New Pics of The Chevy Orlando Hit The Internet: Neon Blue Awesome

Next month, at the Paris Motor Show, Chevy will finally release their seven-seat family concept car, the Orlando. Unfortunately for Chevy, some snapshots made it to the internet pre-launch. They look like pictures from backstage during a promotional shoot. Either way, here they are.

The Orlando, based on the Chevy Cruze platform, is supposed to be this sporty MPV in a small package. It has a GM turbo diesel putting out 150 horsepower, five doors, seating for seven and home theater style setup in the back, which makes it a modern alternative to the big bulky gas eaters that large families need today. I quite like it, but for more that just those reasons.

Check out the pics after the jump:

You RideLust readers may or may not be aware, but I’m an EPCOT freak. EPCOT Center is the greatest place on Earth and if I had my way I’d live there on it’s magical technological paradise grounds and never step foot back in the “real world” again. So having a vehicle named after the Mecca of all things fantastic and wonderful, Orlando, Florida…well, Chevy just needs to make this a production car.

Really, I liked the name when I heard it, I liked the look when I saw it, and now, after seeing the blue lights all around that fit perfectly with the EPCOT theme I had in my head, I love it.

So without further blahblahblah…PICS:

Related posts:

• Double-decker buses due for makeover, how 'bout this?
• Gesundheit! All Volvo models now allergy-friendly
• First Official Aston Martin Rapide “Image” Leaks [Aston Martin Rapide]
• GM is making Design a Priority Again; at least for the Volt
• As legal drivers, we need to trust teens to make the right choices behind ...

Related posts:

• In addition to the remote-controlled locking system, New Laguna offers ...
• Fresh from Carlisle: Mopars under $5K
• 2010 Toyota Prius revealed more in YouTube video
• Wait, What? Red Bull buys back full stake in Toro Rosso
• Wolfsburg Bites Back: The New VW Special Editions

Read More!

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: “I’m Sorry Officer, I Didn’t Mean To Break The Sound Barrier”

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is the product of the Corvette Z06, a $100,000 budget, and a slight inferiority complex - and we are pretty damn impressed. With a 6.2-L supercharged small block V8 engine and 638-horsepower [no, that’s not a typo], the new Chevy Corvette ZR1 was built to throw down on the track next to the likes of the Ferarri 599 and the Lamborghini Murceilago.

What began as an LS7 turbocharged engine was quickly upgraded to an LS9 supercharged engine when the LS7’s cylinder walls were found too thin to withstand the boost from the ZR1’s 4-lobe Roots blower which averages about 100-hp per liter. Couple the super-strength engine with a full-width rear-spoiler, boost gauge, and 220-mph read out; independent flight is not entirely out of the realm of possibility. With suspension tuning that allows for more than 1g of lateral cornering grip and a six-speed close-ratio race-hardened manual transmission, the 2009 Corvette ZR1 is more than capable of giving the foreign sports car gods a run for their money.

We say: With all due respect, Mr. Wagoner, it’s about damn time.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Base Price	$47,045 - $102, 450
Vehicle Layout	Front Engine, RWD, 2-door Coupe
Engine	6.2L/638hp/604lb-ft DOHC 16-valve
Transmission	Close-ratio 6-sp manual
Curb Weight	3,350 lbs
Wheelbase	105.7in
Length x Width x Height	176.2in x 75.9″ x 49″
0-60 mph	3.0-3.5 sec
EPA City/Hwy Fuel Economy	14/20
CO2 Emissions	N/A

Related posts:

• GM Postpones Redesigned Versions of its SUVs and Full-Size Trucks
• Jay Leno's 600 Horsepower E85 Powered Chevy Corvette Revealed
• AutoWeek Gets Around Chevy Silverado Embargo
• GM Shrinks the Volt's Gas Tank and its Range Shrinks from 600 to 400 Miles
• DI FTW: GM unveils new direct-injection 2.4L EcoTec and 3.0L V6

Related posts:

• UAW strikes GM’s Chevrolet Malibu plant in Fairfax
• The World According to Lutz: fewer brands, more marketing
• Chevrolet to get 4-cylinder turbocharged compact car in 2009
• Spy Shots: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro V6 Engine
• Video: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid vs 2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI

Read More!

