People: Less Drama in Detroit as Lutz Leaves the Stage
Mar 19, 2010 Object
Famously blunt, occasionally stubborn and blessed with a knack to lead, inspire or provoke, Robert A. Lutz, the vice chairman of General Motors, will officially retire on May 1.
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People: Less Drama in Detroit as Lutz Leaves the Stage
Tags: automobiles, blessed-with, general, general-motors, history, img-alt, retire-on-may, robert, the-automobile, the-mainstream
Jerome B. York, Former Auto Executive, Dies at 71
Mar 18, 2010 Object
Mr. York warned General Motors of a looming financial disaster and aided the billionaire investor, Kirk Kerkorian, in efforts to drive up the price of Chrysler stock.
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Jerome B. York, Former Auto Executive, Dies at 71
Tags: a-looming-financial, aided-the, billionaire, chrysler, deaths (obituaries), general-motors, kerkorian, latest, owners-experienced, the-latest, the-price, vehicle-dependability, xperienced-the-fewest
Pics Aplenty: 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon limited edition
Mar 18, 2010 Object
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet
2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon - Click above for high-res image gallery
When we first told you about the new limited edition Corvette Z06 Carbon that Chevrolet plans to offer this fall, we had two measly photos to offer up from General Motors. In the run-up to this weekend’s 12 Hours of Sebring, GM has shown the Z06 Carbon in public at the Corvette Corral, and now, more photos have now been released - including interior shots that you can find in our updated gallery.
Only 500 examples of the full-blown Carbon will be built, and they include numerous carbon fiber body parts and chassis components from the ZR1. Perhaps the best part of the new model is the inclusion of the carbon-ceramic brakes and the magnetic ride damping system from the supercharged car.
Of course, those that don’t manage to get one of these limited edition models can put together most of the car by opting for the carbon fiber and Z07 packages.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon
[Source: Chevrolet]
Pics Aplenty: 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon limited edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2011, apple, chevrolet corvette carbon, chevrolet corvette z06, chevroletcorvettez06, enhanced-vision, entry, fall, general-motors, generalmotors, inclusion, jerryyork, limited edition, public-at-the, supercharged
AutoblogGreen for 03.18.10
Mar 18, 2010 Object, news, video
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Why California’s new electric vehicle rebates are good, and why they’re not so good When $5,000 isn’t the same as $5,000. |
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Video: General Motors continues to develop fuel cell toward 2015 production Littler. Orange-ish. Different. Better. |
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Mini E driver discusses range anxiety, how his friends worry too much Hey, guys, don’t fret. |
Other news: | |
AutoblogGreen for 03.18.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2015-production, a-friend-via, california, confirms-plans, entry, for-front-wheel, general-motors, img-border, lights, low-emissions, news, range-anxiety, vehicle-rebates, video
Report: NUMMI and UAW seeking closure through cash
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota, UAW/Unions
Thanks to the hard work and solidarity of the United Auto Workers union, Detroit automakers have for years known that it is extremely expensive to offer early retirements, entice workers to walk away from their jobs or permanently close the doors at a plant. And even though NUMMI is an independent company, Toyota, too, is now fully aware of the financial pain involved in mothballing a factory for good. The Freemont, California NUMMI plant became expendable after General Motors cut ties with the company during its bankruptcy proceedings, leaving Toyota with more capacity than it needed.
A report from the Silicon Valley Mercury News indicates that the UAW and NUMMI have reached a tentative agreement on a separation package valued at $281 million, or about $60,000 for each and every member of the 4,700 worker plant. The original proposal was valued at $253 million, with $168 million for hourly workers and $85 million for salaried employees.
While $60,000 sounds like a king’s ransom to simply walk away from a job, the number isn’t as impressive when considering national unemployment at close to 10 percent. After all, it’s not exactly as though there are plenty of quality manufacturing jobs out there - even when times are good.
With NUMMI scheduled to shutter on April 1, we can see why some workers are anxious to close the deal. NUMMI employee Scott MacMillan reportedly told the SVMN that workers are dissatisfied with the amount of information the UAW is giving workers, adding “that has caused a lot of frustration for the employees.” NUMMI UAW workers are scheduled to vote on the separation package later today.
[Source: Silicon Valley Mercury News | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]
Report: NUMMI and UAW seeking closure through cash originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-factory-for, close-the-doors, general-motors, nummiclosure, nummiuawsettlement, silicon valley, union, with-the-amount
Profit This Year for G.M. Is Possible, Finance Officer Says
Mar 17, 2010 Object
Christopher P. Liddell also said that a public offering for G.M. was possible this year, but that the company would first need to make a profit.
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Profit This Year for G.M. Is Possible, Finance Officer Says
Tags: a-public-offering, also-said, automobiles, finances, general-motors, img-alt, liddell, christopher p, public-offering, year
GM May See Profit in 2010, Mulling Possible IPO
General Motors’ new Chief Financial Officer says there is a “reasonable chance” the company will show a profit by the end of the year. And although the slimmed down auto giant is in no rush, it could even do an IPO in 2010.
