Busted Transmission: Can the U.S. government transform GM into a true global car company?

June 8, 2009 at 11:10 am

(Source:  Foreign Policy Magazine)

Cartoon Courtesy: Slate Magazine

Outside a small group of nihilists and committed free marketeers who’d have let General Motors go under, no matter the price, few question the necessity of the Obama administration’s plan for the once great American company’s reorganization in bankruptcy. But as a U.S. taxpayer, and therefore one of GM’s brand-new owners, I have my doubts about our ability to manage this new property. Yes, GM’s previous owners proved unable to run a competitive car company in a global marketplace, but is the U.S. government really the best one to transform it? Already, the particulars of the Chapter 11 arrangement lead me to fear that the same sort of internal politics, unthinking nationalism, and generalized aversion to engineering risk that have hobbled GM for decades will continue to haunt its new incarnation.

One place where you won’t hear for-attribution criticism of the “new” General Motors these days is GM headquarters. Perforce they are obligated to display their gratitude with the unfailing enthusiasm that a $50 billion-plus investment in a failing business minimally entitles its benefactors to expect in return. Although the collegial tone of the new rapprochement comes 50 years late, it is heartening nonetheless to see American industry finally welcome Washington’s involvement in matters like safety, fuel economy, and emissions regulation.

Even Robert “Maximum Bob” Lutz, GM’s outgoing product czar and vice chairman, and a fierce critic of government meddling from the “give me back my bullets” wing of Detroit’s old school, has experienced an astonishing change of heart, at the ripe age of 77. Speaking to a gathering of journalists in Motor City the other week, Lutz unhinged every jaw in the house when he shared his thoughts on how the White House automotive task force ought to become a permanent fixture. Of the unprecedented government-industry collaboration the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies begat, Lutz, an ex-Marine attack pilot and near-libertarian known for making his daily commute in a decommissioned Czech jet fighter, quipped: “Jeez, it only took 30 years for somebody to finally figure [government-industry partnership] out.”

Er, right. Thirty years and a couple of epochal bankruptcies.

Questions about the government’s intentions for the new GM Lite already abound. Notably, what will and what should the company’s policies be, now that it is controlled (in theory) by and for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers, who own 60 percent of its shares?

Will GM be underwritten so as to lead the market in the direction of fuel saving and new technologies? Or will it trim its sails and attempt to get by on its sometimes-profitable religion of pickup trucks and SUVs, perhaps ones that get slightly better mileage? GM is still tooled up to build them.

Ever since the 1920s, when GM’s Alfred P. Sloan introduced the precepts of what came to be known as Sloanism — a car for every purse and purpose — a good day at a car dealership was one when you sold someone “more car than they need.” Automobile marketing often appeals to man’s baser emotions. Greed, lust, and envy come to mind, as do excessive horsepower and other costly and unnecessary options that have been larded on to new cars to boost profits for longer than any of us have been alive. So, you can’t help wondering, has the U.S. government entered the business of encouraging people to live out their most insane automotive dreams? Will it labor to create demand for automobiles when and where there is no need, as generations of car companies have done before it?

And where do GM’s new taxpayer/shareholders stand on the matter of outsourcing work to Mexico or South Korea or China or anywhere else, as the old GM did whenever it got the chance? Will Chevy production lines in places like Toluca and Silao, Mexico, come home to the USA? The old GM went in for cheap overseas labor. Has the government now entered the business of using taxpayer money to export jobs? Is this the change we need?

Myriad practical and philosophical quandaries aside, one vital series of questions about the “new” GM — which brands will be kept, sold, or terminated — has already been answered. Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Australia’s Holden, and South Korea’s Daewoo are to be spared. To be sold: Saturn, Hummer, and Sweden’s Saab are available outright, and operating control of GM’s German division, Opel, is to be sacrificed in a deal brokered by the German government outside U.S. bankruptcy proceedings. For the scrap heap: Pontiac, the venerable division that once claimed to “build excitement.” In limbo: Opel’s English sister brand, Vauxhall.

Click here to read the entire article.

Breaking News: Opel and Magna Reach Preliminary Agreement with GM; UK’s Vauxhall may be next for Magna

May 29, 2009 at 2:36 pm

(Source: Automobile Magazine & Autoblog & CNN Money)

The Opel affair

General Motors and Canadian auto supplier Magna have reached a preliminary deal regarding GM’s European Opel brand. According to Reuters, the companies have agreed on a plan to allow Magna to invest in the German automaker.

“We have an agreement in principle between GM and Magna,” one source said.  Magna and GM still have details to work out before the two are expected to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. One government spokesman said separately that the meeting had been pushed back until 6:00 p.m. to provide time for the ongoing negotiations. 

While an agreement has been reached between the two parties, the German government – which has agreed to provide financial assistance for Opel – needs to sign off on the matter. Magna and GM have signed a memorandum of understanding that will reportedly help Opel secure some 1.5 billion euros ($2.1B USD) in bridge loans, as well as shore up protections against creditors in the event of a GM bankruptcy.

For its part, Magna will reportedly pour somewhere between 500-700 million euros into Opel, and it plans to cut 10% of the marque’s workforce in Germany – about 2,500 employees.   Interestingly, GM will reportedly hold on to a 35% stake in the brand, while Opel workers themselves will end up with 10% of the company.

The future of Vauxhall?

No word yet on what will happen to Vauxhall, Opel’s UK twin.  But it looks like Magna might also be adding Vauxhall to its portfolio.  According to a  report filed by Dow Jones on CNN Money the U.K. Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said that it is “pretty likely” Canadian car components makerMagna International Inc. (MGA) and General Motors (GM) will become shared owners of U.K.-based carmaker Vauxhall.

Speaking to Sky News and BBC television, Mandelson said he would seek a “very early” further meeting with the parties once the initial talks had been concluded to secure a “cast iron guarantee” on U.K. production and employment.

“I have no doubt that the British government … will be asked to underwrite the deal financially and I have already said that the British government in principle would be prepared to consider that, but that would be linked to production and employment in the U.K.,” he said.

GM’s U.K. unit has two plants manufacturing Vauxhall, Opel (OPL.V), Renault ( RNO.FR), and Nissan (NSANY) models and employs a total of about 5,500 people.

He added Magna’s willingness to contribute bridging finance supported its case. Italian automaker Fiat SpA(F.MI) said earlier it remained interested in Opel but there was nothing more to discuss until GM, the German government and U.S. Treasury had settled their differences.

Fiat pulls out of Opel talks with German government over funding

May 29, 2009 at 1:01 pm

(Source: Times Online, UK)

Fiat has pulled out of talks with the German Government about Opel, blaming “unreasonable” funding demands, but emphasised that it was not withdrawing its bid for General Motors’ European unit, which owns Opel and Vauxhall.

Sergio Marchionne, Fiat’s chief executive, said that Germany had asked his car group to provide emergency funds for Opel, which would expose it to “extravagant risks”.

Mr Marchionne said “The last round of requests which would require Fiat, among other things, to fund Opel on an emergency basis while the German Government determines the exact timing and conditions of interim financing, would expose Fiat to unnecessary and unwarranted risks.”

Mr Marchionne said that he had not been granted full access to Opel’s financial records and so it was unreasonable to ask Fiat to provide emergency funds. Because today’s meeting will focus specifically on Opel, Fiat would not be attending, he said. However, he said that Fiat remained interested in a potential deal with GM.

“We remain committed to finding ways to bridge the expectations of both General Motors and the German Government, but the emergency nature of the situation cannot put Fiat in a position to take extravagant risks,” he said.

