G.M. in Agreement to Develop an Electric Car for India

The Chevrolet Spark may serve as the platform for a future electric car developed jointly by General Motors India and Reva, an electric car company in Bangalore.

With sales of the Chevrolet Volt still more than a year away, General Motors has announced the next wave in the company’s green-car initiative: a fully electric powered vehicle (without a gas engine to extend driving range), developed jointly by G.M. India and Reva, an electric-car company based in Bangalore.

For the moment, the project remains long on promise but short on details. G.M. India and Reva stated in a news release that “the two companies have begun feasibility studies of G.M.’s vehicle platforms sometime back to host the electric technology and they will announce more details about the vehicles soon.”

Reva has sold electric cars since 2001 but has had mixed results outside of India. In Europe, celebrities flocked to the Reva (to look “green”) while auto journalists bemoaned its poor quality and lack of safety features.

In many countries, the Reva is speed-limited to around 30 miles an hour, which qualifies it as a city car (or “quadricycle” depending on the market). This negates the fitment of air bags and the need to meet crash-test regulations on par with normal production cars.

G.M. is bound to demand a higher level of performance and safety in its own electric vehicle. While specifics remain scarce, the new electric car could be based on the upcoming Chevrolet Spark. The current Spark hatchback, built in Pune, India, is G.M. India’s best selling model. It is due for a complete redesign next year and scheduled to arrive in the United States in 2011.

G.M. has also announced plans to develop a low-cost car specifically for India. Priced to compete with up-market versions of the Tata Nano – purported to be the world’s cheapest car, with a starting price of roughly $2,000 – the as-yet-unnamed G.M. city car could also make a perfect home for Reva’s electric powertrain know-how.

GM needs you to really rather have new Buick (and Chevy)

BUICK REGAL

Two General Motors cars due in showrooms next year must be hits to help the automaker turn around sales and pay back its debt to taxpayers.

The Buick Regal midsize sedan and Chevrolet Cruze compact face stiff competition and other obstacles to success.


CHEVY CRUZE
GM is counting on the sleek-looking Regal sedan to claw out a new market for the once-stodgy Buick, now the official brand of bingo night at the senior center.

Buick has been absent from the tough midsize market since 2004, while the Cruze was recently put on hold because GM wasn't happy with how it drove.

Executives have high hopes that the Regal, much of it designed by GM's Opel engineers in Ruesselsheim, Germany, can help bring younger buyers to Buick, crucial to the brand's long-term growth. The median age of a Buick customer is about 68, but GM is targeting new models for those in their 40s and 50s.

Buick sales this year are down 33 percent from last year, worse than the overall U.S. market, which is off 25 percent.

Midsize cars such as Toyota's Camry, the perennial sales leader, are attractive to young families and baby boomers who are downsizing their vehicles.

GM has no margin for error with the Regal or any other new vehicle, said David Koehler, a marketing professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"Their success in the future is riding on these new launches," he said.

The Regal is designed to compete with the sporty Acura TSX, made by the Honda luxury brand, and the Volvo S60.

Pricing wasn't announced, but it will be between the mainstream midsize Chevrolet Malibu at $21,325 and the $27,835 base price of a larger new Buick, the LaCrosse, aimed at luxury buyers.

Koehler said even more is riding on the smaller Cruze, which must sell in larger numbers than the Regal because of its lower profit margins.

The Cruze will be targeted at younger, entry-level buyers, as well as those seeking fuel economy. It's supposed to get about 40 mpg on the highway.

GM: Sales of Volt hinge on petrol prices

General Motors Co.'s hopes of selling large numbers of its plug-in Volt electric car to U.S. drivers may hinge on gasoline prices, a company official said.The detroit-based carmaker needs to attract consumers beyond the "early adopters" that will be the car's first buyers next year, Britta Gross, director of GM's global energy systems and infrastructure commercialization project, said in Los Angeles yesterday.

"Thousands of these vehicles will initially fly out of the showroom, but that doesn't have any impact on anything," Gross said during the Bloomberg LP Cars & Fuels conference.

"You have got to penetrate the mainstream, and that's where this becomes very important - what's happening with gasoline prices."

GM is counting on the Volt to revive interest in its products after emerging from bankruptcy this year. Unless gasoline prices rise, customers may be deterred by the car's estimated retail price of at least $40,000, compared with the average price of less than $30,000 for new cars in the United States.

Tesla Motors Inc.'s Roadster, currently the only highway-legal battery car sold in the United States, costs more than $109,000. Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf electric hatchback, set to go on sale next year, will be priced in the high $20,000 range, based on comments from chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn. That doesn't include a monthly lease cost of at least $100 for the vehicle's lithium-ion battery pack.

Ghosn has said battery-powered cars may account for 10 percent of global auto sales by 2020, up from less than 1 percent currently.

For most consumers, fuel price will influence the decision to buy an electric car, said Menahem Anderman, president of consulting firm Advanced Automotive Batteries.

