So many other cars I'd buy for that amount of money. Christ.

Source: eBay

The Cadillac CTS-V coupe has been back on ever since GM vice chair Bob Lutz said it was back in July.

Today we learned the production 2011 CTS-V coupe will be in Cadillac's booth at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, so we'll expect full details and photos to be released in early January. And we'll expect the car to follow the CTS-V sedan in every detail, 556-horsepower supercharged V8 and all.

Source: InsideLine

General Motors had hoped most Camaro customers would go for the V6, but so far, most people are buying the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro with a V8. Based on Edmunds.com's own estimates, two-thirds of the 47,233 Camaros sold from April 2009 to October 2009 have been SS models.

Strong V6 sales would help raise GM's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). The V6 Camaro is rated 18 mpg city/29 mpg highway (17/29 with the six-speed manual gearbox) versus 16/25 for the V8 (16/24 with a manual).

To help encourage customers to go that route, Chevrolet priced the entry-level Camaro LS model at just $23,530 — quite the bargain for a rear-wheel-drive car with a 304-horsepower, direct-injected 3.6-liter V6. The least expensive V8-equipped 2010 Camaro is the Camaro 1SS, which starts at $31,595.

The V6 Camaros actually cost GM almost as much to build as the V8 versions, said Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman. So the company has been perfectly content to sell mostly SS Camaros.

Source: Inside Line

The former director of GM's specialty vehicles division and Chris Fesler, owner of the muscle-car tuning firm Fesler Built, have joined forces to create a series of special packages for the new 2010 Chevy Camaro. The Competition package seen here is priced at $90,000 including the cost of a the new Camaro, or $50,000 if you already own the car and just want to receive the modifications.

There's all sorts of performance and cosmetic parts included in the package such as blacked out headlamps and tail lights, an adjustable coil over suspension, a carbon fiber bodykit, 22-inch alloy wheels, supercharger kit and 6-piston brake upgrades.

Furthermore, Fesler-Moss offer several options the most important being an LS7 or LS9 V8 engine swap. Details in the jump!

Fesler-Moss Competition Package Specs:

30-way adjustable coil over suspension; billet, carbon fiber or black OE replacement taillights; billet, carbon fiber or black OE replacement taillights; billet, carbon fiber or black OE replacement taillights; billet, carbon fiber or black driving light bezels; billet, carbon fiber or black reverse light bezels; stainless steel hood struts; stainless steel trunk struts; carbon fiber grille; carbon fiber body kit; painted racing stripes; carbon fiber interior accents; carbon fiber gauge pod; heat and sound barrier; sound system upgrade; upgraded, deep cycle battery; supercharger ; high performance air cleaner; 6-piston Fesler branded brake upgrade; 22-inch Fesler branded wheels and tires; car cover plus and alarm/remote start system.

Competition Package Options

Carbon fiber cowl induction hood; carbon fiber trunk lid; carbon fiber spoiler; custom paint; custom leather seating; sueded headliner; short throw shifter; custom sound system; engine swap (LS7 or LS9); dynotune, exhaust system; extreme Fesler branded, 6-piston brake system upgrade; sway bars; Bondurant driving course.

Earlier in July, Bob Lutz confirmed that the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is on the way with a possibility of a CTS-V Sport Wagon. It was later confirmed by an ‘inside source’ that CTS-V lineup will be extended to the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon. Today, CARandDRIVER is reporting that Bob Lutz has confirmed a production CTS-V Sport Wagon, bringing more validity to the report.

An excerpt from CARandDRIVER:Source: eGMCarTech

That was the exact word Lutz emphasized to Inside Line when asked whether or not we'll ever see a twin-turbo Chevrolet Camaro.

It was far from an admission of intent, but it does confirm the fact that Chevrolet is looking very closely at the idea. Lutz also confirmed a production version of the Camaro Synergy concept shown at SEMA as well as an all-black special-edition model.

Leaving the door open about a twin-turbo Camaro didn't come as too much of a surprise though. It was only a couple weeks ago that Chevrolet rolled out a twin-turbo V6 Camaro for Jay Leno at SEMA. Jay said it produced around 425 horsepower, so the potential is there for a serious Z28, perhaps.

Source: InsideLine

An EcoBoost V8 Shelby GT500 Mustang?

