Buick’s Business Continues to Grow – Tony DiSalle

April 25, 2013

To be successful, companies must innovate, and that’s what Buick has been doing now for 110 years. For Buick, 2013 is about bringing to market substantial innovation in the form of new products. Our newest vehicles include the luxury crossover Enclave, the Verano compact luxury sedan and the all-new Encore luxury small crossover. These vehicles are helping to positively influence the way Buick is seen by consumers.

What we are hearing from our customers is that they are drawn to Buick because of the new exterior styling and vehicle designs. We are also hearing that people love the way their Buick drives and they appreciate that they are still receiving the quality and value for which Buick has always been known. Because of these factors, we have seen significant growth in 2013 sales thus far.

Buick’s first quarter total sales in the U.S. were up 28% and March was the 11th consecutive month of year-over-year increases in sales to retail customers.

Leasing has doubled as a percentage of total sales in the last year. Part of this is due to the unique leasing offers we rolled out in March of 2012 as a key component of “Experience Buick” –The Experience Buick lease is a two-year term with a single monthly payment that includes SiriusXM satellite radio, OnStar Directions and Connections and routine maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations. It’s another way we aim to please customers and provide the quality service they expect from Buick.

At Buick, we are listening to consumers and creating vehicles with attributes that are important to them. Our new vehicles are beautiful, quiet, comfortable and loaded with innovative, purposeful technologies. The 2014 LaCrosse and Regal we introduced at the New York International Auto Show in March for example, include next generation IntelliLink infotainment and a host of advanced camera- and radar-based safety systems.

Customers are also noticing the value that Buick has to offer. Buick was recently named the Best Value Luxury Brand in Kelley Blue Book’s brand image awards as voted on by customers while visiting KBB.com.

Buick’s growth, fueled by the redesign of our complete lineup in the past few years, really puts the brand in a new light. However, with all of this change and innovation our dedication to providing customers with beautiful, high quality, comfortable, and luxurious vehicles remains the same.

Tony DiSalle became U.S. Vice President of Buick and GMC Marketingin 2011. In this position, he provides senior leadership and strategic direction for U.S. Buick and GMC marketing functions, including marketing, communications and product strategy.

OnStar becomes the first non-emergency service company to receive EMD Accreditation

April 17, 2013

Here at OnStar, we take our customers’ safety very seriously, and we are extremely excited to be the first non-emergency service, private company to receive Accreditation as an Emergency Medical Center of Excellence.

Since April 2010, we’ve provided a service called First Assist , which allows specially trained OnStar emergency advisors to use Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) in order to provide necessary medical guidance to people in need while they wait for first responders to arrive.

In order to become a certified emergency advisor, one must complete six months as a non-emergency advisor handling non-emergency calls, four weeks of OnStar emergency training and a one week of training through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) that includes CPR and EMD certifications and software instruction by the IAED™.

OnStar obtained Accreditation by meeting the IAED’s™ rigorous 20 points of Accreditation requirements and for the company’s compliance with the Medical Priority Dispatch System ™ (MPDS®).

Being accredited proactively tells our customers that not only are we delivering a lifesaving service, but we are committed to doing so at the highest standard of excellence. Of the 2,780 agencies that use the MPDS® protocol, only 4.25 percent have actually achieved accreditation.

No other OEM in the world is delivering this kind of on-scene, emergency medical dispatch. In many cases, before the car has come to a complete stop during a crash, we’re connected and giving assistance. We’re filling a void for customers that no other automaker has even attempted to do. . We recognize how busy 911 call centers are, and in the spirit of cooperation, if we can absorb some of their burden and offer this service, then everyone benefits. We are filling an emergency response gap too where we can provide a first level of help that can prove to be invaluable

OnStar’s First Assist service is used approximately 1,200 times every month for a variety of emergency situations—from assisting women in labor, people with diabetic emergencies, and helping with choking victims..

All in all, the most important part is that we’re making a difference. Originally advisors had to stay on the line and just say “wait until you hear the sirens”. Now we are able to provide lifesaving instruction to these people in need. I take comfort in knowing that we are doing all that we possibly can to help people in their most desperate moments.

