An Auto Show with Style
By Mark La Neve
GM Vice President, Sales and Marketing
It’s no secret that the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is a big deal for our industry. This show sets the tone for the year, and includes some of the most important new-product reveals and events. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — if you can’t compete on your product, you’re not going to win. I’m pleased to say that I am confident our new products are winners, and that our innovative concept vehicles will change the way many people think of General Motors and the technologies that are so important to our company and country.
Our two 2008 product introductions have been highly anticipated. Both the 2008 Cadillac CTS and the all-new 2008 Chevy Malibu are exquisite showcases of design and product excellence and are prime examples of our ongoing product renaissance. In addition to these new models, we’ve got several additional vehicles and concepts we think you’ll enjoy.
On Saturday, Jan. 6, for the first time ever on the Detroit riverfront, we will hold one of our most popular Los Angeles events, which is done in conjunction with the Academy Awards in L.A., in Detroit. At the GM Style Event, stars and cars alike will take the stage — think of it as Hollywood meets Detroit iron. In addition to an impressive group of A-list celebrities, the Style Event will host the world premiere of the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible concept. Many would argue that the only thing better than a Camaro is a Camaro drop-top, and this car is, in one word, sensational. In addition, the GM Style will feature concepts like the stunning Saab Aero X, the historic 1951 Buick LeSabre, and the Pontiac Solstice Club Racer, along with some of our other vehicles you won’t want to miss. In a way, this is General Motors’ Oscar night.
On Sunday, Jan. 7, we’ve got something up our sleeve that we can’t talk about — yet. Suffice it to say that it’s a game-changing approach to automotive transportation that will eventually make trips to the gas station a lot less frequent and substantially less painful. This concept will make its world debut this Sunday, and we think you’ll find it as exciting and promising as we do.
On Monday, Jan. 8, the 2008 Cadillac CTS will take the stage. From the moment Bob Lutz gave 60 Minutes a hint of this beautiful redesign, Cadillac fans around the world have been anticipating its final reveal. This outstanding car embodies the continued pursuit of excellence that has transformed the Cadillac brand.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, brings one of our most exciting reveals of the year. You’ve probably seen the pictures. It’s the completely redesigned, all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. This car demonstrates the new direction for Chevy exterior design, with an emphasis on interior quality.
We’ve got lots of other great cars and trucks at the show, too, like the 2007 Pontiac G6 GXP, the 2007 Chevrolet Equinox Sport, and the Saab 9-3 biopower concept, a green car that’s making its North American debut.
Our new cars and trucks are better than ever. With our new five-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, exceptional interior and exterior design, and industry-leading value, we’re proud to be making the kind of cars and trucks Americans want to buy. We are committed to being the world’s automotive design leader, and the North American International Auto Show is the showcase to prove we have what it takes.
Media days are January 7-9, and the show is open to the public from Jan. 13-21. For those of you who can’t make it in person, stay tuned to FYI, FastLane and GM.com for updates, and don’t forget that you can watch all events live or on-demand at our GMtv streaming video site.
- Posted in Auto Shows
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Dear Mr. La Neve,
referring to your word about innovative vehicles, I urgently would like to suggest, to transfer the Hybrid-System also to Opel, which will be available for the Saturn Aura Green Line. As you might know, at the moment Toyota is doing big advertising on its Hybrids over here in Germany. If Opel could offer Hybrids, either, (for example Signum, Vectra and Antara) this would be a great opportunity to fight back, even more since Opel would be the only German manufacturer, offering Hybrid-Vehicles so far. I think, that might be an unprecedented chance, which shouldn’t be missed.
Thanks for paying attention.
john
Mark,
The new products look great. I know GM’s best days are ahead. One thing I feel is GM needs to give attention to cars like Monte Carlo. The Camaro is not for everyone. A stylish Monte would be an asset. I never see advertising. Some people don’t even know there is a stylish coupe from GM. Love what you guys are doing.
Sorry for the rant.
noel park
Game-changing is what we need. I am holding my breath!
Alex
I wasn’t hot on the Camaro coupe concept, but I love the convertible. What a difference a chop top makes. Now, offer it with that Hugger Orange paint job with the black Z/28 stripes, and do something about those tail lights (sorry, but I think that they’re ugly) and I’ll be at my local Chevy dealer around 2010 ordering this car.