More power, less fuel consumption, lower emissions. The claims for Ford Motor Co.’s EcoBoost engine seem almost too good to be true, but the automaker is ready to offer the technology in as much as 90% of its line-up by mid-decade, and is planning to expand the engine variations using the advanced technology that makes such promises possible.

Until recently, Ford would only discuss the EcoBoost that is being used on the new, aluminum 3.5-liter V6, though it now has confirmed a version of the system will go onto an inline-four, as well. But several sources are telling TheDetroitBureau.com that Ford is considering using the EcoBoosttechnology on a modified V8, as well, which might serve as the replacement for the big block eight-banger now used in such muscle cars as the Shelby Cobra Mustang. More in the jump!

Meanwhile, a report in the Detroit News claims that the automaker is also taking EcoBoost technology in the other direction, with a possible 1.0-liter I4 application that could be used in future small cars, such as the Fiesta subcompact coming to the U.S. in mid-2010.

Ford plans to generate a 35% increase in its fuel economy by mid-decade, a massive achievement – if it works. The company backed off from an earlier promise, dubbed “25 in 5,” to increase SUV fuel economy 25% in five years. While hybrids, electrics and other alternative powertrain systems will help meet the latest goal, company officials, including product development chief Derrick Kuzak, have said that EcoBoost will play the critical role in getting there.

The underlying technology is, in many ways, similar to what has made the diesel so popular in Europe: high-pressure direct injection and turbocharging – in this case, small, twin turbos that avoid the classic “turbo-lag” that used to frustrate motorists waiting for the devices to “spool” up and provide an added boost to acceleration. Ford technicians claim that EcoBoost delivers a significant portion of the mileage gains that would otherwise come from switching to diesel, which Ford doesn’t see much of a market for in the U.S.

The automaker is still in the early roll-put phase with EcoBoost, which is making its first appearances on models like the 2010 Taurus SHO, the 2010 Lincoln MKS and the updated Ford Flex “people mover.” Other models, such as the F-150 pickup, are due to get thetechnology. And it will begin to roll out overseas, in places like Australia, as well.

The initial demand for the vehicle has been far stronger than anticipated, despite Ford’s own upbeat forecast. The SHO is accounting for 20% of overall Taurus sales, while EcoBoost models account for 40% of the new Lincoln MKT, the Detroit News quotes Amy Marentic, the automaker’s marketing manager. That’s 15 points higher than anticipated.

With the automaker demanding a premium of $5,000 to $7,000 for models equipped with the powertrain – a figure that typically includes other optional gear – that has helped Ford sharply drive up the transaction prices for its products, this year.

While the company claims the 3.5-liter version of EcoBoost can achieve V8 performance with V6 fuel consumption, some reviewers have been cautious about endorsing the claim. The more aggressive the system is used, the less the mileage benefit, if there is any at all. This could be another EPA cycle beater at its core – designed to give great ratings that customers may never obtain. Whether consumers will find thetechnology worthwhile make take some time to find out. Real world results often differ sharply from what happens in the federal government’s fuel economy rating system

But for now, at least, Ford is moving ahead aggressively.

There has been talk about using the EcoBoost in performance and muscle cars. And if a V6 would do, what about a V8? The system is flexible enough to adapt to a wide range of engines. With a V6, like the one in the SHO, EcoBoost is turning out 365 horsepower.

“Imagine what we could do with a big V8?” hinted a well-placed company source. Could it rival the 540 horsepower of the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 in the Shelby GT500? Apparently, we’re going to have to wait awhile to find out.

Source: Detroit Bureau

What you’re looking at here is a modern interpretation of the Plymouth Road Runner based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger with a 6.1L HEMI turbocharged V8 engine. The concept is being put together by an independent designer Michael Leonhard, who is selling the car once he’s done building it.

The 6.1 HEMI turbocharged V8 allows for a total of 620-hp with a maximum torque of 650 lb-ft. 0-60 mph should come in 3.8 seconds.

Even before it’s built, Leonhard has put the one-off model up for grabs on eBay with a Buy it Now price tag of $950,000. Of course, you want to be careful before you go spending close to a million on this car since Leonhard says “in order to improve the finished product, changes to the design may occur during the building process.”

Source: eBay via eGMCarTech

Say hello to a new British supercar that will run you a whopping £320,000 ($533,066 USD) – the Arash AF-10.

