The fact that Chevy has to recall milions of cars will not stop GM from going on with the business. So, they anounced prices for Silverado, which is on recall list for brake issue.

The updated 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup truck range will start at $27,965, which excludes a $995 destination charge, while an upgrade to the 397 HP and 765 lb-ft of torque Duramax diesel engine and Allison transmission combination will cost buyers an extra $8,395 for a total of $37,355, which is the same amount as the 2010MY.

The refreshed Silverado HD will be offered in work truck, LT and LTZ trim levels, with production set to start in May. First deliveries are expected in early June, 2010.

After all this year’s recallings over break issues or unintended acceleration issues, for not just one carmaker, GM, having its name put on the list, planned to equip many GM models with brake-override systems, which will slow vehicles in the event of sudden acceleration.

GM’s problem, however, is related to break issues, not unintended acceleration, which affects GM trucks and SUVs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating possible brake-line failures in a number of Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, after receiving 110 complaints about “loss of braking effectiveness” in the Chevy Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, as well as the GMC Sierra and Yukon. Preliminary reports indicate that corrosion of the brake-lines could be the cause of the problem. So far, the issue seems limited to vehicles from the 1999 to 2003 model years, six million of which still roam the roads. An additional 189,000 heavy-duty pickups are also included as part of the investigation.

However, there is one particular complaint which signals some very serious problems. It alleges that a brake-line failed due to corrosion, resulting in a “large increase in stopping distance…with the brake pedal pushed to the floor.”

We’ll just have to wait and see the answer from NHTSA and carmakers’ move in order to fix all these issues.

Another day, another Camaro variant. In addition to the Synergy Green Special Edition Camaro and (very cool) Transformers Camaro, we’ve been treated to an incredible number of third-party Camaro deviations. Now, Chevy just added one more to the list of limited edition models.

The 2010 Chevy Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car Replica Limited Edition you see above is based on the 2010 Camaro 2SS with RS appearance package, but with a few special adaditions. The base car comes with the excellent 6.2-liter V8 engine, although instead of 426 hp, it only produces 400 hp due to the wimpy automatic transmission that comes standard in this edition. That’s a dealbreaker! If you still want this special edition, you can expect the beautiful Inferno Orange paint finish with matching engine cover and front grill, white pearl decal rally stripes, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, different floor mats, and the 2010 Indianapolis 500 logo decal on the doors, embroidered on driver and passenger headrests, and logo badges on front fenders.

The actual Camaro pace car is going to be driven by Robin Roberts, anchor of Good Morning America during the 2010 Indy 500. This isn’t the first time Chevy has offered a pace car replica; they did the same thing for the 1969, 1982 and 1993 Camaros. Up to 200 of these special editions will be produced, and will only be available from a list of chosen GM dealers, available here: Indy Camaro Dealer List (PDF file – Adobe Acrobat Reader needed)

Starting price for the 2010 Chevy Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car Replica Limited Edition is $41,950 (incl destination.)

These pre-production models will not be sold at GM’s dealerships, but will be used to assess and fix any problems in the production system as well as to train the workers in order meet the quality targets set by the engineering team.

“We have a very experienced workforce at this plant and through all of their preparation and training workers here have been given the privilege to take GM into the future with this car,” said Detroit-Hamtramck plant manager Teri Quigley.

Expected to go on sale by the end of fall, the Chevy Volt offers up to 40 miles of pure electric driving before a small-displacement gasoline engine/generator kicks in to charge the car’s lithium-ion batteries extending the range to about 300 additional miles.

GM’s happy-moment with the first pre-production Volt coincides with Nissan’s announcement on the pricing for the all-electric Leaf that will sell for $25,280 ($32,780 minus a $7,500 tax credit).

The General has not released official pricing for the Volt, but unofficially, word has it that the car will be priced somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range with the federal tax credit.

