GM Backtracks On Plan To Nix Chevy Nickname [Video]

General Motors Co. on Thursday backed off a "poorly worded" internal memo that asked employees to refer to the brand only as "Chevrolet" -- not its long-standing nickname -- in an effort to create consistency.

In the original memo, employees were discouraged from using the "Chevy" nickname for the Chevrolet brand. GM later issued a statement to clarify the intention of the memo, saying that it was only meant to help establish Chevrolet as a global brand and that employees needed to be more focused in their communications in referencing the brand.

General Motors said " 'Chevy' will continue to reflect the enthusiasm of customers and fans."
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The internal memo was part of an effort to develop a consistent brand name as it establishes a significant global presence.

In a video also issued by GM to correct itself, Alan S. Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, said, "Chevy is our nickname. It comes from selling vehicles here in the U.S. for 100 years. We love it when people call us Chevy." Batey was one of the two GM officials who signed the original memo.

On Facebook, brand pages include Chevy Camaro, Chevy Silverado and Team Chevy.

General Motors also stated that they were reconsidering resurrecting the talifin. A sudden resurgence of the love for the 1959 Chevrolet is rumored to be the reason.





Press Release

Statement on the use of Chevrolet and Chevy

"Chevy" will continue to reflect the enthusiasm of customers and fans

2010-06-10 DETROIT -- Today's emotional debate over a poorly worded memo on our use of the Chevrolet brand is a good reminder of how passionately people feel about Chevrolet. It is a passion we share and one we do not take for granted.

We love Chevy. In no way are we discouraging customers or fans from using the name. We deeply appreciate the emotional connections that millions of people have for Chevrolet and its products.

In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process.

We hope people around the world will continue to fall in love with Chevrolets and smile when they call their favorite car, truck or crossover "Chevy."

GM to launch Chevrolet in Korea

Daewoo may be General Motors’ only established brand in the Korean auto market, but it will soon add another: Chevrolet. GM revealed today at the Busan motor show that it will begin selling bowtie-badged vehicles in South Korea in 2011.

The Alpheon is being positioned in the Korea market as a luxury model at the top of the Daewoo range. It is fitted with a 3.0-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic transmission. GM Daewoo said the car will go on sale in the second half of the year.

GM Daewoo says the "Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio." Much like its Korean couterpart, Hyundai, have made inroads into the luxury sedan segment with the Genesis model.






Press Release

GM Daewoo's All-New Luxury Sedan Debuts at 2010 Busan International Motor Show

Alpheon is GM Daewoo's entry into the upper-midsize segment

Busan, Korea - GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GM Daewoo) unveiled its much-anticipated luxury sedan, the Alpheon, at the 2010 Busan International Motor Show today.

"With the introduction of the all-new Alpheon luxury sedan, we have added another attractive model to our product portfolio and our first entry in the fast-growing upper-midsize segment in Korea," said GM Daewoo President and CEO Mike Arcamone. "I am confident that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury sedan buyers in Korea."

Another highlight of the GM Daewoo stand is a seven-seat compact multi-purpose vehicle, the Orlando show car, which is making its first appearance at an international motor show in Asia.

In addition, GM Daewoo has on display the Lacetti Premiere and GentraX race cars, and a Matiz mini-car artistically wrapped in pink.

With "Advancing Style" as its theme for this year's Busan International Motor Show, GM Daewoo has 18 vehicles on display that showcase its automotive industry design expertise.

Alpheon - Stylish Luxury Sedan

The Alpheon is based on the same GM global architecture as the Buick LaCrosse, one of the three finalists for 2010 North American Car of the Year.

GM designers and engineers from Asia, Europe and North America targeted the luxury sedan as a global product that would meet the highest quality and performance standards in the most sophisticated markets.

At first glance, the Alpheon's sculpting design flows in all directions, giving the vehicle a tightly wrapped appearance and a fast, coupe-like profile. Its dynamic and elegant body styling is highlighted by sharp side lines, short overhangs and fenders wrapped precisely around large wheel housings, giving it the presence of an upscale large sedan (2,837-mm wheelbase and 4,995mm body length).