"At $8 per gallon, the problem is solved," Anderman said in Los Angeles.

"The problem is we are at $2.75, and the politicians aren't going to tax it more because it would cause too many complaints."

The average U.S. price of a gallon (3.6 liters) of gasoline yesterday was $2.627, down 36 percent from a peak of $4.114 in July 2008, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report web site.

"Consumers start moving when there's fuel-price volatility," GM's Gross said.

"Then they don't know where the top is, it's very frightening."

Fuel-price fluctuations have been reflected in shifting demand for gasoline-electric hybrid cars including Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius, currently the top-selling alternative-fuel vehicle in the United States, according to Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive of Edmunds.com, an automotive data service in Santa Monica, California.

"There is a huge correlation between shifts in gas prices and interest in alternative-fuel vehicles," Anwyl said at the Los Angeles conference.

The U.S. provides a federal tax credit of $7,500 for the purchase of a battery car, and more incentives may be needed to wean drivers from gasoline power to electricity, said Robert Bienenfeld, Honda Motor Co.'s U.S. senior manager for environment and energy strategy.

"That's really important is that the government come up with market-affecting incentives and support that can transform the market," Bienenfeld said.

"At very cheap gasoline prices, it's going to be very hard to move the public to any of these alternatives."

GM May Announce Saab Sale To Spyker This Week

                                                     SAAB PONTIAC

Saab may yet fend off relegation to the same scrap heap as Pontiac and Saturn as latest reports indicate that an announcement on the sale of the struggling Swedish automaker may come as early as this week, possibly even later today.

Despite already being knocked back, Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker remains in negotiations with GM and has reportedly offered the American auto giant a combination of cash and preferred shares in a new Saab worth $500 million.

There are even reports of a Spyker vehicle being delivered to the Saab museum in Trollhattan, Sweden as part of the lead up to a celebratory announcement.

One of the biggest hurdles for Spyker is the fate of a loan guarantee promised by the Swedish National Debt Office. However, should the deal fall through, another investment group led up Genii Capital is waiting in the wings.

According to insiders at Spyker, the Dutch sports car manufacturer is looking to gain access to Saab’s global dealer network, production facilities and R&D centers while offering financial backing in return. However, Spyker hasn't turned a profit since the brand was rejuvenated back in 2000 and still relies on financing to support itself, so the chances of a Saab acquisition in this economic climate appear slim.

GM to Build Electric Car Engines in Baltimore

General Motors has announced that it will spend $246 million to launch electric motor production in 2013 at a factory in Baltimore, becoming the first large U.S. automaker to build its own electric motors for hybrids and battery-powered vehicles, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Some reports say 200 jobs will be created - fantastic news for our still struggling economy. From my perspective, it's also great to hear that American automakers are moving forward with the electric car concept. The old, gas-guzzling model of car manufacturing and use has to end, for plenty of reasons that aren't just environmental. Our country simply has to begin to ween itself off its dependence on foreign oil.

The Baltimore plant will build motors for a new version of GM's two-mode hybrid system destined for pickups, SUVs and rear-wheel drive cars, according the Free Press story. The current system can only be used in trucks because of its size and weight, and has been a slow seller.

The fact that GM chose Baltimore to make these engines is tremendous. I'll be anxiously awaiting this new generation of electric and hybrid cars.

GM planning to manufacture its own electric motors

Last month General Motors announced it was expanding its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities by becoming the first major automaker in the U.S. to design and manufacture its own electric motors for future hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

The electric motors, which are 25 percent smaller and 20 percent more powerful than current designs, are to be used in the automaker’s next-generation rear-wheel drive Two-mode hybrid system. GM’s current Two-mode hybrid system is used exclusively in its full-size pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles but according to the automaker’s vice chairman of global product operations, Tom Stephens, the system will eventually feature in its rear-wheel drive cars.

With most new technology in the auto industry, the first recipients are usually luxury models. In the case of GM, this would mean the Cadillac division, which is made up mostly of rear-wheel drive models.

The first model to pick up the next-generation Two Mode hybrid system is likely to be the upcoming ATS sedan, which will be built on the new Alpha platform and eventually spawn coupe, wagon and convertible models as well.

The new ATS is expected to go on sale next year and be followed by a replacement for the CTS in 2012, and both cars are likely to offer a hybrid option. As for the range-topping XTS due late next year, which was previewed in concept form at last month’s 2010 Detroit Auto Show with an advanced plug-in hybrid system, we’re unlikely to see a production plug-in version anytime soon.

GM Concludes Sale Of Saab Brand To Spyker

General Motors’ on-again, off-again sale of Swedish brand Saab was concluded today, with Dutch sports-car builder Spyker taking over the former GM entity.

The completion marks the first successful sale of a cast-off GM brand, after the failed Saturn deal with Penske Automotive and the long-pending sale of Hummer to a Chinese heavy-machinery company.

