General Motors

Future Products—Suzuki By AUTOMOTIVE NEWS Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek AutoWeek | Published 08/16/06, 8:04 am et ----------------------------- Aerio, Aeria: The Aerio wagon will be dropped during the 2007 model year. Forenza: A freshening is planned for the 2008 model year. Reno: Reno is the hatchback version of the Forenza. It may get a high-performance engine for the 2008 model year. Swift: The company will bring the next-generation Swift hatchback to the United States in 2010 to compete with such vehicles as the Honda Fit. A hybrid sedan is a possibility. The Swift last was sold here in 2002. Verona: U.S. sales never hit projections, so the car will…

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54443 Since there is a copyright on this article and it is only available for subscribers, I will just quote the following three paragraphs: "Six months after General Motors halted plans to use its Zeta rear-wheel-drive car architecture in North America, the company has revived the program. " "Queen said initial plans for Zeta stretched the architecture beyond its limits for some North American vehicles. "We needed to reassess and reconfigure the program," he said." "A GM spokesman said no product plans have been approved and that GM still is studying design themes, performance ch…

GM Names Phillip A. Zak To Head GM Europe Exterior Design 08-01-2007 | Link to Original Article @ Edmunds RUSSELSHEIM, Germany — Phillip A. Zak, the versatile General Motors designer who helped to shepherd the design development of such vehicles as the Pontiac REV and the Saturn Prevue concept, was appointed director of exterior design for General Motors Europe on Wednesday. His will head the exterior design of the Opel, Vauxhall and Saab brands as well as "design of certain Saturn products for North America," GM said in a statement. Zak succeeds Mark Adams, who was appointed vice president of design for GM Europe in June. Zak's portfolio includes the Chevrolet Cobal…

The carmaker's 74-year-old vice-chairman on what it'll take to rebuild the brand: Attractive new models, more focus, and a bit of patience Perhaps no single personality in the auto industry conjures as much attention, praise, or controversy as General Motors' venerable new-car czar, Robert "Bob" Lutz. When he joined GM in September, 2001, after retiring from Chrysler in 1998, he lighted hope among longtime GM watchers and company lifers that he could bring style and spirit to a carmaker derided for building a parade of prosaic models. During the past year, with GM losing almost $4 billion and market share sinking, Lutz has been under mor…

Small GM Cars go Global Gamma platform to be produced in low-cost countries By ALYSHA WEBB | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 11/13/06, 8:25 am et Sketch by C&G member Bearrunner44 Link to Original Article @ Autoweek SHANGHAI -- General Motors is a global company, but so far it has had trouble creating truly global platforms that use huge volumes to cut costs. That's starting to change. Supplier and GM sources say GM is planning a new platform for small cars with worldwide annual volume of 1.4 million cars. The platform, called Gamma inside GM, will provide mechanicals for the next Opel Corsa and Chevrolet Aveo starting in 2009. Final decisions h…

http://money.canoe.ca/News/Other/2008/08/01/6327421-ap.html

OnStar system will be able to halt stolen cars Tom Krisher | Associated Press | Link to Original Article @ DetNews DETROIT -- Say some clown steals your car from the parking deck at work. If it's equipped with General Motors' OnStar service, he could be in for a big surprise and you could get a little revenge -- and even see your car again. Starting with about 20 models for 2009, the service will be able to slowly halt a car that is reported stolen, and the radio may even speak up and tell the thief to pull over because police are watching. OnStar already finds 700 to 800 cars per month using the global positioning system. With the new technology, which OnStar Presi…

This is welcomed news for GM and many planned future products. I would hope this will remove the hold on the future Zeta cars and move Alpha forward. Detroit will need to stay moving ahead in fuel milage to stave off any more problems with DC House puts off tougher fuel economy rules Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- House leaders decided Wednesday to put off a potentially divisive fight over auto fuel-economy rules, leaving until September the debate over how high a hurdle they'll set for the embattled domestic carmakers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said late Wednesday that the House will not consider competing proposals to change C…

