Chevrolet

Cadillac: Once most prestigious, now most stolen

Four Cadillac Escalade models combined share the dubious honor with numerous pick-ups trucks as the vehicles in the United States with the most and most expensive theft claims during the past three years, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). The group’s latest study shows Escalades combine to have the most theft claims and the highest average amount ($114) per theft. That’s 10 times more than the average amount lost per car. According to HLDI, the theft data in compiled from insurance companies representing about 80 percent of all privately owned vehicles. Pickup trucks, including the Escalade EXT, had higher dollar amounts of theft loss ($24), compared with SUVs ($12) and cars ($9). The HLDI suggests it’s because fewer

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Chevrolet Camaro, 2011 car review

Chevrolet finally has come up with a convertible model for its sporty Camaro, which is a car that certainly deserves a convertible version. That is, unless you don’t mind a rear seat suitable just for kids and a rather small trunk with a high opening that gets even smaller when the top is lowered. Convertibles long have been more expensive than coupes, too, and the base Camaro convertible starts at $29,150 with a V-6 and goes to $39,650 for the top-line 2SS V-8 version, which I tested with a manual transmission. My 2SS V-8 model cost $42,145. In contrast, a base Camaro V-6 coupe lists at $22,680 and the top-line V-8 coupe is $34,395, without options. The convertible actually looks

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GM recalls 16,000 Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impalas

General Motors (GM) announced it;s recalling around 16,000 Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impalas across the United States and Canada because of related to the power steering as well as sensor issues The manufacturer has not reported any injuries and crashes related to the two recalls. The company will recall the Impala and inspect its power-steering hose. GM said that if the hose was misrouted then it will probably spray hot fluid on hot engine parts and it could lead to a possible fire. The American automaker discovered the problem in its production plant in Ontario, Canada. The company is expected to resolved the problem with a protective abrasion protection. The LaCrosse has a sensor problem that affects the car’s speed

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Chevrolet Spark debuts in India with a different Beat

The Chevrolet Spark, all-electric minicar scheduled to debut in the United States as a 2013 model next year and promoted as “the smallest diesel engine in the world in mass production,” recently debuted in India where it’s known as the Beat. The Beat/Spark has a three-cylinder turbodiesel engine displacing less than a liter and is as rated, via Indian testing, at a 56.5 miles per gallon. The 936cc engine has a fixed-geometry turbocharger and vacuum-operated wastegate, giving it an output of 58 horsepower and 111 pound-feet of torque. But it also has more unique statistics: the cars weighs 2,260 pounds and can advance from 0 to 62 mph/100 kilometers in a lowly 15.5 seconds. The Chevy Beat Diesel also has

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Chevrolet Sonic, 2012: Only U.S.-made sub-compact

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, which replaces the South Korean-built Chevrolet Aveo, will be the only subcompact car built in the United States when it arrives this fall. The Sonic LS, which has a starting price of $14,495, has 10 standard airbags – the most of any subcompact — and has 138-horsepower 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine matched with five-speed transmission. Fuel economy projections haven’t been released for the base engine. But with the upgraded 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with six-speed automatic transmission, the Sonic is expected to get 40 mpg in highway driving. The 2012 Chevy Sonic will available in sedan and hatchback, in LS, LT and LTZ models. Its LT pricing begins at $15,695 (sedan) and $16,495 (hatchback), with LTZ pricing

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2011 Hyundai Elantra chosen best value in family ‘shootout’

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has won a unique best value honor when matched among five compact cars that seat five, get more than 35 mpg and are priced at less than $20,000. The evaluation, conducted by the website Cars.com, revealed the Elantra earned the honors, according to the site’s editors, for its exterior and interior design as well as its smooth ride. “With unrelenting gas prices and continued economic uncertainty, our shootout couldn’t be timelier in terms of what car shoppers are looking for,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. “In fact, four of the five models that competed have been among dealer’s best sellers in April and May. To determine the winner of the shootout, experts from Cars.com and USA

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Smart, Bentley get top, dubious automakers' mpg honors

Smart, with its line of electric or gasoline two-seaters, has the best gas mileage average among car manufacturers, according to a new Brighter Planet study of 2011 cars and trucks. Throughout its lineup, Smart averages 61 mpg. Mini (30.0 mpg) is second across its production line. Honda (27.4 mpg) third is and the top manufacturer with a full line of cars, trucks and SUVs. Suzuki (25.5) and Nissan (25.3) round out the top five, according to the study that detailed Brighter Planet’s ranking of 39 automobile manufacturers included in the 2011 EPA Fuel Economy Guide based on miles-per-gallon fuel consumption or equivalents of all models in each company’s portfolio. Bentley has the dubious honors in the study, the lowest manufacturer-wide

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Dealers begin taking orders for 2012 Chevy Volt

Chevrolet dealers in every state can begin taking orders for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The starting price of the new model is more than $1,000 less than the 2011 edition, the manufacturer announced. The suggested retail price for Volt will start at $39,995 (or $32,495 assuming a full federal tax credit of $7,500, which is subject to the customer’s eligibility). The price includes an $850 destination freight charge but excludes tax, title and license fees. The lower base price is possible in part because of a wider range of options and configurations that come with the expansion of Volt production for sale nationally. The 2011 model was available in just seven states and the District of Columbia. For 2012, consumers