Gareth Thomas, the Trade Minister, will attend the emergency talks in Brussels today. A Commission spokeswoman said: “The aim of the meeting is to exchange information and ensure a level playing field for co-ordination.”

GM is heading for what would be the biggest bankruptcy by an American industrial company after bondholders owning about 20 per cent of its $27.2 billion (£17 billion) unsecured debt agreed to accept a 10 per cent stake in a restructured company and warrants to buy a further 15 per cent in return for forgiving its debt.

A news report from Reuters indicates that top ministers from the German government will meet in Berlin to discuss the future of the Opel unit of General Motors (GM.N) on Friday but no U.S. government officials or representatives from GM will join in, a German government official said on Friday.

Potential bidders Magna and Fiat will not participate in the meeting either, said the official who requested anonymity.

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 12, 2009

May 12, 2009 at 7:03 pm

REPORT: GAZ confirms interest in OpelGM is said to prefer a single bidder, in the guise of Fiat, while Germany was recently said to prefer Magna’s proposal because of promises to keep production in Germany. If, however, GAZ’s real desire is to increase its Russian production abilities, if it were to take a larger stake in Opel than Magna, there will undoubtedly be conflicts to reso…

GM, LifestyleSinger, songwriter and actress Sarah Spiegel, who apparently worked as a national spokesperson for General Motors last summer, has taken the time amidst all the doom and gloom surrounding America’s largest automaker to write and record what could best be described as either a very short song or an oddly long jingle for Chevy’s upcom…

 

GM: First-gen Volts won’t communicate with grid, future versions will
…According to GM‘s Britta Gross, future versions of the Chevy Volt are expected to have this capability.There are a few possibilities presented by Gross that GM could use to allow the Volt to communicate with utility companies, including its own OnStar technology and, in the future, embedded chips using the Zigbee protocol that could wirelessly c…
2010 Opel Astra: Cruze, Volt Get A German Brother [New Cars]
…According to GM, the smaller 1.4-liter turbo engine is capable of an 8 percent gain in fuel economy over the replaced 1.6- and 1.8-liter engines from the current Astra. Also available at launch is a range of diesel engines delivering added fuel efficiency through an optional 1.3-, 1.7 or 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. Expect to also see an ecoFl…
GM recalls Camaro, Traverse, SUVs/pickups for various issues
GM, GMCGeneral Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a suite of recalls for the Chevrolet Camaro, Traverse and various body-on-frame SUVs and pickups (Cadillac’s Escalade, Chevrolet’s Avalanche, Colorado, Suburban and Tahoe, along with GMC’s Canyon and Yukon). The Camaro recall has been discussed before, bu…
Electric Entertainment: Sarah Spiegel records Chevy Volt Jingle
GM-Volt.com | Image: SarahSpiegel.com]Continue reading Electric Entertainment: Sarah Spiegel records Chevy Volt JingleFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Green DailyElectric Entertainment: Sarah Spiegel records Chevy Volt Jingle originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 12 May 2009 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of fe…
Tom Hanks Writes a Letter to the New Yorker About his Electric Car
…had a GM EV1 and “watched the emission-free car be wrested from my garage, towed away, and busted up into pieces of metal, glass, and rubber smaller than razor blades.” Well, that’s not the case. Hanks had, and still has, a Toyota RAV4 EV. More details below….
Last drive, indeed. I hope this car finds … [From Comments]
…back into GM‘s portfolio, and soon… it was one of the best cars they had.
GM Shares Drop To Lowest Level Since Great Depression [Carpocalypse]
GM shares trading at a 76-year low. Basically, the lowest level since the last Depression.
Fight for Hydrogen Funding
Hydrogen fuel-cell development was delivered a blow when Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently cut government funds to support it.
Will GM consider moving its headquarters out of Detroit? [w/POLL]
GM, Earnings/FinancialsYesterday’s media question-and-answer session with General Motors’ CEO Fritz Henderson didn’t reveal much in the way of actual news, but at least one question raised a few eyebrows: “Is GM considering moving its corporate headquarters?”While that’s an unlikely scenario, Henderson stopped short of denying the possibility, s…
GM May Consider Move From Detroit, Leave City Motor-Less [Carpocalypse]
GM CEO Fritz Henderson acknowledged Monday the automaker’s open to moving from its RenCen world headquarters along the Detroit River to save millions in taxes. Can Detroit still be called the “Motor City” without automakers? The automaker is under pressure to cut costs by June 1st or face bankruptcy. To that end, GM‘s being courted by Warren May…
Pontiac G8 GXP: Last Drive, Part One [Jalopnik Reviews]
…company like GM could overcome their considerable shortcomings and come out with a reasonably priced world-beating sports sedan like the Pontiac G8 GXP. Whatever their recent successes, the company has history of taking careful aim at a performance target and hitting themselves squarely in the foot, so some skepticism is only natural. Yet there’…
Hey, Chevy Volt — Why So Angry?
GM is hanging its corporate future on the Chevy Volt. That’s a great honor for a vehicle. So why does the eco-friendly would-be savior car look so incredibly pissed off? When the Volt’s fiercely peeved appearance was noted by commenter over at Jalopnik a few days ago, a fellow commenter pointed …
Leaked GM document shows automaker plans to sell China-built cars to U.S. consumers
GM, UAW/UnionsA planning document given to lawmakers by General Motors reportedly shows that the Detroit-based automaker plans to ship 17,335 autos from China for sale in the U.S. in 2011. If GM succeeds in importing vehicles to the U.S. from China, it could be the first automaker to do so.The document doesn’t show which vehicle would be brought…
Six Top GM Executives Liquidate Stock Holdings [Carpocalypse]
…Six GM executives, including outgoing product czar “Maximum” Bob Lutz, disclosed Monday they sold almost $315,000 in stock and liquidated their remaining direct holdings in the automaker ahead of a probable stock-value-rendered-worthless bankruptcy. The five other executives, including Lutz’s successor, Thomas Stephens, GM North America Presiden…
REPORT: Execs including Bob Lutz, Troy Clarke dump GM stock
GM, Earnings/FinancialsAs General Motors teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, several major executives have just taken advantage of an opportunity to sell their stock shares just after the company’s quarterly earnings report came out in May. Among them, Bob Lutz, Troy Clarke, Thomas Stephens and several others decided that it was better to cash o…
Henderson: Buyer for Opel picked by end of month
GM, Opel, FIATThe Opel brand may be churning out some solid-looking products of late, but the European brand isn’t long for theGM world. That isn’t news, but the fact that a buyer will be chosen before the end of May is. GM CEO Fritz Henderson promised the quick turnaround of Opel during a Monday news conference, saying “several bidders” are in…
VIDEO: Elon Musk misrepresents Chevy Volt performance, Tesla getting few new orders for Roadster
GM, Tesla MotorsVIDEO: Elon Musk misrepresents Chevy Volt performance, Tesla getting few new orders for Roadster originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 11 May 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds
Buying GM Stock Is NOT Like Gambling At A Casino [Carpocalypse]
…distinction between GM stock and casino gambling is at a casino, if the player loses, the dealer still wins. Nobody wins with GMstock.
REPORT: Homologation of Fiat products for U.S. to take 18 months
Chrysler, LLC., FIATAccording to Automotive News, twenty Fiat engineers have visited Chrysler headquarters to begin merging the companies’ product planning departments. The current Fiat cars that will soon go on sale as Chrysler models, though, will still need some 18 months in order to be homologated according to U.S. federal regulations. Inclu…
Obama Knows… How Much Chrysler Should Spend On Advertising [Carpocalypse]
…Force cut Chrysler‘s planned bankruptcy marketing budget, $134 million for nine weeks of advertisements, in half. Apparently the Obama Administration’s like Bo Jackson from those old Nike “Bo knows” commercials. The overwhelmingly desperate state the automakers are in, essentially living on the dole, has put them into a position where they’re su…
GE to Open Sodium-Metal Halide Battery Plant in New York
…with Chrysler for plug-in vehicles under a DOE-funded project. (Earlier post.) Of the dual-battery concept, Glen Merfeld, lab manager for the Chemical Energy Systems Lab at GE Global Research wrote: Lithium-ion batteries, which are most often discussed for passenger cars, deliver a lot of power for acceleration but are less optimized in prov…
GM May Consider Move From Detroit, Leave City Motor-Less [Carpocalypse]
…home to Chrysler, GM was the lone holdout still located within the boundaries of the city of Detroit. Without GM, do we still call Detroit the “Motor City?” Yes, it’s still the “Motor City” but the fact that GM’s even looking to leave the city is just another example of how this once-proud industrial icon-of-a-city has gone from heroic “Arsenal …
AEV J8 MILSPEC: Offroading Jeep’s Forbidden Fruit [Jalopnik Reviews]
Chrysler doesn’t offer it to US civilian buyers. American Expedition Vehicles saw this opportunity and contracted with Chrysler to obtain up to 120 vehicle kits a year, which they assemble and sell as a rolling chassis to rabid Wrangler fans who will supply their own motivation, installed at an approved dealer. We just had to know what it could …
REPORT: Obama administration slashes Chrysler ad budget by 50%
Chrysler, LLC.Chrysler is nearly two weeks into its bankruptcy, and the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker is already getting an idea of just how engaged the Obama administration plans to be in the process. Chrysler planned to spend $134 million dollars on advertising during its supposed nine weeks of bankruptcy, but the Auto Task Force has …
Driving the Dodge Circuit, now with video
…time with Chrysler‘s EV while getting the run-through on the Circuit’s technology from John Myers, the EV’s project lead and ENVI employee. The bumpy roads weren’t quite long and straight enough for our liking, but we did get the chance to learn a bit more aboutChrysler‘s EV strategy and why the automaker thinks its ENVI battery program is bett…
Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky could live on… with different parents
…would ape Chrysler‘s plan for the Dodge Viper’s production facilities, allowing another automaker to take control and continue building the niche model.The Delaware plant also produces the Opel GT, a rebadged variant of the U.S. market Solstice and Sky, for GM’s German arm, and it’s obvious that as the General rushes to restructure before its Ju…

