Chevrolet rolls out 4 new Camaros at SEMA 2011

SEMA 2010 has officially kicked off in Las Vegas, Nevada, and we already have a four pack of Camaros to show you. All four are quite unique in their own right.

2011 Red Flash Camaro



First off, we have the Red Flash. This version of the Camaro sports a Red Jewel paint scheme with gray heritage stripes, and has some performance upgrades in the form of an air intake kit and exhaust.

2011 Camaro SSX



The Camaro SSX Track Car Concept is an SS built up for track duty. It features weight shaving tidbits like carbon fiber body panels, and is sans radio, sound deadening material, and carpet. The SSX also features all out racing gear like a fuel cell, cage, and racing harness.

2011 Camaro XM Accessory and Appearance Package



The XM/Accessory Package sports a V6 under the hood and a one year subscription to XM radio to go along with some visual goodies.

Camaro Synergy Series



As Chevrolet plans to roll out a new Synergy series Camaro every year, this is 2011's edition. This year's Synergy features a host of interior and exterior colors not yet available that will go on sale in 2011.

Press Release

2011 CHEVROLET CAMARO RED FLASH SHOW CAR

The design of the all-new Chevrolet Camaro has been acclaimed by critics and celebrated by sports car buyers. With that appeal as a springboard, Chevrolet designers created the Red Flash Camaro SS Show Car to extend Camaro's look – and even its sound – to a new level.

Red Flash combines Chevrolet Accessory parts available today with some specially designed new concepts from the design studio, resulting in a unique new Camaro statement. Its Red Jewel exterior color is accented with gray heritage stripes and gray-accented 21-inch wheels. Under the hood, a Chevrolet Accessory air intake kit and, out back, the accessory exhaust kit, enhance the car's performance, style and sound.

"The Camaro Red Flash is the opposite of a 'sleeper' on the street," said Adam Barry, lead designer. "From every angle, it looks and sounds like the high-performance sports car it is. It's a model for the enthusiast who doesn't want to hide his performance aspirations."

It also wears Chevrolet Accessory body-color ground effects, high-wing rear spoiler with black-painted stanchions and other gray accents. A lowered suspension lends a more aggressive stance.

Inside, the Red Jewel features an Ebony leather-trimmed cabin with titanium stitching and red accents on the seats. There's also a custom steering wheel, racing-style pedals and red LED lighting for the door trim.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Exterior:
• Red Jewel color
• Heritage hood stripes in gray
• Chevrolet Accessory high-wing rear spoiler (body color with black stanchions)
• Chevrolet Accessory ground effects (body color)
• Chevrolet Accessory 21-inch wheels with gray inserts
• Camaro badges with chrome edges and gray inserts
• Body-color antenna
Interior:
• Ebony leather with titanium stitching and red accents on the seats
• Prototype Chevrolet Accessory racing-style steering wheel with flat bottom
• Red LED lighting in door trim
• Red footwell and cupholder lighting
• Chevrolet Accessory racing pedal kit
• Chevrolet Accessory floor mats and cargo mat
Performance:
• LS3 6.2L V-8 with Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission
• Chevrolet Accessory air intake and exhaust systems
• Chevrolet Accessory engine cover in Red Jewel
• Chevrolet Accessory Hurst shifter with custom stone-color stitching on the boot and shift knob

2011 CHEVROLET CAMARO SSX TRACK CAR CONCEPT

Ever since the new Chevrolet Camaro's launch last year, owners have explored the performance potential of the car. The Camaro SSX Track Car is a concept for transforming a street Camaro SS into a closed-course track car, and a showcase for new performance parts.

"The SSX concept explores taking Camaro's excellent street performance and extending it into a road course context," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet marketing. "The car expresses Camaro performance while also signaling Chevrolet's new commitment to developing and offering a portfolio of performance parts for racing enthusiasts."

The Camaro SSX Track Car has a purposeful aesthetic, with exterior appointments and suspension modifications aimed at road course performance. They include carbon fiber aero parts – front splitter and adjustable rear wing – lightweight carbon fiber body panels, revised lower grille and unique brake cooling ducts. The carbon body panels significantly lower the Camaro's weight, as does the elimination of much of the production car's sound-deadening material, carpeting and rear seat.

