Mileage Be Damned, SUV Remains American Darling

(NEWSER) - GM held a triumphant press conference this morning, announcing that, using newly devised EPA methodology, its 2011 Chevy Volt will get a whopping 230 miles per gallon in city driving, by far the highest fuel efficiency rating ever. No car has ever so much as sniffed 100mpg before; the Prius gets 51. But there’s ample cause for skepticism, Cars.com blogger David Thomas explains. More»

Buick model could get twice the mileage of similar automobiles

(NEWSER) - General Motors’ Buick brand will churn out the first plug-in hybrid SUV by a leading automaker, the company said today. “Buick will get our first plug-in hybrid, which will put the brand front and center in the advanced technology game,” said a GM exec. The company says the crossover SUV, available in 2011, could get twice the mileage of similarly-sized autos, the Detroit Free Press reports. More»

Even top exec fears hybrid will fail to herald new start for automaker

(NEWSER) - Success has many fathers, and for the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt, paternity claims could stretch from Detroit to Washington. But if the GM hybrid turns out to be an orphan, it could be because many of its backers, including a top GM exec, are ambivalent about its potential to rejigger the company’s gas-guzzling image, Michael Leahy writes for the Washington Post. More»

'09 version of luxury automaker's S-Class will get about 30 mpg

(NEWSER) - Mercedes is adding a hybrid model to its line of S-Class luxury autos in June 2009, BusinessWeek reports, promising nearly 30 miles to the gallon and adding $14,000 to its $88,000 base sticker price. The model—which, unlike some other hybrids, can’t run exclusively on battery power—should hit showroom floors in the US by next September. More»

Tiny rides now trendy, even for big car people

(NEWSER) - Mercedes’ Smart cars are selling brilliantly—the US waiting list is 30,000 long—and the tiny two-seater's performance at the gas pump isn't the whole story. Yes, they’re the most fuel-efficient non-hybrids around, but only barely—some Hondas and Toyotas almost match their 33mpg. There's also the cute factor, the Washington Post reports. “The Jeep was stylish,” says one SUV convert, “but I never got the attention before that I get with this.” More»