1966 Chevrolet Impala Black/gray Base Hardtop 4-door 5.3l on 2040-cars

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2023 GM full-size SUVs get Super Cruise expansion pack first

In August, GM announced it had doubled the size of the network of roads available to its Super Cruise hands-free driving feature. Joining the options list in 2017, Super Cruise had been limited to divided interstate highways in the U.S. and Canada. The expansion opened 200,000 miles of additional divided interstate highway as well as major, undivided highways. Both coasts benefit, but there will be a lot more relaxing motoring on the East Coast especially. North of the border, six of the 10 Canadian provinces add enabled roads. Problem is, no GM vehicles have been able to take advantage of the boon. That changes this month, the automaker saying four of its full-size SUVs in specific trims are first in line to make use of the expansion. The SUVs are: 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe Premier and High Country 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Premier and High Country 2023 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade-V 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate  The vehicles need to have been built on or after October 3, 2022, a production timeline GM says should put the first examples in customer hands this month. The least expensive way to get into Super Cruise is with the two-wheel drive, $77,625 Chevrolet Tahoe Premier with the 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel and the Advanced Technology Package. Vehicles that use the GM's Vehicle Intelligence Platform electrical architecture and already have Super Cruise will receive an over-the-air update "in the coming months" to access the new roads, at no cost to owners. Since other products like the Cadillac CT4 and CT5, Chevrolet Silverado, and GMC Sierra work with the VIP platform as well, they probably aren't far away from the extra capability and they'll bring a lower financial bar to entry.  Related video:

GM 8-speed transmission lawsuit granted class action certification

A story on Autoblog about potentially faulty 8-speed automatic transmissions from General Motors in 2019 has, as of the day this was published, 166 comments, mostly from owners of cars and trucks who say they are experiencing "a hesitation, followed by a significant shake, shudder, jerk, clunk, or 'hard shift' when the vehicle's automatic transmission changes gears." At the time, lawyers were seeking statewide classes in at least six states. As of today, the Detroit Free Press reports that a judge has granted class action status to a lawsuit brought by 39 plaintiffs across 26 states covering the transmission issue. The lawsuit specifically applies to vehicles that are equipped with GM's 8L90 or 8L45 8-speed automatic transmissions made between 2015 and March 1, 2019. Both of these transmissions are similar units, the 8L45 being slightly lighter version used in fewer vehicles than the beefier 8L90, and are designed for front-engine, rear- or all-wheel drive applications. The lawsuit alleges that the erratic transmission behavior makes some vehicles unsafe to drive. Ted Leopold, partner at Cohen Milstein and the court-appointed lead counsel for the case, said in a statement, "General Motors knowingly sold over 800,000 eight-speed transmission vehicles, which they knew to be defective for years, and yet made the business decision not to tell its customers before purchase." He added, "Dealers were directed to tell the customers that harsh shifts were ‘normal' or ‘characteristic.Â’ Such decision making is both highly irresponsible and emblematic of what GM believes it can get away with." The vehicles included in the court order with potentially faulty transmissions includes: 2015-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2017-2019 Chevrolet Colorado 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette 2016-2019 Chevrolet Camaro 2015-2019 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV 2016-2019 Cadillac ATS, ATS-V, CTS, CT6, and CTS-V 2015-2019 GMC Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Yukon Denali XL 2017-2019 GMC Canyon Some additional details of the lawsuit can be found at the Cohen Milstein site, including claims that "since 2015, GM has issued thirteen versions of a “technical service bulletin,” or “TSB,” related to this shifting issue alone." The statement from Cohen Milstein says that a "second action regarding GM vehicles with 8L transmissions is also underway in Battle v. General Motors, LLC, 2:22-cv-108783.

Bob Lutz builds the case for a mid-engined Corvette

Rumors of a mid-engine Corvette are like automotive industry folklore at this point. Every once in a while, news pops up that it might be happening or is under development, but nothing actually ever comes to fruition as something people can actually buy. The latest spy shots strongly suggest a mid-engine 'Vette is in the cards, yet again, possibly for 2018. Now, an op ed by former General Motors executive (and definite performance car fan) Bob Lutz in Road & Track gives the inside scoop on the history of one of these proposals and lays out how to make it happen today. According to Lutz, the company's engineers believed the C6 ZR1 was at the limit for front-engine, rear-wheel drive performance in that package, and the only solution was to move the powerplant behind the driver. Lutz even got then CEO Rick Wagoner on board. The scheme made it at least as far as clay models for mid-engine versions of the 'Vette and Cadillac XLR. Eventually, a lack of money got in the way, though, bringing the project to an end. Lutz puts a lot of faith in GM's current leaders, especially Mary Barra and Mark Reuss. He thinks the chances of a mid-engine 'Vette happening this time are better than 50 percent. The model, rumored to be named Zora, could offer over 700 horsepower in an ultra lightweight body and be priced at about $120,000 to "suck the doors off everybody." Head over to Road & Track to get some insights from this highly respected and entertaining auto industry veteran. Related Video: