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GM News, New Models and Market Share

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think I'd like 5 minutes of chat time with those Cobalt engineers too...

    Maybe they'll show up at the Chat tonight (9 ET, 6PT). :shades:
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    I think that my 2002 Seville would shut down fuel flow when going downhill with my foot off the gas. Proof that the fuel flow was at least near zero is that I had climbed up to an observation point near Mt. St. Helens, and then started back down after a period of time. The engine coolant temperature gauge showed the engine at near operating temperature before starting a long downhill grade. I put the car into second gear and coasted for some distance. The engine cooled off to the point that the temperature gauge showed the engine was getting cold. So one has to assume that there was no fire keeping it warm.

    I think that the primary fuel savings is from a different axle ratio for th Cobalt.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Touche, sir! :-)

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    General Motors Corp. has reached agreement with U.S. regulators at a
    staff level that could result in the Chevrolet Volt range-extended
    electric vehicle receiving a 100-mile-per-gallon fuel economy rating,
    the company said.

    GM spokesman Dee Allen said the rating is far from set, stressing that
    what has been agreed to on a preliminary basis is that the Volt would be
    classified as an electric vehicle for the purpose of fuel-economy
    ratings.

    If that is made certain, he said, then the Volt, due out in November
    2010, would likely receive a rating of 100 miles per gallon or better.

    So far this doesn't sit well with the EPA which considers the Volt a
    hybrid and expects it to complete the test cycle with a charged battery.
    GM and the feds have been going back and forth on this for months.
    Reports out this morning on Bloomberg and the Detroit Free Press
    indicated that GM and the EPA had reached an agreement that would
    potentially see the Volt as the first car classified with a 100 mpg
    rating are erroneous.

    We called spokesman Rob Peterson to get the scoop, and it turns out that
    GM has reached an agreement with the California Air Resources Board,
    (CARB) on a unique classification for the Volt. Peterson told ABG that
    this classification would reflect the Volt's true capability,
    essentially treating it as an EV. According to Peterson, "the
    classification helps us to optimize the Volt for what it does do,
    instead of being put into the category with a normal hybrid." This will
    potentially allow GM to run the Volt with the planned charge sustaining
    mode rather than having to run the engine to fully recharge the battery
    at the end of the test.

    The agreement with CARB gives GM a bargaining chip in its talks with the
    EPA, but Peterson cautions that the automaker and the federal agency
    "still have a long way to go" to finalize any agreement. The Volt may
    yet get that magic 100 mpg rating, but it's not there yet.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    By Tom Murphy
    Sept. 26, 2008

    From Detroit’s perspective, the 2008 presidential election is a
    referendum on the efficacy of government support for the auto industry,
    financed by the American taxpayer.

    Except for the historic rescue of Chrysler Corp. almost 30 years ago and
    its famous repayment of its government-guaranteed loans seven years
    early, U.S. auto makers have not sought handouts.

    But in times of crisis, the U.S. government has shown a willingness to
    shore up companies vital to the economy, as evidenced by the proposed
    $700 billion bailout of Wall Street investment firms.

    For the auto industry, this too is a time of crisis, caused by a
    confluence of factors: having a truck-heavy mix when more fuel-efficient
    cars are becoming popular; funding health-care and pension benefits for
    several generations of employees; and plunging vehicle sales due to
    recession-like conditions making credit less available and hurting
    consumer confidence.

    Against the backdrop of an election year, Washington is aiming to help
    in the form of low-interest loans worth $25 billion to auto makers and
    suppliers to finance the development of more-advanced, fuel-efficient
    vehicles, as well as the retooling of plants to produce them.

    Detroit auto makers contend the money is necessary to help them achieve
    the corporate average fuel economy of 35 mpg (6.7 L/100 km) by 2020, as
    mandated by the federal energy act signed into law last December. The
    low-cost loans were promised – but not allocated – as part of the
    legislation.

    In other parts of the world, governments routinely help their domestic
    auto industries with tax breaks, reimbursement for research and
    development, worker training funds and – perhaps most significantly –
    state-sponsored health care.

    “It would be hard to find a country that has less of a broad
    infrastructure to support the auto industry than the U.S.,” says labor
    and manufacturing expert Harley Shaiken, a professor at the University
    of California-Berkeley.

    “I think many of the countries we compete with in automotive have a more
    significant investment in worker training, in broader forms of technical
    training.

    “Certainly Germany and Japan do,” Shaiken tells Ward’s. “Beyond that, I
    think there is a broader understanding of the importance of a
    manufacturing base to the health of an economy.”

    In the U.S., the broadest indirect taxpayer support for the auto
    industry came with the construction of the interstate highway system in
    the 1950s, a massive federal program that boosted commerce, lengthened
    commutes, spawned modern suburbs and fueled a spirit of freedom and
    mobility enabled by affordable American cars.

    Since then, industry observers point to the successful Chrysler bailout
    28 years ago as the last time Washington really helped Detroit.

    Today, many in Washington treat the domestic auto industry with the same
    kind of disdain they reserve for the Tobacco industry, and many U.S.
    industry executives view the federal government not as an ally but as a
    generator of politically motivated regulations that are expensive and
    unrealistic.

    Most other industrialized countries are far more supportive of their
    automotive sector.

    In France, automotive represents the second-largest industry, behind
    agriculture, and both sectors enjoy the same level of state support, the
    maximum allowed under European rules.

    As a rule, the European Union limits government investment to regions
    with high unemployment, which makes entire countries in Eastern and
    Central Europe eligible.

    But France, as with Germany and the U.K., has areas of high unemployment
    where up to 15% of a major investment can come from a mix of federal,
    regional and local governments and can include exoneration from certain
    taxes. For small companies, government support can represent up to 35%
    of revenues.

    The French government solidly supports research and development within
    the auto industry, particularly through a new tax-credit system that
    reimburses 50% of R&D costs in the first year. Philippe Favre, president
    of the Invest in France agency, calls it “the best R&D tax-credit system
    in Europe.”

    In specific industries such as automotive, France organized three years
    ago what it calls “competitiveness clusters” to group companies,
    universities and research centers in a geographical area, encouraging
    them to collaborate on research projects that then get funding from the
    minister of the interior.

    Since then, the Mov’eo transportation cluster has created 45 funded
    projects representing E160 million ($234 million) of research investment
    that involve 109 large companies, 31 small firms and 147 research
    centers.

    Although the Japanese government’s role in funding R&D remains small,
    several government agencies support research in such fields as safety,
    sensors, clean diesels and recycling.

    Their efforts receive support from affiliated organizations such as the
    New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organizations or the
    Japan Petroleum Energy Center, both of which focus on alternative fuels.

    Although Japanese auto makers collaborate with these organizations in
    various research projects, the companies themselves conduct most
    automotive R&D.

    Michael Flynn studied the Japanese automotive market in the 1980s during
    his 18 years at the University of Michigan’s Office for the Study of
    Automotive Transportation. He retired in 2005.

    Flynn says the Japanese auto industry now outshines the rest of the
    world on the R&D front, which he attributes to the cultural view that,
    when it comes to research, many heads are better than one.

    “Cooperative research is much more characteristic of the Japanese
    economy, in general,” he says. “The government is more tolerant of
    things that, for us, would verge on antitrust issues. In Japan, they are
    seen as reasonable, rational cooperative efforts.”

    Earlier this year, Jim Press, a former senior executive with Toyota in
    North America and now vice chairman at Chrysler LLC, told BusinessWeek
    the Japanese government funded development of the enormously successful
    Prius hybrid-electric drivetrain. Toyota called Press’ comments
    “inaccurate,” insisting it had developed the Prius entirely on its own.

    Perhaps in response to joint-research efforts in other parts of the
    world, the U.S. auto industry appears to be following suit with
    organizations such as the U.S. Council for Automotive Research.

    USCAR is an umbrella organization for collaborative research by General
    Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler. Its U.S. Advanced Battery
    Conso
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    A mile per gallon rating is meanless. Fuel consumption is zero while the Volt is using the battery charge. I would like to know what the fuel consumption is when it is operating with the engine after the battery is discharged (or partly discharged). Knowing the consumption rate when it is operating in hybrid mode (so to speak), one can figure the average that one might really get. For normal day to day driving, less than 40 miles, your fuel consumption should be zero (depending on how power for accessories is supplied).

    Clearly the EPA does not know how to deal with this.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    link

    As what makes sense to me, when the Volt's engine is running, what power is not used by the electric drive will recharge the battery. However, this will be slow. read the link for more info.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Funny, the first quote that Edmunds showed from GM was what GM is saying now. The media just heard / assumed something different and the words got changed slightly. Now it is GM that is wrong again. From what I have read the quotes from GM are correct, jsut parsed differently by the press.

    Anyway the way it really works per GM is the best way. Once the battery gets down to 30% the engine kicks in and keeps it charged above 30% while the car continues to do what it is asked to do.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Yes, the mpg for city and highway after the battery gets down to 30% (engine kicks in) would be good info. My guess is that 55 city / 50 highway would be about right based on the Prius numbers (48/45). Big jump in city due to more efficient batteries/regeneration. Smaller jump in highway due to heavier batteries.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    from this Mitsubishi and Kia fan I must say that the new Chevrolet Volt is good news, however it technically works on the inside with re-generation and which drive is propelling it. That's the GM Engineer's job, thankfully for us, right?

    No, it's gonna be fun to see how people like their Volt's and like the Volt's reliability, performance, gas savings, etc. This thing is gonna cost somewhere around $40,000? Ouch, the thing is, Mitsubishi's new i-MIEV for 2009 in Japan and 2010 for America, will be an all-electric that will run somewhere around $30,000. Hopefully less some government rebates and such. So these new "green" toys are not going to come cheap, by any stretch.

    I would say the Volt should be a hit with American people, though, people could use some rebate help with it as well.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    I would say the Volt should be a hit with American people, though, people could use some rebate help with it as well.

    Looks like the first 250,000 units will get a $7500 tax credit from Uncle Sam and in some states perhaps a state credit. That will mean the vehicle will sell for a bit under $30k. So with the gas savings this could be a bunch closer to a financial breakeven vehicle.(Assuming gas does not continue down, $3.40 around here now) Of course the price is gonna drop after the 2nd year with the battery improvements and cost efficiencies. By 2013 it sounds like EVERYONE is gonna be selling vehicles with the large Li-Ion batteries. But who really knows. Lithium may become scarce and cost prohibitive. We will have to wait and find out.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    as car prices go a bit under $30,000 for a vehicle like the Volt is not that bad. Considering how much money a person can potentially save on gas.

    As far as battery types go, you're right, improvements are on the way. It is in a state of flux and change, but it sounds like the Volt is a good and solid design. That's why I am curious to see how these cars hold up under day-to-day use. Performance and reliability is what I'm curious about with the Volt. Heck, I may give it a harder look as time goes by, it seems to have a good body design, too.

    What is now my top choice, subcompacts and compacts like my 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, may some day give way to cars like the Volt. I have undergone a change in thinking as to the future of automotive, it happened for me around the change of the new year into 2008. I grew bored and tired of continual talk about dependence on foreign oil, warring over oil, running out of oil, etc., and it became hideously clear that we need to look elsewhere for our propulsion methods for our new automobiles. Cars like the Volt are fitting the new world bill, I do believe.

    I think I'll start researching the Volt a lot more, GM probably has a separate website for the Volt, I would think.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Edmunds.com predicts new-car sales to drop 19.7 percent compared with
    September 2007. Chrysler LLC may suffer the worst drop in recent memory,
    down 36.5 percent from 2007 September figures, Edmunds says. Ford Motor
    Co. sales could be down 25.1 percent compared with September 2007, and
    General Motors could drop 23.9 percent.


    they did not seem to guess on the others. I predict they will be hurt just as bad. Honda will come out the best.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    four more GM dealerships folded yesterday in the Bay Area. Interestingly, one of them is a multi-brand store, and will remain open selling Toyotas but will close the Chevy dealership.

    The only GM dealer in the actual city of San Francisco, a dealer that has been around FOREVER, is closing its Pontiac Buick GMC franchise, but will keep Chevy, Cadillac, and Saab for now. The nearest new Buick to me keeps getting further and further away...

