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The Detroit Auto Show is coming up. After that, we go to the Chicago Auto Show. Then New York and maybe Geneva. We are going to hob-knob with most of the auto industry titans: CEOs, Design Chiefs, Product Development Bosses.

We will be at dinners, group interviews, one-on-one interviews and members of the media will have time “on the sidelines” with these decision makers, sometimes without their pubic relations handlers listening in, trying to keep their bosses from making a headline.

I have a handful of questions for companies and executives I plan to ask. And the rest of the Autoblog staff is jotting up their notebooks with interview appointments and questions they want to ask. But how about you, dear readers, chiming in with yours? We’ll do our best to get them answered.

My Questions:

1. For Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn: Why all the rhetoric on sales goals? You want one million VWs and Audis sold in North America by 2018. Why? How about getting quality ratings going in the right direction first? VW quality scores have actually fallen in the last two years. Shouldn’t quality be “Job One,” to quote an old Ford ad slogan? Making it so much about sales seems like a recipe for driving the entire organization toward the wrong goal. Take care of quality and pricing, and sales will take care of themselves.

2. For Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito: When is Honda going to re-assert leadership in powertrains? I can still feel what a CVCC engine was like to drive. I can close my eyes and remember the beautiful gearbox on the manual transmission. We just aren’t seeing this sort of leadership from Honda anymore, at least not in the U.S.

Are you serious about hybrids or not? The Accord Hybrid was a “non-starter.” And the new Insight is a yawn, even for a hybrid. Are you serious about EVS, or not? You said you were going to bring a diesel engine – your wonderful diesel sold in Europe – to the States, only to kill the idea. I would suggest that there is no sound business case to be made for General Motors bringing out the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric. But the fact that it did shows that the company is seizing a leadership position trying to change the story about how we drive.

And your design department? Have you looked around a Honda showroom lately? The Ridgeline is a bust. The Element was close to a bust. The CR-Z is a puzzle whose early sales suggest it’s a bust, too. I can’t find any reason to tell someone they should put it on their list. The Accord Crosstour is not awful, but that’s the best I can say. Yes, you own the subcompact crossover market with the CR-V. The Accord is the Accord. The Civic remains strong, but we want a five-door variant back in the showroom. The Odyssey is a pleasure among minivans. But there some big misses here for every hit you turn out.

But most of all, we want something from Honda we can get psyched about. What do you have to say?

3. For GM CEO Daniel Ackerson: Sure you sold a whole flock of Volts to General Electric. But these cars need to sell to the pubic. What’s your gameplan if Volts don’t sell well…if the order bank isn’t as deep as you think? Will it be a failure of the idea, or the execution by Chevy? Is there anything more automakers can get from Washington as far as policy or added incentives to get these cars established?

4. For Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuk: What gives? I’ve lost the plot with your company in North America. Mitsubishi has become the new Isuzu. Sales are non-existent. Dealers have to be bleeding. Can you explain to us the plan for North America? I have driven a few of the new vehicles, and I remain hard-pressed to find anything that I would tell a friend about why they should check out the Galant or Outlander when they are shopping for a new vehicle. Maybe if the Mitsubishi is $5,000 less than comparable Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford or Chevy, I would tell someone to check it out, but I would still be wary of the treatment anyone gets at a Mitsubishi dealer these days, not to mention the eventual resale value. Tel us what the story is.

5. For BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer: The X6 and then 5 Series GT. Now front-drive BMWs. And the “Joy” ad campaign. I feel like BMW, similar to VW, may be overly preoccupied with sales growth without proper consideration to honoring the brand equity you have in the BMW marque. We mostly love the 3 Series and the 5 Series. The 1 Series? Yup. But BMW seems like a brand that is trying to stretch, but at the same time I wonder if focus is being lost. Share your thoughts.

We don’t want to give up all my questions for the executives we will talk with. But if you readers want to add some questions here in Comments, we’ll do our best to get some of them answered at the first couple of auto shows we attend.

Five questions we’re asking auto execs at the start of 2011. What are yours?

