It seems the return of the muscle cars is now certain. General Motors Corp is planning to revive the Chevrolet Camaro as a production vehicle as soon as 2008. This is according to a report by the Detroit Free Press. GM Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner is expected to announce the final plans for the production of the new Chevrolet Camaro at an automotive conference in Traverse City by Thursday. However, GM spokesman Christopher Preuss said last Sunday that he could not comment on the report.

The Chevrolet Camaro won the critics’ praise when it was unveiled last January at the NAIAS in Detroit. The Camaro was one of the most popular muscle cars. It started its run in 1967 and the last production model left assembly lines in 2002. Currently, only the successful Ford Mustang remains from the legendary muscle car era.

General Motors Corp. has recently unveiled two newly redesigned full size pickups ahead of their slated debuts as part of the automaker’s efforts to increase revenues and reassure investors of the success of its turnaround plan. Originally scheduled for a 2007 release, the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra will be on dealerships within the year.

Light-duty models will go on sale while Heavy-duty models will hit showrooms in the winter. The new Silverado and Sierra features a redesigned exterior and interior. They will also offer new powertrain, chassis and safety systems. GM claims the new designs are “sleeker and more aerodynamic” and will reduce wind noise and add more storage space.

Trucks are still a very important part of the lineup for US automakers even though sales have slumped this year. Pickup trucks along with sport utility vehicles comprise a vast majority of vehicles sold by U.S. automakers. In the truck segment, Ford’s F-Series is still the top selling model but the combined sales of the Silverado and the Sierra are greater.

Apple has linked up with Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Mazda to offer seamless iPod integration in most of these automaker’s brands and models. This is good news for millions of iPod owners who would like to enjoy their iPod’s high quality sound in their automobiles. The iPod is the most popular digital music player in the world with over 58 million iPod units sold globally. With this partnership with Ford, GM and Mazda vehicles, over 70 percent of 2007 model vehicles in the US will have iPod integration. GM alone will deliver iPod integration on all fifty six of its models.

With iPod connectivity, owners can now enjoy the superb sound quality of their iPods while it is stored conveniently in the glove compartment. The integration will allow drivers to use their automobile’s multifunction controls to select their music, shuffle songs, and skip tracks and playlists.

It’s a go for the Dodge Challenger concept. At the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, Florida, DaimlerChrysler is expected to announce its plans to build the production version of the sensational, retro-styled Dodge Challenger concept it debuted earlier this year in Detroit. The Dodge Challenger stole the show at this year’s NAIAS with its old-school looks, a dead ringer for the original 1970 Challenger and its exciting 425hp, V-8 engine.

The new Dodge Challenger will be built with the same basic chassis found on the Chrysler 300 and the popular Dodge Charger. The first new Dodge Challenger is expected by 2008. This could be a renaissance of sorts for muscle cars in the U.S. automotive scene; after the resounding success of the Ford Mustang, General Motors Corp. is expected to bring back the Chevrolet Camaro, another popular pony/muscle car.

When it comes to pricing, Chrysler’s sales and marketing exec, Joe Eberhardt, said that the new Dodge Challenger may be priced a little bit higher than the Ford Mustang, which is currently priced at $19,000 to $26,000.

The market share of the three major domestic automakers continues to slip, with sales for the month of May remaining flat, and market share falling to a near-record low of 52.9%. General Motor’s share fell to 22.7% down from 28.8% in 2005. Ford also experienced a slight drop in share, from 18.9% last year to 18.6% this year. Ford’s perennial bestseller, the F-150 saw a drop in sales by up to 6% last month, despite incentives. Chrysler’s share took a dive to 14.3% from 15.5%.

Meanwhile, Asian automakers continue to expand their share of the market. Toyota’s sales were stronger by 17% boosted by strong performance from luxury arm Lexus. For the second consecutive month, sales of Toyota brands outpaced that of Daimler-Chrysler’s. Meanwhile, Honda sales, riding on the very successful Civic, grew by 16.1%. Not all Asian brands, however, were looking up. Sales for Nissan dropped to 7.3% as most of the cars and trucks in its lineup are nearing the end of their model life. Demand for minivans, SUVs and pickup trucks stayed flat with buyer interest shifting towards smaller, fuel-efficient cars because of the high gas prices.

Halo cars are designed to showcase what an automaker can offer in terms of design, engineering and technology. Usually a halo vehicle will feature all the talent and resources that the automaker has. Halo cars are special vehicles, typically sporty or a luxury model designed not really to sell but to draw in more customers who will hopefully believe in what the company can offer and purchase a vehicle, albeit a more practical one. However, putting out a halo car also has its risks. If the vehicle fails to live up to its promises and the expectations of the customers, these buyers will likely stay away from the automaker.

Halo cars have been around for quite a while in the automotive industry. For instance, the Corvette was Chevrolet’s halo car back in the ‘50s. It transformed the company’s image to sportiness. The Ford Mustang has played the role of halo car for Ford along with other models such as the Thunderbird and the GT. However, among these three models, only the Mustang has had a smashing success.