Saab, a comparative giant with 3,400 employees compared with niche automaker Spyker, will operate under the corporate umbrella of Spyker Cars NV, the Dutch company said.

“We are delighted - Saab’s future is now secure,” said Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars. “From today, we will be concentrating all of our efforts into reviving Saab and transforming it into a sustainable and profitable company with the confidence to be bold.”

The multi-national sale of Saab comes after an agonizing year for the innovative automaker, which has not made a profit in a decade. After GM emerged from bankruptcy in the summer, Saab became one of the doomed brands as the Detroit automaker retracted, along with Saturn, Hummer and Pontiac.


9-3X Crossover

Months of negotiations with Swedish supercar builder Koenigsegg fell apart in September, after which Spyker stepped forward with its offer. But that bid also failed a month later, and GM began winding down Saab in preparation for closure.

But a persistent Spyker continued to press GM with a new offer, and in January, signed a deal with GM to buy Saab. The price tag came
down to $74 million in cash and $326 million in shares.

“I’m very pleased that we could come to a positive conclusion, one that presents a viable future for Saab and preserves jobs in Sweden and elsewhere,” said Nick Reilly, president, GM Europe.

Saab CEO Jan Åke Jonsson said he is heartened by the efforts to save Saab from shuttering its factories and worldwide dealerships.

“Today’s announcement is great for Saab’s customers, dealers, suppliers and employees around the globe,” Jonsson said. “The level of passion and support shown to Saab over recent months has been remarkable, and this does bode well for the future.”

Saab launches an all-new midsize 9-5 model this year, and a 9-4X SUV in 2011. A new 9-3X will debut at the upcoming Geneva auto show.

Muller vowed that Saab will remain independent in the design and execution of its cars and SUVs.

“We will reinforce the emotional experience between Saab drivers and their cars and we will focus on Saab's historical strengths in the fields of independent thinking, aircraft heritage, ecological performance and motorsport,” the CEO said.

GM's Car Of The Future

Sit back and relax while these cute two-wheelers navigate city traffic on their own.
At the 1939-40 World's Fair in New York, General Motors' Futurama attraction stole the show with its depictions of life 20 years into the future.

After the misery of the Great Depression, GM's vision of personal car ownership and a vast interstate freeway system promised a new era of freedom.

Now, 70 years later, in many congested cities around the world, cars have become more like prisons--trapping motorists in traffic jams and preventing them from doing what they want to do. What's more, they're blamed for destroying the environment.

So when this year's World Expo opens May 1 in Shanghai, a city of 19 million people intimately familiar with the problem of gridlock, GM and its Chinese partner will be offering a different concept of personal urban mobility: networked, driverless cars that don't pollute, don't crash and take up less space.

GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) unveiled the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept Wednesday in Shanghai. It's a fleshed-out version of a personal mobility concept GM unveiled a year ago, in conjunction with Segway, the maker of self-balancing electric vehicles that you ride standing up. With no sides or roof, the concept looked like some sort of electric rickshaw. Because of the timing, as GM was seeking a federal bailout, the concept was greeted with snickers and raised eyebrows.

But fully dressed with lightweight carbon fiber body panels, the EN-V is easier to appreciate. GM and SAIC unveiled three versions Wednesday in Shanghai: the light-hearted Xiao (Laugh), with its gumball blue paint and nautical-inspired design; the sleek and masculine Miao (Magic), which takes most of its design cues from the consumer electronics industry, and features innovative LED lighting; and the brightly colored Jiao (Pride), which takes its design influence from bullet trains and Chinese opera masks.

Just five feet long and weighing about 900 pounds, EN-V is a two-seater that runs on electricity. Don't worry about speeding tickets: EN-V's top speed is 25 miles per hour. But at least you'll be moving instead of sitting in traffic. EN-V's global positioning system (GPS), combined with vehicle-to-vehicle communications, allows it to automatically choose the fastest route, based on real-time traffic information. That could reduce congestion in cities like Shanghai (a target market for this kind of vehicle) where GM says the average traffic speed is 10 mph.

The autonomous technology could also cut down on the number of accidents. Using embedded sensors and cameras, EN-V can sense what's around it, enabling it to react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions. For example, if a pedestrian steps out in front of the vehicle, EN-V will automatically slow down and can stop sooner than any motorist can in today's vehicles.

It is propelled by electric motors in each of its two wheels. About a third the size of a traditional vehicle, EN-V maneuvers easily because of its zero turning radius and can travel at least 25 miles on a single charge. EN-V's smaller size and greater maneuverability mean a parking lot can accommodate five times as many EN-Vs as typical automobiles.

For densely populated cities like Shanghai, GM believes it needs to come up with a new type of vehicle, or it'll quickly be out of business. "We can't keep taking the Buick Regal over there. At some point, it won't fit," says Christopher Borroni-Bird, GM's director of advanced technology vehicle concepts.

