The Demo Site

Cash-starved GM's set to auction many recent and slightly less-important vehicles from its Heritage museum Collection at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction. Surprisingly full yet not-quite finished list below.

Basically, GM's auctioning off anything they can semi-easily buy another one of when (hopefully) times get better. Smarter move than auctioning off the rest of the more-priceless classics they've got in their Warren-based Heritage Center, like the dozens of completely irreplaceable and one-off concept cars. Of course, they could probably get more for those. Maybe they're next if times get even more tight.

While the list appears heavily stacked towards the 1990s and 2000s, that doesn't mean there aren't older vehicles on it. Check out the 1904 Oldsmobile Touring Runabout for an example. Us? We're hoping the Gawker Non-Denominational Winter Holiday Bonus is big enough for one of the 1989 Corvette ZR-1s.

Still, we're hearing the final list of vehicles for sale is not-yet-complete. Maybe some of the more precious will go live to buy.

The Barrett-Jackson auction runs from January 13-19, 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Break out the piggy banks.

List of Cars
1955 Buick Century
Bolero
2001 Blackhawk
G6 Rolex Pace
2007 Corvette Indy Pace/copper
2008 Corvette Indy Pace/black
1918 Cadillac
1995 Riveria Convertible
1993 Allante Pace car
1996 Presidential Limo
1998 Popemobile
1999 Eldorod
Indy Pennzoil IRL #4 (yellow)
Indy Pennzoil Panther Racing (yellow)
2003 EXT - M
2004 CTS Super V
2004 SRX Hot Wheels
2004 SRX SEMA
2005 STS MCE Integration
2006 DTS Appearance Pkg
2007 Escalade Limo
2007 Escalade SEMA
2008 CTS Sport
LMP #8
1925 Chevrolet House Car (Blue/Black)
1948 Chevy I-5 Vortech
1960 Impala
1972 Impala
2004 M/C Rock&Roll Pace (blue/yellow)
1987 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo Convertible
1989 Corvette DR-1
1989 Corvette Snake Skinner
1989 Corvette Splash
1989 Corvette ZR-1
1989 Corvette ZR-1 (Dark Red)
1989 Corvette ZR-2 Big Doggie
1989 Tracker Boom Box
1989 Zonker
1990 Corvette Right Hand Steer
1990 Corvette ZR-1 Active
1991 Caprice Classic
1991 Corvette Convertible
1991 Syclone PPG Pace
1991 Tracker Dirt
1992 Corvette ZR-1 First Built (Red)
1992 Impala SS 510
1993 Camaro ZL-1 "572"
1993 Corvette LT-1 Spyder
1993 Typhoon
1994 Corvette (Teal)
1994 Impala SS 6 Speed
1994 Impala Wagon
1994 Tracker Kalahari
1995 Monte Carlo Led Sled
1995 Monte Carlo Pro Street
1996 Camaro Brickyard Pace
1997 Corvette Alpha Build
1997 Corvette Beta Build
1997 Corvette Tiger Shark
2005 M/C Rock&Roll Pace (red)
1997 Monte Carlo Intimidator
1998 Camaro Drag
1998 Corvette First Built
1998 Corvette X-plorers
1999 Corvette C5R Show Car
1999 Corvette Shark
1999 Silverado Tonka
2000 Corvette Z06 Race
2000 Monte Carlo Brickyard #3
2000 Tahoe K5
2001 Impala Low Rider
2001 Monte Carlo Drag
Silverado #17 GMAC Racetruck
2001 Silverado Intimidator SS (Black)
2006 Silverado Craftsman Pace Flex Fuel #2
2002 Camaro Police
2002 Cavalier 425 A/FX Drag
2002 Monte Carlo Looney Tunes Pace
2002 S-10 Little Red
2003 Aveo Xtreme
2003 Corvette Lemans Pace #3
2003 Monte Carlo Rock & Roll Race
2004 Aveo X-treme
2004 Colorado SS Dark Cherry
2004 Colorado Xtreme
2004 Colorado Z-71 Vision
2004 Corvette Indy Pace
2004 Impala SS Project Vehicle
2004 Malibu Maxx SS
2004 Malibu Xtreme 2004
2004 Monte Carlo Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2004 Monte Carlo Tony Stewart
2004 Silverado Speedway
Solstice "Jazz" Transformer Movie Vehicle
1969 Reggie Jackson Camaro (red)
1990 Beretta Indy Pace
2004 Escalade Pinnacle (black)
Holden Race Car #22 (red)
2000 STS Saftey
2007 Yukon "CSI Vegas" (used in filming of show)
