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2013 Dodge Dart – An Alfa Romeo starting at $15,995!

cliffmurphy — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:05:37 +0000

Dodge just pulled the covers off its new compact sedan, the Dart. We’re impressed. With an official base price of $15,995, the Dart (pardon us, please, just this once) seems to be a bulls eye to the heart of the small car segment in the United States.

We’re eager to spend a few minutes behind the wheel of this Italian/American conglomeration, since its specifications appear to put it at the forefront of a hotly contested segment. For starters, there’s a very impressive available seven-inch TFT display to replace the standard analog gauges, which is paired with an 8.4-inch touch screen panel at the center of the dash. The digital cluster is customizable by the driver with two different base display options, along with nine more menu functions.

As far as styling goes, nobody is going to confuse the Dart with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta on which it’s based. There’s the expected crosshair front grille, though it’s smaller and better integrated with the overall flowing design ethos. Such impressions are helped by the massaging done to Fiat’s platform; the Dart is stretched in all directions compared to its Alfa-badged sibling.

That enlarged platform means the Dart is rather well-endowed when it comes to interior space with a total of 97.2 cubic feet. Dodge has managed to squeeze in 35.3 inches of rear legroom, which it says is more than the mid-size Hyundai Sonata sedan. Buyers looking to customize their rides will be pleased to see 14 available interior and trim combinations.

Power will come from one of three powerplants, two of which are naturally aspirated – a 2.0-liter Tigershark inline-four producing 160 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.4-liter Tigershark four with 184 hp and 171 lb-ft. Naturally, our attention is focused on the 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir four with 160 horses and 184 lb-ft, which we suspect will be the most fuel efficient engine of the three. Transmissions at launch will all have six speeds: one manual, one automatic and a dual-clutch gearbox with the turbo mill. A nine-speed automatic is in the works for 2013.

Check out the complete press release after the break, and there’s a full gallery of live images from the unveiling along with the stock shots.

2011 Dodge Durango – Short Take Road Test

cliffmurphy — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:54:03 +0000

Elegant and relevant: Dodge leaps back into the thick of the SUV game.

We’ll cut to the chase: The 2011 Dodge Durango is the brand’s best vehicle not called Charger. After a two-year hiatus, the Durango is back, with a unibody design based on the same underpinnings that spawned Jeep’s stellar 2011 Grand Cherokee, which came in tops in its first comparo.

As handsome as the last one was brash, the 2011 Durango offers rear- or all-wheel drive, standard seven-butt seating (the Jeep is shorter and seats only five), a swank soft-touch and chrome-trimmed interior, and assembly quality that rivals anything else in the segment. Although the new Durango is heavy; our rear-drive V-6 model weighed in at 4955 pounds, and Chrysler quotes 5200 to 5350 pounds for trucks with the Hemi V-8 Dodge is nonetheless positioning it as a performance-oriented alternative to the current segment offerings, a claim backed up by the retention of rear-wheel drive and the resurrection of the Durango R/T, which nabs a standard Hemi V-8, unique exhaust tuning, sportier styling, and a lowered, tuned suspension. (Source: Caranddriver)

Chevrolet Targeting 50 mpg with Diesel-Powered Cruze

cliffmurphy — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:11:14 +0000

Those of us in the U.S. will have to wait until sometime in 2013 to see the diesel-powered Chevrolet Cruze, but GM insiders seem more than willing to dish out some details on the oil-burning Cruze well in advance of its debut. Ward’s Auto reports that “sources” have confirmed the oil-burning Cruze will achieve a highway fuel economy rating “in the range of 50 miles per gallon.” Additionally, unlike the manual transmission-equipped, 42-mpg rated Chevy Cruze Eco (an automatic Eco is available, but its mpg rating is well below that of the manual), the diesel Cruze, according to Charlie Klein, GM’s director of global mass, energy and aerodynamics, will be a fuel-sipping sedan regardless of which trans is bolted to the engine. As for that engine, GM has unofficially confirmed that it will indeed be based on the 2.0-liter diesel that’s found under the hood of the Holden Cruze CDX. In the Holden, the 2.0-liter mill pumps out 160 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. One last bit of info: we hear that the diesel Cruze’s torque will allow it to easily outrun the Cruze Eco.

Source: AutoBlog

GM Shows off new MyLink System for the 2013 Chevy Malibu

cliffmurphy — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:53:03 +0000

Chevrolet gave journalists a detailed look at the interior of the all-new 2013 Malibu this week at GM’s Milford Proving Ground. Included was a hands-on demo of the brand’s new MyLink system designed to take on the successful Sync technology of cross-town rival Ford.

