Welcome to GM Authority – the ultimate General Motors blog, forum, podcast, and video channel.
Every day, we promise to deliver the latest GM-related news, analysis, and trivia on our blog. For those who would rather listen than read, we also deliver this information to you in a daily audio podcast – the Daily Hot Lap.
And every week, we release a long-form show filled with the latest GM news, rumors, tips, and analysis – what we simply call the Weekly Podcast.
Be sure to check back often and subscribe.
The Team (In order of appearance)
Alex Luft
Alex’s GM experience started when his father had a 1994 GMT-330-based Chevy Blazer… in Russia. Driving over railroad tracks and going off-roading was simply awesome in the boxy 4×4. Showing his love for the SUV, Alex decided to give the Blazer a car wash… while it was snowing (he was 8). Doing so led to the locks freezing the next morning. This dedication and love to the Chevy brand was something Alex never abandoned. In fact, his enthusiasm for GM has grown over the years.
Alex loves driving anything with wheels, especially if it corners like it’s on rails, an appreciation for vehicles that are light and have great handling. He is looking forward to purchasing a yellow Camaro 2SS once he’s out of school and making the “big bucks.”
Having lived for 12 years in Russia, Alex is bilingual in Russian and English, and fluent in Spanish. So it would only be natural that when thinking about cars, Alex’s favorite subjects are strategy and competition, especially on a global scale. For example, how does the Malibu compare to the Ford Fusion? What will GM do with the next-generation Malibu and Epica (international markets)? How can GM improve its line-up to increase market share, customer satisfaction, and brand cachet? What approach should Chevy take overseas now that it wants to reach one million units per year by 2015? It’s topics like these that keep Alex up at night.
Alex’s daily driver is not a GM product! In fact, it’s a company-issued Lexus! Blasphemy, right? In reality, this has been a blessing in disguise, since Alex gets to experience what GM’s competition has to offer by driving a Toyota product. Now that’s true market research!
Apart from being the founder and webmaster of GM Authority and the host of all GM Authority podcasts, Alex is in his last year at Florida Atlantic University, seeking dual bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Management. Alex is also founder of TechNest Report, a technology blog and podcast that provides insightful coverage and analysis of the tech industry. Alex co-founded Theory 16, a marketing, consulting, and web development firm. He is currently working on a web application that will rock the world (and blow your socks off)!
Contact Alex here. See all posts by Alex here.
Erik Bentley
You could say that Erik Bentley is a true car fanatic. A real gear-headed, knuckle bustin’ fool. He’s the kind of guy who will stare at an engine and think more about the g-forces exerted on the rotating assembly at 6,500 RPM than the horsepower and torque it produces. For as long as he can remember, Erik has always been involved in some kind of auto sports. Whether it was cruising around with his father as a child in a Trans Am, or lying on his back changing his own oil, Erik was into it.
It was not until he began driving with a learner’s permit that Erik discovered he had a passion for all things mechanical. His first car was a 1997 Camaro RS – a convertible none the less (tough life, huh!). He modified what he could on the quaint 3.8L, 200 HP V6, and added some aftermarket flare to spice the outside up a bit. Soon after, he began to realize that this hobby might one day turn into something much more that that! This was also when Erik developed a passion for all things GM. Camaros, Corvettes, Silverados, Cadillacs, and even classic GM muscle – if it was produced by The General, Erik liked it.
Things got really serious when Erik was blessed enough to become the owner of a 2002 Camaro SS. Not only was the car fun to drive, but it was a blast to modify as well. Erik learned most of what he knows today by working on not only his Camaro, but vehicles cars as well, working at a high performance speed shop in Boca Raton for a few years. Among other things, Erik learned the basics of late model EFI tuning, suspension tuning, performance braking, performance driveline components, as well as custom chassis fabrication and safety modifications. While working as a mechanic at the shop, Erik was also introduced to things like turbocharging, supercharging, and nitrous oxide. Working on other customers’ vehicles gave Erik a solid foundation for what would eventually become a passion for anything that had an engine in it. While Erik worked at the shop, he also earned his ASE Certification as a mechanic, believing that a successful automotive career starts with a good education.
Erik owns and operates Guardian Auto Inspection and Fleet Maintenance located in South Florida. Guardian provides a mobile, on-site alternative to traditional preventative maintenance on commercial fleets. The company also inspects used cars prior to purchase for banks and credit unions as well as private buyers. For more information, visit his website at www.GuardianAutoFL.com.
Erik currently owns a 1965 Buick Special that he is in the process of restoring. The vehicle has been back halved and even has a roll cage. When finished, the vehicle will be considered a “pro-street” style hot rod. In pure GM fashion, Erik plans on swapping a Gen IV LS power plant and transmission into the vehicle, complete with EFI. Erik will keep everyone posted on his progress on the project through the site.
