Chevrolet Volt will be pitches a sporty rival to the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius

Last week, chief engineer behind the Chevrolet Volt Andrew Farah test-drove the first pre-production version of the plug-in hybrid from GM. During a live webchat on GM’s FastLane Blog on June 25, Farah said that the Volt will be pitched as a sporty rival to the new 2010 Honda Insight and Toyota Prius.

“Our chassis is much more sporty than either of the other vehicles,” Farah said. He also said we can ”expect more than one trim level [on the Volt] as with most other Chevrolets.”

Farah also explained why the charging port on the Volt has been moved to the gas cap instead of the front fender. He said that the connector “is a bit larger than would fit under the fender trim, so we moved it down to accommodate.” Farah also said that the GM has some more “work to do on ride height, spring rates, etc.”

According to Farah, the Volt’s battery pack has been designed to have a ”10-year life.”

NUMMI could produce GM-badged Toyota Prius

As part of its bankruptcy restructuring, GM has announced that it will shed its 50% stake in New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (Nummi). The plant, co-owned by Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors currently manufactures Toyota’s Corolla and Tacoma models, and the Pontiac Vibe for GM.

While this particular venture is set to expire in August with the end of the production of the Pontiac Vibe, this may not be the end of what is now a 25-year-old mutually beneficial relationship between the top two automakers. According to sources close to the project, Akio Toyoda and Fritz Henderson, respectively the Toyota and GM executives plan to meet in Detroit in August to discuss future possibilities. One option reported to be on the table is a GM branded version of the Toyota Prius. Toyota is considering using the NUMMI plant to produce the Prius, after it announced that it would cease construction on its $1.3 billion Blue Springs, Mississippi plant.

Though officially unconfirmed by both automakers, these rumors come at a time when GM is in desperate need of hybrid models. Currently, GM has 8 hybrids in its lineup; 2 of which belong to the Saturn brand which has been sold to Penske Automotive Group; and 5 of the remaining six being trucks, with the hybrid Chevy Malibu being the lone remaining hybrid car. Along with the plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt next year, GM plans to have 14 hybrids in their lineup by 2012.

Of the rumored plan, Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics said, “Toyota Is not normally in the practice of giving away the crown jewels”, and that it would probably not make sense for them to put a hybrid model in NUMMI.

Chevy Camaro Outsells the Ford Mustang Last Month

June 2009 auto sales are just being reported and it looks like the revived Chevy Camaro outsold the also new Ford Mustang. According to GM, the automaker sold 9,320 Camaros, which compares to the 7,632 Mustangs that Ford sold.

GM still has a backlog of 10,000 Camaro orders to fill, so it remains to be seen if the Camaro will continue to outsell the Mustang once all the pre-orders are filled. Just in case you're wondering, Chrysler only managed to sell 1,369 Dodge Challengers last month.

Chevy Camaro Outsells the Ford Mustang Last Month

Hennessey Alters Fabric of Universe by Cramming ZR1 into Camaro

Stephen Hawking must be thinking furiously about the space-time ramifications of cramming a ~700 HP supercharged ex-Corvette mill into a pedestrian Camaro. Will it create a black hole? (”Only in your bank account,” says the eminent theorist.) Will you die immediately upon applying the throttle? Will it cause GM to fold as it will kill their lead-footed customers? Only time and the world’s largest particle accelerator will give us the answers. Or will they?

Actually, the answers come from Hennessey, that tuner most famous for turning Dodge Vipers into Saturn V rockets. Those maniacs have figured out that the LS9 from the ZR1 will fit in the bay of the Camaro. The forthcoming Hennesey Performance Engineering HPE700 will likely be a prodigious burner of rubber, and we’re looking forward to reading some reviews of intrepid souls gingerly hooning this lairy beast. Who says we’re in a recession? Buy a 700 HP Camaro and stimulate the economy!

[Source: Hennessey]

Chevrolet Camaro Interactive Website with Patent Pending Configurator Engine

3D integrated digital production studio Speedshape recently teamed with ad agency Campbell Ewald to produce an interactive website for marketing and showcasing the all-new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The site allows customers to custom-build their dream Camaro, virtually, with up-to-the-minute pricing and specialized product configuration, providing the ultimate online car-shopping experience.

Chevrolet Launches All-New Camaro in Middle East

The all-new Chevrolet Camaro has taken North America by storm and is set to expand Chevy's global appeal with its launch in the Middle East later this summer.

