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Motor Authority - blog Tag: General Motors

  • Opel Boss Carl-Peter Forster Calls It Quits

    Opel Boss Carl-Peter Forster Calls It Quits November 6th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 6th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Opel Boss Carl-Peter Forster Calls It Quits

    Carl-Peter Forster, GM group vice president and president of Opel, will be leaving his role as head of the European operation and will advise the company during the transition to find a new CEO, it was announced today.

    With the departure of Forster, GM will initiate an immediate external search for a new CEO for Opel. Expected to replace him, believe it or not, is GM's Bob Lutz.

    The move comes just days after GM decided to keep Opel rather than selling it to a consortium of buyers led by Magna International and Russia's Sberbank.

    No other management changes to the Opel organization are being considered at this time, and that all key...

    Carl-Peter Forster, GM group vice president and president of Opel, will be leaving his role as head of the European operation and will advise the company during the transition to find a new CEO, it was announced today. With the departure of Forster, GM will initiate an immediate external search for a new CEO for Opel. Expected to replace him, believe it or not, is GM's Bob Lutz. The move comes just days after GM decided to keep Opel rather than selling it to a consortium of buyers led by Magna International and Russia's Sberbank. No other management changes to the Opel organization are being considered at this time, and that all key management roles remain while the search for a new CEO continues. Perhaps most telling in the whole fiasco, GM still has plans for Opel cars here in the U.S. Although Saturn was previously the primary outlet for re-badged Opels in America, Buick recently confirmed a redesigned Insignia to be sold as the Regal. For more on what may be in store for that car, read up on our preview story here. [General Motors] Read More

  • 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge Preview

    2009 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge Preview November 4th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 4th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 6 Comments

    2009 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge Preview

    The Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge is on again, this time getting designers from the Southern California area to transform the future of driving into a communicative experience.

    Automobiles have always played an important role in young people's social lives, have acted as a means of self expression and more importantly a necessary tool for interacting with friends. Today, communication technology is changing how we connect and perhaps even the role the car plays in people's lives.

    Southern California design studios will envision what a new generation of drivers, raised with cell phones, online communities and webcams will demand...

    The Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge is on again, this time getting designers from the Southern California area to transform the future of driving into a communicative experience. Automobiles have always played an important role in young people's social lives, have acted as a means of self expression and more importantly a necessary tool for interacting with friends. Today, communication technology is changing how we connect and perhaps even the role the car plays in people's lives. Southern California design studios will envision what a new generation of drivers, raised with cell phones, online communities and webcams will demand from their vehicles in the year 2030. The design studios for Audi, GM, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota have all taken part, hoping to replicate Mazda’s winning performance at last year’s competition. Designs this year range from vehicles that incorporate human DNA allowing changes in the shape, color and materials to vehicles that link into a mass transit system where drivers not only share the commute but trade music and compare class schedules. Below are some of the highlights from this year’s competition. A final winner will be picked at next month’s 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Audi eOra and eSpira: Like a downhill skier, the eOra carves the roadscape with precision by constantly adapting to the driver's movements and intentions. General Motors Car Hero: This concept turns driving into gaming and challenges the driver's skills against the car's autonomous system. Honda Helix: The concept incorporates human DNA with adaptive polymers that allow changes in the car's shape, color and materials. Tri-axis movement allows adaptation and reaction to specific environments and traffic patterns. Mazda Souga: The epitome of personal branding, the Souga allows owners to modify their vehicles on a virtual reality website. Nissan V2G: A eco-neutral commuter car for 2030, the V2G is an electric machine that can be modified to fit the needs and desires of its owner. Toyota LINK: This is a customizable, mass transit vehicle for students that seamlessly links onto a transportation social network. Wheels made of an electro-conductive material, convert friction into energy that recharges the batteries. Read More

  • HUMMER And Tengzhong Sign Sale Agreement

    HUMMER And Tengzhong Sign Sale Agreement October 9th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 9th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    HUMMER And Tengzhong Sign Sale Agreement

    Back in June we brought you the lowdown on HUMMER's talks with Chinese firm Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., and since then the updates on the deal's progress have been steady. Yesterday a report from a source briefed on the deal said Sichuan Tengzhong and GM could sign a deal by today, and now the sale has been officially announced by GM.