2003 Rendezvous CXL
1998 Rivera (teal)
2005 Colorado CC Z71
2005 Corvette Atlantic
2005 Corvette Pacific
2005 Equinox Xtreme
2004 Suburban Quadsteer
2006 HHR Official Tailgate Crew
2006 HHR Open Air
2006 HHR Panel
2006 HHR Panel Tuner
2006 HHR Xplorer Scout
2006 HHR Yearone
1995 Aurora (red)
2007 Avalanche Z-71 Plus
2007 Corvette Z06 First Built (Red)
2007 HHR SS Panel Motor City (Flat Gray)
2007 Silverado "Big Red"
2007 Silverado CC Rally Sport
2007 Silverado Country Music
2007 Silverado E85 Handy Man
1985 Calais "MSU"
2007 Silverado OCC
2007 Silverado Roadside
2007 SilveradoZ71 Orange
2007 Suburban HD Diesel
2007 Suburban Major League Baseball (Blue)
2007 Tahoe Foose
2007 Tahoe US Ski Team
Camaro Trans Am 2 seater
C/K 1500 Supertruck Chevy 2 Seat
Camaro GTZ
Camaro LT5
Corvette C5 Display Chassis
Corvette Purple Smash
Corvette Racing Boat
Corvette Trailer
Corvette ZR1 Rolling Chassis
HHR Floral
Holden Race Car (Red)
Kappa Chassis
S-10 Drag
S-10 Off Road Truck
S-10 Race Truck (Red)
S-10 Stadium Truck
2003 Centieme Concept
1916 GMC Stake Truck
1917 GMC Trailer
1948 GMC Firetruck
1978 GMC Suburban (Brown/Cream)
2003 Rollback
2004 Canyon Kayak
2004 Envoy Race Truck
2004 Envoy Water Sports
2007 Sierra All Terrain Crew
2007 Sierra HD Denali
Caprice "Fire & Rescue"
2007 Sierra Texas Edition
2007 Yukon Denali Jay-Z (Blue)
2007 Yukon XL Big Max
2007 Yukon All Terrain
2003 Hummer Spring Special
2005 Hummer Dirt Sport
2005 Hummer H2 Slant Back
2006 H3 street
2006 HHR Spring Special (Cappucino Frost)
2007 H2 Safari
2008 H3R SEMA
1994 Corvette HO
Corvette ZR 1 Snake Skinner
1904 Olds Touring Runabout
1923 Olds
1931 Olds Chassis
1940 Olds Blue
1949 Olds (Green)
1954 Olds Ninety Eight
1960 Olds 88 (White)
1970 Cutlass SX
1970 Olds 442 W30
1977 Olds Delta 88 Indy Pace
1995 Cutlass Darth Vadar
1995 Cutlass Mobil Net Race
1998 Intrigue 1998 (Blue)
1999 Intrigue 442
1999 Silhouette OSV #2
2001 Bravada Indy Pace
2002 Intrigue Last 2002
Aurora Exxon Race GTS (Gold/White)
Aurora IRL Race Car Cut-Away #5
Aurora IRL Race Car Cut-Away #5
1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo (Gray)
1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo Active (Gray)
1926 Pontiac
1926 Pontiac (Gray/Black)
1968 Pontiac Cataline (White)
1969 Pontiac GTO (Green)
1969 Pontiac GTO Judge (Orange/Yellow)
1980 Pontiac Grand Am Pickup
1994 Firebird Lingenfelter 383
1999 Grand Am SCT
2003 Sunfire X-plores (Yellow)
2006 Solstice DTP (Orange)
1967 GTO XXX Hardtop
1984 Fiero GT 2+2
1986 Firebird Trans Am Kamback
1987 Fiero GT Convertible
1991 Firebird Trans Am Twin Turbo
1993 Firebird IMSA Race car
1994 Firebird Firmula V8
1994 Firebird Trans Am 25th Ann.
1998 Firebird Trans Am Gold Rush
1998 Firebird Trans Am X-plorers
1998 Grand Prix M&M Pace
2000 Bonneville Salt Flats
2000 Firebird Rytek Project
2000 Firebird Trans Am Darth Vader
CTS-VR Race Replica (black)
2001 Aztek First Built (Black)
2001 Aztek Pace #1 (Red)
2001 Aztek SRV
2002 Firebird Trans Am Daytona Pace #2
2003 Grand AM Autocross
2003 Vibe Autocross Sema
2003 Vibe FX
2004 Grand Prix GXP SEMA
2004 GTO 1st built
2005 Firedbird Trans Am Collectors Ed.
2005 GTO SEMA
2006 Solstice Red Bull Drifter
2006 Solstice Weekend Racer
Fiero Goodwrench Race
Grand Am #85 race car
Grand Prix (show car)
GTO Drag Performance Parts
Firebird Mobil Race Car
1991 Saturn 4 Door 1991 (White)
1995 Saturn 1 Millionth
1999 Saturn 2 Millionth
2004 Ion Red Line
2004 Ion Red Line
2004 Ion Red Line
2004 Saturn Vue Spring Special
2004 Vue Red Line Street Play
Saturn Lola Race Car
1999 Grand Prix GT (red)
Regal Cielo Open Air
2001 Regal GNX
2002 Rendezvous Inca Trail (grey)
2002 Rendezvous Tour Edition SC
GTP Ultrlite (teal)
900 Pikes Peak
Malibu Friday Night Cruiser

