Autoblog

FPV vs. HSV is basically Australian for "Ford vs. Chevy," but on steroids. The two performance divisions have elevated the production of the muscle sedan to an art form, with audacious looks and big power ruling the day. It's as if the original American muscle car era never ended, but got a passport and moved Down Under. Granted, we in the States don't have much to complain about lately, with Aussie muscle now available in a Pontiac wrapper, as well as the 21st century editions of Camaro, Challenger and Mustang waiting to wreak havoc at stoplights.

Still, the sweetest fruit is that which is forbidden, so you might be interested in the Motoring Channel's super acronym showdown: FPV GT-P vs. HSV GTS. The FPV is based on the new Ford FG Falcon, which arrived earlier this year, while the HSV's Holden Zeta platform underpinnings are now a couple years old. Both have V8s, both look evil, and tires break into cold sweats at the mere thought of being mounted on either machine's rear axle. With these two rides, the differences are such that picking a winner is akin to choosing between porterhouse and prime rib. It's not as if you're going to be disappointed either way, but deep down, you do have a preference. Click here to read which menu item the Motoring Channel likes best. Thanks for the tip, Torrent!



[Source: Web Wombat/Motoring Channel]

There's a lot of smack talk about Detroit automakers these days, and while some of it is spot on, other myths are no more credible than what's written in the men's john. General Motors is apparently tired of fielding questions surrounding this bathroom fodder and the embattled automaker is busting out its own Sharpie to dispel what it feels are untruths. GM has created a Web 1.0 site called GM Facts and Fiction on which are several statements often said in the media and around the water cooler that its feels are untrue. For example, much talk has come up concerning government bailouts, and GM Facts and Fiction counters that the federal money would not be a bailout but rather low-interest loans earmarked for developing fuel-efficient vehicles. Other topics of purported myth include fuel economy, product desirability and the Chevy Volt. Hit the link below to see GM's latest five fact-and-fiction posts, and let us know if you think the automaker is on the mark or just scribbling lavatory graffiti of its own.

[Source: GM Facts and Fiction]

Click above to view gallery of the production Chevy Volt

Excitement around the production version of the Chevy Volt is reaching a fever pitch. Last week we brought you spy video and images of what appeared to be a production Volt on the set of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, and while General Motors has since revealed that what we saw was not necessarily the series hybrid's final form (and that it was actually a rebodied, gas-powered Malibu), it nonetheless proved that the Volt's design is nearing the end of its gestation. Today GM revealed to Automotive News that the production Volt will, in fact, be unveiled this month as part of the automaker's 100-year anniversary celebration. The main events for the celebration are Monday, Sept. 15th and Tuesday, Sept. 16th, so we expect the car to be unveiled on one of those two days.

Ford Motor Company celebrated its centennial in 2003 and used the occasion to debut an equally exciting yet very different vehicle: the Ford GT. Fast forward five years and the hottest vehicle on everyone's mind is not a supercar, but a series hybrid. Times have certainly changed.


[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

This shot of the Corvette Centennial Concept comes courtesy of our friends over at Jalopnik who have a few more in their own gallery. For those of you living under a rock, the Corvette Centennial Concept is both a tribute to General Motors' 100-year history and a budding young actor on the Hollywood stage with a bit part in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. It is not, we repeat not, a production car, a concept intended to hint at the future design direction of the Corvette or any such thing, at least as far as we know. Being a flight of fancy concept, however, doesn't take away from its inherent coolness. The view from the rear is particularly mind blowing as you can see the split rear window, incredibly sculpted rear fenders and nuevo Sting Ray badge. We're not sure when the actual car will be revealed, but GM is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this month. Then again, the official debut might also coincide with the release of the Transformers sequel in 2009. We'll have to wait and see.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Sales figures for the month of August aren't out quite yet, but analysts predict they won't be good. Apparently they could have been worse for General Motors if not for the employee pricing deal that began on August 20th. Though scheduled to end yesterday, the employee pricing deal has now been extended through the end of September and most 2009 models have now been included. The original deal extended to all 2008 models and only the 2009 Chevy Cobalt and HHR, Pontiac Vibe and G5 and Cadillac CTS. Dealerships are reporting that employee pricing helped clear out their inventories, especially trucks and SUVs, which were the most heavily discounted. We've already wasted hours perusing this web page that details what each GM vehicle will cost with employee pricing and any other incentives available. Looks like we'll be wasting a few more.