Low-gloss Icy White Metallic exterior paint is contrasted with the carbon aero parts, door graphics/racing number and red details; and this competition-ready Camaro rolls on dedicated track wheels and tires. This concept was constructed with input from Pratt and Miller, Chevrolet partner in Corvette Racing, and Riley Technologies using parts proven in the Grand Am racing series.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Exterior:
• Icy White Metallic color with red accents and door graphics
• Carbon fiber hood, fenders, door and deck lid
• Exposed carbon fiber front splitter, rockers and adjustable rear wing
• Unique lower grille and brake ducts
Interior:
• Carpeting, sound deadener and rear seat deleted
• Ace suede-covered racing steering wheel and shifter
• SCCA-approved roll cage and window net
• Racing driver's seat with five-point harness
• Racing pedals
• Fire suppression system
• Fuel cell
• Video camera system mounted on the roll cage
Performance:
• LS3 6.2L V-8 enhanced with Chevrolet Performance Parts' camshaft, cylinder heads and dry-sump oiling system
• Production six-speed manual transmission with Corvette ZR1 twin-disc clutch
• Low-restriction air induction and exhaust systems
• Four-wheel disc racing brake system with six-piston front/four-piston rear calipers and drilled and slotted rotors
• Modified production suspension with Pfadt licensed components
• 20-inch racing wheels and tires

2011 CHEVROLET CAMARO XM/ACCESSORY APPEARANCE PACKAGE

The new Chevrolet Camaro is a major hit with consumers because of its blend of desirable power, efficiency and design. Another important part of the Camaro formula is value. Chevrolet developed the XM/Accessory Appearance Package to provide new accessory and appearance options customized for the popular and affordable Camaro 1LT model. A production version of this package will be offered in the spring of 2011.

"The XM Accessory Appearance Package is all about affordable style," said Russ Clark, director, Chevrolet product marketing. "Our intent was to create a special, customized model – including 21-inch wheels – that could be had for around $30,000, a popular price point for today's Camaro buyer before they add accessories."

The XM Accessory Appearance Package is based on the Camaro 1LT model with the standard 3.6L direct injection V-6 engine featuring 312 hp and EPA highway fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon. The accessory package includes a rear spoiler, unique grille and Chevrolet Accessory 21-inch wheels. When it goes into production in 2011, the package will include a one-year subscription to XM Satellite Radio.

The Camaro XM Accessory Appearance Package at 2010 SEMA displays both production and concept styling cues. The accompanying highlights chart identifies them.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Exterior:
• Imperial Blue color
• Rear spoiler (package content)
• Chevrolet Accessory grille (package content)
• Chevrolet Accessory 21-inch polished wheels (package content)
• Chevrolet Accessory Heritage body side graphics in silver (package content)
Interior:
• Black cloth seats (production)
• Chevrolet Accessory interior trim kit in Silver Ice (concept)
• Chevrolet Accessory floor mats with gray borders and Camaro lettering (package content)
Performance:
• 3.6L V-6 direct injection engine and available six-speed automatic transmission (production)
• V-6 cold air intake system (concept)

CHEVROLET CAMARO SYNERGY SERIES 2011

Chevrolet announced today that it will release a special-edition Camaro each year, called the Synergy Series, emphasizing new approaches to accessory parts and customization. At SEMA 2010, the Synergy Series 2011 show car debuts to showcase the car that will be offered to consumers in the first half of 2011 as a special-edition model.

The first Camaro Synergy model was the 2010 Synergy Green special-edition car. It proved so popular with consumers that Chevrolet is now making Synergy an annual series. The Camaro Synergy Series 2011 model contains a mix of exterior and interior accessories – including combinations not available on any other production model, including an exclusive gray interior with red accent stitching throughout. It is based on Camaro Chroma, a show car first exhibited at SEMA in 2009.

The Camaro Synergy Series 2011 model will begin production in the first quarter, in limited quantities.

"The Synergy Series reflects the strong response consumers have consistently had toward Camaro," said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. "At the same time it provides an example of how Chevrolet is renewing its commitment to expanding accessory offerings."

While the original Synergy was offered only in a single color (Synergy Green) and with the six-cylinder engine, the 2011 edition will be offered in four colors – Cyber Gray, Victory Red, Summit White and Black – as well as 2SS (V-8) and 2LT (V-6) trims with the RS package.

