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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Chevrolet , GM , Pontiac Click above for gallery of production pics of Chevy Volt When the Chevy Volt goes on sale in late 2010, it may be joined shortly thereafter by other GM-branded series hybrids using the eFlex architecture. But after the General's bread-and-butter bow-tie division, which brands make the most sense to get their own Volt? We've already seen a Cadillac with underlying eFlex technology, and GM's luxury arm could charge higher prices to offset the cost of the expensive powertrain. After Cadillac, Saturn might be a good bet considering we've already seen an eFlex-based Saturn-branded FlexStream concept . Susan Docherty, GM's North American vice president of Buick, Pontiac and GMC, thinks GM's driving excitement team is a natural fit for a Volt-like hybrid. Her reason is that the Pontiac brand can attract a younger crowd that readily accepts new technology and cutting-edge design. We're not so sure. If...
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Filed under: Buick , Chevrolet , GM , GMC , Pontiac For the past several years General Motors has been using the Athens Coney Island Restaurant on Woodward Ave as a base of operations for the Dream Cruise. The parking lot this year is again filled with classic, wannabe classic, and future classic GM machinery, much of it brought out from the GM Heritage Center in nearby Sterling Heights. For those that haven't yet seen the new Camaro in production form, the red RS that we saw a few weeks ago is on display here in the parking lot along with a ZR1 in police markings and what must be one of the most yellow first generation Camaros anywhere. The powertrain tent at the back of the lot is filled with past present and future powertrains from the Z11 427 to the two-mode hybrid and even a fuel cell stack. The parking lot area is open to the public all day. Gallery: Woodward 2008: GM at Athens Coney Island Gallery: Woodward 2008: GM engines Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Green , Chevrolet , GM , GMC Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Chevy Tahoe XFE Remember earlier in the year when Chevy quietly added the 36-mpg XFE model to its Cobalt lineup? XFE stands for "Xtra Fuel Economy" (should we tell them they spelled "Extra" wrong?) and means these vehicles have been equipped with some easy fuel-saving technologies to eek out as many miles per gallon as possible. GM announced today that the Cobalt XFE will be joined by XFE versions of the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon for the 2009 model year. The General already offers hybrid versions of its full-size SUVs, which are also joined by hybrid versions of its half-ton trucks for 2009, but the XFE models will continue to be powered by a flex-fuel version of the company's 5.3L gasser V8. It produces 320 hp/340lb-ft in the Tahoe and Yukon, and 315 hp/338 lb-ft in the Tahoe and Yukon. All are rear-wheel-drive only and mated...
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Filed under: Coupes , Chevrolet , GM Hot on the heels of yesterday's unofficial unveiling of images of the production 2010 Camaro , photos are now flooding the web. As reported, General plans on giving customers the choice of a 416 hp 6.2L V8 or a 296 hp 3.6L V6 when the highly-anticipated coupe goes on sale, but for now, you get to choose which color to look at. Released are 52 pictures of yellow, red, and silver Camaros on the track, in the studio, and on the inside. All of them appear to be the RS model, though a couple of SS interior shots have now joined the group. Click on the images above or the gallery below to see what's been leaked so far, and look for the motherlode to arrive on Monday afternoon when we deliver plenty of high-res pics and video of the live Camaro unveiling at GM's Warren Technical Center. Thanks to all who sent tips! Gallery: 2010 Chevy Camaro Pics Aplenty [Source: Camaro5 ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Plants/Manufacturing , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM , GMC , HUMMER , Pontiac , Saturn , Opel , Vauxhall General Motor's car czar, Bob Lutz, sat down with the little people of the blogosphere after GM's announcement that it would be reducing white collar expenditures by 20-percent, cutting truck production and eliminating retired health care for salaried workers over 65, all in an effort to boost its liquidity by $15 billion by the end of 2009. Maximum Bob addressed questions about GM's entire brand portfolio, saying, "Pontiac will be nourished with products" and confirming that GM is in talks with financial institutions about HUMMER, and that, "If we could sell the brand, we'd be interested in doing that." Predictably, much of the conversation centered on fuel efficiency and the General's plans to address the growing demand for miserly transport in the U.S. Lutz made it clear that "as...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Chevrolet , GM Click above for a high-res gallery of the Chevrolet Volt concept. One of the many things General Motors boasted about when it unveiled the Volt concept at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 was its 600-mile range. This was achieved partially by the battery pack, which could sustain a (theoretical) charge allowing the Volt to run for 40 miles without reverting to the gasoline engine/generator, as well as a 12-gallon fuel tank. According to Kicking Tires, GM has shrunk the size of the tank by an unknown quantity and the result is a reduction in range from 600 to 400 miles - or 360 miles without the aid of battery power. The General maintains that since most owners don't travel more than 40 miles in one day, it wasn't necessary to fit the Volt with a larger tank. That reduction in capacity will save some weight, but what will it cost in public perception? The hype surrounding GM's supposed savior and game-changer are based on...
