2014 Chevrolet Impala 2lt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM recalls 8,500 Chevrolet Malibu models for rear suspension glitch

According to a letter from General Motors to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, flaws in the build process of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu have led to the recall of 8,519 cars. Units built between December 6, 2011 and January 15, 2013 may have been assembled with rear suspension cradles that had insufficient torque applied to certain bolts. That out-of-spec assembly could lead to issues ranging from slight noises to a loss of vehicle control.
The problem was first noticed in December of last year by a GM test fleet driver and eventually tracked back to the improperly torqued bolts on the suspension cradle assembled through July 2012 by a supplier located not too far from the Malibu's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Plant. Since an official NHTSA recall notice has not been issued yet, it isn't clear whether or not Detroit-built Malibus were the only ones affected (the 2013 Malibu is also built at GM's Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas). Dealers will fix the problem by inspecting vehicles for proper torque specs, retightening if not within specs and, in some cases, perform a rear-wheel alignment.

Pony-car sales war: Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger [UPDATE]

Update: An earlier version of this story misstated the 2015 Mustang's weight when compared with previous models. Additionally, we have added comments from Chevrolet in the text. The Ford Mustang has blown past the Chevy Camaro as America's best-selling pony car, and in June, it wasn't even close. The 'Stang outsold the Camaro 11,719 to 8,611 cars. The Camaro remained ahead of the Dodge Challenger, which sold 6,845 units. Even though the Camaro did post an 11.5-percent sales improvement in June, the competition is arguably stronger than at anytime since the 1970s muscle-car era. The Mustang's sales leapt a whopping 53.6 percent, while the Challenger saw a gain of 56 percent. Several factors are weighing down Camaro sales, including its lame duck status. Chevy is launching a new generation of the Camaro this year that's more than 200 pounds lighter, offers a new turbo four-cylinder engine option, and has a nicer interior than the outgoing model. Put simply: wait a few months and you can get a better car. It's also unlikely Chevy will jack up the price much, as it's historically kept the Camaro within reach of everyday enthusiasts. While Chevy fans wait in anticipation for their new sports car, Ford and Dodge have downshifted. The new Mustang, which went on sale last year, is faster and more sophisticated than its predecessor. It also offers a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, which Ford has credited for the Mustang's recent uptick and makes up 36 percent of the car's sales, Ford analyst Erich Merkle said. View 17 Photos June's performance allowed the Mustang to widen its sales gap with the Camaro this year. Through the first five months, Ford sold 68,290 Mustangs, a 54.4-percent increased compared with 2014. Chevy sold 42,593 Camaros, an 8.7-percent decrease. The Challenger – long the No. 3 pony car in sales volume – has seen its sales surge 41 percent this year to 37,011 units. Spokesman Monte Doran said Chevy expected that 2015 would be a "relatively soft year" for the Camaro. "Mustang is taking advantage of years' worth of pent-up demand for an independent rear suspension," he said. "When Camaro introduced an IRS, in 2009, it helped make us the best-selling performance car in America.

2016 Chevy Volt sneak peek at CES

Here it is, folks – your first real glimpse at the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The gasoline-electric sedan will officially debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week, but Chevy gave us a sneak peek of its redesigned Volt at a media event in Las Vegas late Sunday, as part of its CES festivities. There isn't a ton to see here, and sorry about the low quality video (and for us not standing front and center during the reveal). But we can clearly see the car's redesigned front fascia – something recently previewed at a fan event in Los Angeles. For another view, check out a high-res photo of the new Volt from our friends at The Verge, here. Chevy even tweeted a photo of the Volt's new nose on its official Volt Twitter account, which you can see below. The automaker didn't divulge any details about its new Volt, but we already know quite a bit. For starters, the Volt will use a new, 1.5-liter gasoline engine and won't require premium fuel. It'll have more EV range and a bigger battery, too. We'll have a whole mess of information when the 2016 Volt is fully revealed in Detroit in about one week's time. In the meantime, here are some more looks at the Volt, courtesy of the Twitterverse. We're so excited about #NextGenVolt we brought it out early at #CES2015! Full details on 1/12 at #NAIAS. pic.twitter.com/hPCbTFGSV4 - Chevrolet Volt (@ChevyVolt) January 5, 2015 Take a look at the new Chevy Volt http://t.co/laCvWLRMXk pic.twitter.com/uOzRh5XCrP - Engadget (@engadget) January 5, 2015 The very first look at the 2016 Chevy Volt doesn't disappoint: http://t.co/PM0HcnyQOo pic.twitter.com/WFtoyd0utH - Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) January 5, 2015 Chevy just gave @Tim_Stevens a very quick look at the next-gen Volt at #CES2015. #CNETatCES http://t.co/3n6EK1yOrC pic.twitter.com/7KDYh0VSg0 - CNET (@CNET) January 5, 2015 Related Gallery 2016 Chevy Volt at CES Related Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Volt Teaser Images Green CES Detroit Auto Show Chevrolet GM Alternative Fuels Green Automakers Electric Hybrid Videos Sedan 2015 Detroit Auto Show CES 2015