Our nominee for Hoon of the Day goes to the Florida man who stole a hearse during a funeral service. Yes, we said during the service.

A man who was "tagging" along with a funeral service jumped in and stole the waiting hearse. He decided to go for a little scenic tour of Florida and "ironically" drives to his house to grab a bible, talk to his mom, then asks if anyone wants to go for a ride back to the church. What? The jokes just write themselves.

Sheriff Al Lamberti said:

"Just when you think you've seen it all, this is obviously a first for me. We've had hearses stolen before, but not in the middle of a service (What kind of place is this?). It's obviously a very strange situation."

The situation ended when the man, on his way back to the church, almost ran over a Sheriff's Deputy who in turn shot him in the leg. After a short foot chase, our Hoon of the Day nominee ran into the church, disrupting the funeral for the second time at which point he was placed under arrest.

Video and bonus joke below:

(Thanks for the tip Goatrope!)

Here's a bonus joke because there's no better time to tell it than when you're talking about a hearse, here goes nothing:

A man was walking back home when he noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery.

A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind. Behind the second hearse was a solitary man walking with a dog. Behind that were 200 men walking in a single file.

He respectfully approached the man walking with the dog and said, "I am so sorry for your loss, and I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I've never seen a funeral procession like this. Whose funeral is it?"

The man replied, "Well, that first hearse is for my wife. My dog attacked and killed her."

He inquired further, "Well, who is in the second hearse?"

The man answered, "My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my wife when the dog turned on her."

After a moment of silence he asked, "Can I borrow the dog?"

The man with the dog replied,

"Get in line."

As expected, Chrysler and GM appear to be reviving merger talks. Oh joy. Guess we get to dust off that Chrysler-GM merger photoshop contest again, don't we? [MSNBC]

When Thomas Edison invented the first modern incandescent light bulb (sort of), he inadvertently created the light bulb joke. You've heard them all before. A person is asked how many of a certain type of individual are required to screw in a light bulb. Unless the proper answer is given, the questioner explains X number of people are needed because of the shortcomings of the particular people mentioned. For example, you may wonder how many Texans it takes to screw in a light bulb. We can tell you, with much certainty, it would take 40 or 50 Texans to pull it off. But to their credit, it is a gigantic light bulb. The Acura NSX cancellation turned on a gigantic light bulb in the mind of Uberdude328i, who had to conclude the Carpocalypse is truly here.