The Camaro Synergy SEMA Show vehicle is based on a 2SS model and displays production and concept styling cues. The accompanying highlights chart identifies them.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Exterior:
• Cyber Gray color (production)
• Chevrolet Accessory grille and ground effects package (production)
• 21-inch painted wheel (silver finish, optional for production)
• Body-color antenna
Interior:
• Gray interior with red stitching on the seat, steering wheel, door panels, console lid, shifter boot, shift knob and headrest (production)
• Red instrument cluster and accent lighting
• Chevrolet Accessory interior trim kit in Silver Ice
• Chevrolet Accessory floor mats with red border and silver Camaro lettering
• Footwell and cupholder lighting
Performance:
• LS3 6.2L engine and six-speed manual transmission (with 2SS only)
• Chevrolet Accessory Hurst shifter with red stitching
• Chevrolet Accessory engine cover in red
• Brembo brake calipers in red (with 2SS only)
• Pedders lowering kit (licensed Camaro accessory, not included in production package)

Spy shots: Camaro Z28 caught testing with LSA engine

The LSA engine, originally found in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V, is a beast of an engine. In its current iteration, it pumps out 556hp and 551 lb-ft of torque. The upcoming Camaro Z28 is a beast of a car that needs the fortitude to go up against the Mustang Shelby GT500 and the more powerful Dodge Challenger. LSA, meet Z28.

Camaro forum extraordinaire Camaro5 has been kind enough to provide us with some not-so-camouflaged shots of a Z28 tester with the supercharged 6.2 liter in all its glory. You can head on over there to see some nice, high resolution shots of the car and engine.

Why you won't be seeing Chevrolet's Camaro in NASCAR

With the Ford Mustang set to make it's debut in NASCAR, many have been expecting the Camaro to follow suit and maintain the classic rivalry between the two pony cars. The reason you won't be seeing this is pretty simple: Chevy wants the Camaro to look like a Camaro, not a painted standard body.

GM's Mark Kent said that because of "the need to have templated bodies in that series, we felt that by forcing the Camaro into the Nationwide templates that we were compromising the body lines of an iconic car."

G8 based Chevrolet Caprice for the U.S. is dead again

Perhaps Bob Lutz got a little caught up in the moment after his short lived retirement. After stating a few days ago that it would be a waste to see a car as good as the Pontiac G8 die, and mentioning that it might be a possibility that the car would come stateside badged as a Chevrolet Caprice, ol' Bob has changed course.

"The G8 will not be a Caprice after all. I'd mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too good to waste.

"That's all still true. But I have to say that, with my new "marketing" hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today's market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be."

Lutz is quick to point out that the decision to kill the G8 will have no effect on GM's future rear-drive vehicles, and he went on to say, "... we have a tremendous RWD team in Australia that gave us the beloved G8, a team that we will tap into at some point again in the future for its expertise and sheet metal. Just not right now."

Such a shame.

GM confirms Camaro Z28, meanwhile the Camaro outsells Mustang in June

It was feared that the powerhouse Z28 would die a premature death thanks in large part to the ailing economy, GM's bankruptcy, and rising oil prices. But the well connected folks at Camaro5, the Z28 will appear after the Camaro convertible, which is expected in the spring of 2011.

The Z will reportedly offer more power (duh), a hood similar to the Bumblebee edition, a unique grill, and other assorted bits and pieces that make it unique.

In other news, the long drought of the Camaro has obviously gotten fans of the car excited as their beloved pony car has taken out the Mustang in sales for the month of June. GM says it sold a total of 9,320 Camaros, while Ford sold 7,632 Mustangs.

For those who are curious, Dodge sold a meager 1,369 Challengers.

Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger reportedly heading to NASCAR in 2010

Admittedly, I'm just not much of a NASCAR fan. Maybe it's because they drive around endlessly in circles. More likely, it's because I don't find Impalas and Camrys all that interesting racing around a track.

So finally, someone seems to be waking up in the stock car world and smelling the proverbial coffee. In an attempt to boost the series' viewers and souvenir sales, Fox Sports is reporting that Ford and Chrysler plan to introduce Mustang- and Challenger -bodied racers into the Nationwide series next year.