    They all blame several years of slow sales that have now ceased entirely as a result of the credit crunch this year.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    September sales plunge 27%; GM down 16%, Toyota down 32%, Honda down 24%, Ford down 34%, Chrysler down 33%, Nissan down 37%

    I guess GM car sales are holding their own in this down market.

    Chevrolet Malibu retail sales up 192 percent;
    Pontiac Vibe up 61 percent compared with last September
    Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook crossover total sales up 10 percent;
    72,500 Chevrolet Silverado, Avalanche and GMC Sierra pickups sold; beats industry trend as segment-leading vehicles grab market share
    GM's market share estimated at 27 percent, marks second consecutive month of market share gains
    Total Q3 sales up 4 percent compared with Q2, with market share improving by more than 3 percentage points


    GM trucks were down 20%. Much better than total industry of 27%.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    GM's market share for the month is 29.4% but 22% YTD.

    link title

    It's only going to get worse considering tight credit.

    Regards,
    OW
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    General Motors Corp. displayed the most important car in its global turnaround plan Wednesday night on the eve of the Paris motor show.

    The Chevrolet Cruze, a roomy and stylish compact sedan, will be built on at least four continents and become the face of GM's effort to transform Chevrolet from a parochial American brand into a global powerhouse like Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen.

    "The Cruze is much more important to GM than the Volt," the celebrated extended-range electric car Chevrolet will launch in 2010, said Stephanie Brinley of consultant AutoPacific. While the revolutionary Volt has generated reams of positive publicity for GM, it will initially sell in small numbers and almost certainly lose money.

    "It's a real step up in looks and content," said Rebecca Lindland of analyst Global Insight. "This is a small car they can get more money for."

    In addition to stylish lines reminiscent of the hot-selling Chevrolet Malibu, the Cruze will offer more interior space and better fuel economy than any other compact car sold in America,

    American Chevrolet dealers may eventually get a compact minivan like the Cruze-based Orlando concept car shown in Paris Wednesday. The Orlando could top 30 m.p.g. on the highway, Peper said.

    "Chevrolet's vehicles are becoming exponentially better," said Joe Phillippi, principal of AutoTrends Consulting, Short Hills, N.J. "I'm very impressed by the Orlando. It's gotta be somewhere in the product plan."



    http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/BUSINESS01/810020411/10- 02/BUSINESS
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Do not play poker with Anna Kretz. The soft-spoken engineer who oversaw development of General Motors' midsize crossovers will clean you out and leave you without cab fare to get home.

    Kretz just dealt her boss a fourth straight ace. The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse completes a lay-down hand and gives Chevrolet its best family hauler in decades.

    Buoyed by an exceptionally clean and attractive design, appealing features, good fuel economy and a competitive price,

    Prices for the 2009 Traverse start at $28,555 for a base LS front-drive model. The least-expensive all-wheel drive model is a $30,255 LS. The top-of-the line all-wheel drive LTZ costs $41,075 and includes leather upholstery, a navigation system and memory seats. All prices exclude destination charges.

    The Traverse's key competitors include the Ford Flex, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander.

    The Traverse I tested falls in the middle of the price range for comparable models of those vehicles. It surpassed them for looks, comfort and practicality, making it an ace in the hole for stylish kid-carrying.

    Like the other seven- and eight-seat crossover SUVs, the Traverse also aims to compete with minivans like the Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna by offering kid-friendly room, ease of entry and luggage space without the baggage that comes with minivan looks.

    Style, value, practicality and comfort. That's another four aces, and this hand has been played. The Chevrolet Traverse wins.

    Competing automakers can push their chips to the middle of the table and wait for the next deal.



    http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/COL14/810020412/1002/BU- SINESS
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Hopefully GM will have no other special adjustments in the 2nd qtr.
    GM expects gain
    General Motors Corp. said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday that it expects to record a significant accounting-adjustment gain from revaluing the cost of future UAW retiree health costs in the quarter ended Tuesday. The automaker said it has now received the necessary court approvals and regulatory review of its accounting treatment to transfer UAW postretirement health care to an independent trust -- known as the voluntary employee beneficiary association -- effective Jan. 1, 2010. With that approval, GM will terminate GM retiree health coverage for UAW retirees on Jan. 1, 2010. That means it can reduce on its balance sheet the amount it previously needed to count as a health care liability.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of North American sales, said the automaker's market share grew to more than 28 percent in September because it experienced smaller sales drops than its competitors.