You’ve got to hand it to Wayne Gerdes. He knows how to go the distance in production passenger cars on very little gasoline. In April of 2009, he worked with a team to go 1,445 miles in a Ford Fusion Hybrid on a single tank of gas. In June of 2010, he went 1,065 miles in a non-hybrid 2011 Hyundai Sonata. His most recent trip was in a Sonata Hybrid, which he drove 2,269.3 miles from San Diego, CA to Jekyll Island, GA on less than two tanks of fuel – a claimed average of 59.58 miles per gallon.

That’s mighty impressive, but for those of us who have been following Gerdes’ recent hypermiling drives, the obvious question is, why was he able to get 66.285 mpg in the regular, gas-powered non-turbo Sonata when the hybrid “only” got 59.59 mpg? (and Fusion Hybrid managed 81.5 mpg.) In part, this can be explained because the trip in the regular Sonata took place in the summer from Chicago to New York, while the hybrid ride was a winter time trek through the mountains – and it was over twice the distance.

In any case, Gerdes has once again showed that it’s quite possible to handily beat the fuel efficiency ratings on a car’s window sticker. In this case, the EPA thinks you will get 40 mpg on the highway, but clearly a lot is left on the table for those whose sole goal is to eke out every last drop of gas.

Just as importantly, we’re not sure if Gerdes and his compatriots employed some of the more radical and dangerous hypermiling staples (drafting semi trucks for lower drag, etc.), but we’ve got a call in to Wayne to learn more about his techniques. In any case, a short video of the Sonata’s mpg display after the first tank is available after the jump.

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Hypermiling Hyundai Sonata Hybrid crosses America in under two tanks [w/video]

Hypermiling Hyundai Sonata Hybrid crosses America in under two tanks [w/video]

The Chevy Volt is on sale now, but for most Americans there’s a catch. The extended range EV must be purchased in one of a select few markets like New York or Los Angeles, leaving many dealers Volt-less until next Fall. That didn’t stop the inventive folks at Jim Ellis Chevrolet in Georgia from getting their hands on Chevy’s electrically-charged halo car. ABC affiliate WSB TV in Atlanta reports that an employee at the dealership traveled all the way to New York to pose as a regular customer, then purchased a white Volt and brought it back to the Georgia dealership.

So what does the dealer plan to do with it’s new Volt? Start a bidding war between early-adopting southerners? Not even close. The dealer website claims the shiny new hatch will not be sold. Instead, the dealer will use the vehicle as a draw to get customers to enter the dealership. And according to Jim Ellis Vice President Mark Frost, the plan is working, with about 100 potential car buyers entering the dealer every day just to take a look. Frost says he’s hoping the Volt will compel Toyota and Honda loyalists to buy a Chevy. But until the Volt goes on sale in Georgia late next year, the best customers can hope for is a test drive. Hit the jump to watch the story.

[Source: WSB TV via GM Inside News]

Continue reading Video: GA dealer buys Chevy Volt in NY just so he can show it off to his customers

Video: GA dealer buys Chevy Volt in NY just so he can show it off to his customers

When old Soviet-bloc vehicles started showing up in Mississippi, mutterings about overthrow plots and secret roads began to spread. Were all these trucks being staged as part of an advance effort? The truth turned out to be far more mundane, but also ironically symbolic of the ignominious end to the U.S.S.R.

Rather than any kind of clandestine military operation, the vehicles had been sold as surplus to a businessman who planned to retrofit them for humanitarian use by the United Nations. That effort didn’t quite pan out, and the vehicles (including decrepit Zil trucks similar to the restored one above) weren’t suited for road use in the United States. Some went to Mexico, others were used by the Air Force for target practice, but in the end, a huge number of the vehicles patiently decayed in a Biloxi, Mississippi storage lot until Hurricane Katrina, a civil court ruling and continuing lack of interest sealed their fate. Off they’ve gone, leaving the tall weeds of the storage lot for the towering piles of the scrap yard, destined to be melted down into home appliances and even new automobiles.

And so perishes one of the remaining vestiges of the Cold War. In dying out, the raw materials that once fueled tense stalemate are being transformed into commodities, the raw material of capitalism.

[Source: The New York Times Image: Stephenhanafin/Flickr - CC 2.0]

Soviet vehicles stage in Mississippi?