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 11, 2009

May 11, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Elon Musk, Tesla Motors’ CEO: Once The Electric Charge Dies, The Chevy Volt Is Like A Lawnmower…

GM Hires Search Firm for New Board GM has hired a search firm to help find replacements for at least half of its 12 directors, reflecting Obama’s increasing influence over the auto maker

Sakti3 Seeking $15 million DOE grant, Strikes GM Partnership…Engineers from GM and Sakti3 will collaborate to design new materials integral to future battery technologies. GM is not providing funding, and Sakti3 remains an independent company. Sakti3 is also becoming a client of Ricardo Inc. to further develop the battery technology.
 
Opel does a fan-dance with 2010 Astra teasers…with the GM global empire on the verge of disintegration, it’s hard to say at this point where the Astra might end up. We’ll have to wait for more over the course of the summer, but in the meantime, feast your eyes on the teasers in the gallery below.Gallery: 2010 Opel Astra teasers[Source: Opel via CarScoop]Opel does a fan-dance with 2010 Astra…

Transportation Headlines for Monday May 11, 2009GM Stick to Fuel-Cell Plans as Obama Guts Hydrogen FundsBloombergImagine If People Really Drove the Speed LimitLA StreetsBlogI still believe in public transportationOC MetblogsPort proposed expansion expected to draw a crowd to the Long Beach councilPress TelegramSan Jose and LA Use Technology to Ease Downtown Parking CongestionPublic CEOSan Mar..

Experts call GM bankruptcy ‘almost inevitable’ [w/POLL]GM, Earnings/FinancialsTo stave off bankruptcy, General Motors must rework its union contracts, drastically cut its capacity, workforce and dealer networks – and convince creditors to take 10 cents on the dollar on $27 billion in unsecured debt. In two months. That’s a herculean task for any company, much less for a monolith the size of The Gene…

Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 goes to Hell and back…just as GM reached the pinnacle of high performance cars, the world economy imploded. The global financial bubble got pierced from multiple sides and sales of cars at every price and performance level vaporized. Fortunately for us, GM is still hanging in there and Chevrolet let us have a few days of quality time with a ZR1 while the opportunity …

GM: Mascoma ethanol process works as promised in laboratory testingGM: Mascoma ethanol process works as promised in laboratory testing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 11 May 2009 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2010 Opel Astra Gets “Full Lutz” Skirt-Lift [Spy Photos]…on the GM‘s Delta II architecture, the same as the Chevy Volt. But don’t expect the Astra to come as a plug-in or standard hybrid, at least, not at first. Do expect to see a new 1.4-liter, turbocharged gasoline/petrol engine with various power outputs. Opel will likely be reserving its 2.0-liter engine for an OPC version (or the Astra VRX for Va…

Latest findings says cars more affordable now than they have been since study began in 1979…GMWhile tanking auto sales are bad for automakers, the customers buying cars and trucks are paying less for them than any time in the past 30 years. Comerica Bank’s Auto Affordability Index shows that a vehicle with a $26,000 MSRP takes the average family 21.5 weeks of median income to buy. That’s 1.3 weeks less than in December of 2008, as ince…

 Rumormill: Suzuki to join Marchionne’s Fiat/Chrysler/Opel super-group…forces with Chrysler, Opel, Saab and General Motors Latin America, the Italian auto group is expanding its home base to the United States, Germany, Sweden and South America. So what’s it missing? Japan. The latest rumors out of Automotive News Europe could go a long way towards addressing that omission, as the trade organ is reporting that Fiat …

Fiat’s partnership with Chrysler could bring the Ford Ka to America…partnership with Chrysler could actually allow Ford to bring its small and super efficient Ka city car to the U.S. market. How so?The latest version of Ford’s diminutive Ka shares its basic underpinnings with the Fiat 500, which is one of the first small cars Fiat hopes to sell in the United States through Chrysler‘s under-utilized dealer networ…

Driving the Dodge Circuit, now with video…works for Chrysler‘s ENVI and was project lead on the Dodge Circuit EV, talk about the car. The bumpy roads weren’t quite long and straight enough for our liking, but at least we got to learn a little bit more about Chrysler‘s EV strategy and why the automaker thinks it’s ENVI battery strategy is better than Tesla’s. Having driven both the Circu…

LOOK: The Motorless City…or Chrysler’s; they move instead on Schwinns, BMX’s, and behind some of the 600 horses that pull the town’s quaint Victorian carriages. It’s a place that looks, in some respects, frozen in time. But…

Rumormill: Could the Fiat-Chrysler deal yield a North American Ford Ka?Chrysler, LLC., Ford, FIAT, Rumormill The 2009 Ford Ka – Click above for a high-res gallery It’s a long shot, but according to The Detroit Free Press, Chrysler‘s deal with Fiat could result in Ford offering the cutesy Ka for sale in North America. As you may recall, Ford co-developed the Ka’s platform with Fiat (it shares its chassis with the 5…

2011 Chrysler 300C Reveals Previously Unseen Clay Rump [Spy Photos]Chrysler‘s Viability Plan earlier this year revealed the design direction for the 2011 Chrysler 300C. Now, thanks to Chrysler PR, we’ve got a partial view of the new Detroit gangsta-mobile’s rump. Also depicted is a quarter scale clay model just above the head oChrysler‘s Senior VP of Design Ralph Gilles. Seeing as it’s in quarter scale, it doe…

Dodge Pulls Plug On Circuit EV Electric Sports Car? [Over The Back Fence]…month after Chrysler ran a full page ad in our national newspapers and also finalizing a deal with A123 Systems to supply the battery packs, a heavy-handed rumor is coming down the stream that the whole project might be dead in the water causing at least one question to be raised: Was the Dodge Circuit EV ever intended for production or was it j…

Cummins not ready to give up on light duty diesel regardless of Chrysler‘s fate…standing was Chrysler, and even that company pushed back its new Cummins-developed light duty diesel until at least 2011. Mike Levine from PickupTrucks.com spoke with Mark Land, director of public relations at Cummins, about the new light-duty diesel engine. Apparently, the diesel engine maker is very confident that its new engine will get adopt…

Chrysler’s sorry state revealed Bankruptcy court filings reveal the complications the auto business – and just how much trouble Chrysler is in.