GM may cut next-generation GMC Acadia and SUT program

It’s too early to say whether or not GMC, a brand based on SUVs and trucks, will soon see future like HUMMER, but according to the insiders of GM news, GM is cutting two product programs. On...

Related posts:

• Study Shows McCain Winning Over Hummer Moms, Obama Cleaning Up With Hatchback-Owning Gay Art Students [Race To The White House]
• Review: 2008 Pontiac G8 Test Drive...A Bargain for Only $30K?
• Acura brand is 5-Star Safety Winner from NHTSA, IIHS
• Geigercars gives the Corvette Z06 592-hp
• 2010 Pontiac G8 Sports Truck Unveiled...It's the Return of the El Camino!

Related posts:

• GM to idle more truck and SUV plants, hires broker to sell HUMMER
• VIDEO: 2008 Aston Martin DBS in all It's Glory! It's Even Hotter in Action!
• Automotive Social Network Hell
• New Product Placement: Best-Selling Novels
• GM closes four trucks and SUV plants, may drop HUMMER brand

Read More!

VIDEO: Very First Production 2009 Corvette ZR1 Goes for $1 Million

The very first 2009 Corvette ZR1 went for $1 million at the recent Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.

Related posts:

• GM Letting Dealers Add More Cash Back This Holiday Season
• Geigercars gives the Corvette Z06 592-hp
• 1963 Chevrolet C10 Pickup Truck [Down On The Street]
• Automobile Magazine Announces 2009 All-Stars
• DI FTW: GM unveils new direct-injection 2.4L EcoTec and 3.0L V6

Related posts:

• Honda Fit Wins MotorWeek Best of Year Award
• VIDEO: Jay Leno takes delivery of Corvette ZR1
• VIDEO: See how prototype Chevy Volt bodies are built
• NADA Estimates 700 New Car Dealerships Will Shut Down In 2008 [Financiapocalypse]
• Work Car of the Year Runners-Up

Read More!

GM Shrinks the Volt's Gas Tank and its Range Shrinks from 600 to 400 Miles

GM's upcoming Chevy Volt is one of the most anticipated new cars especially with these insane gas prices. Well when GM originally unveiled the Volt the automaker boasted that the hybrid would have a 600 mile range...well things have changed.

Related posts:

• 2010 Devon GTX: Spied
• The Citroën XM Pallas Braves Earthquakes, Wild Horses, Raging Lava Torrents! [Classic Ad Watch]
• T buckets a Plenty at Motorex 2009
• How Many Drinks Was That? Wert Discusses Ford's Capital Ideas [Official Car Pundit Drinking Game]
• 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T: Finally Released

Related posts:

• Car Industry Carnage: October Sales Wrap-Up [Sales Figures]
• Autoblog Podcast #105
• New Subaru concept coming to Detroit Auto Show
• 2008 Nissan GT-R - Godzilla Awakes On Steroids
• Moving on up! Chinese automakers move out of Cobo basement thanks to Detroit no-shows

Read More!

GM Postpones Redesigned Versions of its SUVs and Full-Size Trucks

GM is postponing redesigning its large SUVs and full-size pickups as the market shifts towards more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Related posts:

• Would you buy one of these luxury cars if the price was right?
• VW Magotan: Meet the Chinese VW Passat
• Detroit Auto Show Crowds Shrinking
• Gaby Dela Merced: Racing Cutie
• Cadistrophic

Related posts:

• Volvo XC60 Concept Gets Early Reveal
• Nissan back on for Chicago Auto Show, still avoiding Detroit
• Moving on up! Chinese automakers move out of Cobo basement thanks to Detroit no-shows
• Recapping Day 2 of the L.A. Auto Show
• Nissan pulls out of Detroit and Chicago auto shows

Read More!

A Moment Of Silence For The Quiet Death of A Dream

During my daily troll through the hot rod classifieds, I found a babied 1953 Chevrolet 150 hot rod that is being reluctantly put out to pasture. To add insult to injury, the asking price has apparently been drastically lowered due to lack of buyer interest - just barely over 2 grand. With a rebuilt Chevy 305 engine, Edelbrock intake manifold, MSD ignition, dual exhaust, the engine modifications this guy has made easily cost twice that. The car has never been driven under any conditions other then bright blue California skies and even though it has a transmission that “shifts like butter”, it’s never, ever been raced. Obviously, judging by the awards and photographic evidence, the car is incredibly well cared for.