GM Pulls Out of Electric Car Partnership in India

Mahindra-REVA Force to Be Reckoned With

After last week’s announcement that Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra had bought Indian EV maker REVA to form the bigger, badder Mahindra REVA, GM has now decided it’s in their best interest to pull out of a partnership with REVA that had aimed at developing low-cost electric vehicles for emerging markets.

It seems GM didn’t feel that sharing EV tech with a company that will likely be a major competitor in the years to come was a wise move.

Although most denizens of the U.S. won’t recognize either the REVA or Mahindra names, both companies are turning out to be rapidly expanding successes in the burgeoning Indian auto space.

Mahindra has been building heavy duty farm equipment for the better part of 25 years, and sells much of it in the US. The company is also on the brink of releasing its popular lineup of SUVs and pickups to the U.S. market later this year. Their diesel compact pickup can tow 5,000 pounds, carry 2,765 pounds and get up to 30 mpg on the highway. It’s no wonder Mahindra already has over 24,000 people signed up to be notified when the trucks go on sale.

REVA has been selling EVs in India since 2001 and Europe since 2003. In fact, REVA is one of the most successful EV companies in the world to date, having sold roughly 3,500 of their REVA-i’s and REVA Li-ion’s in the last 8 years. At the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, REVA showed off the next generation of their electric vehicles, the REVA NXR (pictured above).

Given that Mahindra clearly has its eyes set on the US and European auto markets, the move to buy REVA was one borne of trying to play catch up in that realm. “The EV market is poised to grow significantly and we concluded that in order to seize the opportunity we needed the resources and experience of a major automotive manufacturer,” said Chetan Maini, Chief of Technology & Strategy of the newly-formed Mahindra REVA, as quoted in The Detroit Bureau.

In the end, the split between REVA and GM likely won’t hurt GM much, but REVA is gambling that they can achieve the scale they need to compete in the new world of EVs by going with a company much closer to home.

Electric cars finally making headways

Growing concerns about climate change and peak oil have car manufacturers scrambling to find greener and more sustainable ways to fuel the world’s estimated 750 million automobiles. If trends continue, that number is expected to double in the next 30 years.

Hydrogen was once considered to be the forerunner to replace gasoline as a primary fuel, but most auto manufacturers have dropped plans to develop a hydrogen vehicle because the costs are simply too high.

General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson estimated that a hydrogen vehicle would likely cost ten times that of an electric equivalent.

"(GM’s electric) Volt will likely cost around $40,000 while a hydrogen vehicle would cost around $400,000,” says Henderson.

GM, Toyota, Renault-Nissan and Mitsubishi lead the pack of car manufacturers that are now focusing on electric vehicle production. Unlike combustion engines, which operate pretty much the same regardless of the vehicle, electric cars offer a variety of power options for consumers, from 100% electric to various hybrid offerings.

“There’s no silver bullet, there’s only silver buckshot,” says Jason Easton, Communications Manager for General Motors of Canada. “It’s about diversity and flexibility.”

Last week, auto manufacturers from around the world gathered in Vancouver for the Electric Vehicle 2010 Conference to unveil their latest offerings. Mitsubishi’s i-Miev made the trek right across Canada in the weeks leading up to the Vancouver Conference.

Pending government approvals, the i-Miev, (which is 100% electric) and the Chevrolet Volt (a plug-electric hybrid) are expected to hit the Canadian market sometime in 2011. Prices expected to range between $30,000 and $50,000.

For green consumers who just can’t wait, Tesla Motors’ Roadster is already available in Canada. Priced at $120,000, the 2-door Roadster, which was designed on the Lotus Elise frame, is a high-speed beauty that literally leaves every other electric vehicle in the dust.

The Roadster can go from 0 to 100 km/h in about 6 seconds. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that the upcoming Sport version will hit the mark in "well under five seconds.”

For those who want a more moderately priced vehicle, Tesla is expected to launch a 4-door sedan within the next year that will be in the $50,000 range.

Regardless of your preference, the range of electric vehicles that will soon be available in the Canadian market promises to offer something for everyone.

“It’s a fascinating time to be involved in the auto industry,” says Easton.

Where does the power come from?

As electric vehicles hit the market, a charging infrastructure will be needed to support them, much like the network of gas stations that fuel gasoline-powered vehicles. Two innovative initiatives are already underway in Canada:

1. Project Get Ready

The Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready is partnering with cities in North America to help them prepare for the coming plug-in revolution. To date, Vancouver and Toronto are the first two Canadian partners. The plan:

Create a menu of strategic plug-in readiness action, including the business rationale

Provide a web database of plug-in readiness activities

Convene a virtual network of 20 cities to share lessons learned and best practices

2. A Better Place

Better Place is working to create a network of charge spots, battery-switch stations and systems that optimize the driving experience and minimize environmental impact and cost.

Ontario became the first province in Canada to partner with Better Place in 2009, with a goal of creating an electric network for the province’s estimated 7.3 million vehicles.