    The share did not come with the expense of incentives, which he said averaged only $100 per vehicle more than in August and were flat from July to August despite the monthlong employee pricing offer, LaNeve said.

    Incentive spending was reduced, he said, because GM did almost no leasing during the month

    Light truck demand at GM fell 19 percent in September, as sales of the Trailblazer dropped 31 percent and demand for the Tahoe fell 52 percent. sales of Chevrolet full-size pickups fared comparably better, edging down just 5.5 percent.

    GM's car sales slid 10 percent, as a 17 percent drop in Cobalt sales and combined declines of more than 30 percent for both Cadillac and Buick cars off set a 68 percent jump in Malibu sales and 17 percent increase in demand for its Impala.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    As many as 3,800 U.S. car dealerships could fail this fall and into 2009 -- nearly one in five -- because of weak sales, increased operational costs and the credit crunch, according to a forecast released today.

    "An increasing number of dealers are simply closing their doors because sales have plummeted, credit has dried up, the overall retail environment is increasingly challenging and potential investors are sitting on the sidelines," said Paul Melville, a partner with Grant Thornton LLP, which issued the forecast.

    "In addition, the domestic automakers who badly need retail consolidation are not spending much of their scarce capital on the problem because the economy is doing it for them," he said.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Well, we've been discussing for several years now that GM has to many dealerships to support, maybe thinning some out will help in the long run.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., following its worst monthly sales decline in at least four decades, this evening said it would offer 0 percent financing on 11 models through Nov. 3.
    The loans range from 36 to 60 months, depending on the model.
    In a statement, Toyota called the program unprecedented for the Japanese automaker as it sought to "take aim" at the credit squeeze inhibiting U.S. auto sales.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    I worked at Oshawa for a couple years. Great plant and people.

    GM’s Oshawa Car Plant Honored with “Founder’s Award”
    Last Friday GM’s Oshawa Car Plant was presented with the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates “Founder’s Award” in recognition of their commitment to quality and a solid track record of industry-leading performance.

    The Founder’s Award is a discretionary award presented by J.D. Power and Associates, recognizing individuals or companies that demonstrate dedication, commitment and sustained improvement in serving customers. In the 40-year history of J.D. Power and Associates, only 22 companies or individuals have received the award.

    To learn more about Oshawa’s accomplishments, please read the press release.

    Tech Talk

    GM’S Boost in Efficient Four-Cylinders Includes More Turbos
    GM will double its global production of small four-cylinder engines (1.0L to 1.4L) by 2011, with more than half of the increase coming in North America. The 1.4L Turbo enables great vehicle performance and fuel economy. One-third of GM’s North American engine volume will be four-cylinders by 2011, and 21% of the four-cylinder volume will be turbocharged – a seven-fold increase over today’s volume of turbo engines.

    For more details, please see the press release.

    GM and OnStar Create Technology to Help Save Lives
    Yesterday, General Motors of Canada and OnStar demonstrated technology that assists in the safe recovery of subscribers’ stolen vehicles. Stolen Vehicle Slowdown sends a signal to a subscriber’s stolen vehicle to reduce engine power slowing the vehicle down gradually. Research has shown that 95% of OnStar subscribers want the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service available on their cars and trucks.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    the Chevrolet Volt story with Bob Lutz is scheduled to run this
    Sunday on CBS at 7:00 pm.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Looks like the Lambdas are replacing the midsize SUV's faster than they thought. Actually the Chevy Traverse was not supposed to be there. Chevy was supposed to keep the real truck but the gas prices changed that.

    General Motors Corp. said Friday it will shut down its
    SUV assembly plant here on Dec. 23 as the company shifts focus to
    smaller vehicles.

    GM spokesman Chris Lee said employees gathered in the plant Friday
    afternoon were informed of the closing date. Some 1,100 remaining
    workers are affected.

    The automaker earlier this year announced plans to close the plant by
    the summer of 2010 or sooner, then accelerated shutdown plans as part of
    companywide cost-cutting moves.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Model-line quality data compiled by JD Power and Associates finds its
    way into the media only rarely because the California survey firm guards
    it to avoid embarrassing clients.

