Camaro leads the way for Chevy app, nav integration

When we saw demonstrations of Chevy's MyLink system last year, it looked like the company finally had a solid competitor to Ford Sync. MyLink not only offered advanced voice command over phones and MP3 players, but also integrated smartphone apps.

However, as we saw in the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, Chevy hadn't built a MyLink head unit that was compatible with a navigation system. The result: buyers had to choose between having advanced voice command or onboard navigation.

The 2013 Camaro seems to solve that little problem. A press release notes that the new car will come standard with "MyLink and color-touch radio" on LT, SS, and ZL1 models. The release goes on to say that buyers will be able to option navigation into that system, although the parenthetical "late availability" suggests Chevy engineers still have some work to do on the system.

It may be coming out later than the car, but that did not stop Chevrolet from posting a photo of the new navigation system on Facebook. The image shows a very clean interface, something Chevrolet has done well with in the past. The maps look bright and clear, while a translucent information bar along the top shows the current music playback. Along the sides of the LCD are what look like touch buttons, another nice feature for a clean interface.

We have few details about this system, but it seems likely the maps would be stored in flash memory. Without the navigation option, it seems like the screen will still be present in the car, used only for the stereo, phone system, and apps. MyLink supports Pandora and Stitcher initially, and the LCD should support functional interfaces for these apps, such as being able to select stations and give current tracks a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. MyLink can coexist with satellite radio, so it is possible that the navigation system will rely on this source for traffic data.

This new MyLink/navigation system also represents the first instance of an onboard navigation system for the Camaro, which until now has relied on OnStar turn-by-turn directions. With all the bugs and integration worked out in this system for the Camaro, we should see it roll out into other models as they receive updates, and find its way into Buick-brand models, as well, which use a MyLink-parallel system called IntelliLink.

Source: Cnet.

 

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2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe: Beauty & The Beast!

This past week has been quite a joy as I got to spend some time with the Cadillac CTS-V  coupe, a car both beautiful in appearance and powerful under the hood. While this Cadillac is a nice car to look at on the surface, it hides a strong aggressive presence when unleashed. When you let this beast out of the cage, your better be able to handle it.

Style

Right from the minute I seen this car, I dubbed it the Bat-mobile. I certainly felt like Batman driving it. And that is not to say that this would be the Bat-mobile per say, but this definitely feels like the car Bruce Wayne would be driving around when he wasn’t in the Bat suit. The car I had come in Thunder Gray Chromaflair Pigment. Okay long color name aside, this dark gray color was impressive when paired with the sharp lines of the CTS-V coupe.

When stared upon from the front the CTS-V looks mean and aggressive, a car that scream move out of the way when approaching down a long stretch. When you add the roar of the engine, quite a few people did just that when I came driving down any given street (though I wasn’t doing more than the speed limit). From the side, it looks elegant, worthy of its luxury name. I haven’t seen a more beautiful looking coupe, hence the beauty of this beast. And finally from the back it looks futuristic as if it should have wings or somehow hover and fly as opposite to having wheels. With its sharp triangle top backlight and rear design, it could easily be some kind of space jet as well lol

And finally since it is earth-bound, the all black steel looking rims just added to the overall bad ass appeal of it!

Tech

You know if there was anything that I was kind of disappointed with on this car, it would be the tech in this one, or at least the specific car I had to test. The monroney on this specific CTS-V with all the optional equipment, and a gas guzzler tax was over $72K. For a car that cost over $72K, I would expect that streaming music from my phone would be standard or in the optional equipment. Yet I had to use an AUX/In connection for this, this my friends was lame. The DVD/CD/XM radio all played well and performance as expected, including the 10 speaker BOSE system which sounded great!

The touchscreen and interface system could have maybe been given an okay or good rating, if I didn’t just recently attended a Cadillac  press event for the upcoming XTS which features Cadillac’s CUE system. The CUE system is amazing, but unfortunately wasn’t in this vehicle. Here’s hoping it gets added in next year’s model. But for what it is worthy, the tech inside the CTS-V was cool, I just expected more given the cost of the car.

Experience

Oh man! This car is awesome to drive! Such power, from the first time I tapped the pedal I felt it. I literally spent my time driving it by just lightly tapping the pedal and coasting. I usually have a heavy foot when I drive, but driving with a heavy foot would end up having me at 80 MPH in no time. Over the weekend, I took it to an empty area with plenty of space and let it rip. I must have hit 0-60 MPH in like 2-3 seconds, 80 MPH in like 5 or 6 seconds. This car will literally suck you back into your seat when you mashed the pedal, inside this sexy elegant beauty, lies a powerful beast.

This car is super fun to drive. I found it especially useful at a red light in midtown Manhattan. If you’ve ever driven in Manhattan and want to be able to scoop that open space in another lane right as the light turns green, this car has you covered. There was literally no car that could beat me into another lane at a green light while on the go.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Wrap Up

The Cadillac CTS-V coupe is bad ass, it is the Bat-mobile. If you have the money you want this car. If you can get pass the gas guzzler tax, and the fact that it swallows gas all to quickly, then I highly recommend this car. Hell I recommend this car even if you have to pay more in gas than normal.

The CTS-V looks hot, drives mean, and is definitely an attention-getting. From the time I got in this car, I’ve had nods of approval, smiles, stares, and double takes. There is no denying the coolness of this car, and again I approve of this car. This is G Style Elite status right here!

Source: G Style Magazine

It's time for our weekly car care tip - A dirty air filter drops gas mileage

Our tests show that driving with a dirty air filter no longer has an impact on fuel economy, as it did with older engines. That's because modern engines use computers to precisely control the air/fuel ratio, depending on the amount of air coming in through the filter. Reducing airflow causes the engine to automatically reduce the amount of fuel being used. Fuel economy didn't change in the family sedan we tested, but it accelerated much more slowly with a dirty filter.

Source: Yahoo Autos.

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