The new deigns are due to be submitted for approval on June 26th, and reportedly the new stock cars are going to look a whole lot more like real cars than the ones we see today. Unfortunately, GM is opting to stick with the Impala instead of going with the Camaro. Bummer.

Along with the success of the recently reintroduced Cobra Jet Mustang, might we see a return to the old adage "race on Sunday, sell on Monday?"

Superior Glass Works Sport Wagon

Back at the 1954 Motorama in New York, Chevrolet displayed a Corvette-based wagon called the Nomad. The public loved the styling of the sport wagon, so naturally Chevy rushed to produce the car. Problem is, they didn't base it on the Corvette.

Superior Glass Works is pitching in to help all those folks who felt snubbed by the Nomad. For $125,000, they will build you a 1954 Corvette Nomad in appropriate fiberglass and stick it on a C5 chassis.

You get your choice of engine, interior, and wiring at an additional cost. A $50,000deposit will be required. Brad Peterson, owner of Superior Glass Works, says that no preorders were taken and none have yet been sold. If you want to check out the car in person, it will be at Back to the 50s in St. Paul, Minn. June 19-21 or at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, August 6-9.

June 2, 2009, Molalla, Oregon - Superior Glass Works today proudly introduces the Limited Edition Superior 54 Sport Wagon. Styled in tribute to the 1954 General Motors' Motorama Corvette Nomad, The Superior 54 is enhanced with 21st century performance. Available only as a Complete Rolling Package, each will be delivered with the body and chassis fully assembled - ready for paint, interior, engine, wiring and other personal touches to create the Restomod, Custom, or Pro-Touring vehicle desired.

Manufactured in Oregon with the highest-quality, hand-laid composite and reinforced with a stout steel sub-structure, the body includes a complete set of custom-crafted window glass and chrome trim. The body's stunning looks are complemented with modern conveniences such as power windows, power door locks and air conditioning.

"The Superior 54 Sport Wagon is a very special car," said Brad Peterson, owner of Superior Glass Works. "There has always been a mystique surrounding the Motorama cars and we are excited to offer our Superior 54 to a select few looking to drive their own piece of history."

The Superior 54 Sport Wagon chassis is equipped with modern, high-performance, C5 Corvette suspension.

Features include:
The custom frame designed and built in partnership with Art Morrison Enterprises, Inc., including Morrison's front cross member, steering arms, sway bar, and power rack and pinion steering.

The independent front and rear suspensions use 1997-2004 C5 Corvette components.

The front suspension includes stock Corvette control arms, spindles, and brakes, plus high-performance coil over shocks in place of the stock leaf spring.

The rear suspension utilizes a custom narrowed stock cradle, with the half-shafts and leaf spring narrowed accordingly.

The choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transaxle.

Superior Glass Works is completely tooled up and ready to build the Limited Edition Superior 54 Sport Wagon. A $50,000 deposit secures a spot on the waiting list for one of the 25 Complete Rolling Packages to be sold. The initial total package price is $125,000. Call 888-244-9259 or visit www.Superior54.com for more information.

Superior Glass Works has served street rodders, drag racers, customizers and restorers for more than 30 years. We've earned our reputation by producing the highest quality fiberglass bodies and parts, and complete, custom chassis. We are the leading manufacturer of fiberglass parts for 1931 - 1955 Chevrolet cars and trucks. The company also offers 14 street rod bodies, 11 drag race bodies, in fiberglass and carbon fiber, along with a full-service chassis shop. Superior Glass Works is a long-term member of industry organizations: Specialty Equipment Market Association/Hot Rod Industry Alliance, National Street Rod Association and Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. Visit www.superiorglassworks.com for more information.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro gets a ZR1 LS9

The 1969 Camaro is the "been there, done that" car for hot rodders, and you can almost hear the moans around the country every time Hot Rod features one in it's magazine (even one that featured a Toyota Supra mill). But with new engines come new possibilities, and the new LS9 motor is a beast in all respects.

This particular Camaro, constructed by GM engineer and Pro Touring stud Mark Stielow, is the first classic Camaro to feature GM's most powerful production motor ever. Stielow also added the wheels, tires, and carbon ceramic brakes from the ZR1, along with an Art Morrison subframe and a Tremec T56 tranny from a Dodge Viper.

