CarFront News » General Motors

General EN-V Concept for Urban Mobility

Alex — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:47:57 +0000

It’s quite interesting how automakers are now exploring things that are just above the Segway. Toyota has their i-Real. Honda has their 3R-C. Here’s General Motor’s take on personal/urban mobility – the EN-V Concept.

�EN-V reinvents the automobile by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity. It provides an ideal solution for urban mobility that enables future driving to be free from petroleum and emissions, free from congestion and accidents, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,� said GM China Group President Kevin Wale.

The EN-V, unlike the Segway and the i-Real, features a closed cabin that “protects” two passengers. Though we’d like to know how much protection that cabin can actually give you. It also has room for a bit of cargo.

The EN-V is powered by electric motors that drive two wheels. Juice is stored in lithium-ion batteries that give a toral range of 25 miles on a full charge.

GM to Take on Nano

Alex — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:37:04 +0000

Some blue ocean thinking from General Motors? Or a quick way to make a quick buck?

So GM has finally declared bankruptcy and, with the help of the US government, is aiming to rebuild. While they are restructuring their brands, GM is also looking into increasing its hold on the non-US market that makes up two-thirds of its sales last year.

Their plan – to tap into emerging markets by focusing on low-budget cars. And that means taking on the “people’s car” – the Tata Nano. The Nano has been making a killing since being released in India. With its $2,500 price tag, it’s also bound to make a killing in other markets in emerging economies as well.

GM wants a big piece of that market. However, GM isn’t intent on matching the Nano on pricing but it will be developing cars based on different emission standards and specifications that are oftentimes different from markets in the first world.

Given the status of the world’s economy, it’s most likely that GM penetrates the Asian market. With cheap plastic Chinese cars also flooding the market, a low-priced quality car with an American badge would be a welcome addition to the market.

Source: Automotive News (subscription required)

Ed Whitacre Takes Over as GM Chairman

Alex — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:23:36 +0000

Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. has been called upon to be one of the leaders of General Motors at a critical time of the company’s existence. Whitacre was named the new GM chairman, replacing interim chairman Kent Kresa.

A herculean task looms in front of Whitacre as he will be trying to turn around a struggling company. Still, the former AT&T chairman is excited about the new post. “I am honored to be able to serve GM at this critical juncture and take part in its reinvention, said Whitacre.

“The appointment of Ed Whitacre as chairman represents a very auspicious beginning for the New GM Kresa stated. He added that he is looking forward to the reinvention of GM and maximize the enormous potential of this new enterprise� under Whitacre.

At least Whitacre won’t be here while GM is embroiled in the brunt of its bankruptcy. Whitacre isn’t scheduled to take the position until GM emerges from bankruptcy proceedings. Whitacre will have a pivotal role in the New GM company, along with Fritz Henderson and other board members.

GM Planning New Small Car

Alex — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:46:12 +0000

General Motors revealed plans to build a new small car model at an as-of-yet unnamed idle plant in the United States. The new model should complement a formidable small-car lineup bannered by the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the 2011 Volt.

GM President and CEO Fritz Henderson once again confirmed GM�s plans to focus on smaller cars in the announcement. �Small cars represent one of the fastest growing segments in both the U.S. and around the world. We believe this car will be a winner with our current and future customers in the U.S.

�This vehicle segment, while important today and expected to be more so in the future, is extremely challenging. It takes a special effort by everyone to bring a domestically produced small car to market in a cost-competitive and profitable way – but that is what we are going to do together [with the UAW].�

With the Volt and Cruze already in tow, we could be looking at a new Spark model or something rebadged from the Opel and Saturn brands. It�s hard to guess at the moment as GM is expected to file for bankruptcy by June 1 and will be deep in brand reshuffling.

GM to Cut 4 More Models

Alex — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:26:27 +0000

General Motors will be canning four more vehicle models, according to an announcement released by the struggling US car manufacturer. The latest models to be canned are the Cadillac STS-V, Chevrolet Cobalt SS sedan, Chevrolet Impala SS, and the Pontiac G6 GXP coupe.

The GXP coupe has already been a candidate for getting the axe even before GM decided to discontinue the Pontiac brand. The Chevrolet models will be cut because of low demand. �Demand was pretty light for both models,� said Terry Rhadigan, a spokesman for Chevrolet. �And so it was a business decision that we made based on the demand.�

This was also the case for the Cadillac STS-V high-performing executive car, but was compounded by the strong sales of the CTS-V performance sedan. It was a no-brainer: there were more CTS-Vs sold in its first four months than the STS-V sales for a whole year.

It is evident that GM is keen on cutting slow-selling models. Expect other underperforming models to get canned in order to make GM�s product line more solid and reflexive of market demand.

