638 Hp From The Supercharged LS9 V-8

PONTIAC, Mich. – When it was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s power was estimated at 100 horsepower for each of its 6.2 liters of displacement. GM Powertrain has completed SAE certification of the ZR1’s supercharged LS9 V-8 and the results exceed the estimate: 638 horsepower (476 kW) and 604 lb.-ft. of torque (819 Nm).

The LS9’s output is nearly 103 horses per liter, or just about 1.7 horses for each of the engine’s 376 cubic inches. It is unquestionably the most powerful automotive production engine ever manufactured by General Motors and enables the Corvette ZR1 to achieve a top speed of more than 200 mph (322 km/h). Read the rest of this entry »

DETROIT - Consumers looking to squeeze the most mileage from every gallon of gas will find much to appreciate with the new Chevy Cobalt XFE. It delivers a segment-best 36 mpg in highway driving, outdistancing competitors like the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla.

The Cobalt XFE - for Xtra Fuel Economy - is on sale now and includes LS and 1LT coupe and sedan models with the manual transmission. It uses revised engine calibration, low rolling-resistance tires, a new, 3.74:1 final drive ratio and other technologies to achieve an EPA-estimated mileage rating of 25 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway. That’s an improvement of more than 9 percent over the previous highway mileage. Read the rest of this entry »

A few months ago we had the opportunity to get a close look at the Chevy Volt Concept and speak with key people surrounding the project. Whenever GM releases news that the Volt is getting closer to its 2010 production date, we get all tingly inside. Basically, GM announced Thursday that it’s going to test lithium-ion batteries, the core of hybrid vehicles, at the end of April. It has already constructed a test vehicle with the battery system to be installed. The battery power alone is predicted to develop the speed of 40 miles.

A little back-story:
To help spur battery research, GM selected two companies to provide advanced lithium-ion batterypacks: Compact Power, which would use cells made by its parent company, LG Chemical, and Continental Automotive Systems, which would use cells made by A123Systems. GM established a more close-knit relationship with A123Systems so that the two companies could co-develop a Volt-specific battery cell. On January 31, 2008, A123 and Continental delivered their first prototype to GM’s European test facilities.

GM executives report that battery technology will have a large impact in determining the success of the car.

General Motors said it will have the Volt on the market in 2010. The initial production run for first year of sales of the Volt is most likely 10,000 vehicles. Lutz has indicated a target retail price of at least $30,000 and more likely something nearer $40,000.

The following is a press release from General Motors:

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Maybe I should be posting this press release on our sister-site, GolfReview.com (?)

I think Tiger Woods far out-distances any Buick on the road today. Of course, that is just my opinion. And I’m not even a fan of golf. If you won the grand prize, would you ask Tiger to be your caddy or choose Tiger Woods’ personal Buick with the autographed plaque? Read the press release below for all the details…

DETROIT – Buick, the premium international automotive brand of General Motors, is giving one lucky person an exclusive opportunity to play golf alongside Tiger Woods, the world’s top golfer. Only this time, Woods will serve as the winner’s personal caddy in Buick’s new “Tee-Off with Tiger” online contest that begins today and runs through Sept. 28, 2008.

Contestants who register at www.teeoffwithtiger.com will have an opportunity to vie for the grand prize to partner with Woods or to win a high-end collectible only Buick can provide: Woods’ personal Buick vehicle – driven by the golf phenom himself – at several tournaments in which he competes during the promotion window. Every Buick vehicle Woods drives will come with a Tiger Woods autographed plaque, which is authenticated by Upper Deck.

“This is going to be as much fun for me as it is for the winners,” said Woods. “I’m looking forward to sharing some golf tips, maybe a few jokes and certainly a lot of laughs,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

DETROIT – Chevrolet announced the 2008 Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06, a limited-production model that pays homage to the big-block Stingray models of the mid-1960s. The 427 designation refers to the cubic-inch displacement for the highest-performance engines offered between 1966 and ’69 – and is also the cubic-inch equivalent of the Z06’s 7.0L LS7 small-block V-8.

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Today we have hit a major milestone. 10,000 people have signed up on our waiting list, expressing their desire to buy a Chevy Volt. This site was started on January 12, 2007 in response to GM unveiling the Chevy Volt five days earlier. It was my intent to create a place where like-minded people interested in driving this car could convene to observe and discuss the development and eventually create an ownership community. Read the rest of this entry »

DETROIT – General Motors will introduce several vehicles among its Cadillac, Saab and Saturn brands at the 2008 North American International Show. GM’s NAIAS portfolio emphasizes design and technology that deliver capability and performance while reducing environmental impact. The show opens to the public on Jan. 19. Read the rest of this entry »

DETROIT – As the new CTS sport sedan earns accolades and new owners, Cadillac takes the next leap forward by premiering the 2009 CTS-V, the brand’s ultimate expression of performance and luxury.

Launching in the fourth quarter of 2008, the all-new CTS-V intends to combine the serious performance of an elite sports car with the poise and elegance of a prestigious luxury sedan. Part of Cadillac’s acclaimed V-Series of high-performance models, CTS-V delivers an estimated 550 horsepower (410 kW). More than just power, CTS-V also includes a comprehensive suite of technical and design enhancements, including Magnetic Ride Control, an industry-first Performance Traction Management program and the addition of a new automatic transmission with paddle-shift control. Read the rest of this entry »

DETROIT - Cadillac extends its ongoing design and technology momentum with tomorrow’s debut of the Provoq Concept, a vision for a petroleum-free future of luxury transportation. GM CEO Rick Wagoner will present the Cadillac Provoq concept vehicle January 8 at the influential Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, beginning a showcase of Cadillac’s future performance technology and design that will continue at next week’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Read the rest of this entry »

2009 Corvette ZR1 Powered By The Most Powerful Production Engine Ever From GM: The Supercharged LS9 Small-Block V-8

PONTIAC, Mich. – When it arrives next summer, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be the most powerful and fastest production car ever produced by General Motors, with performance enabled by a new, supercharged 6.2L LS9 small-block V-8 engine.

Incorporating the engineering experience already found in the Corvette Z06’a LS7 engine and the new-for-2008 6.2L LS3 of the Corvette, GM Powertain is targeting 100 horsepower per liter for the LS9, or 620 horsepower (462 kW), and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque (807 Nm); final SAE-certified power levels will be available in early March 2008.

It is, indeed, the ultimate small-block engine for the ultimate Corvette. Read the rest of this entry »