BY ALISA PRIDDLE
GM is investing in its Lordstown, Ohio, plant to build the Cobalt replacement.
Here is the first official look at the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which will both replace the Cobalt compact car in the U.S. and become the company’s new global offering in the volume C-segment. (more…)
BY JAKE HOLMES, PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARPIX AND THE MANUFACTURER
The everyday sports car from Lotus.
Lotus has released full information and photos of its latest sports car, the Evora. Previously known only by its “Eagle” code name, the car was revealed at the British auto show. (more…)
BY TONY SWAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM FRENAK
So here it is, the third and final entry in the 21st-century pony-car-revival derby. Get your bets down early because we don’t expect to see any more resurrections of famous makes from the galloping go-go Sixties—Barracuda, Firebird, Javelin, et al.—and even gloomier, we think it likely that, given fuel prices and other concerns, this revival is likely to lack the fervor and duration of the original movement. (more…)
BY ALISA PRIDDLE
BMW adds a performance diesel to the U.S. lineup, but no seven-speed dual clutch.
BMW has released the first official pictures of the new 3-series sedan and wagon that will be unveiled this fall at the 2009 Paris auto show, prior to going on sale in North America in October. (more…)
BY ALISA PRIDDLE
Suzuki to get pickup based on the Frontier.
At the risk of stating the obvious, Nissan finally confirms the pickup it will build for Suzuki is based on the Nissan Frontier and will be assembled at its plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, starting in 2008.
The two automakers reached an agreement in 2006 for Nissan to build a mid-size pickup for Suzuki to sell in North America as well as a version of the Nissan Serena mini-minivan for sale in Japan. In return, Suzuki was to produce a Nissan mini-vehicle for Japan and a new A-segment car for Europe. (more…)
BY TOM LUDWICK AND ALISA PRIDDLE
This trio of electric vehicles uses a variety of powertrain alternatives to extend their B-srange.
Chrysler wants to spark interest with three electric concepts to be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in what appears to be a showdown with General Motors and its Chevrolet Volt family of EVs.
Chrysler is using a lithium-ion battery pack with a 200-kilowatt electric motor to drive the wheels, into concepts for Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge. Shown here are early sketches of the Chrysler ecoVoyager concept, the Dodge Zeo concept, and the Jeep Renegade concept. (more…)
BY ALISA PRIDDLE
Pacifica output takes a mini break to meet dealer demand for minivans, while Chrysler also prepares to build VW minivans next year.
Consumers waiting for the launch of the new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country or Dodge Grand Caravan take heart. Chrysler this week marked the production launch of the new minivans with the segment’s most innovative seating, at its Windsor, Ontario, Canada, plant. The people movers should be arriving in showrooms in October.
To ensure enough to meet high dealer demand, Chrysler is temporarily halting production of its Pacifica crossover in Windsor to dedicate the entire plant to minivan output for a couple months. The Pacifica will be reintroduced in late September or early October. (more…)
BY ERIK JOHNSON
A turbocharger roosts under the HHR’s retro-styled hood.
As Chrysler uses Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise to roll out another snoozer special edition of the extremely long-in-the-tooth PT Cruiser”this time the Sunset Boulevard Cruiser, inspired by a street 2300 miles and several tax brackets away from Motown’s famed avenue”Chevrolet has decided to inject a little bit of muscle into the event. Make that a very little bit of muscle, because the bow-tie brand has seen fit to unleash upon the world the Chevrolet HHR SS, which is, of course, based on the diminutive HHR trucklet. (more…)
BY ALISA PRIDDLE
Front-drive Malibu was to be followed by rear-drive Impala, but those plans still are in limbo.
Dealers should start receiving the new 2008 Malibu, available in four trim levels including a hybrid version, in November.
The Malibu is the last General Motors vehicle to come from the outgoing Epsilon platform that is being replaced by the new Global Midsize Vehicle Architecture. Cars from the next-generation architecture start rolling out next year with a new European-market Opel Vectra, with a steady stream to follow. (more…)
BY ALISA PRIDDLE
This clean-diesel model, shown in Frankfurt, is for Europe only.
Volkswagen is using September’s Frankfurt auto show to reassert its stature as a maker of efficient diesels in Europe. The new Golf BlueMotion will be one of six models with the environmentally friendly powerplant (the other five have not been disclosed). (more…)
