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Lansing Paper Reports Local GM Plant To Assemble CTS Coupe, Wagon
The Lansing State Journal claims that the recently green-lighted Cadillac CTS Coupe and CTS wagon will be built at the Lansing Grand River plant, the facility that currently produces Caddy's CTS, STS and SRX vehicles. The report also mentions a specially designed 2.9-liter diesel engine that will be added to increase European market penetration, but no word on whether the diesel will be federally certified. Given "Maximum" Bob's diesel antipathy, we think we'll be left waiting. [Lansing State Journal]
industry news
Toyota To Lower Sales Forecast, Try To Wrest Sales Crown From GM By Tricking Them?
According to reports out of Japan today, Toyota plans to lower its global sales estimate to 9.5 million vehicles this year, down from a previous sales estimate of 9.85 million. The report comes the day after GM's "Sweeping-Reorganization Press Conference, Part II," thus making their significant 385,000-unit sales forecast cut seem like a paltry hiccup in comparison. Well played, Toyota, but will it be enough for the win and the title of the world's super best number one automaker? More »
2010 chevy cruze
Rick Wagoner Unwraps First Shots Of Chevy Cruze, Cadillac SRX
In the now-infamous press conference from General Motors this morning, Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner not only spelled out GM's strategy to save itself from impending doom, but also revealed pretty much every upcoming GM vehicle that hadn't already been shown to the public. This includes the first photos of the 2010 Chevy Cruze, 2010 Cadillac SRX, 2010 Saab 9-4X, and the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. This comes in addition to official confirmation of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe and 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon. So basically, along with GM's own downsizing, they're also putting plenty of enterprising spy photographers out of business too.
industry news
Bob Lutz Talks Future GM Vehicles, Powertrains
Following GM's morning expectations-management conference, product czar "Maximum" Bob Lutz answered questions about how the future of GM vehicles would be impacted by the announcements. In particular, we were wondering how the General planned to respond to Ford's Eco-Boost turbo four (and in what form that response might arrive), and when we would see the return of a GM diesel sedan. Lutz's responses — and non-responses — after the jump. More »
industry news
GM Wants More Money, Fewer Employees; Cadillac CTS Coupe, Saab 9-4X Get The Green Light
GM announced in a press conference this morning that its turnaround progress was proceeding so well that significant layoffs were needed. Oh, and please, send money. But the more pressing concern this week is to come up with $15 billion through cuts to the cost of salaried employees, particularly among white-collar staffers, along with spending in areas like health care costs and dividend payments. As part of its second restructuring this year, the company also announced that the 2010 Cadillac CTS Coupe and Saab 9-4X have been green-lighted. Details on where the job cuts will hit hardest were absent, but if our job description had the word "truck" in it anywhere, we'd be dusting off the resume quick-like. More analysis after the jump. More »
transformers revenge of the fallen
Chevy Volt To Become Transformer
Following word this morning the production version of the Chevy Volt will be shown in September, we hear the rocking-down-electric-avenue Lutz-mobile will also be featured in Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. More »
2010 chevy volt
GM To Employ Duct Tape, Rush Production Volt To Stage By September
GM is accelerating development of the 2010 Chevy Volt in an attempt to ready the production version for a reveal as the company celebrates its 100th anniversary in September. Although we know GM desperately needs a cutting-edge Prius-killing success to stem the sales slide, given past RenCen rush jobs, we're not sure that setting a time deadline instead of a performance benchmark is the best way to move forward. A look at potential pitfalls after the jump. More »
industry news
GM Says Brands Not Under Strategic Review, Just Jobs
On the heels of yesterday's WSJ story that GM was planning to eliminate thousands more jobs and potentially cut another brand, GM spokespeople are denying at least half the claims. Further brands are, supposedly, not under strategic review. Job cuts? Well...yeah, those are probably still going to happen. Our snap analysis after the jump. More »
industry news
GM To Get More Layoffs, Lose A Brand
According to the WSJ, GM's early-August board meeting is likely to result in layoffs affecting both blue- and white-collar workforces. They're also reporting GM is seriously exploring sloughing off another brand, either by outright closure or by placing it up for sale, a-la Hummer's "strategic review." We've put together a quick brand-viability
industry news
Exchange Rate Puts Kibosh On Saab 9-3 Employee Purchases; More To Come?
