The LA Auto Show is still a couple months away, but images of vehicles set to be unveiled in the land of fruits and nuts are already leaking onto the web. GM’s Chilean website had the above photo of the production Saab 9-4X available for all to see earlier today, so now we know the production model looks almost identical to the 9-4X Biopower concept from last year’s Detroit Auto Show. We’d be interested to see if the concept’s integrated tail pipes and large front/side air dams make it to production but, judging from spy photos we’ve seen, probably not. The 9-4X will be built on the same platform as the upcoming front- or all-wheel-drive Cadillac SRX, which will also be unveiled this auto show season.

We don’t have many details on the 9-4X just yet, but it will have a turbocharged 2.0L engine with 245 hp and 265 lb-ft mated to a six-speed automatic. The concept also ran on ethanol, which is also likely for the production vehicle considering that two thirds of all vehicles in Sweden are of the flex fuel variety. Other engine choices could include GM’s 3.6L V6, which is likely to be found under hood of the SRX at launch, and an upcoming 250-hp 2.9L diesel. Either way, European customers will likely have an engine lineup twice as large as what we’ll be offered in the U.S.

Video clips of the Corvette ZR1 strutting its stuff on track can be found virtually anywhere on the internet. But that doesn’t mean we’re tired of seeing the beast in action, particularly if the video happens to feature another new staple of GM’s sporty lineup. The latest internet discovery is a grainy, sometimes barely audible, clip of the Chevrolet Camaro SS tackling the twisties with a guest appearance by a jet black ZR1. The video begins with the new muscle making a go on the course all alone. Then later, it appears trailing behind the infamous supercharged ‘Vette.

From what we can see, the Camaro’s chassis seems to be nicely tuned. The body roll is not substantial and the pony car takes a seat quickly when entering a turn with no floaty oscillations. Hopefully the short but sweet video tease is a direct indication of the production setup. Follow the jump to view things for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Xeyad!

2010 Camaro plays with 2009 ZR1 on a Track!

In a move that might frost your cupcakes, General Motors has dropped the heated windshield washer fluid option on all models. The feature was a big part of Buick advertising in the recent past, but GM has either not had enough takers, or there are issues with the OEM for the system components. Either way, you’re going to have to chip the ice off the windshield of your brand new Traverse the same way we’ve done it since the invention of the wheel: cold, freezing, wet, and swearing.

In all honesty, heated washer fluid is better in theory than in practice. It may help a little bit, but the windshield has a lot of “thermal inertia” and the glass is what really needs to be warmed up. Those of us who thought we were smart wrapping the washer fluid line around a radiator hose back in the day discovered this, and now it seems GM has found out the same thing. Maybe Tata could hook The General up with Range Rover’s windshield supplier, and we could all rock Lucernes with defroster grids in the front glass. Obviously, cars already built with the system will hit dealerships so equipped, but any vehicles that are pending will have the option deleted and a price adjustment made. Hit the jump to see which vehicles are stricken.

Here we go again. Late last month we brought you a bevy of beautiful 2010 Chevy Camaro SS shots, and today General Motors has released a big batch of its own. These new images include studio shots of the 422-hp Camaro SS from various angles, as well as a few detail shots of the front and rear ends. Eh, it was about time for a new desktop wallpaper anyway.

EPA mileage estimates can be such fuzzy things when you’re dealing with hybrid powertrains. We’ve seen plenty of contention already about real-world results versus EPA numbers for current hybrids, and Chevrolet’s upcoming Volt has GM butting heads with the Feds over how the series hybrid eFlex powertrain should be rated. Because the Volt can cover about 40 miles before it needs to fire its range-extending internal combustion engine, it can breeze through the EPA’s test cycle with the engine off for 85 percent of the time. With the engine running so little, the Volt could earn an EPA rating above 100 mpg, but the agency is not comfortable with that and wants to change the test for the Volt.

GM argues that altering the test in the way the EPA proposes — requiring the Volt finish the test with batteries near full charge — is unfair and won’t reflect reality. Moreover, in everyday commuting, the Volt will be an electric car for its first 40 miles, not ever even firing its engine for drivers with commutes short enough or recharging ability at work. The EPA’s motivation is to come up with a meaningful mileage rating for the Volt, which will ace the current test. If the Volt gets a rating that is artificially low because the EPA can’t figure out a test that correlates to reality, it could also hurt the Volt’s case with consumers looking at the $40,000 price tag next to numbers barely better than what a diesel or parallel hybrid can earn.