With a unique emblem on its front "waterfall" grille, the Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio.

The innovative design philosophy continues in the Alpheon's interior. The flowing shape of its instrument panel design offers a distinct, confident and upscale impression. The refined look is an integrated center stack design that incorporates ice-blue light-emitting diode (LED) ambient lighting along with premium infotainment features. Adding to the use of soft-touch materials and low-gloss trim panels rather than traditional wood applications is indicative of exceptional and luxurious craftsmanship.

Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 engine combined with a six-speed automatic transmission, the Alpheon will ensure responsive performance when it is launched in the second half of this year in Korea.

General Motors is considering adding a coupe to Buick's lineup

Now that General Motors has almost completed shedding its non-core brands, the company is refocusing attention to its main brands. The company is in research and development of a new sport coupe that could be sold as a Buick.


"Buick definitely needs more product in the pipeline," John Cafaro, director of design for Buick and Chevrolet, said in an interview last week at the Chicago Auto Show.

"My role is really being a zealot for getting Buick more youthful, more spirited and probing ideas [for] coupes, more expressive vehicles. That is really my job."


The automaker is in a similar position as Cadillac had been, with only an aging market segment showing any interest. According to Cafaro, Cadillac knew that they had "to carve a new image. That is where Buick is right now," he told the news outlet.


So far, five models -- all sedans and crossovers -- have been approved for Buick. The redesigned LaCrosse went on sale last fall. The 2011 Regal sedan goes on sale this spring. A small, unnamed sedan that will share a vehicle platform with the Chevrolet Cruze goes on sale in 2011. The Lucerne will be dropped in a year or so.


"Buick definitely needs more product in the pipeline," Cafaro said, later mentioning that the company needs a new car that makes a statement. Any such car would become Buick's flagship.


Cafaro said a coupe would make a statement for Buick, "and a statement means it is going to be the flagship. All the design cues and everything would drive themselves down into all Buicks.


"A coupe is definitely where you say, 'I'm back.' "

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GM To Be First Major U.S. Automaker to Manufacture Electric Motors

• Electric traction motors are ‘engines' for electric vehicles and hybrids

• First GM electric motors will debut in next-generation rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrids

• Total investment of $246 million in electric motor and electric drive facilities in the U.S.

WASHINGTON - GM will expand its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities by becoming the first major U.S. automaker to design and manufacture electric motors, a core technology for hybrids and electric vehicles.

By doing so, GM will lower costs and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability of electric motors by controlling design, materials selection and production processes. The first GM-designed and built electric motors are scheduled to debut in 2013 in next-generation, rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrid technology.


"Electric motor innovation supported the first wave of automotive growth a century ago with the electric starter, which eliminated the need for a hand crank, and revolutionized automotive travel for the customer," said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. "We think the electrification of today's automobiles will be just as revolutionary and just as beneficial to our customers. Electric motors will play a huge role in that."

In conventional cars and trucks, automakers design and manufacture engines to efficiently use energy provided from a gas tank to provide power to the wheels. Motors and batteries, respectively, fill that role in hybrid and electric vehicles. As the range and speed of electric-only propulsion increase, so do the importance of motors and batteries.


Electric vehicles are powered solely by electric motors, while hybrid vehicles also use an internal combustion engine for propulsion. GM's next-generation rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrid system will use two unique motor designs and an internal combustion engine to provide improved fuel efficiency compared with the current Two-mode Hybrid technology in GM's full-size pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

"In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now," Stephens said. "By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight - two significant challenges facing batteries today."


GM has been building this in-house capability for years, expanding electric motor research and development, design and validation capabilities at facilities in Michigan, Indiana and California. GM also has developed state-of-the-art math-based design and computing capacity for electric motors. The electric motors will be manufactured in the U.S. at a GM facility.

