Talkin' 'Bout Regeneration: Cadillac ELR Lets Driver Harness Power

A new feature set to debut next year on the Cadillac ELR puts control over energy regeneration in the driver's hands. Equipped with the Regen on Demand system, the extended-range electric compact luxury coupe uses paddle shifters that enable the driver to temporarily control the regenerative braking system, which captures and stores braking energy in the battery pack for later use.

To engage Regen on Demand, the driver removes their foot from the accelerator and pulls back on either the left or right steering-wheel paddle, according to Cadillac. That provides greater deceleration than normal coasting and is similar to when a driver downshifts with a manual transmission, Cadillac stated. Releasing the paddle disengages the feature, allowing the vehicle to coast normally; it cannot stop the vehicle.

"Regen on Demand enables ELR drivers to actively recapture energy when slowing down, such as when approaching slower traffic or setting up for a tight turn," said Chris Thomason, ELR chief engineer. "This allows the driver to take a more active role in the electric vehicle driving experience."

Best Hybrids for the Money 2013

Gas prices remain volatile, but even so, no one expects prices below $3 per gallon ever again, and many parts of the country consistently see prices near or above $4. As much as ever, shoppers need to know how effectively hybrids deliver efficiency for your dollar — if they do at all.

To determine if a hybrid's added expense is worth the cash, we devised an efficiency-cost rating to reflect efficiency bang for your overall buck.

It's simply the combined city/highway mpg divided by the base price (MSRP plus destination charge). We then multiply that number by 1,000. This formula can be applied to any type of vehicle, hybrid or not. A high mpg rating and low price provide a high efficiency-cost rating. A higher score is the better score.

We don't account for equipment levels, quality judgments, cost of ownership or any variances from EPA mileage estimates. The goal here is to pay the least for the most mileage, barring all other considerations.

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: March 2013

With the top seven automakers reporting numbers — which account for the vast majority of new-car sales — March sales have crept up around 3.2% over year-ago levels. Honda, GM and Ford saw the largest gains, but no major automaker saw a double-digit increase.

The top sellers are a reshuffle from February's list; all 10 are back. The Nissan Altima jumped three spots from February, and despite an 8% sales drop, it's the best-selling sedan by just 100 cars in March. Madness? Not really. Look back at March 2012 and the Altima even beat out the Chevrolet Silverado for a podium finish in monthly sales.

Lower year-over-year incentives played against Nissan's redesigned sedan as surging competitors — the Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion — saw larger gains. Ford says the Fusion had its best sales month in the nameplate's 7 1/2-year history, and this happened with fewer incentives than on last year’s outgoing model. The Escape hit its highest monthly total in its 12-plus-year history. Those two cars — and rising Explorer and F-Series sales — overcame falling Focus, Edge and Mustang sales to drive Ford to a 5.7% year-over-year increase.

March's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars

We won't have March sales results until later today, but the month's fastest- and slowest-selling cars depict that a couple automakers are catching a break. With a faster-charging option, more cargo space and a lower starting price, the 2013 Nissan Leaf landed a spot among March's fastest-selling cars — this after meeting less than half of Nissan's sales expectations in 2011 and 2012. In March, the all-electric hatchback averaged just seven days to sell. Leaf sales increased 13% through February, so we'll see if Nissan's little EV pulled off an automotive Florida Gulf Coast University last month — or if the faster pace drove few actual sales.

Meanwhile, the redesigned Lincoln MKZ, which was beleaguered by a slow ramp-up in dealer supply, also hit its stride. Lincoln dealers needed just 14 days on average to sell an MKZ. That beat rivals like the Lexus ES 350 (35 days, on average) and Acura TL (50 days). Other movers include the usual slate of redesigns, from the redesigned Subaru Forester to Toyota's fourth-generation RAV4. Flagship luxury SUVs had their day, too: Mercedes-Benz's GL-Class marked its sixth month on the list, and Land Rover's Range Rover flagship had its third.