In the last few years it’s become a tradition for automakers to auction off the first production model of a collector car at Barrett-Jackson. That’s set to continue next month when Chevrolet will offer the very first Corvette Z06 Carbon at the Palm Beach Auction from April 1-3. The winner of the auction will not only get the very first Z06 Carbon, but will also be given the opportunity to take a tour of the GM Performance Build Center where the LS7 and LS9 engines are constructed by hand.

Designed as a tribute to the Corvette’s first race at Le Mans 50 years ago, the Z06 Carbon features some parts from the range-topping ZR1 including the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, Magnetic Ride Control suspension and a ZR1-style spoiler. The hood, side sills and front spoiler are also made from lightweight carbon fiber.

If past GM auctions at Barrett-Jackson are anything to go by, the first Z06 Carbon should command a significant amount of cash. The first Corvette ZR1 went for a cool million dollars and the first Camaro had a top bid of $350,000. Most recently a limited edition Corvette Z06 raised $200,000 to benefit Haiti at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction in January. Follow the jump for the official press release from GM.

DETROIT – The first of 500 retail 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition coupes will go to the highest bidder at Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 3.

The winning bidder will also be given the unique opportunity to tour GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., home of the hand-built LS7 and LS9 engines found in the Z06 and ZR1 respectively. The winner will also have the opportunity to watch the car going down the line at the famed Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Ky.

“The Corvette Z06 Carbon will surely be an instant collectible,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet Marketing. “For that reason, we see Barrett-Jackson as the premiere venue to sell the first retail Z06 Carbon.”

The Corvette Z06 Carbon was designed as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Corvette’s first race in the 24 Hours of LeMans. As such, it continues the technology transfer between the production Corvette and racing.

Notable features of the Z06 Carbon include Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, Michelin PS2 tires, Magnetic Ride Control and enhanced cooling. Black headlamps and mirrors, a ZR1-style body color spoiler, body color door handles, carbon fiber raised hood, and black carbon fiber rockers and splitter enhance the Z06’s dynamic design and reduce mass and aerodynamic lift.

This auction continues Chevrolet’s tradition of offering exciting cars at Barrett-Jackson. At the Scottsdale, Ariz., auction in 2008, the first retail production 2009 Corvette ZR1 sold for $1,000,000. The first retail 2010 Chevrolet Camaro was also sold for $350,000 at a Barrett-Jackson auction last year. Most recently, a limited edition Corvette Z06 (number 427 of 427 produced) garnered $200,000, all of which was donated to the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.

The Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction runs from April 1 to April 3.

We should vote 2010 as the “year of recalls”! Toyota opened the way, then Ford, Citroen or Peugeot followed. Now, GM Daewoo has announced a recall of the Chevrolet Captiva and the Chevrolet Cruze – we’re talking about a total of nearly 60,000 units. Of that number, 45 957 are Captivas while 12,604 are Cruzes. The Cruze is being recalled to correct defective fuel hoses while the Captiva issue involves steering wheels that can become detached. Apparently the steering column and steering intermediate shaft on some Captivas were not fully connected. Daewoo said no accidents had resulted from any of the problems and the company itself elected to initiate the recall.

A Reuters report says the affected Captivas were produced between April 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2007. For the Cruze, it affects cars produced between Sept. 25, 2009 and March 2, 2010. The Cruze has just been released and it is being recalled…very promising!

So far, the company is recalling the affected vehicles in South Korea. There are plans to start recalls in other markets. However what’s troubling is one particular statement given to Reuters, cited in their report. “GM plans to recall the models with the problems in other countries. But every country has different rules and standards and each GM operation will decide the size and timing of recalls of those cars depending on their own situations,” an anonymous GM Daewoo official told Reuters by telephone.

Something like a steering wheel that could detach definitely sounds quite serious and I think recalls should start ASAP instead of deciding the timing according to rules and regulations of respective countries.

