New Car Buying Tip: 2009.5 Pontiac G6 Sedan, Coupe and Convertible get facelift, GXP remains horrifying

2009.5 Pontiac G6 Sedan, Coupe and Convertible get facelift, GXP remains horrifying

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Convertibles, Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Pontiac

Click above for hi-res gallery of the 2009.5 Pontiac G6 Convertible

There's not a whole lot going on for General Motors at the LA Auto Show, but the company's making some minor announcements via press release before the shindig in la-la land gets underway tomorrow. The Pontiac G6 receives a minor facelift as a 2009½ model, with updated front and rear fascias and some interior tweaks. Those interior improvements bring the G6 up to par with its platform-mate brethren and include new trim bits, the standard GM radio (in a 2007 G6 I drove, the radio had this ridiculous ribbing on the dials -- a very 90s-Poncho feel), "all-new" (read: GM partsbin) HVAC controls, and an optional MY LINK communication package that includes Bluetooth, a dash-mounted USB port and related tech. You can also get a more attractive 2-tone interior with leather or cloth seats as an upgrade over the standard (and dreary) all-black treatment.

Underhood, the G6 Coupe is now available with the 4-cyl/6-speed powertrain combo, complete with paddle shifting. A flex-fuel 3.5L V6 is also available at no additional cost over the gas version in the full range of body styles, so the dozen G6 shoppers who also have access to actual E85 pumps should be enthused. The convertible's 3.9L V6 carries over and the 3.6L "high feature" V6, as before, is exclusive to the GXP. By the way, the GXP does not get any facelift love, and thus the infamous "Street Edition" remains ugly enough to stop every clock in a 132-mile radius.

Gallery: 2009.5 Pontiac G6 Sedan

Gallery: 2009.5 Pontiac G6 Coupe

Gallery: 2009.5 Pontiac G6 Convertible

[Source: Pontiac via finchannel.com]

2009.5 Pontiac G6 Sedan, Coupe and Convertible get facelift, GXP remains horrifying originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoblogGreen for 11.18.08

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

Everyone's got advice for Detroit these days, from President-elect Barack Obama to Neil Young. Meanwhile, GM is still trying top get a 100 mpg sticker for the Volt and the Auto Alliance says fuel efficiency takes a back seat to OEM survival. Don't forget to follow AutoblogGreen on Twitter for the green side of the LA Auto Show this week.

AutoblogGreen for 11.18.08 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM tweaks Chevy Volt interior for the better

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Chevrolet

Click above to enlarge

The Chevy Volt isn't quite ready to be unleashed on the public, mostly because its powertrain is entirely different than anything General Motors -- or any other automaker -- has ever produced. An extreme amount of testing is required, especially for the batteries, before GM is ready to put its Volt into dealerships. Having this extra time before pushing the car out has its advantages for the design team, which is free to make small, incremental changes to bits of the Volt that may have needed a little tweak here and there. For instance, Bob Boniface and his crew have revised the production car's center stack with an altered LCD screen perched up top with a hood that matches the one over the gauge cluster. The new screen has smoother edges and looks more integrated into the dash. Boniface says that many people thought the old screen design was movable, which it wasn't.

There are also new vents positioned vertically on either side of the iPod-like central cluster that hold all of the Volt's controls. Those buttons now offer a more tactile sensation in the form of "pill-shaped targets" on each control. Also included in the revision are new audible that sound when buttons are activated. While all of these alterations seems rather minor, we appreciate each of them and think this equals a big improvement over an interior that we already liked.

Gallery: Chevy Volt Interior Revision

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

GM tweaks Chevy Volt interior for the better originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM prices Silverado Hybrid, Sierra Hybrid, and Pontiac G3

Filed under: Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Trucks/Pickups, Chevrolet, GMC

Click above for high-res image gallery of the Pontiac G3

One day before the press converge on the LA Auto Show, General Motors has released pricing on its 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid and the 2009 Pontiac G3. The full-size hybrid pickup trucks each feature GM's patented two-mode hybrid drivetrain with a 6.0-liter V8 under the hood. Assisted by an electric motor, the trucks are rated to tow up to 6,100 pounds. Fuel economy is impressive for a pickup -- they are rated at 21 mpg city and 22 mpg highway (2WD) when unladen. The base price for the Silverado is $38,995 (including a $975 destination charge). The Sierra barely undercuts it with a starting price of $39,365 (including $975 DFC). Production on the pickups starts in December, with delivery to dealers starting in early 2009. If trucks aren't your thing, pricing on the all-new Pontiac G3 hatchback will squeak in at $14,995 (including $660 DFC), making it the least expensive car in Pontiac showrooms. While you'll drive home in air-conditioned comfort sipping fuel at 32 mpg on the highway, don't expect much in the way of driving excitement.

Gallery: 2008 Chevy Silverado Hybrid