Starting with the 2009 model year, Saab will no longer allow GM employees to purchase the 9-3 at a discount, citing current exchange rates that make the 7% price cut economically unsound. Saab sold about 23,000 9-3s last year, and the company claims approximately 1,500 of those were employee sales — though we think the total may be significantly higher based on the popularity of the 9-3 in Metro Detroit. If the numbers are accurate, the change would likely mean at least a 6% drop in future 9-3 sales. The bigger question is whether GM will stop at the 9-3 or begin slashing employee purchase discounts on all imported models. Vehicles that could be affected after the jump. More »
industry news
The Math Magic Behind The GM 72-Hour Sale
Last week, GM announced their "72-Hour Sale," which, by definition, had a set beginning and end, right? How, then, to take today's news that the 72-Hour Sale has been extended? Has General Motors managed to stretch the fabric of time itself? Sort of. This is the work of GM's marketing mavens, the minds of whom are a labyrinthine abyss of buzzwords and metal-moving manipulations. Abandon logic and join us for an inside look at the evolution of a GM sales promotion. More »
industry news
Two Gallons of Gas Equals One Share Of GM Stock
GM shares dropped to their lowest point in 40 years yesterday, closing at $11.43 when the bell rang. To put things in perspective, if you bought a new-for-1968 Camaro instead of, say, 245 shares of GM stock (about the same price at the time), the car would have been a significantly better investment. Yeah, we're excluding splits, dividends and the like, but they're not convenient for the point we're making. In a statement containing several unnecessarily large words, Goldman analyst Patrick Archambault said he "expects GM shares to continue to underperform as market fundamentals deteriorate which exacerbates liquidity concerns." Translation: GM's cars aren't selling so it's gonna spend all its cash. More »
transformers 2
Hummer H3: Decepticon or Autobot?
It seems that the HX won't be the only Hummer vehicle featured in Transformers 2. At the Cinema Expo International 2008 in Amsterdam, GM shelled out some bucks for a big platform that includes the H3 logo, the Transformers logo and dual black H3's to go along with it all. More »
alternative fuels
GM Invents Electric Deathmobile In 1973
There's an awful lot of hubbub surrounding the 2010 Chevy Volt, and rightfully so: GM isMore »
industry news
Now You Know It's Bad: Toyota May Miss U.S. Sales Targets
The Super-Best Automaker from the Land of the Rising Sun is backing away from forecasts that show an annual increase in U.S. sales over last year. Despite massive demand for the smug-forming Prius, Toyota's plans for world domination are getting bogged down in the Tundra, since the same market forces decimating demand for domestic trucks are affecting the full-size Toyota offerings. The company now says it will likely be unable to improve upon the 2.62 million vehicles it sold in the U.S. during 2007. But, lest you think that the automotive world is going all topsy-turvy on you, the AP makes sure to point out that domestic automakers are faring much, much worse. More »
industry news
GM To Offer Zero-Percent Financing, Raise Prices, Screen Hummer Buyers
With sales in the toilet, GM plans to offer 0% financing for up to 72 months starting tomorrow and running through next Monday. The special Hail Mary offer will be valid on approximately 80% of the automaker's unsold inventory, and is a last-ditch effort to show at least passable June sales. And, to ensure GM has to repeat this profit-draining stunt next year, the company will raise the prices for most of its 2009 models by approximately 3.5%. Maybe that ZR1 price gouging was just a sign of things to come? Oh, but there's more. More »
2011 chevy volt