    So when Power's 2008 Initial Quality numbers for midsize cars leaked
    recently, they warranted some further scrutiny. And parsing the numbers
    reveals some surprising developments

    As long as I can remember, Japanese manufacturers have been regarded as
    the gold standard in quality. No more. This year's IQS winner in the
    midsize segment, by a healthy margin, is the Chevrolet Malibu, with a
    mere 80 problems per 100 customers. That's an excellent showing for a
    car in its first year of production, when assembly plants are still
    learning how to put the pieces together.

    Other non-Asians also did well. The Ford Fusion finished third with 88
    problems, the Volkswagen Passat ranked fourth with 94, and the Buick
    LaCrosse came in fifth with 96. Buick traditionally scores well in these
    surveys, but Ford and VW are both moving up the charts.

    To be sure, two Japanese models, the Mitsubishi Galant and Toyota Camry
    also finished in the top five. But the Nissan Altima finished below
    average, as did, shockingly, the Honda Accord. Nissan is typically an
    also-ran in quality, but Honda has been a leader in the past. The 2008
    Accord - another model in its first year of production - fell all the
    way from second in last year's midsize survey with 22 more defects per
    100.

    Bringing up the rear in the midsize quality ranks was the Subaru Outback
    Wagon - another historical also-ran - and two Chrysler products: the
    Dodge Avenger and the mechanically identical Chrysler Sebring. They
    recorded 171 and 183 defects respectively, more than twice as many as
    the Malibu.

    A couple of conclusions can be drawn from this data. One, it is possible
    for American mass-producers to equal or better the quality of their
    overseas competitors. And two, it still makes sense to avoid purchasing
    a car during its first year of production - even though that car may
    carry a famous Asian name on the trunk lid.


    Again even a media person gets it wrong. Century won this award about 8 years ago and many other GM products have beat out Camry/Accord over the years since.
  • torque_rtorque_r Member Posts: 500
    I am glad the Trailblazer is going. Now Chevy dealers don't have any vehicles with awful interiors to be shamed about.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    on Sunday evening might be worth checking out, that it might.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    General Motors Corp., still unable to meet demand for fuel-efficient small cars, will keep its sole U.S. compact-car factory running on overtime for the remainder of this year, the auto maker said Friday.
    GM is running short on Chevrolet Cobalt cars despite adding a third shift this summer at its Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant.

    GM spokesman Chris Lee said the company hopes the weekend work at Lordstown will deliver sufficient supply by next year. The factory will run two shifts every Saturday for the rest of the year, except for the Thanksgiving and Veterans Day holiday weekends, he said.

    Cobalt sales fell 17% last month from a year earlier, a drop GM attributed to short supply. Still, Cobalt sales for the year are up 6%, while GM's sales overall have fallen 18% in a weak U.S. auto market.

    Sales of the compact Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic models also fell last month.

    Dealers across the U.S. have fewer than eight weeks' worth of the Cobalt, Corolla and Civic in stock, according to Wardsauto.com. The industry norm is to have at least a 10-week supply. The Ford Focus, with roughly a 13-week supply according to Wards, saw a 5% bump in sales last month.

    GM has no plans to build car-assembly plants or convert truck factories and instead will manage increasing demand for cars by adding shifts at existing locations.

    GM is building a small-engine plant in Flint, Mich., scheduled to open in 2010. An engine shortage at GM's Tonawanda, N.Y., plant forced the auto maker to cancel overtime shifts at the Lordstown factory last month, according to United Auto Workers officials.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    If Cobalt sales are down 17% for the month vs 2007, and GM claims it is because of short supply, it just begs the question: has GM reduced Cobalt production by 17% since this time last year? If so, why did they do that on what has always been a relatively popular model?

    If not, I don't how to make sense of that claim.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Same as the rest of the companies. Cobalt/Corrolla/Civic have been selling for months above capacity. It is catching up and now there are fewer cars in stock and cannot meet demand.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Indeed, after Dauch finished his battery technology for dummies explanation, he pointed to the two T-shaped casings sitting on the floor beside us. It turns out these were the very first of the Volt's battery packs to be put through GM's rigourous long-term durability testing. Having been running 24/7 since April through real-world driving simulations, the batteries have already accumulated the equivalent of 50,000 kilometres on them… without cooling.