In Israel, Better Place is well on its way to creating a sustainable transportation grid for the entire country. With all of its major urban centers less than 150 kilometres apart and the average car owner traveling less than 70 kilometres per day, Israel is ideally suited for electric cars. If all goes according to plan, an electric vehicle will replace every gas-guzzling car in the country within the next few years.

The idea is simple, elegant and completely doable. Every parking space is being equipped with an electrical outlet for quick recharges, ensuring that car batteries will always have at least 160 kilometres of driving capacity.

For longer trips, battery-switching stations, much like existing gas stations, are being constructed. Depleted batteries will be replaced automatically in less time that it takes to fill up a fuel tank.

GM’s Chevy Volt named 2011 Car of the Year

Ford Explorer wins truck of year; awards revealed at Detroit auto show

DETROIT — The North American International Auto Show opened Monday with fresh signs the comeback by U.S. carmakers is gaining traction.

In the first big event of the show, the Chevy Volt, the centerpiece of General Motors' return from bankruptcy and already the winner of both Motor Trend Magazine's car of the year and Green Car of the Year awards, was named 2011 North American Car of the Year award, beating out rival vehicles from Japan's Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Korea's Hyundai Motor Co.


The latest version of Ford Motor Co's Explorer sport utility vehicle, meanwhile, was named 2011 North American Truck of the Year — the third year in a row that Ford has dominated the category.

The U.S. sweep of the awards, which are voted by a panel of 49 automotive journalists, provided an encouraging auto show kickoff for Detroit's Big 3 automakers. The show is the first in a string of trade events where automakers clamor to build buzz for vehicles months before they hit showrooms.

"The Volt, it really represents the soul or the essence of the new General Motors," Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman for global product operations, said as he accepted the award.

The award, Stephens said, was a recognition of the "the creativity, the perseverance and the dedication of thousands of employees" which continued "even during GM's darkest days."

The U.S. auto industry snapped a four-year sales decline in 2010, including three consecutive sales months above the 12 million unit annual rate to close the year. Most analysts expect double-digit growth in 2011 and further gains in 2012.

GM Tests Electric Chevy Beat in India

Their mainstream debut might be getting mixed reviews here in the United States, but all-electric cars are here to stay. Or so it seems: on the heels of its extended-range Volt General Motors just begun testing a new electrified version of the Chevrolet Beat hatchback in India.


The Beat EV (also known in some markets as the Spark; no pun intended) is powered by a 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and propelled by a 45 kW (60 hp) motor and a single-speed drive unit. GM indicates that under normal driving conditions, the Beat EV’s range should be in the neighborhood of 81 miles. Recharging time is estimated to be close to eight hours when using a 240-volt charger.

Those numbers are a bit shy of the current gasoline-powered Beat 1.2, whose 1.2-liter I-4 yields 80 hp while returning an estimated 44 mpg on a combined test cycle.

Still, the Beat BEV is part of GM’s “tailored for India” engineering program, which was created in an attempt to demonstrate and inject greener technologies into the country’s fleet. It’s no small feat, either, with car ownership in India exploding exponentially within the past decade. The range may not suit India’s longest of commutes or heaviest of lead feet, but it could cope well with India’s average commute length of 29 minutes and infamous traffic jams.

For now, the car remains merely a prototype, but if Indian motorists express a sincere interest in electric cars and the country’s charging infrastructure continues to grow, don’t be surprised if GM pushes an electrified offering into the growing market in the years to come.

GM unveils new Chevrolet Camaro

General Motors unveiled the production version of the much anticipated new Chevrolet Camaro that is due to go on sale in North America next year.

In Melbourne, the Australian-based designers and engineers involved in the new heritage-inspired coupe held their own reveal event at GM Holden’s headquarters in Port Melbourne, giving a first glimpse of the iconic sports car that underwent much of its development and testing on Australian roads.

The new Camaro exemplifies GM’s global development process with the design concept originating in the United States; engineering directed by GM’s global rear-wheel-drive team in Australia; validation conducted on roads around the world; and assembly to take place in Canada.

Joining onlookers at the reveal was reigning V8 Supercar Champion and Camaro enthusiast, Garth Tander, who brought his own 1969 Camaro SS to Port Melbourne to meet the newest member of the Chevrolet family. Members of the Melbourne-based Camaro Car Club also joined the celebration by bringing their historical vehicles to the display.

With GM’s global rear-wheel drive team based in Australia, much of the design and engineering work for the new Camaro was undertaken in Victoria, giving this vehicle an important place in Australia’s automotive history.

The new Chevrolet Camaro combines great looks and performance; advanced technology and surprising efficiency.

Ed Peper, GM North America Vice President for Chevrolet, said the Camaro delivered all of the things that make Chevrolet such a revered, global brand.

“It competes with the world’s best sports cars and does so with styling, fuel economy and value our competitors simply can’t match.

“The new Chevrolet Camaro delivers a thoroughly modern, advanced package of performance, comfort and technology.