So what’s motivating the sell?

According to the seller, “I’m getting married, other wise i would never get rid of it. Weddings are very expensive.”

I give it 3 years, tops.

Related posts:

• Jay Leno's 600 Horsepower E85 Powered Chevy Corvette Revealed
• AutoWeek Gets Around Chevy Silverado Embargo
• Rear-wheel-drive Buick Lucerne not dead, but will be smaller
• Four 1979-’84 H/Os Stolen at the Hurst/Olds Club of America National Meet in Indianapolis This Weekend
• New Study: Men Most at Risk Driving

Related posts:

• First retail production 2010 Camaro to be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson
• Are There Any Cars That Look Better Without A Roof? [Question Of The Day]
• How to make the grade in car restoration
• GM may rebuild Saturn rather than kill it
• With GM on the brink, what will happen to the Corvette?

Read More!

1963 Chevrolet C10 Pickup Truck [Down On The Street]

Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. We're starting off the new month on a Truck Monday, and we might as well get right back to pickup basics here, with a good ol' Chevy half-ton that lives in the heart of Alameda's downtown.

I spent a summer driving one of these when I was in high school, and I liked it quite a bit (once I got used to the three-on-the-tree gearshift). Bouncy, squeaky, and rattly, but not much to go wrong and plenty of style.


Back in '63, the base C10 Stepside cost $2,009. That got you the indestructo-grade 230-cubic-inch I6, which would get the truck up to highway speed even with several old refrigerators in the bed… eventually. The '63 Ford F100 Flareside was priced at a near-identical $2,002, but the real truck steal of 1963 was the Dodge D100 Sweptline, which could be had for just $1,823.


Here's another multiple-DOTS block; the '69 Skylark Custom is just down the block. The '84 Porsche 928 and '64 Dodge Dart wagon are just around the corner, too.

First 350 DOTS Vehicles • DOTS FAQ

Related posts:

• Top 10 Least Stolen Vehicles in 2008
• BestBuy rewards some Halo 3 fan with a special Pontiac G6 GXP
• GM Letting Dealers Add More Cash Back This Holiday Season
• Rear-wheel-drive Buick Lucerne not dead, but will be smaller
• Zero S: Smooth & Continuous Acceleration

Related posts:

• PCH, Head Turner Edition: Stutz Blackhawk or Backyard Lambo? [Project Car Hell]
• GM Sale Continues, Includes Saturn Vue Hybrid
• Bond Bad Guy Car Of Choice: Ford Edge Is The New Explorer, Escalade Or Suburban [James Bond]
• Ford Taurus Car Profile
• Ford Flex Car Profile

Read More!

2009 Corvette lapping-up at Laguna Seca figured to be the next ZR-1

The phantom “Blue Devil” strikes again as Chevrolet keeps everyone guessing on their new Corvette. The new Corvette tearing up test laps before racing at Laguna Seca is rumored to be the next ZR-1, but you will find no confirmation of that rumor from GM. In the mean time though there is some video from the cars warm-up laps that all ZR-1 afficionado’s can purr over.

Source[CarScoop]

Related posts:

• GM Letting Dealers Add More Cash Back This Holiday Season
• EPA Releases Best and Worst Mileage List
• Jay Leno's 600 Horsepower E85 Powered Chevy Corvette Revealed
• AutoWeek Gets Around Chevy Silverado Embargo
• Geigercars gives the Corvette Z06 592-hp

Related posts:

• Here are some of the best cars coming out of American right now.
• Cheapskate Greenies! Canadians build sub-$1K DIY electric car
• Huntsville ATHS shows the trucks of cotton country
• 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Part Three [Jalopnik Reviews]
• Chevy hasn’t even committed to an official launch date for their much-hyped ...

Read More!

Jay Leno's 600 Horsepower E85 Powered Chevy Corvette Revealed

Although there is a new 600 horsepower Corvette ZR1 right around the corner, Jay Leno decided it couldn't come soon enough.

