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Canadian Auto News Watch - Monday October 20, 2014
General Motors Corporate News
GM lawyer to retire
Byline: Jeff Green Bloomberg, Page: B6, Edition: ONT
Toronto Star - Sat Oct 18 2014
GM legal chief to retire early next year
Note: Also in The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton), The Calgary Herald, Times Colonist (Victoria), Waterloo Region
Record, Guelph Mercury, Hamilton Spectator, The Windsor Star.
Source: AP, Page: B4
The Telegram (St. John's) - Sat Oct 18 2014
Group of General Motors vehicle owners suing for $10 billion
Permalink: www.autogo.ca...
autogo.ca - Mon Oct 20 2014
GM's 4G LTE Mobile Internet Poses Cost and Security Concerns - The Car Guide
Permalink: www.guideautoweb.com...
guideautoweb.com - Mon Oct 20 2014
Deaths linked to GM ignition defect reaches 27
Byline: Charles Jolicoeur, Source: AutoGo.ca, Page: E19
The Telegram (St. John's) - Sat Oct 18 2014
CAMARO DREAMS COME TRUE ; Boy turns birthday into charity event
Byline: TREVOR ROBB EDMONTON SUN, Page: 4, Edition: Final
The Edmonton Sun - Mon Oct 20 2014
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General Motors Product News
Fear no load with 2015 GMC Sierra HD Denali; Pickup an efficient but pricey heavyduty towing machine
Byline: DEREK MCNAUGHTON, Source: The Gazette, Page: C9, Edition: Early
Montreal Gazette - Mon Oct 20 2014
Ça bouge chez GMC! ; Plusieurs nouveaux modèles seront offerts chez GMC pour 2015.
Le géant américain, reconnu pour être un leader dans le domaine des camionnettes et
des sports utilitaires, nous propose deux modèles complètement redessinés, le Canyon
et le Yukon.
Page: A11, Edition: final
Le Journal de Québec - Sun Oct 19 2014
2014 Camaro is no big beast; Despite the brash loo ks and shouty stripes, the 2014
Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible is a pussycat of a car
Byline: BRENDAN MCALEER, Source: The Gazette, Page: C10, Edition: Early
Montreal Gazette - Mon Oct 20 2014
Smart money is on Camaro 1LE
Note: Also published in The London Free Press.
Byline: BRIAN MAKSE , BRIANMAKSE@GMAIL.COM, Page: D8, Edition: Final
The Sarnia Observer - Sat Oct 18 2014
2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe: The Second Front - Wheels.ca
Permalink: www.wheels.ca...
wheels.ca - Mon Oct 20 2014
The next big Cadillac thing; Hints are dropping, but will the CT6 stun like Elmiraj?
Byline: Michael Clark, Page: G7
The Chronicle-Herald - Sat Oct 18 2014
Northern Exposure: Thanksgiving Grace - Autos.ca
Permalink: www.autos.ca...
autos.ca - Sun Oct 19 2014
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Lifestyle/Social News
A Big BlissDom Welcome To Chevrolet Canada «
Permalink: blissdomcanada.com...
blissdomcanada.com - Fri Oct 17 2014
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General Motors Corporate News
GM lawyer to retire
Toronto Star
Sat Oct 18 2014
Page: B6
Section: BX
Byline: Jeff Green Bloomberg
Michael Millikin, General Motors' top lawyer, will retire next year. The general counsel had been criticized after
an investigation blamed his department for the company's slow response to a fatal defect in small cars.
The company will immediately begin an external search for someone to replace Millikin. The 66-year-old joined
the Detroit-based automaker in 1977.
GM chief executive officer Mary Barra fired 15 people earlier this year after an internal investigation determined
that lawyers and engineers didn't respond quickly enough to evidence of vehicle defects now linked to 27
deaths.
© 2014 Torstar Corporation
Edition: ONT
Length: 87 words
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GM legal chief to retire early next year
The Telegram (St. John's)
Sat Oct 18 2014
Page: B4
Section: Business
Source: AP
general
motors
noted
on
Mon
Oct
20
2014
6:00
am
ET
Also in The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton), The Calgary Herald, Times Colonist (Victoria), Waterloo Region Record, Guelph Mercury,
Hamilton Spectator, The Windsor Star.