GM, Chrysler Polish Dealer Cut List Thousands of GM and Chrysler dealerships could learn their fate within the next few days as auto makers choose which they will cut.

Chrysler Hedges on Dealer Cuts Chrysler has “no active plan” to drop any of its dealers in the U.S., although it is working on “contingencies” to do so as part of its restructuring in bankruptcy court, Vice Chairman Jim Press said.

Nascar Feels Chrysler’s Pain The fall of Chrysler is just the latest setback for Nascar, a once red-hot sports phenomenon.

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 8, 2009

May 8, 2009 at 3:55 pm

White House Sees U.S. Holding GM Stake for At Least 2 Years The Obama administration is planning for the U.S. government to hold an ownership stake in a revamped General Motors for “at least two years,” a person briefed by the administration on its plans said Friday.

 Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says GM in ‘good hands’ – The Detroit News…LaHood says GM in ‘good hands’The Detroit News, MIWashington — US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Friday endorsed General Motors Corp.’s new CEO as the right man to lead the Detroit automaker, saying, “GM is in very good hands.” Fritz Henderson took over as CEO on March 30 after the Obama …California in running for h…

More GM Cuts: Cadillac STS-V and Pontiac G6 GXP both gone for 2010GM, Pontiac 2009 Pontiac G6 GXP Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery Pluto, the Roman god of Hades, is currently on a tour of the General Motors product garage and he’s taking a few cars with him from the land of the living. After sending the Impala SS and the Cobalt SS to the underworld, he has just added to his collection the Cadilla…

Toyota hammered with $7.7B loss in Q1 …than even GM‘s just-reported loss of $6 billion. Toyota now expects to lose $5.5 billion for the year ending March 2010, surpassing the $4.4 billion it lost in the just-concluded year.The reasons for Toyota’s reversal of fortune is well documented. Global sales were down 21.9% last year, with the most stark losses occurring in the U.S. and Europ…

Song remains the same: GM loses billions, Volt still on track…res gallery GM‘s announced yesterday that it lost $6 billion in the first quarter of 2009. That’s par for the course for the General these days. What’s also pretty standard was the immediate confirmation that work on the Chevy Volt is going A-OK and that, as GM‘s product development chief Tom Stephens said, “At this point in time, I know of no r…

Toyota First Quarter Losses Higher Than GM [Carpocalypse]…more than GM lost! That’s some pretty big news — especially considering GM dropped $6 billion during the first quarter. Jeez, if only Toyota were building some fuel-efficient, dependable appliance-type vehicles, right? [Reuters, WSJ]

GM and U of M create new institute for research …GMGeneral Motors and the University of Michigan have been working together on vehicle technology for 50 years, and a new institute will take the long-standing relationship to the next level. GM researchers will work with U of M faculty and students to develop new battery, engine, manufacturing, and smart materials technology to expedite the adva…

Sandia Successfully Completes Hydrogen Storage System for GM…designed for GM. To the right is the “SmartBed,” featuring a thermal management system with individual control of four identical modules, each of which is a shell and tube heat exchanger. The sodium alanate material used to store the hydrogen resides within the tubes. (Photo by Randy Wong) Click to enlarge.Researchers at Sandia National Laborato…

Nissan skipping SEMA this year, Mazda limiting presence Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Tuners, Mazda, Nissan, Holden Troy Lee Designs Mazda6 from SEMA 2008 – Click above for a high-res image gallery Participation at last year’s SEMA show was notable for its absences, with the event’s organizers struggling at the last minute to fill vacated floor space with companies that would have normally been shunne…

Booo! GM also canceling Cobalt SS Sedan for 2010 GM also canceling Cobalt SS Sedan for 2010

G.M. Suffers Big Loss. Is Bankruptcy Next?General Motors could be one step closer to bankruptcy, after posting a $6 billion loss for the first quarter. The Obama administration’s auto task force has given G.M. until June 1 to come up with a plan to prove its viability. After reporting a 40 percent loss in worldwide sales, G.M. doesn’t seem likely to do […]

Save the Cheerleader? GM creates Hero Edition Corvette ZR1 to benefit Kids Wish NetworkGM‘s team of Corvette designers and engineers equipped this particular ‘Vette with a bespoke graphics package with red accents in lieu of the normal blue. Other special bits include “additional carbon fiber components,” though we’re left wondering what those composite pieces may be.You can’t actually go to your nearest Chevy dealership and order…

 The Chrysler Building: Biggest Mopar Ever [Carpocalypse]…all know Chrysler‘s facing some rough times, but let’s turn back the clock to 1930 and talk about the biggest Chrysler ever built.Chrysler Corporation was growing and in desperate need for — something — to represent its achievements. What better place to shine than New York City. Designed by architect, William Van Alen, the Chrysler Building wa..

Rendered Speculation: Alfa Romeo Milano, the next 147…the next Chrysler Sebring. The versatile building block will offer various lengths and widths in FWD and 4-wheel-drive versions, and propulsion will be courtesy of MultiAir engines. Unveiling of the 5-door hatchback is expected at either Frankfurt later this year, or Geneva in 2010.[Source: Car]Rendered Speculation: Alfa Romeo Milano, the next 1…

Chrysler reveals more facets of “We Build” campaignChrysler, LLC. Click above to watch all five commercials after the jump Chrysler sales have been abysmal throughout 2009, and with the uncertainty of bankruptcy, the short-term sales outlook is decidedly bad. To get the word out to its customers that the Pentastar is alive and well (except for its idled plants), Chrysler is launching a new campa…

Classic Ad: Chrysler’s Promise of a Small CarChrysler‘s former chairman, Lee A. Iacocca, makes some lofty promises in this 1984 commercial, including the introduction of a small car. Will we hear the same from Fiat’s chief executive, Sergio Marchionne?