DeNooyer Chevrolet of Albany has dipped into GM’s Performance Parts catalog and come out with an LSX454 engine. After stuffing it into a Camaro, they know have a 620-horsepower coupe prowling their lot. In Georgia, NeSmith Chevrolet also took a look into the catalog and put in an order for supercharged LS9 normally found in a Corvette ZR1. Their NeSmith Storm Camaro puts out nearly 700 horses. In other words, the COPO is back! Check out our gallery below and then hop the jump to see video clips of both cars. Thanks for the tip, Tony!

[Source: The Detroit News Image: DeNooyer Performance Division]

Continue reading Report: Two Chevy dealers offering special 700-hp Camaro models – just like Yenko and Berger [w/video]

Report: Two Chevy dealers offering special 700-hp Camaro models – just like Yenko and Berger [w/video]

Murder and intrigue. Car crashes, dead bodies, motorcycle chases and, of course, sweet revenge. Are we describing the latest round of blockbuster summer movies or reading the latest New York Times best-seller? Nope, just recapping the ten most popular posts on Autoblog from 2010 as determined by click-throughs garned from from regular AB readers and outside link-ins.

Yep, it’s that time of the season. It’s officially the very last day of the year, so we hope you’ll join us in taking a look back at the year that just was – and, of course, in looking forward to everything that 2011 has in store for those of us who obsessively cover the auto industry.

Click here to take a trip down memory lane.

[Source Image: Cliff Owen/AP]

Continue reading Autoblog’s Most Popular Posts of 2010

Autoblog’s Most Popular Posts of 2010

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has announced that his office settled with former White House Task Force “Car Czar” Stephen L. Rattner for $10 million. The agreement comes following charges that Rattner engaged in a kickback scheme involving New York’s pension funds while he was an executive with Quadrangle Group.

Rattner, who oversaw the U.S. government rescue of General Motors and Chrysler in 2009 and shepherded the companies into bankruptcy, will also be barred from doing business with the State’s pension fund for a period of five years as part of the agreement with Cuomo. The deal will settle two lawsuits filed in November against Rattner.

“I am gratified that we have been able to reach an agreement in this case, as it resolves the last major action of our multi-year investigation,” Cuomo said in a statement. “The state pension fund is a valuable asset held in trust for retirees and supported by taxpayers. Through the many cases, pleas and settlements in this investigation, I believe we have been able to help restore and protect the integrity of the state pension fund.”

Mr. Cuomo will be sworn in as New York’s governor on Jan. 1.

Rattner said in a statement: “I am pleased to have reached a settlement with the New York attorney general’s office, which allows me to put this matter behind me. I apologize if during the course of this process there is anything I did that may have made reaching this agreement more difficult. I respect the work of the attorney general and his staff to ensure that the New York State Common Retirement Fund operates properly and in the best interests of New Yorkers.”

[Image: Neilson Barnard/Getty]

Continue reading “Car Czar” Rattner settles with Cuomo over pension fund kickbacks

“Car Czar” Rattner settles with Cuomo over pension fund kickbacks

Picture your dream garage, and we have a sneaking suspicion that a fair few of the vehicles contained therein would be Ferrari supercars. But which ones? An F40? The F50 roadster that followed? Would you skip the Enzo and go right to its track-focused cousins, the FXX and the Maserati MC12? Benny Caiola had all of these and then some, but now his collection’s going up on the auction block.

The enviable stable of the late enthusiast and noted collector included an F40, F50, FXX Evoluzione (the even more advanced version of the Enzo-based customer prototype), an MC12, 333 SP (the last Le Mans Prototype Ferrari ever made), both a 430 Scuderia and an F430 Challenge racer, a 599 GTB Fiorano with the HGTE package and a ‘73 Dino, plus a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and a McLaren Mercedes SLR Roadster thrown in for good measure.

This lustworthy collection is all on the docket for Gooding & Company’s auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, for January 21-22. Most of the New York real estate mogul’s vehicles are estimated in the six-figure range, but several of them – notably the three V12 track monsters – are anticipated to fetch north of the million-dollar mark. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release and don’t forget to click through the 52-image high-resolution mega gallery below for a closer look at each of the supercars on the roster.

