383 Ci Stroker Resto-mod, Buckets, Console, Ceramic Headers, 12-bolt, Staggered! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2017 Chevy Cruze Hatchback updated with utility and style

Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Scion all have compact hatches on offer, and now Chevrolet joins the fray with the 2017 Cruze Hatchback. Based on the second-generation Cruze, the new body style offers an economical way of scoring a total of 42 cubic feet of cargo space without upgrading to a crossover. Like the sedan, the new hatch comes to market with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder good for 153 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. That's it – no naturally aspirated engines here. That engine will be paired with either a six-speed manual or a HydraMatic six-speed auto. Fuel economy should be just as impressive as the sedan, projected to hit 40 miles per gallon on the highway. While looks are subjective, we think that the Cruze Hatchback may be sharper-looking than the sedan. The long, pointy nose looks more balanced with the long roof. The rear end looks good, but that rear aperture is awfully tiny and sits above a high rear bumper – not ideal for a vehicle that consumers will buy because of its versatility. We've got a small gallery from the media scrum at the Cruze Hatchback's Detroit debut above, as well as full video of the press conference with live reaction below. Have a look. Chevrolet Introduces 2017 Cruze Hatch HERE'S THE STORY Ahead of its debut at the North American International Auto Show, Chevrolet today introduced the 2017 Cruze Hatchback. Developed with all the technologies and dynamic driving attributes of the all-new 2016 Cruze sedan, the new hatch adds a functional and sporty choice for customers. It joins Colorado and Trax as the latest Chevrolets to push into new segments. PRODUCT DETAILS The Cruze Hatch has the same, class-leading 106.3-inch (2,700 mm) wheelbase as sedan models, but features a unique roof and rear-end structure – including wraparound taillamps and an integrated spoiler at the top of the liftgate. It opens to offer 18.5 cubic feet (524 liters) of cargo space behind the rear seat. With the rear seat folded, cargo space expands to 42 cubic feet (1,189 liters). ON SALE Fall 2016 QUOTABLE "With 9 percent market growth in small hatchbacks last year, it's the perfect time to bring the Cruze Hatch to America," said Alan Batey, president, General Motors North America and Global Chevrolet.

Chevy already offering discounts on 2016 Volt

The second-generation Chevrolet Volt has a longer range than the first-generation version, but General Motors doesn't appear to want to take any chances of the extended-range plug-in not being well-received. The US automaker is already offering some cash incentives to make sure the 2016 Volt moves briskly. In fact, GM is offering incentives worth up to $1,000 through November 2 in some states, Green Car Reports says, citing CarsDirect. Most of the country won't get the second-generation Volt until next year, so GM is looking to keep all potential buyers satisfied. That means perks for folks in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont - the states where the new 2016 Volt will go on sale first. Buyers can pick up another $500 in incentives by luring a non GM-vehicle owner into buying a new Volt. And then, of course, there's the $7,500 federal-government perk, in addition to any goodies your particular state will throw in via tax breaks. For everyone else, GM is offering as much as $2,500 off the 2015 model year Volt. The 2016 Volt has an MSRP of $33,995, which is actually slightly less than the $34,170 sticker price on the 2015 model. The new version has a 53-mile all-electric range, 15 miles longer than the first-generation Volt. With a lower price and more electric miles, GM hopes to reverse falling Volt sales. Through September, GM sold 9,264 Volts, down 36 percent from a year earlier. You can read our First Drive impressions of the 2016 Volt here. Related Videos: Featured Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive View 24 Photos News Source: Green Car Reports Green Chevrolet GM Hybrid incentives volt

Autoblog In Cuba: 1957 Chevy Bel Air Review

If you've been following the Autoblog In Cuba series, you may remember that my efforts to rent a car in the country were ultimately unsuccessful. Misinformation, bad planning, and a lack of rental car inventory conspired to disrupt my hoped-for driving adventure. I discovered in my week of exploration, however, that the terrific thing about Havana is that there's always another adventure to be found – if you're willing to look. A car I could drive myself might have been impossible to come by, but a ride to remember was not. After all, even when reviewing a new car, I've found that impressions about the car and the route can be credibly formed from the right seat. Starting from the parking lot of the grand Hotel Nacional, finding an interesting car for hire is as simple as walking up and down the block. Scads of classic American iron wait just outside the hotel gates, in a riot of colors and conditions befitting the tropical climate. Fords from the 1940s are plentiful – more sedans than coupes – and the glory days of General Motors are represented by enough Pontiacs and Cadillacs to fill a Bruce Springsteen B-sides album. But the Chevy Bel Air is the king of the road here, by some margin. View 30 Photos I settled on a burnt orange 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible, in tourist-appropriate condition. I was looking for a hardtop at the request of my crew's audio/video needs, but settled on a burnt orange 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible, in tourist-appropriate condition. This car might look good as a prop in the background on your vacation photos – hair blowing in the breeze with the ocean at your back, parked in front of Che's face in Revolution Square, etc. – but was far from pristine on a closer inspection. A perfect representative of the Cuban average. At least the price was right: $50 for two hours to make it 12 miles to Hemingway's house, and back. My driver was a kid named Daniel who looked to be about 20 years old. The Chevy doesn't belong to him, he co-drives it with the owner, but he was able to give me the basic mechanical rundown. The eight- or six-cylinder engine that Chevy shipped this convertible with was long gone. No surprise there, as nearly every American-made car I'd ridden in so far was powered by some belching Mercedes diesel. Despite it's clattering note, Daniel said the lump under the hood of the '57 drinks gas: a four-cylinder of Russian origins, pulled out of a GAZ Volga as best I can understand.