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OnStar to offer 90-day driving assessment, possible insurance discount

General Motors has announced a brace of new features for OnStar, two of which could help you save money assuming you're willing to sign over some (more) personal details. The first is a driving assessment program in which OnStar takes note of certain driving parameters for 90 days, then provides the driver feedback on their driving, both individually and when compared to other drivers in the program, as well as driving tips. Think of it as OnStar's ICE version of the Nissan Leaf's CARWING feature that compares how efficient your electric driving is compared to other BEV drivers. In this case, though, certain drivers will have the chance to share their assessment with Progressive Insurance, and if the numbers are right they might get a "driving-based" discount from the insurance company. The assessment program is voluntary, and requires opting in. It will be available this summer on all new GM cars and some GM vehicles back to 2013. In case this sounds like Big Brother, let's not forget that Big Brother is already here and moved in so long ago that he's a member of the Kiwanis club and is hosting neighborhood block parties. Progressive already has a million enrollees in a program called Snapshot that tracks OBD II data to offer usage-based insurance to provide annual pricing based on how much you drive your car, with discounts of up to 30 percent. The OnStar effort is just another way to do that. The second feature is proximity offers through AtYourService, which notifies drivers to deals and information on their driving route and provides coupons from RetailMeNot and Entertainment Book. Beyond that, a deal with Priceline will let OnStar agents book hotels for you starting this year, there's a tie-in with Dunkin' Donuts, too, but we're fuzzy on those benefits, and third new feature lets Chevrolet owners know when certain parts need replacing. News Source: Detroit NewsImage Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Chevrolet GM Technology

Recharge Wrap-up: Batty battery covers, Mercedes at Silvretta, new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid available in 2015

Apparently, Chevrolet Volt battery covers make suitable homes for bats. As part of an Eagle Scout project, Matthew Netherland created 30 bat houses out of scrapped Volt battery covers donated by Chevy. 22 of the bat houses will be set up near hydroelectric dams in Michigan. Each bat house will accommodate 100 bats, and divert the scrapped materials from the landfill. The battery covers also make great nesting boxes for wood ducks, which General Motors has previously set up at its Milford, Michigan Proving Ground. Last weekend was the Silvretta E-Auto Rally, which saw emissions-free vehicles cross the Montafon Mountains in Austria, including cars from Mercedes-Benz. These cars included the B-Class Electric Drive, B-Class F-Cell, SLS AMG Electric Drive and even the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. Also on hand for the Silvretta Classic Rally was a V8-powered C111, a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC and 300 SL Roadster. Read more in the press release, below. BMW has finalized pricing for the i8 in the US at $135,700 (plus $925 in destination charges). In addition to the base price tag, which we've known for a while, BMW Blog has the complete pricing guide with options and packages. Most of the i8 orders were the Pure Impulse World package, which includes various aesthetic upgrades. It also provides membership to the BMW i Pure Impulse Program, which allows you to "to enjoy innovative ideas and trends in a variety of areas, including home styling, culture, gourmet gastronomy, design and many more." Head over to BMW Blog for more information. The new generation of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid will arrive later than the rest of the model lineup, confirms Car and Driver. While the gas-powered Sonatas get updated now for the 2015 model year, the Hybrid remains unchanged until late this year or early 2015, when it will arrive as a 2016 model. Hyundai is offering a 2015 Sonata Eco edition, but with 28 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg highway (32 combined), it's not quite as appealing as the current Sonata Hybrid's 36/40/38 figures. Read more here. In June, average US fuel economy was 25.5 miles per gallon, making it the fifth straight month above 25 mpg, according to University of Michigan. The average window sticker ratings from vehicles sold in June dropped slightly from 25.6 mpg in May. The year started at 24.9 mpg in January, and hasn't dropped below 25 mpg since.

Made in America | These cars top the most-American list

The car with the most American/Canadian content for 2022 is ... cue the drumroll ... the Lincoln Corsair, in both standard gasoline-fueled and plug-in hybrid guise. Both versions of Lincoln's compact luxury crossover earned a score of 86 — due to 72% of its parts coming from one of the two aforementioned countries — in the American University Kogod Business School's annual "Made in America Auto Index." Last year's leader, the 2021 Ford Mustang GT (when equipped with a manual transmission) fell all the way to 22nd place with a 50% rating due to a switch in transmissions sourced from Mexico. In case you're interested, that puts Ford's red-blooded American ponycar below vehicles like the Kia Sorento, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class SUV and Lexus ES. If you're wondering how an American car that's assembled within the borders of the United States could rank below a model from a Korean, German or Japanese automaker, well, we'll let Kogod explain: "The components of the index are based on research performed by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor Michigan regarding the economic value of different components of auto manufacturing. For example, the highest ranked cars are made by U.S.-based manufacturers using American engines and transmissions, and with a high AALA percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts." There are 25 total vehicles listed in the Top 10 (there are lots of ties this year). Here's the full list: (1) Lincoln Corsair: 86 (1) Lincoln Corsair PHEV: 86 (2) Tesla Model 3 Long Range: 82.5 (3) Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray: 81 (4) Chevrolet Colorado: 80.5 (5) Jeep Cherokee Latitude 4x4: 80 (5) Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: 80 (5) Tesla Model 3 Performance: 80 (5) Tesla Model Y: 80 (6) Dodge Durango Citadel: 79.5 (6) Dodge Durango Blacktop AWD: 79.5 (7) Honda Passport Trailsport: 78.5 (8) Ford F-150 2.7L, 3.3L, 5.0L: 77.5 (8) Ford Ranger: 77.5 (8) Ford Bronco automatic: 77.5 (8) Tesla Model S: 77.5 (8) Tesla Model X: 77.5 (9) Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 3.6L: 77 (9) Jeep Grand Cherokee L LTD: 77 (9) Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 3.6L: 77 (9) Chevrolet Camaro automatic: 77 (10) Honda Odyssey: 76 (10) Honda Ridgeline: 76 (10) Honda Pilot: 76 There's a whole long list of reasons for the above scores, with seven criteria that include factory location, headquarters location and where its various bits and pieces come from.