[Source: Gooding & Company]

Continue reading Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

The average gas price in the U.S. is over $3 right now, and there’s a good chance it’ll go higher before too long. What do you do in this situation if you’re a car dealer with a lot full of SUVs and big crossovers? You start being cautious.

That’s the takeaway point from an Automotive News article, with the key quote coming from a New York Ford dealer, who told the industry publication:

SUVs are still important in this area, but people are downsizing to more fuel efficient SUVs instead. We are still stocking with the idea that it may go either way. Hoping for the best, but prepared for anything.

For the moment, gas prices aren’t high enough to make people panic and try to offload their gas hogs the way we saw in 2008, but Kelley Blue Book analyst Alec Gutierrez told Automotive News that SUV sales could drop “dramatically” once gas reaches $3.50 or $4 a gallon, saying, “The days where a dealer could just go to auction and stock up on a bunch of SUVs and hold them for 40 or 60 days are over.”

The last time gas jumped up to panic levels was in 2008. That’s when Joe Crawford took the picture that illustrates this post. In the accompanying Flickr caption, he writes:

So a local (Culver City) car dealer started storing cars on the top of our parking garage. I always park on the roof, so anytime I am up there I see the cars. I have taken to think of these cars as an economic indicator. They all seem to be SUV vehicles. I wonder about why they are up there, and why there seems to be more every week. I suspect the fact that they’re stored here has something to do with the price of gas.

We suspect he’s right, and we can’t imagine there are dealers out there who want to have to go through a process like that again.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Image: Joe Crawford - C.C. 2.0]

Report: Facing high gas prices, dealers get cautious with big SUVs

First, we’d like to go on the record as saying that we appreciate the people who keep our streets clean as much as the next guy. But let’s face it: working for a sanitation department doesn’t always require a finely honed intellect. Still, the incident caught in this video footage sinks to new lows.

With storms ravaging New York City and its surrounding areas, one rather large front-end loader somehow managed to get stuck in the snow and had to be pulled out by a tow truck, so city workers got to it. Just one problem: it was on a city street in between parked cars. But as you can see from the video, that didn’t seem to concern the sanitation department personnel on the scene, to the unfortunate destruction of one snow-covered Ford Explorer parked adjacent. Follow the jump to watch the cringe-inducing footage for yourself, just be mindful of the explicit language. Thanks for the tip, Stan!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: How not to clean up from the NYC snow storm

Video: How not to clean up from the NYC snow storm

The Smithsonian Institution’s collection of treasures extends far beyond what’s actually on display in its D.C. museums. Ranging from ancient artifacts to modern marvels, this bit is likely to interest automotive enthusiasts more than any other:

The National Museum of American History is preparing to put two of the most historically significant American automobiles on display from its archives. But instead of letting the curators pick the cars, they’re asking the public to vote in a campaign it paradoxically calls “Race to the Museum.”

The candidates include a 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout (the first car built on an assembly line in the U.S., well before the Ford Model T); an 1880 steam-powered trike built in Massachusetts; an 1894 Blazer (the first American-made automobile to hit New York City, built by a Tiffany-trained watchmaker); a 1948 Tucker (pioneering many advanced safety features and the subject of the 1988 Jeff Bridges film); a 1929 Miller supercharged Indy race car, which set a 143 mph speed record and prompted Detroit to press race organizers to ban superchargers; a 1953 Glasspar fiberglass sports car and two modern examples of green propulsion from General Motors: the EV1 and the 1987 Sunraycer solar-powered prototype.

So far the Tucker is in the lead, with the Miller and the Olds in a close race for the second slot. Follow the link to get your vote in before January 11, 2011.

[Source: Smithsonian via The Detroit News]

Smithsonian asks public to vote on cars for American History display

Here in North America we know Mercedes-Benz as purveyors of luxury automobiles. But overseas, the Silver Star is known just as much for its commercial trucks. In between exists a huge chasm, but if one vehicle is capable of single-handedly bridging that gap, it’s surely the Sprinter Grand Edition.

