Happy Thanksgiving, From GM Authority

As we prepare to sit down among friends and family and kick off the holiday season, many of you will most likely take this as an opportunity to take a moment and think about what you’re thankful for. Certainly, the staff here will be doing the same, and we decided to share with you what GM vehicles we’re thankful for this year. We can all agree there is plenty to be thankful for. From luxury offerings, to time-splitting sports cars, General Motors has graced as with plenty to savor over, like the home-made meal you are preparing for.

Below are what the GM Authority staff are most thankful for from the General Motors portfolio. Of course, we invite you to share what vehicles you’re thankful for in today’s automotive arena below. Have a great Thanksgiving, and here is what our staff had to say.

Tim Esterdahl, Chevrolet Colorado:

My first truck was an S-10 and it was with much sadness that I watched the mid-size truck category shrink over the years. This truck size is perfect for a lot of people, but the world moved to gigantic full-size, crew cab monsters with 8 foot beds. Don’t get me wrong, I love full-size trucks too. It is just there should still be new mid-size trucks around. It has been sad to watch the ones still around start to rust or fall apart.

Aaron Brzozowski, C7 Corvette:

As I get ready to sit with friends and family around a steaming turkey, I have to reflect on my gratitude toward the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, in all its forms. The Corvette C7 is to automotive journalism what Britney Spears is to tabloids — that is to say, it provides us with an endless wealth of material to publish, and we will continue to milk it for the foreseeable future. But more seriously, as Automobile Magazine points out, cars like the seventh-generation Corvette — which grab hold of public attention and stir up passion wherever they may roll — perform a much-needed service to car lovers everywhere. They remind us of what is possible when the industry reaches high, set the bar for American products-to-come, and serve as fuel for excited conversations throughout our global community of gearheads.

Diego Rosenberg, the Cadillac brand:

I’m thankful for Cadillac in general. At one point in time, it was the car that the Joneses bought and made you envious. In the leaner years, a Cadillac was for blue-haired ladies whose last ride was going to be in another Cadillac (hearse). Much fuss has been made about the “Caddy That Zigs,” but that was the impetus to create the “Art and Science” philosophy that is now in its third generation. Cadillac could have been a dead General Motors brand but GM persevered to make the world envious.

Sean Szymkowski, Holden Commodore:

I get to be thankful every day I make my commute, for I own one of these special pieces of Australian motoring. When the Commodore found its way stateside as the Pontiac G8, I was in love. I had to have one. Not only is the Commodore a great-looking interpretation of a four-door RWD V8 powered sedan, its engineering continues to surprise me every single day. I’m thankful someone along the line still had the guts to produce a vehicle like this, and saw its importance as the hero car for a brand I am saddened to see lose its manufacturing operations. The Commodore provided the only direct competition to Mopar’s LX vehicles, and has provided a cult following for owners. I always crack a smile when I see an enthusiastic thumbs up from a fellow driver passing on the road. Thanks, Holden.

Manoli Katakis, GM Halo Cars:

It’s more than just for fun. Halo cars to me represent signs that the people behind brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC believe in more than just building dish washers with seats and GPS. Cars like the Camaro Z/28, Chevrolet Volt, the Corvette family and Cadillac CTS-V help elevate the brand in the eyes of consumers with their dominating performance and breakthrough technology, and continue to draw curiosity and awareness for these brands. If GM’s marketing budget solely focused on making cutting-edge vehicles rather than approving ads like ‘Poolside,’ the world would be a better place.

Sam McEachern, Cadillac ATS-V:

It’s hard to be thankful for a car that isn’t even out yet, but what the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V represents is easy to appreciate. General Motors has been talking about Cadillac’s turnaround for years, and while things have continually gotten better, I feel the ATS-V is the true start to the brand’s transformation. It and the third-generation 2016 CTS-V will drum up excitement for the standard models they are based on and for the brand as a whole, giving them the exposure they so rightfully deserve.

Oh, and it will do 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, top out at 189 mph and complete a blisteringly-fast lap time of the Nürburgring right off the showroom floor. Welcome to the 21^st century, folks.