Power comes from GM’s 7.0L V8 found under the hood of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that has been retuned to produce 505-hp with a maximum torque of 475 lb-ft. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual Graziano gearbox. No performance figures have been released as of yet, but the Arash AF-10 can hit a top speed of 220 mph.

Arash has no plans of stopping there. In the future, the firm will offer an AF-10S with a supercharged and intercooled version of the 7.0L V8 that will make 800-hp. Another top-of-the-line version is planned that will produce 1,001-hp to compete with the likes of the Bugatti Veyron.

Loris Bicocchi, the man who helped develop the Koenigsegg, Bugatti Veyron and the KTM X-Bow has been signed up to do the development work, which will kick off in 2010.

Source: eGMCarTech

Swedish carmaker Koenigsegg will terminate more than a third of U.S. Saab dealers when it completes its purchase of the premium brand from General Motors Co [GM.UL], GM said in a letter to dealers on Thursday.

The new owner will reject 81 Saab dealers in the United States, while moving forward with the remaining 137 dealers after the deal closes by a targeted date of Nov. 30.

GM notified the terminated dealerships of the decision on Thursday, GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney said.

All Saab dealers signed a termination agreement in June when GM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The terms of those termination agreements will go into effect for rejected dealerships, Carney said.

Koenigsegg will operate the brand through a new entity, Saab Cars North America Inc.

Source: Reuters

Not much inventory left to be had... so if you were craving a G8 GXP, now's the time to jump on one. Pontiac just posted on Twitter it's remaining stock: 16 G8 GXP, 570 G8 GT, 1500 G5, 400 Torrent, 139 Base Solstice Cpe, 160 Solstice Cpe GXP, 350 Vibe, 530 G6 GXP.

Source: Twitter

General Motors Co. has decided to produce the Cadillac Converj, an extended-range electric car using the same technology as the Chevrolet Volt, The Detroit News has learned.

Cadillac included the Converj, a concept car that wowed industry critics and the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, in a presentation made to the automaker's board of directors Nov. 2, according to sources familiar with the production plan.

A production date has not been set, and it likely will be a few years before consumers can buy a Converj. A Cadillac spokesman declined comment.

Before GM emerged from bankruptcy July 10 with about $50 billion in federal aid, company executives said there were no plans to build the angular Converj.

At the auto show, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said if the Converj was approved, the production model would resemble the concept, likening it to the Chevrolet Camaro's evolution from concept to production.

Source: Detroit News

n what we think is a good decision, General Motors said that its other plug-in hybrid offerings will not have Volt branding on them to identify with the compact plug-in hybrid that will launch later next year. By contrast, Toyota is planning to make a family of hybrid vehicles that will carry the Prius badging.

“Our thought is to take the Volt technology to other products,” Brent Dewar, chief of global operations for Chevrolet said. “The Volt was the original vehicle that we started, but I wouldn’t see that as a brand marketing direction for us.”

Dewar said that the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid would pave the way for more vehicles based on the same Voltec technology; however, the Volt name will not be found anywhere on GM’s future electric-vehicles.

Source: eGMCarTech

The U. S. Patent and Trademark Office this week approved a new winged logo for the Chrysler brand, according to the Detroit Free Press.

As reported last month by Allpar.com, Chrysler appears to be preparing to tweak the winged badge that has branded its cars since the mid 1990s. The new logo keeps the wings, albeit a streamlined version of them, and centers the word "Chrysler" between the spans, resting in a field of blue.

Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne will unveil his 5-year plan for Chrysler today during a day-long press event. It is unclear whether he will confirm Chrysler's new badge -- or whether there will be any changes to the corporate pentastar.

Source: Automotive News

At the Chrysler business plan meeting this morning, Ralph Gilles, CEO of the Dodge car brand, dropped big news on the Viper. After going back and forth for the past 18 months on what to do with Viper, Chrysler has decided that production of the current Viper will end in July 2010. Before that happens, 500 final cars will be built that, according to Gilles, will be the most special Vipers ever. Gilles explained that the company wanted to preserve the value of existing Vipers by not continuing the current generation indefinitely. He didn't give any details on what would be special with the final 500 cars.

However, Viper fans need not mourn yet. Gilles revealed that an all new car is being developed with a launch targeted in 2012! Even better the Viper will be getting some help from Chrysler's new Italian colleagues... and lets not forget about a certain Fiat outpost that uses a yellow-and-black Prancing Horse for its logo that's based in Maranello.

Source: AutoBlog