General Motors unveiled its new 2.9L V6 turbodiesel engine at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. The new engine features state-of-the-art piezo-electric injection and a closed-loop combustion technology for low emissions and high performance. The engine uses a variable geometry turbo and its exhaust-gas aftertreatment system includes an oxidation catalyst and a particulate filter. The new four-valve V6 engine is the first in a new GM family of diesel engines. The engine can be installed in a longitudinal or transverse layout and can be used in either two- or all-wheel drive vehicles.

The 2.9L V6 turbodiesel engine, which delivers 250-hp and an impressive 406 lb-ft of torque, will make its debut in 2009 2009 in the new Cadillac CTS.

GM’s press release states that the new turbodiesel will be sold “mainly” in Europe, which could leave the door open for U.S. sales if luxury diesel sales take off.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

(more…)

Share This

General Motors and Ford today said their U.S. sales declined in February as they continued to back away from sales to daily rental fleets. While GM said its February U.S. sales would likely be off 6 to 7 percent from February 2006, the automaker expects its retail sales to be flat for the month.

Ford said its February U.S. sales would likely decline by 10 to 15 percent, with its planned reduction in fleet sales accounting for the majority of the decline. Ford expects its sales to commercial and government fleets to be down 20 percent in February, including a 30 percent drop to daily rental companies. Ford F-Series look to be continuing their free fall with sales likely to drop by a double-digit percentage, according to George Pipas, Ford’s chief sales analyst.

Both GM and Ford have planned huges reductions in low-margin fleet sales. While the fleet sales allowed the automakers to keep assembly plants running, they reduced resale values, and eroded the value of the brands.

Final sales results will be released on Thursday, March 1.

## Source: Reuters ##

Share This

In a conversation with journalists at the Chicago Auto Show, General Motors’ Vice Chairman and product guru Bob Lutz hinted that the platform used for the upcoming Camaro could spawn an ultra-luxury Cadillac with more than eight cylinders, according to The Car Connection. Lutz hinted that part of the reason for the Camaro’s delay was to make the need to make the architecture as flexible as possible for use on other vehicles as well.

“What you’ve got to understand is that we’ve got this modular product architecture kit where we have two different lengths of center underbodies, two different lengths of front rails and two different lengths of rear overhang. So we can modify those elements any way we want. In the case of the Camaro, it’s long short, short. If, for instance, we wanted to do a very large rear-wheel-drive Cadillac with more than eight cylinders you could do long, long, long,” Lutz said.

While Lutz didn’t mentioned the Sixteen concept (shown), this could hint at the possible design direction for an ultra-luxury Cadillac sedan. Cadillac has said it has no plans for production of the Sixteen, but while Lutz frequently leaks future products, he rarely makes stuff up. Maybe the “lego-like” construction of GM’s new rear-wheel drive architecture has begun to convince others in the company.

## Source: The Car Connection ##

Share This

General Motors has completed edits on its controversial “Robot” commericial that was broadcast during Super Bowl XLI. Gone is the ending suicide scene that led to complaints from suicide prevention groups. Also gone is any trace of humor, and any reason for watching the less appealing commercial.

Let’s just say we’ll be skipping thru this commerical when it’s run during the Academy Awards tonight.

If you want to check out the new suicide-free ending, it is on the GM Dependability page.

## Source: LSJ.com ##

Share This

General Motors Kappa-platform roadsters — Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice — are so popular that the automaker has been forced to add overtime at its Wilmington, Del., plant to build the Opel GT roadster. The plant’s capacity of 30,000 vehicles has been fully allocated to Solstice and Sky production, which forced the overtime to build the GT.

The Opel GT is only sold in Europe and is an Opel-badged version of the Saturn Sky Red Line. The Opel GT is powered by a 264-hp turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0L four-cylinder engine. It will not be offered with a naturally aspirated engine.

The Opel GT is scheduled to arrive in dealerships in next month. The 2007 allocation of 2,800 Opel GT’s is already sold out. GM is targeting 3,600 cars a year starting in 2008.

## Source: AutoWeek ##

Share This

General Motors has been hyping its new global rear-wheel drive vehicle architecture, highlighting the platform nearly every time it talks about its upcoming Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac G8. But the Camaro and G8 are just the first two U.S. products to ride on GM’s new RWD platform, which is engineered by Holden, GM’s Australian subsidiary.

