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2016 Lamborghini Huracan at the Horse Thief Mile | AutoblogVR

AutoblogVR returns to the Horse Thief Mile in the Mojave Desert to put the Lamborghini Huracan to the test. It's everything we want a modern supercar to be: Powerful, striking in appearance, and a riot to drive. But does it live up to Lamborghini's unique performance heritage? Senior Editor Greg Migliore reviews the Huracan on Horse Thief's unyielding curves and elevation changes to find out. Meanwhile, Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Mike Austin reviews a different kind of performance car – the Chevy SS at the IndyCar circuit on Detroit's Belle Isle. He's ably assisted by ace driver Simon Pagenaud. You must watch his hot lap! The SS is old-school V8 American muscle wrapped in Australian design and engineering. This AutoblogVR segment also launches on the app Sept. 13, and the teaser follows the Huracan preview above. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too!

GM tinkering with Silverado, Sierra model mix amidst strong early sales

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. That's a lesson that is currently being taught to General Motors, because despite a strong showing from its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, the General's pickup sales still can't best those of cross-town rival Ford.
With 59,163 trucks moved, GM fell just over 1,000 units short of toppling Ford, and one of the main reasons for that, according to GM's chief sales analyst, was due to a lack of variety in the engines and body styles available on dealer lots. "We are still over-weighted toward crew-cab V8 trucks. Our light-duty mix will moderate over time as our launch progresses," said Kurt McNeil.
Loading dealers with the popular combination of the 5.3-liter V8 and the four-door, Crew Cab body style was intentional during the truck's launch, but as supplies of leftover 2013 models, which are being sold at heavy incentives, are beginning to wane, both budget-conscious and high-dollar buyers are looking elsewhere instead of at the volume model pickups.

2016 Chevy Malibu gets premium looks, hybrid model

The Chevrolet Malibu was once an automotive icon, but its modern reputation is one for underachievement. A new 2016 model seeks to restore the storied nameplate with improved styling, more interior room and a new hybrid version. It debuts Wednesday at the New York Auto Show. Put simply, "the goal was to put Chevrolet back in the midsize car segment," said John Cafaro, the brand's executive director of car design. In a crowded arena with 2.2 million sales up for grabs annually, Chevy has not been a player. Last year, the brand sold 188,519 Malibus, a six-percent decline from 2013, and fewer than half the number of Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords sold. Despite awards from J.D. Power and Associates and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Chevy knew the Malibu needed a big change. New Skin, Lighter Bones The redesign has been in the works for at least three years. Although the Malibu is still based on GM's Epsilon 2 platform, the underpinnings are more derivative of the Impala than the outgoing model. The body structure makes greater use of high-strength steel, which helps reduce weight by 300 pounds. Size is more Impala-like as well, with 2.3 inches more overall length and a 3.6-inch wheelbase stretch contributing to greater interior space. A new skin covers the Malibu's lighter bones, and design language from the Impala gives its sibling sedan a fresher, more upscale appearance. To execute this premium appearance, Chevy turned to 25-year-old designer Jaymer Starbody, a four-year General Motors veteran and graduate from Detroit's College for Creative Studies. He described the new Malibu as having a "wheel-oriented" design, and the car looks poised to pounce from certain angles. Though the 2016 Malibu is the same width as before, designers stretched the creases and angles in the sheetmetal to create a flatter, sleeker appearance. The hood and cowl are lower, and the Malibu's face sparkles with LED running lamps on the top trim levels. Inside, the roomier cabin has a new center stack, satin chrome accents on the interior panel and a console storage area designed for mobile devices. Chevy MyLink with a seven-inch color touchscreen is standard on lower trims, and the top model upgrades to an eight-inch screen. Perforated leather seats and ambient lighting are also available options. The cabin was designed to look high-tech, but still remain easy to use, according to Chevy interior design director Crystal Windham.