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Chevrolet has set out very ambitious goals for Europe: the bow tie brand is looking to move one million vehicles per year in the continent by 2015, representing more than a 100 percent increase in sales. While that may seem cosmically out of touch with reality (the European car market is expected to experience a decrease in volume over the next few years), I believe Chevy will be able to meet its 2015 target.
Four words: no more Daewoo clones! That’s exactly how Chevy will get to a million vehicles in Europe.
Currently, the Chevrolet line in Europe consists of six nameplates and eight model variants (available after the break). Three of these nameplates are Daewoo rebadges from the mid-early 90s. These vehicles, specifically the Chevrolet/Daewoo Matiz, Aveo 3/5 door, and Lacetti sedan/wagon, are the least competitive vehicles in their segments.
GM’s plan is to phase out these old vehicles and replace them with new global Chevy products such as the new Spark, Aveo, Cruze, Orlando, Equinox, and Camaro. In effect, the new global Spark will replace the horrific Matiz, the new Aveo will replace the anemic Daewoo-built Aveo, and the Cruze will supersede Lacetti as well as Epica/Tosca in certain markets. Needless to say, Chevy’s new global vehicles represent the latest and greatest in mainstream automotive transportation and will be much more competitive with other marques in Europe and all over the globe. All this will result in a serious sales spike, one that should facilitate the bow tie brand to reach its sales goal. (more…)
Affectionately known as “RenCen,” the seven skyscraper (five from a single base, two joined by passageways) “city within a city” houses approximately 4,000 GM employees (5,000 if accountants, consultants, etc. are included). After a drawn-out zero-sum game between the cities of Warren and Detorit, GM has decided it will continue to operate out of the legendary riverfront complex.
In December, GM reduced the number of employees it committed to keep at the RenCen by 500, from 2,500 to 2,000. Upholding such a commitment would have consequently allowed The General to relocate approximately 2,000 of its own employees. The December decision was made despite a $50 million tax incentive package from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority. Jennifer Granholm, governor of the mitten state, remained tight-lipped on details of the incentives the state offered, but sources indicate that the initial offer has been quadrupled to $200 million.
Moreover, the city of Detroit, via the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. and the Downtown Development Authority, was allegedly offering breaks that ranged from $15 million to $21 million. The headlining $221 million figure comes from the latter estimate coupled with the state’s $200 million.
The increasingly generous incentives ultimately persuaded The General. On Friday, GM spokesperson Tom Wilkinson announced GM was killing its relocation plans. (more…)
The GM Authority Team (props to Alex) has uncovered that CTS Corporation, an Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) and pedal module supplier for affected Toyotas, also supplies The General with ETC and pedal modules. The release, from December 11, 2006, indicates that the parts were to find their way into platforms GM marketed in South and Central America after 2008.
Securing the GM contract three years ago vaulted CTS’s record to supplier of such parts on 50 different automotive platforms manufactured in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. According to Jeff McCurley, Vice President and General Manager of CTS Automotive Products, with the addition of GM, “[CTS] now sell[s] contacting and non-contacting ETC pedal modules to seven of the top ten global vehicle manufacturers.” Prior to the announcement, CTS provided pedal sensors for GM pedals. As of 2006, CTS was actively bidding to supply other parts for GM cars.
As expected, recent CTS press releases have focused on the Toyota mess. CTS noted that Toyota defined the problem as “a rare set of conditions which may cause the accelerator pedal to become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position.” Toyota also indicated the problem “is rare and occurs gradually over a period of time.” CTS, indubitably strong-armed by its legal department, went on to say that it has no knowledge of any accidents or injuries caused by mishaps related to their parts, that the number of occurrences have been small, and that it knows of no instance in which an accelerator was stuck at all open. While those claims are suspect, CTS is correct in noting that the sticky pedal recall was not related to the sudden unintended acceleration problem, which Toyota continues to blame on floor mats; that pedals related to the November recall date back to 2002, whereas CTS did not become a Toyota supplier until 2005; and that all products supplied to Toyota were manufactured per Toyota’s specifications. CTS concluded by noting that Toyota is among their smaller clients, making up for 3% of their annual revenue, and that it continues to work with Toyota to produce a fix. (more…)
Remember this one? Caddy’s Parking Space ad from a few years ago works to prove just how useful the Escalade EXT really is. It’s just like a mullet – business in the front, party in the back. Watch the full ad after the break and then let us know how you think that teensy red car got into the pickup bed. (more…)
If you’re anything like the GM Authority crew, then you’re most likely very interested in knowing how the cars we love (and hate) are made. The following video takes us inside the lab where the Corvette ZR1 gets its paint job and tells us a few very interesting factoids (for example, it takes 6-7 hours to paint a ZR1).
Check out the entire video after the jump!
