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Obama Speaks at New Battery Plant, Tries Out Chevy Volt Driver’s Seat

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:34:25 +0000

U.S. President Barack Obama had the chance to get behind the wheel -but not on the road- of the new Chevy Volt during a visit today at the Compact Power battery plant in Holland, Michigan. The new plant, which is being built by a U.S. unit of South Korea’s LG Chem with help from a $151.4-million federal grant, will manufacture batteries for the Volt, which goes on sale late this year, as well as for the new electric Ford Focus. The company estimates that it will hire more than 300 full-time Michigan workers when at scale.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Obama said he expects that manufacturing advances will drive down costs of fully-eclectic and hybrid vehicles over the next few years.

“Because of advances in the manufacture of these batteries, their costs are expected to come down by nearly 70 percent in the next few years,” the President said. “That’s going to make electric and hybrid cars and trucks more affordable for more Americans. And that not only means more jobs but it also means we’re going to be less dependent on foreign oil.” Follow the jump for the full transcript of Obama’s speech at the battery plant.

Photos: GM

via | Carscoop

GM recalling 160,000 Hummer H3 copies

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 07:08:17 +0000

Just when preparing to close accounts with the Hummer brand, GM is hit by a recall that will bring in 160,000 copies worldwide of the H3.

General Motors announced it would recall 160,000 copies in service Hummer because of technical problems that could cause separation of the plastic part of H3’s hood. The problem affects 162,129 copies Hummer H3 produced between 2006 and 2010.

In some of these machines, plastic strips on the hood of scale can crack under certain conditions. If this is not observed, there is the possibility that the entire piece of plastic to leave the car. If that happens gone, the parties may hit other cars and cause injury or property damage, said in a statement published today GM.

All specimens in question was produced between 2006 and H3 Hummer 2008 H3 and H3T and some versions produced between 2008 and 2010. The problem will be solved authorized service sites by applying a strong adhesive joints scale plastic hood. GM all customers affected will be notified by letter following problem to be solved for free.

Expense related to recall your Hummer does not fall very well for GM, which last month and informed its dealers from around the world that the U.S. will be branded network will be liquidated and dissolved.

Spyker has a new partner in China market

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:13:12 +0000

Dutch Spyker Cars to have a reliable partner in China market in the person of the China Automobile Trading Co., one of the biggest importers of cars on the market.

Dutch Spyker have announced the debut of the Chinese market after it signed a deal with China Automobile Trading Co., one of the largest importers of automobiles in this country. By interemdiul this joint venture partnerships, people from China Automobile Trading Spyker will be the only distributors in China market, an emerging market segment both houses, especially on other segments.

Dutch supercar manufacturer of niche sites would thus have a market that beat Ferrari, Lamborghini and other brand manufacturers. The Spyker was already on the market in China since 2005, but the Dutch needed a strong distributor. Along with new Chinese partners, who will create models of the Spyker sports exclusive, SUVs and even commercial vehicles for the Chinese market.

Saab Spyker bought from General Motors on February 23, 2010 a fee of $ 74 million and shares worth 326 million dollars. Since then, the Dutch manufacturer of exclusive super-car search sites miscellaneous financing solutions for future projects that will develop for Saab. The irony of fate is that Saab sold all necessary production utiliajele old Chinese 9-5 in Baicului and new Dutch owners of the brand will launch an offensive on the premium market in China to achieve substantial revenue needed brand development in Trollhattan.

GM to pay its debts to the U.S. state five years before deadline

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:50:50 +0000

GM announced today that U.S. producers managed to pay their debts to the U.S. state five years before the expected time when the loan expired.

General Motors has paid all debts accumulated by the American State during the 2009 crisis and make progress in his return to full bankruptcy proceedings after it went through the middle of last year.

“I am very happy to announce that, today, GM has fully paid with all interest rates, debt collected last July the U.S. Treasury and by the Canadian authorities for the amounts we were required to launch the new GM, “said Ed Whitacre, CEO of General Motors, in a press conference held today in Detroit.

According to U.S. official sums due was done faster than was expected because of good products launched by GM lately. “We were able to return taxpayers’ money ahead of time as draw, build and sell the best cars that GM has ever produced,” said Whitacre. As head of the American company, the amount was paid within five years before and two months before the target announced by GM earlier this year.

A spokesman of the GM told Agence France Presse that the outstanding amount was paid on Tuesday, April 20. According to Whitacre’s statements, the work of the GM does not stop there: “We have a lot of things to do, even after payment
this loan. But make much progress – especially towards our vision to design and sell the best cars in the world, “continued the head of Americans.

GM reported losses of 4.3 billion dollars in post-bankruptcy in 2009, but officials say the results are encouraging group in order to re income in the year 2010. In these conditions, GM could again become a private company in 2010 or 2011. U.S. state has bought 60.8% of GM in July 2009, the Canadian government and a trust in maple leaf country also holds significant percentage of General Motors.

GM Shows Off Astra Police Car at HOSDB Exhibition

Timmy Tim — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:08:07 +0000

The recent Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HODSB) show saw General Motors’ Vauxhall division displaying its new generation Astra police vehicle that is offered for UK and overseas law enforcement officials.

