GM
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Future may be the F-word at General Motors' Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn brands, but that's not stopping development work from continuing on core vehicles like the Zafira seven-seater. Prepping for release in 2011 or 2012, the new car wears a brand identity that was first previewed with the Flextreme concept in 2007. The Opel Ampera, Europe's version of the Volt, also displays similar styling cues, especially at the front of the car with the wing-like headlights. But the seven-seater also looks to share some other design elements with the new Insignia, especially in the character lines along the...
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Report: NHTSA pulls the plug on part of GM's plan to auction Heritage cars at Barrett-Jackson
General Motors’ cash struggles are widely known by now, but the Detroit carmaker's accountants had found a creative way to produce some income - auctioning off more than 250 new and old production models and concepts that up until now have been admired in the company’s Heritage Museum...
Ralph Hanson -
GM preparing for bankruptcy
General Motors is reportedly preparing for the worst, with work under way to get the company ready for a possible bankruptcy. Earlier on this month, it was mentioned that a bankruptcy plan to split GM and retain only the most profitable aspects of its operations while ditching the dead weight was...
Jeremy Weber -
Volt won't get DOE funds until GM passes government viability tests
There are many layers to the deal General Motors has had to accept from Washington. In addition to having 60 days - now down to 51 - to turn things around or face bankruptcy, GM must also convince the government it will remain viable in order to be eligible for $10.3 billion in Department of Energy...
Nelson Ireson -
New Buick LaCrosse priced from $27,835 in U.S.
Buick today announced pricing for its 2010 LaCrosse luxury sedan, which will arrive in showrooms in the middle year with a starting price of $27,835 for the base CX model (plus $750 in destination charges). Standard equipment includes a new 3.0L direct-injected V6 driving the front wheels, premium...
Ralph Hanson -
GM offers more direct-injected models in U.S. than any other automaker
GM is understandably proud of its direct-injection system that helps its vehicles be more frugal while churning out extra power, and according to the company it’s now the brand with the most direct-injected vehicles in its North American lineup. For those that don't know, direct-injection...
Ralph Hanson -
General Motors has already been taken over by Toyota as the world's biggest automaker, but the latest reports are predicting that the struggling Detroit giant is set to fall further down the list. In its place will emerge rival European automaker Volkswagen AG, which is expected to become the second biggest by the end of the year. The predictions come from market research company R.L. Polk, which also claims that GM will be dropping its production numbers by over 30% this year. Comparatively, VW will only be dropping 15% of its production numbers, largely because of its more global operations...
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GM teams up with Segway for new personal mobility vehicle
Just days out from the New York Auto Show, General Motors, together with Segway, has unveiled a new type of vehicle that could change the way we move around in cities. Labeled Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), the vehicle is an electrically powered, two-seat pod that has...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GMC adds Yukon Denali Hybrid to lineup
Joining the Yukon Hybrid SUV and Sierra Hybrid Pickup this May is the all-new GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid SUV, which makes its debut this week at the New York Auto Show. The latest addition is an upmarket fullsize SUV that seats eight, tows up to 5,800lb (2,636kg) and according to GM achieves an...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM will maintain global product strategy even if it loses control of engineering centers
Becoming efficient is GM's key goal right now, both in bringing back its own financial security and at the same time convincing the auto industry task force to provide crucial loans. To achieve this goal, GM will be trying to preserve its global product strategy that helps it reduce costs for model...
James Martinez -
GM bankrupcty could split healthier brands off into separate company
Hidden away in General Motors' plans for the next 60 days is a bankruptcy strategy that could see its most successful brands peel off to form a second company, leaving the other brands to languish in bankruptcy for a more extended period. The news comes from an anonymous source within GM via...
Nelson Ireson -
Slow sales to keep Corvette plant closed through July
Rick Wagoner was sent packing earlier this week, then GM debuted a new buyer assurance program and guaranteed warranties, and Fritz Henderson put out a message of determination in the face of difficulty today, but Corvette's plant in Bowling Green won't be back in full operation until at least...