Shaun
Bob,
One thing I have noticed since moving away from MI, and the Midwest in general, is how poorly people think of GM and more specifically American made vehicles. I am in the market for a car and the decision is very hard. I am looking at used cars with safety being most important after being hit by an uninsured motorist during a highway police chase while bringing my wife home from the hospital. The easy decision would be to buy a new car full of airbags, right? That isn’t so easy when we just purchased my wife a new Chevy Equinox last month and have student loans. In a used car market GM does not boast well with airbags being optional. This is very aggravating because I want to support GM, MI and everyone I know who still works for GM, but foreign vehicles even several years ago had standard side impact airbags. Up through 2007 on many models GM is offering side torso air bags and head curtain air bags as an option. The motto shouldn’t be more power or better gas mileage at the best price; it should be “Safety Comes Standard.” I hope that in future models that air bags of any kind are not optional. Besides, fewer options bring production costs down. I really don’t want to purchase a foreign car. - A loyal supporter of GM
Chad
This is the problem with US car companies … they can’t get out of the retro theme.. Make something new and stop going to the past! Big V8 muscle cars are not cool anymore… Make something to take on the new age muscle cars like the STI and the EVO!
Eric Planey
Mark,
All I can say is good luck with the event! I think GM is returning to its roots of innovation, design, and boldness. Good luck!!!!
Tenor
Mark,
The GM 5y/100k warranty sounds interesting until you consider most people don’t drive 20k/year. In five years, people will be exactly right where they started, in a risky position paying for GM’s mistakes from the family vacation fund. Therefore the warranty is quite useless to many people. The 5y/100k is obviously intended to be more marketing hype then substance, and all that ‘confidence in the product’ that you profess. Haven’t you learned? GM can’t fool the public as easily as they did for the last four decades. I heard the dealer, Hoot McInerney, say: “The American people,” he said, “forgave the Japanese for World War II and they forgave the Germans. But they haven’t forgiven Detroit for making some bad cars and trucks.” Finally, GM could use a dose of “humble.” Amazingly, still even now still on the downward slide toward ruin, GM’s still spout off with their famous arrogance and pre-ordained “greatness.”
jnik
So now the ‘08 Malibu might be AS GOOD as the Honda Accord? Too bad a NEW Accord is being unveiled at the same show!
Lesson: You’ve got to hit them where they WILL BE NEXT, not where they ARE NOW!
absent.canadian
I assume today’s “big” announcement is the Chevy Volt.
Great!! Get this car in a showroom and I might even consider visiting a GM dealership. Until that happens, it will remain a cool concept car … and my money will go elsewhere.
Jeff
I’d like to second Shaun’s concerns about safety. Lots of people out there want things like ABS, 4 wheel disc brakes, lots of airbags, and stability control. To load a base model up with safety options should be easy to do and should not cost as much as it does.
With that said, what usually goes unreported is that a large well-built structure is safer than a cheaper structure regardless of the gizmos added. GM deserves props for continuing to offer affordable large cars. Some of these have found their way to the used market and represent incredible values.
Mark, the warranty is awesome. You need to learn to appreciate a good thing.
Bob, any thoughts on used cars? Good luck with the show!
Jeff
Sorry Mark, I meant Tenor needs to learn to appreciate the warranty. It’s great.
Ted
OMG. Why are you messing up the G6 so badly. Give it more power, for crying out loud. Typical strategy you seem to have with Pontiac. Make a car that doesn’t compete, and then flounder through it’s whole life cycle one step forward, two steps back. All the while, raising the price to levels that noone in their right mind is going to pay. I suggest you look at the gminsidenews forum and LISTEN to people’s comments.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43020
Rick Lupori
Mr. La Neve: The new Malibu looks great. Please make sure the optional equipment is competitive with the Camry.
The old Malibu was one of very few cars that GM had the options right. Now that the styling and interior are world class don’t drop the ball on the options.
If what I have read is correct GM is finally getting the powertrain right with a 2.4L 4-cyl., 3500 and 3.6L V-6’s all mated to 6-speed automatics.
Keep the heated cloth seats, Fog Lights, Alloy Wheels available on the 1LT and 2LT packages.
Hopefully a real Nav System with backup camera will be optional.
How about a true Malibu SS with the 5.3L from the Impala?
The CTS was in real need of an updated interior and exterior. Will the 6-speed automatic be available on the base CTS?
How about an E-85 capable 5.3L powered version with full luxury and AWD.
Any chance of the 427 making it on the V-Series?