It Fits! Hennessey successfully shoves ZR1 LS9 into Camaro

Hennessey Performance HPE700

Hennessey Performance has successfully completed the most crucial step in developing its ZR1-powered HPE700: Getting the Corvette ZR1's LS9 motor to fit in the engine bay of the new Camaro. John Hennessey just sent over these images that show the before and after, and from the look of things, the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 fits nicely.
The engine cover that's visible through a polycarbonate window on the Corvette ZR1 lines up nicely against the Camaro's firewall and it appears there's still some room left in front of the engine. While the LS9 normally produces 638 hp in the ZR1, as its name suggests, the Hennessey HPE700 will be shooting for over 700 horsepower. Only 24 examples will be produced and Hennessey has already sold 11. If you're interested, check out the official specs and features on the Hennessey Performance website.

It Fits! Hennessey successfully shoves ZR1 LS9 into Camaro

Chevrolet Camaro launches in the Middle East, stops to pose for photos

2010 Chevrolet Camaro in the Middle East

Despite being unusually thrifty for a muscle car, we can't help but think that Chevrolet's new Camaro is secretly happy at the prospect of being released into the Middle East, land of wide-open roads and discount crude. General Motors has just announced that the Camaro will pack its bags and head to the Middle East later this summer, where it already has a wait list at some dealers.
The market will receive two models to start - the 3.6-liter V6 model (in LT trim) and the fire-breathing 6.2-liter V8 SS, the latter of which will be available with the buyer's choice of a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
For our Autoblog Middle East friends, you can configure your new Bowtie at www.camaroarabia.com, and for the rest of us, there's a gigantic new high-res gallery of the Camaro checking out the local sights and the obligatory press release after the jump.
Let the countdown to the first sighting of a reflective gold painted Camaro SS begin!

Chevrolet Camaro launches in the Middle East, stops to pose for photos

Chevy Camaro Convertible caught outside Oshawa plant

Chevy Camaro Convertible spy shots -

Last we reported back in March, plans to produce a drop-top version of the Chevy Camaro were still in effect. While the Camaro Convertible may be delayed until early 2011 and arrive as a 2012 model (GM just confirmed it will arrive as a 2011 model), the on again/off again project appears to be firmly in the on position now... and we have proof. Autoblog reader Brad M recently caught the Camaro Convertible getting a tan outside of the Oshawa, Ontario plant that assembls the fixed-roof Camaro. The red convertible was sporting front and rear fascias from the Camaro SS and, with its top retracted, sported a very clean rear deck with only the center stop lamp and satellite radio antenna sticking up. With the chance of a Dodge Challenger Convertible hovering around 0%, we're pleased to see Chevy still intends to take on the Ford Mustang Convertible in the topless wars. Now, back to waiting...

Camaro owner gets all Hasselhoff on his new ride

When the new Knight Rider hit the airwaves, some were a bit disappointed thoroughly livid that Michael's new ride was a Mustang. Since the original KITT was a Trans Am, purists cried foul and said a more natural replacement would be the all-new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Fortunately or unfortunately, one enterprising Camaro owner decided to take up the task and right the show's perceived wrongs. Camaro5 poster Spaceballone picked up a $135 Scanner Light equipped with 64 ice blue LEDs and three built-in patterns. The hood slot in the Camaro fit the kit perfectly, with juice provided by the car's battery.
Hit the jump to view the video for yourself. It's not NBC quality (that could be a good thing), but we think you'll agree that KITT lighting looks good in blue.

GM says Camaro supply outstripped by demand, cars selling for over sticker

2010 Chevy Camaro - Click above for a high-res image gallery

You want a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro? You'd better come strong with more money than the MSRP requires, and you'd better be willing to wait. Bloomberg is reporting that General Motors can't build the reborn bow tie pony car fast enough to quench public demand. That's excellent news for a company that needs a reason to smile, and it could be even better for dealers donning the bow tie. After all, car sales are still firmly in the tank, and GM has seen more than its fair share of shrunken demand.
Dealers have already booked about 25,000 orders for the Camaro, yet only half have been delivered to date. Analysts reportedly told Bloomberg that dealers are getting $500 over sticker on average, too, and at least one dealer is guessing that he won't have a Camaro to sell in stock for at least a year. Bartow Chevrolet in Florida sold its first two Camaros at MSRP, and he's already booked 18 orders.
There is no question that the Camaro has grabbed the attention of the car-buying public, and the debut of Transformers 2 will likely give the pony car another marketing shot in the arm. GM sold 5,463 copies of the Camaro in May, and we're guessing that number will grow as production ramps up.

