By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

1936 was an insignificant year for most of us who weren’t there to witness it first hand and aren’t history buffs or avid watchers of the History Channel. But 1936 was notable for many things including the re-election of President Franklin Roosevelt and the first full year of Social Security.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

No car in our memory has been pitched to the American public like the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. We can’t fathom a man, woman or child who reads a newspaper or magazine, watches television or surfs the Web that hasn’t seen at least one if not a 100 commercial spots for the newest Chevy. Rumors have it that the budget for Malibu is between $100 and $150-million dollars. That’s lots of scratch.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

We think improving fuel economy — even just a mile per gallon — is a good thing. So we were intrigued when we first got word that General Motors was developing a full hybrid system for its large truck-based sport utility vehicles that delivers in the neighborhood of 25 percent better fuel economy. Then in the fall of 2007 we got to drive a prototype Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid for a few miles and we were impressed.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Lost in the hoopla over the all-new award-winning 2009 Ford F-150 and the very likable next-generation 2009 Dodge Ram is the Chevrolet Silverado.

The Ford and the Dodge are both exemplary renditions of a modern full- sized pickup truck. We like them both. And they both deserve the awards they have racked up including North American Truck of the Year for the F-150.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

In these challenging economic times many people are seeking the least expensive cars to own and operate, at least for their daily commute.

If driving cheap brings too many compromises - a total lack of amenities, a dangerous lack of performance, a reputation for shoddy build quality - then people may lean toward driving a bit more expensive.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

We drove the future of affordable automotive entertainment a few weeks ago.

The future we think is a small four-door sedan with the ability to comfortably transport four adults and cargo with an out-the-door price of under 25 grand rated at 30 miles to the gallon (on the highway with accelerator in a normal position), capable of neck- snapping adrenaline-elevating 0-to-60 time under six seconds and the necessary suspension setup to carve up winding blacktops.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It was no surprise that we instantly liked the all-new Chevrolet Traverse.

Our first experience with the full-sized Chevy crossover came on a flawless autumn day hauling four adults and all the goodies necessary for a college football game tailgate party. The only downside to brilliant sunshine, moderate temperatures and fun with friends was the home team losing on a last-minute touchdown.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The biggest Corvette unveiling in years occurred at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show when the new super-Vette ZR1 was revealed to the automotive press. It has drawn considerable attention since it hit the fast streets last year with its 638-horsepower supercharged V-8 together with the necessary run-fast accouterments to make it one of the world's premier sports cars.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

When we first witnessed the Chevrolet Camaro concept at the Detroit Auto Show a few years ago, we were disappointed. Frankly it looked as if someone had clipped together the front end of a Cadillac CTS and the backend of a Corvette; although it did have Camaro like flat sides. It certainly didn’t look like the line up of ‘69’s they had rolled out as part of the show as they tried to convince us the new Camaro had roots.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The iconic American sports car has sold on average more than 30,000 copies a year for most of the 21st Century. An all new iteration in 2005 spurred sales for 2005 and 2006 to an average 34,000 annually.