Malibu Wins Car of the Year

Car giant tries to improve 'branding' by killing nickname

(NEWSER) - You can see the USA in your Chevrolet, but GM would rather if you stopped driving your “Chevy” to the levee or anywhere else. The company has sent out a memo to all its employees urging them to banish the ubiquitous nickname from their vocabularies. “We’d ask that whether you’re talking to a dealer, reviewing dealer advertiser, or speaking with friends and family, that you communicate our brand as Chevrolet,” the memo read. More»

(NEWSER) - Recession be damned, desire for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro far outstrips supply—and some dealers are even charging a premium for the sporty new ride, USA Today reports. “Our current production schedule can’t meet the demand,” a General Motors spokesman said. But “that supply-demand tension is good. We don’t want to over-produce, nor do we want people waiting an unreasonable amount of time.” More»

(NEWSER) - As General Motors' Pontiac line is phased out, Ben Wojdyla, on Jalopnik, remembers the truly great cars that bore the mark. If you've got one, keep your garage clean and await a payday.

• 2009 G8 GXP: "GM should be saved for no other reason than to put the G8 GXP on the road." This car fulfills the promise of the Pontiac brand in spades, 415 HP V8 and all.
• 1964 GTO: The vehicle that "ignited the original muscle car wars" will "always have a special place in every car guy's heart." A 325-horsepower V8 doesn't hurt.

Reworked car could be Detroit's savior

(NEWSER) - General Motors hopes to muscle its way back from the brink of bankruptcy by reintroducing the Chevrolet Camaro, a macho stud-machine that is flexed to impress, Joseph Szczesny writes in Time. “The new Camaro goes well beyond the old-fashioned ‘Detroit iron’ of the 1960s and '70s,” writes Szczesny, who test-drove the growler and praises its blend of brains and brawn. More»

A look at these clunkers will leave little doubt why Motown's in such a mess

(NEWSER) - With Detroit automakers making headlines on Capitol Hill, the New York Daily News offers a retrospective on the Motor City’s biggest lemons:

• Ford Edsel: A gas-guzzling marketing disaster that became a byword for failure.
• Chevy Aveo: From 0 to 60 in 11.7 seconds.
• Hummer H2: A militaristic and inefficient PR nightmare for General Motors.