You have to give Stielow credit, as the quality of the build looks top notch and it's not easy to create something so unique from something so played out.

Video: Hennessey receives first Camaro, takes it to the drag strip

Hennessey has some grand plans for the new 2010 Camaro, and now they can get started playing around with one as they have taken delivery of the very first one off the assembly line.

The car is an Inferno Orange SS model with a six speed manual and 426 hp, but Hennessey engineers have already tweaked an extra 20 horsepower out of the LS3 to bump it up to 446 hp.

Barely a day into it's existence the car got rung out at the track, and responded with a soft launch 60 time of 5.2 seconds, with the quarter mile coming in 13.6 @ 108mph.

Not great times, but it's only the beginning in what is sure to be a new age for muscle car lovers.

n2a Motors Anteros Roadster and Coupe

The Anteros Roadster made it's debut at this year's SEMA, with the coupe surfacing just a couple of months ago. And now n2A Motors, who builds the Corvette based sports car, is taking orders for the coupe and convertible, priced at
$149,500 and $154,500, respectively.

Both cars are based on the chassis and running gear of a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette, with a carbon composite body, hand-stitched leather interior, three-piece aluminum wheels, and a custom exhaust.

Under the hood is the Corvette's LS3 V8 putting out 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft torque, complete with Chevrolet's 100,000 mile powertrain warranty intact. Customers can also choose to have the Z06 used as a base vehicle, and upgrades between 525 and 1000 horsepower are available at additional cost.

The transformation from Corvette to Anteros takes approximately 800 hours, and no two cars will be alike (hence the name n2a).

GM suing supplier to keep Camaro production going

Image via WikipediaGM seems to be facing all sorts of trouble these days, from begging for bailout money to public criticism to rumors of bankruptcy. The latest problem concerns supplier Cadence, LLC, which produces interior parts for the next generation Camaro. Cadence declared bankruptcy in in August, and is currently in liquidation proceedings. Joining Cadence in it's decent are the machines that GM needs to make parts for the Camaro.

If GM can't get it's hands on the tooling there will certainly be delays at the assembly plants. The General would then have to pay again to get the same tooling made, which would obviously be substantial. GM would like to have a new supplier in place by January 12, 2009 because Camaro production is slated to begin on February 16, with deliveries in mid-March.

So far, it's unclear as to who actually owns the machines in question - Cadence or GM - and Cadence has had nothing to say on the matter. Regardless, if GM doesn't get its way, then it has to spend a chunk of the money it just fought for to recover old ground. The most recent precedent isn't promising: Chrysler tried to get the tooling from bankrupt parts supplier Plastech, and was denied.

2009 Pontiac G8 GXP priced at $39,995, ST dead?

Nothing like a little good news offset by some bad news in the same day. On a positive note, Pontiac has announced that it's BMW-like G8 GXP will start out at a very reasonable $39,995.

That price includes a $1700 gas guzzler tax and $685 destination fee in the base automatic equipped sedan. The six speed manual will cost an additional $695, and seriously, who wouldn't opt to row their own?

Fuel economy is of course not stellar, coming in at 13mpg city and 20mpg on the highway. But of course there is a price to pay for all that pavement scorching fun, especially as you repeatedly outrun more expensive and exotic cars in stoplight mayhem. All with three passengers comfortably in tow.

And, now for the bad news. Much to the chagrin of El Camino lovers everywhere, the G8 ST will likely live a short life. There have been several rumors coming out of Detroit, along with hints that GM would kill Pontiac altogether. There has also been speculation that it would indeed live on, but only with around half of it's current lineup.

Susan Docherty, vice president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC, has stated that the G8 sport trucks lifespan could be short, saying "We would be foolish if we didn't take a second look at whether or not that is the right thing to do."

In a separate article, Docherty goes even further and suggests Pontiac's lineup could be pared down from six vehicles to a single nameplate. According to Docherty, "We are not going to spend tons of money on product development" for Pontiac and that the Pontiac Torrent will be dropped for 2009.

So what will Pontiac be selling? According to Docherty, the G8 is the most likely candidate for GM's performance brand, and that the ideal future for Pontiac would be "very focused, very specialty or niche."

