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Feds open investigation into Chevy Express, Ford Freestar rust issues

'Tis the season... for road salt. And with that, comes rust. And what does rust bring? Well, for Ford and General Motors, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation. According to The Detroit News, NHTSA is looking into potential recalls issues with Chevrolet Express vans and Ford Freestar minivans.
The feds have received five complaints that rust has caused leaking fuel filler pipes on 2003 Express vans. Separately, seven complaints have been filed over excessive rust in the rear wheel wells of 2004 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans. The Freestar and Monterey went out of production in 2007. Neither issue has resulted in any crashes or injuries, according to the report.

Looking back at the Citation IV concept that likely shaped the GM EV1

Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. We're not sure how that applies to the GM EV1, but we'd still like to share something from Autoline Daily, an online automotive new show with our friend John McElroy. He's been covering the business for decades now and recently found something interesting: pictures of the 1984 Chevrolet Citation IV concept, seen above. Displayed half a decade before the first electric concept that would become the EV1 (inset), McElroy says it's now clear that the elegant, aerodynamic EV1 took a lot of styling cues from the Citation IV, which was developed in part thanks to GM's new-at-the-time Aerodynamics Laboratory. We agree with him that the spats over the rear wheels, the flush glass, and the covered headlights all bear a certain kind of similarity between the two cars. That the colors almost match is a nice coincidence. The Impact (the concept version of the EV1) looked "frumpier," McElroy says, because it wasn't as long as the Citation. You can read a lot more about the Citation IV here and check out McElroy's thoughts in the video below. Find the Citation starting at around 3:45. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2016 Chevy Camaro to drop 200 pounds

The sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro makes its grand debut on May 16 at a big celebration on Detroit's Belle Isle. Until then, Chevy's strategy seems to be showing off the pony car's new components piece by piece. With the exhaust headers and front end already on display, the Bowtie is now giving a glimpse at some of the upcoming model's aluminum components. The Camaro is going on a diet for its latest generation, and Chevy claims that the switch to the Alpha platform and other new components shed over 200 pounds compared to the current model. That will put the pony car at around 3,500 pounds. The lower weight will contributes to better fuel economy, quicker acceleration and more direct handling, according to the automaker. Among the changes are aluminum front and rear suspension assemblies (pictured above) that weigh 21 percent less than the current units. Also, Chevy promises in its announcement "links on some models feature an intricate, structurally optimized design made with a rigid composite material that's even lighter than aluminum." In addition to these improved parts, the Camaro uses the lightweight metal for the beam that supports the instrument panel to save 9.7 pounds more. The only two pieces reportedly carrying over to the latest design are Chevy's bowtie and SS badges, and at least one engine in the range is known to be a version of the 6.2-liter LT1 V8. With over a month until the next Camaro's debut, we might get a glimpse of even more of the car's new parts in the coming weeks. Related Video: 2016 Camaro Does More with Less New model is at least 200 pounds lighter than current car 2015-03-30 DETROIT – For the all-new, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, the team was challenged to improve the handling, acceleration and fuel economy of the award-winning current model. To meet all three objectives, the team focused on a singular mission: reduce mass. By obsessively searching for opportunities to save ounces, the team pared more than 200 pounds off the Camaro compared with the fifth-generation model. As a result, the Camaro does more with less, according to Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer: "We kept the cornering confidence and control that make the Gen 5 Camaro 1LE so fun to drive, and added a greater sense of agility," he said. "The new Camaro brakes harder, flicks into corners more quickly, and drives out of the corner faster.