Archive for the ‘NAIAS’ Category
  • Video: Chevy Camaro Synergy Special Edition – Auto Show Reactions
    by Alex Luft
    Posted January 27th, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    Click image for video

    We’ve unearthed yet another video, this time of the stunning Camaro Synergy Special Edition at the NAIAS. The super-special Camaro will be made in limited quantities from February to May of this year and will set you back a pretty $26,790. In the video, when several attendees were told the price, we’re not sure whether they were surprised in a good or a bad way. See exactly what we mean after the jump.

    (more…)

  • All-New Supercar To Get GM’s LS9
    by Manoli Katakis
    Posted January 24th, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    If you ever wanted to know what a mid-engine Corvette Zr1 would drive like, take a look at the all-new and all-American Verde supercar by Revenge Designs. The uber-powerful, 638 horsepower LS9 engine featured in the fastest ‘Vette ever built is going to grace the Verde and is the mightiest engine available in the upcoming $190,000 emerald road monster.

    Featured at the North American International Auto Show, the Verde features scissor-style opening doors, a glow of emerald paint that could probably be seen from outer space, muscular RWD, and bones spliced from the legendary Ford GT with a body composed of aluminum and carbon fiber. Other engine options include the 605 hp Roush racing V8, and the (still being tested) Hp2g hybrid motor that is rumored to put out 400 horsepower and achieve 100 miles-per-gallon (?!).

    According to representatives present at the NAIAS, the Illinois based company plans to reach out to both the domestic and European markets and looks to launch the Verde by November of this year.

    So here we have two of America’s best supercars ever made – the Ford GT and Corvette Zr1 – in the reptilian Revenge, which speaks to the astonishing engineering that is the ZR1’s supercharged LS9. It looks to be a winner!

    I’m totally getting one.

  • GM Challenges Ford To The Ultimate Pickup Truck-Off: A Tug Of War!
    by Alex Luft
    Posted January 21st, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    The folks over at PickupTrucks.com caught up with Tom Stephens, Vice Chairman of global product operations at General Motors, at the ongoing Detroit Auto Show. As could be expected from any exec who truly believes in his company’s products, Stephens began to praise GM’s new Duramax diesel that will debut on the 2011 Chevy and GMC Heavy Duty pickups.

    But while exuding his passion for the bid-dog diesel, something interesting happened. Stephens issued the following challenge:

    You know what I want to do to prove it? I want to take our truck and Ford’s [new Super Duty] and chain them together back-to-back. Then I want to have them pull against each other. I know our truck will beat theirs.

    After confirming that Stephens was not being facetious, PickupTrucks.com’s Mike Levine passed the challenge along to Ford, but has not yet received an official response. If anything, Mike thinks that the challenge has certainly piqued Ford’s attention – and we would agree.

    [Source: PickupTrucks.com]

  • BREAKING: Electrical Fire In Cobo Hall Causes Evacuation
    by Wilson Nunnari
    Posted January 21st, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    An electrical fire at the Audi exhibit in COBO Hall today caused an evacuation of the NAIAS. Audi representatives quickly moved people away and off the floor. Vehicles were relocated as well.

    Witnesses saw flames move quickly up in the  ceiling above the Audi exhibit. The entire  hall was evacuated and no one was hurt.

    The extent of damage is unknown at this time  and will be reported further when  information becomes available.

    According to GM Authority author Manoli Katakis, who is onsite at the NAIAS, COBO Hall will reopen to the public at 4 PM.

    If you were planning on going to the show today, your plans are delayed until at least 4 PM. GM Authority will post updates as they become available.

  • The Granite: GMC’s Most Unprofessional Grade Car Yet
    by Manoli Katakis
    Posted January 19th, 2010 at 9:00 am

    The General has taken a surging leap into the compact car segment with its latest batch of future models that could fit in an 8′x5′ cell (maybe). Currently, we’ve got the miniature Chevy Spark, the Fiesta fighting next-gen Aveo and… the Pontiac GMC Granite Concept. All three of them are currently being observed by curious patrons at the Detroit Auto Show and maybe one or two of them will debut as early as next year. Yet so far, the GMC Granite is the only model that has yet to be confirmed.