Ya know, with every trend/crisis/revolution there is a moment in the cycle when every person says "Wait a minute, this does affect me!" In many cases the epiphany event will be the same for a lot of people, like when you're company lays you and the 90 guys in the cubes around off. Some epiphanies will be quite specific. Like when a stray bullet pokes a hole in the only water bucket a young Nigerian father has.

With the Carpocalypse looming on my horizon for a while now, this moment, Honda canceling the NSX, is when I stopped for a second and said, "Wait, this whole Carpocalypse thing does kinda suck." The big-three bailout FAIL was fun to watch, but there are really only two cars in those stables that look the least bit appealing to me. Hearing that Honda was cutting production was unfortunate news but their current product line up is less that inspiring to me. It took hearing that the future of the auto industry, the thoughts, ideas, and concepts (literally) were coming under fire. I realized that we are not only fighting to keep the cars we have, but to keep the momentum that the American auto industry has had since 1901. If things continue like they have, we're looking at decades of lost progression. Manufacturers will be looking to sell what they know they can sell instead of finding news ways to entice my automotive curiosity.

I guess that's what it was for me. Knowing that the continued progression of the automobile was now in jeopardy for me to stop, take notice, and write a really long comment on a blog. What'll it take you?

We'd be really bummed if they even hinted at canceling the G8 ST. Good thing no one has, huh? Right? RIGHT!?!

Thanks to not being invited to today's secret Chrysler future product event, we're not covered by any embargoes. Good. Because that means we're able to tell you all about Chrysler's future product plans...today! Yay!

Don't call it a death rattle because it's obviously too early for that, however this product plan Chrysler unveiled today was termed by some as smoke and mirrors and others as "lipstick on a foam pig" — especially if they're unable to land the billions in funding right-quick.

Be that as it may, this is what we've learned so far from a handful of journalists in attendance (Remember to thank Chrysler PR man Rick Deneau for all this information! It's his continually shortsighted approach to the internet and a lack of desire to reach out to our readership — by specifically excluding us and Autoblog from embargo access — that made this post possible. Give Rick a big hand folks!):

Detroit Auto Show:
There's a new conceptual member of the smoke & mirrors EV family to be revealed at Detroit, the second Jeep in the bunch — a Jeep Patriot EV!

Chicago Auto Show:
Expect to see the next generation of the chassis cab trucks Americans want to buy but Congress doesn't want Chrysler to make.

New York Auto Show:
For some reason the NY show's been all about the Jeeps. This year's no different, with the Pentastar brand showing off an all-new 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee, complete with a 7,700 lb tow rating, an aluminum front axle and low-rolling-resistance tires. Just what every Jeep buyer ever wanted — fiction and uselessness rolled into one package (though we do hear the exterior looks pretty darn good)!

Da Future!
• Journalists were also shown a set of all-new and refreshed RWD sedans — a 2011 Chrysler 300 and 2011 Dodge Charger. The Charger was supposedly showing off design cues from the late 60s ( can someone say Challenger-like? ). Both will get all-new interiors (shown off later in the interior design studio with five other interior mock-ups). Everyone who saw the mock-ups of the exteriors said they looked "very retro" and "very cool."
• A new Dodge Durango was shown made out of foam with what was termed as a "horrible paint job" (Covered in dinoc film perhaps?).
• Some kind of new and cool internet feature allowing for everything from streaming internet access to streaming internet radio, and you can tag songs and download it later (maybe through iTunes?) and all of it on a cool tablet PC that will let you use maps and stuff. The best part? It may even let you go to shady sites like Jalopnik (unless Ricky D's got anything to say about it)!

This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we examine interesting street-parked cars located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. When was the last time you saw an E10 Corolla?