Meanwhile, the Pontiac Solstice played as a highly successful halo car for the GM marquee, named as one of the automaker’s ‘damaged brands’. Recently, another GM brand offered the Sky, featuring the brand’s future design direction and critics love it.

Here’s a list of the halo cars from both the past and present. So, what’s your favorite ‘halo’ car?

Pontiac Solstice
Saturn Sky
Ford Thunderbird
Ford GT
Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500
Dodge Viper
Mazda Miata
Lincoln Navigator
Chrysler 300
Volkswagen Phaeton
Toyota Prius
Chevrolet Corvette
Oldsmobile Aurora
Studebaker Avanti
Honda/Acura NSX

General Motors Corp. is planning to offer new compact crossover vehicles as part of its portfolio of new vehicles. These crossover models will be manufactured in plants overseas in countries like Thailand, Mexico and India. The new models will carry the GM brands Chevrolet, Saturn and Opel and possibly GMC and Hummer. GM VP Robert Lutz said that the new compact crossovers will be smaller than current models Saturn Vue, Chevrolet Equinox and the Opel Antara, which was also introduced as the Saturn Prevue Concept. GM plans to begin production by 2009.

Source: Inside Line

Defective Brake Lights – this is the reason of the most recent recall order from General Motors Inc., involving 400,000 pickup trucks. Apparently, the affected vehicles might lose their brake lamp functions permanently or have them permanently on. In pickups with cruise control, brake lamp functions might also go out of order. Affected vehicles include the 2004-2006 models of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon as well as the 2006 Isuzu i-280 and i-350.

There have been no crashes resulting from the problem reported yet, according to GM spokesman, Alan Alder. GM issued the recall after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contacted the company about three complaints received. Owners are advised to visit their dealers soon to get their brake lamp switch assembly replaced free of charge.

The 2006 New York International Auto show, the last international auto show of the season, has just ended and it is a general consensus that the Big Apple show presented a most excellent lineup, with production and concept vehicles ranging from luxury to crossovers. One of the many crossover SUVs which made a mark at the 2006 NYIAS was the Saturn PreVue concept.

The aptly named PreVue provides a preview of future Saturn design direction. GM is currently in the process of revitalizing the Saturn marquee by shaking off its conservative and laid-back image for a more sporty and youthful design. The stylish PreVue concept is a three-door, four wheel drive crossover created in collaboration with GM’s Opel (the PreVue was first introduced at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show as the Opel Antara GTC concept.

The Saturn PreVue combines the design elements of a coupe such as a gracefully sloping roof, two doors, and missing B-pillars with the characteristic styling cues of SUVs such as prominent side shoulders, wheel cutouts, short overhangs and steeply inclined windows. The front features a stunning V-shaped aluminum radiator grille and stylish LED headlamps. The body comes in brilliant Everglade Mica exterior accented by contrasting dark bumpers, silver body strips and gleaming 20 inch aluminum wheels.

Inside, the Saturn PreVue features a two-tone interior with generous use of warm tones such as dark brown on the door liners and upper instrument panel combined with light beige on the roof, seats and floors. Stainless steel and aluminum accents complete the attractive dashboard design. The PreVue also has a panoramic roof system that features two large sunroofs with dark-tinted glass that provide a bright interior yet without too much sunlight.

The PreVue crossover concept draws its power from a two-stage turbocharged 212hp twin-turbo version of the Ecotec common-rail diesel engine with a six-speed transmission and a torque of 295 lb.-ft. Design elements of the Saturn PreVue will likely be seen in future versions of the Saturn Vue, currently a highly successful compact SUV.

On April 10, General Motors will open “The Drive,” a unique hands-on driving facility offering one of a kind “autotainment” experience in Las Vegas. The Drive Automotive Performance Park lets guest drive any of thirteen products from GM’s six divisions through a half mile paved route complete with jogs, turns and chicanes for superb driving thrills. The Drive will feature two professionally-designed driving courses which the visitors can navigate, including a high-performance loop and an off-road adventure with two trails over a dirt terrain. Located at the Sahara Hotel & Casino and just steps from The Strip, “The Drive” is situated on 11 acres leased by GM from the hotel.

Some of the initial vehicles that guests can try out upon the facility’s opening include the Chevrolet Corvette coupe and convertible, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac Solstice roadster; Cadillac STS-V; Saab 9-3 convertible; and Chevy SSR.

The Drive Automotive Performance Park is also a unique marketing strategy for GM. Steve Tihanyi, general director, marketing and entertainment alliances for GM said, “The Drive’ represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas.” Tihanyi added that “this platform elevates the driving experience, without pressure to buy, to another level that has never been presented within the U.S.”

GM also gets the opportunity to showcase its vehicles from its divisions, namely Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Pontiac and Saab. Different new models of SUVs, trucks and cars will be unveiled during the duration of “The Drive” as GM grabs the chance to get its consumers’ attraction for patronage. Meanwhile, “The Drive” limits the driving experience to minor. Only those 18 years old and above and with driver’s license, waiver, and with zero tolerance after a breathalyzer test will be admitted to the driving facility.

The Drive Automotive Performance Park is certainly another recreational facility that thousands of people will enjoy here in Las Vegas – this time with an automotive twist.