    "General Motors (GM) and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM's premium all-terrain HUMMER brand," GM said today in a statement.

    "HUMMER is a...

    Back in June we brought you the lowdown on HUMMER's talks with Chinese firm Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., and since then the updates on the deal's progress have been steady. Yesterday a report from a source briefed on the deal said Sichuan Tengzhong and GM could sign a deal by today, and now the sale has been officially announced by GM. "General Motors (GM) and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM's premium all-terrain HUMMER brand," GM said today in a statement. "HUMMER is a strong global niche brand and this agreement signifies another important milestone in writing the next chapter for both GM and HUMMER," said Fritz Henderson, GM President and CEO. "For HUMMER, the combination of its knowledgeable leadership team, vehicle design expertise and the capital financing of Tengzhong portend a successful future." HUMMER owners who feel morally justified in their choice of the brand due to its American symbolism need not freak out completely: Sichuan Tengzhong plans to put the global brand headquarters near Detroit, thanks in part to a  $20.6 million state tax credit from Michigan. The current management team at HUMMER will also stay in place, including CEO James Taylor, who will keep his role. Manufacturing will be contracted from GM through the existing HUMMER plants, including the H3 and H3T coming out of the Shreveport, Louisiana plant. AM General's plant in Mishawaka where the H2 is made will also continue to build cars for the new ownership through 2011, with a possible one-year extension in 2012. The contracts secure as many as 3,000 jobs in the U.S. "We are excited about some of the initiatives already underway at HUMMER that we believe our investment will be able to accelerate, particularly related to the creation of the next generation of more fuel-efficient vehicles to meet not only future regulations but also customer expectations," said Yang Yi, chief executive officer of Tengzhong. The first plans for the new HUMMER are to extend E85 flex fuel capability to the entire fleet by including the H3 and H3T in the mix, making HUMMER the first manufacturer to do so with its entire lineup--though to be fair, HUMMER's entire lineup consists of essentially two models and their variants at this point. Read More

  • Susan Docherty Replaces Mark LaNeve As Vice President U.S. Sales At GM

    Susan Docherty Replaces Mark LaNeve As Vice President U.S. Sales At GM October 8th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 8th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 2 Comments

    Susan Docherty Replaces Mark LaNeve As Vice President U.S. Sales At GM

    Fritz Henderson, GM president and CEO, today named Susan Docherty, 46, currently general manager, Buick-GMC, to the position of vice president of the company’s U.S. Sales. Docherty replaces Mark LaNeve, who announced his departure to a non-automotive company earlier today.

    Previously, Docherty had been named to lead the Buick-Pontiac-GMC Channel in June 2008. Before this assignment she had been general manager for the Western Region division, taking the position in September 2006.

    GM will now look outside to fill the Buick-GMC general manager position, with the company hoping to infuse new ideas and an outside perspective into its...

    Fritz Henderson, GM president and CEO, today named Susan Docherty, 46, currently general manager, Buick-GMC, to the position of vice president of the company’s U.S. Sales. Docherty replaces Mark LaNeve, who announced his departure to a non-automotive company earlier today. Previously, Docherty had been named to lead the Buick-Pontiac-GMC Channel in June 2008. Before this assignment she had been general manager for the Western Region division, taking the position in September 2006. GM will now look outside to fill the Buick-GMC general manager position, with the company hoping to infuse new ideas and an outside perspective into its marketing efforts. Mark LaNeve has served as head of sales since March 2005 and according to Henderson he has done “a heck of a job in a very difficult environment going.” Read More

  • Saab Sale To Koenigsegg Gets $610 Million Backing From Sweden

    Saab Sale To Koenigsegg Gets $610 Million Backing From Sweden October 6th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 6th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Saab Sale To Koenigsegg Gets $610 Million Backing From Sweden

    Koenigsegg's purchase of Saab had been rumored to be in trouble due to financing issues, but the Swedish government's decision to guarantee the $610 million loan sought from the European Investment Bank today shores up the purchase.

