G. David Felt

While I completely agree, we don't know that they aren't getting a form of "profit sharing" for the very good few years they've had. Like Walmart. All people see is X dollars/hr. but they never hear about the quarterly bonuses for having a good store with high scores in sales, customer appreciation, shrinkage, etc, etc. . That's for all employees, not just management. The store I worked at was typically between $200-600 and then there were quarters w/o a bonus and then quarters w/ ~$900 bonus. Very True, I just wish more companies would have transparency and show these benefits as it does help recruit better quality employees.

I approve all Man Cards here no matter what you do if you rebuild an engine or project auto like Balthazar or just keep your ride sparkling and shinny like Olds. We all love the industry and so that in itself keeps our Man Cards Stamped. Trust me, washing and keeping a car looking show room new is just as hard as working on a truck like Balthazar keeping a lovely ride on the road. Ya all Rock! Love the updates on where your at Balthazar, look forward to seeing that baby on the road again. Let us know how the inspection goes once your ready to drive it again.

^^^^^ +1 as I totally agree with you SMK about Sergio being way over paid. Most really are. They could grow companies so much more if they kept their pay reasonable and actually shared the profit with the employees who would most likely work harder if they know they get a portion of the profit from the company performing well.

^^^^^ How is FWD wrong wheel drived when Audi as well as BMW and MB have sold plenty of FWD appliances?

Of course, because MB follows revenue above all else! March 2016 ~ cla-class : DOWN 28% c-class : DOWN 13% e-class : DOWN 19% s-class : DOWN 36% VANS :: UP 29% Expect to see increasing emphasis / dealer stock on from the etherial "van division" of Daimler in the coming year as the rest of the brand is entering a sales 'slide'. Do not forget the rebadged Nissan Truck that will show up along side the vans for sales s

http://www.autoextremist.com/on-the-table1/?currentPage=2 Hey....dont shoot the messenger, Im only saying what others are thinking! And Why Do They Not say this about the MB product line that has the same cheap ass face on their A, B C, E and S series? Talk about a bland blended product line. I can tell more differences between ats, cts and CT6 than I can on the MB units.

BUT BUt But Subaru has marketed us to believe that AWD is the second coming and we have to have it for winter!!!

Cool, I would LOVE for GM to shock the world again like they did with the BOLT concept by showing off an Equinox Plug-in powertrain, aka using a beefed up version of the VOLT system but with the battery of the BOLT. That way you should have about a 600 mile range of driving for road trips but at least the first 200+ would be pure electric.

Not much to really tell at this stage, wish there was a better shot of it along side the current model to really tell if it is smaller or bigger. Hard to tell from the single image they have.

I am hoping this allows GM to finally scale out the VOLT powertrain for use in far more auto's. The VOLT powertrain should be in everything especially in trucks and SUVs. This would greatly bump up GM MPG average and greatly reduce the green house gas production.

Washington state just finalized their updated group buying program for EV auto's and Hybrids. Approved for immediate purchase is the following: 2016 Nissan Leaf with 107 mile range and 30 kWh battery for the SV and the original 84 mile range with 24 kWh battery for the S. S Model - $20,734 SV Model - $25,642 2017 Chevrolet Volt $33,859 More details here: http://wwcleancities.org/new-washington-state-ev-contracts-equal-huge-price-savings/ As far as I can tell this is before Fed rebate is applied. Instructions on the DES group purchase program: CarsSystemInstructions.pdf

Update on this, not only have these electric buses proven to be more reliable, much less maintenance but also longer life between DC quick charges. Metro has decided rather than Diesel Bio Buses, they are now going forward with 6 more of these electric buses as they start to replace the full diesel inner city bus fleet with electric buses and use CNG busses for the express long distance drives. Full story here: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/News/release/2016/February/17-battery-bus-launch.aspx Per the article, this purchase brings their inner city bus fleet to 70% pure electric or hybrid electric buses.

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Auto CEO Compensation CNBC with Reuters has posted CEO compensation for GM, FCA, and FORD for 2015 and clearly also points out GM CEO Barra's compensation jumps 72% to $28 Million for 2016. 2015 Compensation GM CEO Barra - $7.3 Million on $152.4 Billion in sales, $10.8 EBIT earnings. FCA CEO Marchionne - $73.6 million FORD CEO Field $18.6 million Course stock does make up a large percentage of the pay package, but it is interesting to see what they are paid. CNBC-Reuters story

All hail Drew! Course like you I am always working too, but just like the interaction from the office best.