Greenlings: Can we build a better battery with lithium?Chrysler ENVI battery packsGallery: Tesla smart mule and batteryContinue reading Greenlings: Can we build a better battery with lithium?Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc., EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, GreenlingsGreenlings: Can we build a better battery with lithium? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 07 May 2009 19:52:00 EST. Please see …

Nissan skipping SEMA this year, Mazda limiting presence…out on Chrysler, and Honda is currently evaluating their presence, although it may be reduced compared to previous years. No matter what automakers pull-out of this year’s show, expect less products on tables, fewer vendors on the floor and even fewer attendees as the aftermarket continues to struggle to keep its head above water.Gallery: SEMA 2…

Misery loves company: Throwing our wig into the ring at Reno-Fernley LeMons…onto any Chrysler product “competing” in Reno to honor the automaker’s latest union.Registration ended on March 14, so those of you who missed the deadline narrowly avoiding our cold steel scythe of justice. But if you want to come out and enjoy the madness, spectator tickets are available for either a single day or the entire wretched weekend. …

The 2011 Jeep Phoenix… why not?…gallery With Chrysler‘s proposed alliance with Fiat all but a done deal, people have begun turning their attention towards the Italian automaker’s vehicle line up and creating a wish list of which ones they’d like to see for sale over here in the U.S. Thing is, those people should keep in mind that any Fiat making the long trek overseas may not …

Chrysler Plan’s Foes Step BackA group of Chrysler lenders who opposed the government’s restructuring plan for the auto maker is disbanding after two of its five members backed out.

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 7, 2009

May 7, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Booo! GM also canceling Cobalt SS Sedan for 2010GM also canceling Cobalt SS Sedan for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Save the Cheerleader? GM creates Hero Edition Corvette ZR1 to benefit Kids Wish NetworkGM‘s team of Corvette designers and engineers equipped this particular ‘Vette with a bespoke graphics package with red accents in lieu of the normal blue. Other special bits include “additional carbon fiber components,” though we’re left wondering what those composite pieces may be.You can’t actually go to your nearest Chevy dealership and order…

Image: ToolPool.com

Special “Hero Edition” Corvette ZR1 [Corvette Zr1]“Hero Edition” Corvette ZR1: Finally, a special edition we can get behind. [CorvetteBlogger]

GM Kills Chevy Impala SS… Again [Carpocalypse]…analysis of GM ordering guides by forum fan-boys at GMInsideNews, GM‘s killed both the Chevy Impala SS and Chevy Cobalt SS sedan for 2010. You’ll still be able to get a Cobalt SS as a coupe, but the Impala SS is dead… for the second time. When GM said they were putting their performance divisions on indefinite hold we knew to expect no new per…

GM, University of Michigan announce new Automotive Research Institute…Michigan and GM are already partners in the Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains (ABCD) and in helping to teach students to become alternative powertrain engineers. Today, GM and the school announced a new institute called the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education that will focus on “reinventing the automobile and developin…

GM posts $6B loss in Q1, burns through $10BGM, Earnings/FinancialsGeneral Motors reported its first quarter earnings today, and the beleaguered U.S. automaker posted a $6 billion net loss compared to a net loss of $3.3 billion one year ago. At the same time, GM burned through $10.2 billion in cash during Q1, though still has $11.6 billion in cash reserves on hand thanks in large part to …

Royal College of Art students imagine mobility in 2050, see vehicles powered by waterfalls…months with GM Europe to “gain valuable work experience and insight through hands-on experience with future technologies such as electric vehicles.” One of the more dreamy ideas from an RCA student was for “eco-touring machines powered by waterfalls.” It’s a safe bet this means hydropower, but I can’t shake the feeling that unicorns should be in…

RIP: Chevy Impala SS, again…line for GM‘s 5.3L V8 engine in the midsize front-wheel drive Chevy sedan. That means the biggest available engine will be the 3.9L LGD pushrod 60-degree V6.We’ve long questioned whether the current W-body Impala does justice to the memory of Super Sports of yore, despite the presence of the V8 engine. Regardless, we’d prefer to keep the 303-hor…

GM Hosting Fleet Buyers At Pricey Spa, USA Today Waves Populist Banner [Carpocalypse]…outrage over GM hosting 500 fleet buyers at a luxury-spa-resort. The difference between banks-funded-by-the-government and automakers-funded-by-the-goverment? Automakers invite potential car buyers to resorts. Banks send themselves to resorts. [USAToday]

Fesler-Moss Builds A Corvette ZR1-Powered Camaro SS [Tuner Cars]…of GM Performance fame) teamed up to create this custom limited edition 2010 Camaro SS for the mesh-wife-beater-wearing, previously-Monte-Carlo-Dale-Earnhardt-Intimidator-Edition-driving, family-franchise-starting crowd. They’ll build your Camaro with a custom body kit with molded rear lip spoiler (how they do that is anybody’s guess) and any LS…

GM’s Renaissance Center HQ: View From The Top [Carpocalypse]…these days GM‘s Detroit Renaissance Center HQ’s a tough place to work. But the view sure is killer. Let’s take a look. This city-within-a-city was actually commissioned by Henry Ford II as the world’s largest private development at the time. As you can see from the promotional video to the left, the John Portman-designed complex began construc…

Vauxhall going after city car market with Trixx EV?GM, Opel, VauxhallWay back in 2004, GM‘s European arm put a toe in the water of the rapidly expanding city-car market with its Opel Trixx concept. A few years later, GM‘s Carl-Peter Forster indicated that the automaker would not be entering that microcar market after all. Fast forward another couple of years and (surprise!) it looks as if GM may…

GM And University of Michigan Form GM/U-M Institute Of Automotive Research And Education; Focus On Fuel-Efficiency And Reinvention Of The Automobile…formed the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education, with a strategic focus on reinventing the automobile and developing the next generation of high-efficiency vehicles powered by diverse energy sources. The Institute, which builds on more than 50 years of collaboration between the organizations, supplements GM’s ongoing research a…

GM Posts First-Quarter Net Loss Of $5.9 Billion [Carpocalypse]GM posts first-quarter net loss of $5.9 billion, revenue drops 47% to $22.4 billion. [Freep]

The 2011 Jeep Phoenix… why not?…gallery With Chrysler‘s proposed alliance with Fiat all but a done deal, people have begun turning their attention towards the Italian automaker’s vehicle line up and creating a wish list of which ones they’d like to see for sale over here in the U.S. Thing is, those people should keep in mind that any Fiat making the long trek overseas may not …

Look Who’s Talking: Automakers rated based on web conversation volumeChrysler, LLC., Ford Justin Graves, the CEO of Infegy, which developed and offers a powerful research application for tracking online buzz, is a big Autoblog fan, particularly of our By the Numbers posts that detail sales figures for the entire U.S. auto industry. Graves makes his own monthly list of the Top 50 Social Brands, which ranks them ac…

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne To Take Over As CEO Of Chrysler [Carpocalypse]…will assume Chrysler‘s CEO title upon exit from bankruptcy. [Detroit News]

BREAKING: Marchionne confirmed as post-bankruptcy Chrysler CEOChrysler, LLC., FIATAfter weeks of speculation, Fiat confirmed today that its CEO, Sergio Marchionne, will assume the same role with Chrysler once it exits bankruptcy. According to statements from the Obama administration, Chrysler could emerge from “surgical bankruptcy” in as little as 30 to 60 days, after which Chrysler‘s current chief executi…

The Chrysler-Kia alliance that never wasChrysler, LLC., GM, Hyundai, Kia, FIAT, RumormillChrysler has been trying to shack up with another automaker for quite a while now, and the trail of relationships that never got off the ground reads like a middle school diary. While Chrysler‘s deal with Fiat has all but gotten 500s rolling out of plants on this continent, a deal with Kia had bee…

Chrysler bankruptcy: what happens with the electric car plans? to A123 Systems?…about what Chrysler‘s bankruptcy and partnership with Fiat might mean for cars like the Circuit EV and companies like A123 Systems, which is slated to supply batteries for Chrysler‘s electric vehicle lineup.Reuters says that “the sum of Fiat and Chrysler‘s parts does not amount to the kind of electric vehicle powerhouse that Renault and Nissan a…

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 6, 2009

May 6, 2009 at 2:14 pm

GM adds shift at Oshawa to keep up with Camaro demand…enough that GM has asked workers at the assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario, to work through the week of June 29, which had previously been scheduled as mandatory time off. Furthermore, Camaro orders are expected to be strong enough to keep the Oshawa plant’s flex line humming along on Saturdays in June, July and August, and that means overtime fo…

 Rumormill: Buick Astra coming in 2011?…products from GM‘s European Opel division are reports from GM Inside News indicating that a small car based on the Astra platform – initially planned for the now-defunct Saturn brand – has been transferred to Buick’s entry-level luxury division.Assuming these rumors are true, we can expect to see the new Buick in North America in late 2011 as a ..

