MotorTrend takes what they saw in Geneva and breaks down the cars they look forward to driving. We’d like to get our hands on a few of these gems as well.

PORSCHE 918 SPYDER
Porsche’s hybrid supercar concept is the star of the show, and the good news is that while it’s a concept, it’s anything but vaporware. The 918 Spyder’s technical specification reads like a science experiment and its claimed performance like science fiction. But as Mike Connor reports, Porsche is apparently considering building a strictly limited run of production versions — maybe 750 to 1250 in total — using a similar business model as the Carerra GT’s. Significantly, Porsche CEO Michael Macht made a point of saying the company has only ever shown one concept car that never made it into production. So consider our hand up for the first drive. Please form an orderly line to the left.

Read the full article here.

Whatever happens with GM in the future you can’t say they aren’t trying everything they can think of to drive sales now. This new idea appears to be a sound one and I say keep reinventing yourself GM and good things may follow. I can’t help but get the feeling that GM is really changing for the better!

The trucks left Friday for a 40-factory road show to bring some of General Motors’ newest vehicles to the company’s workers across the country.

It’s part of GM’s effort to give more workers a chance to test-drive the company’s cars and trucks, and possibly lead to new sales for the automaker.

GM sales were up 14% in January, but the company is still rebuilding after emerging from bankruptcy in July.

Vehicles — such as the Chevrolet Equinox midsize SUV and Buick LaCrosse sedan — should arrive Monday at the first stops: GM plants in Arlington, Texas; Shreveport, La.; Defiance, Ohio, and Tonawanda, N.Y.

Read the full article at the Detroit Free Press.

Sometimes figuring out how to handle something so successful as the Prius can make or break a brand.

From the Free Press:

Can Toyota clone its golden goose? Or does the automaker’s plan to expand the Prius from a single model into a whole family of cars hold pitfalls for the brand and its most-acclaimed vehicle?

The Prius is the most-successful new nameplate of the 21st Century. Its styling and technology generated immense goodwill for Toyota.

Read the full article here.

Bad to the Bone!

From AutoGuide.com:

Carroll Shelby’s own tuning company Shelby American has announced the return of the GT350 model, debuting it at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale 45 years after the original GT350 was released.

Based on the new 2011 Mustang GT, the GT350 gets a Ford Racing supercharged mated to the stock car’s 5.0-liter V8 to make roughly 500-hp – which shouldn’t be hard considering the stock motor already makes 412-hp. The engine also gets some bling with Blue Shelby GT350 valve covers and billet caps.

Read the full article here.

The Granite is exactly the direction I feel GMC needs to go when addressing growing the GMC brand. Bring in younger and value conscious buyers with new vehicles like the Granite and you may keep them around for awhile. First glance this vehicle reminds of the Bronco concept Ford displayed a few years back. Hopefully GMC will build this one soon!

From the Detroit News:

For years, GMC was a purveyor of big work-like trucks and plush SUVs. But where do you fit in a shifting marketplace demanding smaller, more practical, fuel-efficient transportation choices?

If you’re General Motors Co.’s venerable all-truck brand, you rethink and shrink the lineup.

GM today will take the wraps off the Granite — a compact urban utility concept that is the smallest GMC ever and nearly 2 feet shorter than the new Terrain compact crossover.

Read the full article here.

Hyundai really steps it up with the new 2010 Sante Fe that will reportedly bring in 20/28 mpg, for front drive automatic models with the four-banger.

From AutoGuide.com:

Hyundai continues to deliver significantly improved vehicles, the latest being the 2010 Santa Fe mid-sized crossover, which is set to launch at the Detroit Auto Show. Mid-cycle refreshes rarely get the sort of overhaul that the 2010 Santa Fe has received, with minor interior and exterior updates being joined by two new engines, both of which are more fuel efficient than the engines they replace.

For 2010 the entry level 2.7-liter 4-cylinder has been replaced with Hyundai’s new Theta II 2.4-liter, which delivers 175-hp and 169 ft-lbs of torque – the same as in the new 2011 Tucson. This is less power than the old V6, but a new six-speed automatic transmission and the lighter weight of the 4-cylinder should put the crossover’s acceleration at about the same range. Fuel economy is up significantly (aided by the new six-speed transmission) from 18/24 mpg (city/highway) to 20/28 mpg, for front drive automatic models.

Read the full article here.

What the common driver knows about tires could probably fill a napkin on one side: They’re round, black and you need four of them to make a car function.

But what the common driver doesn’t know about tires is what could save him or her in the long run. We’re talking both financially and in terms of safety for themselves and their passengers.

The Setup

When Michelin asked us to take part in an event to learn and test the new LTX M/S2 tires, we jumped at the opportunity. The original LTX M/S tire has been a long-time consumer favorite of Michelin’s and has remained at the top of its category for years. So we knew that if the company was going to expand and improve on the LTX M/S, then they had to be introducing a quality product.

For the event, Michelin sent me (along with several media members) to North Carolina and South Carolina for a complete presentation on the LTX M/S2 tire. And since the company stands by what they believe in, they also allowed us to take a three-hour drive through the winding hills of the Carolinas and also complete a series of field tests that weren’t just informative, but incredibly enjoyable as well.

Did I mention former NFL and Hall of Fame great Ronnie Lott was going to be there to lend his expertise on the LTX M/S2 tire, too?

Read the rest of this entry »

Speaking of incredible rides – Here is a list of what MSNAutos touts as 10 future classics. Enjoy!

What makes a car a classic? Original and stunning design that translates into lasting beauty is a good start and can be all it takes to elevate a machine to this status. Exceptional performance, technical brilliance, landmark innovation and historical significance can also be key factors. Rarity or production in small numbers is another definite plus.

We looked hard at cars sold in the U.S. over the past five to 10 years that have a shot at becoming classics and highly collectible items. Some are obvious choices, others should be slam dunks — but a few of our picks might surprise you. Conversely, we omitted a few divas. And some inhabit the fringe and live for just a fleeting moment, in automotive terms. Only time will tell which of these will eventually stand out, quirks and all.

Go to MSN to read the entire article.

Here’s a cool photo of a Ford 1954 V8 model car is parked in a garage near Havana, Cuba. That country has to be loaded with some old classics.

Here’s a great photo of a sexy girl with a killer red Corvette Z06. The high-performance Corvette Z06 has a fascinating history.

Corvette’s legendary Zora Duntov first brought forth the concept of Z06. Though the Automobile Manufacturers Association had encouraged a ban on racing in 1957, which the GM chairman strongly supported, Duntov knew customers would continue to race Corvettes. In the midst of planning for Sting Ray production, Duntov suggested it was in Chevrolet’s best interest to continue with parts development to benefit racers. Thus, Duntov and colleagues created “RPO Z06” as a special performance equipment package.

The RPO Z06 package first offered on ’63 models included a 20 percent larger diameter front antiroll bar, a vacuum brake booster, a dual master cylinder, sintered-metallic brake linings within power-assisted Al-Fin drums cooled by front air scoops and vented backing plates, larger diameter shocks and springs nearly twice as stiff as standard.

These Corvettes came to be known as known as the “Big Tanks” because the package initially had a 36.5-gallon gas tank versus the standard 20-gallon for races such as Sebring and Daytona. At first, the package was only available on coupes because the oversized tank would not fit in the convertible.

The Z06 was resurrected in 2000 and has been around ever since. The photo above has a recent model, and a beautiful model to go along with it!