Chevrolet Camaro outsells Ford Mustang in June

Despite having fewer model variations on the market, pent up demand for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro appears to have been enough to send the bad Bowtie past Ford's redone Mustang in June. Sales figures for the month are beginning to trickle in today, and General Motors says it shifted 9,320 Camaro units last month, as compared to the Blue Oval's 7,632 Mustangs.
Whether Chevrolet's victory will be sustainable over the long haul remains to be seen, but as The General has a backlog of 10,000 sold orders to fill (equating to less than a seven day supply), the streak is likely to continue for at least the next few months. Presently, GM offers just two main Camaro models, the V6 RS and the V8-powered SS, while the Ford Mustang has more bodystyles and trims than you can shake a stick at (arguably making the Camaro's achievement seemingly that much more impressive).
Sales of the third leg of 2009's pony car table, the Dodge Challenger, trail far behind, with just 1,369 units cleared last month.
As the industry heads into the dog days of summer, it looks like America's renewed pony car war is just heating up. Who will take the crown for the whole year? Sit tight, muscle fans.

Transform your 2010 Camaro into KITT, we take delivery of the 2009 Nissan Cube

It’s that time of the day again - you know the time where we gather up some random findings into one post. So here it goes.

Transform your 2010 Chevrolet Camaro into KITT: When the new Knight Rider TV series (which has fortunately been cancelled) made its debut with the Shelby GT500KR, many Camaro fans were disappointed that the Mustang was picked over their favorite Chevy muscle car. So much so that they decided to create their own 64 LED KITT scanner that can be hard-wired to the battery of the 2010 Camaro. Each kit runs for about $160, and you can purchase it from the company’s Web site here. Check out the video below to see how it’ll look in the end  - Camaro5

2010 Toyota Prius sales reach 180,000 in Japan: It seems like Toyota is all about providing us with updates on how its 2010 Prius is selling. Latest word has it that Toyota got 180,000 orders for the new Prius hybrid in Japan in just a month. Congrats to the ‘10 Prius. - MSNBC

Press car of the week: We just took delivery of the 2009 Nissan Cube. Look out for a full review coming soon. Let us know what you’d like to know about the car in the comments section below. Any questions? Feel free to ask us and we’ll address them in our review.

For now, check out our 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP review and look out for our full review of the 2010 Ford Mustang GT coming early next week.

Chinese citizens celebrate Transformers sequel with Bumblebee Camaro parade

You better believe we’re going to head to the theaters on the eve of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen release date and catch good seating for a midnight show.

It’s a bond between man and machine that very few understand and it seems like these Chinese citizens take it to the next level.

Celebrating the release of the sequel, a bunch of Transformers, Bumblebee and Camaro fans in China got together to go on a parade. It seems like on one Camaro was on hand, while others took their yellow Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Accords and Nissans and tricked them out with black striping to show support for their favorite AutoBot.

New Camaro Z28 in the works? First crashed 2010 Ford Taurus SHO

It is finally time for us to gather up some randomness from around the internet and today we focus on some outstanding amounts of American horsepower.

New Camaro Z28 spotted in GM’s design studio: It was reported earlier this year that the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 had been put on hold since it ran out of money to launch the car - meaning design and engineering work must have been completed. A new image has popped up on the Camaro5 forums showing a scan from a book called “Camaro, an American Icon.” The image shows GM designers working on a Camaro Z28. We are patiently waiting GM.- Camaro5

2010 Ford Taurus SHO crashes in Chicago: The report says that a sold 2010 Ford Taurus SHO left the dealership and came back on a flatbed. Apparently it was involved in a 3 car pile up. - ChicagoSVT

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Who’s going to go watch the sequel tomorrow? Let us know if you’ll be catching the midnight show tomorrow night. We’ve already purchased our tickets.

Hennessey HPE550 Camaro on eBay, we found the best feature on the 2009 Nissan Cube

As people take up my time to ask me about “that box” (2009 Nissan Cube) I’ve driving around, I’ve taken some time out to compile some of the random things we’ve come across on the internet today.