“It’s a sports car for a new generation of enthusiasts that doesn’t forget the heritage that helped make the original a cultural icon. That is no small feat and it took a worldwide commitment to achieve it,” Peper said.

Australian, Peter Hughes, Camaro Exterior Design Manager, said they made sure there were many elements and cues that remained distinctly Camaro to make the new model instantly recognisable.

“We’re incredibly proud of how faithful the production version is to the original concept. This is a 21st century sports car that acknowledges its iconic heritage, while at the same time is smoothly integrated into a very contemporary exterior,” Hughes said.

Details such as frameless door windows contribute to the overall feeling of quality, substance and technical prowess.

A well-executed balance of heritage, modern design and attention to detail also characterises the Camaro’s interior. A pair of deeply recessed instrument binnacles that feature round gauges in square housings gives a nod to classic Camaros.

Large, chrome-trimmed controls, low-gloss surfaces and premium fabric or acrylic appliqués convey a richness that is unprecedented in previous Camaro models – and challenge its contemporary competitors.

Advanced powertrain technologies, including engines with direct injection and Active Fuel Management, give the vehicle a balance of exhilarating performance and good fuel economy.

Gene Stefanyshyn, GM’s Global Vehicle Line Executive, who led the Australian-based engineering team on this project, said they had four key objectives when creating the new Chevrolet Camaro.

“The first was to create a bold and beautifully styled vehicle – inside and out. The second was to ensure it had the ride, handling and performance dynamics of a true sports car. The third was to create a vehicle which boasts pristine quality. Finally, we wanted to back all this with outstanding value,” Stefanyshyn said.

“This vehicle exhibits the depth and capability of our Design and Engineering teams here in Australia and I am incredibly proud of what they have achieved to help make this vehicle a reality.”

Under the bonnet of the new Camaro is an advanced, efficient 3.6L direct-injected V-6 with variable valve timing which is standard on LS and LT models. Direct injection technology helps the engine deliver more power through increased efficiency, while maintaining fuel economy and lowering hydrocarbon emissions.

The high-performance Camaro SS is equipped with a powerful 6.2L V-8, with a choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard, manual transmission-equipped models receive the LS3 engine, which uses high-flow cylinder heads based on the Corvette Z06’s LS7 engine enabling great low-end torque and high-rpm power.

A new, L99 V-8 engine is used on automatic transmission-equipped SS models. This is based on the LS3 and carries all of its high-performance design features, but also includes GM’s fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature. This enables the engine to run on only four cylinders during light-load driving conditions, such as highway cruising, to improve fuel economy.

Sales begin in North America in the first quarter of 2009.

GM delivers 17 models with EPA fuel economy

From nicely equipped entry subcompacts to award-winning midsize sedans and a capable, compact SUV, General Motors offers plenty of choices for consumers who want to wring more miles out of a gallon of gas. Seventeen 2008 GM models – more than any other automaker – achieve EPA fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon or higher.

Chevrolet leads the pack with eight models – including the hot-selling Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan, the 2008 North American Car of the Year – followed by Saturn with five and Pontiac with four. Topping the mpg performers are the recently released Chevrolet Cobalt XFE (Extended Fuel Economy) and Pontiac G5 XFE sedans, equipped with a 2.2L four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission that deliver 36 mpg and 35 mpg, respectively, on the highway. In fact, Cobalt XFE’s highway fuel economy beats a comparably equipped 2009 Toyota Corolla.

“GM has been and continues to be a leader in delivering a broad range of fuel-efficient vehicles to customers,” said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “In addition to the 17 models for 2008 that achieve 30 mpg or better on the highway, many of our vehicles either win or are strong contenders in their segments.

“Our customers want a break from high fuel prices and so do we: That is why we are demonstrating leadership and fully leveraging our global technology resources to address pressing automotive energy needs with biofuels such as E85 ethanol, hybrids, extended-range electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells.”

Here’s a brand-by-brand look at GM’s 30-mpg-plus highway performers, along with actual EPA estimated highway fuel economy:

Chevrolet: Aveo sedan, Aveo5 (both 32 with automatic transmission, 34 with manual); Cobalt coupe and sedan (30 to 33, depending on engine and transmission selection); Cobalt XFE coupe (36); Malibu 2.4L (30 with four-speed transmission; 32 with six-speed); Malibu Hybrid (32), HHR (30 with 2.2L and automatic or manual transmission) and HHR Panel (30 with 2.2L and automatic or manual transmission).

The Chevrolet Malibu, Malibu Hybrid and Cobalt XFE coupe are new models for 2008. The Cobalt XFE uses revised engine calibration, low rolling-resistance tires, a new, 3.74:1 final drive ratio and other technologies to drive a 9-percent highway fuel economy improvement and outdistance comparably equipped competitors such as the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and 2009 Toyota Corolla.