    2010 GMC Granite Concept

    The Granite is GMC’s latest and smallest installment to the “Professional Grade” fleet. The model sits on top of the versatile Delta II platform, shared with Chevy’s Cruze, Orlando and Volt, and is covered in angular, boxy sheet metal with GMC’s signature lined grill staring forward. The interior of the four-seater won’t likely see the road, but still looks neat. Two-tone seats along with a dash and console that look like they’ve been stolen from the USS Enterprise give it a unique and appealing look. One that seems intended for the young, urban driver. (more…)

  • GM Can’t Keep Up With Demand, Puts Shuttered Plans On Standby
    by Alex Luft
    Posted January 15th, 2010 at 12:00 pm

    It goes without question that 2009 was the most difficult year ever for General Motors. However, there were some bright spots interspersed amidst the negative news, such as the success of GM’s newest models.

    Back in December, GM announced a new plan where it will closely monitor demand for its vehicles and run its production operations accordingly. Following up on that plan, GM North America President Mark Reuss told reporters at the Detroit Auto Show that demand for the Chevrolet Equinox, Buick LaCrosse, and Cadillac SRX is outstripping supply and that the plants that build these vehicles are currently running at full capacity. Compared to GM’s situation one year ago, that’s a good problem to have. Reuss said that GM is working on a backup plan in case demand for its products overly exceeds current production capacity.

    GM’s solution to meet increased demand is to reopen a plant it closed back in 2009. Reuss specifically mentioned GM’s Spring Hill facility in Tennessee as a potential candidate for a reopening. The General recently invested millions to upgrade the facility, where it built the Chevy Traverse up to November 2009 – only to move production of the full-size CUV to Lansing, Michigan. Moreover, Reuss told reporters that the plant is flexible enough to build several models (as it should be: the Traverse’s Lambda platform, Equinox’s Theta, LaCrosse’s Epsilon 2, and Theta Premium of the SRX are all very much related).

    As such, GM officially put its Spring Hill and Janesville, Wisconsin plants on standby  just in case extra capacity in the U.S. is needed. That scenario is not difficult to imagine given the expected rebound of the U.S. auto industry in the foreseeable future. Since the cost of building a new plant can run well over a billion dollars, the idea to reopen shuttered plants seems a good move to us. Not only that, but it will also help boost the economy by bringing back laid-off workers (thereby decreasing unemployment and strengthening the economy). Most recently, GM announced it will run its Fairfax assembly plant around the clock to meet demand for the Chevy Malibu and Buick LaCrosse. I wonder what those Tea Party protesters have to say about that!

    [Source: The Associated Press via Yahoo!]

  • Chevy Puts Some Might In Its Mouse With The Aveo RS Concept
    by Manoli Katakis
    Posted January 14th, 2010 at 12:59 am

    Attractive, sharp or aggressive are adjectives that were hardly ever used when describing the past Chevy Aveo, but cheap and tinny definitely were. However at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, we saw a transmutation. As soon as photos of the 2010 Chevy Aveo RS Concept leaked onto the internet before the vehicle’s official unveiling, it was clear that the new compact hatch is an entirely different animal.

    If they were giving out awards for biggest surprise in show, this car would take the cake. And that’s not because people didn’t know that it would be shown or because we’ve been anticipating the next-gen Aveo for some time. The reason the Aveo RS Concept is such a surprise is because of the changes made to vehicle, inside and out. GM has pushed the reset button.

    2011 Chevrolet Aveo RS

    Everything about the Gamma II platform-based Aveo RS Concept is a caffeinated step in the right direction. With its sharp all-new front fascia and open-mouthed double grille that keep the Chevrolet family look intact, it stares the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit in the face and says, “bring it.” The interior features stitching and accents that match the outside hue of the car, a sporty motorcycle inspired display, a glossy center console, and even leather… leather! But there’s much more to it than cosmetic changes.

    Hit up the jump to see what they are and a whole lot more, including a high-res gallery! (more…)

  • XTS Is The Cadillac Of Cadillacs
    by Manoli Katakis
    Posted January 12th, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    Rolling down the ramp in a color that resembles a full-moon night, with sharp LED accents and a shimmering shield grille, comes the all-new Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept. As it rotates, the angles of the executive class flagship sedan dramatically take effect, with rays of light reflecting and shooting along the edges.

    Mercedes, BMW and Audi have officially been put in check.

