2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Lt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Top Gear names BMW i8 Car of the Year, Corvette, Ferrari, Mercedes also win big

The lads at Top Gear have released their listing of the finest cars of the past year, handing the ultimate honor to BMW's revolutionary i8 plug-in-hybrid supercar. "The i8 is a milestone in the annals of automotive history and a glorious statement for an exciting and positive future. The i8 delivers - and then some," the British mag wrote. The i8, though, was far from the only hybridized car to take victories. James May and Richard Hammond both highlighted hybrids as their personal cars of the year, with May saluting the Ferrari LaFerrari and the Hamster, unsurprisingly, heaping praise on the Porsche 918 Spyder. Jeremy Clarkson, meanwhile, opted to shock many by selecting not only an American car as his best of 2014, but giving the honor to of all things, a Corvette. Clarkson wasn't the only person to honor the USA's iconic sports car, with the new, 650-horsepower Z06 variant being named TG's Muscle Car of the Year. Other big winners include Mercedes-Benz, which TG honored for S-Class Coupe (Luxury Car of the Year), the new AMG GT (Sports Car of the Year) and the not-for-US C-Class Estate (Family Car of the Year). The 458 Italia Speciale A snagged a second win for Ferrari. The best of the rest include the Citroen C4 Cactus, Renault Twingo, Volkswagen Golf R, Lamborghini Huracan and Audi TT. Take a look below for the celebratory press blast from BMW. The BMW i8 wins Top Gear Car of the Year The BMW i8 has been named as Top Gear magazine's global Car of the Year 2014. The plug-in hybrid performance vehicle beat off some stiff competition from a host of other premium and luxury manufacturers to win the overall award. The editorial team of Top Gear commended the BMW i8 for its breadth of abilities. Its 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine combined with an electric motor gives searing acceleration and driver enjoyment but all wrapped in a package that takes BMW's EfficientDynamics philosophy to the extreme courtesy of CO2 emissions less than 49g/km and a 135mpg combined cycle figure. Charlie Turner, Editor in Chief at Top Gear magazine, said: "The BMW is a milestone in the annals of automotive history and a glorious statement for an exciting and positive future. The i8 delivers – and then some. It's the kind of car we should celebrate, a beautiful vision of the future, delivered now.

GM recalls over 323,000 HD pickups because tailgates can open unexpectedly

General Motors is recalling more than 323,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electronic tailgate release switches can short circuit and open the gates while the vehicles are in park. The recall covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2020 through 2024 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Tuesday that water can get into the switches and cause the tailgates to open when in park gear. The agency says that can result in unsecured cargo falling out of the beds, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. GM is advising owners to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before they drive the trucks. Dealers will replace an exterior touchpad switch. Owners are to be notified by letter starting March 18. GM dealers also have been told to stop selling affected vehicles until repairs are made. The company says in documents that it has 136 complaints about the tailgates opening unexpectedly. GM reported one complaint of a minor injury and three complaints of minor property damage. Recalls Chevrolet GM GMC Truck

Pics Aplenty: Meet the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra [w/poll]

Today was a pretty big day for General Motors, debuting the all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light-duty pickup trucks ahead of their official showcase at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. And now that the dust has settled at GM's big reveal event, we've had a chance to snap dozens of photos of the new pickup pair from every angle.
We already told you the important bits earlier today (click here in case you missed it), but let's recap. Under the hood are three new engines - a 4.3-liter V6, 5.3-liter V8 and 6.2-liter V8 (you know, a version of the small-block that'll also be found under the hood of the C7 Corvette), all mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. The 2014 model year marks the return of the Z71 off-road package with Rancho shocks, front tow hooks and beefier underbody protection. Inside, there's a host of new technology and a greater focus on better quality and refinement.
Some of the nitty-gritty specifics (like engine output numbers and fuel economy) have yet to be revealed, and since we haven't driven the finished products yet, it's hard to say how these trucks will fare against rivals like the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150. For now, we can only judge these two books by their covers, and while we do like the designs of the new trucks, we Autoblog staffers are torn on exactly which one looks best.