GM FastLane Blog

Invicta: A Product Progress Report

2008-05-01T11:13:44-05:00

The Buick Invicta Concept

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

Recently we unveiled the Buick Invicta concept car at the Beijing motor show. It was a natural choice to have the sleek concept sedan’s debut in China, where Buick is an established, respected premium luxury brand.

The Invicta is a vehicle that GM Global Product Development can be proud of on many levels, not the least of which is, I think, that it’s a beautifully designed car. It shows where Buick design is headed, both in China and in North America, and gives you a strong hint at what the next generation LaCrosse might look like.

In the big picture, to me, Invicta is symbolic of the progress we continue to make revamping GM Global Product Development and rolling out our global architecture programs. The next generation LaCrosse will share an architecture with other midsize sedans from Chevrolet, Saab, Opel/Vauxhall and others. But the key to the whole thing is … it will be very hard to tell they share the same parentage if you didn’t already know.

VIDEO: Buick Invicta Concept at Beijing Auto Show

2008-04-21T10:38:55-05:00

GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Vice President Ed Welburn Jr. introduce the Buick Invicta concept vehicle last week during the Bejing Auto Show. - Will Stewwart, blog editor

Join Our Saturn Social Network

2008-04-14T17:44:48-05:00

By Jill Lajdziak Saturn General Manager At Saturn, we've always liked to think of ourselves as innovators -- from our products to our unique customers. In that spirit, we are proud to offer Saturn owners and enthusiasts a new to...

VIDEO: Volt Nation Town Hall Meeting

2008-04-09T15:27:34-05:00

Here's some interesting footage courtesy of Volt Nation from a Q&A Bob Lutz did at last month's VN conference in New York. - Will Stewart, blog editor.

Thank You, Citizens of Volt Nation

2008-04-01T15:50:33-05:00

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

This is a little late coming, but I just wanted to take the time and space to officially thank everyone who traveled to New York, some from fairly far away, for the Volt Nation event at the auto show there last month.

And I’d like to thank Dr. Lyle Dennis, the Foundation of Volt Nation, for organizing such a great event, and for his boundless enthusiasm. In fact, all the attendees were rather enthusiastic, and we are very appreciative of that, and of their rabid interest in the Volt program.

As I told the group assembled there in New York, the Volt team feeds off their enthusiasm, it’s a great motivator for us.

VIDEO: The Young Lords at the NY Auto Show

2008-03-26T13:30:08-05:00

Check out this cool video of the Young Lords rehearsing for their performance at the Pontiac Garage stage at the New York Auto Show. And be sure to click over to FYI for more NYAS footage featuring Bob Lutz and rapper 50 Cent. -- Will Stewart, blog editor

UPDATE: Over on FYI

2008-03-25T18:57:13-05:00

Make sure to check out FYI for a video post from last week's press days at the New York Auto Show. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor...

Pontiac Roars Forward

2008-03-19T10:55:46-05:00

2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

Jim Bunnell
Buick-Pontiac-GMC General Manager

If there’s anything better than introducing a new product, it’s introducing three new products. And if there’s anything better than introducing three new products, it’s introducing three new products that show Pontiac’s getting its mojo back.

At the New York Auto Show today, Pontiac took the wraps off some new members of the Solstice and G8 families.

First up was the Solstice Coupe, which takes its classic design of the roadster to another level. The original convertible is still the top selling car in its segment and we think that the added all-season capabilities of the coupe, in either the base or turbo-charged GXP model, will just extend its appeal. Plus, a removable top panel can still provide an open-air driving experience.

UPDATE: GMBlogs and Twitter

2008-03-11T15:32:35-05:00

Click over to FYI to read about a new and exciting way to keep up on everything happening on your favorite GM blogs.

VIDEO: A Redefining Moment at the Geneva Motorshow

2008-03-06T10:46:32-05:00

By Keith Childs
GM Europe Communications

The Opel Meriva Concept, a GM world premiere at the Geneva motorshow, was one of the highlights of our press conference and got a lot of people talking.

There’s an array of patented innovations developed by GM/Opel engineers. The innovative FlexDoors are rear-hinged rear doors that swing open 90 degrees towards the back of the car. It’s something you have to see to really understand, so we videoed them in action.

At the same time, we asked Hans Demant, Opel’s Managing Director and GM Europe Vice President in charge of engineering, Alain Visser, GM Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer and designers Andrew Dyson and Kenjiro Tajima to tell us more about the innovation behind the concept.

Virgin Atlantic Chooses Chevy for Going Green on the Ground

2008-03-04T12:21:08-05:00

By Larry Burns
Vice President
Research & Development and Strategic Planning

Virgin’s President Sir Richard Branson announced yesterday that the airline will be using Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as its limousines of choice for passengers landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The partnership with GM is an expansion of Project Driveway.