While I've never actually been to Eureka, California, the area harbors deep personal significance to me. That's due to the incomparable Arcata Eye Police Reports Page, written by my journalistic idol, Kevin Hoover. Consider the following description of what was likely your standard-issue Humboldt County domestic dispute:

Tensions bubbled up 'twixt a man and woman like a pot of boiling oil at the everlasting donut shop. In this metaphor, they would play the donuts, bobbing in the searing grease of anger. Police dunked the drama in an eye-opening cup of disturbing the peace, clearing the shop of tensions like crumbs wiped from a pastry aficionado's double chin, leaving a surface sheen of relief.

So, here we've got a fine example of vintage Humboldt County daily-driverness, shot by Fej for our enjoyment. Even in California, you're more likely to see something like a Fiat 128 or Citroën DS than an E10 Corolla, so this is quite a find. Here's what Fej has to say about it:

I submit for your consideration a vehicle I found while driving the tweaker infested streets of Eureka, CA. I have never seen it before all I can figure out is that it is a first generation Toyota Corolla 1200, that is in pretty rough shape and spent some time in Mexico in January of 1984.

OPEC today announced it will cut daily oil production by 2.2 million barrels, a response to the shrinking price of gas. And how did the market respond to the news? Crude is down.

OPEC President Chekib Kheli told reporters "I hope we surprised you. If you're not surprised we need to do something about it." Be careful what you wish for President Kheli. The big surprise is the energy markets don't seem to care with crude prices dropping 4.5% to $41.64 a barrel. So no need to trade-in your Excursion yet.

The drop in production is, in the eyes of the market, not large enough to counterbalance the decrease in energy use by a recession-weary populace. Gas prices may continue to rise slightly after January 1st when the change becomes effective, but the economy is still so bad people aren't using as much black gold as before. We're trying to process if this is good or bad news. H/T to Jason for the tip!

Photo: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images

We were wandering around downtown Detroit this weekend and ducked into GM's Renaissance Center to warm up only to find they left a gift-wrapped Pontiac Solstice under the tree.

It's clear this nicely installed display at the base of the central tower of the RenCen borrows from two sources: the perennially obnoxious Lexus "December to Remember" ad campaign with it's bows and yuppies, and the incessantly played American Express advertisement where some random dude wins a pair of Solsti and gives one to his fainting wife for Christmas.

GM's announced due to the Carpocalypse, it will halt construction on the new 552,000 square foot Flint Engine Plant responsible for the 1.4-liter inline four destined for the Chevy Volt and Chevy Cruze.

Back in September GM announced it would construct an all-new plant in Flint, Michigan to produce the 1.4 liter direct injection inline four cylinder engine planned to act as a generator in the Chevy Volt and main power in the Chevy Cruze.

GM Spokeswoman Sharon Basel would not say when construction might resume if government loans are made available, but asserted there is time in both programs to accommodate the delay, and GM currently builds the engine in Austria, so they "...have lots of options. The construction of the new plant is not going to interrupt our plans for the Volt or Cruze."

In tough times, a buff book needs a man with a plan to make readers love cars again. That's why Jalopnik reiterates its support for former MPHer Eddie Alterman for Car & Driver Editor-in-Chief.

After yesterday's resignation of long-time Car & Driver chieftain Csaba Csere, it's important we get someone in the job of Editor-in-Chief over there who can help save the buffest of auto buff books, someone who can merge what car lovers want to read with what car engineers want to write. Most importantly, someone who can make us want to again read Car & Driver — and not just for the tiny bits and pieces lucky enough to make it through the editorial process.

Also, they've really got to merge the website with the magazine. This separation thing is getting silly. But whatever — Eddie's the man who can do it!

Next up: "Save The Buff Books" and "Save Car & Driver, Save The World" T-Shirts!

