GM already announced that the production version of the Volt electric car will be revealed in 2010. Until then, a showroom-ready model of the heavily touted electric car in will be presented in September.
But if you want to see the Volt in action you will have the chance in the the action movie "Transformers 2," scheduled for release next summer. Volt will be the second Chevrolet model to be featured in the movie.
GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet. The Volt will also capture energy from braking, like a traditional hybrid, and feature an on-board engine that will be used to send power to the battery on longer trips.
Chevrolet announced today the debut of the new compact Cruze at the Paris Auto Show in October. Sales will begin in Europe in Spring 2009, and later on the other global regions.
Cruze was developed by a global design and engineering team and will be built in multiple locations around the world. Cruze has a lenght of 4,6 meters and offers ample interior space and cargo capacity for five passengers.
The Cruze features Chevrolet’s new global design language that will continue to be a signature element for future vehicles carrying the gold bowtie. Combined with high safety standards and excellent build quality, Chevrolet will again deliver on its promise of offering a very attractive package at an exceptional value.
>> read That’s the word from Reuters, who is reporting that sources very close to the Chevrolet Volt hybrid project are suggesting that a production version could be unveiled at a General Motors centennial celebration this September. However, it still won’t be ready until 2010. Still, the unveiling could be a boon to GM, which is facing the possibility of bankruptcy during this time of $4/gallon gas and sliding truck sales.
Read more here.
We all know the U.S. auto companies are bleeding cash, and that changes will need to be made to keep them in business. At General Motors, it’s no secret that
Hummer is no longer a cash cow and being sold. Now the Wall Street Journal is reporting that other brands such as Buick,
Saturn, and
Saab, may be slated for elimination. In fact, its been reported that all GM brands, with the exception of
Cadillac and
Chevrolet, are not yet safe from the chopping block. Each brand’s safety should be up for review at GM’s board of director’s meeting in early Au
How Deep Will GM Cut? Picture Gallery
With the gas prices lately SUVs and pick-ups are going down and mini car sales are going up. GM is considering a new Chevrolet mini car for the United States as it reworks its product lineup to cope with a dramatic shift from trucks to cars linked to high gas prices.
Chevrolet Beat will be about the size of a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris mini car. "It is certainly one of the things that is being looked at from a portfolio perspective," GM spokesman Dee Allen said.
The Beat, to be built in South Korea, will be rolled out in other global markets faster than it would be in the U.S., Allen said. He did not know when the car might be sold elsewhere or in the U.S.
GM unveiled the Beat with two other ultra-small cars as concepts at auto shows last year, saying the trio was designed to attract young buyers in urban markets around the globe.
General Motors has invested $5 million in a five-year project at Carnegie Mellon University to further an autonomous driving project. In other words: developing cars that drive themselves. “Imagine being virtually chauffeured safely in your car while doing your e-mail, eating breakfast and watching the news,” said Larry Burns, GM vice president of R&D and Strategic Planning.
The idea of autonomous driving is nothing new to the auto industry. GM first introduced a prospective guidance system on the Firebird II in the mid 50s. As technology improved, so has the feasibility of eliminating the driver. BMW has demonstrated self-driving technology based on GPS as recent as last year.
So, with the driverless car is on the horizon, the question becomes, “Is this good for drivers?” After all, letting a computer be the pilot may save your life, but without the ability to have a white-knuckled driving experience, is it a life worth living?
No Driver, No Problem Picture Gallery
GM Asia-Pacific revealed today, for the Japanese market, the Corvette S-Limited, a 30 units limited edition priced at ¥7,980,000 ($75,475). The special edition Corvette is offered in two body colors: 15 units in Black and 15 in Arctic White.
The Corvette S-Limited features full leather-wrapped interior package, a rear spoiler and mesh grille-work.
The car will go on sale on July 4th and celebrates GM’s 100th anniversary.
2008 Chevrolet Corvette S-Limited Picture Gallery
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Another small step towad making hydrogen-powered vehicles a viable alternative to gasoline engines was taken last week as Shell Hydrogen opened a public hydrogen-vehicle refueling station in California. It’s the third such station in the United States, and the first in California. With a number of hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Equinoxes already on the road in Southern California as part of the Project Driveway program, the Santa Monica Boulevard Shell Hydrogen station should have customers right away.
The station, which is integrated with a conventional gas station, if a part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Vehicle and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project (DOE Learning Demo). General Motors and Shell have joined forces under this program to get hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into the hands of the public and to begin creating a refueling infrastructure for hydrogen. The program’s efforts are being focused on Southern California, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Unlike a conventional gas station, the hydrogen station produces its own fuel. Water electrolysis is done on-site and the hydrogen produced is compressed and stored. The Shell hydrogen station also has a visitor center, where drivers can learn more about fuel cell vehicles.
GM has been very busy lately, they did the final tuning and testing there before we start ZR1 production cars. And this morning the Corvette ZR1 was driven by General Motors development engineer Jim Mero around the Nürburgring in a time of 7:26.4.
The car was bone stock with the exception of the communications and safety equipment. The tires were production Michelin Pilot Sport 2’s. These tires have been developed specifically for the ZR1 and will have impressive wet traction and wear (tread wear rating = 220), in addition to excellent dry road holding. Chassis alignment and vehicle height were set to factory specs. Likewise, the engine calibrations were absolutely stock, emissions compliant and the car ran on pump (not racing) fuel. The vehicle was exactly like the cars that will be built in Bowling Green, Kentucky and sold around the world later this summer.
Despite posting one of the fastest times ever run by a production car, Nürburgring lap times were not an over-riding priority in the development of the ZR1. The truth is, if the only priority was speed at the ring, the car would not be very pleasant to drive on American roads. The ZR1 is an incredibly capable track machine, but unlike most ultra-high performance cars, it is very easy to live with on a daily basis.
2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Chevrolet announced the 2009 Traverse crossover will carry a MSRP of $28,990, including a $735 destination charge, for the 2WD LS model. It goes on sale this fall.
“With its great styling, leading fuel economy and comprehensive roster of equipment, the Traverse is a great expression of Chevrolet value,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager.
The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped crossover that delivers people-hauling and cargo-carrying capability typically found in larger SUVs. It is offered in LS, LT and LTZ models, in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.
2009 Chevrolet Traverse
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