Now you may have seen the Sprinter delivering your packages or taking you to the airport, but this is no cargo van or mini bus. Offered exclusively by Mercedes-Benz Manhattan – the manufacturer-owned dealership on Park Avenue – the Sprinter Grand Edition is everything an upscale buyer would expect from a Mercedes and then some.

It’s referred to as a “stand-up Maybach” for a reason, and that reason is what it packs inside: DVD players hooked up to pair of 32-inch flat-panel televisions, reclining power massage arm chairs, sofa bed, refrigerator, 30,000-BTU HVAC system, satellite radio, wireless internet… it’s essentially a private jet inside, only installed into a van.

The privilege of ownership will cost you though: instead of the $40,000 your average working-grade Sprinter sells for, the fully-equipped Grand Edition goes for a hair under $190,000. That makes it marginally more expensive than the SLS AMG supercar and chump change cheaper than the S65 AMG performance sedan… but still around half the price of a Maybach. Want to know more? Follow the jump for a full list of features.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via The New York Times]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Grand Edition is a private jet sans the wings

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Grand Edition is a private jet sans the wings

The image of the laid-back New York City cabbie may not be long for this world. According to Yahoo News and WNYC, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission had been slated to vote on a new rule that could force the drivers to maintain a “professional appearance,” but that vote has now been postponed until the end of next month.

As of right now, cabbies are simply required to be clean and neat and forbidden from wearing swim suits, tank tops and the like while behind the wheel. Needless to say, the chauffeurs of the Big Apple aren’t exactly thrilled about the change – some are particularly fearful that the new rule will impact their ability to wear ethnic or religious clothing.

As the argument goes, the Taxi and Limousine Commission believes that cab drivers are the city’s ambassadors – the first people most visitors are likely to come in contact with on a visit – and that they should be dressed accordingly. What’s more, the organization admits that isn’t really even something that they think they can enforce in any legal way. Instead, the move is more about reminding cab drivers of exactly how important they are to the city’s tourism industry.

[Sources: Yahoo News, WNYC Image: tomodea, CC 2.0]

New York cabbies to get stiffer dress code?

It’s been a while since we’ve heard about the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. In its current form, the aging ‘Bu is a competent aging dog in need of some new tricks, but General Motors is hoping to put its mid-sizer back at the top of the segment with the all-new model. Early predictions lead us to believe that the 2012 Malibu would show its face at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but we’re now thinking that a New York debut is in order.

For 2012, the Malibu will be shortened, riding on the smaller Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick Regal. Sources who have seen the finished product tell us that while the exterior dimensions have shrunk, there’s no shortage of space inside the car, and we expect the interior to be a giant leap forward from the cabin found in the current model.

Earlier reports have suggested that the 2012 Malibu will only be offered with four-cylinder powertrains (like the Regal), meaning GM’s 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four is a safe bet for the base engine, and the more powerful 2.0-liter Ecotec turbo-four will likely replace the V6 option. A hybrid powerplant is also understood to be in the works. All engines will come with six-speed transmissions, and we’ve even heard rumblings about optional all-wheel drive for the Malibu. Currently, only the Ford Fusion and Subaru Legacy mid-size sedans are available with all-wheel drive.

Production of the new Malibu is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2011, though rumors have been circulating about an even earlier start date. Initial production will begin in China and Korea several months before the North American-spec version, as GM is prepping its Fairfax and Detroit Hamtramck plants for 2012 Malibu duty. While you’re waiting, check out the latest set of high-res spy shots in our gallery.

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu draws closer

The U.S. Post Office is having a rough run of things. With expenses increasing at every corner, our nation’s mail system is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Needless to say, the institution is currently looking into extra ways to rake in cash that doesn’t involve hiking the price of stamps. The New York Times‘ Michael Ravinitzky has come up with a pretty clever plan that could turn postal vehicles into high-tech havens capable of pulling down information on everything from weather and air pollution to road conditions and public safety.