REPORT: Renault after Saturn, Geely after Saab …deal with GM would allow Renault and its South Korean subsidiary, Samsung Motors, to sell its wares in the States though the existing retailers, possibly marketing the new vehicles as Saturns and building some of the vehicles using the General’s underutilized plants. How the deal would flesh out financially remains to be seen, but there’s a chan…

GM Oshawa Plant Adds Shift To Build More Presumably Non-Faulty Camaros [Chevy Camaro] GM‘s adding one more shift at its Oshawa, Ontario plant due to high demand for the recently released Camaro. Does this mean we’ll be getting more electrically-faulty Camaro SS units? Presumably not. The Peterborough Examiner reports demand has been so high that GM has scheduled the week of June 29th as a work week instead of the previously plann…
REPORT: GM voluntarily recalling Camaro for battery cable issue …but GM is reportedly offering two options for owners: a temporary fix that requires a second visit to a dealer and a permanent fix. The temporary fix involves wrapping the battery cable with protective insulating tape and rerouting it to ensure enough clearance between it and the starter. The permanent fix involves the same thing, except will us…
What’s The All-Time Greatest FWD Car? [Question Of The Day] GM wanted to compete with the Thunderbird and try out their newly-designed FWD platform. It just so happened a designer for the company put together a gorgeous coupe concept. One of the advantages of FWD is, theoretically, improved fuel economy. But this was the 1960s, so they stuffed a 7.0-liter “Super Rocket” V8 with 385 HP and 475 lb-ft of to…
REPORT: Renault A “Serious Suitor” For Saturn [Carpocalypse] …for GM‘s Saturn. Say that ten times fast. [WSJ]
GM trying to sell Opel, but will keep Ampera (the Opel Volt) …coming from GM troubles (Saturn hybrids? Say what?), there is one thing you can count on: GM is keeping the Volt. Of course they’re keeping the Chevy Volt – that was never in question – but things were just a tiny bit less clear regarding GM‘s possible sale of Opel. Whatever happens with the brand, the Opel Apmera, the European version of the Vo…
Camaro SS Recalled For Battery Cable Issue [Chevy Camaro] …now told GM‘s officially issuing a recall for the problem on the Camaro SS. UPDATE BELOW. Although we’re told it only takes about 30 minutes to fix, we’re being told GM‘s now issued a voluntary “official recall” on the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS over the battery cable issue that caused one Camaro5 member’s new Bumblebee-yellow mullet-mobile to die les…
Saab CEO Claims Not In Talks With Fiat [Carpocalypse]Saab CEO claims not in talks with Fiat. They’re the only brand that’s not. [Reuters] 
GM pledges to use plug-in hybrid tech in only one brand GM, SaturnThe Saturn Vue was supposed to be GM‘s first plug-in hybrid, but the pending loss of Saturn leaves the General’s upcoming plug-in tech without a vehicle or brand. The Vue plug-in was originally going to arrive in 2011 in a cooperative demonstration test fleet with the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) and nonprofit Electric Power Research Ins…
 GM Plans To Wipe Out Current Shareholders [Carpocalypse]GM plans to wipe out current shareholders. Wait, more than they already have? [Reuters]
Plug-In Hybrids: More Hype Than Hope?…automakers like GM and Nissan. In the meantime, drivers like Morrison say they ferret out electrical outlets in parking garages and behind buildings so they can plug in as often as possible. EV advocates are quick to note the Prius wasn’t designed to be a plug-in hybrid, and in fact makes a lousy one. The biggest problem is the electric motor i…
Gallery: Goin’ Down the Road in Defunct Car Brands GM commissioned a young stylist named Harley Earl to design the car. What he came up with is widely considered the beginning of modern automotive styling. Photo: Flickr/Brian Toad Photography: Photo: Courtesy Nash MotorsNash may be the most innovative company only an auto geek has heard of. Wind-tunnel testing, flow-through ventilation systems,…
GM Will Apply Plug-in Hybrid Technology To One of Its Remaining Four Core Brands, Delivery Still in 2011
…post on GM’s FastLane blog, Vice Chairman Tom Stephens said that the company will apply plug-in hybrid technology to one of the four core brands remaining after the restructuring: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Saturn currently sells two hybrid vehicles (VUE and Aura with GM Hybrid System) and was scheduled to begin initially offering a …
Plug-in Saturn Vue not dead, will be revived (sorta) by 2011 …now own GM, it turns out that AutoblogGreen readers and GM executives think alike. In a poll we ran yesterday, the most popular choice for what to do with the Saturn hybrid powertrains was “Move the powertrain to the Equinox.” A GM spokesperson said today that, although the brand itself will indeed be sold, the powertrain – both the standard and…
Saab denies talks with Fiat…to acquire GM Europe while working on its partnership with Chrysler, according to Saab CEO Jan-Ake Jonsson, the Swedish automaker isn’t part of the deal.Jonsson said Saab is currently being courted by ten potential buyers, but Fiat isn’t one of them. Saab spokesman, Eric Geers went on to tell Reuters, “We now have ten very serious interested par…
Chrysler launches May incentives worth up to $6,000 Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, JeepChrysler doesn’t have time for assurance programs and payment protection plans. So unlike General Motors and Ford, the Auburn Hills-based automaker has launched a new incentive program for May that gives consumers back what they want most: money, and lots of it. Beginning today, Chrysler is offering $4,000 Consumer Cas…
Chrysler Offering $4,000 In Incentives On 2009 Models [Carpocalypse] Chrysler is offering up to $4,000 worth of incentives on 2009 model year vehicles in a bid to reduce inventory and counter its prolonged sales slump. One discarded sales idea? Building better passenger cars. The company says the incentives, which begin Wednesday, focus on the bottom-line price of the car as opposed to, you know, the interest con…
UAW will eventually sell Chrysler stock to keep VEBA going …New New Chrysler for very long. Outgoing UAW president Ron Gettelfinger confirmed in a press conference yesterday that the union’s Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) will likely sell part or all of its 55% stake in the newly formed automaker once its stock appreciates, that is, if its stock appreciates. And why would the UAW want …
Gallery: Goin’ Down the Road in Defunct Car Brands…least until Chrysler goes under. : Photo: Flickr/Wigwam JonesThe Checker Marathon may be second only to the original VW Beetle as the most recognizable car in the world. The cars were ubiquitous as taxis and, like the Beetle, the first one to roll off the line in 1962 looked pretty much like the last one to roll of the line in 1982.: Photo; Cour…
Chrysler Maybe Not Canceling Wrangler So Much [Carpocalypse]…post on Chrysler considering killing the Jeep Wrangler, we circled back and actually read the source material Edmunds InsideLine links to and decided maybe Chrysler wasn’t looking at killing the golden goose after all. After looking over the statements from Robert Manzo, the executive director of Capstone Advisory Group LLC who’s been hired to c…
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 5.5.09…What does Chrysler‘s restructuring plan have in store for the Viper?Long before bankruptcy and a Fiat partnership, Chrysler was looking to offload the Viper line. According to new bankruptcy documents, the Snake-badged stunner may finally face the axe. Rumormill: Nissan 370Z Hybrid for 2011?Reports ou…
Chrysler and Fiat: A merger of equally unreliable product?Chrysler, LLC., FIAT Familiarizing ourselves with Fiat – Click above for a high-res image gallery Chrysler‘s reliability ratings from Consumer Reports have been less-than-stellar in recent years. In its 2008 survey, where CR tallied up its subscribers’ experience with some 1.4 million vehicles among 34 brands, Jeep came in 28th, Dodge took the 3…
Court documention reveals which Fiats and Alfas are destined for U.S.Chrysler, LLC., Alfa Romeo, FIAT Fiat 500 – Click above for a high-res image gallery Curious which of its models Fiat plans to send over to the United States to sell through its planned partnership with Chrysler? Wonder no more. The most recent set of documents filed in Chrysler‘s Chapter 11 proceedings offer a number of intriguing clues as to w…
REPORT: Chrysler unlikely to pay back most recent $4.5 billion gov’t loanChrysler, LLC., UAW/UnionsRepayment of the $4.5 billion life-line in U.S. and Canadian loans that a federal bankruptcy court allowed yesterday is “highly unlikely,” according to Ron Manzo, a top company adviser. To Chrysler‘s bankruptcy legal team, that is not the issue. Urging the court “to let this company live,” automaker attorney Corinne Bal…
Saab denies talks with Fiat…partnership with Chrysler, according to Saab CEO Jan-Ake Jonsson, the Swedish automaker isn’t part of the deal.Jonsson said Saab is currently being courted by ten potential buyers, but Fiat isn’t one of them. Saab spokesman, Eric Geers went on to tell Reuters, “We now have ten very serious interested parties which have visited us in Trollhattan …
REPORT: Next Chrysler CEO salary capped at $500,000Chrysler, LLC., Earnings/FinancialsThe next chief executive of Chrysler will be tasked with bringing the company out of bankruptcy, restructuring into a profitable business, repaying government loans (if and when they do so at all), integrating Fiat technology and retaining jobs wherever possible. Oh, and he or she will have to do it all on no m…
REPORT: Chrysler pursuing clause to award Fiat $35 million if deal falls apartChrysler, LLC., Earnings/Financials, FIATThink Fiat’s getting a pretty sweet deal with Chrysler? The Italian automaker is, after all, gaining a 20% stake in the troubled American automaker, plus local manufacturing capacity and access to its dealer networks, all without paying a thin dime. Not a bad deal, but Chrysler‘s hard at work trying to ma…

