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We knew there would be plenty of contenders to taken on Maximum Bob’s CTS-V challenge. You know, the one where he calls to a duel any journalist who thinks they can take on the CTS-V. According to Cadillac spokesperson Nick Twork, it looks like we were right!
In total, about 120 applications were received to take on Maximum Bob in the CTS-V later this month at the Monticello Motor Club in New York. But only some of these applicants will actually be getting the allotted five laps around the track. Twork told InsideLine that his team is currently going through the entrants and eliminating some of them based on the rules (an unmodified sedan similar in capabilities to the CTS-V). And while “about three-quarters of them were in the spirit of the contest… there were some like, ‘I’ve got a Porsche GT3 RS blah, blah, blah.’” We should see between five and ten participants in total attend the challenge.
Oh, and just in case you were wondering about who will actually be driving GM’s CTS-V – John Heinricy, pro racer and former GM engineer, will be on hand to, “be used at the discretion of Mr. Lutz.” So if you’re a professional racer, you should know you won’t be getting bored while competing with someone of a similar skill set.
GM should have gone through all applicants and picked the participants in a few days. So if you’re one of the lucky few who will be racing against Lutz (or – most likely – Heinricy), expect a yes or a no soon!
Let us know if you applied and whether you were approved or denied in the comments!
Here are the official rules of the challenge: (more…)
Since the demise of Saturn and Pontiac, it’s now up to Chevrolet to cater to the mainstream car buyer. On multiple occasions, GM executives have expressed plans for the bow-tie brand to take over lost sales volume from Saturn and Pontiac. And it’s about time – I’ve been a huge proponent of a single mainstream brand to face off against other full-line auto makers such as Toyota, Honda, and Ford (we can place VW here as well, to a certain extent). Having said that, GM has its work cut out for it in getting Chevrolet to a point where its product portfolio is fully competitive with the aforementioned brands.
Here’s what we know is coming for sure: (more…)
Since the demise of the Saturn VUE, GM’s smallest crossover became the Chevrolet Equinox. While many believe that the Equinox competes in the compact CUV space and goes against vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Chevy CUV actually competes in the larger mid-size class.
The main competition to the Equinox is made up of the Toyota Venza, the Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge, Hyundai Veracruz, Nissan Murano, and Honda Pilot. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the following dimension chart and see for yourself:
Mid-size CUV dimension comparison
The 2010 Equinox measures in at 187.8 inches in length (let’s call it 188 for the sake of sanity). That’s a full eight inches longer than the now-discontinued Saturn VUE, with which the Equinox shares its Theta platform (the VUE is 180.1 inches long). In that regard, I propose that GM add a CUV that would slot below the Equinox in size and in price. This new sub-Equinox crossover would truly go head-to-head with the RAV-4, CR-V, Nissan’s Rogue, and the Ford Escape. Here’s the segment in which it would compete: (more…)
GM is at it again, teasing the Pontiac G8/Holden Commodore fanatic in us. This time, The General has announced the Chevy Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) and it will be available for purchase to your friendly neighborhood police department in the Fall of 2010.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Caprice PPV is not based on the Holden Commodore, but is a rebadged Holden Statesman – the flagship sedan in Holden’s line-up. It’s also the largest implementation of the RWD Zeta platform that it shares with the Commodore/G8. The Statesman (203 inches) is 11 inches longer than the Commodore (192 inches).
The Caprice PPV contains four-wheel fully independent suspension, a six-speed automatic transmission, and a 90-degree OHV six-liter V8 powerplant good for 348hp and 381 ft-lb of torque. A V6 will be available for the 2012 model year, but that’s far less menacing, wouldn’t you say?
We fell in love with the CTS Sport Wagon the minute we laid eyes on it. What’s not to love about a beautiful wagon that gets its power down to the ground through the rear wheels (or all if that’s what you prefer)? So you could imagine how much we wanted to see a V-badged 556 horsepower, supercharged V8 version with its suspension tuned for the Nurburgring. Such a vehicle would make complete sense to us based purely on the “awesome factor.” For GM, however, putting the CTS-V Sport Wagon into production is a matter of proving the business case for the car, which more often than not boils down to estimating the revenue generated from sales outweighing the development, production, and marketing expenses.
We know that Bob Lutz has been a vocal proponent of the CTS-V, but even the car czar didn’t seem to truly believe that the powerful sport wagon would come to market. Of course if GM sees noteworthy demand, the CTS-V wagon could see the light of day in your driveways. So it’s with great pleasure that we present to you the latest rumors about the CTS hot-rod wagon coming to a dealer near you! (more…)
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