    Yes, without cooling. Even though all production Volt will have a cooling system for their batteries, these test units had run their entire lifetime with it disconnected. Yet, they purred (OK, so batteries don't "purr" per se, but you get the automotive analogy) along at a room-temperature 25 degrees Celsius. The packs just down the hallway running with full cooling? Well, they ran but two degrees cooler. That's why Mr. Dauch just laughs when he reads media reports of the problems that GM's development team must be undergoing.

    "The battery technology is simply not the challenge anymore," says Dauch with a certain amount of frustration, "Normal engineering crap is what we spend much of our time working on. Are they going to make the connectors in time for production? Can they reduce the number of fasteners needed since fewer parts means greater reliability? These are the kinds of things that worry us."

    Finally, Mr. Foster objects to the Volt's projected price that educated guesses place squarely in low $40,000 range. And, yes, Mr. Foster is right; this is definitely more than a similarly-sized vehicle with the same equipment would cost if it were powered by traditional gasoline engine. But does Mr. Foster really expect the first-generation of any ground-breaking technology to cost no more than the outgoing? Does he really think that Toyota made a profit on all those firstgen Priuses it blew out the door at US$19,995?

    And if the technology is too expensive for anyone to build at a profit, is Mr. Foster really suggesting GM abandon its alternative fuel strategy? Mr. Foster's voice would be very faint indeed compared to the howls protesting that Detroit should be forced to make alternative-fuel vehicles at any price.

    So, yes, General Motors will soon be selling what is, compared with today's vehicles, a car that's overpriced for its performance, size and equipment. But what Mr. Foster didn't tell you is that all auto manufacturers are going to have to put out some sort of over-priced (or profitless), under-equipped, alternative-fuel, "green" vehicle. And after my sojourn to GM's test labs, I'm convinced that Chevy's Volt will prove the most useful of the lot.
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Automakers doing business in Europe have requested of the European Union 40 billion euros ($55 billion) in low-interest loans to help them develop fuel-efficient vehicles. The loans are patterned after the $25 billion signed into U.S. law by President George Bush last week.

    The group of 15 carmakers requesting the funds - those that make up the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) -- include Volkswagen, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Fiat and Renault as well as General Motors, Ford and Toyota.
    The automakers also are urging the European Union to provide consumers with incentives to scrap cars that are more than eight years old in order to accelerate purchases.
    Car sales in Western Europe are forecasted to fall to 12.4 million in 2009, the lowest level since 1995 and down from 14.8 million last year.
  • traveler73traveler73 Member Posts: 5
    I always liked having a capable SUV in the off-road sense-I'm really not happy with GM's decision to do all crossover's in the Chevy and GMC line -hate to waste my GM employee discount but guess I'll have to get a Forerunner.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    So, try a Jeep. It is the only product keeping Chrysler alive. Best off-road capability for the $$$. Just make sure you get the extended protection plan!

    Regards,
    OW
  • jerrywimerjerrywimer Member Posts: 588
    I disagree. I'm NOT glad the Trailblazer is going (we're on our 2nd now). I agree about the interior quality, but the fix really wasn't killing it off. Rather, the originally planned redesign, which I expect would've been on par with what happened when the 800 series trucks and SUVs became the 900 series (compare prior Tahoe to new Tahoe). Keeping it to Chevrolet, or at most, Chevrolet and GMC with the redesign would've been a better move imo.

    At least the Traverse is a fine automobile. That makes the TB's death something I can swallow.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Here's some fresh info. No real changes except Int'l sales could spell more trouble going forward in the new economic reality.

    Can GM and Ford Scrape By?

    Regards,
    OW
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Geez, that's a lot worse than I thought. And the plan that is GM's best bet has them offering little to no new product for all of 2011 and 2012? At which time they will also be cash-poor with little means to borrow?

    Talk about scraping by. Bankruptcy is beginning to look pretty good by comparison...

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    That's what I've been trying to say. It's going to take a drastic move or a very long, painful change to return GM to a viable business that produces cars people desire.