Hennessey HPE550 Camaro on eBay: With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in theaters and the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS headed to our garage next week, we are at an all-time Camaro-high (we kind of always are here at egmCarTech). A completed Hennessey HPE550 Camaro has ended up on eBay with a starting bid of $59,950. Currently there are no bids. Not a fan of eBay? Not a problem. Hennessey sells its 562-hp HPE550 package for $18,950 plus shipping, or $24,950 installed. You’ll just have to provide your own 2010 Camaro. - eBay

Best Car puts together a rendering of a production Honda CR-Z Hybrid: Japan’s Best Car magazine has taken a shot at a computer rendering that gives us our first look at the production version of the Honda CR-Z Hybrid. Best Car, which calls the production model the CR-ZX, says that the next hybrid from Honda will be powered by a modified version of the Insight’s hybrid system combining a 1.5L gasoline engine. - Best Car (via CarScooop)

2009 Nissan Cube Test Drive update: If you don’t know by now you need to visit us more often. I’m driving the 2009 Nissan Cube this week as our press car and so far I’ve managed to get a 5-year old girl to hate it, learned how to park it and averaged 26.1 mpg. Today, while getting some grub from the drive-thru at Wendy’s, I found the best feature on the 2009 Nissan Cube - the cup holder hiding on the left side of the steering wheel. It’s easy to reach and sits right next to a vent to keep your drink cool or hot depending on your preference. - Follow us on Twitter to ask me questions about the Cube.

GM can’t keep up with 2010 Camaro demand, models being sold for $500 over MSRP

General Motors, which is hoping to come out of bankruptcy by August, is struggling to keep up with the demand for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. According to GM spokesman Terry Rhadigam, the automaker has filled about half of the 25,000 2010 Camaro orders taken.

GM began producing the 2010 Camaro in March and sold a total of 5,463 units in May.

According to a report form Kelley Blue Book, the 2010 Camaro is being sold with no incentives with prices starting at $22,995 for the V6 model and $30,995 for the V8 Camaro SS.

“It is actually commanding a premium right now, as it is selling slightly above MSRP,” said Kelley Blue Book spokeswoman Joanna McNally. “Camaros are currently selling for nearly $500 above MSRP.

More tidbits on the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z28

After General Motors goes through ’surgical bankruptcy’ it will be very careful about where it spends money given to it by the taxpayers and government. Of course, that includes how GM spends on future products already in the pipeline like the Chevrolet Camaro Z28. It was reported earlier this year that the new-generation Camaro Z28 is completed but GM has put a hold on the launch since it’s strapped for cash.

A group of GM officials attending the Carlisle Nationals this past weekend held a Q&A session for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Many of the question were focused around the Camaro Z28 and while nothing eye-popping was announced, their answers hinted that GM will offer a Camaro Z28 very soon.

Scott Settlemire, Cheryl Pilcher, John Fitzpatrick, Al Oppenheiser and John Cox shared the following info:

- The Z28 hood will be as seen on the 2nd generation Bumblebee Camaro in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
- It will receive a different grill treatment.
- It will most likely have a different rear design with a more aggressive touch.
- It will have Z28 emblems and graphics.
- It will make its debut sometime after the convertible variant is launched in 2011.

Power is expected to come from the same 556-hp 6.2L LSA V8 supercharged engine from the Cadillac CTS-V.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro outsells 2010 Ford Mustang in June

The last time the Chevrolet Camaro outsold the Ford Mustang for a full year was in 1985. Well, history may repeat itself this year. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro outsold the new 2010 Ford Mustang in June 2009 9,320 to 7,362. The last time the Camaro outsold the Mustang in a monthly sales race was October 1993 - during when Chevy sold 10,985 Camaros and Ford sold only 5,680 Mustangs.

GM’s vice president of sales, service and marketing Mark LeNeve, said that nearly every 2010 Camaro sale in June was retail and that the figure was nearly double the number GM expected. LeNeve said that the new Camaro sold the best in California and that GM only has a six-day supply left of the model, reports Automotive News.

Dealers have reported selling the 2010 Camaro right of the delivery truck with some customers paying as much as $500 over the sticker price.

On a side note: We will be picking up the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS for 10 days later today. Stay tuned for live updates and coverage everyday of the week.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS: It’s Finally Here

We just took delivery of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS and I will be driving it around for the next 10 days (honestly, I can’t get myself to get away from it). I’ll be posting live updates throughout my test drive so you can follow me on Twitter and I’ll be sure to post live updates right here every single day. Make sure you ask all the questions you want - I’ll be sure to answer as many as I can.

2010 Camaro SS test-drive updates, wife hits husband’s new Corvette Z06 with Hyundai Genesis

I must say, it is very difficult to sit here and blog while I stare at the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS parked outside. Nonetheless, the show must go on and we must update you on all the automotive news out there. As we do everyday, it is time for some Miscellaneous findings from around the web along with some updates on our 2010 Camaro SS drive.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS test-drive updates: I decided to take a bunch of pictures with a digital SLR to give you guys some high-res photos of our Camaro SS test-vehicle. As you can see, we’ve gotten really comfortable with the car and have added our ESCORT radar-detector and my nephew’s Recaro car-seat. Make sure you guys ask me all the questions you want - I’ll be answering as many questions as I can.  GMfan87 - we will definitely get you pictures of some tires getting lit up on the final review.