GM was selected in August by the U.S. Department of Energy for a $105-million grant for the construction of U.S. manufacturing capabilities to produce electric motors and related electric drive components. "The new GM is about speed, and we are delivering quickly on the government's desire to grow domestic expertise in electric vehicle technologies, such as batteries and electric motors," Stephens said.


Similar to today's internal combustion engines, automotive electric motors require an unparalleled combination of exceptionally low noise, vibration and harshness (NVH); high reliability and affordability that is achievable only by understanding the entire value chain. In addition to growing in-house capabilities, GM will continue to purchase and co-design electric motors with suppliers.

"This is a strategy we use today with batteries," Stephens said. "We are partnering with suppliers to create innovations faster than ever before. Our goal is simply to establish GM as a leader in automotive electric motors. We see that leadership as a key enabler - both to our long-term success and to our nation's move away from oil dependence."
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Cadillac XTS Luxury Sedan to Arrive in 2011?

A new luxury sedan called the Cadillac XTS is apparently being planned for production by the new General Motors. The car is said to be going after the best from Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, which means the A8, 7 Series, LS and S-Class respectively. Suppliers were told about this high-class stretch sedan at a briefing where it was also revealed that manufacturing will happen at the company's plant in Oshawa, Ontario. Cadillac will be replacing the slow-selling DTS with the XTS.
Read full story from worldcarfans

Cadillac XTS Luxury Sedan to Arrive in 2011?

A new luxury sedan called the Cadillac XTS is apparently being planned for production by the new General Motors. The car is said to be going after the best from Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, which means the A8, 7 Series, LS and S-Class respectively. Suppliers were told about this high-class stretch sedan at a briefing where it was also revealed that manufacturing will happen at the company's plant in Oshawa, Ontario. Cadillac will be replacing the slow-selling DTS with the XTS.
Read full story from worldcarfans

2010 Opel Meriva MPV Spy

GM’s next-generation Opel Meriva compact MPV has been caught undergoing testing once gain. Though it remains in full camouflage, many details are still discernible, including the overall shape, which remains close to the original Meriva concept from last year's Geneva Motor Show.


The new Meriva is expected to make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and should be sale across Europe by the end of the year.


The simple and attractive front fascia, minimalist outlines, and overall configuration remain very close to the concept’s design, however. Small detail differences include the addition of a tailpipe (hidden on the concept) and the removal of the rear roof spoiler and addition of an antenna in its place.


A very carefully placed extra segment of cladding appears to be hiding one of the most controversial lements of the concept’s design: the rear-window ‘kink’. The front door’s handle and the general construction of the doors and rubber strips indicate the rear-opening rear doors of the concept are gone. The suicide door configuration makes for better display in a car show booth, but is both inconvenient and hard to get past the legal department in the real world.


The treatment of the rear windows and rear hatch area seem to indicate both the angular upsweep before the C-pillar and the hourglass-shaped rear hatch will carry over into production. The tail lights, though heavily camouflaged, carry a hint of the outline of the concept’s large and stylistic units as well.
Source:motorauthority

2010 Opel Meriva MPV Spy

GM’s next-generation Opel Meriva compact MPV has been caught undergoing testing once gain. Though it remains in full camouflage, many details are still discernible, including the overall shape, which remains close to the original Meriva concept from last year's Geneva Motor Show.


The new Meriva is expected to make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and should be sale across Europe by the end of the year.


The simple and attractive front fascia, minimalist outlines, and overall configuration remain very close to the concept’s design, however. Small detail differences include the addition of a tailpipe (hidden on the concept) and the removal of the rear roof spoiler and addition of an antenna in its place.


A very carefully placed extra segment of cladding appears to be hiding one of the most controversial lements of the concept’s design: the rear-window ‘kink’. The front door’s handle and the general construction of the doors and rubber strips indicate the rear-opening rear doors of the concept are gone. The suicide door configuration makes for better display in a car show booth, but is both inconvenient and hard to get past the legal department in the real world.


