Article and photos by Megan Green

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Minutes before the much anticipated debut of the Chevy Camaro Z28, it was all over Twitter that the car revealed would actually be a ZL1. A high performance Camaro, the aluminum hood is raised with a vented insert, rear diffusers and spoiler, and 20 inch forged aluminum wheels. Under the hood is the LSA 6.2L V8 engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. The ZL1′s power comes from a supercharged aluminum-block 6.2-liter V8 producing an estimated 550 hp.

The interior is given as much attention as the exterior design with microfiber suede inserts on heated leather seats. Unique to the ZL1 is a leather wrapped shifter and steering wheel, redesigned with the bottom of the wheel squared off and ZL1 badges. The ZL1 is still in development, though, and is projected to be available in early 2012. The ZL1 name is taken from the 1969 Camaro ZL1, which had an aluminum block 440-hp 427-cubic inch V8.

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Chevrolet Volt Consumer Reviews	Chevrolet Volt More Expert Reviews	2011 Chevy Volt Photo Gallery	2011 Chevrolet Volt Specs

By contributing editor David Colman

Hits

• Breakthrough engineering tour de force
• No driving sacrifice needed to validate green passport
• Interior design top notch

Misses

• Even with tax rebate, pricey
• Not the package for the driving enthusiast
• 35 mile battery radius seems hardly worth the extra cost and weight

You’ll be reading reams of technical information about this car in the months to come, but what’s it really like to drive? Based on a 100 mile round trip between Sausalito and Marshall, the Volt offers a workable solution to everyday transportation for 4 with the added bonus of 25-50 miles of gas-free operation daily. Volt operates in 2 different modes. There’s battery power, which is good for that gas-free 25-50 mile romp, plus gasoline power for an added range of about 350 miles. If you drive short trips every day, it could be months before you need to refill the Volt’s 9.2 gallon gas tank.

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2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) , the biggest television event of the year is coming up this Sunday, February 6, and the auto companies are spending big bucks ($3 million for 30 seconds) on advertising that will rival beer companies’ air time. Car makers such as Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Volkswagen, and Bridgestone are all going to be making TV appearances from pre-game through post-game shows. Some companies have already started to build their campaigns before Super Bowl Sunday through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Audi is stirring up interest for their A8 Super Bowl commercials by posting the “Audi Estate Sale” on Facebook and messages on Twitter. Audi will also takeover YouTube’s homepage on Super Bowl Sunday.

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Article and photos by Megan Green

Porsche 918 RSR
At a 6:30 a.m. press conference in snowy Detroit, the press gathered around in anticipation of the first reveal of the day. With smoky fanfare, Porsche rolled out their 918 RSR , a high-end hybrid sports car. The best of the 2010 Spyder concept and 911 GT3 R hybrid were combined to create the fluid yet powerful two-seat coupe powered by a V8 mid-engine. Two electric motors on the front axle contribute as well as store power while braking, utilizing its flywheel accumulator – taking the place of a second seat to the right of the driver. On the console, modern touch technology is eschewed in favor of rocker switches. Finishing aesthetic touches include brown leather bucket seats and steering wheel, wing doors, with the body painted a cool blue accented with bright orange racing stripes and brake calipers. It’s just a shame that the 918 RSR didn’t stick around for more admiration during the public show days.

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Chevrolet Corvette Consumer Reviews	Chevrolet Corvette More Expert Reviews	2011 Corvette Z06 Photo Gallery	2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Specs

By Alex Kramer

Pros:

• If 505 hp isn’t enough for you, seek help
• With tires as wide as oil drums, lateral grip is abundant
• Hit them hard and the carbon-ceramic brakes will stand the car on its nose
• Surprisingly decent fuel efficiency for such a big engine
• Iconic exterior design definitely looks the part of an all-out sports car

Cons:

• Suspension gets unsettled over rough pavement
• Embarrassing interior for a $100k car
• Requires a racetrack to fully explore the performance potential

Sometimes the weather can be cruel. Very cruel. Especially when you are scheduled to test one of the fastest production cars available for under $100k and the forecast calls for lots of rain and cold temperatures. Sure, rolling up to the multiplex in a car that can run with Ferraris and Lamborghinis is kinda cool, but oh what would we have given for some nicer testing conditions.

The car in question is the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. With a 505 hp 7.0 L V8 engine, a sub 4 second 0-60 time, and a sticker price starting around $70k, the ZO6 has offered supercar levels of performance at a budget price since 2006. Although now eclipsed by the Corvette ZR1, which was reborn in 2009 with a supercharged engine making an astounding 638 hp, the ZO6 is still one of the fastest machines on the road today, especially for the money.