Ralph Hanson -
When it comes to maximizing fuel savings, a vehicle like the Cadillac Escalade is probably one of the best platforms for a hybrid drivetrain. The SUV’s are big and heavy and are mostly found in and around city suburbs. This means mostly slow traveling speeds and plenty of stop-start acceleration and braking – the ideal situation for hybrid operation. Not surprisingly, the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is 50% more fuel-efficient than the regular V8 model, and with a fuel-economy of 20mpg (11.7L/100km) around town the big SUV is almost comparable with a midsize sedan. The vehicle is also...
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Ford, GM announce new buyer assurance incentives
All the great deals on new cars going around are tempting to many who would be buyers but for the tenous state of the overall economy, but not tempting enough to overcome the fear of a lost job, repossession and the trouble that follows. So Ford and General Motors are both stepping up today with...
Nelson Ireson -
Canada follows U.S. lead and rejects GM and Chrysler viability plans
Canada has followed the lead of the U.S. and rejected the respective viability plans of General Motors and Chrysler, claiming the plans do not go far enough in their current form. This means the carmakers may miss out on the initial $3.2 billion in loans pledged in December, though a small portion...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Wagoner nabs $20 million retirement package on forced exit from GM
When you're Rick Wagoner, you get a golden parachute even when you're thrown out of the plane. The news today of Wagoner's $20 million retirement package might come as a surprise to some, following so closely on the heels of his Presidential ouster over the weekend. Wagoner won't get the cash all...
Nelson Ireson -
Auto industry task force rejects GM and Chrysler viability plan
The Obama administration auto industry task force has rejected viability plans for General Motors and Chrysler and threatened that both may be forced into bankruptcy unless further sacrifices are made. The task force has consistently stated that its goal is to solve the industry's problems rather...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy shots: Barely disguised Opel Insignia OPC
We’ve seen a number of prototypes for the upcoming OPC Opel Insignia sedan and Sports Tourer wagon in the past 12 months but this is the first time that we have seen the car in its almost production ready state. OPC, which stands for ‘Opel Performance Center,’ is the name given to...
James Martinez -
General Motors has confirmed that CEO Rick Wagoner will resign at the behest of President Barack Obama and his auto industry task force. Wagoner is stepping down from the top spot, effective immediately, and will be replaced by the company’s current COO Fritz Henderson. Wagoner confirmed that his decision was made purely to appease the White House, but with losses of more than $82 billion since 2004 and a 95% decline in the company's share price since 2000 – about the same time Wagoner stepped in – it may be time for GM to get a new boss. Another managerial switch taking...
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Cadillac to pull out of half of European markets, cancels diesel
Say what you will about General Motors' past decade or two of planning, their products have come a long, long way in the past several years. That makes the events of the past several months all the more unfortunate - just when things looked ready to turn around, the market collapses. Now the...
Nelson Ireson -
GM and Saab agree to five-year parts sharing deal
When the news of Saab being splintered from General Motors' holdings, many lamented the demise of the Swedish carmaker, assuming it would be unable to stand alone. But a new parts sharing agreement between Saab and General Motors offers some hope that the brand born from jets might yet live to fly...
Alex Kaufmann -
Pontiac G8 sees record sales amid harrowed industry
Incentives, incentives, incentives. That's the name of the game at all of the major carmakers these days, and in many cases, it's paying off. Take the Pontiac G8 for example: despite a market that's off over 40%, the G8 sedan saw its best sales ever last month - over double the number sold in...
Ralph Hanson -
U.S. production of Orlando MPV on hold says union official
While the likes of Audi and Daimler are surging forward with their product development, cash-strapped companies such as General Motors are having to abandon certain market segments and cut back on new model launches just to stay in business. The latest product cuts reportedly taking place at GM...
Ralph Hanson -
Bankruptcy rumors hurt residual values for GM and Chrysler
General Motors and Chrysler just can’t seem to get a break. Not only are they dealing with one of the worst market slumps to hit the auto industry in decades, fears of bankruptcy are turning away potential customers in droves and now those same fears are also sending residual values of their...
James Martinez