Negotiators for the Canadian Auto Workers union and General Motors of Canada Ltd. are still far apart on key issues as the clock ticks toward tomorrow night's deadline for a settlement in contract talks, CAW president Buzz Hargrove says. The auto maker, which has still not agreed to meet the pattern agreement the union established with GM rivals Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. and DaimlerChrysler Canada Ltd., wants to outsource about 400 jobs in Oshawa, Ont., and has not indicated that new investments the union wants at some operations are on the way. "There's no indication whatsoever that General Motors is going to table the pattern," Mr. Hargrove t…

Secret Plant In Mexico Could Become GM's Area 51 From News Max.com: "We Heard … that General Motors has four plants in Mexico, but has secretly been building a fifth plant there. The global auto giant – facing enormous health and retirement costs in the U.S. – has been diversifying its manufacturing globally for years. Why the stealth plant? GM execs don't want to upset the UAW which recently cooperated with GM in a buyout plan for employees. Some 25,000 are said to have taken GM's early retirement plan. Meanwhile, Ford announced it is significantly upgrading its operations in its three Mexican plants." Link to Article

http://money.cnn.com/services/tickerheadli...69_FORTUNE5.htm "Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.TO) Chairman Hiroshi Okuda has expressed worries about a possible backlash and proposed raising prices on Toyota cars being sold in the United States as a way to calm emerging trade friction." I guess the extra billions of dollars that Toyota make by raising the price is just a painful side affect that they have to bear. Can you think of another business lie in this proportion? Unfortunately, our media seems to play into this propaganda.

Toronto Star David Olive Business Columnist As recently as 1980, when General Motors Corp. commanded about half of the North American market, it was unthinkable that the century-old company might someday face the prospect of bankruptcy. Yet it's the complacency that came with GM's sustained market dominance through most of the 20th century that accounts for the automaker's perilous condition today. Last Monday, the Wall Street Journal shook up the auto world with a front-page report on GM's woes, and the radical steps the firm is contemplating to ensure its survival. Little in the report was new. Wall Street long ago factored into GM's share price its litany o…

A strike at Delphi could cripple GM -- analysts Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:28 PM ET Printer Friendly | Email Article | Reprints | RSS By Jui Chakravorty DETROIT (Reuters) - As the deadline for Delphi Corp. to ask a court to void its union contracts edges closer, analysts worry a strike at the auto parts maker -- General Motors Corp.'s largest supplier -- would deepen the financial crisis at the automaker. Bankrupt Delphi Corp. has threatened to ask the court to void its contracts with the United Auto Workers union if it cannot reach an agreement by Friday to lower labor costs. This could result in a strike, which could shut down plants and force GM to burn throu…

McNabb Lands at GM - Heading New “Premium” Channel Posted Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 3:24 pm Link to Original Article on The Car Connection Mark McNabb, who resigned from one of Nissan’s top marketing jobs in North America, has resurfaced at General Motors. The 47-year-old McNabb will joins GM as the head of the company’s new “Premium” sales channel, whch includes the Cadillac, Hummer and Saab brands.. Jim Taylor, Cadillac divisional manager, Martin Walsh, Hummer divisional manager, and Steve Shannon, Saab divisional manager will report to McNabb, GM officials said. “Mark McNabb is a world-class executive with extensive experience. His background with Mercedes…

GM NEWS PRODUCTION BEGINS OF NEW SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSIONS AT HISTORIC WILLOW RUN FACILITY .... GM is announcing the start of production of a new family of Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmissions for rear-drive applications at the upgraded Willow Run facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The 6L80 six-speed transmission debuts in the 2006 Chevy Corvette, Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V, and several models of GM's all-new 2007 full-size SUVs. Production of the transmissions is the culmination of a 450-million-dollar, nearly 3-year investment at the Ypsilanti Transmissions Operations (YTO) facility. A new team working concept has been arranged at the plant, which will serve…

GM EXEC REGRETS EMPLOYEE PRICING INCENTIVE, WILL NOT REPEAT IN 06 Source: wsj.com Article quotes: General Motors Corp.'s top North American sales and marketing executive, Mark LaNeve, said he now regrets launching the employee-discount program that drove GM sales to record levels last summer, and doesn't plan to repeat such promotions this year. Instead, Mr. LaNeve said in a recent interview that GM will roll back prices, and try to emphasize the advantages of its new models. Mr. LaNeve declined to say how much GM would lower prices compared to Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and other car makers, but he said the sticker prices would be "aggressive.&qu…

