GM contacting Chevrolet Volt owners as NHTSA investigates battery fire

General Motors on Monday said it is contacting all owners of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid to reassure them that the car is safe as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigates a battery fire from a Volt that was crash-tested. GM said any Volt owner who had safety concerns would be offered a different GM car as a loaner vehicle. Executives also stressed during a teleconference that the battery issues were seen only in vehicles in the crash tests.

BMW X1 (2010) – official teaser images

BMW has released teaser images of the new BMW X1 compact SUV BMW’s offering in this department is the new BMW X1 which is, in many ways, a 1-Series on stilts, although it has components in common with both the 1-Series and the 3-Series. It will be available in both 2WD and 4WD with engines ranging from a 1.8 litre 4-pot petrol to a 3.0 litre turbo-diesel with a 6-sped manual ‘box or an auto option. These relatively undisguised photos from BMW are the first official shots that have no real subterfuge in them, and show the lines of the car pretty clearly.

2014 Honda Civic goes on sale today

The 2014 Honda Civic is now on sale. The LX coupe starts at $18,980 including destination while the top trim, an EX sedan with navigation, comes in at $25,030. A continuously variable gearbox is the only automatic transmission option this year, though a five-speed manual is available.