Jalopnik: GM

I'm Joel Ewanick, General Motors' Chief Marketer, Ask Me Anything

Ray Wert — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:20:00 EST

Last night General Motors aired a Super Bowl commercial for the Chevy Silverado that not only successfully trolled their cross-town rivals at Ford — but also was the first Super Bowl ad where GM's created buzz without tripping over its own feet. More »

How Bad Was GM's January Sales Stumble?

Ray Wert — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:15:00 EST

In a month that saw Ford sales up 7%, and even Chrysler up 44%, it's hard to see a sales drop of 6% at General Motors and see much in the way of good. More »

2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1: First Drive

Joel Johnson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

The tweaked LSA engine that powers the Chevy Camaro ZL1 produces five hundred and eighty horsepower, about a hundred and fifty more than the previously supreme Camaro SS and about four hundred more than any human being personally needs. But that's what it takes to make the best muscle car Chevy's ever built. More »

GM Dealers Say No To More Chevy Volts

Ray Wert — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:15:00 EST

With NHTSA's closure of the investigation into the Chevy Volt, General Motors is now trying to rebuild the plug-in hybrid's image. But a new stumbling block has appeared on the road to higher sales — dealers turning down Volts from GM. More »

Buick Encore Will Terrify Old Folks With Smallness

Patrick Frawley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST

One of the quieter introductions at the Detroit Auto Show was Buick's new mini-crossover, the Encore. It's not an enthusiast vehicle, but it is an interesting take on Buick's ongoing effort to break its reputation as a brand for "the olds." More »

Chevrolet Tru 140S Concept: Detroit Auto Show Live Photos

Ray Wert — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:10:00 EST

Yes, it's ugly, but it's also the future according Chevy. It's the Tru 140S concept — a four-seat coupe that — like its Code red-colored brother — just makes me weep for that future. More »

Chevrolet Code 130R Concept: Detroit Auto Show Live Photos

Ray Wert — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EST

Yes, it's ugly, but it's also the future according Chevy. It's the Code 130R concept — a four-seat coupe that makes me want to cry tears of sadness. More »

If These Detroit Auto Show Concepts Are Chevy's Future, Shoot Me Now

Ray Wert — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:20:00 EST

Chevrolet claims these two concept cars — the Tru 140S and the Code 130R — based on the eager yearnings of the youth of America and unveiled here moments ago at the Detroit Auto Show — are the future of Chevy small cars. If this is our future, somebody needs to please shoot me now. More »

This Is How Desperate GM Thinks Saab Owners Are To Not Own Saabs

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Like a skeevy dude trying to pickup women at a wake, GM's decided to poach customers of the now dead Saab with a remarkably weak incentive offer. Oh, and did we mention the skeevy dude also helped murder the deceased? More »

GM Fixing Chevy Volt To Stop Possible Fiery Death After Three-Week-Old Crashes

Ray Wert — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:15:00 EST

After a Chevy Volt caught fire after being left outside in a parking lot in Minnesota three weeks after it was crash tested by NHTSA, GM has announced some changes to make sure this won't happen again. More »

How Jimmy Hoffa Was Buried Under GM's World Headquarters

Adrian Humphreys — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

In a new book by journalist Adrian Humphreys, Jimmy Hoffa's onetime driver Marvin Elkind claims that the Teamsters boss was buried in Detroit in the foundation of its most iconic building — the Renaissance Center, current world headquarters of General Motors. The book is called "The Weasel: A Double Life in the Mob" — and here, for the first time, exclusively, is that full, chilling excerpt. —Ed. More »

GM admits it maybe forgot to put brake pads on your Chevy Sonic

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

If you purchased a 2012 Chevy Sonic you might want to check and see if the car's brake pads are all there as GM now admits they may have shipped as many as 4,296 of them without them. Also, they're not notifying anyone until mid-January. Happy New Year! More »

How GM saved a Chrysler 300 from car thieves

Patrick Frawley — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

OnStar has played eye-in-the-sky for police chasing down stolen GM vehicles about 58,000 times since the system was introduced. But last week it helped do something it's never done before — it rescued a woman's Chrysler. Yup, carjackers who don't read Jalopnik are going to be so confused. More »