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Indy 500: Facts, figures, records for the race's 95th edition

Like all historic sporting events, the Indianapolis 500 has an almost unlimited supply of statistics. Here’s a list of facts and figures for the 100th anniversary and the 95th Indy 500-mile race Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: DISTANCE — 500 miles or 200 laps around the asphalt-on-brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, a 2.5-mile rectangular oval. RACE CARS — Open-cockpit, open-wheel and single-seat, with 3.5-liter, 635-horsepower normally aspirated Honda Indy V-8 engines. PACE CAR — 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS, driven by four-time race winner A.J. Foyt. FINISH — Standings are unofficial until posted by the IndyCar Series. NUMBER OF STARTERS — 33 cars; three abreast in each of 11 rows. POLE POSITION — Alex Tagliani, the first Canadian to win

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Obama administration gets 'greener,' buys Chevy Volt fleet

The Chevrolet Volt may have just gotten its biggest jolt. The Obama administration, according to an Associated Press report, is purchasing 101 of the plug-in electric cars — the government’s first purchase viable electric vehicles. Additionally, the government is also buying 10 battery electric Nissan Leaf vehicles and five Think City EV models from Finish EV startup. In the same announcement, the government also said it is installing 100 car-charging stations in Washington, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco at a cost of about $500,000. President Barack Obama has called for a one-third reduction in oil imports by 2025 and wants to put 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2015. The electric car purchases are

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General Motors reveals broad recall, including Chevy Cruze

General Motors, the largest automaker in the United States, has announced three recalls across several brands — including economy cars to vans — and most notably its top-selling 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The Cruze, the top-selling GM car in April, is experiencing steering shift installation problems among 154,112 car built at its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, from last summer through April 21. The problem has since been resolved, but the recall is necessary on the Cruze editions sold in the United States and Canada since last September. Additionally, more than 120,000 Cruze models with an automatic transmission will also be inspected to ensure the transmission shift linkage was properly installed. GM said. General Motors said no accidents or injuries had been

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Chevrolet Malibu, 2013: New style, better gas mileage

Chevrolet introduced the 2013 Malibu ECO, the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in its 100-year history, at the recent New York International Auto Show. It features eAssist “light electrification” technology engineered to deliver an estimated 26 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway without compromising performance. The ECO is based on the 2013 Malibu sedan, which will be sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents. Sales of the new Malibu begin with the ECO model in the United States in early 2012. The Malibu LS, LT and LTZ trim level offerings join the ECO in summer 2012. Pricing hasn’t been announced. The eAssist system uses a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery and an electric motor-generator to enable regenerative braking

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Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet lead 40 mpg new breed

Automakers a couple of years ago were directed to increase fuel efficiency by about eight miles per gallon between 2012 and 2016. A report on GreenCarReports.com expertly details the progress of the fuel efficiency improvement. The site reports in 2009 only one non-hybrid or non-diesel averaged at least 40 mpg — the 2009 Smart ForTwo. With 2011 and 2012 models, 10 non-hybrid, non-diesel cars available in the United States achieve a 40 mpg average. In part, this is what the wrote about the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco: “The Eco is one of the largest and heaviest cars in this group. But, at 42 mpg on the highway, also the most efficient. Key to fuel economy in most Cruzes is a

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Chevrolet Volt chosen Green Car of the Year in New York

The Chevrolet Volt has been selected ahead of the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition and the Nissan Leaf as the 2011 World Green Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show. To be eligible for the 2011 World Green Car* award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2010 and ending May 30th, 2011. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle’s environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration. The Chevrolet Volt is

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Chinese Zotye leads Chevy, Telsa in first all-electric SUV race

All electric sport utility vehicles are on the near horizon, but which company will debut its offering first remains a race among the Green Automotive and its imported Zotye, AMP/GM’s revised, all-electric Chevy Equinox and a Tesla powered Toyota RAV4 EV. Green Automotive appears to be in the race lead. A fleet of nine Zotye electric SUVs has been shipped to the United States The SUV is powered by a lithium-ion battery which sends the power to an electric motor. It has a top speed of up to 70 mph and can provide an electric range of up to 150 miles. According to Green Automotive’s recent announcement, Roush Industries has been retained to provide testing and engineering feedback on how

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Chevrolet Volt 2011 review: kudos, warts, puzzlement

As senior editor for High Gear Media, John Voelcker has written what The Weekly Driver believes is the definitive review of the 2011 Chevy Volt. He praises and criticizes it. And he finds the Volt puzzling. Voelcker, whose work has appeared in many print and online publications, is a commentator on National Public Radio and for other broadcast outlets. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the International Motor Press Association. Voeckler has reviewed about a dozen hybrid vehicles. He recently evaluated the Volt for five days, driving it more than 700 miles. Here’s a capsule of what he liked, disliked and was puzzled by with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt: Likes: 1. The lit blue power button.

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