By TAMMY JOYNER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday, September 21, 2008 Later this week, the final vehicle will roll off the line at the last American auto assembly plant in Georgia. Once that happens on Friday, production at the General Motors plant in Doraville will be over. So, too, will be Eddie Bailey Sr.’s automaking days, just 430 hours shy of 30 years — automatic retirement at GM. As GM factory in Doraville closes, an era rolls away “I can’t complain. It’s been a good living, even after always being on the edge,” said Bailey, who started as a line operator. “They raised my family and helped plan my future and retirement and paid for some of my e…

NEWSWEEK INTERVIEW: Rick Wagoner CEO of General Motors Feels 'Completely' Secure in His Job: 'I Know in the End, All of Us Are Going to be Judged on Accomplishments' On Calls For 'New Blood' in GM Management: 'That Is So Simplistic ... That Would Be The Biggest Risk I've Ever Heard Of' NEW YORK, April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner tells Newsweek's Detroit Bureau Chief Keith Naughton he is particularly annoyed by critical media coverage that fails to acknowledge any progress at the troubled company. "They talk about that we are not moving to address the problems," he tells Naughton in the April 10 issue (on newsstands Monday, April 3). "I want to say…

Chevrolet: - Brand Positioning: • Expressive Value • High Value Appeal with High Retail Volume - Dealer Throughput: • Growing to match Toyota in large markets Buick-Pontiac-GMC: - Brand Positioning • Buick: Sophisticated Quality, Luxury and Craftsmanship • Pontiac: Youthful & Sporty – with niche focus • GMC: Engineering Excellence with Capability and Functionally - Dealer Throughput: • Growing to match Nissan in large markets Cadillac: - Brand Positioning: • Performance Luxury with Aspirational Appeal • Global Luxury Brand - Dealer Throughput: • Growing to match Mercedes in large markets

Delphi Outlines Transformation Plan Outlines strategic path to 2007 emergence from Chapter 11 Continues negotiations with U.S. unions and General Motors toward consensual agreement to transform to a competitive U.S. labor cost structure Initiates "dual track" Bankruptcy Court process to reject collective bargaining agreements and certain unprofitable General Motors contracts Company will retain and grow core business product lines and realign manufacturing footprint; non-core businesses to be sold or wound-down by 2008 Global salaried workforce to be reduced by 25% through portfolio and product transformation and SG&A cost savings initiatives Hourly and salaried…

GM, UAW reach tentative deal Details emerge Sharon Terlep | Link to Original Article @ The Detroit News General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative agreement early this morning on a historic new labor contract, instantly ending a two-day strike and paving the way for GM to pay the union to take over $50 billion in retiree health care obligations. In calling off GM's first national walkout in 30 years, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said he is excited to present the deal to members and hopes to win ratification by the weekend. Terms of the tentative deal include: The creation of a voluntary employees' beneficiary association, or VEBA, that Ge…

Company Increasing Production of Hummer H3 SUV, Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon Pickups Third Shift In Plant’s Paint Department To Begin During Q1 2006 PONTIAC, Mich. – General Motors today announced it will invest approximately $20 million by early 2006 at its Shreveport, Louisiana truck assembly plant to increase production of the HUMMER H3 SUV, Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups. To prepare for the increased output, the Shreveport plant will add a third production shift to its paint department during the first quarter of 2006. H3, the new mid-size HUMMER, continues to drive record sales for the division and broaden its appeal from a niche brand to…

Let me make this clear, this is not a rumor, nor is it speculation (well, maybe just a tiny bit), it is a suggestion to GM. If it makes sense to you, and you like these product suggestions then you may want to lobby GM, directly and through your local Pontiac dealer. Timing for the next major overhaul of the G6 puts it beyond the introduction of Epsilon II, and the current program may be cancelled to ensure strict adherence to the new Global platform. At the same time volume for the V8 GTO has not been high, and the new Holden coupe may diverge from NA requirements. What to do? As the G6 is currently built in a seperate plant to other NA Epsilon models (Malibu and A…