Dick Ellam, Manager Vehicle Conversions for Vauxhall said: “It was a great honour to be asked to exhibit the new generation Astra at such an influential show, particularly with an organisation as well regarded as ACPO. We were delighted to be able to show our British built Astra to so many of the leaders in today’s law enforcement industry.”

Along with the latest-generation Astra, GM’s European arm also offers a police version of the new Insignia (to be sold as the Buick Regal in the States).

Via | Carscoop

General Motors: investments of 575 million euros in Brazil

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 07:00:06 +0000

General Motors recently formalized a future investment in Brazil amounted to 575 million euros.

The weight of the South American market continues to grow and large manufacturers are betting on growing this emerging country. So, GM do Brasil has decided to invest in two factories in Sao Caetano do Sul and Mogi das Cruzes, to update and expand the production volumes.

The initiative is part of a five-year plan launched in 2008, including the modernization of the production network of GM in Brazil by 2012. From these plants expanded and renewed, will be out the future range of Brazilian Chevrolet.

The factory in Sao Caetano do Sul will work as 250 new employees to be Mogi Cruzes to another 100 and finally another 250 will be employed in Sao Jose do Campos, third installation of the state of Sao Paulo to meet demand growth, as GM announced late last year.

GM does not find buyers for Hummer

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:24:26 +0000

GM has ceased discussions with potential buyers of the Hummer brand, and companies interested in buying the brand have until May 1 deadline.

Talks between GM and Hummer potential buyers have stagnated. After the Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines co. expressed interest in acquiring Hummer, it seems that an understanding between the two companies fell, while GM remained without customers.

If they appear willing to acquire companies Hummer, Americans are willing to consider offers, but they are May 1, 2010 deadline. Nick Richards, Hummer spokesman, declined to comment on the report, while officials in charge of internal operations at GM do not answer questions about American brand. If Hummer brand will close, Americans will continue to observe the terms of warranty and will provide spare parts for present owners.

Closing or selling Hummer is part of GM’s strategy to get rid of four of its brands which do not satisfy the company. Saturn was closed after disagreement between GM and potential buyers, Pontiac is about to disappear from the automotive market and the Saab was sold to Spyker.

GM unveiled the first details about its new technology to display on the windscreen

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:33:48 +0000

GM technicians prepare an innovative display on the windscreen, which will help the driver in situations with poor visibility.

General Motors working with the University of Southern California to develop new generation of display on the windscreen. There are already a number of vendors that have implemented a system of display type HUD (Head Up Display), which presents a series of important information on a driver even on the windscreen, which helps to keep attention on the road, not on board instrumentation, without losing sight of important details related to operating parameters of the vehicle.

GM engineers will help drivers as much as possible with their new system, which will design information directly on the windshield without waking the driver. For example, the technology can “stress” lines in the road when driving in conditions of fog or darkness. The innovative display of GM uses a series of sensors that detect all items on the roadside or animals, people, traffic signs or other traffic. Street signs will also be “highlighted” on the windshield, these will be virtually surrounded by the display system with dedicated sensors. Opel already has a detection system of road signs, entitled OpelEye, which warns the driver of the legal speed limit on that road travel. This time the system from GM will go even further, working with GPS to correlate signs on the road with GPS indications and buildings with key points to assist drivers as much.

The implementation of General Motors announces first production versions of these systems on vehicles in 2016. They must pass over a series of legal obstacles, but over the eternal question of costs. Although the complete system will start in 2016, people at GM could gradually implement a number of systems that will provide some of these features in the near future.

General Motors: Cadillac officially back in Europe

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:43:53 +0000

Cadillac CTS-V Coupè

Cadillac is preparing to officially be back in Europe after the failure of the Dutch company Kroymans which dealt with the distribution of U.S. cars in the Old Continent until last year. General Motors has decided to create branch Cadillac Europe that will directly import and distribution of Cadillac models. The first step of this new adventure will be the presentation of the CTS Coupe forthcoming Geneva Motor Show, along with high-performance version called the CTS-V.

Bryan Nesbitt, general manager of Cadillac, said that Europe will be a key market for Cadillac in the near future. The premium brand of GM will be back officially launched in Europe later this year and the range will consist of 3 key models: the CTS sedan variants, Sport Wagon and Coupe, including the corresponding CTS-V, the new SRX and Escalade Hybrid. After the flop of the Cadillac BLS, is very likely that the above-mentioned cars are equipped with a diesel engine, which is crucial to get off in Europe.

General Motors: B20 biofuel compatibility with the 6.6 Duramax diesel engine

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:41:33 +0000

General Motors has announced compatibility with the B20 biodiesel for the 6.6-liter turbodiesel Duramax V8 engine from 370 hp. The B20 is the result of a mixture of 20% biodiesel and 80% of diesel fuel standards, thereby reducing NOx emissions and is available in the United States in many filling stations. The Duramax engine has been thoroughly revised for the occasion, with new gaskets, new fuel filter and a system to heat the fuel, the filter provides an injector dedicated management and electronics has been revised.

The previous version of the engine was able to use only biodiesel B5.

The new Duramax engine compatible with biodiesel B20 debut on 2011 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups and even SUVs Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana. General Motors has always paid much attention to the use of biofuels, as evidenced by his efforts in spreading the petrol versions with compatibility for bioethanol E85, already sold 4 million copies.