Official: 2012 Chevrolet Corvette gets upgraded interior, new tires and options [w/video]

The Chevrolet Corvette C6 platform soldiers for the year 2012, although buyers are looking forward to some subtle changes compared to the 2011 model. The entire 2012 Chevrolet Corvette line now benefits from a slightly massaged interior includes a new steering wheel and new seats. The Throne pack more supportive on the sides and strengthen micro-inserts are also available for the first time. The revised features crab-spokes wrapped hide and what General Motors calls to trim the "streamlined"switch. Who has time recently in a Corvette will know that this internal tweaks much needed improvements.

Otherwise, the base 2012 Chevrolet Corvette will remain remarkably unaffected. Those who choose to Z06 and ZR1 trims a few new changes, however. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires are now optional on both the big boys, and tell the engineers that the new rubber should set an eight-percent gain in the transverse acceleration and the private tests at Virginia International Raceway was good improvement of three Seconds per lap on the standard tires.

The Z06 also gets optional equipment such as power traction control, a full-width rear spoiler and a carbon fiber hood treatment. The mighty ZR1, meanwhile, will use larger gear in the fifth and sixth wheels to maximize fuel economy. Something tells us that they may help only on the top-end as well. Hit the jump for the full press explosion and an introductory video.

General Motors reports earnings of $4.7B in 2010, first yearly profit since 2004

General Motors has officially announced its results for the first full fiscal year after its emergence from bankruptcy announced. The automaker has 135.6 billion U.S. dollars in revenue with a net profit of 4.7 billion U.S. dollars, the GM's first profit since 2004 marks. In addition, the result was the largest for the General since 1999. GM had previously troubled to 100 billion U.S. dollars in losses.

As black in the good news for the automaker 50,000 workers may be expected hourly bonuses received by an average of $ 4,300 as part of a profit sharing program.

According to CNN Money, the change is mainly due to three things: strong sales in the U.S., a growing automotive market in China and significantly lower cost structure due to the automaker trip through bankruptcy.

GM shares have crept up in the news, despite the fact that the stock market as a whole has fallen by five percent on blooming oil prices. CNN Money reported that GM shares are up five percent as a whole since its IPO in November last year, but that these shares have a 50 percent to go directly to taxpayers, the government investment in the company to recoup. Follow the jump for the press release.

Report: GM to get $14 billion domestic tax break

It looks like General Motors can skip to around $ 14000000000 value of taxes in Germany and other overseas 19000000000 $ in taxes thanks to a deal with the U.S. government. According to Edmunds, 2010 is the first year since 2004 that the company is operating in the black, and while most companies are made to pay taxes on their earnings, GM will be able to skip his tax return tab massive losses due to age. The companies are usually assigned a portion of future taxes based on their past losses, but the benefit is usually stripped off for an organization goes through bankruptcy.

This is not the case with GM, however. For reasons that are not entirely clear, the General managed to hang on his tax cuts, despite shedding at 30000000000 $ in debt during the bankruptcy proceedings. According to CNN Money, GMOs and the Treasury Department denied that the automaker has received no special deal, although Edmunds, GM reported that the break to reduce the perceived cost of the auto industry got bail.

Video: Mercury spokesmodel Jill Wagner defects to GM for Inside The Vault

The first few episodes of Inside the Vault, the new General Motors vehicle marketing, have officially hit the airwaves. The clips feature some familiar faces from around the automotive sector, including the beautiful Jill Wagner, the former face of Mercury. Motor Trend editor Angus MacKenzie and comedian Alonzo Bodden to stop and give host Chris Collinsworth, a hand like GM sees what a great guy trip. Needless to say, the car of choice of a Cadillac CTS coupe during one of the segments, but surprisingly, the video series has obviously not come hell, what is for you to develop over the head with the fact that the whole program was shill for GM vehicles. They are even mostly entertaining.

The on-air personalities do not seem stilted or overly helps Bodden script and throw some needed levity. We have to feel a little pain of sympathy for Wagner, though. As the only woman on the cast, it is left to defend women against the current world of machismo as an ambassador of her sex.

Hit the jump to check to see the clips for yourself, and your head about Inside The Vault more episodes.

GM, Chrysler reportedly bail on Tokyo Motor Show

Detroit automakers have never had much success in Japan's automobile market had closed. This was clearly a key factor for the Detroit Three's decision, the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 and skip at least two of the three apparently not return in 2011.

AutoWeek reported that General Motors and Chrysler announced that it will skip Tokyo later this year. Ford has not yet officially announced when they will attend the event, and a spokesman said the company allegedly AW, that the automaker has not "ruled out the motor will show in our priorities. " The move makes sense in light of weak sales in the country. GM only sold about 2,000 vehicles per year in the land of the rising sun, while Ford sold 3047 units supposedly in 2010.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said that most European car manufacturers, including the German luxury makes is to attend the event.

Report: GMC Granite confirmed... again

Many moons ago, Motor Trend reported that the GMC granite funky concept was the 2010 Detroit auto show, given the go for production. Immediately after noted, however, MT, that although it firmly believed that the granite would be produced, the release had yet to receive an official green light from the sources within General Motors. That changes today, apparently.

Motor Trend is once again that the granite has been confirmed for production reporting, went so far as to say that the road is now the rear-hinged suicide doors to keep setup of the concept. This new confirmation comes from a supposedly "well-placed source"inside the car manufacturer who also says that the granite will be built on the same C-segment platform as the Chevrolet Volt, Cruze and Buick Verano.

If GM debuted the concept of granite, it uses the same 138-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four as the Cruze, which to a six-speed manual transmission. The engine would certainly be useful for the production car, even though MT is proposing that would be the automaker's 177-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder from the Verano is a good fit. Anyway, we wait until GM issues a formal explanation before we start gearing up for the first drive.

Video: MT five-figure supercar comparo pits Corvette Z06 vs. Shelby GT500 vs. GT-R

Motor Trend is determined on finding the best budget supercar. Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan increased the challenge with the 2011 Shelby GT500, 2011 Corvette Z06 and 2012 GT-R. Total cost of the vehicles in the 1,585-horsepower shootout used? $ 244,290 ... or $ 37,040 less than the 570-horsepower Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera $ 281,330, we tested in 2010. Perspective, people.

This comparison is not high-dollar exotics, however, because M / T for the best sub-$ 100,000-looking performer. The 2012 Nissan GT-R develops 530 hp from the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6. The American muscle machines perfer V8 power with the turbocharged 5.4-liter GT500 produce 550 horses and the 7.0-liter Z06 pumping 505th

The Shelby GT500 is certainly the best value for your dollar due to the $ 55,330 as tested price tag. But both the Z06 ($ 98,010 as-tested) and GT-R ($ 90,950) offer equally good performance at a relative bargain.

Motor Trend took all three super-coupe to the drag strip and the streets of Willow road course, the winning car is not much of a surprise. (hint: it's not American) but the resulting videos can be observed still funny. Click past the jump for clips of the drag race and the road test, then the head of Motor Trend to read about the test.