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/n...al/13418638.htm

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Why cancel Buick's Rendezvous? JAMES M. DOLLINGER, Chairman, Dollinger Motors Inc., Flint, Mich. Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am To the Editor: The Buick Rendezvous has sold well, mostly through inexpensive leases. It is Mexican-made, with a French name, looks imported and was promoted as "The Spirit of American Style." Although not an example of classic marketing, it did bring new customers to Buick. Similar to previous loyalists -- Park Avenue lease supports were pulled April 1 as the spring market arrived -- Rendezvous lessees will scramble for a replacement within their budget when General Motors introduces the more…

http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/07/news/compa...dex.htm?cnn=yes

York elected to GM board DETROIT – The General Motors Board of Directors today elected Jerome York to the GM Board, effective February 7, 2006. He will serve on the Board’s Public Policy Committee and Investment Funds Committee. “Jerry brings years of business experience and knowledge of the automotive industry to the GM Board,” said Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and chief executive officer. “We are pleased to welcome him to our Board.” York is a consultant to Tracinda Corp., the beneficial owner of approximately 9.9 percent of the common stock of GM. Tracinda Corp. is owned by Kirk Kerkorian. In his past business career, York spent 30 years in the automotive industry,…

Isuzu + GM = LPEC Isuzu and GM are pairing up once again to develop a next-generation pickup truck. This time around though, they're getting quite a bit more serious. So much so, in fact, that they are joining to create a new company: LCV Platform Engineering Corporation (LPEC). It is a 50-50 joint venture which will be based in Fujisawa City, Japan (pictured above). The company is to be established later this month. Read "Isuzu and GM Start Joint Venture" @ World Car Fans

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat , France -- It was a good two days for Robert Lutz, General Motors Corp. vice president for product development. The automotive media applauded the Geneva International Motor Show introduction of one of GM's divisional concept cars, the sleek, all-methanol-powered Saab Aero X. And at this Mediterranean resort, sumptuously sandwiched between Nice and Monaco, Lutz presided over the launching of the Cadillac BLS, a small, European-market, entry-level luxury car designed to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans. The GM that Lutz and company presented here did not look at all like the troubled GM of North America, whic…

Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The time may have arrived for General Motors Corp. to try a bold stroke to do something to reverse a slide that has some investors speculating not whether the world's No. 1 automaker will seek bankruptcy, but when. If GM does something out of character, that man behind it may be none other than Kirk Kerkorian, the octogenarian casino mogul and GM's biggest individual investor. Yesterday GM stock fell another 5.8 percent, bringing the decline since mid-September to a roughly 37 percent. The stock's slide reflects growing apprehension in equity and credit markets that GM is on its way to becoming the most iconic failure in American…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081028/bs_nm/us_chrysler_gm_6 There's got to be some irony in there about Taxpayers who own Toyota's paying for this....

Forbes Article Direct URL: http://www.forbes.com/investmentnewsletter...artner=yahootix

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,199205,00.html - Scroll to bottom

General Motors has been mandated by the U.S. government to shed brands as part of its restructuring process. Recent reports indicate that the General is hard at work, as three buyers are reportedly seeking to purchase Hummer, while a Chinese company may have interest in Buick. The Hummer fire-sale has been ongoing, but a brutal economy and non-existent credit markets have made a sale even less probable. Reuters is reporting that GM has than three bidders for the Sierra Club's symbol of excess, with one potential buyer from the U.S. and two others overseas. The price of Hummer is reportedly somewhere between $100-$200 million in cash, plus assurances that the buyer will …

Premier Buick-Pontiac-GMC Dealership Opens Carl Black Buick-Pontiac-GMC Unveils New Design 3.1.07 STUART, FLA. - The first all-new Buick-Pontiac-GMC showroom in the United States will open its doors here Thursday. After being destroyed by hurricanes Francis and Jeanne in 2004, Carl's Buick-Pontiac-GMC at 2445 S.E. Federal Highway has put the finishing touches on a completely new, modern exterior and interior design. "I'm proud to participate in this great occasion," said John Larson, general manager of GM's Buick-Pontiac-GMC divisions in Detroit. "Carl's is part of a growing number of dealerships that have combined the three brands under one roof. He is also one…