Despite a cooler March versus last year's record warmth, SUVs represented a similar share of the month's fastest-selling cars. Nine of March's 17 fastest-selling cars were SUVs; that's about even with March 2012, when eight of 17 fast sellers were SUVs.

PickupTrucks.com: GM Releases 2014 Silverado, Sierra Specs

Cars.com's sister site PickupTrucks.com notes that GM's announcement of performance specifications on its new half-ton pickups follows the automaker's tendency to feed us only morsels of info at a time. There's still plenty to chew on for those hungry for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra now that testing is completed on a new 5.3-liter V-8, one of three optional engines. According to reported figures, the half-tons will lead their pickup pack in fuel economy, payload and towing capacity — while preliminary pricing shows modest increases and in some cases none at all.

Check out PickupTrucks.com for the details.

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible: Up Close

The Corvette Convertible looks like it was designed specifically as a convertible. It was, in fact, co-developed with the coupe and looks that way with nearly perfect body lines and flow that don't detract from the Corvette's overall aggressiveness.

Forget about the coupe all together.

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

This convertible with a silver-blue exterior at the New York International Auto Show is one of the best-looking 2014 Corvettes. It took a while for me to come around on the seventh-generation 'Vette, partly because of a red example on display at other auto shows. That red coupe's carbon fiber removable top and other darkened highlight trim pieces created a boy racer vibe and overall dissonance with the rest of the bright red exterior. That's not the case with this one, since it doesn't have a hardtop and hides the black surrounds of the taillights and other trim for a cohesive look.

2014 Chevrolet SS Video

There, there, performance fans. We know it's been tough for you in recent years as dinky four-cylinder fuel sippers seem to shun you into seclusion like a smoker at a restaurant. GM senses your pain and hopes its first full-fledged performance sedan in nearly two decades — the 2014 Chevrolet SS, debuting this week at the 2013 New York International Auto Show — brings solace to your solitude.

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays says the new SS' 6.2-liter "proper V-8," good for 415 horsepower and as many pounds-feet of torque, will help neglected enthusiasts get their groove back. Cool new features include a pounds-shedding aluminum trunk and hood, 50/50 weight distribution and Chevy's first auto-parking system. Watch the video below for more on the SS.

2014 Chevrolet SS: Up Close

One of the unfortunate effects of Pontiac getting the boot back in 2009 was the G8's premature departure. We don't miss much else of Pontiac, just the V-8-powered, rear-wheel-drive G8 GT. With the 2014 Chevrolet SS, we kind of get the G8 back in the form of a full-size sedan with a V-8 and rear-wheel drive but with a Chevrolet badge instead of a Pontiac one.

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

The Chevrolet SS takes a huge leap forward in offering a more upscale interior experience compared to the now 5-year-old G8. While both the G8 and SS share development with the Australian Holden Commodore, the SS is based on a next-generation successor of the car the G8 was based on.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro: Up Close

With new front and rear styling, the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro is different up front, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's better or worse. Did Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Chuck Liddell with his signature mohawk act as inspiration for the hood heat extractor?

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

The rear styling is what stands out compared to the 2013. New taillights ditch the previous cheap chrome-trimmed quad taillights in favor of dual rectangular ones that better mimic a classic first-generation Camaro. Fans of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette can no longer complain it has Camaro taillights.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Photo Gallery

There hasn't been a Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 since 2002. That's changed for 2014 with the track-ready model’s introduction at the New York International Auto Show.

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

It will join the other Camaro models in the lineup next spring, and the Z/28 has improved aerodynamics, sticky tires and carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes. The heart of the newest Camaro is a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V-8 that makes a grand 500 horsepower and 470 pounds-feet of torque.

All 2014 Camaros, including the Z/28, get revised front and rear styling. In the back, solid-bar taillamps hint at the 1967-69 Camaro's rear end. Engineers kept wind resistance in mind when reshaping the front bumper. The top grille is narrower while the lower is much larger.

Check out photos below of the newest model to join the Camaro family, the Z/28. Cars.com photos by Evan Sears.