Car Throttle

The Chevrolet Sonic subcompact is launching, and General Motors is readying a large advertising campaign to promote it. GM intends to gear the car to Generation Y (Millenials) who are looking for something affordable but still is cool. S To us, the Sonic definitely seems to be the coolest vehicle in its segment, offering a blend of attractive design and impressive features versus the competition. What it really needs is a sport model, but we digress. Given that it is a new nameplate, awareness needs to be built up. A lot of the Sonic's target market gets information from social media and blogs like us, so why not do something cool to get attention? One of the first ads for Sonic does just that, pushing the

When a car is highly anticipated, the first models available for public sale are often offered up for charity by a manufacturer or dealer. The company gets good PR from it due to a high sale price, the buyer gets bragging rights as owner of the first one, and the money all goes to benefit a charity. Chevrolet's Camaro ZL1 is definitely anticipated model by enthusiasts, packing 580 horsepower despite an initial horsepower rating of 550. General Motors has a tendency lately to under promise and over deliver in both horsepower and fuel economy figures. The ZL1 does battle with fellow performance models like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and Dodge Challenger SRT-8 392. Its the pony car wars all over again! The

They say 40 is the new 30. While that is the saying about age, it also is becoming true about gas mileage. Increasingly, cars are increasing their fuel economy scores with each passing generation. To compete, especially, in the subcompact segment, you need an impressive number. General Motors' entrant is the Sonic, and mileage estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency as well as crash test information have been released. Looking at the numbers, the Sonic has the goods to be a competitive entry. Moving down the size ladder doesn't mean mediocre vehicles anymore. The new Sonic scores 40 mpg highway, and 29 mpg city, powered by a 138-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder. We expect an Eco model will increase the Sonic's fuel economy ratings even further.

Times are tough.  Credit used to flow like water, getting a job after securing a bachelor's degree in English was a sure thing, and the world was a lot easier place to live in.  Not so any more: those who once figured "Hell, I have a job and a pulse, I can get a new car" are now realizing that no, they can't.  They don't have a credit score of 700 and a 10,000 down payment sitting around.  What's a car enthusiast to do? If you're handy with wrenches and know a fuel injector from an EGR valve, you don't have to plunk down 40 grand for a car that will both plaster a smile on your face 95% of the time and not leave you

Regardless of whether you are looking for the best small car or a 7 seater 4x4, the truth is, regardless of how much money you have to spend, you are still looking to find a bargain. Chevrolet has now released a vehicle which will certainly appeal to those looking at the latter of those two markets: the stunning new 2011 Chevrolet Captiva. The 2011 Captiva is the latest incarnation of the 7 seater SUV from the company that created the first ever sports utility vehicle. Back in the 1930s, Chevrolet produced the Suburban, a name which still has a romantic resonance amongst many American motorists and which – in its modern version - is still a popular vehicle on the highways and byways of the

Most 4th-generation F-bodies are in pretty rough shape by now. They weren't exactly assembled with the highest standard of quality when new, and since they went out of production in 2002, they've mostly been bought cheap and had the crap beaten out of them.  It's easy to understand why: it's got a Corvette engine, and they're inexpensive. So it's unusual to see a Z/28 that's actually in good condition - and Wes Odum's 2002 Z/28 35th Anniversary Edition qualifies.  The paint is still the same shiny blue it was when it came out of the factory, the dashboard's still black, and generally speaking it's hard to tell the car's had 84,000 miles and change roll under it's wheels, especially when compared to most Camaros. But that's not

"Oh, a Cobalt?  I think I rented one of those once.  What's the big deal?" Well, before you click on another article, let me put some numbers in front of your face:  355 horsepower and 426lb-ft torque on a stock turbocharger.  Those aren't "oh, it might be makin' this" crank output estimates - that's how much this white Cobalt SS sedan puts down at the wheels on a dyno. In the world of sport compacts, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS is an under appreciated vehicle.  Most people take one look at the pedestrian exterior - no huge hood scoops, stripes, giant blingy wheels - and immediately think "rental car."  And it's true there are a lot of Cobalt rental cars out there.  They make good rentals; they're cheap, reliable,

Chevrolet is the epitome of an American brand. And as an American mark, it has previously been more noticeable on the likes of trucks. Why? Two reasons; because trucks are the stereotypical American segment and Chevrolet's attempts at compacts throughout the years have failed miserably. For the sake of brevity, we'll start with the Cavalier. The car was uncompetitive throughout its entire lifespan. The Cobalt that followed fared better, but still fell short of being the entry Chevy truly needed to compete. However, with the Cruze, has GM finally delivered on its promise of doing a small-car right? All indicators point to a yes verdict, and Car Throttle was fortunate to spend a week with the car's Eco variant to see how it fares. Note: Due to horrible

Auto Shows these days are a mix of really exciting debuts, and a lot of updates. Some of these updated models are interesting, but not really worth an entire article to themselves.  I've saved you the time of clicking a thousand links to consolidate the rest of the significant debuts at the NYIAS (New York International Auto Show) this year. Revised Jaguar XK and XF Models There's nothing really wrong with the XK and XF models, which are some of Jag's most competitive models to date.  But the breakneck pace of the market dictates that if it's been out three years, it's already looking old.  Enter the new XF (left) and the new XK (right.)  The revised styling on the XF is intended to mimic Jag's

A sales race that CarThrottle has consistently covered is the one between the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang. The Mustang, with its universal appeal and wide model range, has historically outsold its cross-town rival the Camaro. When the Camaro first launched, it was speculated that it would surpass Mustang sales, at least in the first year. That didn't work out though due to its late start. Last year, was the first full year of sales between the two. Despite Ford fielding the improved 2011 Mustang, the Camaro managed to outsell the Mustang by 7,655 units. This year, the Chevrolet Camaro gets a convertible variant as well as a high-performance ZL1 model to stir interest. Camaro Convertible sales haven't managed to kick in yet in a