1957 Chevrolet Bel Air150210 2 Door on 2040-cars

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GM recalls select Chevy Cruze, Sonic and Buick Verano models over airbag issue

General Motors is recalling certain 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze and Sonic models due to a defect in the driver's airbag system. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the airbag has a shorting bar which may contact two internal terminals. If that happens during a crash, the supplemental restraint may not deploy, increasing the risk of driver injury. The recall includes a total of 2,949 units.
GM will contact owners and replace the steering wheel airbag coil at no cost. At this point, it's unclear when the recall will begin, though owners may contact the automaker at 1-800-521-7300 for more information. You may also take a closer look at the full NHTSA notice below.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Convertible offers a few more views before reveal

Over the weekend, Chevrolet released its first images of the new 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible. Now, ahead of the droptop's official introduction tomorrow at the Geneva Motor Show, the automaker has given us a few more shots of the softop C7 showing off the car's rump albeit from a high, strategically positioned angle.
From this angle, it's hard to get a sense for how long and flat the decklid really is, but we can easily see that, like the rest of the C7's design, the new convertible's decklid and tonneau cover are far more detailed than the current car. We also get a better look at the rear haunches sans brake vents, which have apparently been moved to underneath the car in order to accommodate the top's hard cover.
As for the overall styling of the C7 convertible, with the top erected, we get some idea of what a coupe design (as opposed to the Stingray's fastback shape) would look like on this car. The C5 Corvette most recently had a coupe model that did away with the large glass hatchback, and we recently reported on a low-cost "coupe" model potentially being added to the C7's repertoire.

Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Volt class action suit proposed, Tesla stock could outperform in 2015

A class action suit has been proposed against General Motors for a steering problem in the Chevrolet Volt. The plaintiffs claim that a defect can cause the steering to freeze intermittently, and that General Motors either knows or should have known about the problem. The case, filed in New Jersey, also claims that defective parts are replaced with the same or similar parts, which are also defective. The plaintiffs say that claims for the 100-plus-member class exceed $5 million. Read more at Law360 or at BigClassAction. Tesla Motors stock (TSLA) has risen after weeks of losses. It gained 5.4 percent during the week ending December 19, when it closed at $219.29 per share. Since then, it rose slightly more, closing at $222.26 on December 24. Morgan Stanley lowered its target price on Tesla stock from $320 to $290, predicting lower sales on the upcoming Model III than expected before, but still called Tesla a good long-term investment. Analysts at CNBC predicted Tesla to be the best performing stock of 2015. Read more at ETF Daily News. Oslo- and New York-based architecture firm Snohetta has designed a zero-emissions house that also charges an electric car. The ZEB Pilot House, built in Larvik, Norway, uses a solar panel on the roof to power the house, which also provides enough excess energy to charge an EV. To make the most of energy most efficiently, the house uses smart technology to use as much energy as it can once it's harvested. This means one can turn on appliances like the washing machine remotely while the sun is at the optimum angle in the sky - perhaps during mid-day when the residents are at work. The house also uses organic materials and is designed to save as much energy as possible. Read more at Wired.