The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid entered the market in 2008 as direct competition to the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Malibu Hybrid is a stylish five-door mid-size sedan—but as a mild hybrid, the fuel economy compared with the gas-powered Malibu was a very modest 2-mpg jump to 24 in the city and 32 on the highway.

For 2009, the Malibu Hybrid is rated at 26 city and 34 highway—meaning a much healthier 4-mpg boost over the base-level Malibu. The difference in the lowest end MSRP between the two vehicles remained the same. The conventional Malibu starts at $20,745, while the Chevy Malibu Hybrid starts at $24,695. In other words, the cost per mpg improvement was cut in half.

Around 2:50 p.m. Thursday, a Cadillac traveling north on Route 28 near Trinity Place collided with a pickup exiting Noisy Hole Road. The Cadillac’s driver swerved to his left, went into a gulley and up onto an embankment before crashing into a utility pole.

Mashpee Police directed traffic around the scene for over two hours while waiting for utility crews to arrive and stabilize the severely damaged pole so the car could be removed and the pole could be replaced. The car sustained heavy damage, including air bag deployment, and the driver was transported to Falmouth Hospital with apparent minor injuries.

The Liberals traded their last election’s dirty jet for an even older gas-guzzling carbon-belching Air Inuit 737 this time, but road-touring the election in a rented car seemed to dictate a green shift of a different kind.

My 2006 election protest at the outrageous gouge the party leaders inflict on tagalong journalists — $9,300 per week plus hotels and taxes — was a rented Hummer complete with beer, er, juice fridge, a fearlessly heavy-footed photographer named Steve and power hookups so we could file stories on the fly.

General Motors Corp.’s treasurer said Wednesday that the automaker is planning to sell its Hummer truck brand and a factory in Strasbourg, France, and may announce more asset sales later this year.

Walter Borst said in a slide presentation at a Deutsche Bank investor conference that the company expects to distribute marketing materials for both operations in October.

Fitch Ratings on Monday cut its issuer default rating on General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) further into ‘junk’ territory, citing concerns about the auto company’s liquidity position and ability to raise fresh funds.

“The Heartbeat of America” the ads for Chevrolet, General Motors’ flagship brand of cars, used to boast. For better or worst, as the US auto giant celebrates its 100th anniversary this month, the company’s health has never seemed more tied to the country’s economic health.

At a time when the US economy is spluttering, the country’s most venerable car brand seems to be running out of gas.

General Motors said that it intended to draw down the remaining 3.5 billion dollars of its 4.5-billion-dollar secured revolving credit facility to maintain what the auto giant described as “high level of financial flexibility” at a time when the financial markets are uncertain.

At the Paris Motor Show (Oct. 4 – 19), Opel arrives fully equipped with two world premieres - its dynamic new Insignia Sports Tourer with two new engines and the sleek Insignia ecoFLEX model that combines driving fun with fuel efficiency.

Opel’s new station wagon wraps leading technologies in a sporty, premium body at an affordable price. The Insignia Sports Tourer boasts the same athletic, powerful and elegant design as its sedan counterpart. Yet, as Mark Adams, Vice-President of GM Europe Design points up, “this vehicle has is own very unique personality, while still remaining consistent to the new design language that we have developed for Opel.” Sales of the Sports Tourer start in spring 2009.

D3 Research & Design, one of the country’s only dedicated Cadillac tuners, has released its latest add-on rear roof and decklid spoilers for 2008 and newer CTS sedans, which require no drilling or cutting to the sedan’s already striking profile.
D3 CTS Spoilers

Cook County Illinios residents have until September 30th to take advantage of GM’s Employee Discount program. Bill Sullivan Pontiac recently launched a new website giving Illinois residents the capability to preview and shop for cars online.

Bill Sullivan Pontiac, the number one Pontiac retailer in Illinois for the past 13 years just expanded their dealership to include all makes and models of Buick and GMC cars. With the expanded selection of cars came the need for a new website to offer Illinois car shoppers the best online shopping experience.