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For a little while, it seemed like the mid-size family sedan was going to go the way of the dodo bird. Starting in the late 90s, folks across America began snapping up SUVs like hotcakes, and those still sticking with four doors and a trunk often migrated upmarket to luxury nameplates.

Take one great recession, add some higher gas prices, and viola, the times have sure changed again. Buyers are downsizing away from expensive, gas-guzzling SUVs, and the market for mid-sized sedans is as competitive as it has ever been. Sure, smaller crossovers are popular and wagons are making a small comeback, but for basic transportation that is also practical and affordable, nothing beats a well made four door sedan.

Selecting just 5 excellent mid-size sedans was tough, as almost every manufacturer offers a competitive product these days. Our top 5 needed to really excel in all areas, including build, performance, design and functionality, and of course value. With this in mind, we feel our finalists are all truly well balanced cars, with no major flaws and a lot to admire.

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Held each year in Las Vegas, Nevada, the SEMA Show 2010 is an industry event for the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association.

Much more than just a trade show, SEMA brings together tuners and parts suppliers from across the auto industry to display their latest products using some of the most highly-modified and colorful vehicles anywhere in the world. Sometimes these creations are things of beauty, and some time they are outright disasters, which is part of what makes the SEMA Show so entertaining. Sharing the trade show floor along with the modified hot rods, muscle cars and sport compact cars, will be some mainstream automakers that are bringing an increasingly important presence at SEMA.

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Chevrolet Volt Consumer Reviews	Chevrolet Volt More Expert Reviews	2011 Chevrolet Volt Photo Gallery	2011 Chevrolet Volt Specs

By Derek Mau

Don’t bore me with the technical details about GM’s hybrid system built into the Chevrolet Volt. I don’t care if the Chevy Volt is a pure battery-electric vehicle, or a parallel hybrid, or a plug-in EV that requires an electrical umbilical cord. The techno-geeks can search elsewhere if they are looking for torque/power efficiency maps that identify speeds the gas engine engages to assist with driving the car. Just tell me if this Popular Mechanics wet dream, range-extended EV can take me where I want to any day of the week without having to include a visit to an electrical recharging station (which are mightily scarce here in eco-conscious California and around the North American continent).

I drove the new 2011 Chevrolet Volt at one of the stops for the Chevy Volt’s western region “Volt Unplugged” tour where they are traveling from Seattle to San Diego in a caravan of Volts. My test drive was short, but very revealing as it gave me an opportunity to learn more from the team of engineers and experts from GM. The test course, laid out in the Presidio of San Francisco, included a chance to test brief accelerations, ability to climb short hills, some sweeping turns, and lots of low speed driving. Freeway performance is “very good” according to the anecdotal accounts from the team members who are on the western region tour. So far the tour has been a success and traveling between cities has had zero hiccups. Every night the Volts on tour are recharged off a 110V outlet and everything is good to go in the morning.

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General Motors is definitely focused on becoming a serious contender in the small car market segment. The production model of the new 2011 Chevrolet Aveo is one of four models that will premiere at the Paris Motor Show next month in addition to the Orlando MPV and Cruze hatchback.

Reminiscent of the recently introduced Spark in Europe, the new Aveo is designed to appeal to younger customers with its sporty hot-hatch look. A four-door sedan variant will launch in Europe alongside the hatch next summer. Both hatch and sedan are practical small cars providing ample interior space.

Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe says: “It’s just such an exciting time to be at Chevrolet; in Aveo we have a car which is ready to compete against the best in the small-car segment.”

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After nearly four years of development and extensive testing with the pre-production models, General Motors has officially announced pricing and has begun taking customer orders for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt in seven select markets starting today. For the general public who are not up to speed on the details, the Chevy Volt is the first electric vehicle with extended-range capability and not limited to the battery’s capacity. The Volt’s MSRP will start at $41,000 ($33,500 net of full federal income tax credit, which ranges from $0 – $7,500) and includes the $720 destination charge.

The Chevy Volt has a total range of approximately 340 miles. The beauty is that the Volt uses a small gasoline engine which recharges the Li-Ion batteries and extends the car’s range another 300 miles after it runs tailpipe-emission-free for 40 miles on battery power. The purpose of the small engine is to recharge the batteries and extend the range of the vehicle — not to assist the powertrain as with the case of hybrid vehicles.

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