Scoopful of GM and Chrysler News – May 5, 2009

May 5, 2009 at 5:36 pm

 Rumormill: Vauxhall going after city car market with Trixx EV?GM‘s European arm put a toe in the water of the rapidly expanding city car market with its Opel Trixx concept. A few years later, though, GM‘s Carl-Peter Forster indicated that the automaker would not be entering that microcar market after all. Fast forward another couple of years and (surprise!) it looks as if GM may be once again reversing tha…

 REPORT: Penske lines up as potential Saturn suitorGM, SaturnThe typical relationship between automakers and dealerships, of course, is for the dealers to sell the cars that the automaker produces. But with General Motors shedding like a dog in springtime, it’s the dealers who have been looking to buy the brands themselves. Following interest expressed by German dealers to acquire Opel and a gro…

Test Drive A Chevy Traverse, Get A Massage [Carpocalypse]GM]

GM updates state of Saturn, potential buyers being reviewedGM, SaturnGeneral Motors is busy putting the finishing touches on its third (or is it fourth?) viability plan, part of which involves the sale or shut down of the Saturn division. While many were expecting GM to close down Saturn, GM has released a press release to tell the world that the fledgling marquee is on the block, and there are several …

GM Testing Indicates 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Will Offer Best-In-Segment Highway Fuel Economy of 32 mpg
…Internal GM testing of the new 2010 Equinox indicates that the front-wheel drive models with the direct-injected 2.4-liter I-4 engine will offer an EPA estimated 32 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg city. GM expects final official EPA estimates shortly. The 2010 Equinox will likely carry a 32 mpg highway rating. Click to enlarge.At 32 mp..

Magna Confirms Involvement in Potential Opel Transaction…acquisition of GM Europe.

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 5.4.09
…Chrysler and GM EuropeFiat’s alliance with Chrysler is only the beginning, as the Italian automaker makes a bid at acquiring General Motors’ European operations, including Opel, Vauxhall and Saab. Other news of import Chrysler begins “New Car Company” ad campaign in newspapers 2010 Chevy E…

GM hopes to sell Saturn by the end of 2009
…That GM would sell Saturn has been floating around for what seems like ages now, but the most recent word from GM on the fate of the brand was that the “resolution” had been bumped up in the schedule to the end of 2009. GM just released a statement about the Saturn sale, saying that, “A number of potential buyers have surfaced and expressed inte…

Chrysler Predicts Profit by 2012 Chrysler lost $16.8 billion last year and expects to lose another $4.7 billion this year before turning profitable in 2012, a court filing shows.

Saab denies talks with Fiat…partnership with Chrysler, according to Saab CEO Jan-Ake Jonsson, the Swedish automaker isn’t part of the deal.Jonsson said Saab is currently being courted by ten potential buyers, but Fiat isn’t one of them. Saab spokesman, Eric Geers went on to tell Reuters, “We now have ten very serious interested parties which have visited us in Trollhattan ..

REPORT: Next Chrysler CEO salary capped at $500,000Chrysler, LLC., Earnings/FinancialsThe next chief executive of Chrysler will be tasked with bringing the company out of bankruptcy, restructuring into a profitable business, repaying government loans (if and when they do so at all), integrating Fiat technology and retaining jobs wherever possible. Oh, and he or she will have to do it all on no m…

Chrysler pursuing clause to award Fiat $35 million if deal falls apartChrysler, LLC., Earnings/Financials, FIATThink Fiat’s getting a pretty sweet deal with Chrysler? The Italian automaker is, after all, gaining a 20% stake in the troubled American automaker, plus local manufacturing capacity and access to its dealer networks, all without paying a thin dime. Not a bad deal, but Chrysler‘s hard at work trying to ma…

One Thing Separating Chrysler HQ From Most Malls [Carpocalypse]…explained earlier Chrysler‘s Auburn Hills, MI Headquarters was designed to easily convert into a mall if it needed the dues. However, there’s one thing we neglected to mention separating Chrysler‘s HQ from most malls. As you see below, if you scroll your Google map a little bit to the right you’ll find the 1.8 mile-long test track that sits adja…

What does Chrysler’s restructuring plan have in store for the Viper?Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, FIAT Dodge Viper SRT-10 – Click above for a high-res image gallery Long before factors like bankruptcy and Fiat’s involvement, Chrysler was looking to offload the Viper line. Several potential buyers were reportedly being considered, but months down the line no deal has been announced. In the meantime, of course, Chrysler …

Chrysler To Kill Jeep Wrangler? [Carpocalypse]…from the Chrysler bankruptcy cast doubt on the future of the Jeep Wrangler. Is somebody in Auburn Hills taking crazy-pills? Killing off weak models in order to save the strong is something Chrysler is going to have to do if it ever wants to be a profitable automaker again, but considering putting the Wrangler on such a sacrificial altar is somet…

Chrysler HQ designed for mall duty if automaker leavesChrysler, LLC., Humor Chrysler HQ a mall? Click above for high-res image gallery Leave it to our friends at Jalopnik to discover this most interesting fact about Chrysler‘s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The 500-acre site that’s crowned by a glass tower with a 35-foot tall Pentastar window visible from I-75 was reportedly designed in su…