Full Article: Changes To Come - Yahoo Excerpt from Article: According to a manufacturer source, NASCAR officials have floated one solution to the apparent problem to the series' manufacturers. It involves changing the cars that race in the series from the current models being run in the Nextel Cup Series to smaller, sportier ones. The current Busch Series cars are slightly smaller versions of their Nextel Cup cousins. In the past, the Busch Series used makes of cars not used in the Cup series, as well as V-6 engines instead of Cup V-8s, but now the cars used in the two series are more alike. If the two series ran cars that differed more from each other, it would grea…

According to GMI the GM board apparently made the decision to shut Pontiac down by 2015 a few years ago... One of the biggest critics of that decision was Rick Wagoner. Did I miss something?!?! 1) Can the board make these kinds of decisions? 2) What is the purpose of making a decision like that in the first place? Pontiac is/was a volume division which could've/does have a lot of life left *IF* the appropriate investment is made. (Then again, so did Oldsmobile, Saturn and Hummer) 3) If this were the case, then why the continued investment in the G8 and Solstice variants & 4) Why did Bob Lutz even care about Pontiac at this point, if it were to be shut down all alo…

If you visit Fusion Unleashed you can see three photos of the next generation Mazda 6. Does anyone have any information on this car?

Sorry, I this isn't really "GM news" but didn't know where else to put it. My Bro-in-law works as a web designer and is working on the new GM High Perf. Div. website. GM HPD is holding a meeting on Monday in regards to the new site. What they are asking for is info from GM gearheads like us to give some input on what they'd like to see on the new site. I need to turn these suggestions in to him by tommorow morning (Friday 11/10/06). My main thoughts are that I would like to see a section of the site dedicated to photo's and writeup's on each of their factory tuner cars that they've produced through the last few years... for example, that Orange GTO, the green RWD Mon…

General Motors said it sold 9.369,524 vehicles worldwide last year,up 3 percent from 2006,which also beat out Toyota for the top spot,Toyota sold 9,366,000 vehicles in 2007.

From the Annual Report, a disclaimer that the financial statements are not credible. "General Motors' management is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls. Internal controls over financial reporting are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the books and records reflect the transactions of General Motors Corporation and subsidiaries and that established policies and procedures are carefully followed. During 2005 GM identified three material weaknesses in internal controls, relating to statements of cash flows, accounting for vehicles on operating lease with daily rental car entities, and…

On the very top of this weekend's WSJ, there's a Chrysler Pacific dashboard with a red slash through the steering wheel. It reads... BAIL OUT DETROIT? WRONG WAY, DO NOT ENTER Just Say No to Detroit Given the abysmal performance by Detroit's Big Three, it would be better to send each employee a check than to waste it on a bailout, says David Yermack. Before Michael Moore became famous for documentaries like "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Sicko," his first big success came in 1989 with "Roger and Me." In that film, Mr. Moore followed General Motors chairman and chief executive Roger Smith with a camera crew, asking him why the company was closing plants and producin…

April 5 (Bloomberg) -- Two years ago, General Motors Corp. promised dealers it would do whatever it took to reverse falling sales in the American cities that set the industry's trends. The slump has only worsened. Toyota Motor Corp. outsells GM two-to-one in Los Angeles and by a slightly smaller margin in Miami, according to U.S. data compiled by R.L. Polk & Co. In the New York City metropolitan area, where GM had a 4.5 percentage point lead in market share five years ago, Toyota has surged to a four-point advantage. Full Story below. GM Fails to Halt Toyota Sales Gains in U.S. Cities

FORTUNE Tuesday, September 6, 2005 By Alex Taylor III "Are we serious about a coupe and convertible?" demands the chairman of General Motors as he reviews proposed Cadillac body styles. "Or are we just going to talk about it for five years?" The mood at the 7 a.m. Friday product meeting at GM’s Design Center, north of Detroit, tenses up a few notches, which is just what Rick Wagoner intends. Everyone here knows that the company is in trouble. But as Wagoner studies the projected images of cars and trucks in development, he wants to be sure his team understands that each arm of GM has to get faster, smarter, sharper—now. Wagoner zeroes in on a …

