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In the age of high gas prices, hybrids and everyone supposedly going green like the government would make you think, the 2010 class of cars, SUV's and trucks took another hit this year with depreciation and upkeep costs. Just about all the top companies took a good hit in both categories of big and roomy and the supposedly fuel-efficient compact variety which is not as a big hit to people as many would tell you. Here's a listing of the worst performers of 2010 and vehicles you should avoid. These are not in any specific order. (contributed by Design 911)

Cadillac Escalade - Type: Luxury SUV

It's hard to say really what tipped the "experts" off on this vehicle. It did rank poorly amongst safety and value but the one statistic that really stuck out was this vehicle got top honours for the most stolen vehicle out of everything that's out there. "Pimp My Ride" apparently does not apply here.

Chevrolet Aveo - Type: Compact

The Chevrolet Aveo5 1LT overall value is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to even more expensive models such as the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic. Consumer Reports concludes that "the ride is jittery and noise is constant." . What would you expect from driving something as small as a golf cart?

Chevrolet Colorado - Type: Pickup Truck

This vehicle has been rated poorly in just about in every aspect so I'm not going to waste my time telling you about it because what does matter is the fact that GM is soon doing away with this model as well as the Canyon. So, of course the best medicine would be to stay away from these models.

Dodge Nitro - Type: SUV

The SLT model is just another version of the Jeep Liberty but with lower marks. Consumers complained
how noisy this SUV is and how it lacks agility. There tended to be some sort of body lean which added difficulty for people steering. This would be the equivalent of pushing a baby stroller in gravel.

Ford F-250 - Type: Truck

The 2010 Ford F-250 Lariat was ranked the worst on gas mileage getting on average just 10 mpg. This was a diesel engine model as well. Hate to see how an unleaded version would do. At this bad a rate of miles per gallon, one would think you'd have to get a bank loan just to get back and forth to work every three months.

Jeep Wrangler - Type: SUV

The Unlimited Sahara was the main gripe but Jeep Wrangler overall has plummeted 23% in sales since the beginning of the year. Apparently it does well off-road but fell short when driven on-road. Handling is a challenge with vague steering and low cornering limits. It's reliability was another negative for consumers.

Chrysler Sebring - Type: Midsize

Car experts ridicule this unpopular gem for its cheap interior and poor performance. It is considered the worst midsize car for the money due to the high ownership costs. Its rate of depreciation is almost faster than watching paint dry.

Mercury Mountaineer - Type: SUV

Top honours for worst midsize SUV for the money, the Mountaineer (and its twin, Ford Explorer, which ranked right behind it) is truck-based. So therefore it makes it use more fuel than the competition and not something suited for city and suburban driving. If you live in this type area, the handling may cause a vein to pop out of your forehead as well.See another worst car 2010 here.

2011 Chevy Corvette Z06-RF has been realized by Vortech and includes a centrifugal supercharger, an air aluminium intercooler, a bypass valve, alluminium installation supports, a high capacity gasoline pump and increased injectors. However there are several differences between the two cars: the engine’s capacity, the exhaust system and the final performances.



In fact the ZR1 has been developed on the base of the LS9 6.2 litre engine, but the 7.0 litre LS7 that equips the Corvette Z06 permitted Romeo Ferraris to take advantage of the higher cubic capacity. First of all the higher reliability and, thanks to a high performance exhaust system realized by the Factory and a careful optimization of the electronics, to obtain more horse power at lower number of rpm (677 bhp at 6000 rpm vs 646 bhp at 6500 rpm of the ZR1) with more disposable torque all speed long: up to 823 Nm at 4950 rpm (The ZR1 reaches the maximum peak of 819 Nm at 3900 rpm).

Chevrolet has launched an all-New 2011 Chevy Volt Z, a sedan car with five doors and four passenger.all-New 2011 Chevy Volt Z-Spec is an electric vehicle that is designed to provide the unlimited electric vehicle.