The treatment of the rear windows and rear hatch area seem to indicate both the angular upsweep before the C-pillar and the hourglass-shaped rear hatch will carry over into production. The tail lights, though heavily camouflaged, carry a hint of the outline of the concept’s large and stylistic units as well.
Source:motorauthority

Cruze-based Buick compact sedan Spy Photos

General Motors is still more than a year away from launching the Chevrolet Cruze sedan in North America but instead of speeding up its arrival the automaker is working on a new Buick sedan based on the Cruze platform. Fears of GM’s cash problems haven’t managed to deter work on the upcoming Buick compact sedan, which like the Cruze will likely be offered as a global model.


The other benefit of the Delta II platform is the possibility of a plug-in hybrid version using Volt technology, although GM is more likely to use other brands such as Cadillac to expand its plug-in hybrid range.


U.S. versions are likely to be built at GM’s Lordstown plant in Ohio alongside the Cruze. The new model will almost certainly be offered in China as well, considering that is Buick’s biggest market. Engine options should mirror that of the Cruze, which means a range of compact four-cylinder units in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms, with both petrol and diesel options.


Built around GM’s FWD Delta II platform, the Buick compact sedan also shares much in common with the 2010 Opel Astra, which means there’s a chance it could be produced at Russelsheim plant in Germany. The new spy shot of interior confirms that both cars share a similar cabin design.


Don’t hold your breath for the new sedan as it isn’t expected to be launched until sometime in 2012, possibly as a 2013 model.
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Cruze-based Buick compact sedan Spy Photos

General Motors is still more than a year away from launching the Chevrolet Cruze sedan in North America but instead of speeding up its arrival the automaker is working on a new Buick sedan based on the Cruze platform. Fears of GM’s cash problems haven’t managed to deter work on the upcoming Buick compact sedan, which like the Cruze will likely be offered as a global model.


The other benefit of the Delta II platform is the possibility of a plug-in hybrid version using Volt technology, although GM is more likely to use other brands such as Cadillac to expand its plug-in hybrid range.


U.S. versions are likely to be built at GM’s Lordstown plant in Ohio alongside the Cruze. The new model will almost certainly be offered in China as well, considering that is Buick’s biggest market. Engine options should mirror that of the Cruze, which means a range of compact four-cylinder units in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms, with both petrol and diesel options.


Built around GM’s FWD Delta II platform, the Buick compact sedan also shares much in common with the 2010 Opel Astra, which means there’s a chance it could be produced at Russelsheim plant in Germany. The new spy shot of interior confirms that both cars share a similar cabin design.


Don’t hold your breath for the new sedan as it isn’t expected to be launched until sometime in 2012, possibly as a 2013 model.
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Fornasari announces 610hp car racing series

With 610hp on tap, routed through an AWD system with 60% rear bias and built around a version of the RR600 chassis, the vehicle is sure to overpower most of the competition as well.


It's hard to pin down the qualities of the 'ultimate' vehicle, but the new Racing Buggy from Fornasari looks to be a fair attempt. Its design, however, is as extreme as its capabilities so it's sure to polarize.


It's a big vehicle, however, measuring 17ft (5.20m) long, 7ft (2.15m) wide and 6ft (1.85m) tall. Weighing in at a fairly sturdy 3,500lb (1,600kg), it's also surprisingly quick, accelerating to 62mph (100km/h) in just 3.8 seconds - as fast as a Corvette ZR1.


Before you dismiss the hulking computer rendering before you as an dirt-only racer, know that it seats five, is intended to be not only road legal but luxurious - and series produced. It will start out at about €80,000 ($112,000) in Europe, according to the company. Exactly how many are to be built and when they'll be available hasn't been revealed.


That's not the only General Motors link in the Fornasari Racing Buggy chain, either. The engine powering the off-roading beast is a GM-sourced V8 unit displacing 7.0L at rated at 610hp (455kW) and 552lb-ft (748Nm) of torque.


The AWD system also sports a viscous center differential and a Dana 44 rear end for power and durability. Either automatic or manual six-speeds can be ordered, a rarity in large performance SUVs of late.
via:motorauthority