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GM and Isuzu to partner for medium-duty commercial truck

General Motors is returning to the medium-duty truck business in the US for the first time since 2009 thanks to a new deal with longtime-partner Isuzu. The arrangement brings the Isuzu N-series models to Chevrolet dealers with the Bowtie's branding on them in 2016. There are six medium-duty Chevy models arriving at dealers in regular cab and crew cab bodies: the 3500, 3500HD, 4500, 4500HD, 5500, and 5500HD. The trucks will be sold as a bare chassis for buyers to outfit to their needs. Depending on model, customers will have the choice of an Isuzu-sourced 3.0-liter and 5.2-liter diesel engines or a 6.0-liter V8 gasoline-fueled engine from GM and six-speed gearbox. According to company spokesperson Bob Wheeler to Autoblog, the diesel models will be built in Japan and the rest assembled from knockdown kits in Charlotte, MI. This kind of vehicle sharing isn't uncommon for GM in the commercial segment, and it already partners with Nissan to use the Japanese brand's NV200 as the City Express van. The General also once owned a significant stake in Isuzu, and the two have remained collaborators even since then. Isuzu and GM Enter Commercial Vehicle Collaboration Agreement in the U.S. 2015-06-15 DETROIT and FUJISAWA, Japan – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and Isuzu Motors (TSE 7202) have reached an agreement on a U.S. commercial vehicle collaboration, allowing Isuzu to strengthen its product lineup and GM to expand its commercial vehicle portfolio. Isuzu will produce low cab forward models for GM, based off of the Isuzu N-Series. The vehicles will be distributed by participating Chevrolet dealers in the U.S. market starting in 2016. To strengthen the product lineup, GM and Isuzu will explore the use of GM commercial vehicle components for Isuzu low cab forward trucks and GM will continue to produce and supply the 6.0L V-8 gas engine and six-speed transmission for Isuzu gasoline-powered low cab forward trucks. Isuzu and GM have maintained a strategic partnership for more than 40 years, producing collaborative business opportunities throughout the world. This agreement continues that tradition and reinforces a long-term relationship that helps to explore future collaborations in the U.S. commercial vehicle business. About General Motors General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.

Burt Reynolds' vehicles up for auction at Barrett-Jackson

Burt Reynolds' influence on car culture cannot be overstated. Be it "Smokey and the Bandit" or "Cannonball Run," his films inspired a generation of car enthusiasts. He died a few weeks back from cardiac arrest at age 82. This weekend, four vehicles from Reynolds' personal collection — three Pontiacs and a Chevy — will go up for auction at Barrett-Jackson in Las Vegas. It seems Reynolds had plans to sell the cars before he passed. He even filmed a short teaser for the auction and planned to attend the event himself. Three of the cars are Pontiac Trans Ams. Two are re-creations of the cars he drove in "Bandit" and the film "Hooper." Both are 1978 models. The third Trans Am is from 1984 and was used to promote Reynolds' USFL team, the Tampa Bay Bandits. The fourth vehicle is a 1978 Chevy R30 pickup truck. It's styled like the truck he drove in "Cannonball Run." None of the vehicles were actually used in the movies. But they were registered in his name, making them far more legitimate than some other movie-inspired clones. It's unclear how many Bandit Trans Ams Reynolds has owned over the years. Another car connected to him sold for $450,000 back in 2014. His death is sure to drive the price of these new cars even higher. Related Video: Image Credit: Barrett-Jackson Celebrities Chevrolet Pontiac Auctions Truck Coupe pontiac trans am burt reynolds

More Corvette Stingray Factoids: Vanishing panel gaps and 26-mpg LT1

During January's Detroit Auto Show, we managed a longer than expected wandering tag-team interview with C7 Corvette chief engineering exec Tadge Juechter (pictured above), and LT1 engine boss Jordan Lee (pictured below). They are, quite honestly, two of the very nicest bigshot lads to ever walk the engineering corridors of an American manufacturer. Both are enthralled by what they're doing for a day job. So are we.
We've followed the pre-sale anticipation for the Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray like an Oreck vacuum yanking every speck of dirt from a well-trampled carpet. Everything is reportable and contains a grain of further knowledge about this dramatically important and cheered-for car, as it continues to be pressured into representing all that is superior about the American dream. The Corvette wears one heavy cloak.
So, most of what was talked about has been expertly reported already right here on Autoblog. But, looking through our notes again, both Jeuchter and Lee added facts to the buzzing mix.