Related posts:

• Would you buy one of these luxury cars if the price was right?
• But I think I’m mostly underwhelmed.
• Alpha Romeo announces its return to the US Market with the 8C Competizione
• Hemmings Challenge Vintage Car Rally Finale
• Alfa talking to Tata to use Jaguar rear-wheel-drive

Related posts:

• Car racing goes very green.
• Ford may still sell Volvo and Mercury
• As you might assume, the study is intended to give auto designers a peek ...
• Don’t want a speeding ticket? Drive one of these!
• Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa: World Record Price

Read More!

GM Letting Dealers Add More Cash Back This Holiday Season

Word came over the wires today that GM was going to enlist a tactic that regular retail stores use this time of year: a big holiday sale. Their Red Tag sale starts tomorrow and allows dealers to allocate between $500 and $2,000 cash back on certain 2006 Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac and Saturn models, depending on local inventories. That allows a dealer with too many SUVs on hand to discount them more heavily than low-inventory cars, and vice versa.

We were surprised to see the figures because GM already has significant cash back available on many 2006 models. This Red Tag sale is in addition to those offers. This is a significant amount of money on certain models, like a 2006 Chevy Tahoe. The 2006 Tahoe already has $6,000 cash back on its hood and will now see at least another $500, with chances of $8,000 back. That’s a lot of cash back.

Unfortunately, because these deals will vary greatly we can’t give you an exact rundown of each model’s discount. The sale is probably geared this way to get more people to actually go to their local dealer to find out just how much they can save. However, all the current incentives are located here, and you can determine if an additional $500 - $2,000 would get you motivated enough to check out a showroom.

[GM Offers Year-End Discounts, The Detroit News]

Related posts:

• Study Shows McCain Winning Over Hummer Moms, Obama Cleaning Up With Hatchback-Owning Gay Art Students [Race To The White House]
• Ferrai Scuderia Spider 16M Completes Run In Under 1 Minute
• Zero S: Smooth & Continuous Acceleration
• sQuba Underwater Car by Rinspeed [photos + video]

Related posts:

• Lutz Leaving GM: End of an Era
• How to make the grade in car restoration
• Here are some of the best cars coming out of American right now.
• Chevy hasn’t even committed to an official launch date for their much-hyped ...
• The credit crunch and gas prices are the reasons Bill Heard Enterprises ...

Read More!

AutoWeek Gets Around Chevy Silverado Embargo

Before a new car model comes out, the automaker usually plans an event for journalists to test everything out so they can meet their deadlines. The company asks the journalists to hold off on publishing until a certain date, usually around the time the car goes on sale. Recently, GM invited journalists to one of these events for the new Chevy Silverado. You may have heard about the new truck — or seen it in one of the countless ads with John Mellencamp during the World Series. The new Silverado is now on sale at many dealers nationwide.

So what’s the problem? 

GM doesn’t want anyone running a review until Nov. 27. The folks at AutoWeek came up with an inventive solution: They went to their local Chevy dealer and test drove two new Silverados. While the linked story below is long on history and short on driving impressions, the writer seemed to really enjoy the trucks. We’re surprised Chevy is trying to hold back what will most likely be a slew of very positive reviews.

[World Exclusive First Drive, AutoWeek]

Related posts:

• GAZ Announces End Of The Road For Volga [Soviet Cars]
• The Chevy Vega: Motor Trend’s Car of the Year?
• Nissan partner with Project Better Place in Israel, competitor in Japan
• First glimpse of ZAP Alias prototype revealed in video

Read More!

Geigercars gives the Corvette Z06 592-hp

German tuner Geigercars is obssessed with tuning a wide range of American cars including HUMMERS, Chevrolets, Fords and Cadillacs. Having great success with the world’s fastest police HUMMER,...

Related posts:

• 1.9% financing for 60 months is available on Dodge trucks.
• Alfa talking to Tata to use Jaguar rear-wheel-drive
• Jonesin’ for a cool ride?
• HAMMAN gives the BMW M3 Coupe E92 upto 455-hp
• As legal drivers, we need to trust teens to make the right choices behind ...

Related posts:

• T he GreatRobot Race on PBS last night the entire enterprise has taken ...
• T he GreatRobot Race on PBS last night the entire enterprise has taken ...
• That would up General Motors South Africa's outputby $3 billion through ...
• HUMMER HX Concept to show off new Designers
• Hit the jump for the full press release on GM's newest garage sale.

Read More!