When will the Saab 9-3 biopower PRODUCTION version be available?
The VOLT plug in concept looks great, hopefully it will be available in the next 3-5 years.
Kate
Please make a chassis that is excellent and standard for every line, then change the body styling..like what you had envisioned for the skateboard fuel cell car. Cheaper to manufacture and utilizing the building strategy of the Japanese.
ALSO…as a woman, how about some cool smaller cars that are affordable? Seems everything with rare exceptions, (and those are EXPENSIVE exceptions), is a “family of four” car from 1980 trying to look cool, or a mom wagon for kids. The other option is the macho vechicle for the insecure gas guzzling consumer.
Could you size down the camaro, size up the Saturn sports car and add 2 more seats, or size down the vet, seating 4 and make them fall in the $17,000-$25,000 price range? I’m not macho, retro, or a mom…where’s my car???? Lastly, side air bags please???? I know as a nurse that side impacts are the #1 cause of quadreplegia in the world…..hangman’s fracture…preventable by the side air bags!!! I’d give up a sun roof for them!
Greg
Thanks for the “old school” muscle cars. I already asked my dealer to put my name on the list for the Camaro Coupe. I always wanted a “68 Camaro but hoped for tomorrow’s technology.
Now, I would buy the first one off the production line with all the options. These will be collectors’ items before they leave the plant.
Greg
gerald blum
now that you’ve introduced the camero concept to the whole world, and its not going into production until 2009, how many foreign maufacters do you think will have copy cats on the market before you do? i guess what i’m trying to say is, your too slow putting these cars into production. by the time you introduce them to the public they will be obsolete!
BRE
John - I aggree on the Monte, I have one and would like a new one but dont have a clue as to what GM is doing with the car, also to Tenor - most people DO drive around 15 to 20 K a year where I come from. Go drive your import and quit complaining.
Jack Porter
Mark,
I just watched the on-line unveiling of the CTS at the Detroit auto show. Congratulations to the entire team at GM for stepping it up and paying close attention to all the details. If it looks as good in person as it did on the video, this will be my next car. Make mine silver with a black leather interior (with that distinctive Cadillac leather aroma) and a 6 speed manual transmission with real wood interior and AWD. I really hope I can get it configured this way. The aluminum trim that is so common with sport packages (like G35) is too cold and boring - I like the look of real wood with my 6 speed. I’ll choose a Cadillac - and it will be my first, if I can get it made this way.
Thanks for listening Mark. It looks like the beancounters were told to back off - and the result is simply beautiful.
Rick Lupori
Mark: Kate brings up a good point on a sporty small to midsize car at a reasonable price. As she stated it does not have to be the fastest car in the segment.
I think the Opel Astra Twin-Top would fill the bill perfectly in a 2-Door coupe body. The fixed roof would lower the price and the OPC powertrain or even the 1.6L Turbo would provide plenty of performance with MPG. A Quad Coupe version could probably be made since the Twin-Top stucture is reinforced for the hardtop convertible.
I check out the Opel site quite often and always find something new and interesting, hopefully I will find the same on the U.S. market web sites soon.
And please standard head curtain and side impact airbags across the line by 2009.
John and BRE are right on the money with the Monte Carlo. A new Monte Carlo from the Camaro platform with the “personal luxury” touches that made the original stand out will make it a winner today.
Michael Neutzler
The Camaro concept has come a long way from the uninspired last generation. I only wish that rather than getting a base hit, you could go for the home run by fixing the front and back end stying miscues. Everywhere you read you see the comments against the tail lights and the grille. The Mustang and Challenger have both done better in capturing a more universal acceptance. The Challenger will likely not impact your sales because they will probably want over 40k for it with that hemi. …even if they build a cheaper V8 version, Dodge will charge too much for it. The Mustang, on the other hand will beat you in numbers. …especially if the Camaro is as little as 3 or 4k higher in price. I hope for GM’s sake a good V8 Camaro can be had for under 28k, or Ford has won.
Michael Neutzler
Don’t be swayed by people like Chad on Jan 5. Classic-styled muscle cars as anyone knows are hotter than ever.
Retro rocks all ages. Guys like him can go out and buy Mazdas or 04-05 Pontiac GTOs.
Just fix the Camaro’s tail lights!
BRE
Chad-
There is nothing retro about the new V8 Z06 vette, or with the new camaro coming. Its called speed with style - son.