Please feel free to contact Erik with any automotive question - he’s here to help!
See all posts by Erik here.
Manoli Katakis
Manoli is the only member of GM Authority with Motor City oil in his veins. Living just north of Detroit, he feels, sees and understands just how GM and the rest of the American automotive industry impact his state (and country).
Manoli has been a GM fan all of his life. However, he goes beyond just the typical passion for cars: he is also an analyst. He understands why GM does certain things, or even why they should or shouldn’t do certain things. His proposals, ideas, in-depth knowledge, and reasoning have slain many discussion board trolls. While he may not be much of a gear head, his knowledge of the industry and passion for writing are exactly what lured him onto The GM Authority Team. He has also been behind the wheel of some of GM’s finest including the Cadillac XLR, 2009 Pontiac G8, the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, and Cadillac Escalade Platinum.
Manoli spent his freshman year of higher learning at lovely Adrian College where he played football, and joined Phi Kappa Sigma – where he is now forever dubbed as “Lord Helmet,” for obvious reasons. After a year of absolute financial torture from tuition prices, he transferred to the much cheaper, much more metropolitan (and much more boring) Oakland University.
This is his last year at Oakland University and he will be graduating with a bachelors degree in journalism in May. Along with his journalism background he also knows a thing or two about creative advertising and PR and currently is a freelance promoter for hire.
Outside of writing for The GM Authority, wrapping up his time at Oakland, and watching YouTube videos of Top Gear – he coaches the Varsity football defensive line at his alma matter, Saint Clair High School. He also currently trains Mixed Martial Arts at Integrated Training Systems in Marine City, MI under Lee Dickinson and part of the Motor City Boxing/MMA Fight System. Manoli is also the president and founder of the spanking-new Mixed Martial Arts Club at Oakland University. He enjoys his fair share of sports and some of his favorite teams are the Detroit Red Wings, Lions, Tigers, Pistons, MSU Spartans, the Greek national soccer team and Drew Brees (What? He is the Saints!). His favorite Mixed Martial Artist is Fedor Emilienako with George Saint Pierre at a close second. He also once tried on Shequile O’ Neil’s size 24 basketball shoes.
Lord Helmet is also a Greek by blood, as his father immigrated from Greece at the age of 14. He maintains his cultural roots and is a member of the Detroit Pan-Cretan Youth Association of America along with being fluent in Greek. He also enjoys the occasional trips to Greektown in the heart of Detroit.On a side note, most of his non-Greek friends refer to him as Zeus from time to time. He also insists that his mother and grandmother are some of the best cooks the world has ever seen. He is also the oldest of four in his family, and for this reason he is thankful the Chevy Suburban exists. He also would like to point out that lamb on a spit is delicious, and no, Greeks don’t really apply Windex on everything.
His other interests include aviation and video gaming. His favorite bands include Tool, Led Zeppelin, Chevelle, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Russian Circles and All That Remains. His future plans include getting his pilots license, founding a future award-winning brewery and tavern, traveling to at least 3 continents, and competing in a sanctioned MMA event.
Some of his least favorite things are homework assignments, the fact the Big Mac has so many calories, the Pittsburgh Penguins, why it’s taking so long to make the next Legend of Zelda, and Nancy Pelosi.
Don’t even ask him what his dream car is, as he is far too indecisive to make just one choice. Or five choices.
Write Manoli here. See all posts by Manoli here.
Wilson Nunnari
With GM in his DNA, Wilson is thrilled to have an outlet for his growing commentary on all things General Motors. Beginning with Oldsmobiles that were built before he was born and continuing with Pontiacs, he was destined to be subservient to The General although he learned to drive on a 3-speed Ford.
Wilson grew up on the coast north of Boston and for better or worse is a true New Englander. Favorite interests/activities (aside from cars) include spending time with family, traveling with friends, exercising, music, business, blogging/social media, and snowboarding. Although Wilson hates the cold, salt, and rust, winter is his favorite season because it brings car shows, teasers, reveals and lots of analysis along with it. It is also the best time of year to travel and work hard.
By driving anything he can get his hands on (which in the past year includes a DTS, CTS, GMT-400 Yukon, GMT-900 Denali, Impala, Aura, Vue, two Volvos, Toyota Yaris, Mazda6, Mercedes C300, and his own Audi), Wilson gains experience and pleasure which few other things can provide. It also makes him feel like a comparison test writer at Car and Driver, never a bad thing. He enjoys spoiling his own car and simultaneously flogging it around snowy New England.