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt Z-Spec concept introduces unique features including unique lower rocker panels and lower front fascia, grille, taillamps, 19-inch wheels and exterior graphics. Although the Z-Spec parts are only concepts at the moment, they’re being considered for production.

The Volt Z-Spec is driven by the revolutionary Voltec propulsion system, which consists of a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and electric drive unit that provide pure electric range between 25 and 50 miles in moderate conditions, depending on terrain, driving techniques, temperature and battery age.

Once the battery charge drops below a certain level, the Volt’s extended-range 1.4L engine kicks in to provide power to the Volt’s electric motors. With a top speed of 100 mph, the electric drive unit’s excellent low-speed torque of 273 lb.-ft. (368 Nm) takes it from 0 to 60 mph in less than 9.0 seconds and the quarter mile in less than 17.0 seconds.

View 2011 Chevy Volt Z

Chevrolet Volt is scheduled to launch on 2011, this cool car is able to travel 40 miles on a single charge without using any gasoline or emissions. Chevrolet Volt also has an electric motor powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder flex-fuel engine as a backup, this motor will take over when the car goes beyond the 40 mile range. Chevrolet Volt concept has a sophisticated design, the design and engineering is a result from collaboration between GM designer and GE Plastics. Their technology make the exterior appearance of the Volt become more bold and futuristic. The Interior of this concept car is ergonomic and futuristic.

THE DETAILS
Price: $106,520
Powertrain: 6.2L/638-hp*/604-lb-ft*/supercharged V-8/6-sp manual
Vital Stats: 0-60: 3.3 sec/quarter: 11.2 sec/EPA: 14/20 mpg. *SAE certified.

Stop by CorvetteGuys.com and check out their large selection of ZR1 Wheels.

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be one of the best value supercars money can buy when it hits U.S. showrooms in the second half of 2008. It’ll also be the most powerful and fastest production vehicle ever produced by General Motors with an expected top speed of at least 320 km/h (200 mph).

Check out CorvetteGuys.com and their large selection of parts for the 1984 Corvette.

The 789 Chevy is not a classic Chevy yet. However, it is one cool car that looks like a blending of the 1957 Chevrolet, 1958 Chevrolet and 1959 Chevrolet classic designs.

GM just dropped high resolution images of the upcoming Chevy Cruze small four-door on us in advance of its Paris Motor Show unveil later this year. At first glance, we're quite impressed. The new car gets a striking design which mixes smooth planes and sharp lines for a surprisingly handsome design. Oddly, the tail lights on the Cruze mimic the camouflage-ensconced headlights on the upcoming Chevy Equinox while also receiving the new bold front end from the Chevy Malibu. If this is the direction GM's small cars are going, we've gotta say, our interest is piqued. But that's just the design. We're also told the new 2011 Chevy Cruze will get three engines when it launches in Europe in March of 2009; a 16-valve, 1.6-liter (112 hp) and 1.8-liter (140 hp) gasoline engine, plus a new 2.0-liter turbo diesel (150 HP).

Chevy Cruze In Full Detail

On display were a new Shelby Mustang, a new Dodge Challenger and a new Chevrolet Camaro. The last time all of those constellations aligned was a quarter-century plus 11 years ago.

But it appears the pony car era, created in the mid-1960s with the birth of the original Ford Mustang and then resurrected a couple of years ago with the rebirth of the '69 Mustang as a 2005 model, is galloping again. Not only did Chevrolet unveil its Camaro concept but the Chrysler Group unveiled a very retro Dodge Challenger concept.

While the smoothly curvaceous Challenger looked like it was simply reissued, though in a somewhat more modern size because of its Chrysler LX underpinnings, the Camaro concept had a more contemporary and angular appearance that looked cutting edge, and we mean that both literally and figuratively.

GM says the Camaro concept is a "thoroughly modern interpretation of the classic sport coupe" with "dramatic design" and "responsive performance."

SEOUL, South Korea - General Motors Corp. is considering launching its Chevrolet brand in South Korea to capture a larger share of the country's growing market for imported cars, a company executive said Friday.