Wife crashes into husband’s new Corvette Z06 with her Hyundai Genesis: A member of GenesisOwners, who owns a Hyundai Genesis sedan, picked up a brand new Corvette Z06 with her husband. Unfortunately the couple ended up getting into an accident with each other causing over $26,000 worth of damage ($16,000 worth of damages to the Genesis and $10,000 to the Corvette Z06). - GenesisOwners (via Jalopnik)

2010 Chevrolet Camaro test-drive updates, 11 cars you’ll see on the roads in 2014

As you already know by now, we took delivery of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS yesterday. We’ve been out test-driving and having fun in it and it is now time to provide you with some updates along with some random findings we’ve come across on the Internet.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS: Unfortunately, the 2010 Camaro SS we took delivery of yesterday is an automatic. As enthusiasts, we prefer a manual transmission; nonetheless, we’re getting pretty used to the paddle-shifting that is offered with the automatic transmission. To answer some questions we’ve received from you guys so far:

Pat: Can you tell us the number of people that have come up to you to check it out?

As far as we can remember, we’ve had at least 12 people ask us questions. One man even asked us to pull over and take a look on the inside.

Ivan Gutierrez: No love for the Mustang GT?

As of right now we’re at an all time 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS high. Our review for the 2010 Ford Mustang GT is coming up on Monday - stay tuned (maybe even tomorrow).

RT: really want to know how it makes u feel driving it? I don’t care much about handling since its not meant to be driven that way, but is it a rewarding car when u put ur foot down, is it memorable, special?

You almost feel like Sam Witwicky driving the 2010 Camaro. It feels totally amazing driving the car; not to mention handling is very much on par with European performance cars. Putting your foot down and feeling the 426-hp push you back is one of the best feelings about this car.

On a side note: We noticed today that the hood vent on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is totally cosmetic and serves no purpose on cooling the engine.

11 Cars you’ll see on the roads by 2014: Forbes has just put together a list of 11 cars you’ll be driving in 2014. The list includes the Alfa Romeo MiTo, BMW X1, Fiat 500, Cadillac Converj (don’t bet on that one), Ford C-Max, Honda CR-Z, MINI E and Mini Crossman and the Volkswagen BlueSport. - CNNMoney

2010 Hennessey HPE550 Chevrolet Camaro

General Motors’ dire straits have placed more than a few of its coolest proposed cars in a tenuous limbo, including a resurrection of the top-dog Chevrolet Camaro, the Z28. Until Chevy (or Uncle Sam, perhaps) makes up its mind about the Z28 from a business standpoint, Hennessey Performance Engineering of Sealy, Texas, has a rather potent stand-in: the 2010 HPE550 Camaro, which has already begun production.

Starting with the $31,040 Camaro SS with the 426-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 and six-speed manual transmission, the HPE550 adds a Magnuson/Hennessey supercharger system with 6 psi of boost, as well as a Corsa stainless-steel exhaust system and custom engine-management calibration. Together, those simple mods raise total output to 562 hp and 557 tire-peeling lb-ft of torque. Hennessey can also install the supercharger on the Camaro SS with the 400-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 and six-speed automatic transmission, although output would be somewhat less. But hell, even if it was 10 percent less—which it wouldn’t be—you’d still end up with a 500-plus-hp Camaro.

Keep Reading: 2010 Hennessey HPE550 Chevrolet Camaro - Car News

New GM Small Car to be Made in Michigan

Despite the company’s recent dip into bankruptcy, GM has some good news for Detroit. GM says that two Michigan plants will build a “future small car,” which we expect to be the previously announced Chevrolet Spark. The automaker plans to create 1400 new jobs at existing facilities: 1200 at an assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan, and another 200 at a stamping plant in Pontiac, Michigan. The facilities should start production in early 2011 and will produce 160,000 cars annually.
Currently, about 67 percent of GM products are built in the U.S. By 2013, the company says that figure will exceed 70 percent, thanks in part to this announcement.
Read more about the Chevrolet Spark: 2011 Chevrolet Spark Confirmed for the U.S.
Read more about GM’s financial troubles: What You Need to Know About the GM Bankruptcy