The premise is simple: slap a cheap set of data recording equipment on the roof of each mail truck and then sell the collected data to interested parties. The trucks could be calibrated to warn of biological or radiological attacks to alert the defense department or simply provide a larger sample group for meteorological study. The post office could even lease space on its vehicles for whatever sort of data collection equipment government agencies or private entities could dream up, and Ravinitzky says that it could even be used to fill in blank spots in cell phone coverage. Of course, the likelihood of this coming to fruition seems pretty slim. After all, this is the federal government we’re talking about…

[Source: The New York Times Image: Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Could the U.S. Postal Service fleet be outfitted like Google Street View?

Nissan Emerges From The Kitchen With Something New

You can get vanilla ice cream in an array of varieties. There’s New York Vanilla (the classic flavor), French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, Homestyle Vanilla, Creamy Vanilla and Country Vanilla. Regardless of the subtle differences, each frozen delight is only a mild modification of the same mixture of milk, cream, sugar and vanilla beans. While generally bland and lackluster when compared to Rocky Road, Carmel Ribbon and Mint Chip, good old-fashioned vanilla ice cream enjoys an enormous following and offends few, making it the best-selling flavor in the freezer section. If you make ice cream and want to sell in volume, get on the horn to your friends in Madagascar.

Minivans are a lot like vanilla ice cream.

No matter how hard the automakers try to differentiate their product, all of today’s minivans are essentially mildly altered concoctions blending seven-passenger, front-engine, front-wheel drive, six-cylinder, highly-utilitarian ingredients. Yet, like vanilla ice cream, they are part of a segment that cannot be ignored, and they do surprisingly well at satisfying a broad degree of palates. In the case of nearly every automaker, if you’re building family vehicles, you offer a minivan.

Nissan has released its all-new 2011 Quest and it’s a minivan formulated with today’s all-too familiar ingredients, but unlike the rest of the vanilla troop, the Quest could leave a unique taste in your mouth. Has Nissan broken new ground with its new family transport, or are they just offering consumers the same dessert with just a different label? Read on for the answer.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2010 Michael Harley / AOL, Nissan

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Nissan Quest

First Drive: 2011 Nissan Quest

The North American Ford Escort was launched in 1981 and primarily served as a drab compact of choice for folks who didn’t realize where the Escort name originated. The real Escort was introduced to Ford’s European customer base back in 1968. It was still a fairly drab looking compact… but it had a couple of powertrain options that made it far more exciting than any Escort we got Stateside.

The early Mark I Escorts were offered with a Lotus-sourced 1.6-liter twin cam engine that helped turn the car into a rally favorite. In 1975, the Mark II Escort was developed and a 1.8-liter Cosworth BDA unit was placed under the hood. Burnt-rubber aficionado Ken Block got his hands on an example from 1978 and filmed some serious hoonage through the forests of upstate New York.

The clip, which can be viewed after the jump, is focused on glorious noises and sideways dirt action. Though Block drives a modern Fiesta and Focus in his various motorsports activities, we’ve gotta say we find his work in the Mark II Escort far more interesting.

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Ken Block goes through the woods quickly in an Escort Mk2

Video: Ken Block goes through the woods quickly in an Escort Mk2

We wish we were kidding. We really do. It’s not anywhere near April 1st yet, and the reports seem to be true: Paris Hilton – yes, that Paris Hilton – is launching her own motorcycle racing team.

How on Earth did we arrive at such a situation, you ask? The deal apparently stems from a – sigh – “dance party series” (whatever the heck that is) called SuperMartxé VIP. She of the constant “wardrobe malfunctions” lends her name and likeness to the series, which has now embarked on title sponsorship of a MotoGP team. According to reports, when the celebrity heiress was approached with a licensing agreement, she got so excited that she bought into the team to become a part owner.

Fortunately, Hilton won’t be riding the racing bikes herself. Or actually running the team, for that matter. Those tasks fall to the hands of By Queroseno Racing, its technical director Ricard Jové and its riders Sergio Gadea and Maverick Viñales. Paris will, however, be appearing at five of the MotoGP 125cc races in which the team will be competing in the upcoming season. Seriously, we’re couldn’t make this stuff up.

[Source: MotoGP via The New York Times Image: Michael Tran/FilmMagic.com]

No, We’re Not Kidding: Paris Hilton starts her own MotoGP team

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

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