The MyLink features that Chevrolet revealed this week demonstrate that GM’s new connected-tech platform (which will be called IntelliLink on Buick and GMC vehicles) has as many similarities to Sync as it does differences. The main aim of both technologies is to make integration and use of portable devices like smartphones and media players more seamless and safe through voice control.

Both use Nuance voice-recognition technology, while the rest of the MyLink technology-partner roster is identical to Sync’s: Pandora, Gracenote and Stitcher. Both systems require a smartphone to access app-based content such as Pandora and Stitcher and also work with portable devices like an iPod or a USB flash drive that don’t require a data connection for voice-activated access to music.

Like Sync, MyLink can be upgraded with software downloaded from an owners’ Web site and uploaded to the system via the vehicle’s USB port. And with OnStar’s embedded cellular modem onboard, over-the-air updates are possible.

One of the primary ways MyLink differs from Sync is in enhanced online-music streaming features. As with Sync and its AppLink feature, MyLink uses a wired connection via USB to port Pandora from an iPhone to the system, with metadata and album art provided by Gracenote. Also like Sync, Bluetooth audio is used for all smartphones except the iPhone to access Pandora and other online music services. But unlike Sync, you can get metadata including album art with MyLink via Bluetooth audio, although control is relegated to the device itself and isn’t available on the touchscreen, dash or via voice.

Courtesy of Nuance and Gracenote, MyLink also lets you call up tunes on a portable device or via Pandora by using “artist aliases” like The Boss for Bruce Springsteen or Fab Four for the Beatles. And like Sync, MyLink offers the ability to thumb-up or thumb-down Pandora tracks either on the Malibu’s 7-inch touchscreen or through voice command.

Chevy hasn’t announced pricing for the MyLink system. (Sync is either standard or available as a $395 option on base models, and MyFord Touch is a $1,000 option on certain vehicles.) MyLink will debut this fall on the 2012 Chevy Volt and Equinox, early next year as standard equipment on the 2013 Malibu Eco without navigation and later as standard on the Malibu LTZ and LT without nav (and as an option on the three trim levels with nav) and as an option on the base LS. More Chevy models will get MyLink over the next 18-24 months.

2012 Chevy Sonic

cliffmurphy — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:24:08 +0000

Chevrolet Announces Sonic Price Will Start at $14,495 Offers more standard safety equipment than any vehicle in its class with 10 airbags and the security and convenience of OnStar Available 1.4L Turbo expected to achieve best-in-class acceleration and 40 mpg hwy

DETROIT – The suggested retail price of the all-new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic begins at $14,495 including destination but excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees. Sonic comes with the most standard safety equipment in the sub-compact class, including 10 air bags. Air conditioning, power door locks, remote keyless entry and 15″ alloy wheels also are standard.

The Sonic, the only sub-compact built in the United States, is expected to deliver 40 mpg highway with class-leading acceleration when paired with the 1.4L Turbo and six-speed manual transmission.

The Sonic is offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. Each delivers outstanding rear-seat roominess and cargo space.

“Sonic shares the spirit of Chevrolets like the Corvette by delivering athletic and agile performance,” said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “Today’s customers have high expectations for small cars. Sonic comes with an unexpected level of standard equipment so that every customer will have comforts and amenities they desire.”

The 2012 Sonic will be for retail sale this fall in three models with two body styles:

Sonic LS starting at $14,495 sedan, $15,395 hatchback, including:

Standard 1.8L Ecotec engine and five-speed manual transmission
Class-exclusive standard 15-inch alloy wheels
The most standard safety features in the segment, with 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control, anti-lock brakes, collapsible pedal system and power rear-door child safety locks
Standard OnStar, with a six-month subscription including Turn-by-Turn navigation
Standard convenience features, including air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry and tilt/telescoping steering wheel

Sonic LT starting at $15,695 sedan, $16,495 hatchback, including:

Six-speaker premium sound system with CD player, XM Radio with three-month trial subscription
Power windows with driver’s express up/down
Power, heated side mirrors
Connectivity package with a USB port, Bluetooth for select phones and music, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls
Heated front seats
Cruise control
Fog lamps
Standard 17-inch alloy wheels
Major available upgrades on Sonic include:
Six-speed automatic transmission (with 1.8L engine) – $1,070
1.4L Turbo with six-speed manual transmission (available on LT and LTZ) – $700

(Source: Autoblog.com)

Cake Boss Airs Chevrolet Camaro Bumblebee Transformer Cake Episode

cliffmurphy — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:40:06 +0000

As hype for Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits top speed, the Chevrolet Camaro folks are getting a lot of mileage out of the 1,500-pound Bumblebee Transformer cake they commissioned Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro to make for the 2011 New York Auto Show in April.

