What’s Next: www.igotshotgun.com
By Steve Harris
GM VP, Global Communications
For nearly a century, GM has played a big role in the lives of millions worldwide by providing personal transportation. We’ve also played a significant role in sponsoring some of the biggest sports, entertainment and pop-culture events in the world. Most people have only experienced these events through the media, and only a select few have ever been “backstage.”
So today, we’re launching a new consumer-driven web experience called igotshotgun. It takes people behind the scenes for an inside look at cars, culture and entertainment through the eyes of everyday consumers and a few special celebrity guests.
The site is being launched to extend the tremendous reach and access of GM’s sponsorships. It will include a mix of professionally-produced video content and first-hand perspectives from real people picked to join us on the scene. We’re setting out to give people the memorable experience of “riding shotgun” with GM as a video blogger and commentator at these events.
You can apply for a chance to participate as a crew member by submitting your own video showing us how you’d ride shotgun on the pop culture scene.
The call for crew members is currently underway at www.igotshotgun.com. Look for coverage from Super Bowl week in Miami and the Grammy Awards in February. As you check out igotshotgun content, you may be surprised that GM is producing this, and that’s exactly the point.
I look forward to hearing your feedback.
Take a look at this video from Alison Speranza as she chats with the band Radiant, just before a performance in Times Square.
- Posted in Business
Jon
Whatever it is, I hope you get your money’s worth.
I really do.
Whatever you do, blowout style and unbeatable packaging is the only thing that will attract customers ultimately.
Don Barta
So this crap is going to sell more cars and trucks………………
J.Crew
Good luck with this. I think you should focus on the basics and change perceptions one customer at a time through the dealer experience. This would be fun to do without a doubt, but does it move metal?
noel park
Thank you Don Barta, 1/29/07, 9:28 PM. Amen.
How abut some cars that will compete successfully in the market place?
The Toyota Yarises are beginning to proliferate in SoCal.
As best I can tell, an Aveo 5 door is actually lighter than a Yaris 3 door, so why can’t you equal their mileage?
Sam Houston
So how is this different from MTV?
(which I also don’t watch)
Andrew
First off… although we know what “shotgun” means when driving, others will think that SHOTGUN is a poor choice of name for a website… MORE bad PR for GM.
Scion is hot because it is a good car. Don’t sell junk like the Cobalt and then mask it over with a hip website.
The Japanese have been here for 30 years kicking your a*&, now the Koreans are in on it too. GET A CLUE and stop with this marketing spin!
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Hi Noel,
I could imagine, the difference in the mileage is caused by the height of the Aveo, which on the one hand has some negative impact on the aerodynamic (same phenomenon: VW New Beetle vs. Golf), but on the other hand is an advantage for the occupants. My wife owns such a car and I am 6.25 ft. tall. I really have some doubt, that I could sit in a Yaris the same comfortably like in an Aveo, at least as far as the backseat is concerned.
Barry
Huh? I got shotgun? Did you ask a 50 year old to name a Gen Y site?
I applaud your efforts to reach out to a new generation not necessarily anti-GM. You’ve done a reasonably good job of quickly transforming your product with new intro’s but you really don’t have anything in the Y segment. You have an opportunity to win them over and reverse brand hemorrhaging. I don’t know why you don’t take the intro line-up of the Chevy brand and develop some concepts which appeal to that crowd. Wasn’t the original concept to get people into a Chevy and move them up as their income or families grew?
woofyman
I’m 6′2″ and I’ve sat in both the front and back seats of the Yaris HB.
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Hi Andrew,
the question is, who elsewhere is kickin’ a**. I only can tell you: At the T√úV-Report 2007 Opel (=GM) gained the 1st place and Kia the last place. You can see, the ultra-long warranty from Kia doesn’t necessarily mean highest quality.
Over here every vehicle has to be examined by the T√úV, which is an official authority to control the technical safety (for use in traffic) of any vehicle. These examinations have to be repeated every 2 years (new cars: first time after 3 years). Referring to that there are released statistics annually, which display the relevant defects of the vehicles after the corresponding periods. It’s also regarded as an indication for long-time quality. BTW, the Opel (Saturn) Astra performed better than industry-average, as well as other Opel-products.
noel park
Mr. Langlitz:
Thank you for your insightful comments, as usual.
It would be interesting to see how the frontal areas of the two cars compare. Maybe our pal Rick Lupori can dig that one out of the GM websites. Wasn’t he the one who dug out the weights?
If aero drag is a significant part of the difference, it would be pretty easy to incrementally improve the mileage. We have been fiddling with our S-10 pickup, which does over 25,000 miles a year, to try to improve the mileage.
We did the obvious things - lowered it 2″, put a big air dam under the front, installed a bed cover, and put on some lighter wheels. We got the mileage up to almost 27 combined real world mpg. We are studying low rolling resistance tires as our next tweak.
I could drive an Aveo with less ground clearance. My wife’s Impala SS drags the air dam and the tips of the exhast pipes on every steep dirveway. It has done so for 11 1/2 years with no major ill effects, so why not?
