World Auto News & Reviews

• New 6.6L Duramax turbo diesel rated at 397 hp (296 kW) and 765 lb.-ft. of torque (1,037 Nm)

• Segment-best diesel power complemented by up to 11-percent improved fuel economy and up to 63-percent reduced NOx emissions

• Small-block 6.0L gas V-8 enhanced for greater low-rpm torque, while delivering 360 hp (268 kW)

PONTIAC, MI – March 10, 2010: The new 2011 GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups are offered with a new 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V-8 that tops the segment in power. It is rated at 397 horsepower (296 kW) at 3,000 rpm and 765 lb.-ft. of torque (1,037 Nm) at 1,600 rpm.

The new, more powerful 6.6L Duramax is also more fuel-efficient – up to 11-percent greater fuel economy than the outgoing model – reduces NOx emissions by up to 63 percent and helps enable greater towing ratings. Sierra 3500HD can tow up to 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg).

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For the truly hard-core Corvette fanatic who likes to spend weekends thrashing his or her car at the track, there is only one Corvette worthy of consideration: the Z06. However, thanks to the ZR1, the lightweight, normally aspirated 7.0-liter coupe is no longer the absolute quickest Vette, but it is felt to have the most responsive handling. What it doesn’t have is the uber-cool carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon-fiber body panels and magnetic ride active damping system of its supercharged sibling. That can now be changed to past tense with the birth of the Z06 Carbon edition announced today by General Motors.

The Z06 Carbon was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of the Corvette at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when John Fitch and Briggs Cunningham won their class and finished eighth overall. The Carbon edition is essentially a Z06 with a ZR1 chassis and some of the carbon skin. When production starts this fall, only 500 examples will be made and they will only come in two colors, Inferno Orange and Supersonic Blue. All examples get black-painted wheels and a black interior upholstered in leather and suede.
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If the incident of James Sikes’ runaway Prius in San Diego wasn’t already giving Toyota a headache, another Prius sped out of control in New York causing minor injuries to the driver. Harrison Police said a woman smashed into a stone wall this morning because of a stuck accelerator in a Toyota Prius.

The car “shot” across the street smashing into a stone wall, Chief Anthony Marraccini said. The driver, a 56-year-old woman suffered “non-life threatening” injuries.
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Last week, General Motors announced that it will invest 1.9 billion euros ($2.57 billion USD) towards the restructuring of Opel, more than tripling its previous pledge of 600 million euros. Why? Well, because Opel is to GM of Europe what Chevrolet is to GM of Detroit.

According to a report by the Free Press, Opel is GM’s No.1 brand in the European market with 1.2 million sales last year. That makes Opel the second-biggest brand worldwide for GM by a wide margin. Its sales exceed Buick, Cadillac and GMC’s combined U.S. sales by more than 2 1/2 to last year.
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We’ve heard it before and today we hear it again. BMW is planning to introduce a new front-wheel-drive entry-level model that will be positioned under the existing 1-Series. BMW’s chairman Norbert Reithofer told UK’s AutoCar that the new model is being developed as a move to increase parts sharing between the BMW and Mini brands.
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KB Home announced today that it will begin offering an option to pre-wire its new Built to Order™ homes to accommodate charging stations for homeowners’ electric vehicles. This new earth-friendly option is designed to ease the future installation of a station to charge an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle conveniently at home. The pre-wire option is now available to KB Home homebuyers nationwide.
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Following its inaugural year in the U.S., Mercedes-AMG is presenting a new season for driving enthusiasts who want to sharpen their advanced driving skills at the AMG Driving Academy. Among the list of enhancements is the addition of a Pro Level for 2010. Under the guidance of top professional instructors, the AMG Driving Academy offers the opportunity to personally experience the excitement of motorsports and the track capabilities of Mercedes-AMG vehicles including the all new 563 hp SLS AMG, capable of 0-60 mph in less than four seconds.
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