This podcast gives highlights from yesterday’s news conference in New York City, beginning with Branson’s comments and followed by Larry Burns, GM vice president of Research & Development and Strategic Planning. Also included is a short interview with Mary Beth Stanek, director of Energy and Environment Policy and Commercialization.

Listen to the announcement.

And check out our Flickr galleries for more photos from the press conference.

Our Next-Generation GM Hybrid

2008-03-04T08:47:17-05:00

By Tom Stephens
Group Vice President GM Powertrain

As Rick Wagoner announced this morning at the Geneva auto show, we have a strong new addition to our portfolio of hybrid technologies. The next-generation GM Hybrid system is an affordable hybrid option that will be nearly three times more powerful than the one currently found on the Saturn Vue Green Line, the Saturn Aura Green Line and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid.

We’ll introduce the system in North America in 2010, where you may eventually see it in more than 100,000 of our vehicles annually. The new system is based on a lighter but more powerful lithium-ion battery than the nickel metal hydride one we use today. The lithium-ion battery will be supplied by Hitachi and is paired with a new motor generator to provide more electric assist for a longer period of time. That will increase fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. Those two goals, as you know, go hand in hand, because burning less fuel puts less CO2 into the air.

Driving the New Pontiac G8

2008-03-02T10:30:09-05:00

Adam Denison
Coordinator, GM Social Media

Never have I been more aware of my newbie status in the car industry than I was this week as I spent some time with automotive journalists and bloggers in San Diego. But regardless of my still blooming knowledge of how cars work, I can tell a good car when I drive one. Such was the case during my time driving the brand new Pontiac G8.

You know, I could tell you that the G8 has two powertain options (256 hp 3.6-liter V6 or 361 hp 6.0-liter V8), that it has a four-wheel independent suspension, that it has standard disc brakes featuring ABS and StabliTrak, or that the G8 361 hp G8 GT is the most powerful sedan under $30k in North America, but I’ll leave all that to the automotive journalists and bloggers who joined us for the media drive of the G8 this week. What I want to tell you about is what this fledgling auto enthusiast thought about the car.

I’ve seen the G8 before and even had the chance of filming some of the engineers driving a fleet of them into Detroit after a cross-country drive, but I guess I forgot how impressive the styling of the car was until I saw one outside the doors of the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego. Man, that car has a presence; a point noted by many of the hotel guests as they stopped to check it out.

After a quick early morning walk-around of the vehicle with a G8 engineer two of our media guests and I hopped in a bright red G8 GT (V8 version) and started our journey. I was immediately impressed with the beautiful interior, the styling of which really added to ambience of this powerful sedan. It took a little while to get used to having the power window controls and side-view mirror controls in the center console, rather than on the doors, but the reason for this I assume is due to the global nature of the vehicle. Having these controls in the center makes it easier to go from left-hand drive to right-hand drive.

Chevrolet Helps High School Seniors "Drive for Perfection"

2008-02-28T15:12:55-05:00

By Monica Coleman
Guest Blogger

Going to school just got sweeter for high school seniors in more than 200 schools in 26 Tennessee counties because of the Chevy Drive For Perfection Program. Through this initiative, five lucky students will be awarded with a 2008 Chevy Cobalt sedan for having perfect attendance during the 2007-2008 school year.

Statistics show that students who have poor attendance for reasons other than illness are more likely to drop out and to fall behind their peers in the classroom. The Chevrolet Drive For Perfection program was created by Chevrolet and the Middle Tennessee Chevrolet Dealers, in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Education, to give seniors an additional incentive to finish their high school careers strong in order to adequately prepare for post-secondary education or the workforce.

When I talked to Tim Hudgens, Chevy marketing manager for GM’s Southeast region, he couldn’t have been more excited about encouraging students to succeed:

“Literacy and education are two initiatives that Chevrolet and its dealers champion through their support of several initiatives in the Southeast region. The Tennessee Department of Education is charged with the significant task of educating the state’s youth, and our local Chevy dealers are honored to provide support to them and high schools in their communities.”

Why the Cobalt? We thought it offered a variety of well-equipped and sporty choices and was a natural fit for a hard-working student finishing up another exciting school year. For more information about the Chevy Drive For Perfection program or to see if your school or your child’s school is participating, please e-mail Katie Dougherty at kdougherty@chevydriveforperfection.com.

Mourning the Passing of a Labor Legend

2008-02-25T22:43:26-05:00

By Diana Tremblay
GMNA Vice President, Labor Relations

In the days since former UAW President Douglas Fraser died, I have read a number of articles and scanned numerous comments from people who knew him or were touched by him in some fashion.

What struck me most was the comment by Doug’s own wife, Winnie Fraser: “Everybody thought he was wonderful.”

And that sentiment was echoed over and over by people, offering their tributes to someone who helped navigate the union and automakers through the tumultuous period of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Doug is rightly credited with getting the federal government to bail out Chrysler and educating fellow union members to make sacrifices, as well.