Chevrolet set to show off new crate engines in delicious vintage Chevy builds at SEMA 2018

Photo: Chevrolet Pressroom.

If the term “crate engine” makes you think only of the “Put a 350 in it, man!” crowd, it might be time for you to take a fresh look.

While it may be true that, as Matt Farah observed during a chat with Jalopnik’s Kurt Bradley on The Smoking Tire podcast this week, a lot more people are talking on the Interwebs about doing crazy LS swaps these days than actually doing them, the Chevrolet crate engine lineup offers a considerable depth and breadth of swap-friendly options, with nearly 50 motors to choose from.

GM says optional extended ‘bumper-to-bumper’ warranty ‘breaks new ground’

Photo: GM Corporate Newsroom.

Coming off a rough third quarter that saw an 11 percent sales drop, GM now seems to be betting that an option announced today to purchase a “no questions asked” limited warranty offering an extended period of “bumper-to-bumper” coverage will be enough to entice more consumers to buy a new Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, or Cadillac vehicle.

Fiat Chrysler reports record September sales, Ford and GM down

2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Photo: FCA Media website.

September sales reports from the automotive industry are out. Although it turned out to be a bearish month for two of the Big Three, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles boasted their biggest September in nearly two decades, with sales of 199,819 vehicles led by Ram and Jeep.

GM’s Mark Reuss at Holden Headquarters: ‘Make no mistake, we’re moving to a driverless future’

Holden engineer Rob Trubiani. Photo: GM Holden Pressroom

So how do you feel about the future of autonomous motoring—or of a so-called “driverless future?”

If you’re reading Auto Enthusiasts Newsblaster, chances are you have mixed feelings at best about autonomous vehicles in general. And, looking 10 or 20 years ahead, you’re probably a lot more comfortable with the vision of a world in which you still have at least a choice about whether you or a computer will be in control of your personal vehicles.

Meet the new 2019 Buick LaCrosse ST.

Photo: Buick Pressroom

Chevrolet may be moving in the direction of phasing out larger sedans like the Impala, but look on the bright side: we still have the Buick LaCrosse.

Personally, my taste has always run most toward the first-generation Buick LaCrosse, which clearly shared many styling cues with the last-generation Buick Riviera coupe—an example of which I am a proud owner.

Drivers of new Cadillacs will soon be able to say, ‘Look, Ma—no hands!’

Photo: GM media website.

Soon, when your baby drives off in a brand new Cadillac, he or she might not even have hands on the wheel. Cadillac announced plans yesterday to roll out Super Cruise, a hands-free driver assistance feature designed for use in highway driving, throughout their entire lineup beginning in 2020.

13 vintage and modern GM race cars now on display at GM Renaissance Center in Detroit

1967 Camaro Indy 500 pace car. Photo: GM Corporate Newsroom.

An exhibition honoring GM's motorsports heritage opened to the public last week at GM World, a space providing visitors with a year-round car show experience at the GM Renaissance Center.

Spotting cool older cars: First-generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Photo: Auto Enthusiasts Newsblaster

What it Is: First-generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo (1970-1972).
When Spotted: May 9, 2018.
Where Spotted: Somewhere in Pennsylvania.
Why It's Awesome: From a general perspective, the first-generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo is obviously a great looking car. But you've got to drive or ride in one of these to truly appreciate them. Like a lot just about all full-size GMs of the era, the Monte Carlo's ride was silky smooth. But compared to other GM models of the era like the Impala, these were built to deliver tighter handling, and their grip on the road felt rock solid—especially for a big car that was basically a two-door land yacht. As for this one specifically, it's great because it looks essentially like a well-preserved survivor. It may have had a repaint at some point, but it doesn't look like a recent one. It looks much more original than restored, although it does have aftermarket wheels and tires that are fatter than stock. But a survivor from this generation in this kind of condition is not a common site on the street these days.
Where You Could Buy One: There's a teal 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo advertised now on Autotrader, for sale in Michigan. Asking price: $15,995.

Spotted any cool older cars lately? Submit your original photos and details to auto.enthusiasts.news@gmail.com. We'll consider your entry for future publication in this recurring feature, "Spotting Cool Older Cars."

Meanwhile, as Sedans Dwindle, Midsize and Compact SUVs Thrive at GM

Photo: GM media website.

As GM takes most of its eggs out of the large-sedan market, the automaker meanwhile announced this week that they are boosting SUV production after experiencing their strongest first quarter sales ever for two GMC models—the midsize GMC Acadia and the compact GMC Terrain.

"A 350 is a 350 is a 350"—NOT! And Other Misconceptions About GM V8 Engines Debunked

With the Crate Engine, the Chevy 350 lives today.
Photo: GM media website.

With GM's rightful reputation for badge engineering—slapping the brands of their different divisions on essentially lookalike bodies—it isn't at all unreasonable that many people think that the same idea applied to powertrains in the glory days of the storied GM V8 engines like the Chevrolet 350.

Plus, there is the ubiquitous cliche uttered by many gearheads—or wannabe gearheads—when talking about the hot-rodder projects they dream of: "put a 350 in it."

It's easy to have the misconception that, if you look at a Chevrolet, a Buick, and a Pontiac from the 70s, each with a 350 ci V8, you're looking at the same engine three times.

But there's a problem: it isn't true.

Here's a quick history lesson—if you want more detail, you'll find copious amounts of research fodder on the Interwebs. In a nutshell, over the decades, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and Buick each had separate and very innovative powertrain engineering and manufacturing operations. And each, at some point, arrived at the magic number of 350 cubic inches of displacement that, for its time, packed a lot of horsepower and torque into a reasonably compact footprint.

March Was a Good Month for Cadillac Sales, GM Reports

If you're Cadillac enthusiast, you just might be pleased to hear that the brand rang up strong sales for March 2018, posting a year-over-year increase of over 25 percent—Cadillac's best March sales during the marque's twenty-second month of consecutive sales growth.

So what Caddy models are driving the growth? In a statement, GM reported that sales were driven by impressive performances of both the Cadillac XT5 and the Escalade, which continues to gain market share with retail sales up 15 percent for the month. The brand’s sedan portfolio also saw robust growth during the first quarter of 2018. Cadillac XTS, CT6, and ATS sales also saw significant gains, the company said.