Photo / Graphic Credit: KORSdesign

If you visit the Toyota Jamaica website and have a look at the box under Toyota cars, you'll see these models listed: Avensis, Camry, Corolla, Yaris. Look at the pictures next to the cars listed, and you'll see an Avensis, an Accord, a Corolla, and a Yaris. That's right -- there's a Honda Accord thumbnail pictured next to the link for the Toyota Camry. According to tipster Michael, it's been that way for more than a year. We can certainly understand the odd spelling error or even the wrong picture... for a little bit. But substituting your bread-and-butter for your direct competitor's bread-and-butter for more than a year? Well, life is indeed relaxed in Jamaica town. Thanks for the tip, Michael!

[Source: Toyota Jamaica via Wheels Jamaica]

Anyone who's been watching the original Top Gear knows it took a bit of switcheroo to get the chemistry right before things really took off (James May replaced the rotundish Jason Dawe after Series 1 of the current show concluded), and TG Australia is no different. Charlie Cox (the bloke on the left) is reportedly leaving the young show due to commitments in Britain, and word is that he will be replaced by Australian jazz trumpeter James Morrison.

Thankfully, Morrison not only arrives with an instrument, he comes with a revhead pedigree: He hosted a show in the '90s called Behind the Wheel, and he currently holds the quickest time for the Star in a Bog Standard Car on TG Australia. After some ups and downs during the first season, perhaps now the show has a shot at making some real music. Thanks for the tip, Liam!

[Source: Ausmotive]

During the debates leading up to the Detroit automaker bailout, politicians and pundits kept pointing to Toyota and asking "Why can't you be more like them?" Well, they are... sorta. It's looking increasingly likely that Toyota will post an operating loss for the 2008 fiscal year that ends March 31, 2009. The last time Toyota lost money over an entire year was its first 365 days of operation back in 1937/38.

Toyota has apparently been slashing budgets across the board in recent months as sales have dropped by more than 30% in the US and in other parts of the world. At the same time, the value of the dollar against the yen has also dropped, meaning that Toyota is losing out on the currency exchange. Toyota (and Honda and Nissan) are navigating the same severe rapids as Detroit, they just started further upstream. The company has slashed production, canceled a diesel engine program for its big trucks and halted construction on a new factory in Mississippi. A profit warning announcement is expected from Toyota on Monday.

[Source: Reuters]

There's nothing unusual about seeing a product in an advertisement that doesn't look anything like the real thing. Have you ever gotten a Big Mac that looks like the one in commercials? Classified ads for cars are no exception and are usually assembled by low paid copy editors using stock photos.

One of our readers spotted this ad for WestBorn Chrysler in the Detroit Auto Mart. The ad for a 2008 Dodge Avenger features at least two major flaws. The pictured vehicle is a Dodge Avenger of sorts, but is actually the concept version that was unveiled at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show (as seen on the right). The copy editor obviously just took the Chrysler press photo, removed the background and mirrored it without checking whether it was even a production car. Chrysler has also never built an Avenger that gets 36 miles per gallon! If they did, perhaps more customers would willing to overlook its interior. Thanks to Jed for the tip!

Hyundai's Genesis might be knocked as "generic," but some would argue that the car is the most balanced, handsome design to ever issue forth from the Korean juggernaut (at least until the Genesis Coupe rolls up). Range toppers often define the style for the rest of the range, and there's rumored to be a Genesis-y Sonata on the way. Carparazzi's renderings could be nothing more than wishful thinking, but it's claimed that the images are a cross between spy shots of the new Sonata, known internally as YF, and the Genesis. Given the styling epiphany that's been going on at Hyundai during the past few years, the handsome car in these renderings may well be on the money. Style, value, and potentially a hybrid powertrain point to a bright future for Hyundai's melodic sedan.

[Source: Global Motors]

President George W. Bush will doubtlessly be remembered for many things things, but his parting legacy may yet be his eleventh-hour pledge of $17.4 billion in low-interest loans to General Motors and Chrysler (Ford Motor Company has said it does not require relief at this time).

The funding will reportedly come from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the financial industry bailout package signed off on this fall. Up front, the White House will earmark $17.4 billion in short-term financing for December and January, and in February, another $4 billion will be disbursed, provided it can draw the funds from the second half of TARP's $700 billion.

