Paparazzi asked celebrity Paris Hilton about going "green" (see video below) and buying her new hybrid Yukon. Mrs. Hilton says "everyone" should buy a hybrid. Why? They are "awesome!" She even brags she has "the first one." What might Mrs. Hilton mean by saying she has the first hybrid, a type of vehicle that's been on sale for many years and is actually quite popular? All the commercials for the GM hybrids say "limited availability." GM only recently began selling the very expensive hybrid SUV, so demand may not be that high. Paris probably meant the first hybrid Tahoe sold from that dealership but it's also very possible Paris Hilton has the first hybrid Yukon IN THE WORLD!

UPDATE: GM tells us that Paris purchased the Yukon Hybrid the same as everyone else and they have no idea what she's talking about, either.

Update: While Mrs. Hilton did buy a hybrid, Pop Fiction actually provided her with a Land Rover to pull the pranks.

Ladies and gentleman, Paris Hilton got her hybrid! On a recent episode of E! News, Paris Hilton is seen driving in her new hybrid Yukon a Land Rover with a shaman (also see video below the fold). A wha? It's all a part of a new TV show that premieres Sunday (March 9) on E! called Pop Fiction which pranks the paparazzi with staged events.

TMZ also has a spotting of the SUV but sadly TMZ also reports Mrs. Hilton was spotted in her Bentley a day later. We are glad Mrs. Hilton has decided to wear her seat belts correctly this time but we are disappointed to see she attempted to chew gum a mint, text on her cell phone and drive her hybrid Yukon, all at the same time because, according to the punch line of a large number of blonde jokes, this is simply not possible. Check out the galleries of the GMC Yukon hybrid below.



[Source: TMZ, E!]

It's Paris Hilton's birthday and she plans on getting herself a Yukon Hybrid, E! News reports (check out the video above). Paris turns 27 the 17th of February (Sunday) but she is having 6 parties before her actual birthday. Would you expect anything less from Paris Hilton? Here is exactly what Paris says about her Yukon at her '80s-themed birthday party:

I want the new Yukon hybrid. So, I just ordered it for myself. That was a little birthday gift to myself.

Excellent choice, Paris! The Yukon hybrid, one of GMC's two-mode hybrids, is the first full-sized hybrid to hit the market. I am sure GMC is happy their hybrid will be featured in a gazzillion paparazzi photos.



Related:

• Paris Hilton: "I'm buying a hybrid car right now"
• Paris Hilton is getting a hybrid Hummer "designed"
• Paris Hilton gives up her Range Rover for an Escape Hybrid, is scared for the environment
• Video: Paris Hilton runs out of gas (and hilarity ensues)
• Video: Paris Hilton in a Prius
• Hummer hybrid arrives, courtesy of Paris Hilton (not)

[Source: E! News]

The ad for the hybrid Chevy Malibu did not make it to air but GMC's Yukon hybrid ad did. Like we said Thursday, the Yukon hybrid ad features the 1976 animated short Sisyphus by Marcell Jankovics. The voice over to the animation says the following:

Why push? Why change? Why grow? Why dream? Questions you don't have to ask yourself when you never say "it's good enough." When you never say "it can't be done." When you never say "never."

Then the text "Introducing the Yukon Hybrid from GMC. Limited Availability" and "50% Better Mileage in a full size SUV is now a reality" appears. In case you missed it during the game, you can watch it above. BTW, the Giants won.

[Source: MySpace]

We thought a week or so ago that GM's new hybrid SUVs would start around $45,000. That information came from a GM spokesman, who said the hybrid version would cost about the same price as the conventional 5.3L model with similar equipment. A price like that would have meant virtually no price premium for the hybrid. Following that post, GM's website confirmed the news, and showed the costs of the Chevy Tahoe 4-Door two-wheel drive hybrid ($47,915), the Tahoe four-wheel drive ($50,720), and the GMC Yukon two-wheel drive hybrid ($48,370).

Whoops.

