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OnStar to offer 90-day driving assessment, possible insurance discount

General Motors has announced a brace of new features for OnStar, two of which could help you save money assuming you're willing to sign over some (more) personal details. The first is a driving assessment program in which OnStar takes note of certain driving parameters for 90 days, then provides the driver feedback on their driving, both individually and when compared to other drivers in the program, as well as driving tips. Think of it as OnStar's ICE version of the Nissan Leaf's CARWING feature that compares how efficient your electric driving is compared to other BEV drivers. In this case, though, certain drivers will have the chance to share their assessment with Progressive Insurance, and if the numbers are right they might get a "driving-based" discount from the insurance company. The assessment program is voluntary, and requires opting in. It will be available this summer on all new GM cars and some GM vehicles back to 2013. In case this sounds like Big Brother, let's not forget that Big Brother is already here and moved in so long ago that he's a member of the Kiwanis club and is hosting neighborhood block parties. Progressive already has a million enrollees in a program called Snapshot that tracks OBD II data to offer usage-based insurance to provide annual pricing based on how much you drive your car, with discounts of up to 30 percent. The OnStar effort is just another way to do that. The second feature is proximity offers through AtYourService, which notifies drivers to deals and information on their driving route and provides coupons from RetailMeNot and Entertainment Book. Beyond that, a deal with Priceline will let OnStar agents book hotels for you starting this year, there's a tie-in with Dunkin' Donuts, too, but we're fuzzy on those benefits, and third new feature lets Chevrolet owners know when certain parts need replacing. News Source: Detroit NewsImage Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Chevrolet GM Technology

One of the world's largest muscle car museums is auctioning off its cars

Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City is one of the biggest collections of high-performance American cars in the world. With over 200 cars of mostly GM makes, it's a mecca for fans of the golden age of Detroit iron. Unfortunately, the museum will be shutting its doors for good on Jan. 17 and auctioning off most of its assets with no reserve. The collection is, to put it bluntly, astounding. Advertised as a combined 65,000-plus horsepower, it occupies a 60,000-square-foot retail space in Punta Gorda, Fla., in a former Walmart store. It make sense when you learn that founder Rick Treworgy made his fortune in the commercial real estate business. As a hobby, he began to amass a truly jaw-dropping collection of muscle cars, filling out a collection that often has every year of a particular model represented, or a grouping of the rarest and highest-performance option packages of that year or model. Often, Treworgy bought placeholders while scouring the country for even rarer versions. It helps that Muscle Car City also houses a showroom where unwanted cars are sold, as well as its own speed shop that stocks plenty of parts. There's even a '50s-style diner called Stingray's Bar and Grill. According to a 2014 episode of Car Crazy, Treworgy has 80 Corvettes alone, more than the actual Corvette Museum. Among them are 20 models from 1967, one of Treworgy's favorites. The rest span the decades from 1954 (he once had a '53 but sold it) to a recently acquired 2020 C8, which, according to The Drive, has only 300 miles on the odometer. You like Impalas? There are models of every year from 1958 to 1969. El Caminos? He's got 'em from 1964 to 1972. Novas? Every year from 1963 to 1970 is represented. Most are the more desirable examples of each breed, with four-speed transmissions, the biggest blocks, and unicorn option packages like a factory 1965 Z16 SS396 Chevelle, one of 200 that were ordered off-menu at Chevy dealerships. And don't even get us started on the Camaros, which include not one, but two COPO 1969s. Treworgy even owns the only known surviving example of a 1936 Chevrolet Phaeton, of which only seven were built. On top of it all, many of these cars are concours quality and have won awards at prestigious car shows. While it's sad to see a collection like this broken up, Treworgy told The Drive that he'd been planning to retire next year anyway. However, the COVID-19 pandemic sped up those plans, greatly reducing the number of visitors to his museum.

GM reworking mandatory OnStar plans for some 2024 models

For the 2023 model year, GM added its OnStar and Connected Services plan as standard equipment to a large number of Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet vehicles. Folding the $1,500 retail price into the MSRPs of models like the GMC Acadia and Buick Encore plumped up prices beyond the usual year-on-year bumps. Looks like there's a reversal in play for 2024, GM Authority reporting that many of the models fitted with OnStar and Connected Services — now called OnStar Premium — will step down to three years of OnStar Remote Access standard.   OnStar Remote Access comes with these features: Remote key fob, vehicle locate, and remote personalization through mobile and in-vehicle apps. Three additional features can be added to the plan: OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle hotspot, and Super Cruise. Owners can also upgrade to OnStar Premium if they choose.  Higher trims like Buick's Avenir and GMC's Denali, plus the GMC Hummer and the Cadillac Escalade will retain OnStar Premium as standard equipment. That suite starts with Remote Access and adds: Automatic crash response, stolen vehicle assistance and recovery, OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle app access, unlimited streaming, three years of Super Cruise on vehicles with the hardware, and six months of SiriusXM radio. The Escalade puts a cherry on top with three years Sirius XM instead of six months. The Remote Access plan normally charges $14.99 per month. We're not sure yet if GM will subtract the cost of OnStar Premium from the MSRP and add the $540 for OnStar Remote Access, or if the trial period comes free of charge. Even if that's what happens, the change could take nearly $1,000 off the MSRP of a car like the GMC Acadia before any 2024 increases. We'll know more as the 2024MY models roll out and prices are announced. Related Video 2022 Buick Enclave Avenir revealed