More details are doubtlessly coming, but the bridge loans appear to hinge largely on whether General Motors and Chrysler are deemed "viable" enterprises by the government. In the terms of the agreement, that means that the automakers must prove whether they have a "positive net present value, taking into account all current and future costs, and can fully repay the government loan." There's no word yet on how they will prove said viability, but we expect to learn more soon. In the meantime, expect for both General Motors and Chrysler to stick to their previous production suspension announcements.

Politico has more specifics on the bailout here.

UPDATE: Press releases from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have been added after the jump.

[Sources: ABC NEWS, Politico, Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty]

If you've been distressed by not being able to buy a clown car at any local lot, Toyota has news for you: the company is working on a Yaris-sized seven-seater. That is odd enough to make us ask "What?" and "Why?" in several languages. Even better, though, is when Toyota engineer Hiroki Nakajima says "We can do it, and give limo-like legroom in the back." We aren't sure what Nakajima-san's idea of a limo is, but the current five-searter Yaris doesn't have limo-like room for the people in the front, much less the back and the cargo area...

The next Yaris is due in 2011, and recent rumors suggest the use of Toyota iQ's packaging to make it more roomy inside. Toyota has also said it planned to build an MPV on blueprints of the iQ. While a repackaged Yaris with iQ clever bits would be an impressively spacious subcompact, we simply can't see it making for a limo-like minivan.

[Source: Auto Express]

During the holidays, millions of Americans will pack up their families and go for long drives to visit friends and kin. Along the way, they'll enjoy the scenery together, share stories and the miles will fly by in familial bliss. Yeah, right.

Instead, if you're lucky, the kids will be in the third row of the minivan/SUV playing video games with wireless headphones on while Mom or Dad drives and you nap. If you're not lucky enough to have such devices in your vehicle, fire up your iPhone (you do have one of those, right?), and download Punch Buggy Mobile.

It's the iPhonified version of that age-old game we've all played. Spy the designated car, score a point. The old-fashioned version was good for at least 15 minutes or until someone lost count of the score and a fight ensued. That's where Punch Buggy comes in. It keeps track of up to three players' scores and expands the game past one particular car to a whole list of them. Spot a MINI Cooper, score two points. Spot a yellow MINI Cooper, score four points. Etc, etc.

There's a both free and pay versions of the Slug Bug applet, the latter of which costs .99¢ and gives users a chance to win real prizes by spotting the company's Ca$h Buggy out on the open road. Visit their website for more details.

Last week, GM partnered with credit unions in four states to offer up to $10 billion in new car loans and incentives. Not one to be left shivering alone in the cold, and with November sales down nearly 28% compared to last year, Chrysler LLC has just announced their own 12-state credit union program allowing its customers access to upwards of $12 billion in auto loan financing. The partnership (also called "Invest in America") gives participating credit union members additional $500 to $1,000 rebates on most Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles. Steven Landry, Chrysler's executive VP of North America sales, says, "We are confident that the Invest in America program and credit union member cash will provide significant value for our customers and the economy as a whole during these challenging times." While additional cash on the hood of a new Chrysler sounds appealing, we really don't think that buyers are avoiding showrooms due to a lack of financial incentives -- it's been a buyer's market for months.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering scrapping the city's oft-maligned Congestion Charge. The pay-to-drive strategy was instituted back in 2003 as a way of reducing traffic in the busy British capital, but it has met with fierce opposition from motorists and some politicians. Shortly after taking office, Johnson got rid of the latest extension which instituted the C-Charge in western parts of the city, but the Congestion Charge Zone is still alive and well in Central London. While it may be effective in reducing traffic (though that's often debated as well), the charge of £8 to enter the CCZ, along with fines of between £60 and £180 for non-payment seems to be enough to keep shoppers out of London during the holiday season, so it has been temporarily suspended. To help boost the city's ailing economy, Johnson is extending the downtime through January 1.

When asked if he would consider ridding the city of the C-Charge completely, Johnson didn't immediately discount the idea, saying that he'd "brood on it" for a while. While it's obvious that London has a serious congestion problem, in these troubled economic times, financial problems might take priority. Stay tuned.