The strangest thing about the crisis in the American auto industry is this: Nobody outside of Detroit seems to care. General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) could go down. Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) could go down. If either company fails, hundreds of thousands of workers could lose their jobs and health benefits. I'm not saying that this is going to happen. I'm just saying that the American people and the leaders in Washington don't seem particularly concerned about the traditional U.S. auto industry. I remember when we used to say that one in six jobs in America was connected to the automobile industry. I remember in 1953 when the head of …

The article written by Jerry Flint spreads the blame around for the dreadful pickle the Domestic Automobile Manufacturers are facing. There is more than enough to go around. Blame that is, not pickles. The Link: http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2008/063...artner=yahoomag

http://www.autonet.ca/News/story.cfm?story...1549930-cp.html Too bad this list doesn't include j-bodies...I could really use $6,000

GM factories most likely to close November 12, 2005 BY MICHAEL ELLIS FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER Doraville, Ga. •Employs 2,850 UAW hourly workers and 220 salaried. •Opened in 1947. •Builds the Pontiac Montana SV6, Saturn Relay, Buick Terraza and Chevrolet Uplander minivans. •Capacity utilization in 2004: 64%. •Why it may close: GM always has struggled in the minivan segment, and new crossovers arriving on the market may steal more of their thunder. New front-wheel drive crossovers able to seat seven passengers are scheduled to be built at GM's new Delta Township plant near Lansing. Doraville is one of GM's older plants and isn't near automotive su…

OnStar Updates its Navigation Option 02.07.06 OnStar Turn-By-Turn Navigation provides spoken directions without requiring the driver to enter a destination manually; without continued operator involvement (unlike current OnStar directions); but also without any navigation display. It will require a 2007 GM car and cost about $10 a month more than current basic OnStar service. By Bill Howard The in-car navigation space is getting a lot more crowded: Enter the upcoming voice-only OnStar navigation system, shown to the media on a live Webcast January 6, and to be formally announced by GM and Onstar on January 8 at the Chicago Auto Show. The salient appeal of OnStar T…

Start Of Production Dates From GM Canada To Dealers. 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe - December 5, 2005 2007 GMC Yukon - January 9, 2006 2007 Cadillac Escalade - January 16, 2006 2007 GMC Yukon Denali - March 6, 2006 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche - April 3, 2006 2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali - April 17, 2006 2007 Chevrolet Suburban - April 17, 2006 2007 GMC Yukon XL - April 17, 2006 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT - May 1, 2006 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV - May 8, 2006

Well today was an eventful, rainy, cold day for a Ride & Drive, but what other kind of weather are we to expect from Pittsburgh? Anyhow... Just got back from the All New Silverado Ride & Drive Event where we pit the new 900 pick-up vs. our immediate competition including: F-150, Ram and Titan. After running 2 full road courses with Acceleration, Hard Braking, Large Off-set Speed Bumps, Lower Higher Speed Bumps, Avoidance Lane-Change Manuevers, and Motor Cross-like curves, I was very impressed with the new Silverado! In terms of Acceleration the Silverado felt more powerful, had better throttle response and really had a great pedal feel. The Titan had the…

Munster kids rev up GM Web site Students critique company approach, headed to Detroit BY SHARON PORTA Times Correspondent This story ran on nwitimes.com on Friday, December 16, 2005 12:31 AM CST MUNSTER | Most U.S. auto manufacturers n General Motors Corp. included n have had a difficult time appealing to and connecting with customers in the youth market. To help build a relationship among those elusive 18 to 24 year olds, GM has solicited the help of students from Munster High School. According to GM, this demographic group, which is expected to account for one in five vehicles purchased by 2010, has a greater acceptance of import vehicles because they think the qu…