The TLC cable reality show aired the episode this week that chronicles Valastro and his crew from Carlo’s Bake Shop of Hoboken, New Jersey, making and delivering the bright yellow Camaro topped with the action flick’s Bumblebee Transformer emerging from its roof.

Besides moving wings, lights and pyrotechnics, the cake featured yellow sponge cake “glued” with buttercream frosting for the Camaro base, and Rice Krispies Treats covered in black and yellow fondant for the Transformer figure.

It took four days to make, including an all-nighter, and it had to be decorated in a warehouse rather than the 10,000-square-foot bakery because of its size.

Valastro test drove a Camaro for inspiration.

“This is the hardest cake I’ve ever done, but it’s probably the one I’m most proud of,” Valastro told the press during GM’s auto show media day.

The third Transformers movie opens in theaters July 1.

Source: InsideLine

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to debut with 570+ horsepower

cliffmurphy — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:10:25 +0000

The much-anticipated 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 debuted at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, putting Ford’s Shelby GT500 squarely in its sites. While official horsepower numbers weren’t released at the time, Chevrolet did state that the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 would “produce an estimated 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque,” putting it on par with the Shelby.

Now, a new report states that the official horsepower rating of the ZL1 could be “north of 570 horsepower,” placing it in between the Cadillac CTS-V (556 hp) and the Corvette ZR1 (638 hp). While this will surely give the flagship Camaro a slight edge compared with the current GT500, Ford isn’t quite ready to hand over the muscle car crown quite yet, though. A 620-hp version of the GT500 is rumored to be in the works for 2013 or 2014 with suspension tuning done on the Nürburgring. It appears that the muscle car wars are far from over.

Source: AutoBlog

New Camaro Ad Hypes Transformers: Dark of the Moon

cliffmurphy — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:58:56 +0000

The latest advertising spot for the Chevrolet Camaro shows the car transforming into Bumblebee, its Autobot alter-ego, in anticipation of the release of the next Transformers movie installment on June 29.

Called the “Getaway” spot, the ad shows a battle of epic proportions, with the Camaro holding its own against weapon-wielding enemies. The car first navigates a fiery landscape, weaving through debris just before transforming into Bumblebee and fighting its Decepticon enemy.

Some of the other vehicles that will be featured in the film include the NASCAR Chevrolet Impala, Ferrari 458 Italia, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Chevrolet Spark and even a Mercedes-Benz W212 and SLS AMG.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon debuts June 29, and has Shia LaBeouf back for more as Sam Witwicky. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley plays Carly Miller and is new to the franchise after Megan Fox got the boot from Michael Bay last May.

Source: InsideLine

Senate Passes Bill Recognizing 100th Anniversary of Indy 500

cliffmurphy — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:26:09 +0000

Americans began racing cars just as soon as they started to appear on our streets, as evidenced by the fact that the Indianapolis 500 has been going strong for 100 years. The U.S. Senate wanted to tip its collective hat to commemorate that momentous occasion, so our senators decided to pass a resolution officially recognizing the race for its longevity. And since it doesn’t cost anything to recognize a date, the resolution was passed unanimously.

In other interesting Indianapolis 500 news, the event’s 100-year history also coincides with the 100-year anniversary of Chevrolet. The company and the race are so intertwined that Arthur Chevrolet, who’s brother Louis founded the Bowtie Brand, ran the very first Indianapolis 500. Louis actually ran the race himself in 1915 and 1919, while another brother Gaston took first place in 1920. The 2011 Camaro Convertible will fittingly serve as the pace car for this year’s event.

Source: AutoBlog

Patina’d 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Headed to Power Tour

cliffmurphy — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:25:57 +0000

Bill Rombauts and his buddy Dave Sherer have taken the patina’d rat rod look to new heights, applying the rust-first philosophy to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Before going all Father Time on the paint job, the two spent close to $100,000 giving the car as much go as it has show. Underneath all that affected rust and thinning paint lives a worked-over Kenne Bell supercharged 485-cubic-inch V8 based on a GM Performance Parts block. Before the addition of the blown 485, the Chevrolet was pumping out in the neighborhood of 650 rear-wheel-horsepower and tripping the lights in around 11 seconds through the quarter mile. Now, Sherer and Rombauts are looking for the 10-second range, and won’t say what kind of power the car makes. Say what you will about the decision to make a brand-new Camaro look like it’s 30 years old, but you definitely can’t argue with this thing’s gusto. With prodigious power, a $100K mod list and a paint scheme some might call ugly, it’s also guaranteed to make a stir on Power Tour 2011. To make that goal a reality, Rombauts and Sherer are looking for sponsors to get their car to and from the Tour.

Source: AutoBlog