Report: Every Chevy Volt has over $250,000 in government subsidies

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:30:00 EST

The total amount of state and federal subsidies for each Chevy Volt sold is as much as $256,824 per vehicle according to a fiscal analysis by Michigan's Mackinac Center for Public Policy. All for a car that only costs $39,828. More »

Saab kills all warranty coverage

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:45:00 EST

Saab owners will now feel the fallout from the Saab bankruptcy as the company announced it will cease warranty coverage for cars sold in North America. Everybody is getting börked. UPDATE! More »

Yes, GM will loan you a Corvette if you're scared your Chevy Volt will catch fire

Ray Wert — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

With news of more Chevy Volt battery packs catching fire after NHTSA crash testing, General Motors yesterday made an unprecedented damage-controlling offer: Any Volt owner concerned about safety can request a free GM vehicle loan until the issue's resolved. Yes, any car. Even a Corvette. More »

2013 Camaro ZL1 Convertible: First Drive (Technically)

Scott Burgess — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST

You always remember your first — and in the land of automotive firsts, they're few and far between. But today, I was the first automotive journalist to turn the key, push the clutch in, and rev up the most expensive production Camaro ever: The $54,995 — hey, that includes $900 shipping — 2013 Camaro ZL1 Convertible here at the LA Auto Show. More »

2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype: Chevy's new Grand-Am racer

Ray Wert — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST

Sigh. Another day, another Corvette. Yesterday it was the 2014 Corvette C7. Today it's the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype that'll race in the Grand-Am Road Racing Series next season. Although that one won't get a split-window, today's does. More »

Possible threats of termination are a sure-fire confirmation your Corvette images are real

Ray Wert — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST

I've always believed reports of threats of termination disseminated through Facebook are obviously the best form of confirmation that you've got the real deal when an image of a new car leaks way early. Like what a user over at VWVortex claims happened when he posted a link to our exclusive 2014 Corvette / 2015 Corvette ZR1 renderings over on Facebook. More »

GM issues weak-ass denial on our 2014 Corvette exclusive

Ray Wert — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST

Chevrolet's PR/marketing apparatchik, via the Corvette Facebook page, publicly — and weakly — denied the renderings we revealed earlier today were of the 2014 Corvette / 2015 Corvette ZR1. More »

GM might try to kill Saab, again

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST

Less than two weeks ago it looked like Saab was finally close to selling itself to the Chinese and thus saving the brand, again... maybe. At least a few more months. Not so if GM has its way. Oh my God! They killed Saab again! You Bastards! More »

How this gorgeous 40-year-old concept car predicted the future

Ray Wert — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:30:00 EDT

Holden, the Australian-born unit of General Motors, has gone back in time like Doc Brown, restoring its very first concept car — the 1969 Holden Hurricane. Not only does it still look insanely gorgeous over 40 years later, but the advanced technologies it displayed — a rear-view camera, route guidance system and digital instruments — show yet again why GM's down-under division was years ahead of its time. More »

Is General Motors bankrolling a remake of Cannonball Run?

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:28:19 EDT

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Is GM planning a run at the movie business, throwing its corporate weight behind a remake of the 1981 movie Cannonball Run? That's what insiders are saying about a project that could become the largest, and edgiest, product placement deal in history. UPDATE! More »

Barack Obama and South Korean President planning Rush Hour sequel?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EDT

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President Barack Obama welcomed South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to the U.S. and the GM Orion Assembly Plant in Lake Orion, Michigan on Friday to tout a new trade agreement. From the hilariously goofy photo set it looks more like they're planning the fourth Rush Hour film. More »

Glider pilot killed in crash while filming GM ad

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EDT

A glider that crashed in Washington state last week, killing the pilot, was part of a commercial ad shoot for General Motors, the company told the Associated Press. The crash occurred as the glider was starting to ascend after being towed down an airport runway. More »

GM EN-V Concept: An electric pod car for pod people

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EDT

While everyone else is resigned to a future of neo-Spartan tribal warfare over dwindling resources, GM is still clutching hopefully to the most 1970s of sci-fi visions: pod cars. This is the latest version of GM's Electric Networked Vehicle concept, aka Sir James Dyson's coffin. More »

GM apologizes for saying bikes suck

Justin Hyde — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EDT

Bicycling enthusiasts across the country started shouting at General Motors on Monday over this ad in several college newspapers pitching GM discounts as a way to avoid the suckitude of biking places. Within hours, GM apologized and promised changes. Here's why it's so sensitive. More »