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200509...19503011880.htm

I just started readng Bob Lutz's new Book Car Guys vs Bean Counters. This is one of the best books to show the modern workings or should I say non workings of GM in the last 20 year. Bob give a little past history and also addesses some of what got GM to where they are at today. He details his time there and what he found when he arrived. It goes on with the business think and how they over think many simple common sense things. I have not gotten all the way through yet but Bob is very candid and many GM people still with GM contributed to the book. I think this is his way to try to make sure things don't go back to what they once were again. In other words it may be d…

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Plunging market share, huge layoffs and a copycat filing by Ford. Those are just a few of the likely outcomes if GM can't avoid bankruptcy court. By Robert Walberg Rick Wagoner, chief executive of General Motors, has tried to comfort investors by saying GM has no plans to file for bankruptcy protection. Cold comfort, I'd say. The company's deeds, if not the CEO's words, point to an acute need for some sort of bankruptcy plan, even if just as a contingency. Consider: GM (GM, news, msgs) lost nearly $4 billion over the last year; its credit rating dropped to junk status; car sales plunged as GM built bigger cars and trucks just as gas prices s…

UAW should be re-named United Assholes Bitches

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By Greg Migliore Automotive News / August 30, 2005 http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=13195 DETROIT -- Automakers are opening their vehicle fleets and wallets to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. General Motors said it is donating $400,000 to the American Red Cross hurricane relief fund, and the GM foundation will match employees' collective donations up to $250,000. GM also is making 25 vehicles available to the Red Cross to deploy as needed, according to Hilary Spittle, GM's spokeswoman for corporate responsibility and philanthropy. Ford Motor Credit Co. will allow customers affected by the hurricane to defer two vehicle payments. …

GM offers workers up to $140K to leave NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - General Motors is offering hourly workers as much as $140,000 each to leave the company as the troubled automaker extends its push to cut labor costs and put an end to billions of dollars in losses. GM (Research) announced an agreement with the United Auto Workers union Wednesday, although it did not give the details of the offer extended to all 113,000 U.S. hourly employees. GM's rocky ride The tragedy of General Motors The Detroit giant is a weird, scarred combination: a carmaker doing poorly, and an insurance company engulfed by its obligations. It's heading for a wreck -- which is why CEO Rick Wago…

Source: Spanish.autoblog

Cadillac and Buick ranked higher than Toyota and Honda in reliability survey. Other GM brands hovering around average and are much better than Nissan. http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/23/Autos/amer..._cars/index.htm

Who has the juice?

Wagoner: GM needs federal help before Obama takes office Jamie LaReau Automotive News November 10, 2008 - 4:40 pm ET DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner says GM's financial distress is so dire that it must line up financial assistance from Washington before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. "This is an issue that needs to be addressed urgently," Wagoner said during an exclusive interview today with Automotive News. Now is the time to "overshoot, not undershoot" when it comes to assistance for the auto industry, he added. In return for financial aid, General Motors is willing to offer the government preferred stock, set limits on e…

By Jamie LaReau Automotive News / October 24, 2005 LAS VEGAS -- General Motors revealed the names of two of the three crossovers it will launch for the 2007 and 2008 model years at its Dealer Business Conference here last week. The GMC crossover vehicle will be called the Acadia, dealers say. The name was confirmed by a GM source. A concept version of the Acadia will debut at the Detroit auto show in January. Dealers will receive the Acadia as a 2008 model after they get the new GMC Sierra pickup next fall. The Saturn crossover will be called the Outlook, GM told dealers, confirming a previously rumored name. The Outlook is due next fall. The Buick version, which…

Jill Lajdziak Reacts In the Fastlane Blog's most-recent update, Saturn's General Manager reacts to comments regarding the brand's revamped lineup. Lajdziak offers insight concerning the Aura's translation from concept to production, the lack of a manual transmission as optional equipment, and the phasing-out of polymer body-panels. Lajdziak's mention of the AutoExtremist's praise is an interesting tidbit, as is her statement regarding the Aura's 14-spoke wheel design. Enjoy the read. Bimmer325 Editor/Reporter -------------------- More on Our Saturn Family By Jill Lajdziak General Manager, Saturn It was great to read all your comments on our new Saturn lineup.…