[Source: Reuters]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS

Regardless of the fact that over a dozen official looking images of the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS showed up on the web early last week, this single high-res image of the modern muscle car is notable for the fact that it is the first overall shot that GM has officially released. It showed up on the automaker's media site yesterday evening all by its lonesome with no accompanying details, but what else is there to know besides the fact it's packing a 6.2L LS3 V8 producing 422 hp and 408 lb-ft of torque? And for those who were wondering before, the nostril vent does appear to be part of the production package. Perhaps this picture's sudden appearance portends more information to come. We'll keep our ears and eyes open just in case.


[Source: GM]

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the ClubSport R8 Tourer

HSV's ClubSport R8 Tourer has officially arrived, giving our friends from Down Under the means to haul stuff, ass and any combination thereof as long as they part with $65K AUD. The super-duper Commodore SportWagon has got LS3 V8 power with 425 horses and 405 lb-ft of torque ready to transfer its rear tires to the ozone layer. To further underscore the undeniable awesomeness of this package, the standard gearbox is a six-speed manual. An automatic is available as an option, as are 20-inch wheels and a full-leather interior. Chances of us seeing this here? Essentially zero, since Pontiac is getting the Ute (G8 ST) instead of the wagon. That's just a shame. Sure, it's no Wagon Queen Family Truckster, but a hypothetical Pontiac G8 Safari GXP would deliver raucous fun for the whole family.


[Source: HSV]

When the land was flowing with milk and honey, GM didn't get medieval on folks who took just a little more than their fair share. Now that GM's diet has been pared back to a few nuts and the occasional berry... well, every nut counts. So when The General performed a random audit and found that employees had allegedly been sharing their employee discounts with ineligible buyers, instead of a big "whatever," GM initiated lawsuits.

Based on the known records, GM is trying to recoup $450,000 plus court costs and attorney's fees from at least nine court cases. In addition to offering the discounts to those who shouldn't have had access to them, GM said the the employees were using the discounts "for their own financial gain."

Some of the employees being sued no longer work for GM. Attorneys for the defendants have suggested that shady dealers simply used the employees' information to give the discounts to other buyers without the employees' knowledge or consent. At this point, no dealers are named in the lawsuits, so it's up to the employees in question to prove their innocence. And for now, when it comes to pennywise, GM isn't playing around...

[Source: Detroit News]

The ruthless pruning continues, with GM Inside News reporting that the rear-wheel-drive Kappa II platform has gone to heaven before ever touching this mortal coil. Back in 2004, a vehicle line executive said "The Kappa architecture is a great platform for sporty, driver-oriented applications around the globe." Apparently, not one for which GM could make enough different models to actually earn some money.

Reasons for the sequel platform's demise are allegedly that the first hydra-formed Kappa is just too expensive to fabricate; the cars based on it use expensive, hydra-formed parts; assembly requires inordinate amounts of human labor; and GM didn't make its money back fast enough to justify the investment in a new RWD – read: thirstier – platform.

The current Kappa's suspension and design geometry aren't shared with any other car;, the platform was created to accept one engine, the Ecotec 4-cylinder; and it served under only four varieties of the same car: the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Daewoo G2X and Opel GT. It was a lot to ask such a limited platform to achieve the volume's GM needed with cars on expensive underpinnings that didn't demand expensive prices. And if the rumors are true, then your Solstice GXP could be worth more than you expected, and sooner than you expected.

[Source: GM Inside News]

Click above for gallery of production pics of Chevy Volt

When the Chevy Volt goes on sale in late 2010, it may be joined shortly thereafter by other GM-branded series hybrids using the eFlex architecture. But after the General's bread-and-butter bow-tie division, which brands make the most sense to get their own Volt? We've already seen a Cadillac with underlying eFlex technology, and GM's luxury arm could charge higher prices to offset the cost of the expensive powertrain. After Cadillac, Saturn might be a good bet considering we've already seen an eFlex-based Saturn-branded FlexStream concept.

Susan Docherty, GM's North American vice president of Buick, Pontiac and GMC, thinks GM's driving excitement team is a natural fit for a Volt-like hybrid. Her reason is that the Pontiac brand can attract a younger crowd that readily accepts new technology and cutting-edge design. We're not so sure. If Pontiac is supposed to build excitement, how does that jive with a heavy battery pack in a car that's engineered to save fuel rather than go fast? Then again, nothing says instant torque quite like an electric vehicle. Dealers who bought into building combined Buick, Pontiac and GMC stores will want at least one vehicle in their showrooms based on the eFlex architecture, though, and Pontiac makes more sense than Buick or GMC.


[Source: Popular Mechanics]