General Motors' chief lawyer Michael Millikin, who withstood withering criticism from lawmakers for his
department's handling of an ignition switch recall, is retiring early next year. GM said Friday in a statement
Millikin, 66, will stay on until a replacement is on the job.
During a July Senate hearing on the delayed recall of small cars with faulty ignition switches, lawmakers
demanded that Millikin be fired.
© 2014 Transcontinental Media G.P. All rights reserved.
Length: 65 words
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Group of General Motors vehicle owners suing for $10 billion
autogo.ca
Mon Oct 20 2014
View original item at www.autogo.ca...»
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GM's 4G LTE Mobile Internet Poses Cost and Security Concerns The Car Guide
guideautoweb.com
Mon Oct 20 2014
View original item at www.guideautoweb.com...»
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Deaths linked to GM ignition defect reaches 27
The Telegram (St. John's)
Sat Oct 18 2014
Page: E19
Section: Drive
Byline: Charles Jolicoeur
Source: AutoGo.ca
The number of deaths linked to the ignition switch problem that led to an unprecedented wave of recalls at
General Motors has reached 27. This is the number of wrongful death claims approved by the victim
compensation program established by the American manufacturer.
Preliminary reports mentioned that up to 13 deaths could be linked to the defect, but that number has now
doubled since General Motors began the process of analyzing claims sent to the compensation program. The
latter is headed by Kenneth R. Feinberg, an expert on victim compensation.
Causes accepted by the compensation program are determined by Mr. Feinberg. So far, the program has
received 1,371 claims, including 178 wrongful death claims. A total of 58 applications have been approved to
date while others are pending review or further evidence.
The ignition switch defect is at the heart of an unprecedented number of recalls initiated by General Motors
since the beginning of the year. In some cases, the ignition switch rotated the key to the "off" position. This
would cause the engine to shut off which disabled airbags and power steering, among others.
General Motors did not indicate the exact amount that will be allocated to the victims approved by the
compensation program, but the American manufacturer said it would exceed a million dollars.
© 2014 Transcontinental Media G.P. All rights reserved.
Length: 211 words
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CAMARO DREAMS COME TRUE ; Boy turns birthday into charity
event
The Edmonton Sun
Mon Oct 20 2014
Page: 4
Section: News
Byline: TREVOR ROBB EDMONTON SUN
As far as birthday parties go, even Alina Pope admits this one will be tough to top.
In the Pope family, birthday presents take a back seat to birth-day experiences and it's always been eight-yearold Nathanial Pope's dream to ride in a Chevrolet Camaro.
Thanks to the help of social media and a local Camaro enthusiast, the St. Albert family were able to grant
Nathanial's wish.
"We put up a post on Facebook on the community of the St. Albert page thinking maybe someone would offer
him a ride, and right away we had someone respond and asked if we could do it the same day so we jumped
on it," said Alina. "Nathanial had no idea. When he (the driver) came around the corner, Nathanial was just
floored."
"It was so awesome -- I didn't know it was coming at all," said Nathanial, who rode in a bright yellow Camaro
just like his favourite car and character, Bumblebee, seen in the Transformers movies.
But the biggest surprise came when the ride was over and Alina went back online to check her Facebook feed.
Lo and behold, word had spread amongst several local auto clubs -- including the Edmonton Camaro and
Firebird Club, Central Alberta Camaro Club, Central Alberta Mustang Club, and the Central Alberta Mopar Club
-- and the idea came about to surprise Nathanial with a good ol' fashioned show and shine. Thus, Nathanial's
Camaro birthday Party was born.
Swaths of Camaros and other vintage cars lined a section of the Costco parking lot in St. Albert on Sunday to
celebrate Nathanial's ninth birthday -- which officially happens on Oct. 28.
For Alina, the response from the Alberta car community was overwhelming.
"The words can't describe the feeling," said Alina. "We try so hard to instill in our kids the importance of
community and the importance of giving back and I could never have taught them to this extent -this has really
driven it home."
But the giving didn't end there.
Nathanial wasn't just interested in having a birthday party; and because his wish came true, Nathanial came up
with the idea to have his party double as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta.