What do you get when you cross an Escalade with a Suburban? No- You actually get Chevrolet’s Suburban dressed up in a White Diamond Tricoat sheetmetal suit and a cashmere leather interior. Dubbed the Chevy Suburban 75th Anniversary Diamond Edition, GM is celebrating its longest running model name the longest-running nameplate in the entire industry by commemorating 2,570 ‘Burbans with a plethora of standard stuff, including unique badge-work and celebrative stitching.
Notable features of the Chadillac Escaburban include the previously noted White Diamond Tricoat paint, stitching and cashmere leather, on top of (ahem), 20″ 5-spoke chromed wheels, XM Satellite Radio, rearview camera, integrated navigation radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, rear park assist, second row entertainment system, heated and cooled front seats, remote vehicle start, and adjustable pedals. The Diamond Edition is identifiable by the chromed out roof rails, the 75th Anniversary badge on the C-pillar and steering wheel, the commemorative floor paneling, and – of course – the exclusive/awesome paint.
There’s no better way to celebrate a nameplate older than the entire Volkswagen brand. Here’s to another 75 years for American SUV that big families love and hippies hate.
Check out GM’s presser after the break.
In the past, GM management got to drive the shiny new car models home as it was seen as a perk or job benefit. But in the car business, is that really wise? Looking at this old practice a bit closer brings a question to mind – how is a company supposed to understand what it is up against if management is always driving the newest cars in their fleet?
I am happy to hear that management has changed its ways to some degree, as it is driving the competition at least once a week. Fridays are usually “drive day” at GM and many spend that afternoon driving a competitor’s vehicle. This is important because you obviously need to know your competition if you want to compete. But is GM management driving old high mileage cars from the competition? No. Are they driving high mileage GM cars? Again – no – but why should they?
It’s the small stuff I wonder about - rattles, creaks and long term wear. Not only will they not show up when management is driving a new car but they will also not show up in a J.D. Power and Associates Quality survey – something that measures vehicle quality after only 90 days of ownership. 90 days! Heck – even a brand new Trabant should score high marks after 90 days. The only way true quality can really be measured is to evaluate a vehicle after years, not months, of ownership. (more…)
Today is media day for the Chicago Auto Show and that means GM finally rolled out its much-awaited Chevy HD model to the world.
Now you’re probably thinking: “It basically looks the same, so what’s the big deal?” Well, yeah it looks the same (as we expected), but if you take a look beneath the sheet metal, it’s clear where all the time, effort, and money went.
While GM hasn’t told us the official output for the all-new 2011 Chevy Silverado HD, it is expected that the new 6.6L Duramax V8 turbo-diesel will have much higher torque and horsepower numbers and attaining an 11 percent boost in highway fuel economy, all while being capable of running B20 bio-diesel fuel, on top of regular diesel. That pins estimated range at 680 miles with the Duramax under the hood and the huge 36-gallon fuel tank.
Speaking of which, the diesel versions will also be featuring a urea injection system that will mix with the diesel fluid to reduce nitrous oxide emissions by as much as 63 percent. The urea system, coupled with the 5.3 gallon tank, will last upwards of 5,000 miles before needing a refill.
With the all new fully-boxed frames, beefed up Allison 1000 transmission, and new and larger suspension mixed in the stew with the new engine – you get a recipe that can tow upwards of 20,000lbs from the fifth-wheel, a payload capacity of up to 6,335lbs, and a chart-topping total Gross Combined Weight Rating of 27,500lbs. Those numbers win the heavyweight title belt in our eyes. Currently, Ford and Ram have nothing on those numbers. The truck may look the same, but when was the last time looks could tow anything? Yeah, never. The engineers working on this project really know what they’re doing. Possibly the best in the business.
There is much debate in the automotive industry about what types of vehicles should or should not receive hybrid powertrains. Whether you believe it should be the cars that are already fuel efficient and that – consequently – will post the most gains after being ‘hybridized,’ or those that need the most help and show the largest percent improvement, GM will soon have you covered.
In stark contrast to the competition at Toyota, General Motors has long been a player in the full size SUV and pickup hybrid game. GM’s two-mode system in GMT900 vehicles has received considerable accolades across the automotive industry, posting impressive fuel economy gains over gas-only counterparts. And with GM making the decision to move electric motor development and production in-house, we can only expect more electrifying vehicles in the future (pun intended). As such, it would come as no surprise that The General is currently in the process of improving this two-mode electric hybrid system and will make it available in future rear-wheel drive luxury vehicles – that much according to Tom Stephens, GM Vice Chairman of global Product Development. (more…)
US Treasury supplier guarantees were not enough to save two GM suppliers from bankruptcy. Still, Lear Corporation and American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., two suppliers that provide GM with interiors and drivetrain components, respectively, appear to be emerging from bankruptcy quite successfully (apologies in advance for the forthcoming numerical soup.) (more…)
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