Source: Autocar

Obama Sees Hard Times Ahead, But GM Should Become Stronger

Alex — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:18:35 +0000

President Barack Obama sees harder times ahead for General Motors and its workers in America, but says that the ailing car manufacturer should eventually come out of bankruptcy a stronger company.

The hard times will start as some 20,000 GM workers in the States stand to lose their jobs as part of GM�s continued efforts at restructuring and streamlining operations. Obama called on the workers to make this sacrifice �so that (their) children and all of our children can grow up in an America that still makes things.�

Obama described the GM recovery plan as �full of promise,� adding that he is fully confident that the old GM that disappointed many Americans is a thing of the past and be �an integral part of America’s economic future.�

The US government will be infusing another $60 billion in GM, which will be exchanged for an ownership stake in the company worth 60 percent. Despite the big stake in the company, Obama refutes claims that the government wants to run GM. �What I am not doing, what I have no interest in doing, is running GM,� said the president.get rich or die tryin divx download shutter dvd download

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Lord Mandelson Affirms GM�s Commitment to Vauxhall

Alex — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:05:32 +0000

Britain�s Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Lord Mandelson is hard at work, trying to keep Vauxhall in the mind of parent company General Motors�even more so now that Magna has signed a deal with GM that will spin the Opel and Vauxhall brands off into a new company.

In an interview with the BBC, Mandelson elaborated on his efforts to reaffirm GM�s commitments. Mandelson added that the Magna proposals were vague when it came to business and jobs in the UK, unlike failed bidder Fiat�s proposals. �Frankly, in contrast to Fiat, Magna�s business plans were vaguer. At least Fiat was clear.�

It�s no secret that Magna wants to cut some jobs in the UK. Then again, Magna will have to keep those cuts to the minimum. Mandelson had already said that any funding or aid the UK government gives hinges on Magna�s level of commitment.

�If they want British government to help underwrite this new company going forward, they are going to have to demonstrate what’s in this new arrangement for Britain, for British production and British workers.�

GM Willing to Give Up Majority Stake in Opel to Save It

Alex — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:14:00 +0000

Opel has been under General Motors for eight decades, but if the German car manufacturer is to avail of bailout loans from the German government, then a divorce is in order. GM has stated it is willing to sell up to 50 percent of its Opel stake if that is what is needed for Opel to get the loans.

The semi-independent route is what Opel management thinks is needed to convince governments to aid the company. What complicates matters for Opel should GM not be the majority owner is that the company would have to pay up for the use of GM�s engine technology and vehicle platforms.

Among these platforms are the Epsilon 2 platform used in the 2009 Opel Insignia and in the Opel GTC concept, and the Delta II platform used in the 2010 Opel Astra and the 2011 Opel Ampera.

Opel has also been in talks with the Spanish and UK governments as it seeks additional aid to keep its operations alive. Of course, European governments would be reluctant to fund a company owned by a US corporation, because the funds might be funneled for other brands� purposes. This is why the split is necessary.

Source: Autocar

GM Stocks Fall to 76-year Low

Alex — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:53:40 +0000

Stocks for General Motors have hit a 76-year low following the decision of six GM executives to sell some $315,000 in stock and liquidate their remaining direct holdings in the company.

With the company deadline for restructuring or filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection fast approaching, the stockholders, which included GM vice chairman and product chief Bob Lutz, were faced with the threat of having their shares drop in value to less than 2 cents per share.

GM had already lost $6 billion in the first quarter of 2009, which puts the total loss at some $88 billion since 2004. The company has less than three weeks to cut debts and operating costs in order to prevent going bankrupt.

It�s a sinking ship, and you can�t really blame the six guys who took what they could still get. That�s a clear indication that even those close to GM have serious misgivings that the company can still avoid bankruptcy at this late a stage.

US Gov�t: Volt Won�t Save GM

Alex — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:57:20 +0000

According to the US government, the much-hyped Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid car won�t be enough to save General Motors. In its viability summary of the struggling automaker, the report cited the doubtful short-term commercial success of the vehicle thanks to its steeper price tag compared to its gasoline-powered compatriots.

According to the report, the Volt “is currently projected to be much more expensive than its gasoline-fueled peers and will likely need substantial reductions in manufacturing cost in order to become commercially viable.”

GM is eyeing a $40,000 price tag for the Volt, which will start production by the end of 2010. That�s more than twice what one would pay for cars in the same segment that run on gasoline. Would consumers be willing to pay double for a plug-in hybrid? Especially with vital infrastructure such as charging stations still not in place, there�s always the question of when these electric-powered bets will actually be viable.

As of now, it�s not wise for automakers to count on such models to carry it through the economic crisis. Of course, GM will be producing other highly-anticipated vehicles, including the Chevrolet Cruze, which could greatly help the automaker�s situation.

Source: The Detroit News free greedy

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