    Cadillac just blind-sided ze Germans with something those brands haven’t seen in a long time – and that is what describes the Cadillac XTS Platinum “Concept” (come on, GM don’t play us, we know you’re going to build this one). The much-teased concept is Cadillac’s best display of form and function in a sedan since… the CTS, but better! It’s bigger, too.

    In terms of dimensions, the XTS is nearly as long as the retiring DTS, but is wider and a tad taller thanks to the new Super Epsilon frame. That means it’s pretty gosh darned big – much like the old school Cadillacs of yore. But thanks to all-wheel-drive and the magnetic ride dampening system (borrowed from such all-stars as the ZR-1 and CTS-V), this car won’t handle like those old boats. Does it go like stink? Actually, it’s pretty powerful for being a plug-in two mode hybrid.

    Under the hood, the XTS is powered by GM’s popular 3.6 liter direct-injected V6 accompanied by a lithium-ion battery pack that allows the car to go full e-mode at speeds under 40 mph. Cadillac also goes on to say that it will harness “around 350 horsepower.” S-Class hybrid, eat your heart out. But since powerful people like equally powerful cars, a possible V8 version should not go underlooked.

    Cadillac spared no expense dressing up the interior. The cabin looks more like a $250,000 Bentley than a Cadillac. This is where the Platinum part comes in: according to Caddy, it features “laser etched suede, aniline leathers, satin metals and burled birch wood,” along with a visually appealing LED touch-screen for the center console interface. The driver’s display is also an LED screen that runs one foot long behind the wood and leather- wrapped steering wheel. The dash is also reconfigurable to the driver’s preference.

    To top it all off, the back seat is so spacious that there’s “no need to apologize to your friends in the back seat”. Rear passengers are even pampered with their own personal monitors at which to stare. And did we mention the door handles illuminate as you approach the XTS, inviting you in? Now isn’t that nice!

    The GM Authority Take:

    Now I don’t usually become excited think this is one of the best-looking flagship sedans I have ever seen. The XTS contains a few cues from the stunning Cadillac Sixteen Concept from a few years ago, especially in the broad shield grill and wood accents on the steering wheel. It just looks fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.

    But the question lies not in whether or not the XTS will be built, but rather if it will go as far in terms of luxury, features, and engine as the concept car leads us to believe. With road tires fitted around the 20 inch rims and GM’s already-existing two-mode plug in hybrid system, this car looks ready for production. I’d like to think it’s going to happen. And so does Alex Luft.

    We have GM’s presser after the break.

    (more…)

  • Hey, Mr. Reuss, What Did You Think Of 2009?
    by Manoli Katakis
    Posted January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 pm

    “… a lot of stuff happened.”

    The GM Authority Take:

    I’m alright with what the man said. In fact, it’s amusing how he could boil the most chaotic year in GM’s history into one sentence.

    And he’s right. Whatever way you slice it, whatever your opinion was on the bankruptcy, the federal loans, Rick Wagoners firing, Fritz Henderson’s dismissal, political remarks, Maximum Bob, Dealership closing, Pontiac’s shutdown (the G8’s early death)… oh and Mark LeNave (who I like to now refer to as, “Mark who?”). All that – is just some of the lot of stuff that happened.

  • Cadillac XTS To Start Production At Oshawa In Early 2012
    by Alex Luft
    Posted January 10th, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    Cadillac is set to unveil a concept version of its upcoming XTS flagship sedan early Tuesday morning on January 12 (2010) at the North American International Auto Show. The XTS concept is widely believed to be the teaser image that GM let loose on the internet late last year (pictured below). To add some context to the upcoming range-topping Caddy, a report from Canada’s CTV says that the vehicle will be produced at the Oshawa, Ontario plant in

    Cadillac concept to debut at NAIAS 2010 - believed to be the upcoming XTS flagship

    Canada starting in early 2012.

    We expect the XTS to ride on the Super Epsilon platform and have all-wheel drive standard. The XTS will join the Chevy Impala and Camaro, as well as the upcoming Buick Regal at the plant. In fact, GM may need to add an extra shift at the facility to keep up with demand – a move that will bring 750-1,000 previously laid-off workers back to work. In 2009, GM executed on its decision to shut down a full-size pickup plant next door.

    We can’t wait to see the XTS – in concept form or otherwise – and you can bet we’ll let you know first hand about it come Tuesday!

    [Source: CTV via Autoblog]

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