The Detroit News reports that GM will reveal the "real prices of hybrids" next week, and the numbers will be higher. How high? No one is saying, but GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan said this week that the website prices "weren't right when they were up there and we're not sure how they got up there." Looks like the hybrid premium is alive and well at GM. Stay tuned.

[Source: David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau]

GMC has recently launched a special area on the brand's product website devoted to the upcoming Yukon Hybrid. The Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs will be launching with the new Two-Mode hybrid system this fall, the first of many applications from GM, DaimlerChrysler and BMW. The site features some basic information about the hybrid system, some photos and a place to sign up for promotional e-mails from GM about the new hybrids. If you want more information about how the system works and drives, check out the detailed ABG report.

[Source: GMC]

Not many details are known about the hybrid system that is set to debut soon in GM's full-size Tahoes, Yukons and the like, but they are getting closer to reality. Proof of such is that they are undergoing hot weather testing, as can be seen in the above picture. While many debate whether hybrid drivetrains are best utilized by full size vehicles such as these, proponents say that helping the economy of the worst offenders is best. Consumers will vote themselves when these vehicles hit the showroom floors.

These vehicles will use the new GM hybrid systems, which are full hybrids, not mild hybrids, so they can run on electric power alone or any combination of electric and gas power.

[Source: Truck Trend]

Though individual dealerships and brands have reported different numbers regarding SUV purchases, overall sales for new ones have been declining especially among middle class buyers. Also, many current owners are trying to sell their vehicles and downsize into a more fuel-efficient car in the hopes to save on gas.

But does this strategy really work? Kristin Anderson of WKYC crunched some numbers for 2002 GMC Yukon owner Aaron Perusek who has been trying to sell the SUV for more than two months. According to Anderson, the Peruseks will save $300 a year in fuel if the family moves into a Pontiac Torrent; $900 if into a Pontiac Vibe.

Unfortunately, the two latter vehicles may be too much of a compromise for the gas savings. States the Sarver family, who are looking into SUVs: "We need the room and more importantly we need the power to pull an AirStream. We are campers, and this little (rented) car, wouldn't do it."

We agree: for every single person who's using their Escalade or HUMMER as their daily driver of choice, there plenty of families hauling 5-7 warm-bodies, their gear, and either a camper, boat, or another vehicle on a far more regular basis. None of that information is covered in most auto enthusiast's magazines or websites.

[Source: WKYC]

Ford Motor Company is mulling ways to move some of its Expedition metal -- which is a good thing considering the 82-day supply the automaker is currently hoarding. The Dearborn-based automaker is taking its big Expedition SUV, which gets 14 mpg in the city, and making a diesel or hybrid version of it. The diesel would be a V8 slated for Europe, while the hybrid version would compete with GM's big hybrid SUVs, the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. It might not move the cars off the lot now, but it is some foresight sorely needed for the vehicle if it is to survive.

The diesel engine won't be a big deal. Ford may decide to beef up the 3.6L diesel V8 currently found in many a Land Rover over in Europe, but a hybrid won't be so easy. If Ford decides to do the development of the hybrid itself, the vehicle would definitely arrive a little late to the party (the Expedition will probably go on sale in 2010, whereas we'll see GM's trucks in 2008); however, the company may decide to go another route to bring the vehicle to market faster -- buy the two-mode hybrid technology from GM. The issue at hand is that Ford currently does not have rear-wheel drive truck platforms capable of hosting hybrid technology.

[Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek and Hybrid Car News]

There have been a lot of promotions in recent years to encourage people to buy new cars – green and otherwise – in the United States like zero percent financing and tax credits. Now, GM is offering buyers of their 2006 and 2007 FlexFuel models a $1,000 voucher card to buy fuel. Green Car Congress estimates that’ll be a little over 5,000 miles in a Tahoe.

Buyers of the FlexFuel Sierra, Silverado, Impala, Monte Carlo, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Yukon XL, and Avalanche before the end of July can get the voucher card. These vehicles can run on any blend of gasoline and ethanol, from 100 percent gasoline to E85. There will be 218 car dealers in Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul that offer the card. GM does value convenience over ethanol, though: the vouchers can also be spent on regular gasoline.

[Source: GM via Green Car Congress]