    General Motors and Koenigsegg reached an agreement for the sale of Saab back in August, but the deal hasn't been completed as Koenigsegg has struggled to come up with the funding to buy out 100% of GM's interest under the terms of the deal.

    Sweden's eagerness to keep Saab, as well as Volvo, within its borders, no doubt plays into the decision to back the Koengigsegg Group's purchase of the brand.

    Even after...

    Koenigsegg's purchase of Saab had been rumored to be in trouble due to financing issues, but the Swedish government's decision to guarantee the $610 million loan sought from the European Investment Bank today shores up the purchase. General Motors and Koenigsegg reached an agreement for the sale of Saab back in August, but the deal hasn't been completed as Koenigsegg has struggled to come up with the funding to buy out 100% of GM's interest under the terms of the deal. Sweden's eagerness to keep Saab, as well as Volvo, within its borders, no doubt plays into the decision to back the Koengigsegg Group's purchase of the brand. Even after the sale of Saab, however, GM will continue to share technology and services through an agreement like that between Penske and GM for the Saturn brand. Unlike the failed Penske-Saturn deal, Koenigsegg's purchase isn't dependent upon further supply contracts from other carmakers. Saab is already planning to launch three new models over the next 18 months, including the 9-3X, 9-4X and the recently revealed next-gen 9-5 (pictured). [Reuters] Read More

  • Aussie-Sourced Chevrolet Caprice Police Car Coming in 2011

    Aussie-Sourced Chevrolet Caprice Police Car Coming in 2011 October 4th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 4th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Aussie-Sourced Chevrolet Caprice Police Car Coming in 2011

    The Pontiac G8 may have bowed out of the North American car scene but its Aussie cousin, the long-wheelbase Caprice sedan, is coming Stateside in 2011--as a police squad car. Earlier this year there were reports claiming the G8 would live on as a police car but today General Motors confirmed that the all-new Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) will join the ranks of law enforcement departments across North America in 2011.

    The Caprice PPV is a modern, full-size, rear-drive sedan that will offer both V-8 and V-6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features. It rides on the same Zeta rear-wheel drive platform...

    The Pontiac G8 may have bowed out of the North American car scene but its Aussie cousin, the long-wheelbase Caprice sedan, is coming Stateside in 2011--as a police squad car. Earlier this year there were reports claiming the G8 would live on as a police car but today General Motors confirmed that the all-new Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) will join the ranks of law enforcement departments across North America in 2011. The Caprice PPV is a modern, full-size, rear-drive sedan that will offer both V-8 and V-6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features. It rides on the same Zeta rear-wheel drive platform that underpins the Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet Camaro, although it uses the longest wheelbase of the architecture--118.5-inches. Unlike other police cars on the market, the Caprice PPV is not based on any existing “civilian” vehicles sold in North America. It has been developed in key areas specifically for police duty, containing modern equipment and features. These include a 6.0-liter V-8 with cylinder deactivation technology and E85 capability, plus a more fuel efficient V-6 model due in 2012. Peak output of the V-8 stands at 355-horsepower and an estimated 384-pound-feet of torque, all of which is channelled though the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Other special items include touchscreen displays, specially contoured seats designed to fit police utility belts, a high-output alternator, and heavy-duty brakes. The Caprice is actually sold by Holden in Australia as its flagship luxury sedan as well as in some Asian markets where it wears Buick, Chevrolet and Daewoo badges. If it proves successful as a police squad car and there is enough civilian interest in it, GM may just be persuaded to bring it to local showrooms. However, with GM’s poor financial state and tough CAFE regulations, we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath. Read More

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