Edmonton Camaro and Firebird Club member James Montgomery was able to secure two framed photos, a
Camaro hoodie, and a metal placard from Adams Motors in Wetaskiwin to donate to the party and raffle off in a
silent auction with all proceeds going towards the Make-A-Wish foundation.
"This is all thanks to Nathanial's dream and inspiration that this whole thing happened and it really took off,"
said Katie Willis, communications coordinator with Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta.
"I had a dream come true so I just wanted to have other kids' dream come true too," said Nathanial.
© 2014 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• photo by Trevor Robb, Edmonton Sun
• Nathanial Pope, 8, and his mother Alina pose next to a Chevrolet Camaro at the Costco parking lot in St. Albert during his birthday
event on Sunday. The party doubled as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta.
Edition: Final
Length: 461 words
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General Motors Product News
Fear no load with 2015 GMC Sierra HD Denali; Pickup an efficient
but pricey heavy-duty towing machine
Montreal Gazette
Mon Oct 20 2014
Page: C9
Section: Driving
Byline: DEREK MCNAUGHTON
Source: The Gazette
With daylight slipping away faster than coins at the casino, and cold taking a deeper bite out of every October
day, fall is the time when boats, trailers and other pleasures of summer get stowed. It is, of course, also the
season when food comes off the field and hay gets stacked or stored - the time of year when a pickup will often
prove its worth.
The 2015 GMC Sierra HD that just pulled a modest 4,500-pound load for us certainly showed its value without
so much as a shrug. It barely scratched the surface of its 14,500-pound tow rating. Indeed, with such a small
load, the truck felt more relaxed than when riding empty. Having previously pulled more than 17,000 pounds in
a 3500 HD GMC, and 7,000 pounds in another 2500 HD, the verdict is mostly the same with these trucks: they
know how to tow. It's what they're designed to do.
Our 2500 HD Denali was equipped with GM's 6.6-litre Duramax diesel, offered as a $9,670 option on the 2500
and 3500. Its presence was more detectable by the badging on the hood than its sound at idle. GM says 60 per
cent of HD trucks are sold with a diesel engine - and for good reason. While it is quiet - indeed no noisier than a
gasoline engine on the highway, and perhaps even too quiet for the ranchers, farmers and bow-tie "truck types"
who will purchase an HD Denali - it is also impressively efficient, scoring a combined average of 13.1 L/100 km
in city and highway driving during my week with our Sonoma Red 4WD Crew Cab. Cruising at a steady 100 to
120 km/h, it's not hard to attain 10 L/100 km, impressive for a vehicle that weighs as much as two cars.
Better, the available torque is like giving a beer drinker his own tap at the pub. The Duramax turbo diesel
churns out 397-horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque. That's less than the Ram's 800 lb-ft in its big 2500,
but the power delivery in the Sierra is smooth and unflustered. There's lots of power to pass, and when towing,
the torque arrives at an early 1,600 rpm without noticeable lag.
The big GMC can also hold its speed downhill through a combination of diesel-exhaust braking and gradebraking through the Allison six-speed transmission. It simply feels in command of the road in all situations. The
standard engine on the 2500 HD truck is a 6.0-litre Vortec gas V8 with 360 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque.
Out on the highway, the 2500 rides extremely well, without the jerkiness sometimes felt in HD trucks. Noise is
well controlled, and the cab feels tight, though I did detect the odd rattle. Braking feels excellent. Visibility,
especially with big trailer mirrors, is good, and the ample room inside the cab, especially in back, can easily
accommodate five adults, though the rear seats could use some additional recline.
The standard box on our tester made the 2500 easy enough to manoeuvre, even in the city, though it was too
tall to fit in my underground parking spot. The longbox version, with a 167.7-inch wheelbase, would be much
tougher to negotiate, though its eight-foot bed would be handy for commercial use.
The 2500 takes much of its design and appearance from GM's half-ton trucks that debuted in 2013 as 2014
models, with interiors to match, though the Denali gets real aluminum trim accents, special badging, contrasting
stitching in the quality leather seats and, best of all, an eight-inch digital display in the main cluster that makes it
not only competitive with Ford and Ram, but far more intelligent than that in GM's regular trucks. Configurable
any which way the driver wants, the cluster presents clear, sharp and compelling graphics. Aside from the
torque, the cluster ended up being one of my favourite things about this truck, and it should be standard across
the lineup.
