Even with the impending launch of the Volt later in the Fall, the Chevrolet Cruze may be the biggest vehicle General Motors will launch in the U.S. this year. The reason is money. The Cruze should make some of it, while the Volt and its pricey development and battery packs likely won’t for a long time.

The Cruze looks pretty good to us, but we know that the new sedan will only be successful if it is properly launched and marketed. So how do you best show off a refined interior, 10 standard airbags and more hip- and shoulder-room than the top sellers in the class? Automotive News reports that The General will ask its 3,000 dealers to purchase a Toyota Corolla and a Honda Civic so Bowtie shoppers can compare and contrast the newest Chevrolet against the C-Segment stalwarts from Japan.

Since the Cruze is all-new in the U.S. market and both the Civic and Corolla are a bit long-in-the-tooth, we’re thinking the Chevy will win more than its fair share of buyers, but we’d like to see Chevy stores step up to the challenge of the Mazda3, as well. Perhaps the bigger challenge, though, will be to get customers who would traditionally buy a Honda or Toyota to shop at a Chevy store in the first place. GM plans to officially launch the Cruze in late September.

Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: GM asks Chevy dealers to buy Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla for Cruze comparisons originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai made some news last fall when it launched the all-new 2011 Sonata with a four-cylinder-only engine lineup. It now looks like General Motors might be following suit for its mid-sizers. By leaving out larger V6 engines as a possibility, Hyundai was able to design a lighter structure while still meeting new safety requirements and maintaining passenger volume. GM has already opted for four-cylinder engines in the new Buick Regal even though it didn’t get any structural weight advantage since the Opel Insignia that it’s derived from is available with V6 engines.

The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu is also expected to eschew V6 engines when it debuts next year and both it and the Regal are likely to benefit from GM’s next-generation mild hybrid system. GM is moving toward down-sized engines across the board with direct-injection and turbocharging for its next generation of vehicles as it strives to meet new fuel economy standards. Given the relatively small percentage of mid-sized cars that are actually purchased with the more powerful V6 engines, it makes much more sense for automakers to design vehicles around the smaller engines and then use turbocharging and hybridization to provide improved performance for the few customers who want it.

[Source: GM Inside News]

Rumormill: GM to follow Hyundai with four-cylinder-only mid-size cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in March, Kia debuted a new top-shelf version of its most popular vehicle, the Sorento crossover, dubbed the ‘SX.’ The announcement included word of a redesigned front clip and more equipment, but we were most interested in the SX’s lower ride height and Dual Flow Damper shocks, which Kia says deliver sporty handling without undue ride harshness.

As we would discover after spending a week traversing the Midwest’s broken roads with a lesser Sorento EX model, that last bit about ride harshness is particularly important, because while the Sorento had a pleasant highway demeanor and tracked well, it was surprisingly stiff and brittle on potholed roads, acquitting itself more like a body-on-frame vehicle than the unibody CUV that it is. Fortunately, Kia noticed this ride quality issue and decided to take the costlier DFD dampers and employ them not just on the new SX model, but across the model’s entire range beginning in the fourth quarter. While Kia officials we spoke with at an Atlanta press event this week stopped short of admitting that the Sorento’s ride quality has been an issue, they did note that once engineers sampled the DFD setup on the SX, they liked the ride so much they decided to institute the new units on all Sorentos.

During the event, we had a chance to sample a pair of Sorento SX models, and over some of the city’s choppy, unkept stretches of pavement, we noticed a markedly less flinty ride, despite the SX model’s large and flashy 18-inch alloy wheels. While we’ll wait to drive a DFD-equipped Sorento back on the Midwest’s mean streets before we give it a clean bill of health, our backsides were encouraged by what they felt, and we’re likewise pleased to see Kia taking quick action to address a sore spot on a new model.

How was the rest of the $32,195 SX? Rather accomplished, actually. We like the SX’s new lower fascia and grille (though the standard Sorento’s a good-looking proposition as well), and the 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 felt predictably more capable than the merely adequate 2.4-liter four-cylinder we drove recently. Other SX-specific alterations include LED taillamps and a healthy dollop of chrome inside-and-out. The added flash won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s quite tastefully done and we suspect Kia won’t have trouble finding buyers.

That said, if you’re merely in the market for a new Sorento LX or EX and you live in an area where the roads are less-than-perfect, might we suggest holding on to your current ride until the fourth quarter-builds trickle into your local dealer?

Kia to upgrade 2011 Sorento shock absorbers to soften ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some cars are only bearable through the prism of nostalgia, but according to you rad dudes and dudettes these ten cars still seem totally bogus two decades later. More »

Matthew Dieckmann, president of Santa Rosa-based Electric Race Bikes and known by friends and neighbors as the “local electric motorcycle entrepreneur,” was involved in a fatal crash in Santa Rosa, CA late Monday morning. Dieckmann was piloting an electric motorcycle near the Coddington Mall when he collided with a Toyota Prius. Though the Prius driver suffered no injuries, 29-year-old Dieckmann did not survive the crash.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Doug Schlief stated that Dieckman’s motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Prius. Investigators are still attempting to determine who might have been at fault, but some witnesses suggest that either Dieckmann or the Prius driver turned left at the intersection without yielding to oncoming traffic. The intersection was closed for five hours for investigation.

