chevrolet

Car Tech editor Antuan Goodwin said of the Corvette Z06 that it was the first car that actually scared him. That reaction is reasonable when you're putting the car's 505 horsepower to the wheels all at once, and it starts to drift sideways.

The Corvette Z06 is most at home on the smooth pavement of a track. Put it on bumpy backroads and keeping the front end pointed straight becomes a major challenge. Oh, yes, we were taken with the sound of the 7-liter engine and the exhilaration of its thrust, but the only place to appreciate all … Read more

GM just announced myChevrolet for owners of 2011 Chevy models. myChevrolet and OnStar MyLink applications are available for free on the Android or Apple iPhone.

Ever lost your car in a mall parking lot? MyChevrolet includes a GPS-enabled map and a feature that lets you add a note or photo with details or where you parked your car. There's a timer, so you can track how much time you have on the parking meter.

If you get back to your car but there's a problem, you can use the app to request roadside assistance or to locate the … Read more

Las Vegas, Nevada is a city where you normally keep your cards close to the vest. However, with the 2010 SEMA Show just around the corner, Chevrolet gives us a sneak peak at what it plans to bring to the show floor in a slick promotional video.

As was the case last year, expect to see more Camaros than you can shake a shift knob at, both at GM's own booth and peppered about at the booths of third parties. From the looks of the video, Chevrolet will be rounding out the selection with what look like a few heavily modified Silverados and at least two custom Corvettes.

Check out the video after the jump and stay tuned to our continuing coverage of the 2010 SEMA Show. … Read more

In an article being echoed around the Web, Motor Trend reporter Frank Markus lays out in detail how the Chevy Volt transmits power to its wheels. And unlike GM's press releases claim for the car, the power does not solely come from the electric motors.

According to GM's materials on the Volt, "When the battery energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly transitions to extended-range mode. Power is inverted from a technically advanced, 1.4L 63-kW (84-hp) gasoline-powered onboard engine to the electric drive unit to provide up to 310 additional miles of range."

But GM left … Read more

GM debuted its Level 2 in-home charger for its soon-to-be released Chevrolet Volt, which will be priced at $490. That doesn't sound bad, considering the average price of gas is $2.73 (as of Oct. 4) and a full battery can get you 40 miles before the engine turns on. But factor in the installation costs for the in-home charging unit and you may face sticker shock at the plug.

The Voltec is expected to cost around $1,500 to install, depending on the region and amount of electrical work required to install the 240-volt charger. The upside on … Read more

General Motors today announced "Volt Unplugged," a 3,400-mile, cross-country tour to promote the launch of the $41,000 electric vehicle.

The tour kicks off October 9, 2010, in Seattle, Wash., and wraps up in Chicago, Illinois, on November 20. The Volt will be available next year in select markets.

"The Volt Unplugged tour will give people a chance to get behind the wheel of the Volt and find out for themselves what makes this vehicle so special," said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt product and marketing director. "This drive will demonstrate the one-of-a-kind capabilities of … Read more

Today, a Ford press release crossed my desk with an interesting tidbit about the sales figures for its new Ford Fiesta. It turns out that the majority of buyers have chosen the five-door hatchback body style over the more conventional four-door model. Apparently, someone at Ford thought this was newsworthy, but for me, it was sort of a no-brainer: the five-door was always the better car in my eyes. But that got me to thinking, "What is it with Americans and hatchbacks?"

We're big fans of hatchbacks here at CNET Car Tech, particularly those of the hot … Read more

Popular Mechanics magazine today unveiled its sixth annual Breakthrough Awards winners, honoring 10 products that its editors identified as solving existing problems in all new ways.

The products range from two different approaches to electric cars to the smallest ever camera with interchangeable lenses to a thermostat that can provide a wealth of data even as it responds automatically to changing conditions. The magazine will name the individuals it chose for the Breakthrough Leadership award and Breakthrough Innovators awards later this week.

For six years, a group of the magazine's editors have sifted through countless products, looking for the selections for the year's best inventions. According to science editor Jennifer Bogo, the team tasked with choosing the 2010 awards--which comprised editors from Popular Mechanics' automotive, home, technology, science and online departments--searched for a roster of products that they felt satisfied their rigorous criteria.

Each of the editors on the team nominates their favorite candidates, and then the list is vetted to ensure that each winning product is "really, truly unique," Bogo said.

"We look at things that do more than work well," she explained. "We look for things that actually solve a problem and things that do that in a genuinely new way. [These are] products that take advantage of new materials, or which are networked in a new way, or which can pack more processing power into a small space."

And while the precise variety of selections varies from year to year, it's clear from this year's choices that the editors are sticking with the same general set of themes that Jerry Bellinson, the magazine's deputy editor, spelled out in an interview with CNET in 2009: alternative energy and products and designers that push categories forward. … Read more

A new project from General Motors will examine ways that Chevy Volt batteries could get a second life helping provide renewable energy.

Joining forces with power grid supplier ABB Group, GM will study whether it can reuse batteries that formerly powered Volt electric cars to store energy created by wind and solar power generators. The goal is to find cost-effective and creative ways to improve the efficiency of the country's electrical grid, the automaker said today in a statement. The Volt, priced at $41,000 before a federal tax credit, is set to launch later this year.

Specifically, the … Read more