Shanghai General Motors have announced it will recall more than 2,000 imported Captivas. In line with China’s Regulation on Defective Auto Recall, Shanghai GM will recall all Captivas manufactured between September 18, 2007 and December 31, 2007.

Naza is the new distributor for Chevrolet in Malaysia and it would do them really well if they start off with announcing a swift recall IF and I repeat IF any of our Captivas are affected. It would show that they’re serious about building the brand and taking care of the existing customers. The Captiva was only launched in Malaysia in end November 2007 so it could be that only the first batch units are affected, as the rest of the CBU units would probably have been built after the 1st April 2006 to 31st of December 2007 affected production time range. UPDATE: According to an email from a GM official to MTM’s Chips Yap, it seems that the Chevrolet Captiva in Malaysia is NOT affected by the recall as it comes from GM Thailand and not GM South Korea.

The Chevrolet Corvette has held the title of “America’s sportscar” for more than six decades now, but General Motors is going global for the design of the next-generation two-seater. GM has requested Corvette design studies from 10 of its global design studios.

Although the Detroit automaker has yet to make a decision on the design direction of the next Vette, it is considering several global design studies. Ed Welburn, GM’s head of global design, offered the challenge to 10 of GM’s design studios last year.

While the Corvette will always be America’s sportscar, GM is looking to give the next iteration of the performance machine a bigger global presence – particularly in Europe. The Corvette has never really taken hold in Europe – despite outperforming cars twice its price – but Welburn is hopefully the redesign will make the Corvette more attractive to European buyers.

The redesign – which is expected within the next two to three years – will also be important for the U.S. market. Corvette sales have dropped off 48 percent in the United States since 2008, with the average age of a Corvette buyer ballooning to 54 years.

“We have challenges in the States with the Corvette,” Welburn said. “The average age of the customer is really rising.”

Although the next Corvette will be the most global version of the sportscar yet, don’t expect the American icon to lose sight of its roots. “It can’t mutate into something that gets so far away from Corvette that it is no longer a Corvette,” Welburn added. Welburn failed to detail any design studies currently on the table, but did say the next Chevy Corvette would feature a much improved interior.

It took me some time and gazing to its front to actually make my eyes and brain understand it is NOT a Lancer. If it weren’t for that bowtie, it could easily pass as a Mitsu. But don’t be ashamed, GM, taking cues from the Lancer for your new Aveo is a good move! (Yes, I am a fanatic admirer of the Lancer Evo)

Judjing the pics, Chevy Aveo is getting the much-needed makeover both inside and outside. With a front end that stays true to the RS, along with a set of bulging fenders and an artfully carved swage line, the 2012 Aveo is a dramatic departure from the budget-conscious model roaming the streets today. Coupled with a thoroughly revised interior, complete with upgraded materials and the RS’ motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster, the Aveo has its sights set squarely on the new Ford Fiesta, particularly when it arrives in five-door form.

Nothing about the price, but we’re waiting for details by the end of the year, as the model would probably go on sale at the beginning of 2011.

Just to be mean…it may look like a Lancer, but it will still drive as an Aveo!

I have good news for Singaporean costumers that want a C-segment car and appreciate the Cruze: Chevrolet prepared them “Cruze SS”, which is basically the same good-looking sedan, with additional bodykit, including a front, rear and side skirts, a rear spoiler, 17 inch alloy wheels with Falken tyres, and illuminated skuff plates.

Connoisseurs will immediately recognize the resamblance with Bumblebee given by the yellow stripes, which is not a bad thing if you come to think about it: both cars are Chevys. Although the stripes look better and more appropriate on the Transformers’ Camaro.

Afraid the End of the World might caught you unprepared? If you have $30000 to spare, visit eBay and take that off of your mind. $30000 is not much at all if you think it may safe your life. The Chevy boat-truck  is a modified 1951 Chevrolet pickup, equipped with the necessary tuning kit to run both on road and water. All you need is to fill it up with beer and you can quietly and worriless watch NASCAR.