I think that some of the issue lies with the engine and power train, however.
I am just saying that the Yarises are proliferating in the Socal market, which some see as a bellweather. Toyota has the high ground on percieved quality and value with the public, regardless of what we bloggers may say. Pereception is everything. As wise bloggers have said so often, GM has to step out front dramatically to retake the high ground.
Sorry if I have even more typos than usual. My maniac Jack Russel Terrier charged a cat and dislocated one of my fingers with his leash. It’s tough to type with your finger in a splint, but one always has to acknowlwdge the wisdom of Langlitz.
chibesa
What ever this is,its not working.I love car talk on this site and I guess all the other people do as well.IF I wanted Pop culture I would grab a magazine or go to E online not here.Keep focused this is not working
lou
this is the biggest waste of advertising dollar i have ever seen. just my opinion.
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Hi Mr. Park,
thank you for this nice comment. Hope your finger gets better soon.
Just once more to the Aveo. My wife used to drive an Opel Corsa before with 75 HP. The mileage was 39 mpg in the average. BTW, the Corsa is regarded as one of the most fuel-efficient small cars in Germany since years. The Aveo’s fuel-consumption now is 35 mpg (gasoline) or 29.5 mpg running on LPG (50% cheaper than gasoline, so, who cares?). The engine is a little smaller than in the US, but it’s still a 94 HP (1.4). So this shouldn’t make such a tremendous difference.
Well, I think the Aveo’s fuel-economy might not be revolutionary, but on the other hand it’s not obsolete, neither, even more, as soon as I am comparing it to the mileage of different VW’s with gasoline engine. My wife’s co-worker test-drove a New Beetle. It needed more than my Olds Alero! I also do believe, the Japanese sometimes pretend a little too optimistic fuel-economy-figures. At least a former co-worker made such an experience after buying a Nissan X-Trail.
I don’t have all the data, but I can say: When I stand in front of the Aveo, it clearly looks bigger than the (”old”) Corsa. Consequently it seems plausible to me, that the car with the larger profile has not the same good aerodynamic. Already at about 56 mph, 50% of the engine’s power has to be used to overcome the aerodynamic resistance. At least I could read this at a publication from the ADAC (compares to AAA).
Have a nice weekend.
noel park
Thank you Mr. Langlitz.
I commented to my wife over the weekend on what a pleasure it is to meet you (in particular) and so many others around the world through this shared entusiasm for cars and the survival and success of GM
What a source of hope it is for GM to have supporters such as you around the world.
We run our old Corvettes in the vintage races, so we are well aware of the issue of drag. You would laugh if you could see the pictures over the years of smaller and smaller windscreens, mirrors either smaller or gone, ever descending ride height, and so on. Everything which increases frontal area or hangs out in the wind slowly is minimized, always within the rules, of course. The cars look remarkably like they did in the 50’s and the 60’s, but every tiny detail counts.
So, your point is well taken. I have commented here before that GM should bring in the Corsa. Gas prices are trending back up here (oil $60/barrel today), so the recent short reprieve may be ending.
noel park
Mr. Langlitz:
Please, I am flattered that you would call me Noel. I just keep using Mr. Langlitz because I thought it was such a cool, sort of international sounding, screen name when I first saw it.
It is great and frustrating at the same time to get so much information from you, Rick Lupori, and others, about what is available in Europe.
And yes, I am typing a bit better today, and the dog hasn’t gone back to the pound from whence he came (yet).
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Dear Mr. Park,
thank you very much, it’s a pleasure to me, either!
I am looking forward to having further conversation about automotive issues.
Stay tuned. Best regards!
Gereon Langlitz (Germany)
Hi Noel,
well, then let’s do without that formal address.
Today I heard something interesting on the radio. The German ministry for traffic obviously considers to make a sensor (indicator lamp) for low tire pressure obligating for future vehicles. Low tire pressure leads to higher fuel consumption and causes accidents as well. Of course you know that. Well, that’s reasonable, but they are a little bit late over here. My 2001 Alero already has such an indicator lamp :o)
BTW, we are inflating the tires always up to 0.5 bar (7.1 psi) higher than recommended. That’s also saving gas and still doesn’t have any negative impact on the abrasion of the tires.
noel park
Hi Gereon:
Yeah, so do we. About 40 psi in the S-10. Which reminds me, I’d better get in gear and check them today.
The tires do wear out a bit quicker in the middle, but the truck has done 172,000 miles and is on its second set of tires (it did 118,000 on the OEM set!), so I figure it’s worth it.
We used to say that great minds run in the same rut.
Joe Rusz has a really good column about Schumi in this month’s Road and Track. He points out what I have always believed, the Michael’s success was due as much to his organizational skills as it was to his driving. He brought the team of Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne, Nigel Stepney, and so many others to Ferrari, which had been wandering in the wilderness. They provided him with the tools he needed. Brilliant!