The eight-inch colour touch screen in the centre stack is fairly easy to operate, with decent swipe and touch
controls, though the Navigation system is weak. The cabin does get some great storage, though, with lots of
USB and power outlets and decent interior lighting.
The HD trucks, available with either a 6.5 or eight-foot bed, can be configured in more than 150 combinations
of body style, powertrain, bed length and axle type. Starting at $37,430 in Canada for the most basic 2WD
Sierra 2500 and climbing to over $68,000 for a 4WD Crew Cab 3500 before options, the trucks can get
expensive as options are piled on. As it was, our test truck stickered at an outrageous $85,470.
So what do you get for all that investment? The maximum capability for the 2500 equipped with the Duramax is
14,500 pounds of conventional towing and 17,900 under a fifth wheel. Payload maximum is 4,306 pounds.
Those are huge numbers, demonstrating that today's Sierra HD Denali is as serious about work as it is
providing a luxurious and rewarding driving experience.
2015 GMC Sierra
Price: $68,345 (base); $85,470 (as tested)
Engine: 6.6L turbo diesel V8 Power: 397 horsepower; 765 pound-feet of torque
Overview: Powerful truck capable of most towing jobs
Pros: Diesel engine, quiet ride Cons: Sierra HD is not as goodlooking as Silverado HD
Value for money: Average, can get very expensive
Visit driving.ca for more specifications on this vehicle.
© 2014 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• DEREK MCNAUGHTON, DRIVING / The powerful 2015 GMC Sierra HD Denali boasts a 14,500-pound tow rating.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 859 words
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Ça bouge chez GMC! ; Plusieurs nouveaux modèles seront offerts
chez GMC pour 2015. Le géant américain, reconnu pour être un
leader dans le domaine des camionnettes et des sports utilitaires,
nous propose deux modèles complètement redessinés, le Canyon
et le Yukon.
Le Journal de Québec
Sun Oct 19 2014
Page: A11
Section: Autonet
LE RETOUR DU GMC CANYON
Le marché des camionnettes intermédiaires n'a jamais été reconnu pour être très populaire en sol canadien.
Par contre, je trouve personnellement ce format de camionnette hyper pratique pour des gens à la recherche
de
polyvalence. Après l'avoir retiré de leur gamme en 2012, GMC nous revient cette année avec un tout nouveau
Canyon.
Son design est plutôt réussi. En effet, il a un look à la fois robuste et moderne. Ces lignes de carrosserie
massives et ses arches de roues bombées lui procurent bien sûr des airs de famille avec son grand frère, le
GMC Sierra.
Le nouveau Canyon sera proposé en différentes configurations. C'est ainsi que nous pourrons le retrouver
avec une cabine allongée ou une cabine double jumelée à une caisse de 5,2 ou de 6,2 pieds.
À l'intérieur, il faudra s'attendre à un habitacle de grande qualité. À voir la liste des différents équipements
offerts, les futurs acheteurs de cette camionnette intermédiaire ne seront pas en reste.
C'est vraiment sous le capot que le Canyon nous réserve la plus grande surprise. D'ici 2016, il sera d'ailleurs
doté de trois types de motorisation. Il est à parier que le 4 cylindres 2,5 L injection directe, qui nous promet une
excellente économie de carburant, sera l'une des motorisations les plus prisées par les acheteurs. Il développe
une puissance honnête de 193 chevaux.
Pour ceux qui aimeraient avoir un peu plus de puissance sous le pied droit, un V6 de 3,6 L de 302 chevaux
sera aussi proposé.
Pour terminer, une motorisation diesel Duramax 6 cylindres sera aussi offerte un peu plus tard dans l'année.
Celle-ci équipera les Canyon de l'année modèle 2016. J'ai bien hâte de pouvoir en faire l'essai et de vous livrer
mes commentaires. Les moteurs diesel sont d'ailleurs reconnus pour délivrer beaucoup de couples à bas
régime en plus d'offrir d'excellentes consommations de carburant à leur client.