[Source: PistonHeads]

While not necessarily to the same extent, Don Yenko was to Chevys what Carroll Shelby was to Ford. He may not have beaten Ferrari at Le Mans, but Yenko built some of the most powerful Bowtie muscle cars of the 1960s. With only a few hundred built, they're also some of the most valuable. At the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction in January, a private collector will be selling off his collection of five Yenkos, which are considered to be some of the best and most original in existence. Up for grabs will be a trio of 1960 Camaros, a 1981 Turbo Z Camaro, and a rare Yenko Nova. The highlight will be the Daytona Yellow Camaro that is one of three existing cars built by Yenko for NHRA drag racing. It features a COPO 427/425 V8, 3-speed automatic transmission, Hurst shifter, and more. Follow the jump for Barrett-Jackson's press release with more details on these rare muscle cars.

When designing a retro-style automobile like the revived MINI, Mustang or VW Beetle, the first generation is the easy one. The second go-round, on the other hand, is a tougher nut to crack, and the easy thing to do is to maintain the status quo. Volkswagen did just that when it revised its New Beetle back in 2006, but the third-generation of today's Bug is expected to ratchet things up a bit design-wise. We're expecting something more mature, perhaps along the lines of the Ragster concept from 2005, which emphasized its low-slung bodywork with a chopped top reminiscent of the Porsche Speedster. Flashier lights and more angular sheetmetal are also distinct possibilities.

Whatever the case, it won't be an easy redesign. VeeDub could stay the course by keeping the cute and charming nature of the current New Beetle intact or it could spice things up with something much more sporty. Could the German automaker do both? That's an option for the future, and current rumors indicate that VW has considered at least two separate Beetle models, one based on the Golf and another using the underpinnings from the yet-to-be-released Up! microcar. The current state of the economy, though, makes a plan like that much less likely to bear fruit.

[Source: Car Magazine]

Since automotive sales are in the toilet and the sour taste of high gas prices still lingers, the unfortunate timing of General Motors' long-awaited Chevy Camaro has the armchair quarterbacks fervently debating its long-term viability. This, despite the fact that upon its release the Camaro will offer a little something for almost everyone throughout its various trim levels, a courageous attempt by GM to boost the iconic car's sales. However, many devoted Camaro enthusiasts will still be left out in the cold. This in part due to the vehicle's starting price as well as the many additional luxuries that drag down the Camaro's power-to-weight ratio. No one wants to pay MSRP for a vehicle they intend to strip. That's why GM Performance Parts will be offering a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro body in white. As a result, budget Camaro racers won't have to wait 10 years for a discounted used chassis and large race teams won't necessarily break the bank building a replacement when the driver inevitably stuffs the wall.

The Camaro BIW package will be a full body assembly structure available through GM Peformance Parts for $7,000 beginning in the first quarter of 2009. The chassis will not contain a VIN number, so there will be no means for street registration, as the body in white is reserved for race teams only. An application must be submitted to GM Performance Parts for approval before any transaction occurs. Follow the jump to see the press release in full.

Electric vehicles... they're so hot right now. And none are hotter at the moment than the Tesla Roadster, which looks positively sublime in Very Orange paint. Even Porsche, the longtime purveyor of some of the world's best sporting hardware, is interested in the little electron powered machine. In fact, rumor has it that the German automaker is much more impressed with Silicon Valley's first ever sports car than it is with the lithium ion-powered E-Ruf electric 911. Is it too slow; too heavy; too expensive? Nobody knows for sure outside of Stuttgart's engineering offices, but we do know that the German automaker has placed an order for a Tesla Roadster of their very own for closer scrutiny. We'd imagine that the EV's dissection could offer some enlightening revelations to Porsche, rumored to be hard at work on an electric sportscar of its very own. Considering Porsche's recent history with other automaker's wares, this could get very interesting.

Gallery: Jason Calacanis' Tesla Roadster

[Source: Inside Line]