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Filed under: China , Cadillac , Chevrolet , Ford , GM , Earnings/Financials , By the Numbers While domestic sales continue to slide, the auto market in China is thriving. Both General Motors and Ford have reported double-digit sales growth for the first-half of 2008 in the world's most populace country, with GM moving 590,126 Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac vehicles for a total sales increase of 12.7 percent, while Ford sold 172,411 units for 21 percent jump in growth. With China recognized as the second-largest vehicle market outside the United States, and with their economy forecasted to grow by at least nine percent this year, automakers in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. are investing heavily to expand sales and production in the Chinese market. It is worth noting that vehicle sales in China have been nearly immune to the increase in global oil prices as governmental controls keep diesel and gasoline prices among the world's lowest. [Source: Detroit News ] Permalink | Email this...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Coupes , Chevrolet , GM Click above for gallery of the 2010 Camaro hauling The high price of petrol is causing people to do some pretty crazy things, but after seeing these photos of a Camaro pulling a U-Haul on public roads, we're hoping pickup trucks don't become that bad on gas that one would consider using a muscle car as a mule. An astute photographer nabbed a couple shots of the long-awaited 2010 Camaro as it was helping someone move or delivering the AllSpark to Optimus Prime . While performance coupes probably aren't the best choice for pulling cargo, at least the Camaro's 6.0L V8 has been quite the hauler for GM, albeit under the hood of trucks and SUVs. Thanks for the tip, Matt Bateman. Gallery: 2010 Camaro U-Haul [Source: Picasa ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Car Buying , Buick , Cadillac , Chevrolet , GM , GMC , Pontiac , Saturn During a dealer teleconference today, General Motors announced it would be launching a zero-percent financing sale beginning tomorrow, while simultaneously raising the prices of its 2009 vehicles. The "72-hour sale" will run from June 24th through the 30th, and will offer customers 0-percent interest rates for 72 months on most Chevys, Buicks, Pontiacs and GMC vehicles. So far, there's no word on whether the offer will extend to Cadillac and Saturn. GM will also offer $500 in "bonus cash" to buyers who opt to purchase GM products outright rather than leasing them. At the same time, the General is going to be raising the prices of 2009 models by an average of 3.5-percent "across the board," something that was bound to happen, according to Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicles sales, service and marketing. On the production front, GM will be adding a third shift...
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Filed under: Coupes , Economy , Plants/Manufacturing , Hatchbacks , Chevrolet , GM The industry-wide shrinking of US automobiles is in its infant stages, but new products are coming in a big fat hurry. GM is preparing a new compact model based on the Delta platform, and it will feature the General's new 1.4-liter turbo powerplant. GM isn't spilling the beans on the identity of the new vehicle, which will not be named Cobalt. We don't know if it will replace the Cobalt , either, but we do know that the direct injected, force-fed 1.4-liter four-pot could achieve a remarkable 40 mpg or more. The new engine isn't only efficient, but it's got plenty of pep, too. The turbocharged four-banger will produce between 120 and 140 ponies, and it'll likely have an attractive torque curve to boot. The as-of-yet unnamed vehicle will be built in GM's Lordstown plant, which currently produces the Pontiac G5 and Chevy Cobalt. The new Chevy may also necessitate an additional shift...
