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New GM subcompact SUV spied, could be a Chevy or GMC

GM's pair of subcompact crossovers have been trundling along for a while now. The Buick Encore was the first for Americans in the 2013 model year, and the Chevy Trax that was based on the Encore (an encore of the Encore, if you will) arrived for the 2015 model year. Each has undergone a mild update, but these spy photos could indicate their replacements are in the works. Or not. For starters, we can't be sure which GM brand this new SUV is destined for. Though the timing and its flowing lines could indicate Buick, the thick horizontal bars visible in the grille would indicate otherwise. The next Encore being at least related to this is at least a possibility. Making the case for GMC are those thick grille bars, the fact that it extends far below the lights, and may even rise above them, similar to the Acadia. And that rising beltline isn't that different from that of the Acadia. Arguing against the GMC idea is the Encore, which is almost always sold in GMC-Buick combo dealers. Much as the Acadia was made smaller to eliminate confusion and in-house competition with the Enclave, it's hard to see GM opting to resurrect such an issue at the bottom end of the SUV market. That means we're leaning toward this little SUV wearing a Chevy bowtie. The split grille with a large lower section and small upper section is the brand's current design language, as seen on the new Malibus and Cruzes. The shape is vaguely Equinox-like. And like Buick, Chevy also has a subcompact crossover ready for replacement: the Trax. Now, our photographer reports he's seen another subcompact testing that has Blazer design cues, but in this crossover-hungry market, we wouldn't be surprised if two similarly sized but differently styled Chevy crossovers make the grade. It's a strategy that's working pretty well for Jeep. We'll no doubt be seeing more of these disguised test vehicles milling about the country in the coming months, so perhaps we'll eventually get a better idea of what this is before more official information starts trickling out within one or two years. Related Video: Featured Gallery GM Subcompact Crossover spy shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: SpiedBilde Spy Photos Buick Chevrolet GM GMC Crossover SUV buick encore chevy trax

2016 Chevy Volt to make auto show debut this season

Ever since we saw that spy shots of the 2016 Chevy Volt, we've been hungering for more information on the next-gen version of GM's green halo car. It appears we might not have long to wait, at least for an official tease. An inside source that wishes to remain anonymous told AutoblogGreen that GM will make two announcements regarding the second-gen Volt at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI next week. The first, and most intriguing, is that that we will get our first glimpse of the new Volt at some point during the upcoming auto show season. That means either Los Angeles later this year or else Detroit, Chicago or New York in early 2015. The second bit of news is that GM will be moving production of the electric motors from Mexico to Michigan. Details and official confirmation are, of course, missing and Chevrolet declined comment to AutoblogGreen. We should know more next week.

Pure Vision Design TT Camaro has 1,400 reasons to want it

We've talked about Pure Vision Design before, a California-based company that made waves at last year's SEMA show with its Martini-liveried, Indy-car-powered Ford Mustang. That same car later starred in a Petrolicious video we showed you just a few weeks back. The company's latest creation is a menacing car it calls the Pure Vision Design TT Camaro. Based on a 1972 model, this car shares the Martini Mustang's clean styling and obsession with details.
Unlike the Mustang, which draws its power from a mid-60s Lotus-Ford Indycar engine, the "TT" in this Camaro's name implies something far more potent. The Nelson Racing Engines 427-cubic-inch V8 has been fitted with a pair of turbochargers, with a claimed output of 1,400 horsepower. That's almost 1,000 more than the Martini Mustang.
A six-speed Magnum transmission dispatches that power to the ground, while Pirelli PZero tires are tasked with (somehow) trying to grip the road. Baer brakes hide behind those HRE rims, while JRI coilovers and HyperTech springs bless the Camaro with some degree of competency in the bends.