ENFIN UNE REFONTE POUR LE YUKON
Brièvement, je ne peux passer sous silence la refonte qu'a subie le gros utilitaire sport Yukon. Il était temps
d'ailleurs que GMC mette au goût du jour ce mastodonte, qui n'avait pas subi de retouches majeures depuis
2007. Sans être une révolution, on peut qualifier le nouveau design du Yukon d'une évolution logique par
rapport à son prédécesseur.
Sous le capot, les moteurs V8 sont à l'honneur. Équipé de l'injection directe et de la désactivation des
cylindres, le 5,3 L nous promet des consommations d'essence «raisonnables». Pour les amateurs de
puissance, le 6,2 litres de 420 chevaux et de 460 livres pieds de couple est aussi proposé.
Edition: final
Length: 413 words
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2014 Camaro is no big beast; Despite the brash loo ks and shouty
stripes, the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible is a pussycat of
a car
Montreal Gazette
Mon Oct 20 2014
Page: C10
Section: Driving
Byline: BRENDAN MCALEER
Source: The Gazette
The very first Hot Wheels ever made, styled by Harry Bentley Bradley and released in 1968, was a Chevrolet
Camaro. Part of the original run of sixteen model cars, you could get the 1/64th scale Camaro in a number of
brightly coloured Spectraflame finishes, and line it up against the Mustang that was released around the same
time for pint-sized tabletop pony-car showdowns.
Pretty much the same thing was happening on a full-scale level on drag strips and street courses all across
North America. Ford had a three-year lead on Chevy, but General Motors came back in a big way, stuffing its
biggest engines under the hood in an ever-escalating horsepower war. Even as the gas crisis took the wind out
of most performance cars, the Mustang and the Camaro would volley back and forth, their fans taking sides in
what essentially turned into trench warfare. Either you were with the Blue Oval or the Bow tie.
The kids who grew up with those Hot Wheels stuffed into their pockets soon had the chance to put a full-sized
version of their favourite in the driveway, and while the Camaro rode the bench from 2003-2009, it came back
all angular and angry, just in time for the second decade of the third millennium. Ford may be firing off the
confetti cannons in celebration of a half-century of Mustang, but Chevy's pony car isn't about to lurk in the
shadows. Here it comes down that orange strip of plastic at full speed, dressed in waspish yellow and wearing
the war paint of twin matte-black rally stripes.
If you grew up with Boneshaker, Beatnik Bandit, Twin-Mill, and all the other wild-and-woolly Hot Wheels
customs, then the Camaro's in-your-face styling works just fine. This yellow-andchrome-wheels combination
does tend to highlight some of the more questionable styling details - the faux gills on the rear haunches, for
instance - but the few tweaks GM introduced last year look good. The narrowed grille and conventional tail
lights give the car a still-fresh look, and if, like me, you're secretly still eight years old, the giant functional vent
on the hood is just plain cool.
Inside, form dictates function. If you wanted to look good in your bow tie muscle car, then that base is covered;
if you wanted to see, well, um, not so much. Forward visibility is akin to the M4 Sherman tanks that were once
tested at GM's Milford proving grounds, and this convertible version has large three-quarter blind spots.
The rear seats will do for smaller children, but headroom up front is relatively tight. Oh, and the trunk is usable
for smaller items, but might present a challenge to weekend getaway luggage.
What's more, the Camaro's interior now lags behind the refreshed Challenger and all-new Mustang introduced
this year. Fit and finish were pretty good, but it's plainer in here than in either competitor, and less fluid than the
Challenger's well-executed retro design. It also looks less upscale than the Mustang's interior.
However, the gauge cluster introduced last year is easier to read than previously, and the brightly-lit head-up
display even includes a lateral g-meter. You get easy-to-use knobs for the air-conditioning and heating, and a
large touch-screen display for the infotainment.
Chevy's MyLink system is easy to use, and the navigation screen looks good, although it's set a little too low in
the dash. Less good are the twin rows of buttons flanking the screen, which occasionally fail to register a touch.
But all these quibbles fade into the background as soon as you drop that top and unleash that beast of a 6.2litre V8, right? Well, sort of. This particular bumblebee came with slightly less sting in its tail than usual, with a
rating of 400 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque at 4,300 rpm. Reason? It's coupled to GM's sixspeed automatic transmission. Manual Camaros get an extra 26 horsepower and 10 lb-ft of torque.