With a common architecture engineered for global applications, General Motors is expected to realize significant cost savings, when compared to having a unique chassis for each region. GM estimates that the Zeta global annual volume will be somewhere between 500,0000 to 700,000 units. Development savings are estimated to be $500 to $1,000 per vehicle, which means a total savings between $250 million to $750 million.

While the cost savings from a common architecture is important because it allows GM to turn a profit on lower volume, exciting vehicles, one of the key elements of GM’s Zeta architecture is its flexibility since GM can do pony cars, convertibles, sedans, and wagons, all off the same platform.

GM’s Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said GM “could do a whole lineup of entirely different-looking cars using common architectural components.”

The Zeta platform offers GM something it hasn’t ready had since the Fisher Body days of the 1960s, flexibility in areas like wheelbase, front overhang, rear overhang and overall length. With the Zeta, GM can create an RWD vehicle with a long hood, Camaro, or a short hood, Impala or G8.

Creating unique vehicles off of a common platform is something the Japanese automakers have been doing for some time, General Motors has committed itself to sharing and taking advantage of its massive global resources.

## Source: AutoWeek ##

Share This

General Motors is developing an ultra low-cost family car, which it will sell in emerging markets. The low-cost family car would compete with Renault’s Logan sedan and the planned low-cost car by Toyota. Renault’s current Logan sedan sells for less than $10,000, but Renault is rumored to be working on a cheaper variant, and the planned low-cost car by Toyota could be priced below $5,000 US.

Automotive News reports that the project is still in the proposal stage, the new car would be sold as a Chevrolet starting in 2010 or 2011. The low-cost vehicle would only be sold in emerging markets such as Russia, India, eastern Europe, South America and possibly China.

## Source: Automotive News ##

Note: Subscription required.

Share This

Six years ago, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt died in a last lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. To commemorate Earnhardt’s legacy and the release of the “Dale” documentary, GM Goodwrench has launched “The Power of 3″ Web site for fans to personally pay tribute and share their enthusiasm for the man known as the Intimidator.

Visitors to the site can also view the movie trailer, find out when the movie will be coming to town.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

(more…)

Share This

Talks between General Motors and DaimlerChrysler about the future of the Chrysler Group are serious and have been going on for two months, according to the Detroit News. GM has been in discussions with DCX about acquiring all of the American arm and folding it into the greater GM.

The high-level talks started back in December, with GM Chairman Rick Wagoner and DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche meeting in Detroit to discuss the sale of Chrysler. While talks are still at a high-level, there have been at least four meetings between Wagoner, Zetsche, and CFOs from both companies. Discussions are said to be continuing, primarily between the CFOs. As usual, both companies declined to comment.

If GM purchased Chrysler, it would no longer exist as a unique company or a subsidiary. Instead all of its brands and factories would become part of the larger GM organization.

Auto industry experts say a deal would be extremely risky for GM, which is in the middle of its own turnaround. Analysts believe GM already has too many brands, and too much cannibalization of its products, adding three more would just make it worse. If GM’s cutting of more than 30,000 jobs and Chrysler’s recent announcement of 13,000 job cuts are painful, the combination of GM and Chrysler would result in even more cuts — massive cuts. And how is the UAW going to react to that.

## Source: Detroit News ##

Share This

Automotive News continues to insist that General Motors is in talks with DaimlerChrysler about the possible buyout of the Chrysler Group. Inside sources in both the U.S. and Germany claim that GM is interested, and that high-level talks are taking place between executives.

GM spokesman Tony Cervone wouldn’t comment, but said, “We have always said that conversations (between GM and many other parties) have happened all the time, and many times they don’t come to fruition.”

When asked about the deal, Klaus Franz, a top GM executive in Europe, said acquiring Chrysler would be a “disaster”. “This is only a step to remain the number-one automaker,” added Franz.

All of this speculation was launched by DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche stating that the company was open to all options for the Chrysler group, including a sale.

## Source: Automotive News ##

Share This

General Motors is taking its lineup of new interior components on the road in a series of design salons put its designers — and their work — front and center. The design salon and these images highlight GM’s interior design improvements and experimental technologies planned for future vehicles.

The automaker is trying to show that it knows how to innovate, and that the first products in its long-term, design-driven revitalization are at last ready for prime time. These new products are the result of a corporate edict issued by Bob Lutz, the company’s vice-chairman for global product development. Lutz made design a primary importance, and increased its budget. Additionally, Lutz made interior and exterior design equally important, a first for the company, since interiors had been subordinate to body design.