The U.S. automaker will make a decision on the move after completing a study by the end of this year, said James H. Raymond, executive director of GM's Asia-Pacific vehicle sales, service and marketing division.

GM Korea currently sells Cadillac sedans at 41 million to 120 million Korea won ($39,000-115,000) each and Saab sedans at 37 million to 59 million won. continues

Stop by CorvetteGuys.com and check out their large selection of Z06 Wheels.

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.

The 427 Limited Edition Z06 features a Crystal Red Tintcoat exterior, the first Z06 ever offered with a red metallic tintcoat paint. It also features graphics on the hood and fascia that evoke the style of the famed “stinger” hood design and graphics that were offered with 1967 models equipped with the 427 engine. Also unique to this model are “427” hood badges. Each example is numbered and signed by Wil Cooksey, the Corvette assembly plant manager who is retiring after 15 years on the job, and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

“The heritage of the 427 designation with the Corvette is legendary,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager. “Recognizing the tie-in of the original 427 engine and the LS7’s 427-inch displacement has been on the Corvette team’s mind since the Z06 was introduced, and we’re thrilled to express it in this special model.”

Available under order code Z44, this special Z06 enters production this spring. Only 427 will be offered in the United States and Canada, with 78 more exported outside North America. That’s a total of 505 production vehicles – the same number of horsepower produced by the LS7 engine.

The special-edition Corvette carries a MSRP of $84,195 and includes the 3LZ premium equipment package with a custom, leather-wrapped interior. A navigation system is the only option ($1,750). As with other Corvette models, customer delivery is available at the Corvette Museum, in Bowling Green, Ky.

"Now that General Motors has launched production of their full-sized SUVs with the Two-Mode hybrid system, it's time to spread the wealth. Along with the Cadillac Escalade hybrid that we saw a few days ago, the full-sized Silverado pickup truck is also getting the hybrid treatment. Like it's enclosed, eight-seat cousin, the pickup will get a forty percent boost in city mileage with a twenty-five percent bump overall.

The beauty of the two-mode system in these applications is that gives a substantial boost in fuel efficiency without sacrificing the fundamental functionality of the vehicle. The two-wheel-drive Silverado hybrid can still tow 6,100 lbs thanks to the 6.0L V-8. The hybrid system allows increased use of the cylinder deactivation so that the engine runs on four cylinders under light load, with the electric drive providing power for acceleration when needed. Also like the SUV versions, the pickup has been tuned to operate with less noise under all conditions so that the difference between all-electric and engine drive modes is not as jarring. Depending on the battery state of charge, the truck can run over a mile on electricity alone at speeds up to 30 mph. The Silverado hybrid goes into production in second half of 2008...."
click here for full review : autoblogreen

GM’s Opel marketing team in Europe is studying the market for a plan to enter the small SUV market. The new model will give Opel a rival against the Fiat Sedici and Suzuki SX4. Chevrolet is also expected to follow Opel’s move.

“There is a need for small SUVs and our marketing team has been working on this. First we need to develop a concept,” Opel Managing Director Hans Demant told Automotive News Europe.

Like the UAW releasing some GM rear-wheel drive vehicle development this weekend, Rudi Kennes, a senior official at Belgium’s ABVV union, said that the GM has already signed an agreement that a small SUV for two GM brands will go into production in the second half of 2010. Both models will be built in GM’s Antwerp, Belgium, factory.

Kennes added that the plant would produce about 120,000 units of the new model per year.

Analysts are saying that Chevrolet’s small SUV may be very close to the Trax concept we saw at the 2007 New York Auto Show in April. No word on if this small SUV is going to make it to the U.S. shores but we feel it may definitely pop-up on our roads after 2010.

General Motors is having trouble after discovering that one Chevrolet HHR could pose a head injury risk. After examining the problem closer it was discovered that vehicles not equipped with the optional “roof rail” airbags are not in compliance with crash standards. This is not going to be very good for GM since 181,516 models are affected. All those cars have been recalled in service and an energy-absorbent piece of plastic will be installed to the headliner. This will solve the problems.