Crank up the all-aluminum V8, and the first reaction is "Gee mister, why's your car so quiet?" This Camaro has
an engine the size of an oldschool AMG product, but where there's grumble and drama from the Teutonic
muscle, the Camaro only purrs softly.
This is not a comment on refinement, but rather on the spirit of the car: with the automatic, the SS feels a bit
like a Mercedes SL. The ride is much busier, of course, and the buffeting a little more invigorating, but overall
the car is smooth-shifting and well composed, with a sense of great mass and deeply comfortable seats. Oh
sure, the latter have large bolsters, but they feel made for longdistance touring rather than slicing up the
apexes.
The transmission shifts up early, to take advantage of the low-end torque, resulting in five-cycle fuel economy
ratings of 13.7 L/100 kilometres in the city and 8.3 on the highway.
Leaving the highway and finding a mountain road to uncork the V8 a little, it's really only up in the range that
the Camaro's heartbeat starts to pound.
The steering is good, there's not much in the way of cowl shake as the droptop has been stiffened to make up
for cutting off the roof, and the considerable mass of the car works with the well-tuned suspension.
For all its eye-searingly yellow paint and shouty stripes, this big Chevy is a pussycat of a car. It's a bit too large
to be fun and nimble, but it's got plenty of grip and considerable thrust if you poke the bear under the hood a
bit. However, I can't help but feel like there's a little something missing.
After freight and PDI, this muscular behemoth costs just shy of $58,000 and it has a key that looks like a patch
job rather than a device to unlock the beast you've been dreaming about since your youth.
If you grew up with a Hot Wheels Camaro in your front pocket, then putting the keys to this modern, automatic,
droptop version in the same spot isn't going to feel quite as special. The optional dualmode exhaust or an
aftermarket muffler to let that V8 grumble out might do the trick, but in factory form, this particular Camaro isn't
the blister-packed hotrod you'd be reaching for first.
© 2014 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• BRENDAN MCALEER, DRIVING / Despite styling reminiscent of Hot Wheels, the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible is
smooth-shifting and well composed, with a sense of great mass and deeply comfortable seats.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 1033 words
Return to top
Smart money is on Camaro 1LE
The Sarnia Observer
Sat Oct 18 2014
Page: D8
Section: Autonet
Byline: BRIAN MAKSE , BRIANMAKSE@GMAIL.COM
Column: Autonet
general
motors
noted
Also published in The London Free Press.
on
Mon
Oct
20
2014
5:54
am
ET
If you're a fan of Canadian racing, you'll remember the well-regarded Players/GM racing series that featured
Chevrolet Camaros (as well as Pontiac Firebirds) competing against one another. All of those cars in the series
were factory-built racers, fitted with one magic option code -1LE.
Those cars were all lightweight performance specials, with uprated brakes and suspension, and eschewing
basics like air conditioning for weight savings. The majority of the 1LE-optioned cars ended up in the Players/
GM and other racing series at the time, and a few did make it out into the wild as road cars. Today, assuming
you can find a road-going 1LE, be prepared to spend a pretty penny to acquire one.
The 1LE option code has been absent from Camaro for some years and today's car is as much of a factory
special as it was decades ago, however the 1LE no longer designates a racing model as today's racers are
now custom, purpose-built machines.
Though the term 1LE is easy to use to identify this special Camaro, keep in mind that it is an option package as
it was years ago, not a separate model. In my opinion and that of many enthusiasts, it certainly deserves its
own model designation, but would only serve to confuse the average Camaro driver between SS, Z/28, and
ZL1. For us enthusiasts, the Camaro SS 1LE slots in the lineup right underneath the Z/28 and uses a number
of off-the- shelf parts to make a wickedly fun muscle car.
Starting with the 6.2-litre, 426 horsepower V8, the 1LE uses a unique six-speed manual transmission fitted with
a close-ratio gearset, a 3.91 final drive, the short throw shifter from the ZL1, and additional cooling.
While not as specialized -- nor as expensive -- as the Z/28's spool valve dampers, the 1LE's shocks were
developed and are custom-valved for the package. According to GM, there was no benefit to stiffer spring
rates, so standard SS springs are used, but anti-roll bars are specific to the 1LE.