Chevrolet Camaro convertible on hold

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeIt wasn't a big surprise when Chrysler announced that it had nixed the idea to produce a Challenger convertible. The LX based coupe wasn't developed with a soft top in mind and it would have taken too much cash to beef up the chassis in order to remove the roof. And cash is in short supply for the big three nowadays.

Now Motor Trend is reporting that GM is delaying the release of the Camaro convertible for the same reasons. They will be delaying it's release for a year as the automaker tries to keep it's head above water. Spending money on a niche vehicle is a hard sell for GM when they're trying to get their hands on some federal bailout money, after all.

Chevrolet Camaro "Black"

One of the stars of the upcoming SEMA show is the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, and GM has every intention of using the show to pump up anticipation for it's shiny new musclecar. So it's not so sup rising that there will be a handful of show car variations of the Camaro shining under SEMA's lights.

We've already seen video of the General's in-house tuning team ripping apart a few pre-production models in preparation for the big day, and Chevrolet has released a teaser sketch of the first bespoke Camaro, tentatively dubbed "Black." Details are scarce, but the list of modifications range from a new front lip spoiler, bigger exhaust tips, five-spoke wheels and a pair of red-lit halo headlamps. Stay tuned next week for more.

CFCS to auction off 2010 Camaro SS #3

The all new and much anticipated Camaro is only a few months away from showroom floors, so that means it's charity auction time! Ford and Chrysler have already proven that a new Mustang or Challenger can bring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a deserving charity, and GM and the College for Creative Studies hope they can create similar bidding magic. Up for grabs on eBay is the number three production Camaro. It's a loaded SS model with a 422 hp 6.2L V8 mated to a six speed manual tranny. The winning bidder should take delivery of the vehicle at Suburban Chevrolet Cadillac Saab HUMMER of Ann Arbor, MI in the spring of 2009, but the auctioneer warns that delivery could be delayed until later in the year.

The winning bidder better have a nice surplus supply of cash, as the current bids are already over $45,000. The auction ends on October 25th, and you can view it here.

Detriot close to getting $25 billion in Government loans

Image by Getty Images via Daylife With Detroit automakers getting close to receiving $25 billion dollars in low interest government loans to try and stop some of the bleeding profits, there has been a lot of speculation on just what those dollars will be used for.

The government will only support investment in vehicles that improve fuel economy by at least 25 percent compared to their respective segments. In other words, don’t look for any federally funded V-8 muscle cars. The key to benefiting from these loans will lie in how far along automakers are in developing green cars.

For GM and Ford, the loans will turn out near immediate results. Both automakers already have advanced fuel-saving technologies, and can use the loans to implement them on a larger scale.

GM can offset costs for its Chevrolet Volt. It may also spread its Two Mode hybrid system (left) to other models. Right now, the system is only on its expensive full-size SUVs, but GM could use some of the loans to implement it on everything from the Buick Enclave to the Chevrolet Malibu.

GM could also produce more diesel engines and speed along development of its homogeneous charge compression engines. The engines supposedly combine the best attributes of gasoline and diesel, and are currently due around 2015.

Ford, meanwhile, can use the money for its upcoming Escape (top) and Mercury Mariner plug-in hybrids and its efficient EcoBoost engines, the first of which will appear in the Lincoln MKS. It could also consider bringing over more diesel engines along with its European small cars.

Chrysler, on the other hand, could find itself in a bit of a quandary. It certainly needs cash, but does not seem to have many programs for which the loans can apply. Chrysler could, like GM, spread the Two Mode hybrid system from its trucks to cars like the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. It may also apply the loans for its next generation of Cummins diesel truck engines, due out in 2010.

Import brands that build cars here are technically eligible for the loans, but will have difficulty meeting the requirements. In particular, the loans will give preference to automakers retooling plants more than 20 years old.

It will be your money backing these loans (estimated cost to taxpayers: $7.5 billion). There has been some backlash regarding the loans. Some compare this move to one that likens the U.S. to China, who regularly fund Chinese owned businesses.

I look at it this way. American automakers are in trouble, as a result of their attempts to satisfy the public desire for large and powerful vehicles. No speculation could have seen the current gas crisis coming. I would much rather the government attempt to help these companies than see them defect overseas, which is the other alternative.