Pontiac : G5 (31 to 33, depending on engine and transmission selection); G5 XFE coupe (35); G6 2.4L sedan (30); Vibe (31 with automatic transmission, 33 with manual transmission).

The G5 XFE is new for 2008; it achieves an EPA estimated 35 mpg highway using the same powertrain and tire efficiencies as the Cobalt XFE.

Saturn: Astra 5-Door XE and XR; Astra 3-Door XR (all 30 with automatic transmission, 32 with manual); Aura XE four-cylinder (30); Aura Green Line Hybrid (32); Vue Green Line Hybrid (32).

Both Astra and Vue are all-new for 2008. Edmunds.com recently named Astra its top-rated coupe under $25,000.

GM Daewoo delivers 77373 vehicles in July 2008

GM Daewoo sold 12,611 vehicles in Korea and exported 64,762 vehicles in July, for total monthly sales of 77,373 vehicles.

GM Daewoo’s domestic vehicle sales in July increased 20.7 percent from 10,451 vehicles in July 2007, while the automaker’s exports in July decreased 17.4 percent from the 78,379 vehicles exported in the same month last year.

In July, GM Daewoo also exported 82,867 complete knockdown (CKD) kits of parts and components to be assembled into vehicles.This represented a decrease of 2.5 percent from the same month last year.

July vehicle sales were affected by a short-term suspension of production due to sporadic work stoppages in the run-up to 2008 labor negotiations and a shortage of vehicle tires due to a contract dispute with tire suppliers.

For the first seven months as a whole, GM Daewoo sold in Korea and exported 579,645 vehicles.Its output climbed 1.5 percent from the same period in 2007, when it sold domestically and shipped 570,985 vehicles.

Domestic sales totaled 80,720 vehicles in the first seven months of 2008, which represented an increase of 1.1 percent from 79,855 vehicles sold in Korea in the same period last year, while exports of the automaker rose 1.6 percent to 498,925 vehicles from 491,130 vehicles exported in the first seven months of 2007.

In the first seven months, GM Daewoo also exported 657,230 CKD kits.This represented an increase of 21.6 percent from the same period last year.

Winstorm MAXX takes on Honda CR-V

GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GM Daewoo) hosted test-drive to compare its Winstorm MAXX premium compact SUV with the imported Honda CR-V.

The test-drive, which was held for journalists at a race track in Yongin, Kyunggi province, included a slalom course, circular driving course and panic braking course to measure driving performance and driving stability.Ride and handling are crucial vehicle attributes for most SUV owners.

“We carried out this comparison because of our full confidence in the Winstorm MAXX’s quality and its outstanding drivability,” said Jeenshik Kim, RV brand manager of GM Daewoo. “With its powerful performance, the Winstorm MAXX can take on any competition, including imports.”

GM Daewoo hosted a second comparison test-drive for online car club members at Sky 72 on YeongjongIsland on August 9.

For the general public, GM Daewoo is hosting a large-scale test-drive called “Winstorm MAXX and the City.” GM Daewoo will select 200 individuals from among those who apply on the company’s website. Winners will be divided into four groups and gave the opportunity to test-drive a Winstorm MAXX for six days, from August 4.

The Winstorm MAXX’s excellent driving performance was proven earlier at a test-drive for journalists and power bloggers held on the rough and winding roads of GeojeIsland. Introduced in Korea in mid-July, the premium SUV has won several prestigious awards.The Antara GTC, the concept version of the Winstorm MAXX, won the Top Cars 2006 Award chosen by 140 German, Austrian and Swiss automotive journalists. Readers of German specialist car magazine Auto Zeitung voted it the Best Off-Road Vehicle up to 30,000 Euros.

Chevrolet Captiva for Comrades Charity Competition winner

General Motors South Africa (GMSA) Vice president of Sales and Marketing Malcolm Gauld recently handed over a brand new Captiva LTZ to the 2008 Comrades Marathon Amabeadibeadi competition winner Frans Mouton. Frans, whose wife Christa is a proud owner of a Chevrolet Aveo was delighted about winning the Captiva.
“This is the first time I’ve won anything and I was so surprised and excited I couldn’t wait to get into the car” said a beaming Frans. Frans who is an engineer at the City of Tswane’s Water Supply division entered the competition after buying his wife beads at the Comrades Marathon Expo as a lucky charm for her 9th Comrades marathon.

The beads which are sold through the Comrades Marathon Amabeadibeadi charity initiative are made by a group of women in Pietermaritzburg. “The Amabeadibeadi project is a way for Comrades to show social responsibility to South Africa by encouraging charities to apply and join the group for a three year term” says convener of the Comrades charities Bobby Maharaj.

Proceeds from the sms competition and the Amabeadibeadi initiative were donated to the five official charities, associated with the 2008 Comrades Marathon Charity initiative. The charities that benefited were: the Starfish Foundation (Aids orphans); Wildlands Conservation Trust (Fauna and Flora); Sports Trust (Sports Development); Heart & Stroke Foundation (Health); Community Chests of Durban and Pietermaritzburg (Community welfare).

