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Chevy trademark for E-Ray may signal Corvette hybrid or EV

A spy photographer and friend of Autoblog Chris Doane spotted this trademark filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office, and there's not much to it: Chevy is calling dibs on the "Corvette E-Ray" name, and that raises more questions than answers. Being obsessed with this industry is an Autoblog core value, and Corvette is perennially a big deal. It's also historically, and famously, resistant to change. So what's going on here? Unless it's a pure show car, it's unlikely the E-Ray will be a C7-based hybrid. The current Corvette is a tightly-packaged thing, and batteries are bulky. That makes a concept of some sort all the more likely, especially with the Detroit Auto Show coming up. Unconstrained by the packaging of the real-world Stingray, this E-Ray concept may be a pure EV, or a hybrid, of any configuration. GM has built mid-engined Corvette concept cars in the past, and maybe we'll see one again in a few weeks. A gutted C7 with a pure EV drivetrain is also a remote possibility, although less likely – the Stingray wasn't engineered with that in mind, and we think GM's too big to show off a hack-job at a major auto show. Not that it is a Corvette competitor, but don't forget that the Tesla Model S P85D and it's P90D successor have taken pure EV performance into the mainstream – the upper end of the mainstream, to be sure. It has been enough to draw industry performance players into the genre. Look at Aston Martin's production-possible RapidE concept, a pure EV, and the confirmed-for-production Porsche Mission E. We've heard rumblings in the past that Corvette may become a marque unto itself, spawning a variety of variants (including the hypothesized mid-engined production car – don't hold your breath). Perhaps the gas-powered C8, in whatever form it takes, will be complemented with a greener version. We'll try to dig up insider information about what the E-Ray will reveal itself to be, but rest assured that if it shows up at Detroit we'll bring you analysis of every inch of it.Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Chevy Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition View 9 Photos Tip: Chris Doane/Facebook Green Rumormill Detroit Auto Show Chevrolet Electric Future Vehicles Hybrid Performance corvette stingray

GM recalling over 243,000 crossovers over possible seat belt defect

2010 Buick Enclave - Click above for high-res image gallery
The summer of 2010's recall hit parade continues unabated today, with General Motors having just announced that it is asking 243,403 owners of its 2009-2010 Lambda crossovers to bring their three-row haulers in for inspection. The culprit? Second-row seat belts in select Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook CUVs have "failed to perform properly in a crash."
According to GM, a second-row seat-side trim piece is to blame, as it can impede the upward rotation of the buckle after the seat is folded flat. As a result, if the buckle makes contact with the seat frame, cosmetic damage can occur, potentially requiring additional force to operate the buckle properly. So far, no great shakes, but in the process of applying that additional force, the occupant may push the buckle cover down to the strap, potentially revealing and depressing the red release button. As a result of this, the belt may not latch, or in certain cases, it may actually appear to be latched when, in fact, it isn't.

Farley reacts as UAW expands strike against Ford, GM

Members of the United Auto Worker union walk out of the Chicago Ford Assembly Plant as Lance Williams from Lansing, Ill., waves the UAW flag Friday. (AP)   As the United Auto Workers walk off the job at an additional Ford and General Motors plant, Ford CEO Jim Farley addressed investors and members of the media Friday, pleading the case for the company's latest overture to the union and addressing both public and investor concerns regarding the core issues facing American manufacturing.  Farley made a public case for Ford's efforts to resolve the dispute, expressing frustration with the ongoing stalemate and noting both the concessions Ford offered before the strike began and the signing of a contract with Canada's Unifor. Farley also acknowledged UAW President Shawn Fain's success in getting the union's message out, quipping: "Shawn has been on TV more than Jake from State Farm at this point." The first-ever simultaneous strike against the Detroit Three automakers enters its third week with threats of continued expansion, but little in the way of obvious concrete progress.  "If the UAW’s goal is a record contract, they have already achieved this," Farley said. "It is grossly irresponsible to escalate these strikes and hurt thousands of families." Farley also lamented the fact that EVs have become the subject of partisan conflict, with the company's recently announced battery production facilities taking heat from both pundits and investors as Ford was forced to press pause on the venture while negotiations continue. Former President Donald Trump dropped in to Michigan this week to declare EVs the enemy of blue-collar jobs. "They've become a political football, and that's a shame," he said. Friday saw an expansion of the UAW strike to Ford's Chicago assembly plant and GM's Lansing, Delta Township, Michigan, assembly plant, covering about 7,000 workers, Fain said in an announcement, bringing the total number of workers on the picket lines to 25,000. The strike will not include any additional members at Stellantis, where talks have reportedly been more productive. The Ford and GM plants went on strike at noon Eastern today (Friday). Ford builds the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator in Chicago. GM's Delta Township plant builds Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave. "Despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress," Fain said in a video address Friday morning.