I like this, much clearer in what is created and retained compared to the FORD investment info.

What is the picture of as nothing is showing? ^^^^^^ We know the sewing is as Drew properly points out on a preproduction auto. So what is the zombie picture of and is it production or preproduction?

Every video I have ever seen of Paris shows smoke belching auto's, so banning the diesel / old polluting auto's is understandable. Yet if Europe was not so crazy on taxing engine size and making a cast system so it is harder to own an auto, I think many would get rid of their older auto's. France should institute a trade in program like the US did to get old dirty autos off the road.

Craptors? What cha talking about Willis? The Toronto Raptors after they came back on Indiana last night. Sorry for being sports dumb, but what sport is this?

So with what you have stated, which dealership would you be attracted to go to: Cadillac China Mercedes-Benz China Humans are emotional and the first impression visually does make a difference.

Craptors? What cha talking about Willis?

Your a Poet and you did not know it!

WOW, the hits keep coming and it keeps getting uglier. This is only going to hurt diesel sales more especially in the auto segment. All auto makers better focus on EV's, Plug-in Hybrids, and Hybrids as that is what the world is going to come too on top of alternative fuels like CNG.

Interesting, excited to see how they update the car. Not sure about the BMW powertrain. Wonder if it is based on the i8 or i3 model?

Totally can agree with what you say Oldshurst442, most times it is harder to get things done unless I have deadlines. I do like the office as a change to the house and looking at other things I also want to get done.

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Jobs of the Future as Predicted by GM GM has posted a list with details of what this will entail of jobs in the auto industry by 2025. Quoting their media release: Electrical engineers – Battery, hybrid and plug-in vehicles are becoming mainstream. The internal combustion engine isn’t going anywhere soon, but the industry is developing alternative ways to make a car move. Electrified vehicles are more powerful and achieve greater range, and as more customers try these alternatives, demand can only be expected to grow. Over the next 10 years, more engineers will be needed to explore and develop electrified vehicles. Analytics expert – Data is everywhere and can help diagnose what in a car needs attention before it becomes a problem and help pick the best route to a destination. With smart data, the car and the driver will work together for a more efficient future. Analysts will be needed to create algorithms to decipher how this data can best help drivers. Interaction designers - Operating all the technology in the car needs to be designed with an artistry that makes it easy to use. A driver can be going 60 mph on the freeway and the information and technology within the car needs to be accessed intuitively so the driver can keep his hands on the wheel. Web programmer – The car is not a smartphone or a tablet or whatever is going to come next, but it will be a platform that allows the next big thing to easily connect to the vehicle and its occupants. Software is playing an increasingly important role in the vehicle, and coders and developers are only going to be in more demand. Autonomous driving engineer – GM envisions a world without crashes and a key step toward that direction is the introduction of vehicle-to-vehicle technology on the 2017 Cadillac CTS that allows the car to “talk” to other cars that are equipped with V2V technology. After that will come Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous driving technology in the Cadillac CT6 range-topping luxury sedan. Within these fields there will be sensor experts, radar developers and all types of engineers needed to make these vehicles and those that follow them a reality. Customer care experts – It’s not just about cars being made by car people who deliver them to the masses. With social media, direct interaction with companies big and small is direct and near instantaneous. Social care experts provide the listening ear and resolution to problems that can help make customers for life. Sustainability integration expert – Proof points of a sustainable business model can be seen throughout GM. Already, the company has 122 plants and facilities that send no garbage to landfills. A variety of other environmentally friendly programs – from using alternative energy sources like solar and wind – to just finding ways to use less of everything opens employment opportunities for people who understand the best ways to apply these goals to the business. Industrial engineer – Vehicles are mass-produced products. The best companies discover and apply the most efficient production techniques. The future for this position will challenge engineers to build complex vehicles in ways that are sustainable and efficient. 3D Printing engineer – The uses and capabilities of 3D printing in the development, design and engineering world are just beginning to be fully realized. A part mockup that once took weeks to create can now be printed in a matter of hours. Faster prototyping doesn’t just save time; it can lead to more options to be tested and better end products. Alternative propulsion engineer – Diesels, battery electrics, fuel cells. There is no single answer to the future of propulsion. Refining and developing new ways for cars to move will also drive job creation.