Dave Rand, GM’s executive director of interior design, says, “We don’t have to keep making promises, we feel we have something we can show.”

General Motors showed the interior of the revamped 2008 Cadillac STS, which is the nearly identical to the one seen on the Chinese-market Cadillac SLS. The image clearly shows GM’s emphasis on interior quality. GM isn’t just focusing on vehicle interiors, with its designers working on future key fobs. The key fob is the “only component that walks away from the car” and it is a great branding opportunity. Future GM key fobs will take a page from jewelry and high-end watches that are meticulously weighted to feel luxurious and substantial in hand.

Gallery of GM’s other interior components after the jump.

## Source: BusinessWeek ##

(more…)

Share This

The Chrysler Group and General Motors are in discussion on a project that would provide Chrysler with a large SUV like the Chevrolet Tahoe. The talks have been under way for six months, and are described as “ongoing and positive” but far from complete.

While Chrysler’s lineup is weighted heavily toward trucks and SUVs, the automaker does not have a large SUV, and it has been unable to justify the costs to develop one. The project clearly makes sense for Chrysler, especially if it decided to drop its Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen at the end of the current model’s life. The rational for GM is less clear, but the most likely benefit to GM would be that it should help keep production up.

“It’s ironic that both of them are in financial trouble because they’re too dependent on big vehicles, and now they’re talking about doing a big vehicle together,” said Kevin Smith, editorial director of Edmunds.com.

It’s unknown when a descision would be made or when a Chrysler version would go on sale. Chrysler declined to comment, and GM’s Tony Cervone added, “We don’t comment on future product plans.”

## Source: New York Times ##

Share This

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and General Motors officials on Thursday announced an expansion of E85 ethanol-fueling locations in the state. Colorado will open 40 new E85 ethanol fueling locations statewide by the end of 2007. The new pumps will more than triple the number of stations in the state — up from 13 E85 fueling stations currently.

The new ethanol fueling stations are part Ritter’s drive to support “new energy economies” for renewable energy, including biofuels. Colorado’s plans are the largest one-time announcement made by GM and any state partner to-date. Ritter said increase availability use of E85 will help decrease oil dependence, reduce particulate emissions, benefit corn growers and stimulate economic development.

“One of my top priorities is to establish a New Energy Economy for Colorado built around renewable and cleaner sources of energy,” Gov. Ritter said. “Today we’re announcing some major progress towards that goal.”

“We’re not doing this just to be doing it or even just for the economic development,” Gov. added. “It’s important for the environment.”

The new ethanol fueling locations will be promoted by GM as part of a broader, ongoing national GM campaign to boost the use and awareness of ethanol-based E85 fuel in the United States. Installation of the new pumps will be funded by $1 million in federal grants, state funds and from the Colorado Corn Growers Association.

## Sources: General Motors and State of Colorado ##

Share This

Despite vastly improved vehicles, General Motors still saw a drop in retail sales in January. While he knows there are challenges ahead, GM Vice Chairman and head product guy Bob Lutz has confidence in GM’s turnaround.

But Lutz says it’ll be a few more years before GM’s new image takes hold. “An image transformation such as ours is really a five-year process,” Lutz said in an interview. “We’re two or 2 1/2 years into it.”

By the time consumer perception of GM catches up to the reality, Lutz, who turned 75 this week, may be at the end his career, which likely expains some of Lutz’s fire.

But Lutz sees hope for GM and the other domestics in people under 25. “Generation Y never experienced the bad days of the American automobile industry,” said Lutz. “Their parents carry the baggage of the bad ’70s and bad ’80s.”

While GM continued to produce better and better vehicles, all it took was sitting in an Audi or a Lexus for Lutz to rememeber it had a long way to go.

“And now, to my satisfaction, I can go from a Silverado to a Toyota Tundra, and tell myself we’re better,” said Lutz.

“I can compare the new CTS and to any German luxury brand and say, ‘By God, we’re as good as they are.’”

Lutz knows his career is coming to a close and is racing to the finish line.

## Source: The Detroit News ##

Share This

In local news here in Colorado, Governor Bill Ritter and General Motors are scheduled to hold a press event regarding increased availability of E85 ethanol in the state. The announcement is part of a broader, ongoing national GM campaign to boost the use and awareness of ethanol-based E85 fuel in the U.S. The event will take place on the West Steps of the Capitol in Denver at 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 15, 2007.

GM will also fund a discounted E85 fuel promotion, with E85 ethanol available for 85 cents per gallon. Details after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

(more…)

Share This