Are you more inclined to take Chevrolet and General Motors as a whole more seriously since the Enclave, Malibu, and Corvette Z06 debuted? Of course y'are.
Alongside such truth, let it also be true inside your rational brain that Chevrolet is about to introduce to you the 50th Anniversary Impala. "50 years of Impala" - let it ring.
We're talking about a badge job + some equipment. Two-tone leather, unique-to-the-5oth 18" alloys, rear spoiler, better floormats, and other similarly pointless upgrades. Oooooooeeeeeeeee. Pretty hot.
The Impala, as we know, will be put out to pasture before long. Proper combinations of rear-wheel drive and V8's are on the way. But for now, we get offered nicer leather for the 50th anniversary of such an iconic model.
It hurts me to think of the salesperson who is forced into selling a Malibu alongside such a typical late 90's-style GM special edition. Let's hope that all past import buyers are steered clear of the embarrassment.
More info will surely flow regarding Land Rover's latest hot concept over the next few weeks and after it's Detroit debut. Enjoying the photos of the British sport-utility builder's most impressive debut since the Range Stormer can be done.... now.
I love ambivalent statements from automaker managing directors that speak of topics like "proposed level of efficiency that would make it one of the cleanest vehicles in its class". Wait... no, I don't.
Truly though, the LRX is smaller (therefore lighter), and more aerodynamic. Less weight and slipperier surfaces remove the necessity of massively powerful and massively thirsty engines. Less thirst equals less harmful emissions. Do people want a smaller-than Freelander/LR2 luxury ute?
If the Land Rover LRX is ever produced; and it is marketed as a 'green' vehicle with more than just 'green' ideology but some semi-useful 'green' tech - then yes, people will want it.
15,600 Toyota Tundra's are the latest trucks to come under the shadow - deep, dark, and ugly - of the R word.
Recall. The new Tundra joins its major Ford and Dodge competition in suffering a recall in the last couple weeks. Here are Toyota's words:
"On certain 2007 model year Tundra vehicles, there is a possibility that a joint in the rear propeller shaft may have been improperly heat treated, resulting in insufficient hardness. In the worst case, a section of the rear propeller shaft may separate at the joint. There has been one case reported among all affected vehicles that may relate to this condition. The one case involved abnormal noise and did not involve an accident."
Notification will begin late this month. To read about more about recalls, click here. Dodge's and Ford's stories are present.
Today, GoodCarBadCar was about to show you a Land Rover Range Rover Sport underneath Tokyo. Then, I came upon this and thought the commercial made its point so very clear that it must be shown.
Ward's has once again named its Ten Best Engines. It seems as though Ward's Auto has staked out a claim on this category of engine ranking and is rather respected and trusted now. 2007's best engines come from four different Japanese manufacturers, the German big three, as well as Ford and GM.
Audi's 2.0L turbocharged inline-four makes 200bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque. BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six produces 300bhp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0L V6 turbodiesel in Mercedes-Benz's E-class produces 208bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Ironically, the three German companies infiltrated Ward's 10 Best list with four turbochargers divided amongst the three engines.
Ford's 4.6L V8 is capable of more than 300bhp in the Bullitt and Shelby GT. The 6.0L V8 in hybridized form that we've seen in the Yukon/Tahoe hybrids and GM's 3.6L V6 from the Cadillac CTS form the American contigent.
Honda's smooth and powerful 3.5L V6 from the new Accord is one of two three-and-a-half litre engines on the list. The V6 from Lexus' IS350 is another formidable powerplant. 3.7 litres equals V8-style power in the Infiniti G37, too. Finally, Mazda's 2.3L turbocharged inline-four ends the list as the fourth turbocharged model, as well as the second with just four-cylinders.
'Round about the middle of November, there was a collective sigh of disappointment when Subaru's next-gen STi met a $1,500 price jump, rising to about $35K.
I guess that leads us to a collective groan when the price of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X jumps $5,321. The good news for Evo fans? Their rally-rocket is still cheaper than the STi. The bad news? The Evo X MR is an extra $5,000, although it'll save you 1mpg in city driving.
Read more about the new Evo X's performance here, or check out the Subaru pricing post here. By the way, there are reports saying that Mitsubishi hopes to be able to lower those prices by about $1,000.
One month plus a day from now you'll hear who took the crown of North American Car (& Truck) of the Year. General Motors swept the two-title series last year with the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Silverado. Out of 54 possible nominees, GM showrooms hold four of the final six candidates. Present in the COTY triumvirate are Chevrolet's Malibu, the Cadillac CTS and the Honda Accord. The loosely named 'truck' category is represented by the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Mazda CX-9.
Does the Malibu, a bolder; better version of last year's winner, really deserve to win? Has it moved the game on that much? Will the Tahoe Hybrid hype override what The Good Car Guy noticed to be dismal real-world fuel economy and a poor driving experience to take the TOTY title, especially considering the Mazda CX-9's seven-seat sports-car on stilts reputation and the best-Buick-in-decades Enclave?
Are you more inclined to take Chevrolet and General Motors as a whole more seriously since the Enclave, Malibu, and Corvette Z06 debuted? Of course y'are. 
