gm

Saab 9-3x to be revealed at Geneva Motor Show--will it also be a flex-fuel?

Saab will debut the 2010 Saab 9-3x, a more rugged-looking wagon for buyers who are honest enough to admit that they really don't need the off-roading capabilities of an SUV, want more driving comfort than a crossover, yet still desire all-wheel drive and bit more ground clearance.

The 9-3x is equipped with a 2.0 turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing 210 horsepower that is paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The promotional video floating around YouTube.com shows the 9-3x riding a little higher (1.4 inches higher) than the 9-3 SportCombi, with dark gray front and … Read more

Hands-on with LG's phones from GSMA

LG had a rather action-packed Mobile World Congress, making several product announcements including the high-end LG Arena multimedia phone and choosing Windows Mobile as the primary operating system for its smartphones. As a result, the company's booth was buzzing with a steady stream of visitors, and we stopped by ourselves to take a look at some of the company's offerings.

The one thing I came away with is that LG loves its touch screens. Everywhere I turned, there was a touch screen staring back at me. Not that I'm complaining, but it got to the point where … Read more

LG kicks off Windows Mobile deal with LG-GM730

LG Electronics made a number of announcements at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009, one of which was its alliance with Microsoft to make Windows Mobile the primary operating system for the company's smartphones. As part of the agreement, LG said it would create a tenfold increase of Windows Mobile devices in 2009, and it got things started with the introduction of the LG-GM730.

LG expects to ship the GM730 during the first half of 2009, so unfortunately, it will run Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition. But the company said it would release a Windows Mobile 6.5 version … Read more

Chevrolet shows some Spark

At the Detroit auto show, GM gave production details for its new small car, which will come out under the Chevrolet badge with Spark as the model name. This new car is based on the Beat concept shown last year, and gets its official launch at the upcoming Geneva auto show. The Spark satisfies the need for a small city car in Chevrolet's lineup. The brand's current small car is the Aveo, but that model is licensed from Daewoo. The Spark is home-grown. As a city car, the Spark has minimal room for cargo unless there are no rear seat passengers. GM did interesting things with the styling, for example, hiding the rear door handle in the C-pillar. … Read more

GM offers OnStar to other automakers

NEW ORLEANS -- General Motors is talking with several automakers about putting GM's OnStar telematics service in their vehicles, says OnStar's top executive.

"We did make a decision late last year that we are now talking to other vehicle manufacturers about the potential of bringing OnStar services to their vehicles either in the United States and Canada or other parts of the world," OnStar President Chet Huber told Automotive News here during the NADA convention.

Huber declined to identify the automakers.

In the past, OnStar had deals with Acura, Volkswagen, Audi, Subaru and Isuzu and a … Read more

2009 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (review)

When you think Corvette, you're probably thinking the Z06, or even the new ZR1, but we shouldn't forget the lesser models, which are excellent cars in their own rights. We spent a week with a Corvette Convertible, a car designed more for cruising than for the track but that still boasts 436 horsepower and exhilarating acceleration. This is the kind of car you can enjoy in many situations, from top-down scenic cruising to blasting around winding corners to straightline let's-see-what-this-baby-can-do driving. And with it, we got to try out some of the Corvette's cool new tech … Read more

GM eyes San Francisco, Washington for Chevy Volt

General Motors on Tuesday released a "plan of action" for communities to prepare for plug-in electric cars, like its forthcoming Chevy Volt.

At the Washington Auto Show, GM said that it seeking to work with communities that are supportive of plug-in electric vehicles. It is already working with a group of utilities to ensure that utilities can handle the increased electrical load from charging electric vehicles.

GM said that it working with the municipalities of San Francisco and the Washington, D.C., metro area as "early adopter markets" that will create incentives to buy electric cars … Read more

GM working with EEStor for Volt

With production set to begin next year, GM not only announced that the Chevrolet Volt will use lithium ion batteries, but also announced it would build a factory to manufacture battery packs for the Volt. However, in a sign that GM is actively looking for even better solutions for the Volt's electric power train, the independently run GM-Volt blog got Denise Gray, GM's Director of Advanced Batteries, to talk about GM's interest in the company EEStor, and whether the Volt will use EEStor technology.

EEStor has been issuing press releases for a few years now, and has … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 890: Mad Molly Mondays

Yahoo's got a new chief, AT&T is spamming Idol fans and non-Idol fans alike, and the Storm Worm has been cracked. That's all big news, but the biggest news comes from me at the end of the show. Be sure to listen all the way through. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 890

Yahoo names new chief executive http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7827518.stm http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10142085-92.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10142275-93.html http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-yahoo-react-bartzs-selection-considered-safe-uninspiring/

AT&T spams 75 million users with ‘Idol’ … Read more