Cathy Bishop is OnStar’s Global Emergency Outreach and Strategy Manager. She is responsible for leading a team charged with strengthening OnStar’s relationship with the emergency services community globally through educational, collaborative and partnership opportunities. She also collaborates with GM Safety and Public Policy to influence improvements in crash safety technology to improve emergency response and treatment for crash survivors. Prior to working at OnStar, Cathy managed a 9-1-1 Call Center in Michigan for 18 years.

Buick Human Highlight Reel for the 2013 NCAA Tournament

April 12, 2013

When it comes to March Madness and the NCAA Tournament, the entire nation gets the basketball bug as it takes over the television, newspaper and even water-cooler talk at work. Buick and the NCAA showcase another topic during the tournament – people. The Buick Human Highlight Reel is an online collection and archive of short videos featuring former NCAA student-athletes whose greatest victories occur away from the game, where they apply their passion to serving those in need.

The Human Highlight Reel was born out of a simple idea: find stories that inspire and share them with the world. Now at http://www.ncaa.com/buick there are more than 40 videos that showcase the good that is being done for others.

From New York Yankee, Curtis Granderson and his initiatives to help inner-city children with education and baseball to former NFL receiver and world class skier, Jeremy Bloom making senior citizens wishes come true these stories all have one thing in common – former NCAA athletes using their dedication and abilities to do good.

Not only are Buick and the NCAA showcasing what well known former college athletes are doing to help others, they want to showcase as many stories as they can. Any former or current NCAA athlete can share their story and video online.

These stories all about bringing your “A” game whether it’s on the field or court or off. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s additions:

Buick Supports Samaritan’s Feet During NCAA Tournament

April 5, 2013

In March, college basketball fans from all across the nation filled out their brackets, got decked out in their favorite school colors and lived their superstitious rituals. Now in April it comes down to the “Final Four.” This year marks the 75th anniversary of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and Buick, in partnership with Samaritan’s Feet, is happy to be a part of the competitive celebration for the third consecutive year.

Samaritan’s Feet is an organization dedicated to helping cover the feet of 300 million shoeless children around the world. Nearly one million of these children die each year from soil-transmitted illnesses and foot-borne diseases. As the NCAA celebrates their 75th anniversary of March Madness, they are leading an effort to help raise funds to purchase a total of 75,000 pairs of shoes during this year’s men’s basketball season.

Buick has been working hard to help the NCAA meet the goal of 75,000 pairs of shoes. During the Atlanta Auto Show, they hosted a ride and drive highlighting the brand’s 2013 models and for every test drive taken, Buick donated a pair of shoes to Samaritan’s Feet.

Samaritan’s Feet, Buick and the NCAA are leading an effort to help donate 75,000 pairs of shoes this year though Samaritan’s Feet, an official charity of the National Association of Basketball Coaches founded by Manny Ohonme, seen here fitting a pair of shoes during a Buick event associated with the Chicago Auto Show in February

When the Final Four arrives at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome in this weekend, Bracket Town, an NCAA fan experience, is expected to attract more than 50,000 fans. Buick will be hosting “Encore Performances” in the Buick Arena in honor of both March Madness and the arrival of the all-new 2013 Buick Encore. Fans will be able to view classic footage of the greatest buzzer beater moments in tournament history. They will also have the opportunity to take famous shots and each successful shot will result in a shoe donation by Samaritan’s Feet. Buick will also work with a local organization to distribute 7,500 pairs of shoes to benefit children in the greater Atlanta area.

Also inside Bracket Town, fans will get a preview of the 2014 LaCrosse luxury sedan on display for the first time following its New York Auto show debut. Buick will offer free shuttles between downtown Atlanta and the Georgia dome throughout the Final Four weekend, allowing consumers to experience the brand’s quiet, comfortable luxury.

As the tournament continues to get heated, Buick will be working hard to support Samaritan’s Feet and help fulfill the NCAA’s effort to raise funds to purchase 75,000 pairs of shoes. Let the bracket upsets continue and may the best team win!

Geneva and New York Auto Show Roundup | Mary Barra

April 1, 2013

Around the world, customers are clamoring for new and exciting cars, trucks and crossovers, and we’ve been working overtime at GM to satisfy the demand. March has been a particularly busy and exciting month in this regard, starting with five global debuts at the Geneva Motor Show.