Fiat Delivers Custom Ducato For Papal Service [Custom Cars]…of the Chrysler faithful, Fiat has delivered a customized Ducato van to the Papal motorpool for use in touring parts of the Italian countryside destroyed by the recent earthquake. From the outside, the Ducato appears to be any other run-of-the-mill Italian Civil Defense Force vehicle, wearing the proper paint job to fit right in, but inside it’s…

Chrysler HQ Designed To Convert Into Shopping Mall [Carpocalypse]
Chrysler’s corporate headquarters in Auburn Hills appears to be a shopping mall. This is not an accident. BusinessWeek published an article two weeks ago about the value of Chrysler’s various assets in anticipation of its bankruptcy, which has since happened. Here’s the most interesting bit: The Chrysler headquarters building is a spectacular si…

UAW Wants To Get Rid Of Chrysler Share Quickly [Carpocalypse]
…t want Chrysler either. [Reuters]

Scoopful of GM News – May 4, 2009: Saturn sales; Negotiations intensify; Fiat love; Hybrid sales; Equinox MPG; Dealer lawsuits; “Buy American” in Hot water; No love for Chevy Volt; etc..

May 4, 2009 at 5:17 pm

GM Hires Adviser to Help Sell Saturn

General Motors said it is moving ahead with plans to sell its Saturn brand after receiving interest from multiple suitors.
GM Shifts Negotiations Into High Gear
General Motors is expected this week to accelerate talks with the United Auto Workers union and move toward closing about 2,600 dealerships.
GM Evaluating Offers for Saturn; Fiat Eyeing GM Europe in Addition to Chrysler
GM said it will be reviewing expressions of interest from the potential buyers and will look to secure an agreement with a specific buyer later this year. Separately, Fiat said on Sunday that it was exploring the possibility of merging its auto business and interest in Chrysler with GM Europe to create a large automotive group with more than…from Green Car Congress 
US Hybrid Sales Down 45.5% in April
GM and Nissan dropped 45.5% year-on-year in April to 21,735, despite full month sales for the new Honda Insight and the Ford Fusion and Milan hybrids. Total LDV sales in the US were down 34.4%. (Earlier post.) The reported sales represented a 2.65% hybrid new vehicle market share (based on Autodata’s total LDV sales figure)—the highest monthl…from Green Car Congress 
2010 Chevy Equinox expected to hit 32 mpg highway
…tests at GM are showing the Equinox hitting 32 mpg on the highway cycle. In the city, the Equinox is expected to get rated at 22 mpg. Those numbers easily top competitors like the Honda CR-V at 20/27 city/highway mpg and the Toyota RAV4 at 22/28 mpg. The Equinox should be in dealer showrooms in June. Gallery: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox[Source: Gener…from AutoblogGreen 
GM dealer downsizing could lead to barrage of lawsuits
GM, Earnings/FinancialsRock, meet hard place. With General Motors handed a directive from the White House to be ultra-aggressive in its restructuring in order to secure more government loans, the automaker is making cuts everywhere and dealers are far from immune. As reported previously, GM‘s plan to shrink its retailers from nearly 6,300 to 3,7…from Autoblog 
At Witz’ End – Range Anxiety Q&A
…theory that GM sold its Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery patents to an oil company (Chevron? Exxon?), and then that evil oil company sued Toyota to prevent it from using NiMH batteries to keep them off the market because they might “threaten their oil business.” Jeeesh!On the first count, I LOVE the smooth, silent, seamless, torquey, petroleu…from AutoblogGreen
eBay Find of the Day: Damaged ZR1 on the cheap
GM‘s two-day ZR1 driving school first.Gallery: eBay Find: Damaged Corvette ZR1[Source: eBay via CorvetteBlogger]eBay Find of the Day: Damaged ZR1 on the cheap originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 May 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds… from Autoblog
Dealer Association takes issue with Obama’s ‘buy American’ stance
…bankruptcy and GM‘s impending viability deadline, it’s easy to understand why President Obama made the Buy American comment. Purchasing new cars and trucks would help stimulate the economy, and buying American certainly wouldn’t hurt. But what does the old adage mean nowadays? Hit the jump to read the AIADA’s brief press release. [Image Credit: …from Autoblog
In Case Anyone Was Wondering, GM’s Still Trying To Sell Saturn [Carpocalypse]
GM‘s still trying to sell Saturn — or kill it. Heck, they’ve even put out a press release to make sure you remember. GM to proceed with efforts to sell Saturn DETROIT – General Motors is proceeding to the next step with respect to the sale of Saturn. A number of potential buyers have surfaced and expressed interest in the Saturn brand and r…from Jalopnik 
Fiat CEO in Berlin to Buy GM-Europe, Opel [Carpocalypse]
…talks with GM to acquire GM Europe and its subsidiary, Opel. As we have posted earlier, Opel is in dire straits, needing $4 billion to survive the Carpocalypse. The German state has thus far avoided a bailout, offering instead state support for potential investors. Here is where Fiat enters the fray. The Wall Street Journal’s Stacy Meichtry repo…from Jalopnik 
Fiat considering new company to combine Chrysler and GM Europe
GM, Opel, Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo, FIATApparently, Fiat’s alliance with Chrysler is only the beginning. According to a variety of reports coming out of the UK and Germany, the Italian automaker’s expansion plans aren’t limited to its 20% stake in Chrysler – Fiat is also considering acquiring General Motors’ European operations, including Opel, Vaux…from Autoblog
GTO: Pontiac’s Great One, by Darwin Holmstrom [Jalopnik Book Reviews]
…about how GM‘s 40-year downward spiral really got rolling). The story is blessedly free of hypersimplified and/or head-slappingly nostalgic nutshell descriptions of the sociopolitical climate of the 1960s- all too common in car books- and for that alone it deserves praise. We get technical details of Pontiac’s tough-but-flawed Strato-Streak engi…from Jalopnik 
WaPo: GM would be better off without Chevy Volt
…s keeping GM – or at least the spirit of GM – alive as the company falters is the Chevy Volt. Washington Post columnist Charles Lane is not one of them. The Volt is designed to give 80 percent of Americans a car that, while it costs more than a similar, non-electric model, offers a chance to dramatically reduce their gasoline consumption. To Lan…from AutoblogGreen 
Vauxhall sans Opel could reallign with GM Daewoo, Holden
GM, Holden, Opel, VauxhallChevrolet Aveo, a.k.a Chevrolet Kalos/Daewoo Gentra/Holden Barina/Pontiac Wave – Click above for a high-res image gallery Eyebrows raised at reports that General Motors could hold on to its British subsidiary Vauxhall even if – or, more likely, when – its German counterpart Opel would leave the family. With the model r…from Autoblog 
Camaro Grilles Cracking At High Speed? [Chevy Camaro]
…something that GM can fix by adding more bracing perhaps, or a thicker nose molding. This 2010 SS was a production car, only a week old, so this concerns me. It might not be a good idea to do any high-speed runs in your new Camaro, at least until we understand the problem and how to fix it first. Nevermind the high speed runs, maybe it’d also b…from Jalopnik 
GM and Ford hybrids have a good sales month in April
…At GM, hybrid sales have been holding steady in recent months and are well ahead of April 2008. Last year, GM moved a little over 1,100 hybrid models including the two-mode trucks and the mild hybrid cars and SUVs. Last month that number stood at 1,534 units bringing the 2009 hybrid total to 5,156 vehicles. At Ford, April was the first full sale…from AutoblogGreen