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General Motors Co. announced an upcoming recall of 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac vehicles over steering motor failure. The recall will be compact vehicles including:

• 2005 to 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts sold in the US.
• 2007 to 2010 Pontiac G5s sold in the US.
• 2005 and 2006 Pontiac Pursuits sold in Canada
• 2005 and 2006 Pontiac G4s sold in Mexico.

The recalled power steering motors are not considered a safety concern but may cause steering challenges at speeds under 15 MPH. Still, there have been 1,100 complaints that the cars lost their power steering assist. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.

According to GM spokesman Alan Adler, the power steering motor supplier, JTEKT Corp., will need time to make the 1.3 replacements available.

Adler said the failures are rare and the cars can still be driven until motors can be replaced by dealers. Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails, but they could be surprised when the steering becomes more difficult.

“Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers’ peace of mind.” ~ Jamie Hresko, GM’s VP of Quality.

Adler said if the power steering assist fails, it usually comes back for a time after the car is shut off and restarted.

Recent recall concerns regarding Toyota and to some extent Honda have positioned many domestic companies, including General Motors, in a good light. While the degree of this recall is considered much lower profile than that of the Toyota recall, it still hurts the automaker’s ability to take advantage of their import competitors’ woes.

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Read more Chevrolet News on this blog.

American automakers have long had to do things differently when it came time to sell cars to Europeans. With higher gas prices and more confined spaces, European drivers have demanded vehicles with different powertrains, different dimensions, and different styling compared with the demands of American drivers. But with small, fuel efficient cars in demand in the U.S., it seems that demands are aligning, which is why some European-only models such as the Ford Focus are finally venturing to the States.

One unique design for American drivers that will be heading across the pond is the all-new Chevrolet Camaro. As a vehicle that’s already off to an amazing start in the U.S. at Fredericksburg Chevrolet and other retail locations, Chevrolet appears to be preparing its release to performance enthusiasts in Europe as well where it will launch at some point next year.

Interestingly, plans to launch the Camaro in Europe are not necessarily new. But across the pond, the Chevrolet brand is vastly different says Peoria Chevrolet as it’s known more for offering “cheap” cars than for performance cars. As a result, the idea of selling Camaros under a different brand may have been considered, but appears to be unlikely at this point.

With GM hoping to expand the Chevrolet lineup in Europe in the next couple years,  Cincinnati Chevrolet expects the Camaro will play a large role in the brand’s changing image. However, supply and demand constraints will also play a role in the Camaro’s availability to European customers as demand in the U.S. remains extremely strong.

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Chevrolet Camaro news can be read here at Chevrolet in the News.

The Chevrolet Cobalt Super Sport is a unique vehicle in the Chevy lineup. Based on the compact Cobalt coupe, the Cobalt SS is a supercharged, sportier version that packs more speed and performance into the Cobalt’s modest package.

Although for 2008 not much has changed, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS now has a turbocharger and direct injection rather than a supercharger and port injection. The benefit is a bump of horsepower to 260 horsepower along with 260 lb ft of torque as well. Despite the addition of a turbo, Detroit Chevrolet drivers have noted that there truly is only minimal lag and an absence of a sudden explosion of boost.

The front-wheel drive Cobalt SS can hit 60 miles per hour in about 5.7 seconds, and complete the quarter mile in just over 14 seconds. Another new feature for 2008 is the no-lift shift mode, which will limit revs and help with traction off the line and between shifts. Chevy dealers Chicago performance enthusiasts admit that it may not be the most exciting ride, but for a relatively affordable compact, the performance is very strong.

In addition to a turbo-charged engine, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS also includes a sport-tuned suspension, sticky tires, and large Brembo brake calipers that help control the Cobalt’s power and help add maneuverability while traveling at speed. With more buyers looking to smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles, the Chevy Cobalt SS may offer a unique blend of power and fuel economy economy that many buyers at Boonville Chevrolet have already become drawn to compared with more expensive or more thirsty sports cars on the market.

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Find Chevrolet reviews and more right here.

Chevrolet Cruze Spied

Chevrolet Cruze is the name of the vehicle that’s set to replace the current Chevrolet Cobalt. While North American vehicles sales continue to fall, the Chevrolet Cruze will play a large role in Chevrolet’s lineup as the brand needs more attractive cars to lure buyers into dealerships. Chevy’s reputation for trucks and SUVs have been hurting the automaker more than helping them as consumers have recently faced skyrocketing fuel costs, and the Cruze will be an attempt to keep consumers content.

The upcoming Chevrolet Cruze will be available in North America as well as other markets. Currently, the segment the Cobalt fills in North America is filled by the Chevrolet Lacetti and Nubira in Europe, which is built by Daewoo, and the Cruze will also become available in Europe as well. The Cruze will first find its way into the European market in the beginning of 2009, and will follow in North America in 2010.

Currently, plans for the Chevrolet Cruze only include a sedan, but a hatchback also seems likely, especially for the European market. The Chevy Lacetti which is already on sale in Europe may also be available alongside the Cruze as well. The Cruze will also fit between the Chevy Aveo and the Malibu, which is currently a crucial segment says San Diego Chevrolet who has seen dwindling demand in Chevy’s line of trucks and full-size SUVs. The Cruze also will be powered by a new direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that could be as large as 2.0 liters in displacement with an expected 40 miles per gallon.

With the price of gas increasing along with the cost of living in general, consumer buying habits have changed dramatically and the small car segment has thus boomed as fewer customers are looking for larger vehicles. The subcompact Chevy Beat concept may also find its way to dealerships soon to compliment the fresh Cruze.

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Find more news surrounding the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze right here.