive. The Spark turbo will make its first WTCC appearance during the event at Zolder, Belgium on June 19-20.

Before it gets down to business, the Spark and a WTCC Cruze will be displayed with the Corvette C6.R at the kickoff of this week’s activities for the 24 hours of Le Mans. The GT2 Corvettes ran second and third in the opening qualifying session on Wednesday.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevy builds Cruze-engined Super Spark for WTCC duty

Chevy builds Cruze-engined Super Spark for WTCC duty

    

Tags: Belgium, Car, chevrolet, chevy, Corvette, duty, general motors, horsepower, iCan, LG, photo, Photos, ring, sale, SD, special edition, super, tC

Autoline Daily

Subscribe to Podcast Listen on Phone

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 6.10.10

    

Tags: 2011, Apple, banner, chevrolet, chevy, China, chrysler, concept, Corvette, Coupe, CTS, focus, Free, general motors, gm, GMC, iCan, iTunes, Jeep, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Porsche, ring, sale, sex, super, Suzuki, tC, Time, U.S., UK, update, Video

Were you one of the many that thought the apocalypse must be nigh for General Motors to suggest that we should stop referring to Chevrolet as ‘Chevy’?” Yeah, we understand. After all, the nickname is as American as baseball and apple pie… or something like that.

With that in mind, GM has issued a clarification on its official Facebook page as well as in an official statement (available after the jump), blaming a “poorly worded memo” for the kerfuffle. Further, GM seeks to reassure the masses that they are free to refer to Chevrolet as Chevy if they so choose (whew!). Says The General, “In fact, we like when people call it “Chevy.” It reflects 100 years of history and connection with the American People.”

So, it would seem that we can call off the dogs, so to speak. But we feel obliged to make one thing clear – Do not expect General Motors to refer to its most popular marque as ‘Chevy’ moving forward:

In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process.

So… has this been much ado about nothing, or are you still miffed? Check out the release after the jump, and then have your say in ‘Comments.’

*UPDATE: GM social media spokesperson Joe LaMuraglia has confirmed via Twitter that GM “will use Chevrolet in our branding and messaging for brand consistency.”

[Source: Chevrolet Facebook]

Continue reading Followup: GM says feel free to say ‘Chevy’ *UPDATE

Followup: GM says feel free to say ‘Chevy’ *UPDATE

      

Tags: advertising, Apple, chevrolet, chevy, CTS, Facebook, Free, general motors, GeneralMotors, gm, iCan, Official, ring, Twitter, update

Folks, there are bad ideas, and there ones that are legendary in their badness. Unfortunately for General Motors, it would appear that the automaker may very well be lobbying for its own wing in the Dumb Idea Hall of Fame. The New York Times reports that a memo distributed to workers at the company’s headquarters earlier this week instructs them to cease referring to the Chevrolet brand by its long-standing nickname, Chevy. Going forward, only Chevrolet is to be used. The reasoning? So-called branding consistency. If you’re thinking, “That’s insane,” well, we don’t blame you.

It gets better.

The Times further points out that the memo, signed by Chevy marketing vice president Jim Campbell (you see what we did there) and Alan Batey, VP of Chevy sales and service (there we go again), uses Coke – Coke – as an example of what GM is trying to achieve with this approach. It would seem that the powers-that-be at the RenCen are oblivious to the irony that Coke is, of course, shorthand for the company’s formal name, Coca-Cola.

In a nutshell, we feel that the Coke comparison GM uses in the memo is ultimately rather apt, given that the idea of memory-holing “Chevy” as part of some absurd branding exercise seems destined to be a failure on the level of New Coke. GM’s got its work cut out for itself, regardless. As of right now, Chevrolet.com has 5,480 “Chevy” mentions on it according to Google. GM.com? 1,730 more. That Chevy is inextricably tied to Chevrolet is a reality GM’s marketers are apparently divorced from.

We can’t be the only ones who think this is perhaps the very worst in a long history of horrible ideas… So, what’s your take? Hit the jump and have your say in our poll. Thanks to CpuYoda for the tip!

[Source: The New York Times]

Continue reading Report: General Motors wants to snuff out “Chevy” nickname [w/poll]

Report: General Motors wants to snuff out “Chevy” nickname [w/poll]

      

Tags: automobile, chevrolet, chevy, CTS, general motors, gm, Google, New York, New York Times, Official, POI, ring, sale, Time, VP

If you own a 2007 Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon, you might want to watch your fingers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun an engineering analysis (the step before a potential recall) at the SUVs’ door handles after 88 complaints of people cutting their hands on peeling metal plating. There are a possible 443,000 vehicles affected, but that’s only if the NHTSA decides a full recall is necessary at the end of its analysis.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Ouch: NHTSA reportedly investigating 2007 Tahoe, Yukon over sharp door handles

      

Tags: chevy, ECID, gm, GMC, ring, tC, UK

It took a full year for the Ford Mustang to regain its pony car sales title versus the reborn Chevy Camaro, but May sales totals show that the ‘Stang has finally regained its mojo. The far more powerful 2011 Mustang plays a huge roll in the comeback, but after originally reporting the upset, Automotive News is now pointing out a second factor that helped the Blue Oval bring the May pony car sales title back to Dearborn.

The Camaro has been selling so well that General Motors hasn’t had to pour any money into incentives.That’s zero denero, no super low financing… nothing. The tale of the Mustang’s May sales tally is a bit murkier. First, 4,376 of the Mustangs sold in May were 2010 models, and those coupes could be had with $2,500 on the hood and financing between zero and 5.9 percent – depending on the length of the loan. According to Edmunds.com, the 2011 Mustang has $1,500 on the hood for returning lessees and conquests alike, plus financing as low as zero percent for 36 months.

Does the fact that the Mustang has some cash on its hood mean that its 10,225 to 8,931 sales victory against the Camaro is tainted? We’re not inclined to think so because a win is a win no matter how you dissect it. But at the same time, we’re pretty sure GM is thrilled to be selling their pony car at a clip of 100,000 units per year without any cash on the hood. Not a bad consolation prize.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Ford Mustang/Chevrolet Camaro May sales tally backstory

      

Tags: 2011, 2011 mustang, blue oval, camaro, Car, chevrolet, chevrolet camaro, chevy, Coupe, ford, ford mustang, general motors, gm, mustang, POI, ring, sale, super, Time

If Google Trends is an accurate indicator of eventual success, the Nissan Leaf will be a smash hit. At the very least, it looks to be more popular than the Chevy Volt. The latest trends show that interest in the Leaf, as calculated by search volume and news articles, is nearly double that of the Volt. We don’t have to use Google as the only indicator that interest in the Leaf is high, just take a look at the Leaf’s Facebook page, which lists more than 54,000 fans (something Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is particularly proud of), while the Volt has only managed to rack up 24,000. If you still doubt that the Leaf is leading the online popularity contest, then look no further than the official interest lists for each vehicle. As GM-Volt.com reports, the Leaf’s is 130,000 strong, whereas the Volt only has 42,000.

Now, there’s no real way to translate these numbers into eventual, actual sales, nor can we predict success based on statistics alone. For that, we’ll have to wait until these the new EVs go on sale later this year and the real-world results allow us to crown a champion. Still, current indicators suggest that the Leaf is hot, hot, hot.

[Source: Google trends, GM-Volt, Facebook]

Nissan Leaf crushing Chevy Volt on Google, Facebook and more

      

Tags: Car, chevrolet, chevy, Facebook, gm, Google, green, nissan, Official, sale, statistics, test