Continue reading GM May See Profit in 2010, Mulling Possible IPO
GM May See Profit in 2010, Mulling Possible IPO originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:33:00.
Filed Under: Company News, General Motors, Autos
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GM May See Profit in 2010, Mulling Possible IPO
Tags: autos, dai, earnings, entry, filed-under, general-motors, img-hspace, mulling, street, texas, tiger-woods, tm, dai
Legal Briefing: Bank Overdraft Fee Lawsuit Goes Forward
In Wednesday’s legal news, a judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit against big banks over wrongful overdraft fees. The banks could face a multi-billion dollar judgment. And should U.S. companies competing for rebuilding contracts in Haiti be exempt from the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?
Continue reading Legal Briefing: Bank Overdraft Fee Lawsuit Goes Forward
Legal Briefing: Bank Overdraft Fee Lawsuit Goes Forward originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:30:00.
Filed Under: JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo & Co.
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Legal Briefing: Bank Overdraft Fee Lawsuit Goes Forward
Tags: america, bac, earnings, foreign, general-motors, haiti, jp morgan chase, lawsuit, lawsuit-against, lawsuit-goes, overdraft, overdraft fees, tiger-woods, wfc
GM gives us sneak peak of next-generation heads-up display technology
Mar 17, 2010 Object
Filed under: Safety, Technology, GM
GM’s next-generation HUD concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Currently, automakers use head-up displays to project important vehicle information (speed, navigation directions, etc.) on the windshield, keeping the driver’s eyes focused on the road, where they belong. General Motors is hard at work developing its next-generation heads-up technology, and we were given a preview yesterday of what sort of new features to expect in the coming years.
This new concept, developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon and the University of Southern California, uses an augmented reality system to display head-up information across the entire windshield. Never heard of augmented reality? Sure you have. When you’re watching a football game and images appear on the screen to indicate lines on the playing field, that’s augmented reality. GM feels that this technology will be a good way to expand upon current heads-up systems without being too distracting for drivers.
GM’s new concept uses an array of vehicle sensors and cameras to collect data and project images directly onto the surface of the windshield. For example, if you’re driving in dark foggy conditions, this technology can highlight the lines of the road. By pairing these functions with existing night vision technology, the heads-up system can identify and highlight animals or people along the side of the road. It’s all about improving safety, not only for the driver and passengers, but for pedestrians, too. What’s more, this new tech can work with a car’s navigation system to give more precise directions, highlighting actual road signs or buildings to show drivers where they should be going.
Don’t expect to see this technology anytime soon, however - there’s still quite a bit of work to be done. GM needs to figure out how to piggyback on sensors and cameras already used in automotive applications, as well as how to keep the overall cost down. We imagine there are probably a few legal hurdles to be surmounted as well. That said, we’re told that if things go well, we could see a complete version of this system as early as 2016. Still, it’s a very forward-thinking concept, and we’ll be interested to see how these new functions slowly come to market. Hit the jump to read GM’s press release, and click through our gallery below to check out high-res shots of the heads-up display prototype.
Gallery: GM Next-Generation HUD Concept
[Source: General Motors]
Continue reading GM gives us sneak peak of next-generation heads-up display technology
GM gives us sneak peak of next-generation heads-up display technology originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-few-legal, a-will-use, business, carnegie-mellon, entry, feature, general-motors, generalmotors, heads-updisplay, tech, technology
Cadillac stores make up bulk of reinstated GM dealerships
Filed under: Cadillac, GM, Luxury
When General Motors entered bankruptcy last spring, the automaker announced the closure of 1,350 dealers and another 650 dealerships that had more than one brand. Recently, The General announced that it planned to reinstate 661 dealers of the 1,161 that applied for a stay of execution, though GM was short on details surrounding why those dealers were chosen. Many of those dealers never actually left the GM dealer group when the automaker gave dealers until October, 2010 to wind down their stores.
A report from Automotive News quotes multiple sources who say that a large percentage of reinstated dealers carried the Cadillac brand. While GM hasn’t publicly announced any brand breakdowns of which dealerships were reinstated, 55 of the 75 dealers AN spoke to that were given a new lease on life were of the Wreath and Crest variety.
When GM sent out notices to dealers around the country informing owners that their dealerships were being phased out, a large portion of those stores were reportedly rural Cadillac outlets. AN reports that The General was looking to decrease the dealer footprint of Cadillac from 1,422 U.S. stores to closer to 500. The idea was to more closely mimic the urban-centric model used by Lexus and BMW; a plan that AN says GM has now ditched.
Still, GM reportedly earmarked 922 Cadillac stores for closure. Even if the majority of reinstated stores sell Cadillacs, we’re thinking The General has still managed to significantly shrink the retail footprint of its luxury marquee.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Mark Wilson/Getty Images]
Cadillac stores make up bulk of reinstated GM dealerships originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, a-new-lease, automaker, automoblox, cadillac, dealer, general-motors, gmdealers, image, japanese, luxury, news, retail, urban
