Even though there is plenty of evidence that the Chevrolet Volt is a safe car (one just protected its occupants in a recent crash with a bus), there are now new and seemingly legitimate worries about the safety of the 16-kWh battery pack after a crash. Bloomberg reports that a Volt that was parked at a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test center recently caught fire, burning nearby vehicles. The Volt had been put through a side-impact crash test three weeks prior and an official told Bloomberg that investigators determined the battery was indeed the source of the fire. Apparently, NHTSA reps are talking with “all automakers” with lithium-ion vehicle for sale (or coming soon) about the safety of their battery packs.

On the one hand, this is bad news for people who already have worries about the safety of plug-in vehicle. On the other hand, a crashed car, whether powered by gasoline or lithium, isn’t exactly a safe item. Given that this fire follows a second garage fire involving a Volt (whose cause has not yet been determined), we expect a spike of “plug-in cars are bad” news soon. Whether this is warranted or not is another question. NHTSA has issued a statement to Bloomberg that said:

The year is quickly winding to a close, and General Motors is taking steps to ensure that the automaker meets its goal of selling 10,000 Chevrolet Volt units. The company has given its dealers the go-ahead to sell their Volt demo vehicles, thereby greatly increasing the availability of the plug-in. In the past, GM has required its Chevrolet dealers to keep at least one Volt model on the lot to show off to potential customers. Dropping that requirement will see the number of available Volt models swell by 2,300 units, according toAutomotive News.

As of the end of October, GM has managed to move just 5,003 Volt units this year. That’s a far cry from GM CEO Dan Akerson’s 10,000-unit goal. The company says that in addition to the demo vehicles, the automaker has an extra 1,800 Volt models in transit to dealers right now, which brings the total number of available vehicles to 4,100. Even if GM dealers manage to find homes for all of those plug-in hybrids in just two months, the company would still miss its target by almost 800 units.

Chevrolet is coming to this year’s SEMA show with a total of six concept Camaro and Corvette models, and they’re all designed to show off exactly what owners can do with their vehicles with a little time, money and imagination. While there will be a number of concepts wearing special visual upgrades, including the Camaro Convertible Red Zone Concept and the Camaro Synergy Series Concept, we’re most excited about the Camaro 1LE Concept.

Die-hard Bowtie fans will likely recognize the 1LE package code as a road-racing designation, and the new concept doesn’t disappoint. Along with a new splitter and rocker panels outside, the Camaro wears a magnetic ride control suspension, special chassis bracing, a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, Brembo brakes and a host of bits lifted from the meaner ZL1. Those include a dual-mode exhaust, shifter and flat-bottom steering wheel.

Speaking of the ZL1, fans of that machine will enjoy a new Camaro ZL1 Carbon Concept packed with trimmings made from the lightweight weave. Corvette fans will also get a chance to take a peek at two special concepts, including a Grand Sport designed to pay tribute to 50 years of the Corvette nameplate at Carlisle and a Corvette Z06 Ron Fellows Hall of Fame tribute car. Hit the jump for the full press release.

A new report says General Motors has decided against producing a coupe version of the forthcoming 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. We don’t know how far into the development process a two-door Malibu made it, but renderings of the car were shown to journalists last week. When queried, however, GM design chief Ed Welburn told Inside Line, “A Malibu coupe could be a pretty nice car, but it is not in the plan right now.”

GM introduced the new Malibu at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and has said it intends the car to be a trulyglobal product sold in 100 countries. Shorter and wider than the old model, the new Malibu’s proportions would have certainly lent themselves to a two-door – and we’d be lying if we said it wouldn’t warm our hearts to see a “Chevelle” badge on the decklid.

Alas, the coupe market isn’t what it once was, and Chevy clearly has other plans for positioning the car. A 38-mile-per-gallon Eco model was also announced at the New York introduction, taking advantage of GM’seAssist mild hybrid system currently used in the Buick line to improve the Malibu’s fuel economy by five mpg compared to the 2012 model.

All standard 2013 Malibu’s will be powered by a new 190-horsepower, 2.5-liter, direct injection four-cylinder. This may have influenced the decision against a coupe, which would have demanded a sportier engine. Also likely playing into Chevy’s thinking is an increasingly crowded brand lineup. With new nameplates like theSonic and Spark joining the one-year-old Cruze and Volt, Chevy sales and marketing has quite a lot on its plate already.

The new Aveo supermini will launch in Britain next January with a starting on-the-road price of £9,995 for the entry-level 1.2 LS model, Chevrolet announced today. Buyers will be able to choose from four engines and three trim levels.

The engine range includes a 1.2-litre petrol unit producing 86-horses, a 1.4-litre petrol engine with 101PS and two 1.3-litre diesels, with power outputs of either 75 or 95PS. All four engines are offered with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the 1.4-litre petrol also comes with the option of a six-speed automatic transmission.

In basic LS trim, the Aveo is equipped with remote locking, a rear spoiler, CD-stereo radio, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and electric front windows.

Moving up to the LT model gets you 15-inch alloy wheels, a four-way adjustable driver’s seat, steering wheel audio controls, air conditioning, sunglasses holder, a Driver Information Centre, Bluetooth phone compatibility, and a chrome gear knob surround, with prices starting from £10,995 on-the-road.

The top-of-the-line LTZ adds a leather steering wheel, front fog lamps, rear parking sensors and automatic headlamps, with pricing starting from £12,195 for the 1.4L petrol.