Bobby is proud of his organisation’s relationship with General Motors South Africa and believes that having the Chevrolet Captiva as a prize contributed to the success of their fund raising initiative. “Having a vehicle as a prize was always going to be a great draw card but having this vehicle in particular has been unbelievable because the thought of winning such a luxury vehicle is what encouraged people to enter” said Bobby.

GMSA’s VP of Sales and Marketing Malcolm Gauld had this to say: “Since introduction last year, our Chevrolet Captiva has proved very popular with the South African public. We have been astounded with its sales success and now Frans Mouton will have an opportunity to see why.”

Frans is an avid caravaner and is looking forward to a trip to his favourite destination, the Pilanesberg game reserve in his brand new Captiva.

GM India sales up 3 pct in Dec

Car-maker General Motors India saw sales grow by 2.54 per cent to 8,468 units in December ,2010, from 8,258 units in the same month of the previous year.

The company also saw its annual sales cross the one lakh units-mark for the first-time ever in 2010.

"Achieving these levels of growth also clearly reflects customers' confidence in our products. We are pleased to see such robust growth for all our car lines and we believe these world-class products will further propel theChevrolet brand in the market," GM India Vice-President P Balendran said in a statement.

In December last year, the company sold 2,691 Spark hatchbacks, 623 Cruze sedans and 2,523 units of its latest compact car offering, Beat, the statement said.

It also sold 271 units of its premium hatchback, Aveo U-Va, 258 units of entry-level sedan Aveo, 288 units of mid-sized sedan Optra, 1,694 units of multi-utility vehicle.

GM launches LPG version of Chevrolet Beat

General Motors India launched the LPG version of its popular Chevrolet Beat compact car with the new locally developed, state-of-the-art SMARTECH engine at a ceremony today presided over by its President & Managing Director Karl Slym.

Speaking on the occasion, Karl Slym said, “India is a key market for General Motors and our Chevrolet brand. We are focused on leveraging our unmatched resources to create value for our local customers in all areas, including price, fuel efficiency, performance, safety, styling, reliability and other product attributes. The Beat LPG and the SMARTECH engine hold the promise.”

Chevrolet Beat LPG

The environmentally friendly Chevrolet Beat LPG features next-generation / advanced LPG technology with multi-point sequential injection that provides a smooth transition between petrol and LPG with no loss in power, jerking or backfire. It is the first vehicle in India to use High Pressure LPG Pipes made of High Strength Nylon material which has less weight, no chance of inside/outside corrosion throughout its life with better routing control and no kinking effects at bends.

It generates impressive power of 80.04 PS @ 6400 rpm and torque of 103.8 Nm @ 4400 rpm in LPG mode for spirited driving and best-in-class performance of 13.29 km/l. The Beat has a range of 349 kilometres on LPG alone and 1000 kilometres on LPG and gasoline combined.

Keeping in mind customers’ safety as of paramount importance, the LPG kit parts are designed, installed and validated to meet the crash requirement in the case of any collision. The kit installation meets the stringent safety norms beyond the statutory requirements. The LPG kit fits snugly in the engine compartment, with no compromises on interior space. A sensor-based button allows users to conveniently go from LPG to petrol and back. The Beat automatically shifts to petrol when the LPG is depleted.

Two versions of the LPG Beat – the LS and LT – are offered. Both come with the same industry-first three-year/100,000-kilometre warranty as the petrol version and offer the lowest service/maintenance/parts cost for three years/45,000 kilometres. With its best-in-class design and performance, the Chevrolet Beat has received an overwhelming response from consumers. Despite being in the market for lesser than a year, the Beat finished second in the Premium Compact Car segment against stiff competition in the prestigious India Automotive Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power Asia Pacific in December.

Smartech Engine

The new 1.2-litre SMARTECH engine was developed by the GM Technical Centre-India in Bangalore in cooperation with GM’s new powertrain facility in Talegaon for Indian driving and climatic conditions. It will power a range of new models offered by GM in India. Aluminum alloy cylinder heads, an optimized cylinder block and lightweight pistons decrease weight and maximize fuel economy. An innovative rocker-less DOHC cam shaft, long runner plastic intake manifold and lightweight crank shaft with eight balancer weights and low tension rings further improve the engine’s efficiency.

The use of the maintenance-free silent IT timing chain drive system reduces noise, vibration and harshness. Durability is ensured through the application of an epoxy coating on the cylinder block and anti-corrosion coating on cam cover baffles, and the use of stainless steel core plugs and bay to bay ventilation. Extensive testing and validation in India were carried out to ensure top-of-the-line performance.

“Our two new products reiterate GM India’s commitment to becoming a leader in the introduction of environmentally friendly and technologically efficient vehicles and engines,” said Slym. “Our vehicles also demonstrate our commitment to fully leverage our resources in India to offer customers nationwide new products that meet their unique needs,” Slym added.