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Filed under: Coupes , Chevrolet , GM , Driving With the 2010 Camaro just a couple months from being unveiled in production trim, GM is conducting focus groups with fanatics that it aims to please. Forum poster OctaneZ28 from 5thGen was on-site at the General's Milford Proving Grounds recently for the second such focus group and is now telling the world as much as he can about the soon-to-be-released bow-tie pony car. So far he's as giddy as a school boy. Since OctaneZ28 is a true die-hard Camaro fan, it's hard to consider his opinions objective, but he's posted some things from the focus group that we find interesting. First off, he mentions driving both the V6 and V8 models, and he calls the 3.6L version a real sleeper. Does that mean the base engine could be direct-inject version with more horsepower? OctaneZ28 also mentions the production convertible, which is said to keep the form of the coupe and is the most researched drop-top in the history of GM. That's weighty...
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Filed under: Economy , Euro , Green , Chevrolet , GM General Motors' European division has announced the development of three new engines that will provide the power consumers crave while returning higher fuel economy and lower emissions. Two turbocharged engines, ranging in output from 1.0- to 1.4-liters will between 120 hp and 129 lb.-ft. of torque, and 140 hp and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, while returning an eight-percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to their larger displacement counterparts. The duo of new engines will find their way into the new Astra and some European-market Chevys in 2010, although there's no word if either engine will make the trek across the Atlantic. Hit the jump to read up on both engines and a new, 1.6-liter CNG-powered mill that GM plans to market in Germany and Italy. Continue reading GM Europe launches two new fuel-sipping engines Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Hirings/Firings , Marketing/Advertising , GM General Motors is on a campaign to streamline and cut through red tape, and to that end is changing the management structure of its brands. As of June 1, GM is establishing four new "brand czars" who will have increased control over their products and be responsible for their divisions' successes and failures. Pontiac-Buick-GMC, Cadillac-HUMMER-Saab, Chevrolet and Saturn will each be accountable to a new brand chief, who in turn will report to the corporate VP of sales, service and marketing. The positions, which will all be vice-president-level appointments (except for Saturn, whose brand czar will coordinate with Opel), will have increased input into the overall process from product development through sales. The new brand czars will replace the five regional general managers that have acted until now as an insulator between the brands and its dealers. Insiders are hailing the move as a positive step, helping General...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Plants/Manufacturing , Chevrolet , UAW/Unions General Motors has been dealing with a lot of strikes lately. The United Auto Worker union's strike against one of its main suppliers, American Axle, has been reducing the General's inventory of trucks and SUVs for about a month now, and also threatened production of the Chevy Malibu before the automaker found more parts to keep production going. Just yesterday the UAW walked out of GM's Lansing Delta Township plant where the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn are built. The latter strike is over what the UAW has only referred to as "local contract issues". Whatever those are, they are important enough to come back today and threaten GM with a walk out at its Fairfax plant, one of the two facilities that builds the hot-selling Chevy Malibu. The union has set a five-day ultimatum, and says it will walk out on Malibu production next Tuesday, April 22 if an agreement isn't reached. The other...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Marketing/Advertising , Chevrolet , GM , UK Click above for a high-res gallery of Chevy's "fitting rooms" In what has to be the most ridiculous or utterly ingenious marketing ploy to date, Chevrolet has set up a drive-in fitting room outside a London dealership to allow consumers to "try on" their car before they buy. According to GM's research and marketing hacks, three out of four consumers consider their car to be a status symbol, despite 95-percent of people having no idea what they look like inside their car. As strange and admittedly vain as this campaign is, we can't help but think that it isn't an entirely bad idea. However, we doubt that it's going to make the trek across the pond and redefine our dealership experience. GM's full press release is available after the jump. Gallery: Chevrolet Drive-In Fitting Room Continue reading Chevy caters to insecurity, trials drive-in fitting room Permalink | Email this ...
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