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GM program sees dealers taking on way more loaner cars

Given the volume of vehicles we're talking about, this is a significant development for GM's bottom line. Bring your car into the dealership for service, and you may need a loaner car in exchange. And with so many recalls being carried out, that means a lot of loaners – especially at General Motors dealerships. That could be one of the reasons why GM is massively expanding its loaner fleet program. While many Chevrolet and Buick-GMC dealerships have an on-site rental car location operated by a third party like Enterprise (which may or may not provide a GM vehicle), others manage their own loaner fleets. But while the range of dealerships operating such fleets was once small, reports Automotive News, the number has been growing rapidly: from the locations responsible for only 20 percent of those brands' sales two years ago to about 90 percent today. The impetus for that growth comes down to a massive expansion of GM's Courtesy Transportation Program. The initiative encourages dealers to ramp up their loaner fleet to a maximum size determined by GM, with a mix determined by the dealer itself, so that a showroom in Texas can be bolstered with a fleet of pickup trucks and a dealer in California can employ more Volt and Camaro Convertible loaners. The dealership gets a $500 credit for each vehicle its puts in its fleet, and can use those vehicles as loaners for service customers, as multi-day test drivers or to rent out separately. The vehicles remain in the dealer's fleet for 90 days or 7,500 miles, then they can be sold as used, but with new-car incentives. The dealer gets a fleet of loaners, customers get to use the loaners, try out a new car overnight or buy a barely used car with attractive incentives, and GM gets to clock more sales. But therein lies the kicker: the automaker counts the dispatch of the loaner new vehicle to the dealership as a new-car sale, which could end up distorting its sales figures. Counting loaner vehicles as sold vehicles is something of an industry-standard practice, but given the volume of vehicles we're talking about, this is a significant development for GM's bottom line. One dealership - Paddock Chevrolet in Kenmore, NY, for example - had no loaner fleet two years ago, but now runs a fleet of 50 vehicles. Multiply that by the 4,000 or so dealers GM has across America and you're talking about the potential for hundreds of thousands of these sorts of sales.

2016 Chevy Camaro Convertible gets cleaner looks, improved refinement [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We have live photos from the reveal. Scroll to the bottom of the story and check them out in the Related Gallery. Back in May, Chevrolet introduced a redesigned Camaro. Now, and not at all surprisingly, the Bowtie brand is showing off the latest Camaro convertible, based on the coupe that debuted on Belle Isle in Detroit. From the beltline down, this is the same car that was so well-received last month. But above the waist, there's an all-new, fully automatic canvas roof that can be raised and lowered at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. On top of that, owners will be able to drop the roof remotely by simply pressing a button on the key. Chevy does not, however, say if this new convertible roof is lighter than last year's top. The biggest change for the Camaro convertible, though, is something we've long yearned for – a proper hard tonneau cover that deploys over the folded roof. The current muscle car's roof fabric has the unpleasant tendency to flap in the breeze. The new droptop shouldn't have that problem, and will likely boast an even cleaner top-down profile to boot. Like the hardtop, though, the Camaro convertible does benefit from the same lightweight structure, that helps trim "at least" 200 pounds of body fat. It should also make use of the same powertrain lineup, with a turbocharged four-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V6, and a 6.2-liter V8 with six-speed manuals or eight-speed automatic transmissions spanning the lineup. "From the beginning, the Camaro's architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics," Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said in the attached release. "Customers will appreciate what they don't feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a four-seat convertible." Increased refinement, a cleaner look, better driving dynamics and a more usable convertible roof? We're looking forward to you 2016 Camaro convertible. Chevy claims the new car arrives in "early 2016," which means we should plan on seeing this droptop at the typically cold and snowy Detroit Auto Show. Until then, check out the full press release from Chevrolet. Related Video: Chevrolet Lifts Lid on 2016 Camaro Convertible Segment's most advanced top is fully automatic, with refined appearance DETROIT – Let the sun shine in. Chevrolet will offer a convertible model of the all-new 2016 Camaro, featuring the segment's most-advanced top.

Best new convertibles for 2024 and 2025

If you’re here, then youÂ’re already in the right mindset. Convertibles rule, and we have all the best convertibles listed for you further below. Driving around with the top off is an experience you need to live to fall in love with. When the weatherÂ’s right, youÂ’re on a proper bit of road, and the car youÂ’re in is a good one, few automotive experiences can top it. The experience is extra special when you have a musical exhaust note filtering directly into your ears and echoing off the landscape around you. And while rolling the windows down and opening a moonroof can get you part of the way there, it's nothing like feeling the wind wash over you with absolutely no roof overhead. The downsides can be just as harsh as the upsides when youÂ’re in the wrong conditions, though. Convertibles are typically worse to live with in cold climates, and driving around with the top up frequently means you might be subject to more road noise and worse visibility than an equivalent coupe. And when it comes to pure performance, convertibles are inherently compromised from a weight and structural rigidity perspective. All that said, we still think the upsides outweigh the compromises if your number one objective is to simply have fun. ItÂ’s a good thing then that there are a ton of great convertibles for sale these days. And no, the list of possibilities isnÂ’t as long as it used to be. Long-running standbys like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class Convertibles are gone (replaced by the one CLE-Class). And so are others like the Audi TT Roadster, Fiat 124 Spider and Nissan Z Roadster. Nevertheless, opportunities abound from the ultra-cheap and fun, to physics-defying supercars and everything else in between. WeÂ’ll give you options for which new convertibles we think are the best below, so read on to find out.   Mazda MX-5 Miata Pros: Lightweight and compact; great engine and transmission combo; one of the most raw and pure driving experiences out thereCons: Not great for tall people; infotainment is dated; tiny trunk Read our Mazda MX-5 Miata Review Miata is always the answer, right? In this case, that rings even more true than usual. In fact, you could stop reading this list right here and go buy a Miata and youÂ’d likely be just as happy driving it around as you would be in any of the more expensive offerings that follow. ThatÂ’s just the magic of the MX-5.