Opel kicked off the fireworks with the world premiere of the elegant new Cascada cabrio, the only mid-size convertible from a mainstream manufacturer. The classic four-seater features an electric soft top that can be opened at the press of a button and at speeds up to 50 km/h.

The Opel ADAM ROCKS Concept opened the door to a new market segment with a three-door urban mini-crossover study. ADAM ROCKS offers a fabric roof that closes automatically when adverse weather is approaching, and a higher and wider stance than the popular Opel ADAM, which is launching in Europe now to strong reviews.

Opel next introduced the ADAM R2 Rallye to complement the brand’s recent return to motorsport. The ADAM R2 will be a top-class vehicle eligible for every national championship in Europe. All 40 vehicles that Opel plans to race in Germany and France had already been sold by the time the Geneva Show started.

Finally in Geneva, Opel kicked off an aggressive powertrain offensive with the introduction of the new 1.6 CDTI ECOTEC engine. This new offering is the first in a new family of industry-leading four-cylinder turbo diesel engines. It’s also Opel’s cleanest diesel ever. Opel is committed to a multi-billion euro product offensive with 23 new cars and 13 new engines through 2016, proving once again that there is so much more to discover at Opel.

Also making its world debut in Geneva was the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible. Like the Coupe introduced in Detroit in January, the Stingray Convertible is the quickest, most powerful, most fuel-efficient Corvette in history.

Chevrolet also used Geneva to introduce the new Spark EV to Europe for the first time. Spark EV is a spirited, fun-to-drive car with great performance and an all-electric range that’s among the best in class. Spark EV will be available in Europe in early 2014, following its launch in the U.S. this summer.

Complementing the Geneva Show in early March, the New York Auto Show set the stage for several critical introductions at the end of the month.

Buick, which was just named “Best Value Luxury Brand” by Kelley Blue Book, started off with the introduction of the new LaCrosse and Regal sedans. The new full-size LaCrosse offers new interior and exterior design cues, advanced safety technologies, enhanced in-vehicle connectivity, and an all-new available Ultra Luxury Interior Package. It goes on sale this summer.

The new mid-size Regal offers sportier styling, a more efficient and refined turbo engine, and the introduction of all-wheel drive. Both the Regal and LaCrosse offer adaptive cruise control and Buick’s next-generation IntelliLink infotainment system, with intuitive controls and natural voice recognition. The new Regal goes on sale this fall.

Next up, Chevrolet introduced the redesigned 2014 Camaro SS, the most popular sports car in the U.S. for the last three years. We also announced the return of the Z/28, the most iconic model in Camaro history. Both models feature a revised exterior design that integrates high-performance aerodynamics for more efficient cooling and stability at high speeds. The Z/28 features a full aerodynamics package that creates downforce at speed, which helps make it the most track-capable offering in Camaro’s history.

The all-new Chevrolet SS, Chevrolet’s first V-8 rear-wheel-drive performance sedan in nearly two-decades, was also shown in New York. In February, Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500 driving the SS racing version.

The Chevrolet SS and Camaro models were joined by the Corvette Stingray Coupe and Convertible, which was shown in the U.S. for the first time in New York. Together, these cars represent our extraordinary new lineup of Chevrolet performance vehicles for 2014.

Finally in New York, we introduced the much anticipated Cadillac CTS. This third-generation CTS is based on the rear-drive architecture of the award-winning ATS sport sedan, and moves Cadillac into the heart of the prestigious midsize luxury segment. The new CTS is five inches longer than its predecessor, but also, remarkably, significantly lighter. In fact, it will be the segment’s lightest car, enabling it to have the most agile driving dynamics in its class. Production begins this fall and marks yet another milestone in our drive to replace or refresh 70 percent of our U.S. nameplates in the 2012-2013 timeframe.

2013 continues to be a very big year for GM as we work to satisfy customer demand for winning new products around the world. We got off to a great start at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and now the Chicago, Geneva, and New York shows have added to our product portfolio. Next up is the Shanghai Auto Show in April and the North American launch of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups early this summer. There’s a lot more to come from GM in 2013. Stay tuned!

Mary Barra was named Senior Vice President, Global Product Development effective February 1, 2011, responsible for the design, engineering, program management and quality for General Motors’ vehicles around the world. She is a member of the Executive Operations Committee and serves on the Adam Opel AG Supervisory Board.