Although bankruptcy beat him to it, Wilson aspires to be the one to turn General Motors around. While dissatisfied with several of the GM brands, Wilson is excited to see what a nimble GM can do once they settle on consistent marketing. Reading about the business end of the automotive industry brings Wilson to concentrate in Global Business Management at Babson College. Learning through experience is important to him and he thinks this is something he can gain from GM Authority and carry on to the automotive industry later in life.
Contact Wilson here. See all posts by Wilson here.
Conor Cameron
A life-long technical snob, Conor Cameron has been forced to look to the imports for innovation for much of his life. He finds technically brilliant solutions, regardless their source, far more impressive than mere brute force. When a horsepower race emerges, you will find Conor immediately drawn to the forced induction solutions over simple displacement increases. For him, automobiles are all about smart engineering: bulletproof reliability through better design and manufacturing processes; and maximum efficiency, either by squeezing the most energy out of a drop of fuel or squeezing the most power out of the smallest displacement engine possible.
Conor is very excited to see General Motors leading the charge in making America competitive again. He is particularly excited by the substantial quality improvements in the class competitive (potentially class-dominating?) seventh generation Chevy Malibu; the dynamic prowess of the Nürburgring-tuned CTS coupled with its powerful and efficient direct injection V6; and the GM-sourced magnetorheological damping technology used in modern Ferraris. (You know you have something good when Ferrari is licensing your technology). And unfortunately, that snobbery makes Conor’s favorite Corvette the C4 ZR-1.
These biases and a close following of the imports, rather unique among GM fans, are highly useful in analyzing GM’s resurgence, from providing a global context in which to understand GM’s efforts, to understanding the media bias that has developed against American automobile manufacturers over the last couple of decades, to establishing an intimate familiarity with the current benchmarks against which new GM products are being measured.
His experience with the technical end of automobiles has thus far been mostly academic. He enjoys reading about the theoretical and real world operation of new technology of all sorts, from performance to safety. At some point before the death of the internal combustion engine, he hopes to learn something with a wrench in hand. The ultimate goal is to develop the ability to completely disassemble and reassemble an engine. He also thoroughly enjoy washing and waxing cars. He has never had strong opinions with regard to styling, but often feels compelled to personally polish and wax abused, dark-colored finishes. A life-long Chicago resident who always parks outdoors, he understands the value of a good cleaner wax.
Conor graduated from Northwestern with majors in economics and communications. And accidentally mathematics. Obsessions outside the automotive realm include tinkering with free software and thinking about policy making.
Contact Conor here. See all posts by Conor here.
Hylton Jorssen
Hylton Jorssen was born with cars on his brain. As long as he could remember, cars – whether they be Hot Wheels or the real thing – were a part of his life. His love of GM started at 11 when he was given a private tour of the now idled, Framingham A body assembly plant when he was living in Wellesley, Massachusetts. “I was absolutely fascinated with the car assembly process – it was just an amazing process to be able to witness at such a young age.”
He joins us after a long reputation in the GM enthusiast community as a very outspoken individual. At times, his opinions are not for the faint of heart but his articles are guaranteed to be thought provoking. ‘We all owe William Durant, Ford and many of the great men after them a debt of gratitude for the lifestyle we live today. Somewhere along the line, people stopped listening to customers, business partners and stopped considering new ideas. My articles and comments are really about this new GM adopting an entrepreneurial spirit that had flourished in Detroit some 100 years ago.”
Now living in Ontario, Hylton continues to be a dedicated car enthusiast. His technical knowledge is usually on anything and everything “Camaro” since it is the car that he has cherished since being a young teenager. “I bought my first Camaro at 16. At the time I bought it, I thought it was a 1968 SS350. It had everything an SS would have (SS hood, emblems and wheels, etc.). I sold it when I was 19 to a Camaro restorer. He did a bit more research on the car and found original documentation for it. It turned out to be a Z/28! That killed me and I vowed to try and learn everything possible about Camaros.” 25 years later, he acknowledges that there are still things about the car he is trying to find out. He still works with other Camaro buffs to research and document new information. “Every Camaro generation has their gurus and all of them are incredibly dedicated researchers”.
He also backs up his talk with his current Camaro collection – he has at least one of each generation (5) and makes no promises that he’s done. “I love them all – they speak back to you in some way. Obviously, the older they are, the worse they handle but having one of each generation is like having your own time machine – you really get to see what GM was thinking as the years went by and how far they have progressed technologically over the past four decades.”
Contact Hylton here. See all posts by Hylton here.
Special thanks to the lovely, beautiful, and talented Lizette Gagné for making GM Authority artwork, logos, and design possible!