    I wish them good luck, just like all the financial institutions that all of a sudden were blindsided.

    Like I said, K.I.S.S. What the heck is a derivative security anyway? I'd have soon invested in those as buying another vehicle from GM!

    Regards,
    OW
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    All but essential programs are at least getting a review, the sources said. Even the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu could be on the table. GM wants each of its cars to get a makeover every 5½ years, but it may have to stretch that to 7½ years for some models to stay in the black. A GM spokesman says the company is delaying some product programs but that nothing major has been held up yet.

    If you read the words it says they are getting a review. Do you not think that every OEM is doing the same? Times are real tough and it will get worse. Yes some programs may get a delay and some may even be cancelled but nowhere is there any real facts that something is getting cancelled. Business Week loves to play up the words into something. BUT you can bet the Board is looking for cuts and ways to save money. There are always programs that can be delayed that will not mean much to the bottom line but I really doubt the Malibu will be delayed much if at all. Then again it is just out and I do not know when the next one is due.

    I think this country is in for bad times. We keep sending out borrowed money that purchased items not made in this country. That surely cannot last long. Sooner or later the lending countries are going to start tightening their strings.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Like I always said, I don't write 'em. I am a customer only.

    This is an evolving crisis. I am sure you are correct that ALL auto manufacturers are reviewing their programs and probably will delay or cancel some of the more risky or non-cost effective programs.

    GM, Ford and Chrysler will never be the same again. I am absolutely certain of that. In all of this smoke and fire, it is the one certainty that will rise out of the ashes. The market will ensure whatever companies make it to the other side will be viable and poised for growth. It's the Circle of Life. It never ends.

    Regards,
    OW
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I have seen something like a half dozen local GM dealers, the only Chrysler dealer in my county, and now two local Ford dealers go belly up in just the last year (including one Ford dealer that disappeared in the middle of the night about a month ago after having just spent a ton of money moving to a fancy new "auto row" underwritten by the city he was located in). I would have to buy plane tickets to go test drive a Buick GMC, or Pontiac at this point, a new Cadillac is not a whole lot easier to find, only Chevy seems to really be hanging in there. The point being, if it has no other long-term effect, will this next couple of years finally be the crisis that drives the domestics out of the California market altogether?

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    Well it looks like gas will be under $3 here soon. $3.07 today. If the economy was better we could see increased truck sales. However that is a bit doubtful but look for a higher truck mix. It is back over 50% again. But then again gas would not be down if the economy was good.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    You are forgetting that part of the oil price was due to the decline in the dollars value, which has reversed considerably. The dollar will buy more of a Euro now than when oil was nearly $150 per barrel. Yesterday the spot market for gas was $2.06 per gallon, which means that retail prices could be under $3 (about 50 cents for tax and then some shipping/profits).
  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    It's under $3 here now and still going down.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    "While the global automotive industry is clearly experiencing a slowdown in 2008, the global market in 2009 may experience an outright collapse," said Jeff Schuster, J.D. Power's executive director of automotive forecasting, in a statement.

    J.D. Power cut its 2008 U.S. light vehicle sales forecast to 13.6 million units and said it expects sales to fall to 13.2 million units in 2009. Global Insight on Wednesday cut its 2008 U.S. auto sales outlook and warned that a recovery toward more normal levels may not occur until 2013.

    Citigroup also cut GM and Ford Motor Co to "sell" ratings on Wednesday.
    Ford shares fell 20 cents, or 7.5 percent, to $2.46 on Thursday. Ford stock had reached its lowest level in a quarter century on Wednesday, falling as low as $2.10.
    GM shares were off $1.01, or 14.6 percent, at $5.90.

    Regards,
    OW
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    It's under $3 here now and still going down.

    Gas or GM/Ford stock? The word is that it will be difficult to get investors back into these stocks.

    There must be a light at the end of the tunnel. Now I know what they mean by a perfect storm.

    Regards,
    OW
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    I think some US automakers will be forced to merge or go under, just like the banks.
  • nwngnwng Member Posts: 663
    not good news at all. gm cannot raise any more capital with their stock price at $4. let's see who the white knight is going to be.
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