The 1LE uses the ZL1's more durable wheel bearings, toe links, and rear shock mounts. In GMspeak, they call
this the FE6 suspension package.
One of the keys to the 1LE's excellent handling balance is the tire, specifically chosen for the application. The
Goodyear Eagle Supercar G2 tires are sized 285/35R-20 in all four places, on 10-inch wide front and 11-inch
wide rear wheels. On most performance- oriented cars you'll find a narrower front tire, which promotes safe,
benign, but ultimately boring, understeer. The equally-sized tires give the experienced driver a little more
latitude to attack a circuit, rather than fighting unbalanced handling.
The 1LE uses the same electric power steering setup as the ZL1 that's both variable ratio and variable effort.
While some enthusiasts still turn their nose up at electric power steering, the 1LE's response is excellent and is
otherwise precise, but could use a little more feel.
Just like the old 1LE racers, this one uses dual fuel pump pickups within the fuel tank. That'll allow you to run
the fuel tank down to relatively low levels, giving you more time on track per tank.
Other than perhaps tires, braking is the only area track rats will want to optimize with a more aggressive pad.
The standard four-wheel discs with four piston Brembo calipers are otherwise perfect for road use, with superb
power and control.
There is a competition mode to the stability system that gives the experienced driver a little more rear axle slip
angle. If you like circus tricks, there's also a launch control feature.
Visually, the 1LE distinguishes itself from other Camaros by its flat black hood as well as its unique, functional
front splitter and rear spoiler. There is no 1LE badge, so only those of us with sharp eyes will know, raising the
car's cool factor.
The cockpit is all familiar Camaro, save for the alcantaracovered steering wheel and shift knob, as well as the
superbly supportive seats. While they are perfectly supportive for the track, they are still comfortable enough for
long drives.
The driver interface is excellent and the best part of the experience is easily executing perfect heel-and-toe
downshifts. The V8 revs freely enough, the pedals are perfectly placed, and that short throw shifter feels great,
and it all encourages you to downshift as often as possible.
As a car, the 1LE is a remarkable package in its own right. Handling, braking, and power are perfectly
optimized, much like its faster, more focused Z/28 big brother. In fact, the 1LE is so good that I'd argue that it's
seven-eighths a Z/28 for about half the price. If you're buying a Camaro to enjoy on great roads or on a circuit,
smart money is on the 1LE.
--FACT FILE: 2015 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Trim level: SS
Price as tested (before taxes): $44,820
Options on test vehicle: SS performance package (1LE) ($3,675), dual mode performance exhaust ($940), rear
vision package ($600), bright yellow paint ($415)
Freight: $1,650
Configuration: Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine/transmission: 6.2L eight-cylinder/ six-speed manual
Power/torque: 426 hp/420 lb-ft
Fuel (capacity): Premium (45L)
Fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 15.0 city, 9.9 highway
Warranties: 3 years/ 60,000 km (basic)
Competitors: BMW M235i, Dodge Challenger R/T, Ford Mustang GT, Nissan 370Z
Strengths: A complete performance package, driver interface
Weaknesses: Size and weight, dated interior
Report card (out of 10)
Equipment level: 8 -Just what you need, nothing superfluous.
Price: 9 -An excellent performance value.
Styling: 7 -Unmistakably Camaro.
Comfort (front): 9 -Excellent seats and seating position.
Comfort (rear): 5 -Better suited for you helmet back.
Handling: 9 -When GM does it right, it's superb.
Performance: 9 -Could use more grunt, but there's always the Z/28.
Storage: 6 -Tiny trunk and small interior cargo room.
Overall: 8 -A brilliant value for performance pony car fans.
© 2014 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• photo by AUTONET
Edition: Final
Length: 955 words
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2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe: The Second Front - Wheels.ca
wheels.ca
Mon Oct 20 2014
View original item at www.wheels.ca...»
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The next big Cadillac thing; Hints are dropping, but will the CT6
stun like Elmiraj?