Car buyers here in the States are clamoring for fuel efficient transportation, but so far the Saturn Astra hasn’t been on the top of buyers lists. The Astra is a smash hit in Europe and we liked it during its short stay in the Autoblog Garage, but it may just be too expensive compared to the competition with a starting price of $16,495. General Motors isn’t keeping the price high to make a profit on the small volume import, either. GM vice chairman and quote master Bob Lutz told Automotive News that the Belgian-made Astra isn’t profitable in the U.S. at all anymore due to the weak value of the Dollar vs. the Euro. The Astra has gone up in price by $500 since its introduction to reflect the broadening gap between the two currencies, and the price hike was implemented only to lessen the hit from the currency exchange. The Astra is not just a financial burden for the General – it isn’t exactly a sales success, either. GM has sold only 7,914 so far this year, which is far below the projected pace of 25,000 annual units. Part of the problem is that few people actually know the Astra exists, and those who do may not want to pay the relatively high price of entry.

We just told you about Bob Lutz’ comments that the Saturn Astra is too expensive and not making any money in the U.S., but that may change when the next iteration arrives. Of course, the next Astra will debut in Europe first as an Opel (and Vauxhall in the UK), but we suspect that GM will offer it in the U.S. again, especially if the automaker can build it locally so that it’s not dogged by a weak currency exchange like the current model. Though not scheduled to debut until late next year at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the fourth-gen Astra is making an appearance today in a couple of sketches released by General Motors Europe. The design is said to take direct inspiration from the new Insignia, which itself will become the next-gen Saturn Aura. The all-new Astra will be based on the Delta II platform with vehicles like the Chevy Cruze and Volt and feature a new range of fuel efficient engines, clever packaging solutions and trick technology like the Insignia’s Front Camera System that recognizes road signs.

FPV vs. HSV is basically Australian for “Ford vs. Chevy,” but on steroids. The two performance divisions have elevated the production of the muscle sedan to an art form, with audacious looks and big power ruling the day. It’s as if the original American muscle car era never ended, but got a passport and moved Down Under. Granted, we in the States don’t have much to complain about lately, with Aussie muscle now available in a Pontiac wrapper, as well as the 21st century editions of Camaro, Challenger and Mustang waiting to wreak havoc at stoplights.

Still, the sweetest fruit is that which is forbidden, so you might be interested in the Motoring Channel’s super acronym showdown: FPV GT-P vs. HSV GTS. The FPV is based on the new Ford FG Falcon, which arrived earlier this year, while the HSV’s Holden Zeta platform underpinnings are now a couple years old. Both have V8s, both look evil, and tires break into cold sweats at the mere thought of being mounted on either machine’s rear axle. With these two rides, the differences are such that picking a winner is akin to choosing between porterhouse and prime rib. It’s not as if you’re going to be disappointed either way, but deep down, you do have a preference.

The ruthless pruning continues, with GM Inside News reporting that the rear-wheel-drive Kappa II platform has gone to heaven before ever touching this mortal coil. Back in 2004, a vehicle line executive said “The Kappa architecture is a great platform for sporty, driver-oriented applications around the globe.” Apparently, not one for which GM could make enough different models to actually earn some money.Reasons for the sequel platform’s demise are allegedly that the first hydra-formed Kappa is just too expensive to fabricate; the cars based on it use expensive, hydra-formed parts; assembly requires inordinate amounts of human labor; and GM didn’t make its money back fast enough to justify the investment in a new RWD – read: thirstier – platform.

The current Kappa’s suspension and design geometry aren’t shared with any other car;, the platform was created to accept one engine, the Ecotec 4-cylinder; and it served under only four varieties of the same car: the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Daewoo G2X and Opel GT. It was a lot to ask such a limited platform to achieve the volume’s GM needed with cars on expensive underpinnings that didn’t demand expensive prices. And if the rumors are true, then your Solstice GXP could be worth more than you expected, and sooner than you expected.

Regardless of the fact that over a dozen official looking images of the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS showed up on the web early last week, this single high-res image of the modern muscle car is notable for the fact that it is the first overall shot that GM has officially released. It showed up on the automaker’s media site yesterday evening all by its lonesome with no accompanying details, but what else is there to know besides the fact it’s packing a 6.2L LS3 V8 producing 422 hp and 408 lb-ft of torque? And for those who were wondering before, the nostril vent does appear to be part of the production package. Perhaps this picture’s sudden appearance portends more information to come. We’ll keep our ears and eyes open just in case.