Family members say that Dieckmann was piloting one of the electric motorcycles that he developed for Electric Race Bikes. Dieckmann was known as a pioneer in the industry and strongly promoted electric motorcycles. Most well known for his developmental work on the EGP, an electric motorcycle that captured third place at a TTXGP competition in May, Dieckmann will be sorely missed by many. But his innovations, which have made an impact on the electric motorcycle industry, will surely live on.

[Source: Clutch & Chrome, SF Gate]

Electric motorycle entrepeneur killed in car accident originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler has just pulled back the curtain on the 2011 Dodge Durango, and the newest iteration of the Auburn Hills brawler looks to have all of the bones it needs to be competitive in one of the industry’s most crowded segments. For next year, the vehicle will ride on a new unibody platform wrapped in freshly-minted sheetmetal. More importantly for those looking to ferry their brood about town, it will also boast a full three rows of seating. Under the hood, buyers can look forward to picking between the company’s new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or a 5.7-liter V8 with 6,200- and 7,800-pounds of towing capacity, respectively. All-wheel drive is available with both power plants.

Chrysler hasn’t provided any fuel-economy estimates just yet.

The interior was worked over by the same gurus responsible for the superb, hide-lined cabins in the Dodge Ram and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and judging by the one teaser photo the company released this morning, it looks like a fine place to whittle away the miles. There look to be a host of smaller, but equally important changes onboard the Durango as well, including an all-new Dodge emblem on the steering wheel. If you were waiting to see what the face of the new Chrysler would look like, search no more. It’s here. Look for the Durango to hit dealer lots by late this year.

Hit the jump for the full press blast after checking out our high-res gallery below

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading 2011 Dodge Durango unveiled

2011 Dodge Durango unveiled originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Honda Civic, America’s most trusted automotive appliance, is getting a makeover for 2012 and here’s the first leather-wrapped glimpse. Kinda bland from what we can see. Hopefully they’ve got a more interesting Si model under development. [WorldCarFans] More »

If you’ve been reading Jalopnik, today’s newly-unveiled logo for Dodge won’t surprise you. Last month we showed you our rendering of a new Dodge logo based on reports from our sources. As you can see, we were right. More »

At first take, it’s not easy to accept the 2011 Mini Countryman crossover. We understand. But after our first drive of the pint-sized CUV, it started to make more sense. We’re hoping to have similar revelations about a coupe version of the Countryman, which is reportedly being considered within Mini’s product development department. That’s right – a Mini X6.

Mini is allegedly hot about the idea of doing a Countryman-based coupe after seeing Land Rover debut its Range Rover Evoque, which has a two-door configuration, small proportions and a coupe-like styling theme. Autocar reports that if this project gets the green light, we would more than likely see the Countryman Coupe around 2013 with a four-door layout that ditches conventional rear entryways for a set of suicide doors. On top of that, the coupe would have a shorter rear overhang than the CUV and much shallower side windows. Think lifted, rakish Clubman.

We’ll already be seeing a production version of Mini’s Coupe concept out on the streets in the near future, but expect the two-door Countryman to be vastly different, similar to the way that a BMW 3 Series coupe and an X6 are wholly opposite vehicles. As a crossover, we’ve grown to rather like the Countryman, but truth be told, there’s a big part of us that’s hoping this coupe project simply fades into the depths of the rumormill.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Mini Countryman Coupe in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting this fall, commercial fleet customers can opt to order their full-size GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express vans with either a factory-fitted compressed natural gas (CNG) system or a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) setup. The CNG/LPG vans will be delivered from the factory with the chosen fuel option and all necessary components installed and won’t require any aftermarket modifications. General Motors has finalized pricing for the CNG system but, due to its lofty price tag, we don’t expect many buyers will be opting for this natural gas package.

GM’s pricing for the CNG option breaks down like this:

The all-inclusive CNG option includes a dedicated CNG system ($14,590), a natural gas-capable Vortec 6.0-liter V8 engine ($1,295), as well as HD trailering equipment ($265). A $240 credit for deleting the spare tire brings the package price to $15,910. So the total cost of either a 2011 Chevrolet Express or 2011 GMC Savana Cargo model, which starts at $25,980 would be $41,890 with the CNG option.

According to GM, “Chevrolet and GMC are the only full-line vehicle brands to offer a “check-the-box” CNG option for vans.” Jumping from a mid-20s price tag to over 40 large for the CNG-powered cargo van seems like a stretch to us, but then again, we don’t own a commercial fleet, nor are we the targeted buyers. Only time will tell if the people who are think the optional CNG package is worth it. Hit the jump for more info on GM’s CNG option package, which will be available this fall on the Chevy Express and GMC Savana.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM announces $15,910 MSRP for Chevy Express, GMC Savana CNG packages

GM announces $15,910 MSRP for Chevy Express, GMC Savana CNG packages originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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