IndyCar racing returns to Detroit's Belle Isle

Ray Wert — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:45:00 EDT

There's more Chevy news today coming out of the big GM backgrounder in Detroit. The bowtie-badged brand today announced a multi-year agreement with Penske and IndyCar to bring professional motorsports back to the Motor City for the first time in four years. More »

OnStar kills plan to track ex-subscribers

Justin Hyde — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:15:00 EDT

In the face of a full-on revolt from users and pressure from Congress, Drudge Report and other media outlets, General Motors' OnStar service just announced it was reversing plans to keep tracking vehicles of its 6 million subscribers if they cancel the service. Now once it's off, it's off. More »

Bob Lutz joins electric car company Via Motors

Ray Wert — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:30:00 EDT

Bob Lutz, former GM vice-chairman, may be back at GM as a "senior advisor", but it's not stopping him from working on other projects. We've just learned, via Jeff Gilbert, auto reporter for WWJ AM and CBS Radio, that "Maximum" Bob has joined Via Motors, an electric car company. More »

OnStar will track you even if you cancel service

Justin Hyde — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EDT

For years, General Motors' OnStar service has been a stoic electronic nanny, there to help if your car's crashed or stolen, but otherwise pleasantly unobtrusive. Now OnStar wants the right to sell data about GM owners' driving habits — even if they've canceled the service. More »

Joe Biden has a 1967 Corvette that he's not allowed to drive

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EDT

A few things you didn't know about Vice President Joe Biden and cars: His dad had GM and Chrysler dealerships (while he, as a U.S. citizen, owns parts of GM and Chrysler). He once borrowed a Chrysler 300D for his prom, and the Secret Service won't let him drive his 1967 Corvette. More »

Bob Lutz heads back to General Motors as "Senior Advisor"

Ray Wert — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:15:00 EDT

General Motors today announced it's bringing back former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz to provide counsel to the senior leadership team of the company. Although Lutz has been providing advice to GM executives informally since retiring from the company in 2010, we think maybe they realized just how much they needed a, you know, actual car guy. More »

GM to build electric cars with LG

Ray Wert — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:45:00 EDT

Toyota and Ford may be working on hybrids, but now General Motors and LG Group will jointly design and engineer future electric vehicles, expanding a relationship built on LG's work as the battery cell supplier for the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera extended-range EVs. More »

What was the coolest car built the year you were born?

Tom Joslin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EDT

A step past the quarter century mark tomorrow has this weekend editor with birth days and years on the mind. Some people use impending birthdays as an occasion to get introspective, while others use it as a good excuse to decide which of the vehicles available brand new in their birth year were the most excellent, or least terrible. What was the coolest car built the year you were born? More »

Watch an ultra rare GM Futurliner crawl down the drag strip

Tom Joslin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EDT

While it's easy to understand the appeal of watching a fast car run a blisteringly fast 1/4, occasionally it's fun to watch a vehicle run a painfully slow 1/4. That is of course as long as the vehicle in question is a 1954 GM Futurliner. More »

U.S. getting smallest Chevy ever built

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:31:00 EDT

The 2012 Chevrolet Spark is reportedly back on track for the US market. The Korean-built subcompact, sold in a previous incarnation as the Daewoo Matiz, will arrive next year as a 2013 model, riding on GM's Yo Gabba Gabba platform. Ok, no. More »

Cadillac ATS: This is it

Justin Hyde — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EDT

Confirming what was already well known, General Motors said today it would add two new Cadillac models next year — the big XTS and the small ATS, a 3-Series fighter whose profile was shown in this chiaroscuro teaser. More »

Bumblebee hit with shrink ray for GM China

Justin Hyde — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Because the Chevy Camaro is still a little too pricey for most Chinese car buyers, GM China plans to yuan in on China's Transformers craze with this Bumblebee-edition Chevy Cruze. Bit of a buzz kill. More »

Ford Marketing Head: "Fuck GM"

Justin Hyde — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:50:00 EDT

Ford's chief marketer Jim Farley has overseen some of the company's most important successes of the past few years, ones that have made it the most profitable automaker in America. How does he get motivated? By vowing to "fuck GM." UPDATED More »