The Chronicle-Herald
Sat Oct 18 2014
Page: G7
Section: CLS
Byline: Michael Clark
When it comes to The Guess, I have had my moments in these pages. Four-bangers in Impalas and EcoBoost
Mustangs came true, though I'm still waiting for a Chrysler 300 Coupe with equipment that could live up to the
punch of the fabled letter series cars.
This week, the bowl of thought noodles takes a spork stab at the Cadillac CT6, which will commence
production in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Here's what we know, and brother, it ain't much. The debut of this new model is slated for mid-year and it will
truly be the top of the Cadillac range, perched above the CTS and XTS models.
It's a Motor City build, with a $384-million investment at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.
The facility is the nerve centre for electrified GM vehicles, such as the Cadillac ELR, so some form of electric
assist for the CT6 could be in the bins.
The CT6 will be a sedan, and let's hope that's just the initial stamping, if it looks anything like the 2013 Cadillac
Elmiraj Concept.
The official GM talk speaks of a rear-wheel-drive-oriented platform, so an all-wheel drive set-up must be on the
table, as the majority of German luxury brands continue to embrace the traction-savvy spine.
Cadillac states that the platform is unique to the CT6, so that cancels out the Aussie Chevy Caprice with a
Caddy nose cone.
Cadillac is going uptown, and not just in the cut-and-sewn interior trimmings. GM recently announced that the
brand will be established as a separate business unit.
The heavy lifting of product development and manufacturing will remain unchanged for the brand, but the new
Cadillac global headquarters will be moving to New York City, an address that knows a thing or two about
premium, even at three in the morning.
The CT6 badge will be the first vehicle to adopt a new naming strategy for Cadillac. The higher the numeral,
the higher the rank in the product portfolio.
Don't expect to see an ATS Coupe renamed as a CT4; the new naming system won't be landing on other
Cadillacs until the current model is redesigned, or a new one takes its place.
On the tech side, Cadillac claims that the CT6 will be the lightest car in the large luxury sedan set, using a
mixed material philosophy, which means plenty of aluminum in the structure.
While fishing for maybe-specs, I dug into the Cadillac Elmiraj Concept, or as I like to put it, the 2017 Eldorado.
The Elmiraj punches up the Art and Science design elements, reportedly with 'chassis and structural elements
of an ongoing Cadillac vehicle development project,' which had better be the CT6.
The Elmiraj is a runner, with a 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8, rated in the neighbourhood of 500 horsepower.
The Elmiraj was born of the Cadillac Ciel Concept, which explored the possibility of the Phaeton making a
comeback.
The daylight opening of the Elmiraj is large enough to support a sedan profile, so if this is the new CT6, play
on, and figure out which alphanumeric designation is worthy of being a Cadillac grand coupe.
Design note; the Elmiraj design team was influenced by the still-stunning 1967 Eldorado, AKA Car 17 in my
Top-100 Bucket List Garage.
Concept cars are jam-packed with glorious trim pieces that would never make it into production, like Brazilian
Rosewood panels for headliner duty.
The seats, while appearing to be refugees from a Space 1999 shuttle craft, do exhibit plenty of cut-and-sewn
bespoke, as well as the ability to really get out of the way, for rear passenger access.
The rear seats actually move forward to meet the passengers, then move back into position. A grand coupe
indeed.
Does Cadillac need a better Cadillac? Perhaps. My hope for the CT6 is that it won't be an obvious competitor,
like the new ATS Coupe is for the BMW 4-Series.
Cadillac doesn't need to have an answer, an alternative, to every luxury marque. Cadillac needs to be a
Cadillac, the Standard of the World, in every sense of the word. The good news is that Cadillac agrees.
Simply put, the CT6 must be one step beyond, from the hides, to the switchgear, to the open pore woods. My
gut says it will be.
And remember, I've been right before.
© 2014 The Halifax Herald Limited. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• The Elmiraj was born of the Cadillac Ciel Concept, which explored the possibility of the Phaeton making a comeback.
• GM
• The Cadillac Elmiraj Concept is a design vision for a four-seat coupe.
• GM
Length: 707 words
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Northern Exposure: Thanksgiving Grace - Autos.ca
autos.ca
Sun Oct 19 2014
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Lifestyle/Social
A Big BlissDom Welcome To Chevrolet Canada «
blissdomcanada.com
Fri Oct 17 2014
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