All you need to survive the end of days is a fully loaded Chevrolet Silverado, and a box of Twinkies. At least, according to this Super Bowl XLVI commercial. This ad is a funny stab at Ford.

America Vs. Japan – sounds familiar, eh? This time, it’s car against car, muscle against engineering. The upcoming Chevrolet Corvette Z06 battles it out with a Nissan GT-R.

Dual-clutch and twin-turbo shoot down a 1.8-mile course at Willow Springs, just north of Los Angeles, in this Inside Line clip! Check out the Video below:

But the NHTSA investigation of GM’s lithium batteries (those used in plug-in electric vehicles) concluded this week. It showed the batteries were completely safe, when charging.

Aside from these investigations, NHTSA conducted “three additional side-impact crash tests with three more Volts,” in November 2011. Two out of three batteries sparked or caught fire. New designs and features to the packs are being implemented to stop this.

Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO, testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about Volt fires. Akerson’s five-page written testimony has him defended the EV’s safety against the Obama administration.

“The Volt is safe. It’s a marvelous machine,” said Akerson. “The Volt seems, perhaps unfairly, to have become a surrogate for some to offer broader commentary on General Motors’ business prospects and administration policy.”

Akerson added the Volt became “a political punching bag” and that the handling of the fires cast “an undeserving damaging light on a promising new technology.”

Republicans accuse President Obama’s administration of favoring Volt, saying the EV receives “special treatment” due to GM’s 26% government-ownership.

“The Obama administration has tied the political reputation of the president closely to the success of GM generally, and to the Chevy Volt specifically,” the committee’s report stated. Hopefully, Volt, Obama, and the US automotive industry won’t go down in flames.

General Motors wants to ship more Volt EV cars to dealerships, but the dealers are saying no, and with good reason. Sales of the hybrid electric sedan are lower than originally anticipated. Higher pricing (Volt is, on average, $5000 more than foreign hybrids) and stories of EV batteries causing vehicle fires turn customers away from this green Chevy.

In the New York City market, GM allocated 104 Volts to 14 dealerships last month. Dealers took 31 of them, while snatching over 90% of the other vehicles they were eligible for.

Brett Hedrick, an employee at Hedrick’s Chevrolet, said he sold only 10 Volts last year. GM’s “thinking we need six more Volts is just crazy,” Hedrick adds. “We’ve never sold more than two in a month.”

GM recently announced a “voluntary repair” to protect the battery pack. NHTSA officials stated in its now closed investigation of the battery pack, saying it “poses no significant fire risk.”

Although, at the Detroit Auto Show, GM said they wouldn’t follow with their production target set for 60,000 units in 2012. GM sold 7,671 Volt EVs in 2011, short of the 10,000 goal.

Source: Auto Week

Tru is not a production concept that will be on dealer lots anytime soon. Instead, 140S serves as a design study, and direction that General Motors and Chevrolet might take in future models.

We can see this becoming a next-gen Corvette or Camaro, can you?

John McFarland, Chevy’s senior manager for Global Marketing, stated in Detroit, “At Chevrolet, we want to build authentic and meaningful relationships with these customers on their terms. We want to hear what they have to say, engage them in our design process, and give them what they want – not what we think they want.”

Tru 140S is dubbed the “affordable exotic,” and will be sharing platforms with Cruze and Volt as a front-wheel-drive three-door hatchback.

Tru is powered by a direct-injected, turbocharged 1.4-liter engine, with stop-start technology “for maximum fuel economy.” Numbers have yet to be released by the auto maker or EPA officials.

Inside, Chevy includes WiFi connectivity, smartphone integration, MyLink infotainment system, and heads up display.

Source: The Motor Authority

If you’re thinking about taking the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse along Tulsa streets during a storm, or Tuscon back roads, Chevrolet’s base model might not be enough. Upgrading to the LTZ AWD trim is highly recommended.

With MSRP price tag nearing $38,765, the 2012 Traverse is equipped with a Direct Injection 3.6L V6, which produces 288 horsepower when matted to a 6 speed automatic transmission.

Fuel economy is steady at 16 mpg city, 23 hwy. AWD capabilities kick in on command, and are able to tackle rough roads or the occasional snow storm and icy evening. Traverse LTZ rolls on 20″ aluminum wheels.

With today’s economy, local infrastructure is not what it used to be. Owning a vehicle like Traverse with All Wheel Drive can prepare you for those unexpected bumps, potholes, and un-plowed roads this winter.

Traverse LTZ AWD is ready to take on the badlands, or super market parking lots, near you.

For your viewing (and desktop background decorating) pleasure, we give you 16 shots of classic Corvette rides, representing its first four generations:

First Generation Corvette C1 (1953–1962)

Second Generation Corvette C2 (1963–1967)

Third Generation Corvette C3 (1968–1982)

This concept is from Corvette Summer, a cult-movie starring Mark Hamill (aka, Luke Skywalker).

The “Aerovette” was a concept from DMC owner and visionary / coke dealer John DeLorean.

Fourth Generation Corvette C4 (1984–1996)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is being questioned for its handling of the situation. Apparently, reports have stated NHTSA officials withheld information about the rechargeable batteries from investigators. This was done to “safeguard” Volt sales.

If safety information was withheld from the committee, both those at The NHTSA and General Motors could face fines, possibly even jail time.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who is the subcommittee panel’s chairman, said, “This is a serious situation that our committee will look further into.”

Everyone makes mistakes, what matters is if one learns from them. Chevy Has.

Chevrolet is celebrating its Centennial with help from their all new Chevy Cruze. This fresh model has sold millions of units across the globe, including 1 million just in the US alone.

Cruze is key to the global expansion of Chevrolet, and one of the top-selling models in all the markets: including India, China, Russia, and other developing countries.

“I can’t think of a better birthday present,” said Karl Slym, President and Managing Director, General Motors India. “Cruze’s combination of style, comfort, fuel-efficiency and safety is a hit across the globe.”

Chevrolet began as a General Motors brand on Nov. 3rd, 1911 in Detroit, MI. With its headquarters still located in The Motor City, we can see another century of Chevy coming our way.

Sources: Wheelsunplugged | Wikipedia

But there have been many upgrades to Impala for 2012, all of which can be found inside the vehicle, as well as under the hood.

Inside the 2012 Impala, driver and passengers will see a wood trim around the cabin, including on door interiors and center console. It comfortably seats five, with the ability to squeeze in six people over-all in a pinch; compared to 4 – 5 people in other sedans of this class. Seating is spacious, covered in leatherette, and there’s plenty of leg/head room in 2012′s Impala. Lots of GM tech goodies are available as options with Impala, including a large nav/infotainment screen and audio controls.

Performance specifications on board the 2012 Impala have been bumped up with a 3.5-liter engine, and four speed automated transmission with ability to equip a 3.6-liter. Oh, did we mention both engine options are Fuel Flex V6 powerplants?

Each motor is capable of producing 300 horsepower with 262 lb-ft of torque. EPA estimates a fuel economy rating of 18-19 mpg city, 30 mpg on the highways. So far, 2012 is looking pretty good for Chevy.

Source: Chevrolet PR