I figure that it’s about time for a little Public Service Annoucement, CarEnvy.ca-style. Your usual PSA tell you things like “don’t fly to Mexico” or “wash your hands”, but those have nothing to do with cars. This does. 

So now that GM is finally, officially set to file for Chapter 11 bankrputcy protection in the US today, you’re probably wondering if your local dealership will still be open and if your warranty will be any good. Well I’m here to tell you that your warranty is still good and your dealership will still be open. Well, there’s only a 58% chance that your nearest Canadian GM dealer will still be open by the end of 2010, but today, it’s more like 95%. 

Anyway, all those “facts” were about as interesting as Stephen Harper’s haircut, so let’s get back to the cars. 

There are great deals to be had on GM products right now, so find your wallet and crack it open. After the jump is a list of the 5 best cars that GM makes today:

1. Chevrolet Corvette C6. A symbol of Americana if ever there was one. Engines start with the 430 hp LS3, move up to the 505 hp LS7, and climax with the 638 hp LS9. There is no bad choice. You’re basically just choosing if you want to lose your driver’s license in 4.2, 3.6, or 3.3 seconds.

 

2. Cadillac CTS and CTS-V. The CTS is a bold, in-your-face design that symbolizes a design-led turnaround for the be-wreathed brand. And if the CTS is the looker in the fam, the CTS-V is the brains. With the 556 hp LSA under-hood and the magnetomagic dampers helping in the corners, the V is an M5-stomper. Yes, an American sedan that keeps up with the German Joneses. 

 

3. Pontiac G8 GT. It’s RWD and V8-powered. Everything that men (and car enthusiasts in general) want. I know that I’ve talked about how wonderful the G8 GXP is before, but seeing as how it never made it North of the 49th parallel, we’ll just have to make do with the GT. It still has a 361 hp 6.0L V8. This thing is a sleeper to boot, garnering it extra points in my book. 

 

4. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra. Yes, it’s a truck. And I know that this is CarEnvy, not TruckEnvy, but I still have to tip my hat when I see a good product. Even if I would never own one. The Silverado is quite simply the best truck on the market. With all the R&D funds that GM spent on the GMT900 platform instead of on small cars, it had better be good. And it is. 

 

5. Chevrolet Malibu. It might not be best-in-class, but it is a huge improvement over previous iterations of the model and it represents a strong value, something Chevy could use more of. Seriously, if you’re life is so pitiful that you’re in the market for an entry-level midsize sedan, give the Malibu a gander. 

 

Were there any others I missed that you think are worth buying?

Some willful omissions: Chevrolet Volt and Chevrolet Camaro. Why? The Volt is, at best, an over-priced, money-losing, publicity stunt. At worst, it’s vapourware. The Camaro just isn’t that great. The ergonomics are atrocious (I’ve actually sat in one), and although I’m sure it drives reasonably well, it will only appeal to mulleted enthusiasts who somehow survived 4 years of GM’s hype at it’s best (and worst). I’m not one of those individuals. I think that the Genesis Coupe is a better effort, especially considering who makes it. I expect better from GM that these two products, thus, their omission.